January 2019

• The Orange Park High band brought home a plaque for first place in Division AA for Field Show Competition for its “Out of the Woods” program at the Sugar Bowl. The band also received five trophies, one each for Outstanding General Effort, Outstanding Music, Outstanding Drum Major, Outstanding Auxiliary and Outstanding Percussion in the Field Show Competition.
• It took a seven-woman, five-man federal jury 105 minutes to convict Trumaine Devone Muller, 33, of Orange Park for selling fentanyl that killed 18-year-old Ariel Jade Brundige. Muller received a mandatory life sentence.
• With poise, Erik Williams took to the microphone, asked the word’s country of origin and how it could be used in a sentence. He said he knew how to spell “Piazza,” – a public square or marketplace in a town, usually Italian – but he wanted to check. By doing so, the St. Johns Country Day School sixth-grader won his second Clay County Spelling Bee title in a row after 17 rounds at Discovery Oaks Elementary.

February 2019

• The Clay County School Board voted to create and staff its own police department one week before the one-year anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High shooting in Parkland, where 14 students and three staff members were killed. Later in the month, the board hired Kenneth Wagner as its Chief of Police.
• Members of the Save Our Lakes Organization swamped the Keystone Heights City Council meeting to praise the effects of the Black Creek Restoration project, which takes water from the oft-flooded Black Creek and shifts it to depleted lakes like Lake Brooklyn.
• Lake Asbury Junior High chorus and drama teacher Evan Gould and Orange Park Elementary student records secretary Deborah Lineberry are selected as the county’s teacher and school-related employees of the year.
• The Town of Orange Park got closer to owning and operating its own fire and rescue service by approving the purchase of two EMS vehicles after the county approved the town’s Certificate of Need to operate its own unit.

March 2019

• Two of Clay County’s leading hospitals announce major expansion projects. Baptist Health unveiled plans to build a $23 million 20-bed, adult and pediatric emergency care department at the Oakleaf Town Center near the corners of Argyle Forest Boulevard and the First Coast Expressway, while Orange Park Medical Center said it will spend $126 million on a five-story tower that will add 48 new patient beds and plenty of room for future growth.
• Keystone Heights High earned the College Board Advanced Placement Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles, being selected as one of 685 out of more than 18,000 that applied.
• Fleming Island High senior Briar Jackson won his second state wrestling championship. After winning the 113-pound class in 2018, Jackson beat a wrestler from Miami Columbus, 10-2, to win this year’s 120-pound division.

April 2019

• Clay County Emergency Management Director John Ward left his position to become the Clay County School District’s Director of Operations, Safety and Security. Ward will help create the district’s first police department.
• The Clay County Agricultural Fair pumped more than $52 million into the local economy, said Kimberly Morgan, the director of county tourism. Morgan estimated each visitor spent $100. The 10-day fair set an overall attendance record at 130,000, breaking last year’s mark of 115,00, as well as a single-day record of 26,000 on the next-to-last day, according to fair general manager Tasha Hyder.
• The Way Free Medical Clinic in Green Cove Springs was awarded $10,000 with the Paul E. Reinhold Community Services Award as part of Celebrate Clay, the top honor given annually by the Paul E. and Klare N. Reinhold Foundation, after helping more than 3,000 residents with free health care.

May 2019

• Discovery Oaks Elementary principal Tracy McLaughlin was selected as the National Distinguished Principal for Florida by the Florida Association of Elementary School Principals. According to the FAESP, McLaughlin is a “passionate principal is known as an inspiring leader with a clear, comprehensive plan for improving student achievement. Under her leadership, Ridgeview Elementary moved from a “C’ to “A” school. It had the highest learning gains in Clay County, moving from 406 points to 540 points.
• Two Clay County students won big at the 2019 International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix. Ridgeview High junior Michael Chen, 16, and Fleming Island High sophomore Gavin Baker, 16, came home with $14,000 in scholarships. Chen was awarded $10,000 from Ricoh USA for sustainable solutions to global problems, while Baker was awarded $4,000 from the Arizona Public Service for solutions on energy consumption.
• The Board of Directors of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce selected Chip Dobson as its new Chamber President. In his capacity Dobson will lead the chamber staff in executing the organization’s programs and activities to support the Chamber members and the business community and residents of Clay County. He took over following the following the retirement of Tresa Calfee.

