FOCUS Plant City 11-01 by Floyd Publications

We positively will not be undersold

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The ‘Sparkman Advantage’ is something we have implemented in both stores. It includes lubrication services, oil changes, oil filter changes and tire rotations for a period of two years on all new vehicles purchased at either store.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS 24 102

Volume 11 Issue 1 • January 2012

focusplantcity.com

34 46

16-43 LOCAL

In addition to photos of the Strawberry Festival Queen contestants and the Junior Royalty winners, this month you’ll enjoy stories about our first New Year’s baby and other young people doing great things with their energy. Get to know Chris Welbon, too!

46-53 FEATURE

Focus celebrates its 10th anniversary this month and we want readers to enjoy the photo journey. Ten years of great stories and wonderful people. Learn also how you can help the United Food Bank by attending both the Readers’ Choice Awards event and the Annual Celebrity Chef’s Dinner.

55 BUSINESS PROFILE

The Community Care Center is very proud of the recent renovations to the rehabilitative therapy areas so clients can be even more comfortable as they work their way back to wellness.

102 DINING PROFILE

Dairy Queen has served up ice cream specialties, refreshing drinks, and Cuban sandwiches to locals for more than 40 years. Even with your New Year’s resolutions to cut back, everyone should treat themselves to DQ at least once a month. 59 - FINANCE COLUMN 62 - HOME GUIDE 64 - REAL ESTATE 66 - WALDEN LAKE COLUMN 68 - MORTGAGE COLUMN 76 - SPORTS 78 - ATHLETE OF THE MONTH 81 - BASEBALL TEAM OF THE MONTH 88 - AL REUCHEL COLUMN

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

90 - DEREK MAUL 92 - ARTIST OF THE MONTH 94 - AUTO REVIEW 100 - RED ROSE ENTERTAINMENT 103 - DINING GUIDE 106 - CLASSIFIEDS 108 - EVENT CALENDAR 109 - CROSSWORD

FOCUSPLANTCITY.COM Full digital version of the current and past magazines Extended features, interviews, dining profiles and business profiles with extra content Community news updates

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Happy New Year!

2012 is a time for new beginnings - a time for building on the successes of 2011 and planning for the good changes that will come in the year now upon us. We’re wishing yours a great start.

See why everyone is driving to Bartow to buy a car from TOM EDWARDS.

Our 10th year as your community magazine is this month and first and most importantly, we say “THANK YOU.” This first issue of 2012 offers a little photographic retrospect on those 10 years. You encouraged us through your quotes about what Focus has meant to you, your family, and your business. We also feature information about the United Food Bank and the upcoming Celebrity Chef ’s Fundraising Dinner. If you’ve never been to this incredible event, do make plans to come.

Speaking of planning ahead, don’t miss our local stories and the event calendar. Plant City is one busy town, and that’s true especially this first quarter with pageants, Strawberry Festival and charitable fundraisers. Thanks once again for your continued support of Focus Magazine and its advertisers. Feel free to share your ideas for future stories with us at FocusPlantCity.com or by phoning 813-707-8783. Our 2012 goal is to connect the community and grow your businesses. Our focus continues to be all “about you.” And we are anticipating and expecting great things! Prospero Ano to you and yours. Warmest Regards, Mike and DeDe Floyd Got a story idea? Looking to advertise in Focus? Contact us for more information.

Publisher Mike Floyd mike@floydpublications.com

Floyd Publications, Inc. 702 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. Plant City, FL 33563

Office Manager Dede Floyd dede@floydpublications.com

Office 813.707.8783 Fax 813.764.0990

Copy Editor Cheryl Johnston cjohnston@floydpublications.com

www.focusplantcity.com Credit Manager Angel Carter acarter@floydpublications.com Standards of accuracy: The goal of the writers at FOCUS Magazine is to provide heart-warming stories that are accurate from the start. Being human, however, we sometimes make mistakes. Please forgive us. So if you notice anything that is incorrect, then please do not hesitate to contact the editorial department and inform it about the fact error. To do so, call (813) 707-8783 or e-mail editorial@floydpublications.com. The staff will fix the error in a timely manner. FOCUS Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Plant City businesses, restaurants and many local venues. Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. Focus Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All letters and their contents sent to Focus Magazine become the sole property of Floyd Publications, Inc and may be reproduced thereof. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Floyd Publications, Inc. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Floyd Publications, Inc.

Sales Julie Hasting | Kelleigh Klein | Aldo Trevino Production Anthony Sassano Tony Cartagena FOCUSTV Shana Mitchell Distribution Byron Spradlin Belva DeVane Photographers Kendra Conner Staff Writers Cheryl Johnston Brian West | Joe Bowles Derek Maul | Kelleigh Klein Heather Davis Contributors Al Ruechel | Gil Gott Bruce Rodwell | Jo-An Lusk | Nate Davis

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Talk of the Town

Submit Your Talk of the Town info to: editorial@floydpublications.com

Rich Gloirioso SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH Strawberry for Supervisor Florida Festival Queen Pageant of Elections Pageant begins at 6pm

November 19, 2011 10AM to 5PM Plant City will play host to the Most Spectacular BBQ Contest Ever at the Randy Larson Softball Four-Plex Stadium. Don't State Representative Rich Glorioso has announced his miss out on the: Fabulous Food,ofLive Entertainment, Local Watch as 31 beautifully, talented, local candidacy for Supervisor Elections in Hillsborough Taverns, Great Merchandise and of course that finger County and looks for solid support from Plant City licking City businessman Earl title Burkettof was named as youngPlant ladies vie for the the 2012 good barbecue! voters. the new President of the Kiwanis Club of Plant City Florida Queen. on Strawberry October 5. BurkettFestival moved to Florida in 2006 to take on the responsibilities of agency president for EvelynStrong andTower Batista Madonia Sr. Insurance, Inc. which he now owns. A Agricultural Show Center on of Valdosta, former member of the Kiwanis Club Georgia for three years and Columbus, Georgia for Strawberry Festival Grounds three-and-a-half years, Burkett joined the Plant City chapter in 2009. “The Kiwanis of Plant City was For more information call Club 813.752.9194 able to impact the lives of 7,946 children last year Tickets canhebe purchased theforward nightto alone,” commented. “I’m looking evendoor more opportunities this year.” beforehaving at the or the night of.Burkett resides in Lakeland with his wife of 30 years, On December 15th the Rotary Club of Plant City held their 3rd annual shoe giveaway at Kamdyn competed in the Harvest Queen competition the Boys and Girls Club of Plant City. The Rotary club purchased a pair of brand new Carolyn, and their children, Caitlin and Jacob. at the 2011 child Hillsborough County Fairand and in addition to shoes were wrapped shoes for every that attends the Boys Girls Club. All the winning the Queen in her age Kamdyn also in Christmas paper by students in thedivision, Interact Club at Plant City High School. The gifts received Most Photogenic andwith Best outfit Choice! were presented to the children along pizza andofsodas by about a dozen members of the Rotary club. “This one event sponsor Congratulations Kamdyn we that are we very proud isofprobably you. the best ‘feel good’

Rotary Club 3rd Annual Shoe giveaway! moment of the year for our Rotarians” said Rotary club President Keith Smith. “To see the look on those kids faces when they open the boxes and see a brand new pair of shoes, some for the first time, it is priceless”.

Scout Dinner to be out of this World

Save the date for the Plant City Friends of Scouting Dinner on February 9, 2012 at the Hillsborough Community College Trinkle Center. In addition to recognizing the new Eagle Scouts and honoring Fred Johnson with the Distinguished Citizen Award, the evening will include special guest speaker Astronaut Winston Scott.

Thursday, March 1, 2012 3:30 pm The Oak Ridge Boys 7:30 pm Gretchen Wilson

Even in the Rain these Girls came out to Support Autism Plant City High School Civinettes

Plant City High School Civinettes participated in the High Heel Hike to benefit Autism. Pictured to right – BACK: Jennifer for Tharrington, Theleft annual event has opportunities sponsorshipCynthia Tharrington, Virginia Bochy, Taylor Adams, ranging fromMoody, Eagle atSara $5,000 to First Class at $250. Morgan Brummer, Amanda Rodenmeyer, Brittany Butler, Crystal Johnson, Denna C.F. Industries is the James E. West Sponsor this year. Lemelin, Samantha Black, Amber Towles, Ashley Hahn. Scouting a most worthy Maddy cause and deserves our Wright, Nicole Parmley, Cassidy Dixon, Kelsey Left toisright FRONT: Keene, Cassidy support. Moore, Laura Sarria, Alexis Lindsey, Karaline Hayes To reserve your seat or a group table, contact Jennifer Thomason for details by phone, 813-244-1415, or via e-mail to jthomason@boyscouting.com.

