A3 + PLUS >> Tourism Week a time to take stock of local riches, Opinion/4A TIGERS SENIOR SALUTE Football offers Caroline Lewis were fakes Columbia SS/OF See Page 10A See Page 10A THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM The entrance to HAECO HAECO LENDS A HAND at Lake City Gateway Laid-off workers still on payroll despite having no work for them to to accept the proposal once it has Airport is to volunteer for municipal chores. do, so it’s putting them to use help- written assurance there will be no seen in this ing the community. liability issues. file photo from earlier By CARL MCKINNEY The company is offering to “They’ll probably be able to get a have its workers take on jobs to [email protected] lot done in a short period of time,” this year. help local government and busi- Helfenberger said. “And this is espe- Aircraft maintenance firm nesses, said Lake City Manager HAECO is still paying its employees Joe Helfenberger. The city plans HAECO continued on 2A FILE CITY/COUNTY COPS SAY: Glad to CONSOLIDATION He used Straw stimulus be back check on vote on underage merger teen girls could be Smoked pot, then made sex tape with coming underage girlfriend. Idea working By CARL MCKINNEY its way through [email protected] charter board. Instead of paying bills or supporting the local By CARL MCKINNEY economy, a 19-year-old Fort [email protected] White man used his $1,200 The long-standing hostil- federal ity between Lake City and stimulus Columbia County officials check to Photos by CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter appears to have faded away smoke over the last couple of years, pot with giving way to increased underage levels of cooperation not his- girls in a torically seen in this commu- hotel room, nity. But even though they Jamison where he seem to be playing nice for made a sex now, a faction of local resi- tape with his also-minor dents questions the need for girlfriend, according to a two separate governments Columbia County Sheriff’s at all. Office report. Consolidation — an idea Trevor Lee Jamison to marry the city and county received his check in into a unified entity — is a the mail and “immedi- divisive proposal working ately” spent it on a room its way through the county’s at the Holiday Inn off charter review board. Commerce Drive in Lake Proponents say it would City, his 17-year-old girl- give residents of unincor- friend told deputies. The porated areas more fair Sheriff’s Office respond- representation in politics ed to the hotel on April and cut down on needless 20, a known holiday for bureaucracy. Opponents say cannabis enthusiasts. A the move would shrink the warrant was issued for his voice that some community arrest and he was jailed members have in local pol- on Tuesday. itics. Jamison had arranged for marijuana to be mailed MERGER continued on 2A to the hotel but was kicked out before the drugs were delivered, a manager told deputies. Jamison had left Impact fees a phone number and asked hotel staff to call him when suspended he could come collect the package, the manager said. TOP: Charles Someillan sits down The marijuana was inter- Wednesday at Ole Times Country Buffet by council cepted by the Lake City in the Lake City Mall around lunchtime By CARL MCKINNEY Police Department the day for his first dine-in meal at a restaurant [email protected] before deputies arrived at since the pandemic spurred statewide the hotel, according to the restrictions on eateries. Someillan and report. With the global economy his wife hail from Keystone Heights, in turmoil, Lake City officials After a Fiat 500 pas- but usually visit Ole Times about once a senger car drove up to are incentivizing growth by the Holiday Inn, Jamison week. ABOVE: Seating at Florida restau- cutting out one of the costs was seen stepping out of rants is now limited to 25% of capacity. associated with building a the vehicle and walking The restaurant underwent renovations business. toward the business, depu- during the statewide ban on dine-in All sewer and water impact ties say. service, lifted Monday. Wednesday was fees are suspended in Lake Three others were inside the first day open for Ole Times, though. City. The measure went into the car, which was driven LEFT: The big draw at Ole Times is the effect Monday and is effective by one of Jamison’s friends, fried chicken. according to the report. for six months from that date. PARTY continued on 3A FEES continued on 2A Vol. 145, No. 300 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 3A (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A SUBSCRIBE TO Advice & Comics . 7A THE REPORTER: 73 51 Classified . 8A Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Sunny, 2A Sports . 