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Columbia County News
Beginning in 2013 County & County
Commission News will be here. Earlier
years will be found in either County News or County
Commission indexes
2020-2019
Index of Stories •
2018-2017 •
2016-2015 •
2014 •
2013 •
2012-2009
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County News 2020
(scroll down)
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Posted
December 29, 2020 11:58 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last Tuesday,
Columbia County's Economic Development Advisory
Board, after only 11 minutes and six seconds of
discussion about the Niagara Bottling Project,
moved to "not to enter into a contract with the
company." The decision by the EDAB is advisory
only.
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Posted
December 20, 2020 06:00 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Thursday evening, the Columbia County 5
heard an appeal of a special exception granted
on a 3-2 vote by the County's Board of
Adjustment. Jesse Hubbart, a 30 year retired
Navy veteran, and Elizabeth Hubbart moved to the
County about six years ago and recently bought
12.75 acres to turn into a 15 pad RV
campground. The neighbors in the area appealed
the decision to the County 5.
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Posted
December 5, 2020 08:40 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Columbia County has long been known for its
quintessential backroom dealing. Lately, it
has gone over the top with utility deals
between the County and the City. Both
Columbia County and Lake City are ignoring
their written utility vetting policies.
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Posted
November 22, 2020 04:45 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County's latest 'Keystone Cops
Extravaganza' is one for the record books, even
for its highest officials, who claimed they
couldn't find a purchasing policy that was voted
on and passed unanimously by the entire county
commission.
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Posted
November 11, 2020 11:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – In a process that began in 2006, Columbia County
modified its Land Use Plan to include a
mixed-use development of 2,593.96 acres to
accommodate Plum Creek's development of an
industrial – residential megasite. Fourteen
years later, there is still no utility plan.
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Posted
November 4, 2020 07:59 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Yesterday was election day across the
nation. On Wednesday morning, no one knows
who has been elected president. It has been
said that "all politics are local." Here are
the local results that matter, but first –
the presidential race.
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Posted
November 3, 2020 08:01 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
County Attorney Joel Foreman, Florida's only
elected county attorney, recently gave his
encouragement and approval of a clear
violation of Florida Election Law: the
County advocacy "Vote Yes" of paid political
advertising for the County's Charter
amendments.
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Posted
November 1, 2020 05:40 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – At the 12th hour, Fort
White Mayoral race enters another dimension when
Mayor Ronnie Frazier endorses himself on a
Facebook page he set up to look like it was the
Town's Facebook page. He said it was taken down,
but this morning, it was not.
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Posted
October 8, 2020 04:28 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last week, South Columbia
County's Commissioner and goodwill ambassador,
Rocky Ford, and his cousin Pete Richardson, held
a fish fry lunch for Florida Legislative and
County Candidates and the County's elected
officials.
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Posted
October 2, 2020 09:33 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night, the Columbia
County 5 named Assistant County Manager David
Kraus as interim county manager. On Monday,
County Manager Ben Scott surprised The 5 with
his resignation, showing once again that
Columbia County is full of surprises. Mr.
Scott's resignation is effective on December 29.
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Posted
September 22, 2020 07:35 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Along with the reopening
festivities today, the good news at Rum Island
Park is that there will be handicapped parking
installed at the new restrooms and the security
cameras, after a year, have finally been
ordered.
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Posted
September 10, 2020 11:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On May 17, 2019,
Governor Ron DeSantis signed senate bill
7068 – the M-CORES (Multi-Use Corridors of
Regional Economic Significance). The pet
project of Senate President Bill Galvano, if
built, it will be the largest Florida public
works project since the building of the
interstates. Not everyone is thrilled about
this project, with a price tag some believe
will end up at about $30 billion.
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Posted
September 5, 2020 06:30 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On February 20, 1864, Southern Confederate
soldiers defeated the North in the Battle of
Olustee. Just shy of sixty-four years later, in
1928, on land owned by Columbia County, a
monument was erected to commemorate the lost
lives of the Confederate soldiers. In 2020
Columbia County/Lake City, the Battle of Olustee
continues.
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Posted
August 31, 2020 11:30 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Rum Island Park, after a year of
being shuttered for two renovations, re-opened
today. While not yet collecting money, there was
an attendant on hand telling folks the fees were
on the way. Like Lake City and the Lake Shore
Hospital Authority, handicapped accessibility
can be an afterthought.
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Posted
August 19, 2020 08:10 am
Photos: Columbia County Observer
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Yesterday was primary day
for some and election day for others. The unsung
heroes of the day were the folks in the Columbia
County Supervisor of Elections office who ran a
smooth election without any hitches.
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Posted July
20, 2020 02:15 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Other than during the reign of the legendary
Jackson P. "Jack" Berry at the Lake Shore
Hospital Authority, agencies throughout Columbia
County have been models of public record access.
Last Thursday night, Commissioner Tim Murphy had
a problem.
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Posted July
10, 2020 10:45 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Following up on its March
3, 2020 workshop, the Columbia County 5 met in
Fort White last night to hash out the proposed
rules for Rum Island Park which lies on the
Santa Fe River in the south end of Columbia
County.
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Posted July
3, 2020 07:40 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – The 2020 Charter Review Commission
met again on Wednesday evening for its second
round of public hearings in the charter fiasco
orchestrated by the charter inexperienced County
Attorney Joel Foreman.
