Attorney fees $24,231.37 Managing Editor GREEN COVE SPRINGS – In an effort to minimize the expense of taxpayer dollars trying to get an appellate court to rule on a lawsuit filed April 18 by Superintendent Charlie Van Zant Jr. against the Clay ...
Read more

Staff Writer
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A single wish year-old by a Green Cove Springs Junior High seventh grader recently came true as the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall attracted more than 29,000 visitors to the school May 9-13. "I wish all the students at my school could go up and see the wall," said Michael Taft, seventh grade civics teacher at the junior high. Taft paraphrased what his former student told after the student and his family visited the wall from page 1 in Washington D.C. The student, who now lives in California, was not available for an interview, but Taft went to work on ...
Read more

Correspondent
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – After a public outcry from nearby residents, Gustafson’s Cattle Inc., has found a new location for a site that would allow for an asphalt plant to be built. The company is pulling its current rezoning application for some 92.4 acres of land between CR 15A and U.S. Highway 17 that created such a stir from those who lived nearby. It will replace the application with another one for about 71 acres of its property located just west of U.S. Hwy 17 at the intersection of the CSX railroad and the coming First Coast Outer Beltway, said Thomas O. Ingram, ...
Read more

Forty-four years later
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Retired U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer Ernesto Serna of Clay County, right, gets his Purple Heart 44 years after being injured in the Vietnam War. Rear Adm. Jack Scorby, Commander, Navy Region ...
Read more

Staff Writer ORANGE PARK – Will Padgett always planned to give back to his community, but after experiencing a health setback two years ago, his plans took a detour. Padgett, 38, a lieutenant with Clay County Fire and Rescue, and his 4-yearold ...
Read more

Want to double the function of your outdoor spaces? Looking to eat healthy, fresh foods but don’t want to tend a vegetable patch? Interested in expanding your plant palette beyond the typical ornamentals?
There are many reasons to consider ...
Read more

The early 1900s found the northwest part of Clay County peppered with small to medium settlements – Duck Pond, Maxville Farms, Highland, Trail Ridge and on and on.
Today, the area is collectively referred to as Clay Hill/Maxville and the ...
Read more

Four Clay residents complete U.S. Marine Corps training
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. – The following local residents recently graduated from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. During the 13-week program, recruits ...
Read more

Two Clay County World War II veterans are featured in an upcoming documentary that will air on PBS on May 24.
"The Flintlock Disaster" features Col. John Hansen of Fleming Island and Lt. Cmdr. George Davidson of Orange Park, both men who were involved in what is often called the worst aviation disaster in U.S. Marine Corps history. The film, which took more than 20 years to make and document, is narrated by former NBC News anchorman and author Tom Brokaw and documents the epic World War II story of 23 young Marines in the Central Pacific who were dispatched to relocate their planes to ...
Read more

ORANGE PARK – Three Clay County seniors were recently honored in the 6th Annual Golden Years Gala sponsored by Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park.
Hubert Hughes was named Volunteer Man of the Year, Carron Wedlund was named Volunteer Woman of the ...
Read more

Correspondent
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Clay County became something of a trailblazer at its May 14 County Commission meeting after commissioners passed an ordinance to regulate the sale and use of e-cigarettes. The Board of County Commissioners ...
Read more

Staff Writer
ORANGE PARK – A new regional transportation system could be on its way to Northeast Florida, and Clay County residents are expected to benefit from its services. After three years of development, Senate Bill 606 passed through ...
Read more

FLEMING ISLAND – Eight graduating seniors were recently honored for their hard work during high school with scholarships from the Clay County Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Foundation Scholarship Program. Through various fundraising programs ...
Read more

Staff Writer
ORANGE PARK – In January, Sam Pruitt was cooking hamburgers with Anthony Bradley to celebrate the end of Saturday tutoring sessions at Grove Park Elementary. The students lined up to get a burger and Pruitt looked at the picnic ...
Read more

UPCOMING EVENTS
COMEDY CONCERT: May 17, 7p.m., Calvary Christian Center, 9 Knight Boxx Rd., Comedian Keith Deltano. Info, Melanie, (904) 945-4707. OPEN HOUSE: And Fundraiser, Augusta Savage Arts & Community Center, 415 Lemon St., Green Cove ...
Read more

