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Lake City News
Index of stories
2011 - 2012
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Posted
December 3, 2012 07:45 am
LAKE CITY, FL – City Manager Wendell Johnson,
for the fourth year in a row, is suggesting to
the City Council a Xmas bonus for the City’s
full and part time employees. This year City
Manager Johnson is estimating the cost to be
$24,000. City Manager Johnson doesn’t call it a
Xmas Bonus. He calls it a “one time annual token
of appreciation.”
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Posted Nov 20,
2012 01:40 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
Newly elected City Councilman Zack Paulk takes
the oath as his family looks on. Lake City icon,
City Attorney Herbert Darby watches in the
background.
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Posted October 27, 2012 05:55 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Lake City Police Dispatch
received a call, from a driver who said that a
truck behind him was driving recklessly and
attempting to run him off the road. Officers
responded and watched as both vehicles drove by
and saw the suspect vehicle driving with no
headlights on.
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Posted October 16, 2012 02:30 am
 LAKE CITY, FL – Last
night, shortly after approving millions for a sewer
plant, scaled down from approximately $30 mil to $8 mil
due to the flame out of the Columbia County economy,
Lake City's City Council voted 4-1 to shut down the
Southside Recreation Center (rec center), in a not
unexpected vote of support for City Manager Wendell
Johnson, who wanted to turn the long standing rec center
into a utility building. The rec center has been in
operation since 1977. The only vote, other than
residents, who spoke in support of keeping the City
landmark open, was out going City Councilmember Jake
Hill. (1
comment)
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Posted October 2, 2012 06:30 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last
night's Lake City, City Council meeting revolved around
the Southside Community Center. City Manager Wendell
Johnson claimed the Community Center is nothing more
than a daycare center for Summers Elementary School.
City Councilman George Ward said the business of the
City was paving streets. City Councilwoman Melinda Moses
said, "I'm not convinced that it couldn't be a great
place again." City Manager Johnson wants to use the
Southside Community Center as a complex to house the
City Utility Department.
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 Posted September 18, 2012 04:30 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Angie
Langley, Senior Business Development Executive of
American Traffic Solutions (ATS) from Arizona came to
City Hall last night to introduce ATS, a company that
claims to be the largest red-light camera company in
America. Ms. Langley introduced another Business
Development Executive, read account manager, Brent
Edwards, who presented a power point presentation and
answered questions. Mr. Edwards, throughout his 48 slide
presentation, spoke very little about the money,
concentrating mainly on the technology and on safety.
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Posted
September 14, 2012 06:00 pm | Part III
LAKE CITY, FL – On September 11, 2012, State
Attorney "Skip" Jarvis overruled his August 30th
claim that his investigation of Chief Gilmore's
alleged voting irregularities in the recent
primary could be seen as a conflict of interest
or give the appearance of impropriety. After
handing off the investigation to Supervisor of
Elections, Liz Horne, and then getting it handed
back, the State Attorney had a mysterious change
of heart and investigated
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Posted
September 7, 2012 07:50 am | Part II
LAKE CITY, FL – During the week since the
August 29th Observer article:
Lake City Police Chief Lives Outside City Limits:
Registers and votes in City, there was much
going on out of the public view. Former Lake City Police Captain, Rudolph Davis, had
been in touch with different organizations and had filed
complaints with State Attorney Skip Jarvis, the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement and reportedly others.
Because Mr. Davis had no
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Columbia County, FL (Posted September 6, 2011
10:05 am)
On the City's docket tonight is Lake City's Franklin
Street Road project, which is designed to benefit the
Lakeshore Hospital Authority. Early in August, City
Manager Johnson voiced his approval of the project, but
was not in favor of the funding. Mr. Johnson told the Observer, "When the design is
finished it would be advantageous to the City Council and
the Hospital Authority to discuss the funding
arrangements. Mr. Berry has been opposed to this."
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Posted September 5, 2012 09:35 am | Part XXIII
LAKE CITY, FL -
Last night in Lake City, the proponents of big
government, led by North Florida Broadband
Authority (NFBA) insider, City Manager Wendell
Johnson, took two rubber stamped steps and gave
the ultra secretive Obama stimulus funded NFBA a
double victory. The City Council in two 4-1
votes, first agreed to begin funding an
environmental study for the proposed new
worldwide headquarters for the failing NFBA.
Then, twenty minutes later, voted to lease a
City water tower to the NFBA for free, which
will enable the NFBA to sublease it to a private
business. The NFBA, a governmental agency and
the private business can turn, or try to turn a
profit. City Councilman Jake Hill was the only
nay vote.
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Posted
August 29, 2012 07:50 pm | Part I
LAKE CITY, FL – The drama never seems to end in
Lake City, the latest being the discovery that Lake
City's Police Chief, Argatha Gilmore, who lives in
Columbia County, is registered to vote and voted in the
August 14, 2012 primary, using Lake City Police
Headquarters as her home residence. This enabled Chief
Gilmore to vote in the Lake City primary in City
District 12, which pitted incumbent Jake Hill against
newcomer Zack Paulk. Councilman Hill, a critic of Chief
Gilmore, lost his bid for reelection.
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Posted
August 7, 2012 09:05 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
With health care costs taking bigger and bigger
chunks out of local municipal budgets, City
Manager Wendell Johnson and his staff worked
hard to save the City money on this coming
year's health insurance premium. In what may
become an
instant replay of 2010, the City Manager's
team reached out to the League of Cities Florida
Municipal Insurance Trust (FMIT) for a quote.
The City Manager sabotaged himself and the hard
work of the staff by supplying no supporting
information on which the Council could base a
decision.
(1
comment).