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Posted June
29, 2020 09:55 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – This Saturday Charlie Keith kicked
of his campaign with hotdogs, chips and a steady
flow of people who were interested in
finding out more about one of the men who was
looking to take 8 year incumbent Bucky Nash's
District 3 seat on the County Commission (County
5).
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Posted June
22, 2020 04:25 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – The recent Florida coronavirus
spikes are attention getters. Tomorrow morning
between 9 and 11 am the Florida Department of
Health is offering free corona virus testing at
the Fort White Community Center.
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Posted June
19, 2020 11:15 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – As Thursday's three hour County 5
meeting drew to a close, Commissioner Bucky Nash
asked for an explanation from County Manager Ben
Scott for tax relief for Columbia County
residents.
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Posted May
21, 2020 10:15 pm
LAKE CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – During a
virtual/simulcast meeting of the Columbia County
Tourist Development Board (TDC) on Wednesday,
Lake City's own Nick Patel gave a rundown on his
Lake City hotel business. It wasn't pretty.
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Posted May
19, 2020 08:30 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – After almost three hours of
discussion by in-person and email
communications, the Columbia County Charter
Review Commission, after barely hearing from its
members, voted down the proposition to put
at-large voting for county commission districts
on the ballot.
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Posted May
15, 2020 07:40 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – The Columbia County 5 never
disappoints when one is looking for surprises.
The last meetings of the County 5, May 6 and 7,
demonstrated that when it comes to their own
safety and that of their staff and the public,
they follow the President’s lead – no masks and
no common sense.
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Posted May
11, 2020 09:45 am
Talk about
adding at-large or changing back to at-large
County Commission voting districts has been a
Charter Review Commission subject since Columbia
County became a home rule charter county in
2002. This go-around, it has been a complete
mash-up. Tonight, the Operations Committee will
decide whether to move forward with at-large
voting districts only.
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Posted May
4, 2020 01:10 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – The malaise of the Columbia County
2020 Charter Review Commission continues at 4 pm
today. On its docket are the findings of the
Operations Committee, prepared by Nabors Giblin
Nickerson's attorney, Lynn Hoshihara.
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Posted
May 1, 2020 02:25 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Columbia County
government offices will reopen on Monday, May 4,
with restrictions. The County will be complying
with Governor DeSantis’ Phase I Step-by-Step
Plan for Florida’s Recovery.
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Posted
April 30, 2020 05:25 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – With the Charter Review Commission
(CRC) off the rails and Commissioner Jody DuPree
not happy with County Attorney Joel Foreman, the
commissioner reverted to old form of pulling
papers out of the air.
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Posted
April 24, 2020 02:45 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
The Columbia
County Charter Review Commission was in big
trouble. County Attorney Joel Foreman, who is
the only elected county attorney in Florida, was
hired by the Columbia County 5 in April of 2019
to be the attorney for the 2020 CRC. Chairman
Robert "Rambo" Lane apparently didn't like Mr.
Forman's legal opinion for CRC public hearings,
so he relieved him of his duties and directed
NGN Attorney Lynn Hoshihara to take over.
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Posted April 13, 2020 05:15 am | Op-Ed
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – 17,961: the number of
positive Covid-19 cases in Florida as of Friday,
April 10. 438: the number of deaths in
Florida as of April 10. Columbia County
has 24 positive cases with 4 hospitalizations.
Those numbers give us reason to pause.
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Posted
April 11, 2020 01:30 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Columbia County
has made County firehouses off limits to all but
its firefighters after a County firefighter at
the Fort White firehouse tested positive for the
coronavirus.
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Posted
March 29, 2020 09:20 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County has
much in common with the state of Florida
when it comes to COVID-19: adults at risk
due to age or medical conditions, slow to
act, lost time while not taking coronavirus
seriously and the County’s high poverty
rate.
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Posted
March 25, 2020 05:35 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Beginning
Thursday, March 26, 2020, in an effort to keep
County employees and the citizens of Columbia
County safe from the possible spread of
COVID-19, Columbia County government offices are
closed to the public through April 10, 2020.
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Posted
March 23, 2020 06:15 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
After the fiasco
of the last emergency meeting of the County 5
(County Commission or The 5), The 5 was minding
its P's & Q's with the 3 pm emergency meeting
scheduled earlier today.
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Posted
March 20, 2020 09:50 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Ignoring basic
common sense, the President of the United
States, the World Health Organization and
others, County Manager Ben Scott and County
Chairman Toby Witt, a medical professional, dug
in and refused to change the venue of the
coronavirus special meeting to a room where
people could spread out to diminish the chance
of spreading the coronavirus.
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Posted
March 8, 2020 09:10 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
For decades,
Columbia County's Rum Island Park was ignored,
vandalized, in disrepair and despair. Last fall,
with the election of District II Commissioner
Rocky Ford, the Columbia County 5 is paying
attention to both the park and the citizens that
care about and use the park.
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Posted
March 6, 2020 01:04 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Wednesday's
Economic Development Advisory Board rejected, for
the second time, a County staff recommended
residential housing incentive policy. The two
month process has taken 4 months and counting.