Dr. William P. Register
First Assembly of God Orange Park No Charge-Paid In Full In my Mothers’ Day sermon, I used the story titled "No Charge." It is not new and certainly not original. I heard it years ago and I have always remembered it. ...
Read more

Career and Development Education Director, Carpenter, Boater, Grandpa
Staff Writer ORANGE PARK – A large photo of Paul Parker’s family sits on his desk, reminding him of what is waiting for him this summer. The photo, taken at Percy Quin State ...
Read more

Staff Writer
JACKSONVILLE – Troy Taylor grabbed the microphone, raised his arms and walked in front of the audience. With his warm welcome, he lit up the conference room full of professionals, parents, friends and mentors like rapper Jay-Z at a ...
Read more

When I was first married, we lived in Delaware. Since Tom’s parents lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, we spent a lot of time there in the summer. This area is affectionately known as the Delmarva Peninsula due to its proximity to Delaware, ...
Read more

Sarah Rollins
Delmarva Roadside Chicken½ cup veg. oil 1 cup cider vinegar 2 tsp salt 1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning ¼ tsp pepper 1 egg, well beaten 2 chickens, halved or whatever parts your family likes ◗ Combine all in a jar and shake ...
Read more

ORANGE PARK – A Jacksonville woman faces three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute following a month-long investigation.
Katie Lee Rasnick, 30, of Jacksonville turned herself in to authorities April 9 at the ...
Read more

OAKLEAF – What began as a traffic stop involving what police described as "suspicious items" has resulted in the arrests of two people, including a former State of Florida corrections officer, on charges of conspiracy to manufacture ...
Read more

ORANGE PARK – Swift action by two retail loss prevention officers led Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies to the arrest of five people for retail theft charges.
CCSO officials said they were called to the Walmart at 899 Blanding Blvd. on ...
Read more

ARGYLE – Clay County authorities have extradited a Georgia man to face charges of making an obscene phone call.
On May 9, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office transported Shane Whitney Tomlinson, 50, of Hinesville, Ga., to the county jail in Green Cove Springs where he faces a charge stemming from June 2012. According to the police report, Tomlinson’s charges began June 20, 2012 when he had a phone interview with Argyle resident, Che` Trachsel, a district manager for Bridgestone. Trachsel told police that Tomlinson was responding to an online ad he had placed for a job at a POLICE ...
Read more

ORANGE PARK – An Orange Park teen faces one count of lewd battery following his arrest by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Brandon Lee Carlisle, 15, was arrested May 9 after officers obtained a warrant for his arrest involving an ...
Read more

MIDDLEBURG – A Jacksonville woman is out on bail from the Clay County Jail following her arrest on credit card fraud and grand theft charges.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested Katherine Marie Skipper, 24, on May 8 and ...
Read more

ORANGE PARK – Clay County authorities have lodged additional charges against a Jacksonville man who was arrested May 4.
Shawn Lee Atkins, 22, was first arrested for breaking into the family home of Somer Thompson. Officials with the Clay ...
Read more

Tuesday, May 14
Brooks, Michael, 25, Orange Park, CCSO, Three Counts, VOP-Grand Theft Auto Collins, Tabatha, 20, Orange Park, CCSO, Simple Battery Dunham, Michael, 25, Orange Park, CCSO, Possession Of Ammunition By Convicted Felon, FTA-Possession Of Less Than 20 g. Cannabis Edwards, Christopher, 34, Orange Park, CCSO, Possession of Roxicodone With Intent To Sell Folden, Teddy, 22, Yulee, Fla., CCSO, Possession of Less Than 20 g. Cannabis Goostree, Jennifer, 31, Jacksonville, OPPD, Leaving The Scene Of A Crash Involving Damage Greene, April, 22, Orange Park, CCSO, Three Counts of ...
Read more

This is a weekly collection of crime reports from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Unit meant to inform, educate and generate community feedback. To receive these alerts via email, go online to www.claysheriff.com, click on the Sharing Tree logo and follow the instructions.
CCSOContactNumbers Main:264-6512 Emergency: 911 Community Relations: 213-6114 Thefts 5/06 hand and power tools were stolen from a detached garage at a residence on County Road 214 in Keystone Heights. 5/06 galvanized steel building material was stolen from a jobsite on Blanding Boulevard in ...
Read more

