A3 + PLUS >> No, it’s not OK, Opinion/4A LOCAL TIGERS FFA forestry RPI rankings showdown unveiled See Below See Page 1B WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Loooooong may it wave CITY HALL City has new HQ site in its sights Helf to inquire about lot owned by LSHA at Franklin and Marion. By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] Plans to replace Lake City’s deteriorating, 108-year-old HQ with a downscaled, efficiency-fo- cused building are set to go before the Lake Shore Hospital Authority next month, when City Manager Joe Helfenberger will make a pitch to buy land from the Hospital Authority ideal for construction of a new City Hall. Built in 1911, the current City Hall suffers Photos by TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter from serious structural issues that will cost up to $3 million to Camping World gives LCFD a really big flag Helfenberger fix, an engineer- ing firm told city officials last year. But for about Replaces banner damaged $3.5 million — not counting during funeral of Suwannee ABOVE: Josh the cost of buying the land — fire chief James Sommers. Helfenberger estimates the city Wehinger (second can construct a brand-new build- from left), Lake City ing that would save taxpayers in By TONY BRITT Fire Department assis- the long-term. [email protected] tant chief, and Corry “For approximately half a The Lake City Fire Department has Lee, Camping World million more dollars, you’re a new 1,800 square foot American flag, of Lake City general able to have a facility that will thanks to Camping World. manager, are pictured have a significant reduction Back in August, LCFD was setting next to a Columbia in operating costs, especially up its 30 x 60 foot flag at Christ Central High School JROTC energy and maintenance costs,” Ministries for the funeral cadet as they unfurl Helfenberger said. “And that’s a savings that would go into LCFD Chief of chief James Sommers a new flag that was Randy Burnham when the flag blew into donated to LCFD said the flag is one of the other ladder CITY continued on 3A used as a salute by Camping World trucks and got a major Tuesday. LEFT: Corry to veterans grease stain. during memo- “We were kind of Lee, Camping World rial services devastated when this of Lake City general and for fallen happened to our flag,” manager (left) and Draft of heroes. said Josh Wehinger, Josh Wehinger, LCFD LCFD assistant chief. “It assistant chief, help a was awesome that it worked out and came Columbia High School bear plan together the way it did.” JROTC cadet place Attempts to get the flag cleaned locally a portion of a 30ft. proved unsuccessful, so Wehinger got in x 60ft. flag in LCFD’s released contact with the local Camping World outlet, flag storage box. which has a huge flag of its own out front. 209-page doc from FWC outlines plans for keeping FLAG continued on 3A bear pop. at about 3,000. From staff and wire reports Techniques to manage FFA forestry Florida’s black bear population contest at FGC over the next decade, includ- ing the possibility of regulated Heather Faul (foreground), a hunting, are outlined in the 15-year-old Fort White High draft of an updated 10-year plan School FFA student, collects released Tuesday. information for the map inter- The 209-page draft from pretation portion of the District the Florida Fish and Wildlife 3 FFA Forestry contest Tuesday Conservation Commission morning at Florida Gateway offers ways to keep the state’s College. Students from schools bear population of about 4,000 in nine area counties participat- above the 3,000 mark. The draft ed. See another photo, 2A. TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter BEARS continued on 2A Vol. 145, No. 149 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Advice & Comics . 3B DEAR PHARMACIST SUBSCRIBE TO Puzzles . 4B Bernie Sanders had a heart attack THE REPORTER: 84 65 Voice: 755-5445 Classified . 4-5B — and so could you, 6A. Fax: 752-9400 Mostly cloudy, 2A 2A WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER FWC QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day State bear draft plan released “I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the BEARS Lord, that I am God.” — Isaiah 43:12 (KJV) Continued From 1A Thought for Today is now open for public com- ment and will go before the Zeal will do more than knowledge. commission in December. — William Hazlitt, 1778-1830, English writer The draft summarizes several population-man- agement techniques that could be expanded or Winning Lottery Numbers used, including contract- Pick 3: (Monday p.m.) 6-7-9 ed shooting and trapping; Pick 4: (Monday p.m.) 0-3-6-6 fertility control; manipulat- Fantasy 5: (Monday ) 