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This week in history 10/26/17

Clay Today
Posted 10/25/17

5 years ago, 2012 Despite a recommendation from Clay County School Superintendent Ben Wortham to deny its application, the school board greenlighted the charter school application for Orange Park …

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This week in history 10/26/17


Posted

5 years ago, 2012
Despite a recommendation from Clay County School Superintendent Ben Wortham to deny its application, the school board greenlighted the charter school application for Orange Park Performing Arts Academy.

The Clay Board of County Commissioners approved a 2,400-acre development north of Green Cove Springs, 12 years after it was first conceived. Saratoga Springs would have 2,577 single-family homes, 985 multi-family dwellings and 694 active adult dwellings and 344,146 square feet of commercial/retail space.

Clay County Supervisor of Elections Chris Chambless said Clay County voters set a new record for absentee ballot requests. Staff mailed out 20,512 absentee ballots compared to 15,207 absentee ballots out in 2008’s general election.

10 years ago, 2007
Responding to criticism its policies are unclear how the Clay County School District determines bus routes, the school board voted to clarify its busing policy.

Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler told the Board of County Commissioners he was returning $1.1 million back to the county’s general fund and then suggested the money be spent on purchasing 25 acres to establish a prison work farm.

Authorities seized several pigs and chickens and three horses from a couple in who lived in the 5700 block of Cactus Hill Drive in Melrose. Howard Lee Watson Jr. and Virginia Watson were charged with animal cruelty and abandonment.

20 years ago, 1997
Financial documents from Clay County Clerk of Court John B. Keene showed his office was billed for 63 hours of research and consultation by attorney William Thompson at a rate of $170 per hour and $85 an hour for an associate. The total bill was $9,911.

Clay County Utility Authority announced it was installing seven miles of new reclaimed wastewater lines to transfer treated effluent from its Ridaught Landing Water Treatment Plant to a new development on Fleming Island where it would be used for irrigation.

Marie Raabe, 82, of Penney Farms, died at Jacksonville’s University Medical Center from injuries sustained in a traffic accident on State Road 16. Her husband, Meinhardt Raabe – who played the Munchkin Coroner in the film “The Wizard of Oz” – was driving their 1986 Chevrolet station wagon.

30 years ago, 1987
Facing the addition of 1,000 new students a year, the Clay County School District held public meetings to discuss how to finance the new buildings the growth would bring. A study found the district would need four new elementary schools by 1992.

Green Cove Springs City Council voted to spend $14,000 to allow the police department to equip its officers with laptops.

Orange Park Police Chief Dalton Bray swore in two new officers, the first new hires for the department in 11 years.

40 years ago, 1977
Officials from the Jacksonville Electric Authority met with representatives from the Clay County Chamber of Commerce about possibly building a new power plant in Clay County that would employ between 800-1,000 workers.

Jim and Kay Wilson, owners of the Green Cove Springs-based Crescent newspaper, bought the weekly newspaper The Traveler, which was based in St. Augustine.

Clay Video, which was funded by a number of Clay County and Jacksonville investors, approached the Board of County Commissioners about being awarded a cable television franchise to serve Northern Clay County and Orange Park.