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Posted
February 27, 2020 08:30 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
As the Columbia
County Charter Review Commission (CRC) rolls off
the tracks, Hunter Peeler, Columbia County's 20
year old head of the Republican Party and a CRC
member, takes issue with the 1st Amendment:
seems like the young Peeler doesn't like
criticism.
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Posted February 23, 2020 04:39 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, N. FL – The RiverFest 2020 10th
Anniversary celebration, hosted by Our Santa Fe
River, begins on March 21 with the popular
RiverFest plant hike and river walk, guided by
Collette Jacono, PhD: botanist, plant ecologist,
and defender of the environment.
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Posted
February 21, 2020 10:17 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
As last night's
meeting of the
County 5 (County
Commission)
wound down,
Charter Review
Commission (CRC)
member, Glenel
Bowden,
addressed The 5
and announced he
had received a
call from one of
the County's
Constitutional
Officers, who,
among other
things,
questioned his
integrity.
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Posted
February 20, 2020 06:30 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County's charter review
continues with
the public left
out of the loop
and
ill-conceived
subcommittees
doing the heavy
lifting on
issues that
should be coming
before the
Charter Review
Commission from
the start.
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Posted
February 18, 2020 10:00 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Columbia County
Charter Review Commission (CRC) met on Feb. 13
for its 7th Commission meeting. This was the
first time the Commission discussed the actual
content of the Charter.
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Posted
February 17, 2020 08:50 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County's infamous
'good ole' boys' have turned the 2020 charter
review process into a scheme of "political"
overreach, which has some charter review
commissioners being the water boys for those who
appointed them.
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Posted
February 7, 2019 06:12 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night, the Columbia
County Commission (County 5 or The 5) brought
out about 35 people to speak or observe the
discussion and debate (there was no debate) on
its resolution calling for Columbia County to
become a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County.
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Posted
February 3, 2019 11:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Columbia County
Charter Review Commission (CRC) met on Thursday
night. Unsubstantiated rumors about changing
commissioner district voting caused a larger
than normal turnout, but the real story was bad
management and an out of control Charter Review
Commission, whose chairman and committee
chairman act like a bunch of mobsters refusing
to answer questions.
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Posted
January 24, 2020 11:08 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The race to fill the top
spot at the Columbia County Tax Collector's
Office is heating up with four candidates in the
running to fill the spot of retiring Tax
Collector Ronnie Brannon. Amy Overstreet, with
19 years experience at the Tax Collector's
office, is in the running.
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Posted January 10, 05:10 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Every year, based on the
County Charter, the Columbia County 5 appoints a
County Commission Chairman. This year's
appointment is Toby Witt, who was elevated from
the position of Vice Chair.
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County News 2019
(scroll down)
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Posted December 21, 2019 08:55 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County/Lake
City, FL – This Monday, December 23 at 10
am, the groundbreaking ceremony for the
James Montgomery Animal Wellness Center will
take place. On Thursday, the Columbia County
5 (County Commission) agreed to provide the
site work for the project, leaving $50k to
go to fully fund the project.
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Part II: Koberlein Law
Firm Confuses the Issue
FORT WHITE, FL – After hearing from those
concerned: Seven Springs, Nestle, and the
environmentalists, the Town Council got down
to the business it was elected to do –
decision making. The question: whether or
not to resolve in opposition to the renewal
of the Seven Springs water permit.
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Part I: The speakers
Posted December 13, 2019 05:15 pm
FORT WHITE, FL – On Monday, December 9,
2019, The Town Council of Ft. White
(population 717) was asked to tackle a big
question: should the Council recommend not
renewing the Seven Springs water permit
which will allow it pump over 1 million
gallons of water per day from the springs.
Seven Springs sells its water to Nestle for
bottled water.
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Sheriff Hunter came ready for combat
Posted December 8, 2019 09:59 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
The word on the street was widespread
before Wednesday's jail meeting got
underway: Sheriff Hunter's dream jail was
topping the charts at $40 mil and was DOA.
Even his life-long boy hood friend,
Commissioner Tim Murphy, couldn't help him
this time. A $40 mil jail for 85 high
risk-high security detainees and 120 minimum
security detainees was just too expensive
for a community of 70,000.
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But First, the
Relatively Calm Part of the Meeting
Posted December 7, 2019 | 03:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Wednesday evening, the
Columbia County 5, 3 years after again
deciding to build a new county jail, met to
decide jail options and financing. Part I is
the conversational part of the meeting. Part
II will be the confrontational part of the
meeting.
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Posted
November 27, 2019 04:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
This past Thursday night, November 21, the
Columbia County 5 pledged $15,000 of Columbia
County tax dollars for a marketing campaign
designed to inform the public not to give money
to panhandlers.
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Posted November 24, 2019 4:18 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – This past Thursday night,
the homeless Columbia County 5 put off a vote on
spending, when all is said and done, around
$35,000,000, plus finance charges, on a new
County Jail to house between 200 and 250
inmates, only 85 of which are high risk males.
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Posted
November 4, 2019 01:42 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY/LAKE CITY, FL – Last Thursday, the United
Way Homeless Coalition subcommittee met to
discuss an advertising campaign to discourage
people in Columbia County from giving money to
panhandlers (and the homeless).
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Posted
October 15, 2019 11:50 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The City Council and the Homeless County 5
(the County Commission) met in City Hall last
night to discuss issues of mutual interest. The
hot topic of the evening was the New City Hall
proposal and shared use with the County 5.