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Posted
August 6, 2012 11:10 am | Part VI
Lake City, FL – Last
Monday's NAACP Lake City chapter town hall meeting was
mostly an informational meeting, which reminded all the
attendees what the NAACP stood for and how it got to
where it is today. Three speakers addressed the
gathering: Adora Obi Nwezi, President of the State
NAACP; Dale Landry, President of the NAACP Tallahassee
chapter; and David Honig, NAACP Special Council for
Civil Rights. There was consensus among the three
speakers that the Lake City Police Chief, Argatha
Gilmore, was not ready for job, but the issue of Lake
City's official use of the Confederate Flag was the
omnipresent issue in the post meeting conversation.
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Posted
July 31, 2012 09:30 pm | Part V
Lake City, FL – Yesterday afternoon and early
yesterday evening, the state leadership from
both the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference and the NAACP were in Lake City,
again. Two weeks ago, both organizations said
they would be back. They were true to their
word. While the Observer works on last night's
story, due to popular demand, the Observer is
making available the audio from July 16th's
meeting, along with the Chief Gilmore, LCPD
power point presentation. In their own words,
you can now easily hear and find the complete
remarks of all the speakers on both sides of
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Posted
July 23, 2012 06:05 am | Part IV
LAKE CITY, FL – When I
arrived in Lake City on Monday afternoon, July 16, 2012,
for the lynching that was planned for the Honorable
Police Chief Argatha Gilmore, I could see the press
already gathering. I could smell the tar and see the
feathers blowing in the wind. The NAACP and the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference had babies, who looked
to be as young as six years old, carrying custom made
signs that read, "Chief Argatha Gilmore has to go." I
thought to myself: got no shame. These babies have no
idea what's going on and should be home in bed.
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Posted
July 17, 2012 07:33 pm | Part III
LAKE CITY, FL – Last
night in Lake City, City Hall, Mayor Steve Witt, the
City Council, and an overflow standing room only crowd
listened patiently as speaker after speaker spoke about
the Police Chief, the City Manager, the Stars and
Bars/Confederate Battle Flag and Civil War/Lake City
history. Some were asking for the resignation of the
Police Chief, the City Manager and the removal of the
Confederate Flag from the City logo/seal and some were
there to defend the very same things. Folks came from as
far away as the Carolinas to express their views.
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Posted
July 14, 2012 05:25 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – On Monday evening, July 16th,
Lake City Florida is once again on track to
confront its past, present, and future. The
president of the state Southern Christian
Leadership Conference, founded by Dr. Martin
Luther King in 1957, and the local branch of the
NAACP were expected to be asking for two things:
the resignations of Police Chief Argatha Gilmore
and City Manager Wendell Johnson; and the
removal of the Confederate flag/battle flag from
the City logo. The SCLC appears to be standing
tough. However, for the local branch of the
NAACP, the jury is out. It may not be in until 7
pm on Monday evening, when the local branch is
scheduled to address the City...
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Posted July
3, 2012 09:00 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
The controversy surrounding the Stars and Bars,
or the Confederate Flag, is a controversy that
has hounded Lake City for decades. The Stars and
Bars, emblazoned as part of Lake City's logo,
rides on every City vehicle and is part of Lake
City stationery. The recent controversies
surrounding the City Police Chief and the City
Manager have culminated in the Local Branch of
the NAACP asking for the Chief and City
Manager's resignations. The straw that broke the
camel's back, a photo of Lake City's African
American Police Chief posing with the
Confederate Mechanized Cavalry during the
Olustee Festival. (Observer Graphic)
(9
comments)
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Posted June 27, 2012 09:40 am
LAKE
CITY, FL – On April 24, 2012, the Lake City
Police Department announced via press release:
Capt. Robert Smith Terminated. The reason given
was that Capt. Smith "was terminated due to his
willful refusal to obey a lawful order." After
Capt. Smith was fired, he filed a claim for
unemployment. The City contested Capt. Smith's
claim. The state investigated. Former Capt.
Smith was awarded unemployment compensation.
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Posted June 22, 2012 08:30 am
Late yesterday afternoon, everyone was all smiles at
the Wolfson Children's Specialty Center grand opening.
The Lake City facility is Wolfson's outreach specialty
clinic. Wolfson Children's Hospital is recognized as a
world class provider of pediatric care and the Lake City
facility is centrally located in the north central
Florida region, saving the wear and tear on children and
families, who no longer have to make the trip to
Jacksonville to receive Wolfson's services. (Go to
the article to learn about the little girl with the pink
beads in her hair)
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Posted June 19, 2012 12:01 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last night in Lake City, Lifeguard
Ambulance scored another home run for government
subsidized free enterprise in Columbia County when the
City Council voted unanimously to extend Lifeguard's
rent free lease for another year. This lease extends the
free rent given to Lifeguard last year to park their
ambulance in the downtown Lake City firehouse. (3 comments)
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 Posted
June 8, 2012 07:30 am
LAKE CITY, FL – A torrent of rain could not
dampen the spirits of the folks that came out to
celebrate the grand opening of the new and
improved Lake City Gateway Airport Terminal late
yesterday afternoon. Public officials, Judges,
the State Attorney and regular people came to
admire the new state of the art terminal. Don
Ramdass, the program manager of Passero
Associates, the firm that oversaw...
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Posted
June 6, 2012 07:35 am
LAKE CITY, FL – After
28 years of working for municipal government in Florida,
Kathy Kersey won't be seen riding her bicycle to City
Hall anymore. She told the Observer, "It was time to
retire. The kids wanted me to retire." The Governor
would do well to heed Ms. Kersey's words explaining her
perception of the Florida economy "... In Florida it is
a little bit different."
