A3 LOCAL NEWS DAILY! PRINT AND DIGITAL NEW or CURRENT SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR $ CALL: 386-752-1293 13 WEEKS ONLY 13 EMAIL: [email protected] ALSO SERVING LIVE OAK, SUWANNEE & HAMILTON COUNTIES (Must be paid in advance. No refunds. Expires October 2, 2020) COLLEGE FOOTBALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL UF has title hopes in Norvell has easy act to Mullen’s third year follow at Florida State See Page 8A See Page 8A TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY ADMITS TO FEDERAL CHARGES Attorney guilty of bribery Feds allege high-ranking defense attorney-turned-prosecu- from his job as a prosecutor after uments, Page, when he was a tials are identified as “J.S.” Sources SA official reduced charges tor central to allegations of bribery charges were filed in the federal defense attorney, facilitated within the State Attorney’s Office for discount on tractor. implicating former Third Circuit court for the Middle District of bribes on behalf of a “high-rank- have confirmed that Siegmeister State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister, Florida, signed a plea agreement ing agent of the State Attorney’s is the only person who fits the By CARL MCKINNEY has pleaded guilty to criminal last week admitting to the key Office” with the “authority to description outlined in the court [email protected] charges stemming from a federal facts outlined in an FBI investiga- bring, reduce and dismiss crimi- documents. probe involving a tractor sale. tion, federal court records show. nal charges.” Ernest Maloney Page IV, the Page, who was terminated According to charging doc- The high-ranking official’s ini- BRIBERY continued on 2A ELECTION 2020 Summer days floating by Labor Day means gear-up to general election By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] Candidates in two local races are gearing up for a winner-take- all showdown in November. The pass- ing of Labor Day marks the calendar’s tra- ditional final Crenshaw turn toward the November gen- eral election. The Lake City Council District 13 and Columbia County CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter Commission A group relaxes Monday morning as they float down the Ichetucknee River, a popular destination during the Labor Day weekend Sampson as Ichetucknee Springs State Park reached capacity every day over the long holiday weekend. District 3 races are headed to a runoff, after none of the can- didates were able to score a majority of the votes in the Hollingsworth August prima- r y. In the City Council race, James Crenshaw will square off against Todd Sampson for the Nash seat current- ly held by incumbent Melinda Moses, who did not seek reelec- tion. In the County Commission ELECTION continued on 3A TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter Crowds enjoy the spring run area of Little River Springs county park in Suwannee County near Branford on Saturday afternoon. Hundreds gath- CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter ered and enjoyed the nice weather all weekend at the popular springs Brittaney Kadel gives her daughter Sadeigh a ride on area. Little River feeds the Suwannee River and is popular among divers, her shoulders as they get ready for fun Monday at swimmers and snorkelers and boaters who pull off the river to swim in the Ichetucknee Springs State Park. clear water. Keen Parrish Vol. 146, No. 123 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Advice & Comics . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO Classified . 6A-7A THE REPORTER: 88 72 Sports . 8A Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Showers likely, 2A 2A TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER Pair of local deaths linked to covid-19 Columbia County up Columbia County has had 194 people hospitalized with 299 cases — 12% — stem QUICK HITS to 39 deaths; Hamilton 39 deaths stemming from covid-19 in the county. from long-term care facil- has its seventh. the pandemic. Data from the Florida ities. Scripture of the Day Staff report Hamilton County has Department of Corrections Suwannee Correctional had 727 total cases with all on Friday showed 1,338 pos- Institution had 818 positive “Whom we preach, warning every man, and A pair of local deaths seven deaths occurring in itive inmates at Columbia inmates Friday accord- teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may reported over the weekend patients 65 years or older. Correctional Institution ing to DOC data with 94 present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” were linked to the covid-19 The most recent death in with 87 staff members at staff members that tested — Colossians 1:28 (KJV) pandemic. Columbia County was the the prison testing positive positive. Suwannee CI has The Hamilton County fourth youngest to succumb as well. There have been had seven inmates die with Health Department to