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Posted
October 13, 2019 01:15 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Tomi S. "Stinson" Brown is throwing her hat in
the ring to succeed Columbia County's popular
Supervisor of Elections Liz Horne, who, after 16
years, has decided not to seek another term.
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Posted
October 9, 2019 11:55 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Town of Fort White has
a water system that is about to fail. There are
about 400 residents on the system. However, a
few blocks from the water plant, there are 2,000
high school and elementary school students that
are also on the system.
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Posted
October 5, 2019 09:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County Economic
Development was the topic at Wednesday's Economic
Development Advisory Board (EDAB) meeting, which had a
friend of Board Chairman and County Commissioner
Tim Murphy looking for a fast track tax rebate
incentive to build a private condos development
with an average selling price of $175,750.
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Posted
October 4, 2019 03:20 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Wednesday's Economic Development Advisory Board
meeting had a friend of Board Chairman and
County Commissioner Tim Murphy looking for a
fast track tax rebate incentive to build a
private condos development with an average
selling price of $175,750.
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Posted
October 2, 2019 07:20 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Senator Rob Bradley represents
all or part of 11 Florida Counties.
Representative Chuck Brannan represents all or part of
5 Florida counties. For an hour and thirty-nine
minutes both representatives listened to the
County's elected officials, appointed officials
and citizens.
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Posted
September 20, 2019 11:55 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The M-CORES (Multi-Use
Corridors of Regional Economic Significance)
found its way onto the Tourist Development
Council (TDC) agenda Tuesday afternoon. Chamber
Director Theresa Pinto, with a little help from
hotel mogul and TDC member Nick Patel, came to
the TDC looking for money for a study of the
proposed Suncoast Extension, which is one of the
three proposed toll roads in the M-CORES
project.
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Posted
September 14, 2019 09:15 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last week, Jay Swisher set aside the rumors and
made it official. He is running for Clerk of the
Court in 2020 to replace the retiring P. DeWitt
Cason.
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Posted
September 6, 2019 06:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Last night, the Columbia County 5 honored the
memory of Florida State Trooper George A. Brown,
III, a 33 year veteran of FHP, who in 2004, died
in the line of duty while overtaking a traffic
violator in Columbia County.
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Posted
August 31, 2019 11:40 am
EOC Director Morgan (standing-left of screen)
directs the attendees to the State Emergency
Management broadcast which is about to begin.
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Posted
August 29, 2019 02:30 pm
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Posted
August 28, 2019 05:30 pm
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Posted
August 18, 2019 03:00 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On August 1, 2019,
Florida's Surgeon General elevated the 2018
Hepatitis A Public Health Advisory to a Public
Health Emergency. On Thursday evening, Columbia
County Dept. of Health Administrator Tom Moffses
came to the County 5 to get them up to speed.
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Posted
August 16, 2019 08:30 am
Updated August 18, 2019 03:00 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Good news if you are looking for a cat or dog.
The Lake City Humane Society is clearing its
shelter tomorrow, Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm.
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Posted
August 15, 2019 02:59 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
The Columbia County Charter Review Commission
met for its second meeting and spoke about
everything except the County Charter.
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Posted
August 9, 2019 07:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – As parents prepare for
the new school year, school supplies, after
school activities, and school safety are on the
table in Florida schools and homes. Why school
safety? After the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas
School massacre, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
signed
Senate Bill 7030 amending school safety
statutes, which among other things, allows the
arming of school teachers.
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Posted July
31, 2019 10:48 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
On Monday evening, the Charter Review Commission
(CRC) met at 6 pm for its first official meeting
of Charter Review 2020. Two-and-a-half hours
later it had elected a chairman, upgraded a few
of the 2012 rules for approval at its next
meeting, and decided to put out a request for an
unneeded charter consultant.
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Posted July
29, 2019 11:30 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On July 10 two of
Florida Gateway College's brass appeared before
the County's Economic Development Advisory Board
to discuss workforce development. They appeared
with a flashy PowerPoint and not much else other
than an apparent guarantee that they would not
be asked questions from the press or the public.
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Posted
July 25, 2019 09:00 am
St. Leo, FL –
It is the most wonderful time of the year – for
parents. School begins in a few short weeks for
most students and some children may be
experiencing the “summer slump.”
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Posted July
14, 2019 09:35 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Columbia County's homeless and
panhandler issues have been swept under the
carpet for the past 10 years. Some think United
Way is the problem.
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Posted July
11, 2019 09:00 pm |
Updated July 12, 2019
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – During Monday
evening's joint Lake City / Columbia County
meeting of the elected leaders and top
management of both bodies, the number one topic
was the homeless and panhandlers.
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Posted June
30, 2019 01:30 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – On Wednesday, June 26, the Columbia
County Sheriff’s Office received accreditation
from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement
Accreditation at their meeting in Orlando.
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Posted June
28, 2019 10:50am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – More confusion at the
County Charter Review Commission (CRC) as it
continues to have trouble getting off the
launching pad.
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Posted June
22, 2019 08:30 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – In both 2006 and 2012,
Audrey Bullard brought a touch of class and
experience to the Columbia County Charter review
process. Her sudden resignation yesterday
morning, one day after the County 5 approved her
appointment, was a surprise.
