5 years ago, 2013
Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Judge John H. Skinner recused himself from a death penalty murder case that was sent back to Clay County by the Florida Supreme Court for the re-sentencing hearing for Leo Louis Kaczmar III, of Jacksonville. Court re

Acting on a tip from a Florida Highway Patrolman in South Florida, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office uncovered a sophisticated marijuana grow operation in Clay Hill worth $834,000 that involving old steel shipping containers buried underground.

Green Cove Springs City Council took out a $2.4 million loan to build a new trimmed-down $5 million police station.

10 years ago, 2008
The United States Postal Service announced that Fleming Island will have the new 32003 ZIP Code as of July 1, 2008.

Synovus Bank of Jacksonville opened its first branch in Clay County at 1440 Kingsley Ave. in Orange Park.

Citing spiraling energy costs, Green Cove Springs City Manager Don Bowles said city hall would soon shorten its work day to four days a week from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.

20 years ago, 1998
Clay High School was transformed into an emergency shelter for residents of Pier Station near Green Cove Springs who were forced to evacuate in the wake of uncontrolled wildfires.

The Florida Department of Transportation voiced opposition to three different citizens’ “work groups” that recommended extending Parkridge Avenue to the undeveloped Branan Field Road area in order to create a new traffic-easing east-west route for Clay County.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested Todd Matthew Wesley, 31, of Keystone Heights and two juveniles for allegedly burning three large crosses in the lawn of African-American resident Bill Wesley in the 7000 block of Leigh Drive in Keystone Heights.

30 years ago, 1988
The Clay Board of County Commissioners approved the development of 2,133 acres on Fleming Island by DuPont. The approval came after months of meetings and planning, having been delayed from the original scheduled February date due to controversy over certain aspects of the project.

Clay County Sheriff’s Officer’s arrested 12 “street level” cocaine dealers in Green Cove Springs after a two-month investigation. According to the sheriff, all of the men arrested were working independently and there was no evidence of an organized drug trade.

The Florida Department of Transportation began looking at two Clay County locations for new bridges. One of the routes being considered would cross the St. Johns River near Magnolia Point on the Clay County side. The other route would be south of Green Cove Springs and cross the river about a mile and a half south of the Shands Bridge.

40 years ago, 1978
The County Commission passed a boat ordinance banning all boats that don’t have an underwater muffler system from county waterways after numerous noise complaints from residents who live on area lakes and creeks.

The Clay County School Board accepted the high school drop-out program after previously turning it down. The vote to accept the program accepted it at a reduced rate of $28,000 (down from $54,000).

The County Commission began studying the option of purchasing a 16-acre site at the mouth of Black Creek to be used as a potential park. Other sites being considered include land owned by DuPont, across from the 16-acre site and a Camp Blanding location.