A Battlefield cross sits in the Veterans Memorial section of the Live Oak Cemetery during the Memorial Day service Monday as flags adorn the graves of the veterans buried there. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Fletcher: Memorial Day about recalling fallen heroes

LIVE OAK — During his career in the U.S. Air Force, Jeff Fletcher was tasked with keeping others safe as a security specialist. That included two missions with Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to Central America, including a peacekeeping mission prior to…

Fort White graduating more than 150

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FORT WHITE — Exactly one week after the 2024 school year ended, more than 150 Fort White High School seniors will get their moment to shine when the school holds its commencement exercise this week

LIVE OAK — During his career in the U.S. Air Force, Jeff Fletcher was tasked with keeping others safe as a security specialist. That included two missions with Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to Central America, including a peacekeeping mission prior to the start of the Gulf War. During brief remarks…
The Columbia County School District is looking to vacate two roadways as it moves forward with constructing a new elementary school. During Tuesday’s brief meeting, the Columbia County School Board unanimously approved applying to vacate the right-of-ways to the City of Lake City for streets…
FORT WHITE — Exactly one week after the 2024 school year ended, more than 150 Fort White High School seniors will get their moment to shine when the school holds its commencement exercise this week. The FWHS graduation ceremony will take place 8 p.m. Friday at the school’s Arrowhead Stadium, 17828…
JASPER — A motorcyclist was killed early Monday morning when she didn’t stop at an intersection and crashed through two road signs. A 50-year-old Live Oak woman was headed north on County Road 25A in southern Hamilton County around 6:15 a.m. Monday when she failed to stop at an intersection with…
TALLAHASSEE — A state voucher program that began in the 2023-2024 school year is on pace to double in size — at least — as applications roll in from families who educate children at home and are seeking funds to make a range of purchases. What’s known as the Personalized Education Program provides…
A situation at a local Mexican restaurant got a little too spicy for one man. According to a Lake City Police Department release, 46-year-old William Taylor Cannon was at Salsas Mexican Restaurant in The Shoppes at Heritage Oaks plaza Monday night on the west side of town when he and another man…
A deep receiver room at Columbia got a bit thinner the past few days. Starting wideout Marlin Haywood, a rising senior, told head coach Brian Allen on Friday that he was transferring to Bradford. Then on Monday, rising junior Cade Frier changed the school in his Twitter bio to Chiles High School…
CLERMONT — Allow me to paint a picture: A man wanders through a desert. Bereft of water, direction or shade, the man carries on, stumbling over sand dunes and ancient fossils despite all evidence of his imminent demise. Let’s look at a different picture: After Saturday’s heartbreaking 6-5 loss in…
CLERMONT — The Branford defense was the definition of “bend but don’t break.”  The Buccaneers allowed Trenton to load the bases twice in Saturday’s Class 1A state championship game, and twice the Tigers came away with nothing.  Ellie Frierson continued to mash the ball like it owed her money,…
CLERMONT —  Branford head coach Oscar Saavedra said he prepped his team all week to face off against any of the three great pitchers from Liberty County. After all, his team saw two of them in last year’s Class 1A state championship game, knocking in four runs but ultimately falling to Kallan…
Nearly 400 Columbia High School students were expected to be poised and confident for their graduation Friday evening, capping-off their high school careers. However, in the final moments that they waited to take the field for the ceremony, their emotions betrayed them. Whether it was nervous…