Correspondent
JACKSONVILLE-Many times baseball coaches are underrated for their coaching ability compared to football and basketball coaches but Middleburg baseball coach Alan Burnsed earned every bit of his salary in the second round of the FHSAA ...
Read more

Six run early lead evaporates quickly
Sports Editor MIDDLEBURG-A grand slam home run in the third inning from Pearson McMahan fueled a 6-0 lead over visiting Mosley High of Lynn Haven (27-3) for the Middleburg High baseball team in their first-ever Region 1-6A title game. "Everything was working and we were working as hard as I’ve ever seen," said Alan Burnsed, Bronco coach, who orchestrated a successful season ending topped off with a second consecutive district 3-6A title and two somewhat surprising region playoff wins. "I think they were caught a little off guard by us. I’m not ...
Read more

Creekside wins biggest of four games
Sports Editor Clay High, behind RBI hits from Luke Suchon, Austin Wilson, Hunter Alexander and Jordan Desuyo, banged out a 4-0 first inning lead against Creekside and their ace pitcher Tyler Wills in their Region 2-5A semifinal at Creekside on Tuesday, but could not hold the lead as the Knights ended the Blue Devils season 8-4, Wills lasted just one inning before reliever Matt Barrington came in and closed off the Clay bats. Clay, a Final Four team last year, finishes with a 22-6 record. Clay and Creekside played four times this season with both teams ...
Read more

MHS hosts ZUMBA Party for Crohn’s
Foundation When: May 18 5-7 pm in the gymnasium Free Chick-fil-A, Silent Auction and Raffles, Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at door. Dance for a good cause. Purchase tickets: www.active.com/nashvilleNational13/VTAMartin Email: April Martin at aprilemartin1011@yahoo.com Benefits Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Florida Falcons 2013 Schedule Home games at Bolles School in Jacksonville May 4 vs. North Florida Stampede (20-14 W) May 11 at Panhandle Crusaders (35-10 L) May 18 Miami Extreme Home 6pm June 1 vs. Panhandle Crusaders Home 6pm June 8 at ...
Read more

The Players Championship: Woods wins by two
By Randy Lefko Sports Editor PONTE VEDRA BEACH-With a dramatic collapse by Spanish rival Sergio Garcia, number one ranked Tiger Woods sauntered to the 18th hole of the Players Championships and tapped in ...
Read more

Read more

Middleburg High point guard Elijah "EJ" Robinson, center, sits with family, friends, teammates and Trinity Baptist College basketball coaches, right, Dillon Brown and John D. Jones, as Robinson, a north Florida leading scorer for the Broncos, signs ...
Read more

Read more

Read more

Clay Today Sports Editor Randy Lefko visits OHS, FIHS, CHS, RHS
Big questions will have to be answered in Clay County’s spring football games scheduled for May 24 with St. Johns Country Day School’s game scheduled for May 17 against Beacon of Hope. Oakleaf coach Derek Chipoletti will have find an answer to spell Austin at the quarterback position and someone to step up to replace Austin’s receiver crew with LaRobert Mims gone. On defense, linebackers will be the Knights power grid with Justin Todd, Shaq Quarterman and Darrion Owens all looking primed to take over games. At Clay, ...
Read more

Civility
For more than 22 years I have had the distinct honor of serving on the Clay County School Board. During those years, I have worked with 14 different school board members and five superintendents. I have led the district’s aggressive growth strategy, with a new school built for each year of service. In my tenure, we have overcome financial challenges, difficulty with union negotiations, and several lawsuits – all of which are standard when running such a large and rapidly-growing school district. In spite of these challenges, the Clay County School District remains stronger ...
Read more

"Oh, I’m sorry," Grandpa said, a bit embarrassed, "I didn’t know there was someone else in here."
"It’s okay. I’m just waiting," was the only reply. The semiprivate hospital room contained two beds. The one by the window was empty; the ...
Read more

GAINESVILLE – Four chapters of the Future Farmers of America club at Clay County public schools have been honored on the state level.
Keystone Heights Middle School FFA, Keystone Heights Sr. High FFA, Lake Asbury Jr. High FFA and Oakleaf High ...
Read more

Staff Writer
ORANGE PARK – Cathy Rangeo remembers what she wore on her first planning day as a newly-hired teacher on August 18, 1976: a blue patterned shirtdress. Rangeo – the last remaining original hire at Orange Park Junior High – was ...
Read more