June 2019

• With nearly $300 million in facility improvements needed in 41 schools, the Clay County School Board asked the Board of County Commissioners to put a half-cent sales tax increase on a special election ballot to get ahead of House Bill 5, which went into effect this week, which only allows referendums during general elections every four years.
• The Board of County Commissioners ask for more details why Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels needs $68 million to run his agency for the next fiscal year. According to the proposal, Daniels’ budget request is $10.2 million more than what was budgeted this year because it addresses the challenges of future growth.
• The new Veteran’s Administration clinic that will open this year will be named after a Chief Andrew K. Baker, a Navy combat search and rescue swimmer who died during a training mission on March 13, 1997. Antisubmarine Warfare Chief Baker died with his Trident 615 H-60 Seahawk crashed off the coast of North Carolina while trying to land on a frigate to refuel during a SEAL training event. All four on board were killed. Baker was attached to HS-3 homeported at NAS Jacksonville and he served on the USS Carl Vinson and USS Coral Sea as a Ship’s Serviceman.

July 2019

• The Clay County School District recently received another overall grade of an A by the Florida Department of Education for the 2018-19 schoolyear, with an additional seven schools getting an A-rating compared to 2017-18. Overall, 27 out of 44 schools received A grades.
• U.S. Marshals captured a man in Norfolk, Virginia who was wanted in connection with the April 1 murder of 26-year-old former Clay High wrestler Dylan McCurdy, who was doing construction work at Mayport when his body was found on the 1100 block of Featherwood Drive South. He died of a gunshot wound.
• The 2019 preliminary taxable value of Clay County property was estimated at approximately $11.4 billion – an increase of more than $790 million – according to the Certification of Taxable Value submitted to the Clay County taxing authorities and the Florida Department of Revenue.
The preliminary taxable value was slightly higher than the estimate reported on June 1.

August 2019

• Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy and public information officer Chris Padgett stepped away from the backdrop of flashing blue lights and yellow crime scene tape to help others find ways to deal with stress that comes with wearing a badge.
While he left the sheriff’s office, he knew the job won’t ever leave him. He saw the very best, and very worse, of human behavior. He’s received hugs from children and consoled families of the dead. He helped put some of the most-despicable criminals behind bars, and he’s helped organize neighborhood block parties.
“I’m a minister at heart,” Padgett said. “That’s what I did before law enforcement. I never intended to become a police officer. As someone who never intended to go into law enforcement, I’ve got a decade in it. It’s time for something else.”
• County officials greeted the return of Camp Chowenwaw’s pier and a new kayak launch following back-to-back years of hurricane damage throttled the “Jungle Trail.” Uprooted trees are still visible from the 780-foot boardwalk.
The county acquired a $276,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grant for the boardwalk and pier. Construction began in January and was finished in June.
• The Clay County Tourism Development Council awarded $142,620 to local events for various festivals, fairs, chili cook-offs and other local events.
The Soul Food Festival was granted $3,500, the Military Museum of North Florida $8,730 for three different events, the CalaVida Music & Arts Festival $2,470 and the Clamour Theatre $5,290 for two productions. The annual Christmas on Walnut Street was granted its usual $2,500 while the Concert on the Green was granted $3,370, which could help it move to a new venue in Orange Park.
Keystone Heights was granted $5,840 for its two Our Country Day celebrations and the Orange Park Kids Fest was granted $3,500, which is the same amount granted to the annual BASCA 5K marathon. The Moosehaven American Pride festival was granted $3,500 and finally, the Green Cove Springs Memorial Day River Fest, which includes a large fireworks show, was granted $2,500.
These numbers pale in comparison to the grant money allocated to Clay County’s four signature events, which each bring in at least 20,000 attendees.
The Orange Park Fall Festival was granted $15,000, and the Moosehaven Chili Cook-off was granted $5,000. Tourism Director Kimberly Morgan said ESPN is interested in hosting and filming the cornhole championships at the chili cook-off, giving the county an opportunity to show off one of its signature events on a nationally-televised broadcast.
The Scottish Games were granted $30,000 and the county’s biggest signature event, the Clay County Agricultural Fair, was granted $45,000. The fair attracted a record crowd of 135,575 visitors during its 10-day run last April.

September 2019

• Although Hurricane Dorian made a turn northward and away from Florida, residents still heeded the warnings and quickly collected the necessities to ride the storm out.
Residents swamped grocery stores, hardware stores and gas stations for last-minute supplies.
The Clay County School District also worked ahead of the storm by canceling classes on Tuesday and Wednesday. St. Johns River State College called off classes on Tuesday.
The Clay County Courthouse also was closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Keondre Moss, a junior at Oakleaf High, was killed while riding home from school. Moss was a passenger when his car veered off the road and struck a tree in the median. Moss, who apparently wasn’t wearing his seatbelt, was thrown nearly 20 feet. The accident happened about two miles from the school.
The tree snapped in two and was uprooted by the impact.
Taj Richey’s left leg was amputated after the crash and Brian Ransom also sustained injuries.
• The Orange Park Town Council learned preparing for the water of a 100-year event like 2017’s Hurricane Irma was cost-prohibitive.
The council commissioned Jacksonville-based engineering agency Jones-Edmunds to create a flow model to understand how the town could prevent the damage created by Irma. They learned it’s not economically feasible.
A 100-year event is based on probability, not a timeframe. A 100-year event means there’s a 1% chance of a crippling storm like Irma every year.
Icerman said Orange Park should focus on conveyance for 10-year events and storage for 25-year events.