(1
comment)
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Posted May 24, 2012 07:55 am
LAKE CITY, FL – On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at 4
PM, Lake City, City Manager Wendell Johnson had
a decision to make -- he could respect Florida's
Sunshine laws, the courts, and the wishes of
City Councilwoman, Melinda Moses, which were
memorialized at 3:44 PM by City Clerk Audrey
Sikes, who said in an e-mail, "Per
correspondence from Ms. Moses the meeting at 4
pm today has been cancelled. The meeting will be
rescheduled and noticed at a later date. Thank
you. Audrey" – or -- he could hold the meeting
anyway...
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 Posted May 22, 2012 10:40 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last night in Lake City, City
Hall, business owner Christie Harper was
desperate. She told the City Council she spent
$300,000 opening a Mochi franchise in the
Village Square shopping center and hired 15
local college students to man the establishment.
After the business was 3/4 complete, long time
Building and Zoning Czar, Larry Lee, told both
her and her staff that if he found more than ten
seats in the place, "I will shut you down." She
told the Council, "People come from church and
then have to sit on the curb and eat."
(2 comments)
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Posted May 16, 2012 08:55 am | updated at 03:24 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Beginning in February, County
Manager Dale Williams, in concert with County
Commissioner Ronald Williams have been
authorizing engineering studies and wheeling and
dealing to lineup funds for a multimillion
dollar road improvement project in Lake City,
which will benefit the privately run HMA
Hospital leased from the LSHA. The project will
be financed by the residents of Columbia County.
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Posted May 09, 2012 08:40 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Today,
in the federal district court in Jacksonville, another
African American Lake City police officer is filing a
federal law suit (the suit) against the city of Lake
City. This time it is former LCPD Captain Robert Smith,
who was on April 18, 2012, given a "Right To Sue" letter
by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC). Captain Smith wasted no time... Former LCPD
Capt. Smith and the others with federal cases against
Lake City will be judged by a jury of their peers and
during that process, so will the City of Lake City.
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Posted April 25, 2012 10:15 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
Since the hiring of Lake City, City Manager
Wendell Johnson and Police Chief Argatha
Gilmore, being a member of the Lake City Police
Department command staff has put those on the
top on a roller coaster ride to unemployment,
reductions in rank, resignations and lawsuits.
Yesterday, Captain Robert Smith's number came
up.
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 Posted April 17, 2012
11:20 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
Kendrick Maeweather, owner of The Hole In The Wall game
room and arcade, appeared before the Lake City, City
Council last night to hear if the Council would lift his
business suspension and allow him to make a living.
After 33 minutes, and after agreeing to everything the
City asked of him, City Manager Wendell Johnson
recommended to a City Council that couldn't or wouldn't
make a decision, that Mr. Maeweather's license remain
suspended.
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Posted April
16, 2012 09:20 am
LAKE CITY, FL – The
Maeweather Hole In The Wall Public Hearing continues in
Lake City, City Hall tonight at 7pm. City Manager
Wendell Johnson in his Report To Council for tonight's
meeting said the City, "On January 20, 2012, ...
provided notice of proposed suspension" of Mr.
Maeweather's business. The January 20th letter from the
Lake City Building Department stated the suspension this
way: "I am hereby suspending the Business Tax
Certificate...for your business."
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Posted March 20, 2012 11:10 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last night in City Hall, Lake
City Business owner Kendrick Maeweather appeared
before the City Council to try and save his
business, a game room and arcade, in downtown
Lake City. Under questionable circumstances,
Lake City shut down Mr. Maeweather's business
for six months. Mr. Maeweather told the Observer
that he had not received any summonses from the
Lake City Building or Police Departments. City Manager Wendell Johnson said
his chance for an appeal expired.
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Posted March 16, 2012 07:33 pm | Part I |
Part II
Sheriff Hunter
LAKE CITY, FL – At 4 pm yesterday afternoon, the
Lake City Police Department held a gang
community awareness meeting. This meeting was
planned two weeks earlier through the efforts of
Richardson Middle School Principal, Bessie
Whitefield. LCPD's Investigator Paul Cash said,
"You must check your kids Facebook page every
day." (1
comment)
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Posted March 6, 2012 07:29 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last
night in Lake City's City Hall, the City Council
accepted Lake City's Downtown Redevelopment Plan for the
future. Begun early in 2010 with a presentation and
competition by three urban planning design firms, the
competitions winner, the IBI Group, told the City
Council that the number one goal for the Master Plan was
"economic stability." When asked why the IBI Group was
the best choice for Lake City, IBI's Master Planner,
Kurt Easton, told the City Council, "We do award winning
work." The City Council now has the plan. Time
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 Lake City, City Manager Wendell Johnson looks to make
White Elephant deal with troubled North Florida
Broadband Authority
Posted February 28, 2012 08:55 am | + Posted as NFBA
Part XV
LAKE CITY, FL – Last
night Lake City, City Manager Wendell Johnson surprised
Lake City's Community Redevelopment Agency with another
scheme to buy and renovate the Vann family's Powers
Building on Main Street. This time with the troubled
North Florida Broadband Authority. City Manager Johnson
is on the Board of Directors of the NFBA and has said he
visits with them about three times a week.
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Posted February
15, 2011 04:40 pm | updated Feb 16 02:59 am
LAKE CITY, FL – In an e mail received early this
afternoon, the Observer was advised that Earline
Parker of Lake City had died peacefully last
night in Illinois. Ms. Parker, a long time Lake
City businesswoman, was involved in a crash with
a Lake City Police Department Cruiser driven by
LCPD Officer, David Broom, on September 6th of
last year. At the time of the accident, the
police cruiser was traveling 76mph in a 45mph
zone. After consultation with Skip Jarvis's
State's Attorney's Office, The Florida Highway
Patrol
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Posted February 7, 2012 11:35 am
LAKE CITY, FL – It was a full house in City Hall
last night, as residents came out to support the
Police Chief, the City Manager and the Lake City
Police Department, after a run of bad press and
bad news. Lake City Mayor Steve Witt and the
City Council continue to set the bar in Florida
for meeting decorum, allowing anyone to speak
and ask questions as long as they are, in the
words of Mayor Witt, "Respectful and orderly."