Kids are invited to the RED CABOOSE to see SANTA on December 16th and 17th from 2:00 - 6:00 pm. Get a free picture and a treat - FREE ADMISSION - 908 Joe McIntosh Road, Plant City

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Friday, March 2, 2012 3:30 pm The Gatlin Brothers/Crystal Gayle 7:30 pm Demi Lovato Saturday, March 3, 2012 3:30 pm The JaneDear Girls 7:30 pm Air Supply Sunday, March 4, 2012 3:30 pm Jake Owen 7:30 pm Hank Williams, Jr. “Taking Back the Country Tour” Monday, March 5, 2012 3:30 pm Felix Cavalier’s Rascals 7:30 pm Josh Turner Tuesday, March 6, 2012 3:30 pm Brenda Lee 7:30 pm Vince Gill

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 3:30 pm Lee Greenwood/ Louise Mandrell 7:30 pm The Band Perry Thursday, March 8, 2012 3:30 pm The Charlie Daniels Band 7:30 pm Luke Bryan Friday, March 9, 2012 3:30 pm Cornell Gunter’s Coasters Bobby Hendrick’s Drifters The Platters 7:30 pm TobyMac Saturday, March 10, 2012 3:30 pm Allstar Weekend 7:30 pm Rodney Atkins Sunday, March 11, 2012 3:30 pm Easton Corbin 7:30 pm Reba McEntire

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

Talk of the Town

Submit Your Talk of the Town info to: editorial@floydpublications.com

Plant City Council Members Honor Tampa November 19, 2011 10AM to 5PM Tribune/Courier Reporters Plant City will play host to the Most Spectacular BBQ Contest Plant City Council members were pleased recently to honor

Ever at the Randy Larson Softball Four-PlexTampa Stadium. Don't Tribune / Courier reporters Dave Nicholson and George miss out on the: Fabulous Food, Live Entertainment, Local Humphrey for the roles they played in bringing community news Taverns, Great Merchandise and of course to - that finger lickingHillsborough County. Nicholson worked with readers in eastern Plant City businessman Earl Burkett was named as good barbecue! the Tribune / Courier for 22 years and Humphrey was employed of the Kiwanis for 11 years. Over those years the theynew havePresident covered many a story or Club of Plant City on October 5. Burkett moved to Florida in 2006 to a happening here in our town. take on the responsibilities of agency president for Strong Tower Insurance, Inc. which he now owns. A former member of the Kiwanis Club of Valdosta, Georgia for three years and Columbus, Georgia for three-and-a-half years, Burkett joined the Plant City chapter in 2009. “The Kiwanis Club of Plant City was able to impact the lives of 7,946 children last year alone,” he commented. “I’m looking forward to having even more opportunities this year.” Burkett resides in Lakeland with his wife of 30 years, Kamdyn competed in the Harvest Queen competition Carolyn, and their children, Caitlin and Jacob. at the 2011 Hillsborough County Fair and in addition to winning the Queen in her age division, Kamdyn also received Most Photogenic and Best outfit of Choice! Congratulations Kamdyn we are very proud of you.

Plant City City Council members honored Dave Nicholson for his 22 years of service to the community as a reporter for The Tampa Tribune and Courier. Pictured L-R are Mike Sparkman, Mary Yvette Thomas, Mayor Dan Raulerson, Dave and Amy Nicholson, Rick Lott and Vice Mayor Bill Dodson. Thursday, March 1, 2012 3:30 pm The Oak Ridge Boys 7:30 pm Gretchen Wilson

Congratulations to the RCA Award Best Server Nominee’s

Even in the Rain these Girls came out to Support Autism Plant City High School Civinettes

Plant City High School Civinettes participated in the High Heel Hike to benefit Autism. Pictured Visit ourtoFacebook page and vote forTharrington, your left right – BACK: Jennifer Cynthia Tharrington, Virginia Bochy, Taylor Adams, Favorite Server Morgan Moody, Sara Brummer, Amanda Rodenmeyer, Brittany Butler, Crystal Johnson, Denna Lemelin, Samantha Black,BBQ Amber Towles, Ashley Hahn. Caitlin Zimmerman - Johnson’s Left to right FRONT: Maddy Keene, Cassidy Wright, Nicole Parmley, Cassidy Dixon, Kelsey Girogio Vanzulli - Red Rose Dining Room Moore, Laura Sarria, Alexis Lindsey, Karaline Hayes Kayla Wyckoff - Applebees Marti Lofstrom - The Whistle Stop Mike Esposito - Esposito’s Pizza Voting is still going on! Cast your vote TODAY!

Kids are invited to the RED CABOOSE to see SANTA on December 16th 3:30 pm Easton Corbin and 17th from 2:00 - 6:00 pm. Get a free picture and a treat - FREE Tuesday, March 6, 2012 7:30 pm Reba McEntire George Humphrey (pictured3:30 center his wife ADMISSION - 908 Joe McIntosh Road, Plant City pmwith Brenda LeeKaren) was also honored by Council

members for 11 years of service Plant Gill City community through his employment as 7:30 to pmtheVince a reporter for The Tampa Tribune and Courier.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

GOT SHOES? PCHS CIVINETTES HAVE SOLE(S) IN COMMUNITY

than 500 pairs of shoes. The next step was to find a way to distribute the shoes to those in need.

clothes, they opened their clothes closet to help the cause.

Hayes couldn’t have been more pleased Plant City’s First Baptist Church agreed with the results. Of her PCHS community, to help on Saturday morning, December she said, “It felt good to know that we 10, 2011. So Hayes and her grandmother, could all do something to help, and many Ola Jean Hardee, filled their vehicles with donated more than one pair. It was a WRITTEN BY: CHERYL JOHNSTON | PHOTOS BY: KELLEIGH KLEIN soles and made a delivery to the FBC good lesson to see how with something so wear often enough), she decided that a downtown. Under the direction of Kim simple, we could make a difference in our he Civinettes at Plant City High Community Shoe Drive would be fun and Shouse and Paige Zeff, the shoes were little corner of the world.” School had their mind on soles last helpful. sold for $1.00 per pair and the proceeds month - shoe soles, that is. The club will be used to invited the entire student body to get So she created an announcement for the stock the food involved, too. And they did. Raiders morning show, hung signs in the pantry and for school halls, and passed out fliers to the other outreach Each year the club stays active in various PCHS students and staff. Local Civitan needs in the community service events and projects, members were also invited to participate. community. The under the sponsorship of Sherrie Mueller, shoes that were College and Career Counselor and JoBeth The request was simple - bring one or not purchased Newsome, English teacher. The club is also more pairs of clean shoes, any style, any are being sent to expected to design some original plans for size, in good condition. Part of the thought Haiti. outreach, and thus, the sole project. process was that some folks who would ultimately wear the shoes might need a When the Haley Hayes, the Civinettes president, nice pair to wear on job interviews or to church realized wanted a project in which everyone church. that some could participate. When she looked in purchasing shoes The generosity of Plant City High School Students at the request of Civinettes for gently worn or new shoes resulted in blessings at her own closet and realized how many The Raiders, teachers and the 100+ might also need Plant City’s First Baptist Church for attendees of the shoe sale. pairs of shoes she owned (that she didn’t Civinettes responded to the tune of more

SHOE DRIVE

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

LOCAL MUSICIAN TO RELEASE DEBUT ANNA GAVIN ALBUM “DETOUR T WRITTEN BY: TARA PARKER | PHOTO BY: ANNA GAVIN

The vocalist grew up around music and many family members share in this talent. Gavin has performed professionally for more than seven years, beginning at age 18. She is often compared to Paramore and Alanis Morissette. Gavin believes that music is all about being honest with yourself and that life experiences make for the greatest songs. “Writing comes easily for me. Every song is something I went through or experienced. I write so that hopefully somebody can relate to it”, explained Gavin. Some of her musical inspirations

include Ani Difranco, Incubus, and Johnny Cash. Her debut album “Detour”, produced by Matt Walker, is scheduled for release in late February or early March. Her first music video, produced by another local, Jesse Larson, will release soon after. She will perform January 21 at the Corner Store during a free show featuring fellow local artist Gary Osborne. Two songs from her upcoming album are available for download from http:// reverbnation.com/annagavin, where updates are tour information is also available.

Gavin’s exciting plans for 2012 and ambitious goals for the future include two music videos, a national tour and a second album.

move from the local scene to the big time in a short time. Let’s come out and show her the hometown spirit and wish her well as her career continues its climb.

Plant City is known for supporting its own local talent and it sounds like Gavin will

W HE

o Anna Gavin, music is life.

CO D IN G O O

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

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Come meet Dr. Tanner and her staff. Ask Questions. Learn about hearing loss, hearing aids and other hearing solutions. Talk to us about T-Coils, assistive listening devices, personal FM systems, looping and hearing aids with Bluetooth. Come see, touch and listen to hearing devices. Event will be held on February 16, 2012 from 2:00 – 7:00 at Advanced Diagnostics & Hearing Solutions 522 Oakfield Drive, Brandon, FL 33511. For more information, call (813)315-9850 Our goal is to inform you on the latest technology available. Let us help you navigate your hearing health care by finding the right answers tailored for you and your lifestyle.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

2406 James L. Redman Parkway Jim Redman Parkway & Alexander Street, next to Beef O’ Brady’s in Walden Woods Mon.-Sat. 11AM-10PM | Sun. 11AM-8PM

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THE HASTING GANGWALKS FOR NEPHCURE O

WRITTEN BY: DEANA GARRISON | PHOTO BY JULIE HASTING

n Saturday, December 10th, many gathered together for the NephCure Tampa Bay walk. A Plant City group called “The Hasting Gang,” was comprised of 39 walkers representing Darby Hasting, 15, a Durant High School student.

assistance to help Darby. This family is determined to beat this disease. They realize they have many battles ahead, but are ready to face it head on. Possible battles could be renal failure with possible dialysis and transplant. As for now, Darby’s steroid medicine is doing the trick and she has a few limitations in physical activity and in her diet.

