Gift That Keeps on Giving Recalled for Love of Youth Provided School Supplies, Meals Without Recognition
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A3 + PLUS >> The sad side effect of 2020, Health/3A PREP SOCCER COLLEGE FOOTBALL Columbia boys Pass-happy Gators hold off Santa Fe happy to keep passing See Page 12A See Page 12A WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Cooper Gift that keeps on giving recalled for love of youth Provided school supplies, meals without recognition. By TONY BRITT [email protected] Whether it was with the Guardian ad Litem program, as an Elks Lodge member or with a local youth mentor- ship program, Willis Omega Cooper gave. Often avoid- ing the spotlight, Cooper found ways Cooper to give back to the community, especially the youth, leaving an indelible mark on numer- ous lives in the community. That giving spirit was recalled by family and friends after Cooper died Photos by TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter peacefully Sunday in a Gainesville Cindy Sleezer, Gateway Art Gallery curator, puts a wooden Christmas ornament on a tree at the shop. All the ornaments on the hospital following brief bout with an Christmas trees inside the gallery are on sale during the inaugural Mistletoe Magic fundraiser. illness. He was 64 years old. “Mr. Cooper meant a whole lot to this community,” said Grace Cooper, Mistletoe Magic campaign benefits his wife. “He liked to work behind the scenes. He didn’t want any Gateway Gallery, crafters, shoppers thank you’s, no appreciation — he just wanted to do what he had to do By TONY BRITT munity and they’re helping us in what’s and be done with it.” [email protected] a fundraiser for us and to help them,” For Cooper, who was employed said Cindy Sleezer, Gateway Art Gallery for many years with Combs Funeral The Gateway Art Gallery is giving and curator, about the event which began on Home before opening Cooper receiving this holiday season. Black Friday and will continue through Funeral Home in Lake City in 2005, Through a new campaign, Mistletoe December. “They don’t have to be here or that meant providing a helping hand Magic, the gallery is showcasing the anything, they just have to bring their stuff to youth through various organiza- talents of area crafters while providing in and we sell it. And we’ve been selling tions. patrons with the opportunity to buy unique quite a bit.” He worked with and contributed and homemade gifts and crafts. The event The Gateway Art Gallery, 168 N. Marion Cindy Sleezer, Gateway Art Gallery curator, to the Guardian ad Litem program. also serves as a fundraiser for the down- Ave., will be open from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 hangs a painting on the walls at the gallery He also visited local youth who were town fine arts gallery, which is still recov- p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 9:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. Tuesday. The Gateway Art Gallery is selling ering from the effects of covid-19. craft pieces by local artists as a fundraiser COOPER continued on 2A “We pulled in crafters from the com- GALLERY continued on 2A during its Mistletoe Magic event. Columbia County hits 100 covid deaths Closing in on County. approaching 5,000 total counties. Union County 5,000 cases, 33% or 1,628 There have been 87 The county’s 100th cases of the novel corona- has the highest death rate cases are staff or inmates at deaths and 187 hospitaliza- 5,000 total cases death related to covid-19 virus since testing began in positive cases with 61 correctional facilities. tions in covid cases from of coronavirus. was reported Tuesday by in the spring, as there have deaths out of 1,267 cases, or Suwannee County has Suwannee County, where the Florida Department of been 4,982 positive results 4.8%. The lowest fatality rate had 3,439 total cases as of 27% of the cases stem from Staff report Health. for the county. is in Franklin County where Tuesday morning, accord- correctional facilities or 937 With 23 additional The county’s 2% fatality just 0.5% — 4 — of the 840 ing to the health depart- cases. An additional 353 An unwanted milestone cases confirmed Monday, rate in positive cases is close cases have died. ment, with 26 new cases was reached in Columbia Columbia County is also to the middle of the state’s Of Columbia’s nearly confirmed Monday. COVID continued on 2A Christmas by Pre-order by 12/17/2020 Call 386-755-0490 or 386-365-2511 • Pick up by Thursday 9pm or Friday 11am ENTREES (DINNER FOR 4): SIDES (SERVING FOR 4): APPETIZERS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE: BEVERAGES: Roast Prime Rib with Au Jus & Sourhorse $100.00 Mashed Potatoes with Gravy $20.00 Wings $50.00 Craft Beer/Bottled Wine - Menu Price Rack of Lamb with Mint Sauce $100.00 Cornbread Stuffing $20.00 Peel and Eat Shrimp $20.00 Margaritas (Half Gallon) $35 Roast Pork Loin with Peppercorn Sauce $50.00 Collard Greens Mac & Cheese $30.00 Crap Dip $15.00 Sweet Tea (Half Gallon) $8.00 Butternut Squash $30.00 Roast Turkey Breast with Gravy $50.00 Acres Peas $30.00 All meals priced per person, fully cooked, heat and serve (minimum of 4 people). Tea, cocktails, wines and beer available for to-go (not included). Mix and match sides. Instructions for all include for reheat Vol. 146, No. 187 Health. 