At the last council meeting, former LCPD
Captain, Rudolph Davis presented his findings to
the Council. Last night the other side gave
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Posted
February 3, 2012 07:40 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Monday, September 19, 2011,
Chief of Police Argatha Gilmore initiated an
Internal Affairs investigation into allegations
of misconduct by several Lake City Police
Department officers. The Orlando Police
Department with Gateway College weighing in
found no wrong doing by the Lake City Police
Department.
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Posted February 3, 2011 09:23 am|
Updated: 01:30 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – At 1:37 pm yesterday afternoon,
Lake City Police Captain John Blanchard's letter
of resignation was in a computer terminal
somewhere in Lake City. At 1:38pm the LCPD
prepared a press release announcing to the world
that Captain Blanchard resigned.... The Observer
has learned that City may have offered Capt.
Blanchard severance pay in return for his
resignation. (Photo: John Blanchard)
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Posted January 26, 2011 03:59 am | Part II - Part
I below
LAKE CITY, FL – The
recent reports of Lake City Police Department Captain
John Blanchard being put on administrative leave only
tell part of the story. Since the City Council meeting
of Monday evening, January 23d, more information
concerning the events surrounding the administrative
leave and the alleged charges regarding Captain
Blanchard have surfaced.
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 Posted
January 26, 2011 02:30 am
| Part I
LAKE CITY, FL –
The Lake City Police Department took center
stage at the January 23d City Council meeting.
Members of the Lake City community were upset at
their perceived unequal treatment of black and
white police officers. The items brought up at
the meeting were all under or pending
investigation or litigation. Before the meeting
was called to order, the City Council was
advised by its attorneys not to speak about
those issues. (Photo: Chief Gilmore a few
moments before the meeting was called to order)
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Lake
City, FL (Posted January 12, 2011 04:50 pm)
As Florida's Governor Scott touts the rebound of
Florida's failed economy, Food Lion's parent
company, Delhaize America is closing down all of
Florida's Food Lion supermarkets. Delhaize
America calls the closings a "key strategic
decision."
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(Posted January 11, 2012 06:30 am)
LAKE CITY, FL – Signed, sealed and almost delivered, Lake City's new
Master Plan was moving into primetime toward City
Council acceptance after last night's joint P&Z -
Community Redevelopment Advisory Committee meeting.
Begun in February 2010, there were no real questions
left as IBI's master planner, Kurt Easton put the
finishing touches on the yearlong $100,000 process.
Photo:
IBI's Master Planner Kurt Easton explains Lake City's
new Master Plan as IBI's Suzanne Thompson take notes.
CRA Advisory Committee member Matt Vann looks on as CRA
Director Jackie Kite...
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Columbia County, FL (Posted January 09, 2012 07:45 am)
It took over five months for the Lake City
Police Department to release its report on the
demise K-9 Officer Trooper. The record clearly
indicates that the investigation was completed
on October 19, 2011. On November 10, 2011, LCPD
Capt. John Blanchard recommended to Chief
Gilmore that Officer Kevin Johns, Trooper's
handler and partner, be given a 2 day suspension
for neglect of duty. Chief Gilmore dragged her
feet for almost two months before deciding to
put a letter of reprimand in Officer John's
personnel file. (3 comments)
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Posted December
20, 2011 01:30 pm
LAKE
CITY, FL – It was a full house at the Lake City
Airport Committee meeting last night as Lake
City's local aviators weighed in with their
thoughts regarding the proposed hanger lease
rate increases at Lake City's municipal airport.
Rates were thought to be going up from 25% to
300%. The local aviators, the backbone of the
airport made it clear. If Lake City raised the
rates to the stratosphere, they were flying out
of there.
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Columbia County, FL (Posted November 22, 2011 06:58 am)
The Lake City Water Department is going high
tech with advanced electronic radio controlled
water meters. By this time next year meter
readers will no longer have to worry about
getting bit by your dog, because they will be
out of a job. Lake City will be able to read
your water meter 24/7 on a computer
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Lake City, FL (Posted
Nov 5, 2011 08:50 am )
The Christmas Season: The Christmas
holiday season is not far away and the City
Public Works Department has begun putting up
decorations downtown.
City Utilities: The City Utility Advisory
Committee will meet on November 9, 2011, at 6 pm
in City Hall. This will be the first meeting
since reorganization of the Committee.
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Posted October 18, 2011 07:45 am
Lake City, FL - Monday evening's Lake City, City
Council meeting concluded with a bang, as City
Manager Wendell Johnson suggested to the Council
that they institute a one-year moratorium on
utility impact fees. Looking to spur
construction in areas which are served by the
Greater Lake City Regional Utility, CM Johnson
told the Council that he thought this might spur
the economy.
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  Post police shooting
press conference: Chief Gilmore and Sheriff
Hunter wrap it up
Lake
City, FL (posted Sept 24, 2010 12:30 am)
Nine hours after the shooting of three Lake City
Police Officers, a deranged young man took his
own life. (Photo and sound by Barbara Lemley)
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Columbia County, FL (Posted September 20, 2011
10:10 pm)
Last night in Lake City, Florida, the good news
announced by City Manager Wendell Johnson of no tax
increases or utility increases was overshadowed by a
recent police incident in the Cedar Park apartment
complex involving the Lake City Police Department and
the Sheriff. While there may be different versions
regarding the call that instigated the response, the
actions of the LCPD and Columbia County Sheriff Mark
Hunter's apparent blind eye in having the K-9 engaged in
the incident harked back to a bygone era in the South.
