+ PLUS >> Florida tourism improves but still shy of pre-covid numbers, 2A PREP FOOTBALL CHS working in two LAFAYETTE, HAMILTON new tackles DELINQUENT TAX ROLLS See Page 1B INSIDE THIS EDITION TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Shooting suspect still on loose LCPD seeking info ing near Youngs Park where department lobby at 255 NW ambulance to a helipad and The shooter was described courts near Youngs Park after man shot in a man was shot in the face. Main Boulevard around 7:36 then flown to a trauma cen- as a black male with a beard. where officers continued to face Friday night. “There’s no updates, noth- p.m. Friday after a person ter for further medical treat- After the shooting, all three search for evidence Friday ing’s changed,” said Greg walked in with a gunshot ment. black males reportedly left in night. Burnsed, a Lake City Police wound. There was no update a light blue Chevrolet sedan. Burnsed said authorities By TONY BRITT Department public informa- When officers arrived on the victim’s condition Police officers had a pick- are continuing to look for [email protected] tion officer, during a brief they discovered a male vic- Monday either, according to up cordoned off in the park- leads in the case and are telephone interview Monday tim lying on the floor with Burnsed. ing lot of the Lake City Public seeking help from the public. No arrests have been afternoon. firefighters attending to an Officers determined the Safety Building, which hous- “We’re asking the public made and a shooting suspect According to an LCPD apparent gunshot wound to victim was shot after an es the police department and if they were in the area and remains on the loose follow- press release, officers were the lower face. encounter with three black fire department, as well as saw anything to give us a ing a Friday evening shoot- dispatched to the police The victim was taken by males at Youngs Park. another area at the tennis call,” he said. Council moving Kids’ day out meetings, physically and online Plans to move back to city hall; live-stream through YouTube. By TONY BRITT [email protected] The Lake City Council meetings will be on the move — both physically and virtually. After seven months of holding the meetings in the school board auditorium, city officials are planning to move city council meetings back to city hall in the coming weeks. Similarly, a new online Photos by TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter destination is planned for live-streaming TOP: Justice Jefferson (left), 5, the meetings. gets covered in sand by Kiylie During Monday’s city council meet- Fogelman, 11, at Kiwanis ing, City Manager Joe Helfenberger rec- Kidsday on Saturday as the ommended that the city start live-stream- two play in a pile of sand. ing its council meetings so residents LEFT: Bob Crumpton (from would have another way of “attending” left), helps Madison Harris the meetings. The city has been con- show a bow and arrow ducting hybrid meetings the past seven during Kiwanis Kidsday months, holding them both in-person Saturday at Florida Gateway and on the virtual meeting computer Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena. software Zoom. At least 2,500 people had Helfenberger suggested the meet- passed through the gates within the first three hours of COUNCIL continued on 6A six-hour event. CSD summer food program gets Racing for Grace overhaul for food-insecure families By TONY BRITT have a parent of guard- said. [email protected] ian drive through either Trice said if children of the schools to collect a accompany their parents The Columbia County week’s worth of summer and guardians in collect- School District is adding meals. ing the meal boxes, no a new twist to its annual Heather Trice, a additional information summer food program. Columbia School District will be needed. This summer the Food Service Director, “If the parent or guard- school district will dis- said the seven-day frozen ian is picking up for the tribute meals for chil- meal boxes has seven child, then they will need dren in a seven-day fro- breakfasts and seven to fill out a short infor- zen meal box through lunches. In addition to mation form,” she said. its summer food service the food, a half gallon Donna Coughlin, program. of white milk and a half also a Columbia School The seven-day meal gallon of chocolate milk District Food Service boxes will be distrib- will be given per child. Director, said the school uted from 1-2 p.m. on It’s a frozen meal box district has held a sum- Photos by JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter Thursdays at Five Points where all the food items mer food service pro- LEFT: The inaugural Grace’s Race 5K begins Saturday morning from Grace’s Garden Elementary School and are either thaw and gram for more that two at the Heritage Oaks Shopping Plaza. The fundraiser for the Lora Grace Duncan Fort White Elementary serve or microwavable. decades. Scholarship Fund at Florida Gateway College drew more than 150 participants. The race School, starting June 10. “The meals meet “It’s a USDA Federal was run in honor of the 18-year-old Columbia High graduate and FGC student who was Any child, 2-18 years the requirements from Child Nutrition Program killed in October. old, that is not enrolled USDA to go along with RIGHT: Jay Miller nears the finish line as the top finisher in the Grace’s Race 5K Saturday. in summer school, can the meal pattern,” Trice FOOD continued on 6A Vol. 147, No. 42 Obituaries . 2A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A Advice & Comics . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO 84 63 THE REPORTER: Sports . 1B Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Partly cloudy, 2A Classifieds . 3B 2A TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER Carrying on the class QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” — Romans 11:33 (KJV) Thought for Today Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all. — Alexander the Great, 356 BC-323 BC, Leader TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter Winning Lottery Numbers Columbia’s Class of 2021 was honored with signs around Lake DeSoto. The tradition started with the pandemic class last year. Pick 3: (Sunday p.m.) 1-9-2 Pick 4: (Sunday p.m.) 3-2-2-1 Fantasy 5: (Sunday) 5-6-13-15-23 Florida tourism improves but See an error? The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, still struggles to get back to par please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will run in this space. Thanks for reading. Industry up after in 2019. quarter of 2020. from requiring covid-19 The new numbers come Visit Florida first target- vaccination “passports.” Submissions pandemic but down The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption as the state and federal ed East Coast regions eas- Norwegian Cruise 14% pre-covid. information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would governments battle in ily drivable to Florida and Line CEO Frank Del Rio like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture court over the idled cruise- this year started expand- recently told investors that and information to the editor: [email protected]. News Service of Florida ship industry and as major ing its marketing efforts the world’s third largest Orlando theme parks and to California, Oregon and cruise line could restart TALLAHASSEE — other businesses have Washington. operations outside of Lake City Reporter Florida’s tourism industry changed mask-wearing A budget approved April Florida waters, as it plans HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING saw improvement during rules. 30 by state lawmakers to require proof of vacci- Main number .......(386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff Fax number ............752-9400 (386) 754-0417 the first three months of Disney, which has would provide $50 million nations for all passengers Circulation.............755-5445 ([email protected]) 2021, but the number of increased the number of to Visit Florida for the fis- and crew through at least Online ....www.lakecityreporter.com The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate CLASSIFIED visitors was still down 14% visitors allowed into its cal year that will start July Oct. 31. of Community Newspapers Inc., Kym Harrison from a year earlier as the parks, and Universal now 1 — the same as in the cur- DeSantis on Thursday is published Tuesday through (386) 755-5440 Saturday/Sunday at 180 E. Duval ([email protected]) state continued to grapple allow visitors to remove rent year — and pump an dismissed Miami- St., Lake City, FL 32055. Periodical with the covid-19 pandem- masks when in outdoor additional $25 million into headquartered Norwegian postage paid at Lake City, Florida, BUSINESS OFFICE Member of The Associated Press Vickie Busscher ic. common areas, such as the agency from federal Cruise Line, which oper- and the Florida Press Association. (386) 754-0436 Travel-industry officials Main Street U.S.A. of the stimulus money to “con- ates out of Port Canaveral, All material herein is property of ([email protected]) the Lake City Reporter. No part of CIRCULATION can envision bluer eco- Magic Kingdom, and pool duct activities that support Port Miami and Tampa, as the contents of this publication may nomic skies ahead as busi- decks.