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Posted
June 20, 2019 06:30 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County's
infamous County 5 ran the Charter Review
Commission (CRC) appointments right down to the
wire, giving Florida's only elected county
attorney a case of agita, as the July 1 deadline
approached.
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Posted June
17, 2019 04:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
While some of its workers don't make a
living wage, the Governor's Florida Gateway
College (FGC) board decided to give an
across the board 4% pay increase to its
educational staff and 5% to the FGC
Foundation head. When your reporter brought
this up, nobody flinched and the college
president tried to get your reporter thrown
out of the meeting.
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Posted June
14, 2019 06:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Florida Gateway College President, Lawrence
Barrett was reported to be leaving for an
Alaskan cruise. With recent confusion
regarding the chain of command at the
college, the Observer asked the President,
"When you are in Alaska, who is in charge of
the College?"
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Posted
June 6, 2019 02:15 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – The April 18, 2019, Florida Supreme
Court decision, Orange County, Florida vs. Rick
Singh, has affected the way the County runs its
elections for the Superintendent of Schools and
its Constitutional Officers: Clerk of the
Courts, Property Appraiser, Sheriff, and Tax
Collector.
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Posted June
3, 2019 04:20 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
On May 14, 2019, the Florida Gateway College
Governor's appointed board met to discuss the
college budget and other things.
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Posted
May 20, 2019 06:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Thursday's first budget hearing of the year was
ill attended, with one non government employee
in attendance. Missing from this important
meeting was the County's mainstream media, its
own version of Pravda, the Lake City Reporter.
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Posted
May 17, 2019 07:00 pm
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Posted
April 28, 2019 05:10 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Saturday night's Humane Society Benefit brought
folks together from the 4 corners of Columbia
County, as well as foreign lands, to support the
Lake City Humane Society's goal to build the
James Montgomery Animal Wellness Center. By
every measure, the event was a tremendous
success.
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Posted
April 25, 2019 07:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The dream of many
in Columbia County/Lake City is to have the
Lake City Humane Society offer low cost
spay-neutering, offer in house surgical
veterinary care, and become a no-kill
shelter. The Humane Society is having a
fundraiser on Saturday night, 6-10 pm, in
Ellisville at Truck Stop 75, Ellisville's
newest mega truck stop and dining
experience, to bring the Humane Society
closer to that dream.
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Posted
April 14, 2019 10:30 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
On Friday afternoon, April 12, 2019, CCSO
veteran Clint Dicks told a group of observers
who came to a Columbia County Department of
Health luncheon, "Distracted driving can kill
you." The monthly programs bring the community
together to discuss important health related
issues facing Columbia County.
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Posted
April 5, 2019 02:30 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – The long tradition of Columbia
County flying by the seat of its pants and the
County's tradition of polling board members was
evident last night when the County 5 pulled off
its consent agenda the request for a residency
requirement waiver for the County's Number 2,
Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby.
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Posted
April 3, 2019 09:00 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Assistant County
Manager Kevin Kirby, whose domain includes
public works, called an impromptu meeting at
Rum Island Park this afternoon. The purpose:
evaluate the conditions at Rum Island Park
to determine if the dangerous conditions on
one of the decks around the spring could be
repaired so the public could use the park
during the summer season.
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Posted
March 30, 2019 06:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
Our Santa Fe Riverfest 2019 is just around the
corner. (Sunday, March 31) Riverfest gives our
Santa Fe River a Voice, bringing together
artists, environmentalists, live music, food,
family fun, and people all in support of
Columbia County's Santa Fe River.
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Posted
March 25, 2019 11:10 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The animal control
conversation came to the forefront on March
21, when the issue came up on the agenda
during the bi-monthly meeting of the
Columbia County 5. After all the facts were
presented, the Lake City Reporter, the 'hometown' newspaper', was not
creditable.
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Posted
March 24, 2019 09:45 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – On March 19, 2019, the Lake City
Reporter (LCR) announced on its front page:
"Even If Nobody Was Bitten: 'Aggressive' dogs
could be taken at will, under new plan." Despite
Thursday's outburst by LCR editor Robert Bridges
at the County Commission meeting, the facts
don't support the 'hometown' newspaper's
characterization of the Animal Control 'new'
Plan. Everything points to the fact that
Columbia County's good ole' boy mainstream print
media just made it up.
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Posted
March 19, 2019 10:30 am | updated
March 20 07:10 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Unless a giant monkey wrench is
thrown into the mix, Werner Enterprises, one of
the America's largest trucking and logistics
firms is locating to Columbia County. The Werner
Enterprise's trucking facility is scheduled to
be located at the Bell Road economic development
site near I-10 and US 441. For almost a year, this project
has been code named Project 18-6.
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Posted
March 9, 2019 11:00 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Thursday, March 7, 2019, Sheriff
Mark Hunter's percent based budgeting deal with
the Columbia County 5 almost faded quietly away. After the motion was made to end the
agreement, the discussion began with some humor.
Commissioner Witt said, "I'm only going to be a
minute. I'm not going to do a Tim Murphy and
make a long speech." Everybody chuckled. There
were no more chuckles.
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Posted
March 7, 2019 08:25 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Commissioner Tim
Murphy has a passion for politics, economic
development, and talking. At yesterday's
Economic Development Advisory Board meeting,
Mr. Murphy demonstrated all three and
announced that he is looking to have a
regional summit to bring Columbia County's
sister counties to the table so they are all
heading in the same direction.
