A4 + PLUS >> Rum Island Park reopens Monday, Below NFL NBA Jags turn to Gruden, Playoff games still off McAdoo to aid Minshew due to racial injustice See Page 12A See Page 12A FRIDAY EDITION FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Motorcyclist killed in crash City eyeing growth Annexation plan would extend to industrial park; lead to lower property taxes. By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] A boundary-pushing plan to expand the borders of Lake City is moving ahead in early September, and it could eventually pave the way for tax cuts. The city is looking to annex the North Florida Mega Industrial Park on East U.S. Highway 90, which could gener- Helfenberger ate enough tax revenue to make it possible to decrease proper- TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter ty taxes overall, said City Manager Joe A traffic crash claimed a life Thursday afternoon when a motorcycle and car were involved in a collision at the intersec- Helfenberger. Before that can happen, a tion of Southwest Baya Drive and Southwest McFarlane Avenue at approximately 3:21 p.m. involving a Pontiac Sunfire corridor must be carved out by growing and Harley Davidson sportster. The motorcycle driver was killed as a result of the crash and the driver of the Sunfire was the city limits one parcel at a time. transported to a local hospital. No details were released on the Sunfire driver’s condition and authorities did not release The annexation is “critical to obtain the the identities of those involved in the crash. Authorities said the motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet. Traffic was rerout- future tax base that will help shore up ed away from the fatal crash scene for more than four hours. The wreck is under investigation by the Lake City Police Department. GROWTH continued on 2A Rail crossing work Rum Island reopens Monday to close U.S. 129 Closed for nearly a year, Construction slated renovated park will now for Sept. 8-22 as part include entrance fees. of Operation STRIDE. Staff report Staff report FORT WHITE — The renovated LIVE OAK — Traffic will Rum Island Park is ready for its detour around downtown unveiling. Live Oak for two weeks, The park reopens Monday at sun- JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter starting next month. The rail crossing at U.S. rise after undergoing a $300,000 riv- The Florida Department Highway 129 (Ohio erbank restoration project, as well as of Transportation is closing Avenue) in Live Oak will the addition of new restroom facili- U.S. Highway 129 around undergo improvements ties. the railroad crossing Sept. next month. The park has been closed for near- 8 as part of the Statewide ly a year, initially closing Sept. 9, Traffic and Railroad Initiative early if work is completed 2019, for the renovations and con- Using Dynamic Envelopes ahead of schedule, FDOT struction work. initiative, also known as said in a release. Granted, “I am excited to see the park reopen FILE “Operation STRIDE.” FDOT officials said Ohio after its long closure,” Rocky Ford, Rum Island Park is reopening Monday after being closed nearly a year Construction is slated to Avenue could also be closed District 2 County Commissioner, for a $300,000 riverbank restoration project. begin on the rail crossing in longer than two weeks said in a release. “We hope everyone Live Oak on Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. should weather or other can enjoy the rest of summer at this swimming, picnicking and fishing. Columbia County residents can and is expected to be com- unforeseen circumstances spring.” The reopening will also feature purchase an annual pass for $25 and pleted by Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. Rum Island Park offers access fees to enter the park being imple- The roadway will reopen RAIL continued on 2A to the Santa Fe River for paddling, mented in the coming weeks. REOPENS continued on 2A Even our regular 1130 WEST US 90 includes a premium. GW386-752-5890 HUNTER GW HUNTER 1130 WEST US 90 386-752-5890 VISIT YOUR LOCAL CHEVRON STATION VISIT YOUR LOCAL CHEVRON STATION Vol. 146, No. 116 TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 3A CALL US: Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Faith & Values . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO Advice & Comics . 6A-7A THE REPORTER: 91 74 Voice: 755-5445 A few showers, 2A Classifieds . 8A-9A Fax: 752-9400 Sports . 10A 2A FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER GROWTH Continued From 1A Cops: Man repeatedly QUICK HITS the county and city govern- Scripture of the Day ments and ultimately help sold drugs to informant drive the property taxes “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind lower,” Helfenberger said. By CARL MCKINNEY Around 3:30 p.m. May 13, Hill sold .4 is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Having the industrial [email protected] grams of cocaine to an undercover source — Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) park within city limits will at an S&S store off East also make the city eligible Third crime’s the charm, just not for U.S. Highway 90, accord- for more grant funding, the perp, deputies say. ing to the report. Thought for Today Helfenberger said, which A Live Oak man sold cocaine to an Two days later, Hill will be a boon for economic informant not once, not twice, but three went to a county dump I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with development. times in the span of a couple of weeks, site off County Road 49 the best. Legally, the industrial resulting in his arrest, according to a some time before 3 p.m. — Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish dramatist park can only be annexed Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office report. Hill and sold an unspecified after the city limits are Fredrick Lamar Hill II, 31, of 86th quantity of cocaine to an pushed up to be adjacent to Street, was booked into Suwannee informant, the report says. the property — there can- County Jail on drug charges Thursday More than two weeks passed by. Then, Winning Lottery Numbers not be an island separate in the aftermath of a series of dealings in a little after 11 p.m. on May 30, Hill again Pick 3: (Wednesday p.m.) 8-2-9 from the rest of the city’s May with a confidential source who was met with an undercover informant and Pick 4: (Wednesday p.m.) 5-1-9-6 jurisdiction. working under the direction of the SCSO sold him cocaine, this time within 1,000 Fantasy 5: (Wednesday) 3-8-18-21-24 The first domino to fall narcotics unit, the report says. feet of a church, according to the report. will be Alligator Lake, a county-owned park. See an error? The first formal action to The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news annex Alligator Lake will be items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, taken on Thursday, when Covid-19 linked to another please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will the city will hold the first run in this space. Thanks for reading. of two readings on an ordi- death in Columbia County nance to expand the bound- Submissions aries. Lafayette County known caseload was 2,388 — of the cases in Lafayette The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption “That will bring in 700 had three deaths, as of Thursday morning, County are from correc- information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you to 800 acres,” Helfenberger reported Wednesday. which includes 119 hospi- tional facilities where 596 would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send said. talizations and 56 deaths. inmates or staff members the picture and information to Robert Bridges at rbridges@ Annexation does not Staff report Staff and inmates at cor- have tested positive. lakecityreporter.com. mean the city will own the rectional facilities account In Hamilton County, park. Alligator Lake will A 32nd person in for 836 of those cases — there have been 686 con- continue to belong to the Columbia County has died 35% — while an additional firmed cases of covid- Lake City Reporter county, just in the city’s after contracting the covid- 282 cases —12% — stem 19 with 26 hospitaliza- HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING jurisdiction. 19 coronavirus. from long-term care facil- tions and four deaths. Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff Fax number ............ 752-9400 (386) 754-0417 “Ownership does not The Columbia County ities. Correctional facilities are Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) change at all, the activities Health Department There have been 1,177 responsible for 258 cases Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate CLASSIFIED don’t change and the rules announced Thursday con- cases known in Lafayette in the county. of Community Newspapers Inc., Kym Harrison don’t change,” Helfenberger firmation of the death of a County with seven Statewide, there were is published Tuesday through (386) 755-5440 Saturday/Sunday at 180 E. Duval ([email protected]) said. “It’ll just be inside the 61-year-old male, who had deaths, including three 3,300 new cases announced St., Lake City, FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at Lake City, Florida, BUSINESS OFFICE city’s jurisdiction.” the virus. Wednesday that are con- Thursday, increasing the Member of The Associated Press Vickie Busscher The city created spe- The health department nected to a long-term total number of cases to and the Florida Press Association. (386) 754-0419 cial exceptions in its rules also said as of Thursday care facility.