Five years ago, 2018

• Three Clay County golfers – Mike Woods, Danielle Catlett and Jayson Keeton – qualify for the Florida Special Olympics championship Walt Disney World.
• Multiple agencies, including the St. Johns River Water Management District and Clay County Utility Authority, will spend $4.5 million to reduce the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and algal blooms at Doctors Lake.

• The Clay County Sheriff’s Office starts its Citizens’ Academy at St. Johns River State College.

10 years ago, 2013

• Torey Leonard Jenkins, 37 at the time, was sentenced to 40 years at the state prison after pleading no contest to beating 16-month-old Destiny Patterson to death.
• The school board shelved any plan to ban prayer at the beginning of its meetings.

• Promoter Peter G. Scalzo of Sarasota tells the Green Cove Springs City Council he plans to open a drag racing track on Reynolds Park.

20 years ago, 2003

• A packed Board of County Commissioners meeting helped convince the council to impose a 2.8% utility tax increase instead of the proposed 10% increase.

• Clay County Sheriff Scott Lancaster pleads with the BCC not to cut his budget to help balance the county budget.

• After working as a teacher for 33 years, Norman Martin transferred to the District Office as the new Director of Student Services.

30 years ago, 1993

• Michael Alan Durocher was electrocuted at Florida’s Death Row for killing four people – three which were found in Green Cove Springs.
• The Board of County Commissioners vote 4-1 to request a $1.6 million line of credit at First Union Bank.

• Teacher unions rally at Middleburg High to oppose a $1.6 million bonus to support the district’s insurance policy instead of providing a 9.9% pay raise.

40 years ago, 1983

• The school year starts with 68 new teachers.

• Orange Park Senior Girls All-Stars advanced to the Senior League World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by defeating Tennessee, 9-5.

• The Clay County District Schools purchased four new buses to increase its fleet to 87.