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Lake City, FL (Posted September 7, 2011
06:30 am
LAKE
CITY, FL - Last night the Lake City Council,
with City Manager Wendell Johnson leading the
way, put the residents of Lake City on the hook
for $148,000 plus interest, as former Republican
Chieftain and Hospital Authority Manager "Jack"
Jackson P. Berry's ex parte lobbying paid off in
a free ride for HMA and the LSHA, who have
gotten away without any contribution to a road
improvement project designed to benefit them.
Only City Councilman Jake Hill voted for the
residents when he voted against the project.
(Observer file photo: City Councilman Jake Hill)
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Columbia County, FL (Posted September 6, 2011
10:05 am)
On the City's docket tonight is Lake City's Franklin
Street Road project, which is designed to benefit the
Lakeshore Hospital Authority. Early in August, City
Manager Johnson voiced his approval of the project, but
was not in favor of the funding.
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Lake City, FL (Posted
Sept 3, 2011 11:55 am )
The City budget will be presented to the City
Council on Tuesday at 6:30 pm. CM Johnson also
has Franklin Street improvements for the LSHA on
tap during the regular meeting after 7 pm
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 Lake City Report -
Aug 26, 2011
City Budget and NFBA on tap
Lake City, FL (Posted
August 27, 2011 11:55 am )
As the City’s
representative on the NFBA, this was a tense and
very busy week.... As the City’s representative
on the NFBA, this was a tense and very busy
week.
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Lake City, FL (Posted
Aug 20, 2011 07:30 am )
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Lake City, FL (Posted August 17, 2011 07:00 am)
Monday night's City Council meeting capped
months of hard work by Lake City, City Manager
Wendell Johnson and his health insurance team,
when for the second year running, health care
costs (read health insurance) went down and
BlueCross BlueShield's Parks Johnson Agency
sharpened its pencil resulting in a $74,000
premium reduction for Lake City.
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Lake City, FL (Posted
August 6, 2011 06:30 am )
The City Insurance Committee met this week to
discuss Employee Health Care Plan options and
agreed on a continuation of Blue Cross/Blue
Shield Health Services...
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 Columbia County, FL (Posted August 2, 2011 11:15 am)
It was a bumpy ride in City Hall last night as Lake
City, City Manager, Wendell Johnson was all over the
road trying to explain away the City's Fire hydrant
issues. City Manager Johnson, unable to defend his
written remarks and the City's apparent inadvertent
neglect of its 643 fire hydrants in the County, went on
the attack, called your reporter a liar and claimed that
he was threatened by him. The City Manager's desperate
and wacky remarks are nonsense, and deserve no further
comment -- let's look at the facts.
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 Columbia County, FL (Posted August 1, 2011 08:09 am)
Lake City owns 643 fire hydrants in Columbia
County and 635 hydrants in Lake City. In 2008
Lake City stopped inspecting its fire hydrants
in the County. They didn't tell anybody until
March of 2011. The fear among some professional
firefighters is that the fire department pulls
up to a house in the County, they go to turn on
the fire hydrant and the valve stem breaks loose
because it's rusted or something's ruptured or
broken. City Manager Johnson has not ordered or
begun any inspections or maintenance of its fire
hydrants in the County. (1
Comment)
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Lake City, FL (Posted July
29, 2011 10:57 pm )
The City Council and Staff have completed the FY
2012 Draft Budget. This week, City Manager
Wendell Johnson lays out the budget so everyone
can understand it. As usual, the City Staff
Report will inform you on everything from the
amount or water pumped at Steve Roberts' state
of the art water plant to how many work orders
went through Joe Sheldon's Natural Gas
Department.
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(Posted July
27, 2011 08:59 pm)
Columbia
County, FL — In the wake of the recent death of
a
K-9 officer Trooper who died from heat
exhaustion, and with this being the second
reported heat-related death of a K-9 Officer in
Columbia County in as many years, PETA asks that
you share the following lifesaving information
with your audience.
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Columbia County, FL (Posted July 26, 2011 06:05 pm)
| updated 07:55 pm
Major update July 27, 2011 12:16 pm - workers to
be rehired
September 18,
2011 is going to be a sad day in the lives of
the 140 people working at the Target
Distribution Center in Lake City, Florida. ¶ In
a certified letter dated July 12, 2011, Donna L. Nasca, SuperValue's Human Resource Manager notified
Tallahassee of its intention to "cease its
operations and implement a reduction-in-force at
the distribution facility located at 3049 N. US
441, Lake City, Florida..." (Click headlines
to go to articles)
|
Lake City, FL (Posted July 23, 2011 07:03 am)
Another K-9
Officer goes down from purported "heat
exhaustion" in Columbia County, Florida. Two
years ago it was the Sheriff's K-9 Officer
Brutus. This time it was the Lake City Police
Department's K-9 "Trooper," handled by Police
Officer Kevin Johns. (4
comments)
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted July 20, 2011 10:45 am)
The Lake City Sliders 16 and under all girl Babe
Ruth Softball Team are $700 short of their
$8,000 goal. Photo: from the caravan by Destiny
Hill.
|
 Columbia County, FL (Posted
July 19, 2011 07:00 am)
Last night Lake City's Manager, Wendell Johnson,
recommended holding the line on city taxes for
2012. CM Johnson told the Council that the City
can "tough it out" without a tax increase. CM
Johnson told the Council, "The one big change
and expense that we'll experience this year is
[in] The General Employee's Pension Fund...