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Posted
March 3, 2019 09:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Each spring, a
nation-wide high school arts competition is
sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House
of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery
Contest is an opportunity to recognize and
encourage the artistic talent in the nation,
as well as Neal Dunn's Congressional
District 2 of Florida.
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Posted February
22, 2019 09:45 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Yesterday, the County 5 met for
five hours in a marathon workshop/special
meeting. Other than a break for lunch, The 5
took no breaks. A major portion of the meeting
dealt with issues concerning Sheriff Mark
Hunter: a) the location of the County back-up
911 center – Sheriff Hunter wanted it at the
proposed, unapproved, unbuilt new jail; b) the
March 27, 2015 Interlocal Agreement between the
County and Sheriff Hunter – The County 5...
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Posted
February 18, 2019 11:45 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On February 12,
2019, the Florida Gateway College Board met
in Baker County for its monthly meeting.
Neither the Olustee Battle Reenactment nor
the Battle Festival was anywhere on the
College's agenda. Columbia County residents
Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Jim Tatum
brought the item up, which inspired FGC
Board member and Florid Representative Chuck
Brannon to throw up his arms in exasperation
and tell the Board, "I'm not in agreement to
what I am hearing today. And I am not going
to just sit here and not say anything."
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Posted
February 14, 2019 05:40 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Yesterday, February 13, 2019,
the Florida Gateway College Campus Activity
Board sponsored a Black History Festival in
the Student Activity Center.
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Posted
February 13, 2019 06:15 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – As the
January 23, 2019 Tourist Development Council (TDC)
meeting got underway, TDC Director Paula
Vann announced, "At the last TDC meeting I
brought up that the hotel owners were asking
that we do some improvements or ask DOT to
do some improvements at the I-75 and Highway
90 exit." As a result, Ms. Vann invited
Florida Department of Transportation's
(FDOT) landscape team to the TDC. Twenty
minutes after the meeting began, DOTs Marty
Humphreys said, "We have a little issue out
there... We've been working with law
enforcement."
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Posted
February 5, 2019 07:10 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Last night in City Hall,
Mayor Steve Witt proclaimed the month of
February Black History Month.
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Posted
January 28, 2019 10:55 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – In nineteen days, the
Olustee Battle Festival, the annual
celebration of the February 20, 1864, Baker
County Battle of Olustee, begins. Folks from
all over the world will converge on the area
to fill local hotels, fill up at fast food
emporiums, and visit downtown Lake City for
an "arts and crafts festival." The center
piece of the event is the Olustee Battle
Reenactment. Thousands of white people along
with their children, many waving the
Confederate Battle flag, will be cheering
their Confederate heroes on to victory while
watching Americans blowing each other's
brains out.
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Posted
January 26, 2019 03:15 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Late Thursday afternoon,
January 24, 2019, the Middle and Lower
Suwannee River Task Force (the Task Force)
met for its second meeting. The Task Force
has members from 12 N. Central FL counties
and while all counties do not front on the
Withlacoochee and or Suwannee Rivers, the
officials have banded together to help find
a solution to the multi-million gallon raw
sewage spills coming out of Valdosta into N.
Florida.
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Posted
January 22, 2019 08:35am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Lake City Reporter
recently reported on the January 8, 2019,
Florida Gateway College Board meeting, a
meeting in which the board voted unanimously
to end funding for the Olustee Battle
Festival. The College Board is composed of
gubernatorial appointees, six of whom were
present: a banker, three educators, and two
physicians. Three of the six are long time
Columbia County residents.
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Posted
January 19, 2019 05:00 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Thursday evening, at
the bimonthly meeting of the homeless County
Commission (the County 5), the public was in
for a new surprise: a giant 2 minute warning
clock projected on the screen at the front
of the school district auditorium, the home
away from home of the homeless County
Commission. None of The 5 acknowledged the
countdown clock and no one would take
ownership of it. If a speaker didn't beat
the clock, an annoying buzzer went off,
without shutting off until the speaker left
the microphone. The board members thought
that was pretty funny.
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Posted
January 16, 2019 04:20 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On Monday, January 14,
Senator Rob Bradley, one of the most
powerful people in Tallahassee (chairman of
the Senate Appropriations Committee), and
considered by many to be one of
Tallahassee's sharpest elected officials,
and newly elected Representative Chuck
Brannan, listened to various government
representatives asking for money. However,
along with the bevy of local officials, were
everyday citizens who came to voice their
concerns from climate change to education
and things in between.
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Posted
January 14, 2019 12:05 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming
Island), Chairman of the Columbia County
Legislative Delegation, will preside at the
annual delegation hearing today, Monday, January
14th at 1:00 pm. The location of the hearing is
the Florida Gateway College Administrative Bldg
1, Board Room located at 149 SE College Place,
Lake City, Florida.
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Posted
January 12, 2019 03:15 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On Friday afternoon,
Melissa Olin was sworn in as a Circuit Court
Judge in the Third Judicial Circuit of
Florida. Ms. Olin, 48, a former Assistant
State Attorney and a UF graduate, continues
the generational shift begun with the
election of Judge Wesley Douglas and
continued with the elections of Judge Mark
Feagle and Dixie County County Court Judge
Jennifer J. Johnson.
