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This Week in History 12/13/18


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5 years ago, 2013
Alesia Ford-Burse said she was excited to announce that Orange Park Performing Arts Academy was gearing up to open with his inaugural class in the fall, becoming Clay County’s first charter school.

The Board of County Commissioners said it would hold off on passage of an updated adult entertainment ordinance until 2014.

St. Vincent’s Medical Center Clay County teamed up with Operation Walk USA as part of a national program to provide free hip replacement surgery to patients who could not otherwise afford it. The recipient, then-53 Johnny DeWayne Cook, who had been living with pain for 39 years from the original surgery that healed improperly.

10 years ago, 2008
Fourth Circuit Court Judge William Wilkes handed down four death sentences to Gary Barnard “Goldie” McCray Jr. of Jacksonville for the 2004 murders of Oliver Ellis Jr., John Whitehead, Phillip Perrotta and Robin Selkirk in a home on Blanding Boulevard near Orange Park.

Government accountability group Citizens for Term Limits and Accountability Committee appealed to the Florida Supreme Court a First District Court of Appeal ruling that threw out three proposed Clay County Charter Amendments.

Middleburg Realtor Leslie Dougher defeated Darryl New to become the new chairman of the Clay County Republican Executive Committee.

20 years ago, 1998
Dwayne and Travis Hayes, Cecilio Castenado and Donald Colbert spoke to students at Orange Park High and told their story of how their lives changed after being convicted of robbing Fazoli’s Restaurant. They also faced their fellow classmates whom they shot and robbed, Dominic Antonello and Melissa Kaufmann.

Green Cove Springs City Council amended City Manager Eric Meserve’s contract to remove the end date for his employment, effectively making his time with the city at the whim of the council.

Orange Park residents mourned the death of Rev. Grady Hulan Williams, who for 12 years, served as pastor of Providence Baptist Church and as Protestant chaplain at Moosehaven Retirement Community.

30 Years ago, 1988
The Board of County Commissioners awarded an $83,150 contract to The Nolan Co. of Jacksonville to add several examination rooms and expand the waiting areas of the Clay County Health Department building in Green Cove Springs.

Green Cove Springs City Council debated whether to spend $160,000 to extend water and wastewater service to Clay Memorial Hospital as it pondered building on a site just north of the city.

Ellard Williams, 62, of North Cypress Street in Green Cove Springs, was killed when he was struck by a vehicle as he tried to walk across Orange Avenue near the intersection of Bayard Street.

40 years ago, 1978
The Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs rolled out an energy curriculum that would be used to teach Clay County fourth graders about America’s energy needs, natural resources and energy conservation.

The Jacksonville Chapter of Sweet Adelines announced it would begin holding rehearsals at Orange Park High every Tuesday and would start with a January open house aimed at finding new singers.

Jean Jowers Shop advertised “Stag Night” – two big evenings for men only to shop. It also included modeling and cocktails at the shop at 1960 Park Ave. in Orange Park.