+ PLUS >> Why deprive the public the right to know?, Opinion/4A GIRLS BASKETBALL COLLEGE BASKETBALL Columbia star Paxton Florida’s Locke, Glover headlines All-Area team enter transfer portal See Page 1B See Page 1B FRIDAY EDITION FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Feds: Car GM attack ‘team leader’ Meggs allegedly Attorney’s Office. Congress’s certification of even though he and his Lake City, posted to Facebook posted on Facebook that ‘planned, financed’ In court documents filed the Electoral College vote wife, Connie — who was in December about coordinat- there weren’t to be guns in activities at Capitol. Tuesday in through violence, if neces- also among the six mem- ing efforts with other groups DC, instead people should response sary, that led to the Capitol bers of the group indicted planning to be in Washington bring mace, batons and gas By JAMIE WACHTER to Kelly storming. by a federal grand jury in D.C. on Jan. 6, including the masks. [email protected] Meggs’ “Meggs not only led and February — stayed in just Proud Boys. “If you have armor that’s renewed planned the Oath Keepers’ one of them. He also paid Meggs also posted on good,” he wrote. The former Lake City car request activities, he financed for two rooms at a hotel in Facebook in December, On Jan. 6, the group dealership general manager for pretrial them,” Channing D. Phillips Arlington, Va. the court documents state, equipped themselves with did more than storm the Meggs release, the wrote in the court docu- According to the federal that he had been named the reinforced vests, helmets, U.S. Capitol in January, he USAO pointed to Meggs ments, which state that court documents, Meggs, a Florida state leader. goggles and communica- was the “team leader” of the as a leader of the Oath Meggs paid for two rooms 52-year-old who was the gen- Also in December, the attack, according to the U.S. Keepers group’s plot to stop at a Washington D.C. hotel eral manager at Honda of indictment claims Meggs MEGGS continued on 2A Vaccination age Pomp amid circumstance continues falling DOH opens new Sports Complex. site as DeSantis Moffses noted that the move only applies for new expands eligibility. recipients. Anyone who already received a first dose By JAMIE WACHTER at Southside will return [email protected] there to finish off their vac- cination series. With the state continu- “We’re not going to mess ing to expand its covid-19 them up and bring them to vaccination eligibility, the a new location.” Columbia County Health That move came on the Department is expanding same day Gov. Ron DeSantis its efforts as well. continued to lower the eligi- The health depart- bility age for Florida resi- ment opened its new vac- dents. DeSantis announced cine distribution location Thursday that anyone 40 at the Florida Gateway and older may receive the Fairgrounds parking lot in vaccine beginning Monday. preparation of an increasing On April 5, the eligibility demand for the vaccine. will expand to all adults “I don’t really want to — 18 and older be disruptive if I can avoid “We have made great it,” said Tom Moffses, the progress and I look for- Columbia County Health ward to continuing to work Department administrator hard to make sure every- about the move to the fair- grounds from the Southside VACCINE continued on 3A FILE Florida Gateway College graduates await the start of their commencement ceremony in December. The col- lege is continuing to hold small group graduation exercises this spring. FGC continuing to hold small group graduations Staff report uation experience, while already reached capaci- last year in June when the also adhering to health and ty. All ceremonies will be college could not host the Smaller, in-person cere- safety guidelines. televised live on FGCTV traditional commencement monies are the safe and The Spring 2021 (local Comcast channel 8) exercises in the Howard new trend for graduations Commencement ceremo- and streamed live on the Center. at Florida Gateway College. nies will take place May Florida Gateway College College administra- Florida Gateway College 4, 6 and 7, beginning at Facebook page. tors believed that holding will honor Spring 2021 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and FGC initially began hold- live, in-person academic graduates with small group 7 p.m. each day with 15 ing the smaller graduation achievement celebrations COURTESY ceremonies over a period graduates at each ceremo- ceremonies, which normal- was important for students Vehicles line up Thursday morning at the Florida of multiple days in the Levy ny. More sessions may be ly last about 30 minutes and their families. During Gateway Fairgrounds parking lot to receive the covid- Performing Arts Center, added because the sched- each and featured up to 10 19 vaccine. giving students a full grad- uled 12 sessions have graduates per ceremony, FGC continued on 3A GWGW HUNTER HUNTER 1130 WEST US 90 386-752-5890 VISIT YOUR LOCAL CHEVRON STATION Vol. 147, No. 5 TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 2A CALL US: Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Faith & Values . