Five years ago, 2019

•  Overturn13, a pro-greyhound racing group, planned to file a lawsuit to overturn the constitutional amendment which prohibited betting on dog races in the state of Florida by 2021. Amendment 13 was passed after receiving 69% "yes" votes during the November 2018 election. Bestbet Orange Park president Jamie Shelton was aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment.

•  Keystone Heights City Council briefly considered increasing the number of permitted fowl – such as a chicken or duck – a resident could own within city limits. Ultimately, the council decided to maintain the number of household fowl to "one and only one."

• Sean Lee Davis, 41, allegedly bragged to his friends about stealing a .45 caliber handgun after breaking into a car parked by AMC Theatres at the Orange Park Mall. Davis was arrested after his boasts were passed along to Clay County Sheriff deputies. 

10 years ago, 2014

•   Clay Theatre, the county's oldest movie theatre, closed its doors for the second time. The historic theater was reopened in 2012 and was in business for 18 months. Tickets for "The Monuments Men" were sold for 99 cents, which was the theater's farewell and final movie. 

•  Leslie Dougher was selected to serve as the next chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Dougher filled in for Lenny Curry, who announced his decision to run for the mayor of Jacksonville.

•   Clay County Supervisor of Elections Chris Chambless advocated for creating "Municipal Super Tuesday." Chambless gave one last nudge to the Orange Park Town Council, which voted 5-0 to move forward with the concept. Today, the council elections of Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights and Orange Park all fall on the same Tuesday, which saves local governments thousands of dollars. 

20 years ago, 2004

•   Citing medical setbacks within his family, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective John Watson held a press conference announcing he was pulling out of the race for Clay County Sheriff and throwing his support to fellow candidate Rick Beseler.

•   Clay County Emergency Management officials put a seven-day burn ban in place due to lack of rainfall.

30 years ago, 1994

•  The Green Cove Springs City Council voted 3-2 to accept a plan to allow construction of raised medians in the center of Orange Avenue/U.S. Highway 17 in the center of the city. Council Member Diane Hutchings and Mayor Jim Loner voted against the proposal.

•    The Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested James Robert Garrett of Green Cove Springs for cultivating marijuana after they confiscated 28 pot plants from the yard of a home on Coffee Avenue in Middleburg.

•  Garber Buick Pontiac GMC in Green Cove Springs donated spray painting services to the Orange Park Police Department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, program vehicle. The program teaches fifth-grade students how to say no to drugs.

40 years ago, 1984

•  Taco Viva in the Orange Park Mall became the second restaurant in as many weeks to file a lawsuit against the Clay County Board of Adjustment after having its application to sell alcoholic beverages denied. The Big Top Restaurant was the first to file suit after officials approved alcoholic beverage sales for Pizza D’Alto.

• Officials issued a report saying the Middleburg building earmarked as the future home of a Middleburg branch library is structurally inadequate. Library Director Robert Lipscomb recommended that county officials look for a different site or build a new building.

50 years ago, 1974

•  The Green Cove Springs City Council moved one step closer to financing the construction of its electric plant after authorizing City Attorney James Norton to explore bond financing for a proposed plant. The city hoped to lower residents' rates to the Jacksonville Electric Authority, which supplied its power.