October 2019

• A pair of residents with Clay County ties won Emmy Awards.
A documentary on former NBA player and Eagle Harbor resident Jim Tucker was honored by Mid-Atlantic Emmy Chapter.
The Onondaga Historical Association in Syracuse produced the film with OHA director Gregg Tripoli using the film to tell the story of Tucker's NBA pioneer days with the 1955 Syracuse Nationals. Tucker and teammate Earl Lloyd were the first African-Americans to win an NBA championship.
Also, former Orange Park High graduate Carlton Batten earned an Emmy as the animation director for “The Simpsons.” The show won for Outstanding Animated Series.
• Kaitlyn Ludham, a senior at Fleming Island High, was awarded a nationwide prestigious award for girls in engineering.
She was recognized by the Society of Women Engineers. She was recognized with the SWE Next Global Innovator Award.
Ludham worked with First Robotics little league teams to help children understand the design process behind robotics and how to create and program them. She created a SWENext club at FIH in December, 2017, to serve as a home base for other girls interested in engineering.
• The threat of a tropical storm affected attendance and made the return of the First
Despite being one of the biggest events in Clay County, the on-again, off-again music and barbecue festival ran into a different, and certainly more formidable, obstacle – Mother Nature. The closer Tropical Nestor got to Florida, the more dire the forecast came. Solid rain and possible tornadoes were expected across Northeast Florida on opening night.
Nestor did create some havoc for two days with sporadic rain and hail, but the fast-moving storm gave way to clear skies by early afternoon for the final two days. By then, however, it was too late.

November 2019

• With an explosive breaststroke leg by Emma Grimm, the Fleming Island High girls 200 medley relay swim team won the Class 3A swimming and diving championship in Stuart.
She was joined by sister Sarah Grimm, Abree Clark and Christine Johnson in earning the school a gold medal.
• Gabriella Manges wasn’t expected to live, much less walk, after suffering critical injuries last June in a car crash on the on-ramp of Interstate 295 and U.S. 17.
The 20-year-old from Green Cove Springs doesn’t remember the accident or spending a month in the Intensive Care Unit at Orange Park Medical Center. She does recall being told it may take a year to get back on her feet after sustaining a significant brain injury, as well as a broken jaw, cheek and eye socket.
But she survived and returned to the hospital to thank the emergency medical technicians, trauma team, surgeons and specialists who saved her life.
• After nearly three hours of public comment and board member discussion, the Board of County Commissioners voted to reaffirm their commitment to upholding the Second Amendment.
Councilman Gavin Rollins originally wanted to make Clay County a gun sanctuary county. Sanctuary may be open to interpretation, but what Rollins wanted to make clear the county would be exempt if federal laws change and citizens would be required to turn in certain weapons. Clay County would use the results of Printz v. United States to keep federal law from overruling.
The lawsuit states the federal government cannot force local law enforcement to enforce federal law. In the context of this situation, if a federal law forcing citizens to turn in certain weapons was passed, the local law enforcement can’t be forced to enforce that law.

December 2019

• There was a time Don Lester dreamed of playing heavy-handed guitar lick for Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” or the melodic introduction to Yes’ “Roundabout.”
“I briefly entertained that idea when I was in my 20s,” he said, “but I realized I wouldn’t be good enough. I decided to get a real job and went to law school.”
Now a Circuit Court Judge for Clay County, Lester still plays in-between court sessions and reading case law. He tries to spend an hour a day with his acoustic guitar, picking music that brings him a moment of inner peace in a job of difficult decisions that comes with determining justice for society and its criminals.
• Lt. Josh Montoro of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is a hero.
The former athlete at Middleburg High and resident on Fleming Island was one of two rescue searchers to find missing Jacksonville siblings Braxton and Bri’ya Williams Tuesday after they were missing for more than 50 hours.
“For kids to be lost for three days, at this time of year, it just doesn’t happen,” said Montoro of the unusual situation which led to his meteoric rise in notoriety.
As a member of the Urban Search and Rescue Team, Montoro and the firemen he works with are some of the best trained in their field. Some of the disciplines in which Montoro is certified are high angle rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, vehicle and machinery extrication and structural collapse. He also is K-9 search and rescue certified.
• Local charities joined forces to provide toys and meals for local families in need during the holidays.
The annual J.P. Hall Children’s Charities Giving the Gift of Hope celebrated its 38th year Saturday and welcomed more than 1,500 families with free gifts ranging from dolls to action figures to bikes.
The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program targeted 141 families and 400 children to provide toys.
And at the Clay County Courthouse, the Clerk of Circuit Court organized several county offices to provide toys for children currently in foster care.