There is a deficit in the balance of the pension
fund."
|
Lake City, FL (Posted July
15, 2011 10:20 pm )
The City Staff has completed the detailed work
description and cost projections for all
“Priority 1” street upgrades. The priority 1
designation applies to those streets, which are
in the very worst condition, based upon needed
repairs and community “level-of-service” impact.
There are 11 priority 1 streets as follows:...
|
Lake
City, FL (Posted July 14, 2011 01:29 pm)
In the June 17th City Manager's Report, CM Johnson,
instead of straight talk about traffic cameras in Lake
City, spoke in bureaucratic mumbleez, only acknowledging
after an inquiry by the Observer that he was indeed
talking about traffic light cameras. At that time, CM
Johnson reported he was looking into the situation and
would possibly make a presentation to the City Council
in July. This morning through his spokesperson, Joyce
Bruner, it was reported, "He has not made a decision as
of this date and is continuing to assess this matter."
In the public interest, it's time for CM Johnson to ramp
it up and get the conversation moving.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted July 9, 2011 04:30 am )
The City’s
Natural Gas System was found in compliance with
state and federal safety rules. The $30 million
NFBA Broadband Grant Project continues to move
ahead to enable high-speed connectivity for our
14-county region.
|
 Lake
City, FL (Posted July 6, 2011 07:45 am)
On June 20th, with two City Council members
absent, City Manager Wendell Johnson tabled his
3% pay raise proposal until last night. Digging
in, City Manager Johnson refused to call his
plan a pay raise and labeled it a subsidy,
claiming that the media didn't understand him.
Lake City has approximately two hundred and
thirty employees. One hundred and four are
getting the raise.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted July 05, 2011 07:05 am
|updated 08:30 am)
| Part I
Tonight, Lake
City’s City Manager, Wendell Johnson, presents
his 3% plan to the City Council. City Manager
Johnson is proposing that the City give only
those city workers in the Florida Retirement
System a 3% raise to make up for the state
imposed mandatory 3% employee contribution,
which went into effect July 1st. The City has
three other employee pension plans. The Observer
spoke with other county officials and
constitutional officers for their ideas on
making up the newly mandated 3% employee
contribution.
|
Posted
July 04, 2011 09:55 am |
Special from MSN
AMERICA - All over America
downtowns are in revival. Recently, Lake City,
the capital city of what is considered by many
the most corrupt County in Florida, has stepped
up to the plate, hired some really smart folks
to come up with a plan, and has some folks
dreaming that there could be a bright future for
Lake City. Time will tell if City Manager
Wendell Johnson and the City Council are up to
the task of putting downtown Lake City on the
map, or if once again Columbia County's infamous
Good Ol' Boys will prevail. (Photo: Green
Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau)
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted July 2, 2011 05:30 am )
The City
received its annual FPL Account Summary update
which reveals a continuation of reduced energy
and billed costs for the period June 2010
through May 2011.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted June 25, 2011 05:45 am )
We have
completed a full week of budget discussion and
will continue into next week with a final
comparison of revenues and expenditures. It is
the Staff’s objective to have the first budget
draft available for distribution to the Council
on July 5, 2011. At this time, most indications
are that the City’s FY 12 Budget will be
comparable to the current year.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted June 20, 2011 07:15 am)
Lake City's
City Manager, Wendell Johnson, will have the
City Council deciding Monday night whether or
not to give the City's elected officials, that
is themselves, and employees enrolled in the FRS
(Florida Retirement System) a 3% pay raise to
make up for the newly passed state law, which
requires those enrolled in the state retirement
system to pay 3% of their salary into their
retirement plan. (
4 comments) (commentary)
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted June 17, 2011 11:30 pm )
The Staff met
with a consulting representative early this week
to discuss the potential benefit of a high
volume traffic light vehicle activity monitoring
system. (cameras)
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted June 10, 2011 09:30 pm )
The City Staff
met with representatives this past Wednesday to
continue discussion on relocating the museum to
the downtown CRA District. ¶ Early this week we
were contacted with a request for information
regarding asbestos and lead paint conditions
within the Blanche Hotel.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted June 04, 2011 08:31 am )
The 2011
Alliance for Innovation and FCCMA Conference was
held this week in Clearwater. I was among
the hundreds of City and County Managers... We
received the estimate of non-exempt tax values
from the County Property Appraiser this week.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted May 28, 2011 01:40 pm )
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted May 21, 2011 06:05 am )
It’s that
time again. The City Finance Staff has started
preparing for next year’s budget... The City
Staff has initiated the process for continuation
of the City Health Insurance Program. Staff met
this week with Park-Johnson Agency to discuss
options for renewal of the City’s current
BlueCross BlueShield of Florida Health Plan. The
outlook for continuation of the current plan at
comparable cost is not very bright.
|
Lake City, FL (Posted May 17, 2011 10:10 am)
Last night in Lake City, City Manager Wendell Johnson
made the case to the City Council for the City Community
Redevelopment Agency, which is the City Council wearing
a different hat, to pay County Commissioner Jody DuPree
$56,800 for work on a project that had gone south almost
five years ago and was based on a contract, which
Commissioner DuPree was clearly in default. The City
Council voted 4 to 1 in favor of the payment.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted May 13, 2011 01:05 pm )
The
new weekly Lake DeSoto Farmers Market opened
last Saturday with a great crowd and much
success.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted May 07, 2011 06:10 am )
The Lake City Airport terminal is on its way to
completion. Read more about Lake City Capital
Projects and keep up with what is going in City
government in the Weekly Staff Report.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted April 30, 2011 07:59 am )
The City has
been working for several months to reestablish
the Farmer’s Market...
|
Lake City, FL
(Posted April 19, 2011 06:30 am)
Tough economic times are not stopping Lake City
from giving some of its streets long overdue
repairs and face lifts. Public Works Director,
Thomas Henry told the City Council last night,
"We want to keep our main veins looking
presentable. We want to make them look good in
our City."
