A3 + PLUS >> Thousands cheer on Trump at Florida rally, 2A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HIGH SCHOOL GOLF Kroeger: CHS needs Columbia boys repeat a QB to step up as district champions See Page 10A See Page 10A TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Shooting LSHA outside Good dog examines bar leads options to arrest for future Woman faces multiple meetings charges after firing shots into vehicle. Board considering By JAMIE WACHTER new location to allow [email protected] for social distancing. Club Rodeo served up more By TONY BRITT than drinks early Sunday morning [email protected] as an argument led to shots being fired outside the The Lake Shore Hospital bar. Authority is examining its options According to the as it plans for a Columbia County return of in-person Sheriff’s Office, a meetings. deputy was head- At its meeting ed home around Monday night, Dortly 12:30 a.m. Sunday the LSHA board when a female discussed possi- waved him down near U.S. Hwy. Beil bly moving future 441 and Sellers Court after she had meetings to a larg- been shot at while at Club Rodeo. er room to help provide ample The report states the victim said space for social distancing as it one round entered her back win- complies with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ dow — smashing it — and went executive order that requires through the head rest in the back governmental entities to resume seat. The victim told authorities she in-person meetings in November. felt pain on the left side of her back Brandon Beil, the board chair- and after fleeing the scene, checked man, suggested researching the her back and had a small welt. possibility of having the meetings According to a second victim, in a conference room on the sec- they had been at the club with ond floor of the Hospital Authority the second victim’s boyfriend building, the school board audito- when 31-year-old Brittany Dortly rium or even at the hospital itself. approached them and started an “… To see what options are argument with the boyfriend — the available to us so we can at least father of Dortly’s children — and practice social distancing,” he said, started to hit him, the report states. noting meeting attendance could When the second victim tried to increase as the board begins vet- separate the two, the report states COURTESY CCSO ting potential hospital operators in Dortly hit her in the mouth and then Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter thanks K9 officer Rek for his six years of service with the near future. started arguing with the two victims. the sheriff’s office. Rek was retired Monday and adopted by his handler/partner, Deputy Board member Lory Chancy According to the report, Dortly Matthew Waddington. said the second floor conference then headed to her car but instead room is large enough to provide of leaving, she grabbed a handgun space for social distancing, and and fired a shot in the air before K9 officer Rek retires after six years with CCSO having meetings there would also pointing it at the two victims and By TONY BRITT do — a trait he has maintained County Sheriffs Office, Rek allow them to keep all meeting firing off several shots. [email protected] during his six years as a K9 has been deployed 440 times, accessories, due to virtual meet- The report states that five 9mm officer for the local sheriffs making 73 apprehensions, ings, within their own facility. shell casings were found outside The heat was blistering in office. locating dozens of lost or “The room upstairs will be plenty Club Rodeo. June, but there was no slowing On Monday, Rek was retired endangered citizens, as well as big enough,” she said. “It would Dortly and the boyfriend were down for Rek. from service and adopted by locating nine pounds of pow- just be awkward at first, as with any found by the Lake City Police A Columbia County Sheriff’s his handler/partner, Deputy der cocaine, 10.5 pounds of move, but I think it’s quite plausi- Department with the man claiming Office K9 officer, Rek and his Matthew Waddington. methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds ble to say that we can accomplish he didn’t see anything. handler tracked a suspect for “We’re fortunate to be able of heroin, three pounds of the meetings upstairs. The report states Dortly — who more than two miles before to have the K9s as an asset for MDMA, 78 pounds of mari- “I think social distancing and was heavily intoxicated and was slur- the suspect was apprehended the Columbia County Sheriff’s juana and one pound of crack masks should be optional no mat- ring her speech — denied shooting that hot summer day. Office,” said Sheriff Mark cocaine. ter where it (meeting) is held.” a handgun, but when asked about While German Shepherds Hunter. “They play a vital role Along with his drug sei- Dale Williams, Hospital gun powder residue on her hands, tend to overheat when worked in helping keep our communi- zures, Rek has located numer- Authority executive director, said she told authorities she shot her for prolonged periods of time, ty safe and also our employees ous items of evidence that were the state did not provide any spe- Rek wasn’t deterred. He just safe.” cific safety guidelines. He said his SHOOTING continued on 2A did what he was trained to According to the Columbia REK continued on 2A belief is the guidelines will be left up to local jurisdictions. Dr. Mark Thompson, board CITY OF LIVE OAK member, said there should be some kind of screening process as a safety precaution before the Council considers land sale for housing meetings are opened up. “I agree with Lory in the sense Housing Authority housing authority for $100 to Williams said about the resolu- help with the process to receive that we can’t tell other people what hoping to build 60 help with that goal, although it tion he will be presenting to the a tax credit for the land, but the to do, but I hope everybody would comes with a council to consider at its 5:30 housing authority barely missed realize that this is still something units on 4.73 acres. condition. p.m. meeting. on that funding. to be taken seriously,” he said. “It The hous- “We’ve been trying to get By JAMIE WACHTER According to Williams, it’s a does run the gamut in certain age ing authority this thing done but enough is very competitive grant process [email protected] groups from almost nothing to peo- has one year enough.” and while he wants the housing ple dying on ventilators which is LIVE OAK — For 3.5 years, to make that Williams said the housing authority to receive the grant, he real. We just have to be cautious.” the Live Oak Housing Authority solution start authority was wanting five years didn’t feel comfortable allowing Stephen Douglas, board member, has looked at Hale Park as Williams to become a of control over the northern the public asset to be tied up. said as long as the meetings can a solution to the shortage of reality. portion of the park to help “We’re going to give them affordable housing in the city. “We want them to do it and ensure it had time to obtain all the support, but my advice continue to be held virtually for the Tonight, the Live Oak City have the land, but the big differ- grant funding for the project. would be if they don’t get it people who are at-risk, he believes Council will consider selling ence now is I’m giving them this The city agreed a year ago to 4.73 acres of the park to the year or out,” City Manager Ron negotiate a sale of the land to HOUSING continued on 3A LSHA continued on 3A Vol. 146, No. 148 Obituaries . 3A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A Advice & Comics . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO 88 68 THE REPORTER: Classified . 6A Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Mostly sunny, 2A Sports . 10A 2A TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER REK Continued From 1A Thousands cheer QUICK HITS discarded by suspects in attempts Scripture of the Day hid their crimes. “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and Murray Smith, public information on Trump at Fla. officer for the CCSO, said Rek has forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall been on numerous tracks, not just be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and for suspects, but calls for lost chil- campaign rally chains about thy neck.” dren and endangered adults that — Proverbs 1:8-9 (KJV) have wandered away. “K9 teams are a very important By STEVEN LEMONGELLO, KATIE RICE entific top-down” way of combating part of the modern police force,” and CAROLINE GLENN covid-19. Thought for Today Smith said, noting the animals do Orlando Sentinel “If you don’t feel good about” Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish many things that humans are not going out amid the pandemic, then much. very good at using their sense of SANFORD, Fla. — Thousands ‘stay,’” he said. “If you want to get out — Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, French philoso- smell and other training. “Those are of people cheered and chanted “We there, get out there.” pher items that are just super important love you!” Monday night as President Earlier, Florida Gov.