10A 2A THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” — Jeremiah 1:6 (KJV) Thought for Today Deep down, he’s shallow. — Peter De Vries, 1910-1993, U.S. novelist (“The Blood of the Lamb,” “The Tunnel of Love”) Winning Lottery Numbers Pick 3: (Tuesday p.m.) 8-5-6 Pick 4: (Tuesday p.m.) 2-0-1-7 Fantasy 5: (Tuesday) 5-9-17-24-25 See an error? 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 run in this space. Thanks for reading. JORDAN KROEGER/Lake City Reporter Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption U.S. 90 crash information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would Details were sketchy at press time concerning this Wednesday evening crash near the intersection of U.S. like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture Highway 90 and Sisters Welcome Road. The Lake City Police Department responded to the wreck, which, it is and information to Robert Bridges: rbridges@lakecityreporter. believed, occurred shortly after 6 p.m. com. ness. Consolidation advo- “We’re going to continue Consolidatione wo can take Lake City Reporter et th rd out! MERGER cates say this is an unjust to get the leftovers in the theG form of a complete HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING Continued From 1A arrangement, and the worst way,” Warren said. merger doing away with Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff remedy is to give all voters “It would definitely be a the distinction between the Fax number ............ 752-9400 (386) 754-0417 Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) The idea has garnered equal representation under turn back to the old times, city and county, or it can be Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com a unified government. which were not favorable a partial marriage aimed at The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate CLASSIFIED support among business Kym Harrison There is opposition with- for the black community.” specific departments. of Community Newspapers Inc., owners such as real estate is published Tuesday through (386) 755-5440 ([email protected]) broker Tom Eagle, who in the black community, The county’s charter Saturday/Sunday at 180 E. Duval with some voters fearing review board, which is St., Lake City, FL 32055. Periodical sees it as a path to stream- postage paid at Lake City, Florida, BUSINESS OFFICE line services and eliminate they would have less repre- empaneled once every Member of The Associated Press Vickie Busscher sentation under a consoli- eight years, is considering and the Florida Press Association. (386) 754-0419 redundancy. Having a sin- ([email protected]) dated government. putting a non-binding straw All material herein is property of gle zoning department, for the Lake City Reporter. No part of Two out of five City ballot before voters to mea- Your secret to the contents of this publication may CIRCULATION example, would be a more Director Sara Mercer Council members are sure public interest in the be reproduced in whole or in part efficient use of resources, without written permission of the (386) 754-0408 a garage sale publisher. ([email protected]) Eagle said. African-American, com- idea. “It’ll save us all money pared to only one out The measure originates U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. The Lake City Reporter is home of five on the County from the charter board’s success is in POSTMASTER: Send address delivered Tuesday through Saturday, and we’ll get things done a changes to Lake City Reporter, P.O. except on postal holidays, via U.S. lot better and a lot faster,” Commission. Sylvester operations subcommittee, Box 1709, Lake City, FL 32056. Postal Service. Please call 386-755- Warren, a local activist who which voted on Monday to the Classifieds. 5445 to report any problems with he said. PUBLISHER your delivery service. (circulation@ Those who live in unin- frequently engages with bring the matter before the Publisher Todd Wilson lakecityreporter.com) corporated Columbia public officials over issues full 15-member body. (386) 754-0418 facing the black communi- It’s not unprecedented. Place your ([email protected]) Home delivery rates County but own a business (Tuesday–Saturday/Sunday) in the city limits currently ty, says the predominately In 2008, a consolidation NEWS 4 Weeks ...............................$10.70 Editor Robert Bridges 12 Weeks ............................$31.70 have no voice on the City African-American areas of measure made it onto the the community will likely ballot in the form of a dual ad today! (386) 754-0428 24 Weeks ............................$54.15 Council, even though ([email protected]) 52 Weeks ...........................