3-4-8-20-29 ing habitats by reducing vegetation near suburban and urban areas; regulated See an error? hunts; and relocating adult The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news female bears and their 3- to items. If you have a concern, question or suggestion, 4-month-old cubs. please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will The staff report doesn’t run in this space. Thanks for reading. recommend the commis- sion implement any of the management practices. Still, the draft says, “If Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption the management practices information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you outlined in this plan are would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send not implemented, there is a the picture and information to Robert Bridges at rbridges@ high likelihood of increas- FILE lakecityreporter.com. ing negative interactions A black bear is seen in an image captured by a game camera at 4:58 p.m. on between bears and people.” August 7, 2018, in Columbia County. Florida has had 13 inci- Lake City Reporter dents since 2006 of people governments in providing portation agency modify The state’s bear popula- HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 requiring medical treat- residents and businesses 20 bridges with fencing to tion has grown from 300 Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 CIRCULATION ment because of encoun- with bear-resistant trash guide wildlife, including to 500 in the late 1970s to Fax number ............ 752-9400 Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter ters with bears, including containers. bears, under roadways. more than 4,000 following Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. eight since 2012. Another suggested tech- The commission will take a controversial 2015 hunt The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 Management options nique involves working with public comment through that remains the only time of Community Newspapers Inc., is a.m. on Sunday. published Tuesday through Friday and also include continuing use the Florida Department of Nov. 6 via an online survey hunting black bears has Please call 386-755-5445 to report any Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. of the BearWise program, Transportation to reduce and will hold webinars Oct. been permitted in Florida FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should which started in 2016 and the chances of collisions 24 and Oct. 29. in more than two decades. Circulation and The Associated Press. call before 10:30 a.m. to report a has used proceeds from between vehicles and The plan is to replace The October 2015 hunt All material herein is property of the service error for same day re-delivery. sales of Conserve Wildlife bears. a statewide bear-manage- resulted in 304 bears being Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery whole or in part is forbidden without or service related credits will be issued. license plates and legisla- In 2018, the commis- ment framework created in killed. the permission of the publisher. In all other counties where home delivery U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. tive funding to assist local sion requested the trans- 2012. is available, next day re-delivery or POSTMASTER: Send address changes service related credits will be issued. to Lake City Reporter, P.O. Box 1709, Lake City, FL 32056. Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) Publisher Todd Wilson ... 754-0418 Emily Delgado, a ([email protected]) Home delivery rates Richardson Sixth (Tuesday–Friday and Sunday) NEWS Grade Academy 4 Weeks . $10.70 Editor Robert Bridges ... 754-0428 12 Weeks . $31.67 FFA student, is seen ([email protected]) 24 Weeks . .$54.14 during Tuesday’s 52 Weeks . .$88.81 ADVERTISING Rates include 7% sales tax. District 3 FFA Ad. Dir. Chris Ratliff ..... 754-0417 Forestry contest at ([email protected]) Mail rates FGC. See another 12 Weeks . $41.40 CLASSIFIED 24 Weeks . .$82.80 photo, 1A. To place a classified ad ... 755-5440 52 Weeks . .$179.40 THE WEATHER 9 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri 12 Sat 13 Sun Mostly Partly Partly Mostly Partly Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Sunny Cloudy HI 84 LO 65 HI 85 LO 63 HI 87 LO 62 HI 90 LO 64 HI 88 LO 62 REGIONAL FORECAST MAP for Wednesday, Oct. 9 Wednesday's highs/Wednesday night's low Valdosta City Thursday Friday 87/66 Jacksonville 84/74/sh 82/72/sh Tallahassee Lake City 83/71 Cape Canaveral 84/65 Daytona Beach 83/72/t 82/71/pc 90/68 Gainesville Daytona Beach Fort Myers 85/73/sh 87/71/s Pensacola 86/78/sh 84/77/t Forestry contest at FGC Panama City 84/68 82/75 Ft.