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted April 16, 2011 05:55 am )
The final
reading of Ordinance 2011-2010 amending the Lake
City Community Redevelopment Plan will be
considered by the Council at the regular meeting
on April 18, 2011. The public is encouraged to
attend and participate in the discussion.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted
April 08, 2011 11:05 pm)
Highlights for this month are:
Kicklighter Road WWTP; General Aviation Air
Terminal; Community Redevelopment Area Plan
Update
|
Lake City, FL (Posted April 6, 2011 07:33 am)
On Monday
night, April 4, 2011, the Lake City Council met
for their regularly scheduled City Council
meeting. As the meeting got underway, Mayor Witt
added a discussion item regarding the 911
Combined Communications Center. The County
Commission is scheduled to meet Thursday
evening. On the County's agenda is an item
called, "Combined Communication Center - City of
Lake City Participation." The City, a
partner in the center, had not received any
notice of this item of critical concern for all
the residents of the County.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted April 02, 2011 06:10 am )
Good news
this week on the Annual Audit. Purvis Gray &
Company provided the Staff our brief this week
signifying the completion of the FY 2010 audit.
|
Lake
City, FL
(Posted March 30, 2011 03:59 pm)
Mr. Jenkins reported that he had been robbed by
a tall white male with a multi colored scarf
over his face, and a hat. Mr. Jenkins stated
that the robber came into his home and demanded
prescription pills and money. The robber then
began to strike Mr. Jenkins, who was able to
reach for his nearby pistol and fire at the
suspect. The first shot went through Mr.
Jenkins’ arm. Mr. Jenkins fired a second shot
which struck the suspect. The suspect then fled.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted March 25, 2011 09:30 pm)
Mayor Witt and the City Council have insured the
public and all interested parties have had a
chance to participate in the creation of the CRA
Master Plan and the City anticipates plan
completion sometime in May/June.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted March 22, 2011 10:00 am)
David Kraus, former Lake City, City Manager and
recently hired Columbia County Sr. Staff
Assistant, appeared before the City Council CRA
Public Hearing last night, with a letter to the
City from the County Commission. The County
explained it wanted data on the financial impact
of the expansion of the CRA area and the
specific criteria which was used to expand the
boundaries. The County also requested
information regarding the Tax Increment Fund
(TIF) millage rate. The County thought TIF froze
the millage rate. This is not the way Tax
Increment Funding works.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Mar 18, 2011 10:55 pm )
The City
staff has been working for several weeks to
reestablish and greatly improve a Downtown
Farmer’s Market. Official arrangements are now
underway for a “kick-off” event planned for May
2011.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Mar 05, 2011 05:10 am )
Staff met
this week with the Hospital Authority Manager
Berry to move forward with the preliminary
design process for a Franklin Street improvement
giving access from U.S. Highway 41 to the Lake
Shore Hospital entrance. ¶ Discussion between
the City Staff and representatives of the
Columbia County Historical Society has been
ongoing since last November concerning
relocation of the Museum within the Downtown
Community Redevelopment Area.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Feb 25, 2011 11:30 pm )
City staff has been working for several weeks
to re-establish and greatly improve a Downtown
Farmers Market... Discussion between the City
Staff and representatives of the Columbia County
Historical Society has been ongoing since last
November concerning relocation of the Museum
within the Downtown Community Redevelopment
Area.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted Feb
23, 2011 08:45 pm)
Last night
the Lake City Council amended their agenda to
deal with the pending elimination of Columbia
County EMS from Lake City. Mayor Steve Witt
explained that everyone is aware that the County
sent out a Request for Qualifications to supply
EMS service to the whole County, minus Lake
City. He then opened the floor for comments from
both the public and the City Council. Councilman
George Ward told the Council, "I think this is
pretty arbitrary and capricious." (Observer
Photo: Councilman George Ward) (3 comments)
|
 Shots
fired at Red Lobster - Robbery Investigation
Lake
City, FL
(Posted Feb 19, 2011 11:58 am)
On February 18 at
approximately 10:44 p.m. Officers responded to Red
Lobster in reference to a robbery with shots being
fired. Sharon Van Meter stated that she and her daughter
were in their car speaking to Robert Mitchell when an
unknown white male had opened her passenger door,
reached across her daughter, and stole her purse.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Feb 12, 2011 05:30 am)
The Public Works Staff has now completed an
assessment of all City streets and formulated a
“2011 Survey Report” essential to final
development of the capital improvement schedule
for streets, curbing, sidewalks, and storm water
upgrades. The Survey is categorized by Council
Districts and prioritized by street condition,
curbing, and drainage problems.
|
Lake City, FL (Posted Feb 12, 2011 05:30 am)
In Lake City, the continuing education of city
workers represents an investment in the city.
Lake City has an ongoing education policy
throughout all its departments and is constantly
doing things to educate staff in their own
areas. Ms. Milton received a Certificate of
Achievement in Human Resources Management and
while the course was 12 weeks and 40 hours, Ms.
Milton spent at least 100 hours doing course and
study work on her own time.
|
Lake City, FL (Posted Feb 08, 2011 09:27 am)
Last night in city hall, Lake City's Community
Redevelopment Agency met to approve the final steps to
expand the downtown redevelopment area.