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO 88 64 Sports . 1B THE REPORTER: Voice: 755-5445 Mostly cloudy, 2A Classifieds . 3B-12B Fax: 752-9400 Advice & Comics . 13B-14B 2A FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER larger crowd in pushing past the Capitol in an email fol- selves in between an officer MEGGS at least one law enforcement lowing the insurrection. inside the Capitol and a mob Continued From 1A officer who was attempting Meggs, himself, claimed of protesters to protect him. QUICK HITS to keep them out, while also the group was “now the The USAO countered Scripture of the Day tion devices, the court doc- causing significant dam- enemy of the State,” in a in its filing, claiming that uments state. age to the door that they message sent out the eve- Meggs expressed his disdain “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to At 2:06 p.m., two mem- breached, including panes ning of Jan. 6. Later, Meggs for D.C. police officers in a forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un- bers communicated about of glass being smashed and wrote to the same group Jan. 4 Facebook post, notably righteousness.” where they were through a door handle broken off. message, “We aren’t quit- about them protecting Antifa. — 1 John 1:9 (KJV) text messages, the indict- The documents state ting!! We are reloading!!” A detention hearing was ment alleges. that Graydon Young, In Meggs’ renewed held in the Middle District Thirty-four minutes later, another Oath Keeper that request for release, which of Florida on Feb. 22 in the court document states was indicted last month, was filed March 17, it states which Meggs was ordered Thought for Today the group “forcibly entered described Meggs as the that both Kelly and Connie to remain in custody pend- Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it hap- the Capitol” and joined a group’s “team leader” at Meggs positioned them- ing trial. pened. — dr. Seuss, 1904-1991, American OBITUARIES writer Mrs. Mattie Lee Ross was a member of the First Christian daughter-in-law, David & Cathy ating. Interment will follow. Mrs. Mattie Lee Ross, 95, Church here in Lake City. She was Ross of Lake City; grandchildren, Arrangements are under the direc- of Lake City, passed away on a secretary for many years until Audy Goff (Karen) and Melissa tion and care of GATEWAY- Winning Lottery Numbers Wednesday, her retirement. She loved to cook, Anderson (Tony); great-grand- FOREST LAWN FUNERAL Pick 3: (Wednesday p.m.) 7-6-3 March 24, going to her mountain home in children, Dustin Kane, Nick Goff, HOME, 3596 S. US HWY 441, Pick 4: (Wednesday p.m.) 9-7-3-8 2021 at Solaris North Carolina with her husband Caitlin Ngoepe, Erin Anderson Lake City, FL, 32025, 386-752- Fantasy 5: (Wednesday) 7-8-14-18-20 Healthcare Morris and reading. and Jenalyn Anderson. Two 1954. Please leave words of com- after an extend- She is preceded in death by great-grandchildern, Kiani Ngoepe fort for the family at www.gate- ed illness. She her husband of 64 years, Morris & Zaelah Kane, along with extend- wayforestlawn.com. See an error? was born in H. Ross; brothers, George Purdy, ed family and friends also survive. The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news Nashville, Raymond Wilson and Clayton Graveside funeral services for William “Wayne” Skeen items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, GA on June 11, 1925 to the late Purdy; and sisters, Betty Crews, Mrs. Ross will be conducted on William Wayne Skeen, 71 of please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will Seymour Fred Purdy and Nancy Mildred Feagle and Carol Ann Friday, March 26, 2021 at 10:00 Live Oak, FL passed away peace- run in this space. Thanks for reading. Leona Griffin Purdy. She was a Martin-Andrews. A.M. at the Memorial Cemetery fully at his home life-long resident of Lake City and She is survived by her son and with Rev. Art Peterson offici- in Washington, Submissions PA on March The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption 11th, 2021. He information to run at the discretion of the editor. 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