Darby was diagnosed last June with FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomeruloscleros), This strong teenager is already planning a rare disease that attacks the kidney’s her trip to Camp Boggy Creek, a camp filtering system and causes serious scarring. for children with life threatening illnesses. The effect is that protein leaks into the urine instead of staying in the blood. Darby’s group raised the most money in the walk, contributing to the $16,000 grand total. This walk raised money for a cure and as well will help families communicate their frustrations and successes to help each other.

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

FSGS is one of the causes of a serious condition known as Nephrotic Syndrome. There is no known cure for FSGS, but steroids are used to control the proteinuria. Darby’s mom, Gloria Hasting, was told that there may be a point where the steroids will no longer work. She currently has monthly appointments with her Nephrologist (specialist in kidneys) in Tampa. Darby’s parents plan to meet with doctors from different parts of the globe for the most updated strategies for further

Gloria, Cassidy, Darby and Dwight Hasting

She hopes to become a counselor one day to help others deal with the realities of the disease. Her smiling face and upbeat personality are evidence that Darby doesn‘t let this health issue bring her down. She has proven to be one of the strongest teenagers around. If you would like to help this family in their ongoing battle by donating to the Darby Hasting Fund, please send your donations to 3807 Young Road, Plant City, Fl, 33565, in care of Gloria Hasting.

C C Thank you Plant City for 21 years of trusting us with your care.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

SANTA SLED FESTIVAL T WRITTEN BY: CHERYL JOHNSTON | PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHARON MOODY AND BRUCE MATTHEW

he Plant City Black Heritage Celebration planners and the Des’Aime Social Club hosted its 13th annual Christmas giveaway event on December 17, 2011 at Sam Cooper Park from 10:00am-2:00pm.

Thanks to the generous sponsors, more than 200 families were served with more than 1,000 in attendance at the Santa Sled Festival (formerly called Christmas in the Park). Toys, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and rocking horses were just a few of the Christmas toys given to more than 450 children in the community. Charles and Dorothy Smith were two of the original six founders of the Des/ Aime Social Club, a non-profit 501(c)4 organization. Originally the club was established among friends from Hillsborough and Polk counties as a “traveling” club, a way for good friends to spend time together. But it evolved quickly into a “giving” club when members learned of how much need there was in the community. Each received a ticket for either a turkey or a bag of groceries, which included meat. Each child received two tickets. One was for a bag of gifts appropriate to their

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

age and another for a drawing in which winners could receive as follows: Ages 6-10 could win a bike; ages 4-5 could win a scooter; ages 3-4 could win a table and chair set; and ages 1-2 could win a rocking horse. Additionally, clothing, shoes, teddy bears, and cookies were available for folks to take home.

During the event, attendees enjoyed an all American lunch of hotdogs, hamburgers, corndogs, sausages, sliced cake, chips and flavored sip-up drinks - free food and all they could eat for four hours. Additionally, clothing and shoes were available for folks to take home. Coni Williams from the University of South Florida presented an educational talk on health issues such as cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Student volunteers from the Plant City High School Key Club assisted with the activities and service to attendees. Santa’s arrival was the highlight of the event, but they also especially enjoyed the horseback rides and the candy Mr. Claus (Glenn Morgan of Arcadia) gave to each child. Obviously, the photo op moments were plentiful. Event sponsors included (in alphabetical

BLACK COMMUNITY FESTIVAL order): Aaron Rental Center of Plant City, Evangelic Deliverance Church of Lakeland, Kiwanis Club of Plant City, Sam Miller Pro Sound Production of Plant City, Super Choice Supermarket of Lakeland, Sweetbay Supermarket (Store#1749; Henry Falcon- Manager), Unity in the Community, and Winn-Dixie of Lakeland.

Dorothy Smith explained the ultimate purpose of the Santa Sled Festival. “We do it for the children. We had a wonderful time and lots to give this year - even more than in years past. When we see their excitement, we realize all that hard work that begins in February to raise money is so worth it. We want to always help people in need, especially anything that helps children, and we don’t want to turn any away.” To get involved or sponsor next year’s event, please call Sharon Moody, President of Plant City Black Heritage at (813) 453-7134.

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Dear Plant City:

In the last three editions of “The Focus” I’ve been talking with you about the dream of planting a new kind of church here in our town. Or maybe it’s an old kind of church. No, that doesn’t really describe it either. Actually, what I want to do is this: With God’s help, I want us to plant an Ancient-Future church. What is ancient-future? One of my spiritual mentors, Robert Webber, used to say that the road to the future runs through the past. And this is really what “Ancient-Future” means: Worship and spirituality that are deeply rooted in classic Christianity. I’m convinced that the faith and practice of the ancient Church will engage our culture more effectively and provide a way forward in a time of almost unbelievable change. These days our society has a kind of nostalgia for the future—we imagine what we want it to be, we idealize it. This happens in churches too. We long for growth, for bigger and better, for new techniques and programs. There’s nothing wrong with looking forward, but as theologian Thomas Oden writes, “the Holy Spirit has a history”. We would do well to see how the Spirit has moved in the lives of men and women through the ages and learn from them. So, in an Ancient-Future faith community, I would want us to live out a mission that’s both anciently-rooted and forward-looking. How does that work? Well, part of that mission includes caring about people’s spiritual formation and growth, and such a community would grow, I believe, when we live out a day by day kind of spirituality. So, you could find members of our Ancient-Future faith community at worship on Sundays, gathering for prayer and study through the week, and, just as important, ministering to people in our very own community day by day. Any of this sound intriguing to you? Let’s keep the conversation going. With love, Fr. Ken Rushing

Meeting at First United Methodist Church Chapel Sunday Evenings at 6:00 Located at 303 North Evers Street, Plant City, FL

www.theocentric.org - 813-754-1366 - frken@theocentric.org FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

Baroness Milee Hasting, Princess Jadea Broome, Queen Carly Knox, Duchess Tori Wegner

JUNIOR ROYALTY O WRITTEN BY: SHANA MITCHELL | PHOTOS BY HARRY JEFFCOAT

n Saturday January 7, the Florida Strawberry Festival held its annual Junior Royalty Pageant. Plant city’s finest 5-to-15 year old young ladies got dolled up and put their months of preparation to the test. The 120 contestants were judged on personality, appearance and natural beauty. After gracefully walking the stage in formal wear, the top 10 from each of the four age divisions answered an on stage question. Since the 2012 Strawberry Festival theme is “Growing Sweet Memories,” contestants shared their favorite vacation memory or what they want to be remembered for. Many young ladies looked beautiful beyond their young years as they shared their individuality with the poise and confidence of a Miss America. While four new beauties left with queen’s crowns, all the contestants left with sweet memories made at the 2012 Junior Royalty Pageant. Following are the results and Plant City’s new Junior Royalty Queens and their courts.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

BARONESS

Top 10 Sara Grace Sparkman, Shelby Lawrence, Madelynn Farmer, Brooklyn Zajac, Bailey Brock, Carson Buttram Makayla Mahoney, Ashley Hill, Amiyah Smith, Milee Hasting Baroness Court Baroness Milee Hasting, 1st Maid Ashley Hill, Court Members: Sara Grace Sparkman, Bailey Brock. Carson Buttram

DUCHESS

Top 10 Ashtyn Rogers, McKinley Baker, Avery Surrency, Alyssa Grimes, Amanda Astrike, Madison Hodge Tori Wegner, Aleena Jaramillo, Brilynn Hallman, Payton Talavera Duchess Court Duchess Tori Wegner, 1st Maid Payton Talavera, Court Members: McKinley Baker, Avery Surrency, Amanda Astrike

PRINCESS

Top 10 Jadea Broome, Hanna Barrett, Taylor Grimes, Kenlee Milton, Kalynn Kunz, Haley Riley, Victoria Garrison, Emily Glausier, Faith Nagy, Kendall Gaudens Princess Court Princess Jadea Broome, 1st Maid Hanna Barrett, Court Members: Taylor Grimes, Emily Glausier, Faith Nagy

QUEEN

Top 10 Elizabeth Padilla, Ashley Bishop, Haylee Mathis, Deanna Rodriguez, Payton Astin, Hannah Baxter, Carly Knox, Georgia Foster, Courtney Bendorf-Grimes Queen Court Queen Carly Knox, 1st Maid Deanna Rodriguez, Court Members: Payton Astin, Hannah Baxter, Kaylan Kelly

LOCAL Âť FOCUS

Baroness Court Baroness Milee Hasting, 1st Maid Ashley Hill, Court Members: Sara Grace Sparkman, Bailey Brock, Carson Buttram

Duchess Court Duchess Tori Wegner, 1st Maid Payton Talavera, Court Members: McKinley Baker, Avery Surrency, Amanda Astrike,

Princess Court Queen Court Princess Jadea Broome, 1st Maid Hanna Barrett, Court Members: Queen Carly Knox, 1st Maid Deanna Rodriguez, Court Members: Payton Astin, Hannah Baxter, Kaylan Kelly Taylor Grimes, Emily Glausier, Faith Nagy

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Paisley Faith Tosca, born 12:01 am, 1-1-12

NEW YEAR’S BABY WITH A TWIST CELEBRATION P

WRITTEN BY: DEANA GARRISON

aisley Faith Tosca, daughter of Haley Tyson and Daniel Tosca of Plant City, was Brandon Regional Hospital’s official New Year’s Day Baby. Paisley, delivered by Dr. Ignacio Armas, was born at 12:01 a.m. January 1, 2012 weighing six pounds, three ounces and was measured at 18.5 inches long. Brandon Regional, OBGYN Associates, and Babies R Us embraced the New Year’s Baby with a special gift card and baby supplies. Haley’s mother, Karon Tyson was very excited about her new granddaughter. “Paisley is a gift from God and a treasure to our family,” she said. This grandmother had more excitement to come. Little did she know that as soon as her granddaughter entered this world, more New Year’s baby celebrations were on the way to welcome her great nephew. Her niece, Kayla Bloomfield, was in labor just down the hall at the very same hospital. Another New Year’s day birthday for this family was in store. Eli Jesse Bloomfield was born later that same day at 1:46 p.m.

to Erik and Kayla Bloomfield. Eli weighed eight pounds, one ounce and was measured at 19 inches long. Karon remarked, “Both births were normal deliveries and this family believes the timing was a God thing. Babies are a treasure, a gift, and reward, according to scripture. New Year’s Day will never be the same in this family. It will have a new and special significance.” While many families were gathering on New Year’s Day to celebrate the first day of 2012, this family was gathered at the hospital to celebrate new lives and new beginnings for their family. What a way to begin a brand new year! In looking ahead at the years to come, Eli’s Mom, Kayla Bloomfield stated, “ The birthday menu will always include blackeyed peas and cornbread. When you are from Plant City, that is a given.” This was a New Year’s Celebration that this family will never forget.