3A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A SUBSCRIBE TO Advice & Comics . 5A THE REPORTER: 61 41 Classifieds . 6A-7A Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Sunny, 2A Obituaries . 8A 2A WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER Cops: Man attacks great-grandpa with knife QUICK HITS Report: Also pinned Avenue, an LOPD report touch” the other relative. ties he went to the victim’s Scripture of the Day victim’s head to the states. When the victim replied house to take a shower and floor with his foot. A family member told that he didn’t do anything, get out of the cold but his “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth authorities Price-Jones grabbed a knife great-grandfather wouldn’t Staff report and the life. No one comes to the Father except that Price- out of a kitchen drawer and let him stay and threatened through me.” LIVE OAK — Upset Jones was charged at him, according him with a baseball bat, the — John 14:6 (KJV) over the perceived mis- stressed to the report. report states, denying that treatment of a family mem- because The victim said he he picked up a knife, much ber, Live Oak authorities he thought grabbed the blade in an less cut the victim. say a man attacked his the victim attempt to get the knife According to the police Thought for Today great-grandfather with a Price-Jones was “being away from Price-Jones, who report, Price-Jones asked I want to live my life, not record it. kitchen knife. mean” to then shoved the victim to authorities if they saw any — Jackie Kennedy, 1929-1994, American First Lady According to the Live Oak another relative. the ground and pinned the blood on him. Police Department, Darius Less than an hour later, victim’s head to the floor However, one of the offi- Price-Jones, a 26-year-old, authorities responded to a with his foot for about 10 cers confronted him about threatened to hurt himself Georgia Avenue residence minutes before stopping the fact he changed his around 1:45 a.m. Saturday, where the victim’s right and fleeing the house. clothes since he fled from Winning Lottery Numbers holding a pair of scissors to hand was completely cov- A bloody knife was found the first incident Pick 3: (Monday p.m.) 2-1-6 his neck. ered in blood, the report on the floor near the front Price-Jones was arrested Pick 4: (Monday p.m.) 1-8-7-0 When officers arrived, states. door, the report states. and charged with aggravat- Fantasy 5: (Monday) 5-10-11-18-35 Price-Jones fled the house The victim said Price- Price-Jones, who was ed battery, resisting an offi- on 2nd Street SW and into Jones came to his house later found walking near cer and false imprisonment See an error? the woods near Shelby and asked “why did you Shelby Street, told authori- of an adult. The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will Fried: Hemp lighting up Florida ag run in this space. Thanks for reading. Submissions News Service of Florida Department of Agriculture close to half of that.” ed the current acreage will The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption and Consumer Services A 2018 federal farm produce $270 million in eco- information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture Hemp is blazing among first issued hemp cultiva- bill legalized hemp as an nomic impact, $136 million and information to the editor: [email protected]. Florida’s agriculture inven- tion permits on April 27. agricultural product after in revenue and support more tory in the seven months “I have projected that decades of debate about the than 8,000 jobs. And she said since it was first allowed we are going to have seen, issue. Industrial hemp can the forecast is for those num- to be legally grown in the within the next three to be used in numerous prod- bers to double as the acreage Lake City Reporter Sunshine State, Florida five years, nearly 300,000 ucts and is different from of hemp is expected to reach HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING Agriculture Commissioner acres, which is about half euphoria-causing marijua- 35,000 by next April.