$AVE We Insure $ 88 HOMES COUPON SAVINGS Jane DiLoreto Agency 2012 Clay County Visitors Guide 215-2121 –Insert 3701193-01 THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 WWW.CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM VOLUME 42, NO. 13 75¢75 Sweeper will give ATTEND THE CLAY COUNTY Orange Park streets FAIR March 29-April 7 high-tech treatment G Entertainment By Stephen Kindland G Fair Food Staff writer G Early Florida Village ORANGE PARK – Residents are going to G Shows & Exhibits see some sweeping changes made by the town G Midway Rides starting this week, and there’s one town council Tickets now on sale at claycounty fair.org member who can’t wait for that to happen. Time for Steve Howard won’t have to recharge his cell phone battery nearly as often, now that the town has purchased a slightly used, high-tech NEWS Cowbells street sweeper. The Seat 1 councilman and oth- er town of cials were duly impressed with the FOCUS all-white demo model on Friday, March 23, one day after it was delivered to the town’s Public and Works complex on Ash Street. “Lack of --or poor quality of – street sweep- Carousels! ing has been the No. 1 citizen complaint,” How- ard said of the calls he has received during his SEE SWEEPER, 14 LETTER OF THANKS The wife of a slain CCSO detective writes to community. Page 4. By Stephen Kindland Oak Ridge Boys coming here. Pg. 2 Staff writer GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Clay County Sutton said during the fair’s annual Me- Agricultural Fair CFO and general man- dia Day held earlier this week that there is ager Pete Sutton says he’s expecting a chance this year’s “ rst Saturday” crowd even higher attendance than last year’s on Saturday, March 31, could top last STAFF PHOTO BY STEPHEN KINDLAND unprecedented numbers once the 26th STATE RECOGNITION Town of Orange Park equipment operator Orange Park receives annual event kicks into high gear. SEE FAIR, 27 Dennis Hysell stands next to the town’s brand top water award. Pg. 12. new street sweeper. The best deals! INSERTS •New Vehicles •Pre-Owned •Service NEWS AMERICA •Body Shop VISITORS GUIDE HARDEES HOME DEPOT 272-2200 • 1166 BLANDING BLVD. 2 CLAY TODAY • MARCH 29, 2012 COMMUNITY CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM Iconic country group coming Oak Ridge Boys to Clay Fair By Christina Leach Phillips Correspondent GREEN COVE SPRINGS -- When The Oak Ridge Boys go on stage at the Clay County Fair on Saturday, April 7, they will sing many of their old hits as well as some new songs, mixed in with a little gospel and patriotic music, says Richard Sterban, bass singer of the legendary country music group. “We have a gospel music background. We’re also patriotic, and we like to do songs that honor our country, our troops, our veterans, our flag,” he said. “Along with the hits, we’ll include some new mu- sic, including ‘What’cha Gonna Do’ from the new Cracker Barrel project.” In a phone interview with Clay Today, Oak Ridge Boys gether for about 40 years, include Sterban ban said, “It’s primarily gospel. It is very He said they also love the creative pro- 8 p.m. Saturday, April 7 as bass singer; Duane Allen as lead singer; acoustical in nature, and we use a lot of cess of recording new music. “Periodically, William Lee Golden as baritone; and Joe bluegrass instruments. There are also two we have been able to reinvent ourselves a Cattlemen’s Arena Bonsall as tenor. or three very good songs on there that are little bit and record music that is relevant Before Sterban joined The Oak Ridge suitable for country radio as well.” to the current marketplace. I think that All concerts are free Boys in 1972, he sang vocal back up for El- In addition, the group will soon record new music puts new life and new energy (Stadium seats) vis Presley and with the J. D. Sumner and its sixth Christmas album that Sterban into our group.” Reserved seating available the Stamps Quartet. The other three mem- said will be a mix of traditional Christmas But ultimately, Sterban said it’s the bers, Allen, Golden, and Bonsall, joined in songs, new Christmas music, and songs performance that makes them one of the at claycountyfair.org 1966, 1965 and 1973, respectively. about “Santa and the birth of Jesus.” longest-running groups in country music. The group was originally founded in With a touring schedule that averages “The fact that people are still spending the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet and 150 days a year, the Oak Ridge Boys have their hard-earned money to come and see became popular in southern