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS County serve as historical museums pertaining to African American culture, preservation and research. One is the Bing House and the other is Glover School in Bealsville. The museum contains traveling photo exhibits through its partnership with the Plant City Photo Archives. Groups are encouraged to phone ahead for a dedicated visit.

BEFORE

BING ROOMING HOUSE MUSEUM SUPPORT APPRECIATED T WRITTEN BY: CHERYL JOHNSTON | PHOTOS BY: WILLIAM THOMAS, JR.

he non-profit Improvement League of Plant City, Inc. could use our help to complete restoration of the Bing Rooming House Museum. This historic treasure will provide educational insights and opportunities for visitors, both local and from distances away.

In June 2011, a fundraising effort began to raise the final $65,000 needed to finish the interior restorations. More than $300,000 has already been invested. The goal of the group was simple - they sought 2,000 generous individuals in the Tampa Bay area willing to donate $25 or more in support of this future African American museum. By November 2011, an additional $16,525 had been raised and 31 new donors had stepped up to help. Many generous individuals and local businesses have helped to realize this dream for our city. The Project’s near completion is a result of the hard work of “eight” core Individuals, all volunteers with the Improvement League of Plant City, plus James McDaniel with the City of Plant City. The volunteers are Liesta Sykes, William Thomas Jr., Henry Johnson, Daisy Gilmore, Henry Davis, William Thomas Sr., Janell Johnson, Gwendolyn Thomas, and Clara Barron. Special appreciation is also due the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival, the NAACP,

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Florida Sentinel, and the Collegiate 100 of Hillsborough Community College (Plant City Campus). The museum at 205 South Allen Street is now open for tours. The first floor is now complete. Funds are still needed to restore the second floor and a rear structure, which housed a restaurant at one time.

Johnson both served as project managers during the course of this restoration.

Here’s a historic fact: Currently, only two PERMANENT facilities in Hillsborough

For the unfamiliar, the Plant City Bing Rooming House is the largest remaining structure in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood, dating back to the 1920s. Formerly, it provided overnight accommodations to blacks during the era of segregation. Mr. E.L. Bing served as principal of Marshall High School and the historic Glover School. He is known especially for designing and implementing the Hillsborough County Schools Desegregation Plan, while serving as Assistant Superintendent of Schools. A school in Progress Village is named in his honor. Bing also later served as a Hillsborough County Commissioner. In 2001, James Washington deeded the house to the Improvement League after they agreed to take on the project. Once that occurred the League obtained the services of PBS&J to have the house placed on the National Historic Register, obtain grants, conduct fundraisers, meet with public officials in Tallahassee, and develop a relationship with the City of Plant City to support the project. Proceeds from the Annual MLK Festival supported the restoration. Liesta Sykes and Henry

AFTER

The Improvement League of Plant City also organizes the Annual Plant City MLK Festival scheduled this year for January 13-16, 2012. Proceeds and support from the Festival benefit the Bing Rooming House Museum. Donations should be mailed to the Improvement League of Plant City, Inc., P.O. Box 3962, Plant City, FL 335643962 (Attn: Bing House Museum). For additional information and progress updates, visit www.plantcitybinghouse.com or phone 813-757-6760 or 704-5800. This very worthwhile cause deserves al the local support we can provide.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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LOCAL » FOCUS

COLBY BREWINGTON MAKES SCIENCE LOOK EASY S WRITTEN BY: DEANA GARRISON

ix-year-old Colby Brewington recently showed off his elite scientific skills in the Science Olympics Event.

The first grader at Walden Lake Elementary was given the opportunity to participate in the event during the school’s classroom competition. He was presented with the Aqua Foils project. With his supplies in front of him and the rules stated, Brewington was given a certain amount of time to build an aluminum boat that would hold a greater mass of marbles. The first grader says he had a plan from the beginning. He knew he had to build the boat with enough room on the sides to hold the amount of weight he needed in order to win. When he completed his creation, he was

With the most mass held in his boat, Brewington successfully won in his class to continue to the next stage, which was the grade level competition. There, he competed against the other classroom winners in his grade level. Again, his strategy captured the lead. As the first grade school winner, Brewinton continued on his journey to the Semi-Finals held at MOSI on November 19th. Taking the lead once more he was on his way to the Finals. MOSI hosted the Science Olympics Final Event on December 8th with opening and closing ceremonies just like the Olympics itself. He gave it his best shot, but was just

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

asked about giving the Science Olympics a try next year, he definitely wishes to do it again. We can all be encouraged watching our young generation show such great interest in the field of science.

Skill and strategy led him to his first place then required to test it to see just how winnings and journey to the Finals. When much mass his aluminum boat would hold. His plan worked.

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grams away from being the champion. Representing his family and school well, he says, “I was proud.” His top winning total was 974 grams with 158 marbles held in the boat before it sank.

Colby Brewington won three qualifying events that took him to the Science Olympic Finals held on Decemebr 8th at MOSI.

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LOCAL » FOCUS was really amazing getting to hear their stories.” The group also visited the NASA headquarters where they were exposed to the types of decisions they’re making today. They did a mock Congress with real bills that were being voted on. They developed amendments to the bills and were in attendance while Congress was in session. A highlight of the trip was having the opportunity to have their photo taken from the Congressional Balcony. I’m told that people who’ve spent their lives working in D.C. politics haven’t had this opportunity. Humphrey said, “Everyone seems to have this mentality that politicians are shady. There really are a lot of good people there.”

EXPERIENCINGLOCALCONGRESSIONAL STUDENT SELECTED FOR VISIT TO D.C. CLASSROOM R WRITTEN BY: BRIAN WEST

andy Roberts was the Government Relations Manager for Publix Super Markets, and a personal friend. He spent his career as a lobbyist and quickly established himself at all levels of government. Tragically, he died of a heart attack while sleeping at home, almost 3 years ago. He was only 36. It was an exceptionally sad day for anyone lucky enough to have known him. His family and friends later established the Randy Roberts Foundation; a non-profit organization designed to cultivate future Florida leaders by providing civic service initiatives and scholarships.

In September, a group of 15 high school students, mostly from Polk County, but also including a small portion of eastern Hillsboro County, were selected to attend Congressional Classroom. The program is the brainchild of Florida U.S. Representative (District 12) Dennis Ross. Ross partnered with the Randy Roberts Foundation to allow local students the opportunity to experience Washington D.C. They spent 5 days in the capital.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Plant City High School student, Kent Humphrey, was one of the lucky 15 chosen to attend, and the only one from Hillsborough County.

Here’s where things get a little tricky. Ross’ district only covers boundaries that are roughly the south side of I-4 and east side of Jim Redman Parkway. That really narrows the students that would be eligible to attend. To make it even harder to find an eligible student, they also must be high school juniors. However, Plant City is assured of having a student selected, as long as at least three students are nominated. Humphrey was one of the three to be nominated by Plant City High School. He was later interviewed by representatives with the Roberts Foundation, and finally selected as the representative. Humphrey said, “When we arrived, we went straight from the airport to the World War II monument. We got to talk to some of the men who fought in World War II. Those veterans were there as part of the Honor Flight. Honor Flight was established to allow our veterans to visit their memorials in Washington D.C. It

Congressional Classroom is a great opportunity for anyone lucky enough to be selected. It’s a shame that it’s currently only available through Ross’ efforts. If Bilirakis were willing to start the same program for those in his district, other students from Hillsboro County would be eligible – specifically the other Plant City High School juniors, and those from Durant and Strawberry Crest. Maybe it’s time for a few phone calls.

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You have a confidence and personality that you are truly blessed with and such beauty that we all admire you! Love Mommy, Daddy, Bubby, & Sissy FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

ISF/ISSA MASTERS/SENIORS INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS A WRITTEN BY: CHERYL JOHNSTON

re you ready for some serious softball, Plant City?

