A1 + PLUS >> Probe into pedestrian death could take months, Story below CHS BASEBALL FLORIDA SOFTBALL Tigers celebrate Super regionals: a winning season UF vs. Texas A&M See Page 1B See Page 1B WEEKEND EDITION FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MAY 25 & 26, 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM LCPD VA clinic unveiled Body found, Friday Memorial Day ceremony The Lake City Veterans but few Affairs Medical Center will host their Annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Friday at clues 9:30 a.m. Due to the poten- tial of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held Cops: Cause of in the auditorium. death unknown. The keynote speaker this year is Mike Williams, From staff reports Manager of Government and Public Affairs at Nutrien An air of mystery still White Springs Phosphate. surrounds the investiga- Prior to assuming his cur- tion into a body found at rent position, Mike served Windsong Apartments on as the County Manager Lake City’s southwest side for Hamilton County from on Monday. 1998-2005. At 9:14 a.m. the Lake City Police Department FWHS graduation responded to 770 SW Fort White High School Photos by CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter Symphony Loop regarding will host graduation cere- a medical assist. Columbia monies for the Class of 2018 County 911 received a call on Friday at 7 p.m. on the at 9:11 a.m. from a woman high school field. Except Off-site facility to open this fall who stated she was per- in case of lightning, cere- forming CPR on a man she monies will proceed despite Thousands of VA found unconscious, accord- inclement weather. patients in region ing to a Lake City Police Department press release. Florida Folk Festival will be served. LCPD responded along The Stephen Foster with the Lake City Fire Folk Culture Center State By CARL MCKINNEY Department and Century Park invites you to the [email protected] EMS and found a male sub- 66th Annual Florida Folk ject who was unconscious. Festival. The festival starts Patients at the Lake EMS personnel took over today and runs through City VA Medical Center CPR efforts and transport- Sunday on the banks of the who are tired of dealing ed him to the Lake City historic Suwannee River. with the frustration of Medical Center, where he Gates will open at 8 a.m. finding a parking space at and opening ceremonies will the increasingly crowded BODY continued on 2A begin at 6 p.m. Advance tick- hospital might not have to ets for the festival are $25 per endure the problem much day, or $50 for the weekend. longer. On the day of the event, tick- A new off-site primary Death ets will be $30 per day, or $60 care facility off Commerce for the weekend. Children Drive is under construction under 6 years of age are and should be operational probe admitted free of charge. by fall, said the property’s TOP: From left, Debi Tickets for children between owner and developer, Scott Bennefield, Scott Stewart to take the ages of 6 and 16 will be $5 Stewart. and Jim Zuber pose in front for the entire weekend. Nearly $2 million has of an off-site VA primary Camping is not offered been spent improving the care facility currently under months on the festival grounds, but facility, located four miles construction. Bennefield there are plenty of places from the main hospital. It and Zuber work for Stewart, Woman hit by car, to camp in the nearby area. features motion-activated who owns the property and killed on US 441. Camping and lodging is LED lights, soundproof is leasing it to the VA for 10 available in White Springs glass and a card-code secu- years. In the background, By STEVE WILSON and the surrounding areas. rity system. workers are installing a flag [email protected] “It’s state of the art,” pole. ABOVE: Zuber and Saturday Stewart said. Stewart go over blueprints Authorities are investigat- Construction began in for the facility. LEFT: Zuber ing the death of a woman Farmers market March. Stewart is leasing examines the data room. in Columbia County late The Lake DeSoto the 12,641-square-foot facil- The facility should be oper- Wednesday evening. Farmers Market is open ity to the VA for 10 years. ational by fall and will pro- Gisela Warner, 52, of Lake every Saturday in the park- vide primary care to thou- City, was walking south- ing lot at Marion Avenue bound on U.S. 441, south of STEWART continued on 2A sands of VA patients. and Duval Street, across Forest Lawn Way, at approx- from the Courthouse imately 10:50 p.m. when she Annex. Hours are 9 a.m. to was struck by a vehicle and 1 p.m. For more, call 386- killed, according to a Florida 719-5766 or visit market. Wet weather to stay a while longer Highway Patrol report. The lcfla.com. vehicle, a 2006 Lincoln Town Expect 4-5 inches of rain over end, local and state officials are Morgan said that the region is Car, was driven by Jason Potluck dinner the next few days, says NWS. urging residents to be cautious. looking at up to four or five inches Howell, 45, also of Lake City. A potluck dinner at 7 “We’re going to be monitor- of rainfall over the next four to five Warner was pronounced p.m. and dancing from 7:30 ing the situation,” said Columbia days, with Saturday and Sunday dead at the scene. to 10:30 p.m. occurs each By STEVE WILSON County Emergency Management being the most impactful. He said As of Thursday afternoon Saturday at either Lake [email protected] Director Shayne Morgan said on that the county will being moni- the accident was still under Butler Elementary School Thursday, adding that his office toring the situation in river basin investigation. or Lake Butler Social Club. With North Florida facing anoth- has been in contact with the For more, call 813-679-5390. er round of wet weather this week- National Weather Service. WEATHER continued on 3A PROBE continued on 2A Vol. 143, No. 300 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Faith & Values . 5-6A SUBSCRIBE TO TV guide . 2B FAITH AND VALUES THE REPORTER: 83 67 Advice & Comics . 3-4B Biblical prophecy and end times, 5A Voice: 755-5445 Chance of storms, 2A Fax: 752-9400 2A FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER FWHS graduation set for tonight QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day Rain or shine, show will go on, school officials say. “For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in By TONY BRITT a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the [email protected] earth.” — Amos 9:9 (KJV) FORT WHITE — The final page in the high school life of more than 100 students Thought for Today will take place tonight as Fort White High School holds its annual commencement Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. exercises. — Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862, U.S. author The graduation ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium, 17828 SW State Road 47, weather permitting. “We’re going to try to hold and do it out Winning Lottery Numbers Pick 3: (Wednesday p.m.) 1-7-4 there no matter what,” said Keith Couey, Pick 4: (Wednesday p.m.) 2-5-2-1 Fort White High School principal. “It’s the Fantasy 5: (Wednesday) 3-9-28-32-36 only place I have down here big enough to hold graduation.” However, dangerous weather such as See an error? lightning would cause a delay. The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news There are 146 graduation candidates in items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, the Fort White High School Class of 2018. please call the editor. Corrections and clarications will The class Valedictorian is Jorge Gonzalez, run in this space. Thanks for reading. while the class Salutatorian is Shelby DuBose. The graduation candidates are scheduled to arrive on campus 4:30-5 p.m. and the Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption stadium will open to the public at 5:30 p.m. information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would “The Fort White Class of 2018 will be like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture remembered for coming together later, and information to Associate Editor Steve Wilson at but leaving here strong,” Couey said. “You [email protected]. never knew what was going on with this group the whole year and then all of a sudden, they’ve become one. They went to Lake City Reporter the senior picnic together as a big group, at HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS..............754-0419 the prom they all showed up — you name Main number ........(386) 752-1293 CIRCULATION it, here at the end, they’ve all been togeth- Fax number ..............752-9400 Circulation ...............755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter er. Maybe less than 10 percent of them FILE Online ... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. missed anything. It’s been kind of unique Principal Keith Couey addresses the graduating class of 2017 during The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 with this group.” last year’s commencement ceremony at Fort White High.