gospel in the experienced longevity in the music busi- the Oak Ridge Boys and turning out in large Sterban said the show will be very fam- 1950s, when they played at the nuclear re- ily oriented. “If there ever was a built-in search plant in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The name 2012 Clay County Agricultural Fair entertainers include: audience that was our audience, it is in- was later changed to The Oak Ridge Boys, DeWayne Spaw side a county fair. We encourage parents and the group went through several per- to bring their kids, and there is something sonnel changes. In the 1970s, they began Dennis Lee for every member of the family.” concentrating on country music. Colt Ford The Oak Ridge Boys will include their In 2011, The Oak Ridge Boys were for- Kip Moore signature song, “Elvira,” with “Oom Poppa mally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry Mow Mow,” a refrain Sterban sings in his family. They have had more than a dozen Southern Slang deep bass voice. He said, “You know, we No. 1 singles as well as over 30 Top 10 Jammit recorded ‘Elvira’ in 1981, and I don’t ever hits. In addition, they have racked up 12 Craig Campbell recall a show in 31 years when we did not gold and three platinum albums, one dou- perform ‘Elvira.’ That song is an absolute ble platinum album, and one double plati- Stephanie Renae must!” num single. Sterban, who is known for wearing suits The Oak Ridge Boys’ latest album, “It’s during performances, said that before he Only Natural,” recorded through a collabo- ness for several reasons, Sterban said. numbers really makes us feel good, and it’s got a full-time job singing, he sold men’s ration with Cracker Barrel, includes the “I think, foremost, is the fact that we what keeps us going -- it really is.” clothing at Gimbels department store in single, “What’cha Gonna Do.” Sterban said, love what we do. Even after all these The Oak Ridge Boys will appear at 8 Philadelphia. “I developed a love for cloth- “It’s the first record that we have had in years, we still look forward to getting out p.m., Saturday, April 7, in the Cattlemen’s ing. It kind of carried over into my musical a long, long time that’s getting some sub- on stage and performing our music live to Arena at the Clay County Agricultural Fair- career,” he said. “It’s a thing that I enjoy, stantial airplay on country radio. It’s re- our audiences,” he said. “We’re still having grounds. Stadium seating is free with fair and it has become a part of the fun of go- ally kind of cool after all these years to be fun doing it, and I think that is really very admission, but there is also reserved seat- ing to an Oak Ridge Boys’ concert to see in that position again.” important. We enjoy everything about be- ing. Go online to www.claycountyfair.org exactly what I’m going to wear.” They also have a new album coming out ing Oak Ridge Boys.” for more details. The Oak Ridge Boys, who have sung to- in May called “Back Home Again.” Ster- CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM COMMUNITY MARCH 29, 2012 CLAY TODAY 3 County targets most needy roads for resurfacing By Debra W. Buehn The board also approved an estimated more of that as the community under- percent match for public-private partner- Correspondent $64,000 for Harrison Avenue (from Cleve- stands government’s issues that our tra- ships at parks and ball fields, while Com- GREEN COVE SPRINGS -- Road work, land Avenue to Camp Francis Johnson ditional revenue streams are changed missioner Ronnie Robinson also brought up parks and recreational facilities – and how Road) and $92,000 for Blairmore Boule- forever and we need to be thinking out of the idea of naming rights to fields and Com- to fund them – dominated the conversation vard, in the hopes that, due to the current the box,” he said. “There’s a whole slew of missioner Travis Cummings spoke about at the Tuesday, March 27 meeting of the economy, bids would come in low and there things the private sector is going to be able sponsorships, mentioning a Florida DOT Clay County Board of County Commission- would be enough funding to complete those to help government with…this is one of sign he had seen recently on a trip home ers as it took a fresh look at its Capital Im- projects as well. those things.” provement Plan. The board will be updated in 30 days as Conkey suggested thinking about a 50 SEE COUNTY, 6 Concentrating to how the projects and funding are going mostly on discus- so they can continue to consider several CLAY COUNTY sion of potential other roads in a high priority category.