The International Softball Federation (ISF) has four days of exciting play scheduled for this month. In conjunction with the International Senior Softball Association, the ISF/ISSA Masters/ Seniors International Tournament of Champions will take place from January 26-29 at the ISF’s world headquarters complex here in Plant City, Florida, and at additional fields around the Tampa Bay area. National Champions from all major softball associations were invited to compete and ISF member countries were invited to send their champions as well.

modified pitch. The ISF sanctions regional Domestic teams have had to qualify for championships and provides technical the event, which will feature both men support to Regional (Multi-Sport) Games and women in slow pitch play. More than 60 teams are registered and have been placed in divisions ranging from (age) 35+ Masters up to 75+ Majors. The participants are from as close by as Tampa and as far away as Germany. More information can be found at www.seniorsoftball.org. For those unfamiliar, the ISF, a nonprofit corporation, is the governing body of softball internationally as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and SportAccord (formerly the General Association of International Sports Federations). The Federation organizes and conducts world championship competition in women’s and men’s fast pitch, junior women’s and men’s fast pitch, women’s, men’s and coed slow pitch and women’s and men’s

and qualifies teams for Olympic softball competition in coordination with the IOC. Admission and parking to the January games are free at all venues of this event. The Plant City Stadium and the Randy L. Larson Softball Fourplex are located at 1900 S. Park Road, south of US 92.

In this photo courtesy of Bob Gray, a picture with the South American team from Colombia is ready to “Play Ball!”

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL » FOCUS

Mr. Alan Schism (back with two thumbs up) celebrates the good news of an earned “A” for Plant City High School with his Advanced Placement Literature class

Students celebrate with Mrs. Colleen Richardson, Principal of Plant City High School. Left to right: Jeremy Minaya, Parthik Patel, Brieann Cooper, Mrs. Colleen Richardson, Shelby Johnson. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLANT CITY HIGH PROUD TO BE AN “A” SCHOOL P

Now Taking Infants

WRITTEN BY: SHERRIE MUELLER

lant City High School made history recently by earning an “A” grade according to the 2010-2011 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test results. This was the first “A” earned by Plant City High School.

Mrs. Colleen Richardson, Principal of Plan t City High School discovered the achievement when she went to the Florida DOE website. Very soon after her discovery she received phone calls from Mrs. Mary Ellen Elia, Superintendent of Hillsborough County Schools, as well as David Steele, former Principal of PCHS and now the Chief Information and Technology Officer of Hillsborough County Schools. Richardson made an announcement to the student body, faculty and staff notifying everyone on their latest accomplishment. It was truly a great day to be a “Raider!”

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

All Staff Accredited

After the announcement, e-mails from the school went out to parents and students thanking all for their contributions in making the achievement possible. “Making an “A” grade is a collaboration of the entire faculty and staff along with the student and parents,“ stated Richardson.

She went on to say, “I am very proud of the way the students and teachers pulled together to reach the benchmarks encompassed on the school grading scale. We were very close to making an “A” last year and we are very happy that we have reached this milestone. We credit a supportive community as well.” Brigette Cole, a parent volunteer with two sons at PCHS was elated by the news. She remarked, “This is just confirmation that our students are getting a fantastic education.” PCHS is blessed to have many parent volunteers that offer academic support to the students and encouragement to the faculty and staff. The PTA and Athletic Booster Club at PCHS are very strong and offer student incentives to promote learning. Plans are underway to continue the new tradition of being an “A” school. Celebrations will be ongoing but the students and PCHS faculty are working hard to earn another “A” as FCAT testing this spring. It has never been a better time to be a Plant City High School Raider!

Dr. Barry Gaffney welcomes

Dr. Jeremy Gaffney 2011 Graduate of the UAB School of Optometry.

Dr. Jeremy Gaffney graduated from Jesuit High School in Tampa and attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business. Jeremy then decided to pursue his Doctor of Optometry Degree and was accepted by the UAB School of Optometry in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Barry Gaffney also graduated from UAB and established his practice in Plant City 33 years ago. When his son told him of his intention to become an optometrist and join him in practice, Dr. Barry Gaffney made the decision to relocate his practice into a new building which would accommodate the growing practice. The new building at 2002 South Alexander Street has multiple exam rooms, a full optical, a contact lens training area and two rooms to house high tech diagnostic equipment used in both the identiﬁcation and preventive treatment of eye disease Dr. Jeremy Gaffney brings with him knowledge of the most recent innovations in the ﬁeld of medical optometry and is trained to provide quality eye care to every family member. He grew up in Plant City and looks foward to caring for area residents as his father has for the past 33 years.

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LOCAL » DID YOU KNOW

JOURNEY STORIES:

STORIES OF AMERICANS, THEIR TRAVELS, AND EXPERIENCES SECOND IN A SERIES – FELIX T. HAYNES SUBMITTED BY: PLANT CITY PHOTO ARCHIVES & HISTORY CENTER

Haynes, Felix T. WWII

he Plant City Photo Archives and History Center will be hosting the opening of the Smithsonian traveling exhibition Journey Stories tour in the State of Florida from May 26 through July 7, 2012. As part of our participation in this program we are soliciting journey stories from local residents. Some of them will appear in FOCUS Magazine. Here is the journey story of Felix T. Haynes, Ed.D. and is the second of the Journey Stories series from our collection.

My great grandfather Josiah Nunley Haynes served in the Third Louisiana Cavalry of the Confederate Army. After the Civil War, he married Mary Margaret McBryde, whose brother John Adams McBryde had served through the Civil War in the Third Alabama Infantry Regiment. The Third Alabama Infantry was a part of Stonewall Jackson’s famous corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. My grandfather, James Clanton Haynes, Sr., was born in 1865 and was the first child of Josiah and Mary Margaret. He started as a crew member in South Georgia and Alabama and then became a foreman. They dressed him up in a suit and sent him up North to sell lumber in the large northern cities. Returning to the South, he was a general manager for many years of the Flowers Lumber Company. James started his own lumber company in Dothan, Alabama, in the 1920s. Unfortunately, the Great

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Depression began shortly thereafter and he lost his business. James married Floye Jones, the oldest child of a circuit-riding Baptist minister and farmer, in 1901. James and Floye had six children, the youngest of whom did not survive the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1917. With the early death of his sister Frances, my father became the youngest child to grow to adulthood. Graduating from Dothan High School the same year the Depression began, 1929, Felix Tankersley Haynes sold encyclopedias doorto-door in Birmingham for a year. In 1931, he obtained a federal GS-1 civil service appointment in Washington, D. C., in the Veterans Administration. The only male in a large typing pool, he always said he enjoyed his first federal job. He soon enrolled at Columbus School of Law, and working full time during the day and attending law school at night he graduated with a Juris Doctorate in 1936. Meanwhile, he became a clerk in the District of Columbia court system and, then, in the U. S. Attorney’s office in the District. After law school, he enrolled in a year of postgraduate legal study at Columbus, specializing in the then-high priority areas of Interstate Commerce and International Relations. When the Fair Labor Standards Act was enacted in 1938, he was among the first professionals hired to enforce that and other related labor laws. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese and World War II interrupted his new federal career. Working on temporary duty in Tampa for the Department of Labor, he joined many other local residents and walked down Tampa Street to the Navy Recruiting Station and enlisted. With his law degree, he was promoted to the rank of Yeoman Second Class upon his completion of boot camp. His first assignment was working in the office of an Admiral, and almost immediately the Admiral recommended that he be commissioned as an Ensign. He was attending Officer Training School in 1942 at Fort Schuyler, New York, when his sister Josephine asked him to visit St. Bartholomew’s Church on Park Avenue, where she sang as the

soprano soloist in the choir. After the service his sister introduced him to Saida Knox, the contralto soloist of the choir, and he and Saida went to dinner afterward. Born in Clydebank, Scotland, in 1909, Saida had come to the United States with her parents as a baby in 1910. Her father had a beautiful bass voice with perfect pitch, and he came to America to pursue a singing career. Unfortunately, his day job was in a tile factory, and he lost his chance at a singing career because of hearing loss. However, Saida inherited the family singing genes. With a four-octave contralto voice, she won a national singing contest in 1931 that was sponsored by the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company, which manufactured millions of radios in its Philadelphia plant and sponsored the nationally top rated concert music program, the Atwater Kent Hour. Specializing in complex classical and religious music, she sang frequently with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and throughout the Northeast. Among her singing venues were the White House, where she sang for President Herbert Hoover, and Carnegie Hall, where she gave several individual concerts. Saida Knox was near the peak of her career when she met my father, and when he asked her to marry him she always said she had no trouble saying yes. Unlike some other couples of the time, however, they decided to wait until World War II was over to marry. After my father served on two ships in the Pacific and in the campaigns of Kiska, Tarawa, Kwajalein, and Okinawa, World War II ended. Felix and Saida were married in February, 1946 and I was born in April, 1947. My father spent a total of 35 years with the federal government and took early retirement at age 55 to use his labor law expertise and become a consultant. I attended public schools in Jacksonville and Tampa. After graduation from Robinson High School, I enrolled at the University of Florida. As an undergraduate I majored in Journalism. I was also accepted into Army ROTC and in 1969 received my bachelor’s degree. ROTC named me a Distinguished Military Graduate

and commissioned me as a second lieutenant of infantry. While working at Maas Brothers in Tampa in 1966, I met the love of my life, Susan. We were married in Towson, Maryland, on Friday, June 13th, 1969, and drove 16 hours to return to Gainesville that Sunday, June 15th to graduate and be commissioned. After two Army schools, Susan and I moved to Panama for my first real Army job. After a year and a half, the Army said it wanted me in Vietnam. Susan completed her bachelor’s degree at UF while I was in Vietnam. After service in Vietnam, I was released from active duty as a captain. We lived in Gainesville for several years, where I worked at the former Alachua General Hospital and the Community Mental Center and pursued a master’s degree in Public Administration. I began a career in community college administration in 1975 at Daytona Beach Community College. While Susan and I lived in Daytona, we adopted two babies. Susan also began a career there in social work and obtained her master’s degree in that field while we lived there. After obtaining my Doctor of Education degree in 1981 from the University of Florida, I accepted a position at a regional university in Illinois. After two years, I realized that I had a strong preference to work in community colleges because of their strong ties to the community. I moved to central Illinois, where I worked for twelve years at a small, rural community college. The last nine years there I was president, and we adopted two more children. Another life-changing event occurred for me in Illinois, when I was invited to attend a monthlong Military History program at West Point. I returned to Illinois and taught several courses in military history. I then moved to a community college in Maryland as president, where I stayed for three years. Having learned all I wanted about shoveling snow and driving on ice, home beckoned, and I returned to Hillsborough County to accept the campus presidency of HCC Plant City. I have also written two historical fiction novels here, and I am working on a third. Working in Plant City with its many good organizations, like the Photo Archives and History Center, for twelve years has been extremely fulfilling, and the friendships I have made here have been a great blessing in my life. I look forward to retirement from Hillsborough Community College and continuing to work in Plant City for many years.