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Posted
January 9, 2019 10:21 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Last night, Florida Gateway College
(FGC) Board Chair Suzanne Norris was the only
board member who exhibited any discomfort with
the support of Lake City's infamous Olustee
Battle Festival, which celebrates the victory of
the South over the North in the 1864 Battle of
Olustee in Baker County. FGC President Larry
Barrett signed a contract in July supporting the
festival.
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Posted
January 4, 2019 06:35 am
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Last night's meeting of the
County 5 concluded on an upbeat note when
Commissioner Murphy invited Representative
Brannon's District Secretary to the microphone,
"We've got Representative Brannon's associate
here. Step up and introduce yourself."
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Posted
January 3, 2019 01:45 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – On the County 5 docket tonight,
January 3, 2019, at its first meeting of the
year, is approval of the Governor Scott
approved DEO $10.2mil Waste Water Treatment
Plant (WWTP) Grant for the east side of the
County. The County's Neanderthal IT policy
kept the County Economic Development
Department from receiving the grant contract
for over two months.
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County News
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Columbia County Econ Dev:
Niagara Gets Thumbs Down – County Could Lose 150
Potential Jobs
Columbia County 5 Invents a
New Class of Citizens, "Legacy Citizens" – Then
Gives the Thumbs Down on RV Park Special
Exception
Columbia County & Lake City
Throw Utility Vetting Rules Out the Window To
Bring a Water Bottling Plant to the Plum Creek -
Weyerhaeuser Mega Site
Columbia County's Highest Officials
& County Atty Claim
Annual Contract Purchasing Policy Never Written Down, Then
Make Up Stories About It
Columbia County Econ
Development
Columbia
County/Lake City Issues & Ballot Initiatives
That Matter to All
County
Attorney Joel Foreman Authorizes Illegal
Advertising for "Yes" Votes on Charter Amdts
Town of Fort White Mayor Sets Up Faux Facebook
Page, Makes It Look Like the Town Endorsed Him
Rocky Ford, Ambassador for S. Columbia County,
Hosts Fish Fry for Florida & County Candidates
In a Surprise Move, the
Columbia County 5 Name David Kraus as Interim
County Manager
Rum Island Park: Additional Handicapped Parking
on the Way, Along With More Security & Cameras
M-CORES Coming to Columbia County. Hotel
Mogul Worried About Economic Impact to Local
Economy
One Civil War Battle of
Olustee Monument – Two Views – Back to Square
One for Lake City
After
a Year, Rum Island Park Finally Re-Opens:
Handicapped Parking an Afterthought & an Issue
Columbia
County: Primary Day for Some -
Election Day for Others
Columbia
County a Model of Public Record Access
Commissioner Tim Murphy Has a Problem
Columbia County's Rum Island
Park:
Rules & Fees on Center Stage in Fort White
CRC:
The Douglas Amendment – Controlling County
Surplus Funds With Incomprehensible Language 
Charlie Keith Officially
Launches Race for Bucky Nash's 'County 5' District
3 Seat
Columbia County 5 Say "No" to 2021 Residential
Trash Assessment: saving residents $4,000,000
Lake
City Hotel Mogul Nick Patel Optimistic Despite
80% Drop In Occupancy Due to the Coronavirus
CRC: Peeler Stands His
Ground for At-Large Voting, But the Tide Turned,
Measure Fails
The
Columbia County 5: Wearing Masks and Social
Distancing Is Not Their Style
CRC: At-Large vs.
Single-Dist. Cnty Commissioners - Since 2002 the
Legal Issues Were Clear
CRC:
OPS Com Meeting - Will the County Attorney Be
Paid as Much as a County Court Judge?
Columbia
County Government Offices to Reopen Monday, With
Restrictions
CRC:
Half of Coup Duo Gone: Pulling Documents Out of
Air Nothing New for Commissioner DuPree
CRC Chairman Robert "Rambo"
Lane's Coup Fails: CRC Attorney Foreman Stays
Columbia
County, Florida & COVID-19: Do the County
Fathers Have the Firefighters' Backs?
Columbia County Firefighter Tests Positive for
Coronavirus: Deep Issues Raised
COVID-19:
FL 3rd In Adults at Risk Due
to Age, 1st in Uninsured out of Top 25
States – Columbia Cnty at Risk
Columbia County Closes Government Offices To
Public Beginning Tomorrow, March 26
After Receiving Criticism From Far & Wide, The
County 5 Finally Wakes Up, Closes Parks etc.
County Special Coronavirus
Emergency Meeting Ignores Health Risks to County
5, Staff, & Public
Columbia
County's Rum Island Park: Finally, the
Politicians Are Paying Attention
County
Econ Dev Advisory Board Nixes Residential
Housing Incentives, 'Again'
CRC 2020: 20 Year Old
Republican Party Chairman, Hunter Peeler, Has
Trouble With First Amendment
RiverFest
10th Anniversary Celebrates-Educates about the Santa Fe
River & Environment
CRC 2020: Call From
Sheriff Hunter? Bowden Tells the County 5, "I
don't carry nobody('s) water."