IBI's master planner,
Kurt Easton, along with
Suzanne Thompson, IBI's landscape architect and
project manager, explained the details required to
expand the redevelopment area and the requirements that
must be met to be in compliance with the Florida
statutes.
|
Lake City, FL (Posted Feb 03, 2011 07:45 am)
The Observer
learned early Wednesday evening that the RV no
parking issue at the Lake City Walmart,
which has gone viral on the net and done nothing
more than cause ill will for Lake City and
Columbia County, is soon to be gone with the
wind. A call to Wendell Johnson, Lake
City’s straight talking City Manager, confirmed
the tip was soon to become a reality and the
signs at Walmart are going to be coming down. (9
comments)
|
Lake
City, FL (Posted Feb 01, 2011 03:45 pm)
In a brief
interview about the RV parking issue at Walmart,
Lake City Chamber of Commerce Director, Dennille
Folsom told the Observer that at the present
time the Chamber does not have a position,
however, the Chamber will be discussing this at
their next meeting, which is coming up this
Monday evening. ¶ Ms. Folsom told the Observer,
"I have been getting a lot of e-mail's. People
are saying that they will not be stopping in
Lake City and spending their money.¶ I have been
getting e-mail from as faraway as Oklahoma."
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Jan 29, 2011 04:15 am)
FPL
Representative Jeff Simmons provided the City’s
Energy Account update this week... Overall,
during the current 12 months ending December
2010, the City’s energy consumption declined by
17% from the previous 12 months ending December
2009, representing a collective $171,479
reduction in energy costs for the past year.
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted Jan 28, 2011 06:55 am)
Early Thursday morning the Observer received a
phone call from Atlanta... It was reported that
the Fox Cable News conversation went something
like this: Be aware, if you're going to Florida
to get away from the cold and you are accustomed
to spending the night in a Walmart parking lot,
Lake City is enforcing a ban on overnight
parking.... (Photo: The view from the
former RV parking area at the Lake City Walmart.
It is not exactly the Grand Canyon.) (3 comments)
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Jan 22, 2011 06:30 am)
The City
Staff is formulating a process to evaluate
efficiency of the City’s Water Distribution and
Metering System. The objective is to complete a
detailed study of potential cost reducing
strategies, along with operational and equipment
efficiency improvement to all water system
facilities and infrastructures...
|
Lake City, FL (Posted Jan 19, 2011 06:15 am)
Last night, based on the recommendation of City
Manager and the City's Labor Counsel, the City
Council voted unanimously to declare the Lake
City Firefighter's contract, which expired in
2006, null and void. ¶ Union President, Dwight
Boozer said, I don't want us to be without a
contract. This sounds bad.
|
Columbia
County, FL (Posted Jan 15, 2011 06:30 am)
The
boundaries are proposed for expansion to the
north from the existing CRA terminating at
Bascom Norris Drive. The east and west
boundaries of the proposed expansion remain
along the same line...
|
Columbia County, FL (Posted Jan 8, 2011 08:10
am)
The Computer Purchase Program was approved by
the City Council during August 2009. The program
allows full time City employees meeting certain
criteria to purchase computer equipment and
accessories through payroll deduction.
|
Lake City, FL (Posted Jan 08, 2011 5:45 am)
Ms. Norton stated that while at Bealls Outlet
she was approached by Erica K. Shemwell,
suspect, who began to yell obscenities towards
her... Ms. Shemwell followed Ms. Norton outside
and pulled a pistol out of her purse and
according to multiple witnesses threatened Ms.
Norton while pointing the pistol at her.
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Lake
City Police Department: DUI Released Attack Dog on
Police - Resisted Arrest
Lake
City's Community Center Gets a Reprieve: Is it its last?
LCPD's Chief Gilmore gets an EZ Pass from State Attorney
"Skip" Jarvis in alleged voter fraud issue
Lake City KO's Big Blue and goes with United Health Care
and FMIT - almost
Lake
City FL to be ground zero in war against official use of
Confederate Flag in Florida
Lake City Florida: The tale of the tape, the Stars and
Bars saga continues
Lake City Florida: The Police Chief - Confederate
controversy, another view
Lake City Florida:
Police Chief & City Manager In Confederate Flag - Jury
Out
Lake City Florida confronting its past, present and
future: Will civil rights groups join hands?
Lake City Florida: The Stars and Bars
,
Lake City Fights Former LCPD Captain's
Unemployment Claim: Lake City Loses
Kathy Kersey retires after 28 years of Florida gov't
service: "In FL it's a little bit different"
Lake City vs Maeweather Hole In The Wall: Is it as
simple as black and white?
Lake City Downtown Redevelopment Plan Approved: Now will
the work begin?
Earline Parker Dies - LCPD Officer Now Involved In
Death: The Ultimate Harm – No Foul?
LCPD: Cedar Park
Investigation Concluded
LCPD Capt John Blanchard Resigns: Did City Manager
Johnson make him a deal?
Lake City saved as 900 Floridians to lose jobs
Lake City's New Master Plan Moving Into Primetime: "Now
we have to follow through"
Lake City Police Department's K-9 Trooper Whereabouts of
death unsolved
Lake City going high tech with advanced electronic radio
controlled water meters
Lake City Report -
Nov 4, 2011
Lake City KO's Utility Impact Fees:
Will declare 1 year moratorium
Lake City Florida:
Police harking back to a bygone era - When will it change?
LSHA Berry's Lobbying Pays Off
Lake
City Sliders - $700 short of their $8,000 goal - On
the road to Richmond
Main Streets Bring Out the Best of the USA
Lake City Report -
May 13, 2011
Lake City Report -
May 6, 2011
Lake City – Doing what municipalities are
supposed to do 
City moving ahead with redevelopment
next move
Increasing her skills, Jill Milton receives Certificate
of Achievement from Villanova
Lake City Community
Redevelopment
RV parking at Lake City's Walmart
Lake City Chamber
meeting Monday
Lake City gets national RV