covid-19 in the county, eight inmates at CCI that covid-19 according to the Thought for Today announced the death of a with three aged 25-34. The have died with covid-19, DOC data. Opportunity is missed by most people because it is 70-year-old man on Saturday, other 35 deaths are 55 or according to DOC. The health department dressed in overalls and looks like work. while a 40-year-old man was older. In Suwannee County, announced 1,888 new cases — Thomas Edison, 1847-1931, American inventor reported dead Sunday in Columbia County had there were 2,506 total cases across the state Monday Columbia County, both tied 3,439 known cases as of as of Monday with 63 deaths morning, increasing the to the coronavirus. Monday morning, accord- and 124 hospitalizations. Of total since the pandemic There have now been ing to the health depart- those cases, 868 are staff began to 648,269. There seven deaths in Hamilton ment and 44% or 1,522 cases or inmates of correctional have been 11,871 deaths Winning Lottery Numbers County in people that con- are linked to correctional facilities, or 35% of the coun- from the virus, including Pick 3: (Sunday p.m.) 1-2-8 tracted covid-19, while facilities. There have been ty’s caseload. An additional 22 deaths reported Monday. Pick 4: (Sunday p.m.) 9-3-4-1 Fantasy 5: (Sunday) 4-5-13-28-29 See an error? The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news Pandemic forces changes in items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will health facility inspections run in this space. Thanks for reading. Hundreds of providers surgical centers to home Facility staff members are activities at nursing homes Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption health-care agencies and instructed to walk around were being expanded awaiting on-site information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would accreditation survey. nursing homes. The Joint the facilities by surveyors to include on-site health like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture Commission accreditation who are on the calls. The and safety visits and state and information to the editor: [email protected]. News Service of Florida is not mandatory, but it survey process takes three inspections. Adequate sur- has benefits, including in to five days. vey staff and personal pro- TALLAHASSEE — How some instances increased The federal government tective equipment was a Lake City Reporter do you inspect a nursing Medicare reimbursements. has authorized The Joint requirement. HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING home or a hospital in the The Joint Commission Commission to use the In Florida, those Centers Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff Fax number ............ 752-9400 (386) 754-0417 middle of a pandemic or announced in mid-March Medicare-certified virtual for Medicare and Medicaid Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) discipline a physician or a that it would suspend all survey only for health care Services surveys are Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate CLASSIFIED nurse? surveys, and Pelletier said providers that were poised conducted by the state of Community Newspapers Inc., Kym Harrison As covid-19 has spread, he wasted to open before the covid- Agency for Health Care is published Tuesday through (386) 755-5440 Saturday/Sunday at 180 E. Duval ([email protected]) the organizations and regu- no time get- 19 pandemic, a move that Administration. But in an St., Lake City, FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at Lake City, Florida, BUSINESS OFFICE lators responsible for ensur- ting to work Pelletier said was meant Aug. 20 phone call with offi- Member of The Associated Press Vickie Busscher ing the safety of health-care on what a to ensure that there were cials from nursing homes and the Florida Press Association. (386) 754-0419 ([email protected]) facilities and providers virtual sur- enough providers available and assisted living facilities, All material herein is property of the Lake City Reporter. No part of have run into a conundrum vey would to treat covid-19 patients. a top state regulator said the contents of this publication may CIRCULATION be reproduced in whole or in part Director Sara Mercer when travel and face-to-face entail. In the meantime, the on-site inspections weren’t without written permission of the (386) 754-0408 encounters have been nixed. Pelletier “From commission is conducting imminent. publisher. ([email protected]) Florida has become a test- start to finish, it took us on-site surveys in locations “I will tell you we are U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. The Lake City Reporter is home POSTMASTER: Send address delivered Tuesday through Saturday, ing ground of sorts for The about a couple of weeks to where it’s possible to safely not going to be running out changes to Lake City Reporter, P.O.