CRC, Feb. 13, Part III:
Chairman Robert "Rambo" Lane Refuses to Answer –
Ethics Confusion
CRC, Feb. 13, Part II:
Overstepping Its Bounds, Working Without Legal
Authority
Columbia County Charter
Review, February 13 – Part I: A Past of Openness & Inclusion
Discarded
Columbia County Joins 2nd
Amdt. Sanctuaries - Sheriff Hunter Silent on
Raising Arms Against Feds
CRC Careening Out of
Control: Running on Rumors, Bad Management, &
Refusing to Answer Questions
Amy Overstreet: Looking To
Fill the Top Spot at the Tax Collector's Office
Czar Power 2020: County 5 Chairman, Toby Witt,
Announces Commissioner Appointments
Community Generosity Fuels
Humane Society James Montgomery Animal Wellness
Center
Fort White
Backs Off Vote In Opposition of Seven Springs -
Nestle
Permit Renewal
Seven Springs – Nestle –
Environmentalists: Does Everyone Want the Same
Thing for the Santa Fe?
Part II: The Hunter-Hilton
(proposed County Jail) $40,000,000 for 200
detainees was just too much
Part I: The Hunter-Hilton
(proposed County Jail) Goes Down for the Count
County 5 Pledge $15,000 for
an Anti Panhandler Marketing Campaign Without
Seeing a Plan
Sheriff Hunter's New Jail (Hunter-Hilton): $10
Mil Over Budget Before Leaving the Drawing Board
Panhandlers: Councilwoman
Moses & Com. Witt Want to Throw Tens of
Thousands $ Without Data
Downtown Lake City
Revitalization Hot Topic at City/County Meet -
LSHA: the Gorilla in the Room
Fort White Water Woes: A
Municipal Water System That Is a Disaster
Waiting To Happen
Part II: Columbia Cnty Econ
Dev Tim Murphy Style Taking Care of His Friends
– Ignoring the Rules
Pt.
I: Columbia County Econ Dev –
Wanted – Public Tax Dollar Incentive for Private
Condos
Columbia Cnty's
Legislative Delegation Hears From Its Elected/Appointed
Officials and Citizens
Suncoast Extension Arrives
at TDC: Chamber Director Looking for 'Money' for
Study – Sort Of
James "Jay" Swisher Running
for Columbia County Clerk of the Court
County
5 Honor Florida State Trooper George A. "Andy"
Brown, III: Killed in the Line of Duty
Dorian: Columbia Cnty, the State, FHP, Lake
City, etc. – Prepared for the Worst – A Sigh of
Relief
Charter Review: CRC Spinning
Its Wheels - Turmoil & Interrogation - No Review
of the Charter, 'Yet'
Governor Declares State of Emergency, Urges
Floridians to Prepare for Hurricane Dorian
Hepatitis
A: FL Dept of Health Elevates Hep-A from an
Advisory to Public Health Emergency
Clear
the Shelter Day at the Lake City Humane Society:
Kittens & Cats - Free - Plus More
Charter Review: Com. Murphy Interfering Where He
Has No Business; X-Com DuPree Shifts Gears
Columbia
County Schools – Teachers With Guns – Not Now
Charter Review 2020: CRC Meets – Revving Up to Get Something Done
– Looking at Rules
No Questions Allowed:
Commissioner Tim Murphy Suspends Rules for
Florida Gateway College Brass
Tips:
Preparing Youngsters for School
County's
United Way Is the Homeless Coalition: "The
problem is getting worse," Ron Williams, Jr.
Columbia Cnty – Lake City
Homeless/Panhandlers: "Too Big of a Problem –
We Need a Joint Effort"
Columbia County Sheriff's Office Joins Other
Florida Police Agencies in Accreditation
More County Charter Review
Commission Drama - Ozell Graham Drops Out – Glenel
Bowden In
Charter Review
Commission Drama: Veteran of Two Cycles, Audrey
Bullard Resigns
Charter Review
Commission Appointments Tonight No, County
Outreach or At-Large Members
FGC
$22 mil Budget Presentation a Bust: Staff
Gets Raises - Kitchen Workers Get
'Zero-Zip-Nada'
Florida
Gateway College President Off to Alaska –
Who Is In Charge? Nobody's Talking
FGC
Budget Prelude: May 14 Workshop Was In Good
Measure Unintelligible, Budget: $21,805,664
Gas Tax Redux: Lake City
Reporter Bails Out Nash, Blames Williams for
Talk of Gas Tax Increase
Com's. Nash & Williams Looking to Raise the Gas
Tax, Com. Witt "I will not support a raise in
taxes"
Super Columbia Cnty Success on Saturday Night
-- Truck Stop 75 Sponsored Humane Society Benefit
Lake City Humane Society Fundraiser: Moving
Forward Toward a No Kill Shelter & Veterinary
Care
"Distracted Driving Can Kill You," Sergeant
Clint Dicks, Columbia County Sheriff's Office
Columbia County Residency
Requirement: County's No. 2 Caught in County 5
Dysfunctional Web
Pt II: The County 5 Meets
Animal Control – Lake City Reporter Not
Creditable
Pt I: Lake City Reporter: Ginning
Up False Animal Control News - Bridges Defends
"hometown' Paper
Sheriff Mark Hunter's
Percent Based Budgeting Deal with the County 5 –
Officially Exterminated
County Economic Development Advisory Board Murphy Looking for Regional
Summit
2019 Congressional
High School Art Competition Entries
Accepted Through April 29