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LOCAL » CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GREATER PLANT CITY Y our Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce CHRISTMAS TREE CONTEST was a great success.

The winner of the $200 Visa Gift Card was Ben Rawnsley. Congratulations, Ben! Trophies were awarded to the following business for the best decorated tree:

March 24th. - Second Annual Planes, Trains & Automobiles event at the Plant City Airport from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A great family time. April 20th. - Children’s Annual Golf Tournament at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club.

1st place: Wells Memorial Funeral Home

May 19th. - Margarita Ball

2nd place: Cameron Financial Management

August 16th. - New Teacher Coffee to welcome new teachers to our schools.

3rd place: Deese Scrubs

November 1st. - Economic Development Council Business Awards Banquet takes place at the Red Rose Inn & Suites. 6 to 9 p.m.

Congratulations to the winners of the trophies and a special thank you to all the businesses that entered the contest. When next Christmas rolls around, be sure to watch for the announcement of this contest. It’s great fun and a wonderful opportunity to visit the participating businesses and get acquainted. ********** This is the first Chamber page of the New Year. A suggestion….get out your new calendars and make notations for the various events that have been planned for 2012: BIKE FEST - 1st Saturday of every month 5-9 p.m. in downtown Plant City. The Anniversary show takes place in October. STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CAR SHOW -3rd Saturday of every month in downtown Plant City 4-9 p.m. Anniversary show takes place in April.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

November 17th. - 10th. Annual Pig Jam 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ********** On January 26th your Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce will install new officers at the 30th Annual Chairman’s Banquet at the Red Rose Inn & Suites. Taking over as Chairman of the Board is Matt Buzza; Chairman Elect, Jim Scott; Immediate Past Chairman, Lee Williams; Treasurer, Nate Kilton; Vice Chairman of the Chamber’s Community Program Division, Janet Kelly; Vice Chairman of Membership, Paul Davis; Vice Chairman of Community & Governmental Affairs Division, Michael Cameron. New Directors for 2012 are: Aaron Davis, Michael Gottesman and Bradley Herremans.

In addition, the Chamber is blessed with a terrific staff. Marion Smith is President; Amy Nizamoff, Administrative Coordinator; Nancy Benedict, Communications Director; Jennifer January 26th. - Chairman’s Banquet at Red Chamberlain, Membership Director; Jane Gonzalez, Tourist Information Rose Inn & Suites at 6:30 p.m. Coordinator and Al Collinge, Tourist Information Specialist and also Al serves March 1st - March 11th. - Be sure and as coordinator of the Union Station stop by the Chamber’s booth at the Welcome Center and Depot. In addition, Florida Strawberry Festival. You can find offsite staff includes Fran Johnson, who us in the Arthur Boring Building. CONTACT BREAKFAST - This Chamber event takes place at the Red Rose Inn & Suites the 2nd Wednesday of each month (except July) at 7:30 a.m.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

SUBMITTED BY: BRUCE RODWELL is coordinator of the Tourist Information Center on Park Road. To check for new updates and additional information regarding the Chamber, you can log onto the Chamber’s web site at www.plantcitychamber.com . ********** The Chamber’s January BUSINESS AFTER HOURS will be held Thursday the 19th at 5:15 p.m. at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, 4307 Sterling Commerce Drive. Call the Chamber office to RSVP at 813754-3707. Kudos to the 23 schools in Area VI for their efforts in collecting food during the fall food drive to benefit the United Food Bank of Plant City. A total of 30,851 pounds of canned and boxed food was collected. Jim Chancey, Director of the Food Bank, wants to express a big “thank you” members of the Daybreak Rotary Club for picking up the collected items from each school.

********** The Plant City Garden Club will present “SEA TO SHINING SEA”, a standard flower show which will pay tribute to our National Beaches and Parks. The program on Thursday, February 2nd from 5 to 8 p.m. will be at the Walden Lake Golf & Country Club. As an added feature, dinner is available in the dining room. Dinner reservations are required and interested parties are asked to call the Walden Lake Golf & Country Club at 813-754-8575. Cassandra Banning is General Chairman, with Christy Linke serving as Assistant Chairman. For additional information, call Cassandra at 813-759-1638 or Christy at 813-752-5874. ********** Don’t miss the Chamber’s Bike Fest on Saturday, February 4th in downtown Plant City. Gets underway at 5 p.m. Great event with lot and lots of motorcycles to look over. DATES FOR YOUR CANENDAR:

Saturday, Jan. 28 - Strawberry Festival Mr. Chancey also wants to thank all who Queen Pageant donated food and those that volunteered at the Food Bank over the Thanksgiving and Wednesday, Feb. 8 - Chamber Contact Christmas holiday. Breakfast at Red Rose Inn & Suites ********** The January 21st - Strawberry Classic Car Show will feature Trucks of all makes, model and years. This great family event is held in McCall Park with a DJ and music from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, along with a 50/50 cash drawing. The specialty shops and restaurants stay open late during this event which gets underway at 4 p.m. ********** There will be plenty of activity at the Plant City Stadium and Randy Larson Four-Plex from January 26th. to the 29th. The International Softball Federation has tournaments scheduled each of those days. You can call the Recreation and Parks Department at 813-659-4255 for a complete schedule.

Thursday, Feb. 9 - Florida State Fair opens Thursday, Feb. 9 - Lunch & Learn at noon at HCC Plant City Campus. Topic is Creating A Business Plan. Donation of $8 covers the cost of lunch. Friday, Feb. 10 - Evening of Celebrating our Culture With Love, 6 p.m. at Trinkle Center. Call Sharon Moody by Jan. 30 at 453-7134 to RSVP Friday, Feb. 10 - USSSA Youth Baseball Tournament. Call 813-659-4255 for info. Saturday, Feb. 11 - Plant City Entertainment presents “The Coffee Shop” Saturday, Feb. 11 - Black Heritage Parade - 1 p.m.

CHAMBER RIBBON CUTTINGS

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You see them in T.V. commercials and in magazines!

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TRYSTAN MURPHY Discovery Channel TV Show Featured Role

AUSTIN JONES Polk County Tourism TV Commercial Featured Role

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Jess Anderson index JAN12 new.indd 1

12/16/2011 5:48:40 PM

ALLCARE

REHABILITATION Dan Manfre, PT ~ President

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WE CARE - WE LISTEN W E G E T R E S U LT S Wishing you and your family good health in 2012 Plant City Community Choir P.O. Box 4931 Plant City, FL 33563-0035 Contact: Joseph Mendolia Phone: (813) 263-4019 WebSite: www.pccommunitychoir.com

1214 W. Reynolds St. Ste. 1, Plant City, FL • Phone: (813) 754-1062 Fax: (813) 759-8254 • www.Allcare-Rehab.com

*Medicare and Most Insurances Accepted

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

a p V a N a l e l e h t y e O c n f e i T r e a p m x p E a e Bay m o C Our Tasting Room & Gift Shop is open daily until 6PM Sample all our wines for just $6. Due to popular demand, we have brought back our ice wine for a limited time. Host Your Next Special Moment at Keel & Curley Wedding Ceremonies & Receptions Showers, Parties, & Corporate Events

February 4, 2012 from 7 to 11pm. $12 cover charge $10 advance tickets

Friday Evening After Hours Wine Bar Happy Hour 6PM - 7PM Wine Tasting until 9PM Live Music 6:30PM - 10:30PM

813.752.9100 5202 W. Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City www.keelandcurleywinery.com

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

FOCUS Celebrates Tenth Anniversary Celebration is set for February 16, 2012 at Keel & Curley

Cheryl

Mike

Publisher

Copy Editor

Credit Manager

Julie

Account Manager

Ten years ago this month, Focus Magazine published its first issue. It’s hard to believe how quickly that time has passed. As we look back over the stories we’ve covered, one emotion overwhelms us - gratefulness. We’re grateful for you - our readers, advertisers, vendors, and contributors.

and honored that you trust us to do it right. We could not have done it without you.

From one edition in 2002 to the six we publish monthly now, it’s been a growing and learning experience. Just like any business, we’ve faced challenges and experienced some ups and downs. Thankfully, mostly ups. But here we are today, still thrilled to be doing what we love - sharing your joys and connecting our community.

