Five years ago, 2016

• Florida House member Charles Van Zant and his wife paid $8,716.28 in unpaid property taxes and interest levied by the Bradford County Property Appraiser following a homestead exemption fraud investigation.

• Oakleaf teen Kyle Graham gets a comment by “Dirty Jobs’ host Mike Rowe after he buys a $3,000, 17-foot boat with proceeds earned through his dog poop scooping business.

• A $3.9 million to beautify the medians along Kingsley and Park avenues starts in Orange Park.

10 years ago, 2011

• Orange Park residents pack a town hall meeting, telling the council they’d rather pay more for city-operated garbage service than use a private company.

• Pragmatic Works Foundation in Doctors Inlet to offer free IT training to soldiers returning from deployment.

• The Green Cove Springs City Council votes to keep its millage rate at 2.57, and it means city employees won’t be getting cost of living or merit raises.


20 years ago, 2001

• The Board of County Commissioners deny Orange Park Town Manager John Bowles’ request for a lump payment of $100,000 to be used on the town’s new public safety building.

• New RideOut Elementary is set to open its doors on Appalachiocola Road for the first time on Aug. 7.

• The Academy of Health, Human Services program is set to open at Orange Park High.

30 years ago, 1991

• The Green Cove Springs Police Department make three arrests during a sting operation targeted at stores that sold alcohol to minors.

• Bob Alred, who retired after 30 years at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, accounces he will run for sheriff.

• The state is set to open the new John P. Hall Driver’s License office in Green Cove Springs.

40 years ago, 1981

• Sen. Lawton Chiles is honored during a barbecue at J.P. Hall’s river treatreat at Bayard.

• Herman Estil Looney, 21, is arrested and charged with second-degree murder of of Bobby Knight.

• BCC’s Talmadge Bennett approaches other commissioners for support to improve the old Shands Bridge fishing pier.