As we’ve grown, we’ve worked to add tools to help our advertisers and our readers utilize the media we present to their best advantage. For example, bi-weekly e-blasts keep folks reminded of local events, great deals at restaurants, and business specials. We also post coupons on myfocuscoupons.com, just in case you’ve missed or deleted an e-blast.

Thank you, Plant City (and Brandon, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Lake County, and South Tampa) for your support and encouragement, for your cooperation and enthusiasm, for your suggestions and critique - your input has been critical to our company. We feel privileged to report our community good news

Angel

Aldo

Account Manager

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

And it seems like “thanks” is just not enough to show our appreciation. We’ve tried to help in practical ways, too.

We all enjoy reading your comments on our Facebook fanpage and we’ve been excited to see how many more of you are following regularly. You are the heartbeat of this magazine, so please keep those comments coming.

www.focusplantcity.com

FOCUS MAGAZINE

Feature Story

Jarrod

Advertising Assistant

DeDe

Anthony

Art Director

Account Manager

Tony

Visual Design Specialist

Kelleigh

Account Manager

By Cheryl Johnston We’ve strived to make our websites user friendly and we’ve incorporated periodic Focus TV segments for your interest. This year our goal is to provide video tours of every advertiser so our readers can go inside and be inspired to buy local. Like any small business, we’ve faced challenges through the years and we understand the difficulties of a tougher economic climate. Thank you for continuing to believe in our mission and for helping our community to stay connected as you’ve shared your events, stories, trials, challenges, and triumphs. Speaking of challenges, we had a goal this year. To bond our staff together a little more, we planned to tackle “11 Big Adventures” in 2011. Sometimes plans from one year have to roll over into the next. Such is the case with our big adventures dream. We started strong by go-cart racing, parasailing, deep-sea fishing, BOINGing (trampolining), and paintballing together (and we’ve heard that you liked the reports). But busy

schedules, publication deadlines, and family obligations meant we had to postpone some. So, in 2012 this plan continues. Focus editorial content has always been built around our readers’ suggestions for great stories and their feedback. What touches us most is how you respond to specific issues throughout the year. We always have fun planning the cover shoots for the new Strawberry Festival Queen and Court and for our Makeover issue. We’re always touched with the appreciation shown by the four Makeover winners each year and we love celebrating their new looks at the evening’s dinner. This year was especially touching to us because of the death of winner Vicki Hannah, Her son Taylor still holds a special place in our hearts. We love firsts, too, and had a great time showcasing the 1st Annual Cutest Kids contestants on Facebook and in the magazine. We’re expecting it to be an even bigger event this year. FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

DeDe took home the 1st place trophy at our 11 adventures Karting trip.

We have a responsibility to report on as much local news as we can fit into the magazine each month. To do this, we will strive to build our advertising base so we can add more editorial content, as this is what makes that possible. Here’s a shout out to those loyal advertisers who run ads with us each month. That loyalty makes Focus possible.

Local Plant City artist Jesse Starr created our January 2008 cover celebrating Plant City’s 125th birthday

To celebrate our Ten Year Anniversary, we have a plan and we hope you will join us. If there is one thing our readers, advertisers, and the subjects of our stories have taught us, it’s the power of giving back and of caring about our neighbors, especially when there’s a need. Our plan this year involves an effort to benefit the United Food Bank of Plant City through an adjunct to their annual signature fundraiser, the Celebrity Chef Dinner.

L-R Sophia Hyde, Angel Carter, Holly Farmer, DeDe Floyd & Julie Hasting at our 9th Anniversary Party.

Join us Thursday, February 16, 2012 for our Annual Reader’s Choice Awards when we will recognize the winners from the votes cast by locals for favorite restaurants in several different categories. This evening also involves the monthly After Hours celebration with the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, which makes it one of the largest Thursday night gatherings of the year. Several hundred usually attend to mix and mingle and have a little fun. We’d like you to be there. To help the United Food Bank, we encourage everyone to make a donation as they enter the party at Keel and Curley Winery on the night of the 16th. The celebration will include live entertainment and great food from some of the local favorites. It’s a great chance to catch up with your friends in the community and it’s a great cause.

Focus attends many events a year to support the communities it serves.

Our very first cover designed by Brian Taylor.

Focus TV crew on location in Winter Haven

We also encourage you to purchase tickets for the Celebrity Chef Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, February 18 at the Trinkle Center, and also to consider becoming a sponsor. Once again, Plant City, we’re proud to serve this wonderful community. Without you, there would be no Focus. Here’s to even greater years ahead. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Focus covers all of Plant City & the surrounding areas.

Marti Lofstrom’s inspirational story touched many hearts.

You and a guest are invited to a private, no cost,

EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

Open up a new world.

Titled....

Presented by: Dr. T. L. Schneider, Au.D. Dr. Schneider is well known and respected for her work in both hearing loss as well as the diagnostics and causes of vertigo. She graduated from the University of South Florida, Tampa where she earned the highest degree awarded for her knowledge of the auditory system.

At this one hour seminar you will learn: • Causes of hearing loss • How to help avoid doing further damage to your ability to hear speech clearly • What are the risks of doing nothing about hearing loss • What are the benefits and rewards of treating hearing loss • If I need a hearing aid how do I know if I am getting a quality instrument

After calling to make a reservation this voucher entitles you and a guest to a private, no cost, seminar entitled; Presented by; Dr. T. L. Schneider

Special Invitation At the time of this press release the following dates were available: ONE HOUR SESSION ON ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DAYS

Week of Jan. 15, 2012: Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday Week of Jan. 22, 2012: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday THESE SPACES WILL FILL QUICKLY! DO NOT DELAY CALLING!

863-647-5700

Held at: 5424 Strickland Ave., Lakeland, FL 33812

*ALERT if you, or someone you know has hearing loss DO NOT purchase a hearing aid before attending this seminar !

We encourage you to bring someone with you to help take notes and ask questions.

Enjoy the freedom learning about your hearing loss will bring you and your loved ones.

You will be provided the opportunity to have a no cost hearing screening to determine if you have hearing loss and what kind of treatment options may be available to you.

863-647-5700

Free yourself from the negative effects hearing loss brings. After this seminar you’ll ask yourself, WHY did I put this off! You must call before January 27, 2012 ! FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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Dr. Brenda Dukes Chiropractic Physician

As the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their 11th World Series title and the San Francisco Giants relive their 2010 championship, Chiropractic team doctors Ralph Filson, D.C. of the Cardinals and Michael Gazdar, D.C. of the San Francisco Giants, explain that regular chiropractic care provides baseball players with proper spine function and balance to reduce the risk of spinerelated injuries, enhance recovery time and improve overall performance. Dr. Filson says, “With Chiropractic care, players report they feel better and have better endurance. Body mechanics are significantly improved, enabling better pitching, hitting and throwing.” Jason Motte shares, “I had issues with my shoulder

and arm for a long time. Since I started seeing Dr. Filson, I have not had any problems. In 2006, Dr. Filson was awarded a World Series ring for his role with the Cardinals, and was proud to play a similar role in the 2011 championship. “I am proud to have provided chiropractic care to the Cardinals for so many years and gratified that chiropractic has contributed to the players’ optimal performance during every game.”

Both doctors express their enthusiasm for the inclusion of chiropractic care for virtually every team participating in professional sports, including golf, football, hockey, basketball and baseball. Special Note: Dr. Dukes and staff would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day  Blessings, Dr. Dukes and Staff

According to Dr. Gazdar, who began working with the San Francisco Giants in 2008, “Chiropractic care was a significant factor in the San Francisco Giants 2010 victory.”

Dr. Brenda Dukes • Chiropractic Physician 752-2524 • 2401 Walden Woods Dr. • Plant City, FL 33566

Dr. Dukes encourages you to write her with any questions concerning chiropractic care.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

CHEF JOSEPH BONANNO

THE FIREHOUSE CHEF Firehouse CheF will help provide Food For those in need Food Bank prepares for extended Annual event Feature by Brian West

he United Food Bank of Plant City has been serving our community for more than 15 years. The Food Bank began as a church pantry and evolved into a stand-alone facility located on Alsobrook Street. But it’s a facility that has seen two significant expansions in just 3 years. Unfortunately, those expansions are due to the increasing need in our community. The economy has definitely had an impact here, and those working at the Food Bank see it each day. It may be something easy to dismiss. You may think this is something that is only affecting others. But you may be surprised to find out that even your neighbors have had to rely on the Food Bank. It isn’t uncommon these days to have people from Walden Lake, the largest (and most affluent) area of Plant City, come in as clients. It’s true. Financial hardships aren’t something unique to a specific race or a part of town. The hardship stories are countless. There are clients who’ve lost their job, which is probably the most common. There are those who’ve experienced unexpected medical issues. One of the most recent heartbreaking stories was the mother without a job, diagnosed with terminal cancer, caring for a young son and knowing she had no family to turn to. No one. Imagine that. If this kind of story doesn’t tug

CONTINUED ON PAGE 52

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

THE FIREHO at your heart, you probably need to check your pulse. She lost her fight with cancer. Her son is currently being cared for, but it’s just a sad story of how one or two things in a family’s life can change so quickly and have such a great impact.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51

At the end of the day, the clients of the Food Bank are just looking for that next meal. Fortunately, many just need help getting over the hump, and can get back on their feet pretty quickly. One of the greatest stories from the Food Bank involves a family who were once clients. They’d fallen on hard times and needed help. But they fought back, got up on their feet again, and today are regular contributors to the Food Bank. So much so that daughter, Kayli, on her own, has donated several thousand dollars to the Food Bank through her own fundraising efforts. It’s probably worth mentioning that Kayli is just a high school teenager. Now imagine how different our community or our world would be if more young people got this involved in what is going on around them and worked to make things better. Regardless of anything else this young lady does in her life, she, and the world around her will be better off thanks to her giving spirit and those surrounding her that she inspires. For the past three years, the Food Bank has held a Celebrity Chef Dinner as their signature fundraiser. The event involves a pre-dinner event, usually with some type of cooking challenge with locals or celebrities. The first year included State Attorney Mark Ober, Representative Rich Glorioso and Mayor Dan Raulerson. The following year, the Fire Department competed against the Police Department, and last year, the Gentlemen Grillers competed against the Gourmet Viniculture Society. The pre-dinner event is always fun and the attendees get an opportunity to sample a few great appetizers. This year, the Celebrity Chef dinner will take place on Saturday, February 18 at the Trinkle Center located on the Hillsborough Community College campus. Since its inception, the celebrity chef was Jon Ashton. Ashton has been featured on the Today Show and in many other TV appearances. His great personality combined with his Liverpool, England accent and English slang always kept the attendees laughing. This year, it was time to change things up a little, so there’s a new celebrity chef – Joseph Bonanno. Bonanno is also known as the Firehouse Chef. Bonanno is a retired firefighter from New York City. He served as a firefighter for 21 years, which also gave him great experience cooking for some of the best critics imaginable – hungry firemen. After attending a class at the New School in Manhattan, a New York editor from Hearst Publishing approached him about doing a “healthy” firehouse cookbook. Another NYC Firefighter, John Sineno, had published a New York Times best selling cookbook in 1984. A proposal and sample recipes were sent to the editor and The Healthy Firehouse Cookbook was published. Bonanno will bring his rugged good looks and charm to the event this year and is sure to heat things up a little. Bonanno has appeared several times on Live with Regis, Martha Stewart, The Today Show, Good Morning America, FOX N.Y. and many others. He has been featured in the New York Times, The Daily News, Eating Well and Bon Appetite. When he retired from his work as a firefighter, Bonanno received his Culinary/Chefs Degree with honors from the Culinary Academy of Long Island. He later did internships at two of Long Island’s top restaurants. Most recently, several producers have approached Bonanno about doing a Firehouse cooking show, with a set resembling a

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

OUSE CHEF NYC Firehouse. While waiting for that opportunity, Bonanno gives culinary demonstrations, and offers nutrition and fitness classes for the fire service. He has also been a spokesperson for Ronzoni, Sorrento Cheese, Butterball Turkey, Johnson and Johnson and more.

The event also includes a silent auction that typically includes some great prizes. In the past, there have been several unique vacation opportunities, trips to day spas, golfing, dinner and dining at restaurants from Tampa to Orlando, and weekend getaways to local beaches. There’s something for everyone. In addition to the new celebrity chef, the Food Bank has partnered with Focus Magazine to extend the event. The Thursday prior to the 2012 event (this year that’s February 16th) has traditionally been used by Focus Magazine to host their Annual Reader’s Choice Awards. People from the community have voted on their favorite restaurants in several different categories and Focus Magazine uses that Thursday evening to crown the winners. The evening also serves as the monthly After Hours celebration with the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. This is usually one of the largest Thursday night gatherings of the year with a few hundred people on hand to have some fun. The Publisher of Focus Magazine, Mike Floyd, joined the committee this year and thought it might be a great idea to partner with the Food Bank to help build on the Celebrity Chef event, and use the Thursday night turnout as a way to help the Food Bank even more. So this year, guests will have an opportunity to help the Food Bank by making donations of food and/or money as they enter the Annual Reader’s Choice Awards. For the past two years, the event has been held at the Keel and Curley Winery at the corner of Thonotosassa and Branch Forbes Roads. There is live entertainment and great food from some of our local favorites.

This pairing between Focus Magazine and the Food Bank hould prove to be a great partnership. Of course, there’s no obligation for anyone to make donations, but just imagine the impact of a few hundred people each making small contributions to such an important cause could effect. It could be as simple as just bringing a simple can of soup to donate to those in need. How quickly something like that can add up and make such a positive impact in the lives of those who really have the need. There are sponsorship opportunities at several levels: the Presenting Sponsor ($10,000.00) has been sold to Unity in the Community, and many thanks to them for their generous support. Celebrity Chef Sponsors are $7500.00 with interaction with chef from stage, Platinum Sponsor $5000.00, Gold Sponsor $2500.00, Silver Sponsor $1250.00 and Bronze Sponsor $1000.00. There will also be a VIP Dinner held on Friday night, February 17, 2012 at the home of Larry & Cathy Jimenez, which is located on the east shore of Lake Thonotosassa in the Stone Lake Ranch subdivision. Anyone with a sponsorship level of $1250.00 or more will be invited to attend. Bonanno will attend the event, possibly making some special appetizers for guests, along with other foods for tasting. Guests certainly won’t leave hungry. There are so many opportunities for others to be involved in this effort. If you’re interested in attending the Annual Reader’s Choice Awards, feel free to show up and bring a donation for the Food Bank. If you’re interested in attending and/or becoming a sponsor for the Celebrity Chef Dinner, please contact the United Food Bank of Plant City at 813-757-9809. You may also contact Marsha Passmore, the event Chair, at mappmore@msn.com.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

BUSINESS » BUSINESS PROFILE and balance, diabetic treatments, joint replacement, and stroke recovery. The renovations do not stop there. Community Care Center will continue to renovate this year throughout their center to make it the very best center around. Conveniently located a few blocks down from South Florida Baptist Hospital and across the street from the Strawberry Festival at 2202 West Oak Avenue, Community Care Center accepts Medicare and most managed care insurances. To take a tour in this fine facility, contact Linda Dunn, Admissions and Business Development Director, at 813-7543761. Visit their website at www. communitycarehealthandrehab.com

COMMUNITY CARE CENTER GYM RENOVATIONS AND MORE O

CRITICAL INFORMATION

WRITTEN BY: DEANA BENNETT GARRISON | PHOTOS BY: JULIE HASTING

perating since 1963, the Community Care Center in Plant City is a skilled nursing facility with 120 beds, specializing in short-term rehab as well as long term care. Many people assume this facility is strictly a nursing home; however, the staff at Community Care is dedicated to rehabilitation services to help anyone get back to recovery. In the event a person needs more help and just cannot live an independent life, long-term care is an option. To help their residents achieve the highest quality of care, Community Care Center has made a major renovation in the gym where all of their therapy needs are met. In the past, the gym was operating in a 900 square foot room, with a tight squeeze for the therapists to get their patents in to work on the exercises they need. With a new room size of 2,000 square feet, the therapists at Community Care Center are finding much enjoyment helping their patients with more space. They participate in the “Freedom Through Functionality” program utilizing the top-of-the-line Nautilus equipment. This equipment helps the therapists work with geriatric patients for strengthening techniques and is also capable to help

those with compromising situations that can‘t normally get on and off the equipment with ease. It also offers an alternative way of using the equipment to meet each individual need. These machines also show progress for each individual patient with a gauging and tracking system. When a patient is admitted, they are given a test to show their functionality. Throughout their stay, a therapist will show them their functionality progress in an easy to read graph. The therapist works diligently to help each therapy patient to progress in order to get them ready to go back home. The progress is then printed out for the patient to take with them to their next doctor’s appointment.

first came in.“ The Center has put a lot of thought into the needs of their residents. The center offers several different therapeutic management care programs, which include continence, wounds, falls

2202 WEST OAK AVENUE PLANT CITY, FL 33563-7299 (813) 754-3761 WEBSITE: COMMUNITYCAREHEALTHANDREHAB.COM

An added feature to the gym is a therapy kitchen to help those that need the occupational therapy to relearn how to do the daily activities of life that at one time seemed to come naturally. Rio Theodore, a therapist at Community Care Center, smiled as he told the story of one patient being able to make a cheesecake in the therapy kitchen. It seems to be a big hit at the center. When asked about the difference between the old gym and the new one, Rio replied, “All of the therapists feel we have plenty of working space to get our clients to prior functioning or even better from when they FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

The Premier Showplace for Talent in Florida 56

Call 813.752.3141 for Reservations Today!

JANUARY 21 BRIAN ROMAN

One of Canada’s finest entertainers! Roman performs the classics – spanning the Golden Era, ranging from Sinatra to Tom Jones. Destiny also performs.

JANUARY 27 RALPH ALLOCCO

& SECOND WIND

Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room.

JANUARY 28 BEAUTIFUL BOBBY BLACKMON & THE B3 BLUES BAND

Bobby Blackmon's career began in a small town not far from the Dallas, Texas area. His Texas blues influence is heard loud ‘n’ proud in his soulful guitar playing. He's worked with the likes of Barbara Lynn, Jimmy Reed, ZZ Hill, Johnny Taylor, Lavelle White and Lou Rawls. Destiny opens and closes in the Red Rose Dining Room.

JANUARY 28 THE VAN DELLS WITH THE LAS VEGAS SOUNDS

Back by popular demand. This trio is a fireball of entertainment and not to be missed! The Las Vegas Sounds also perform. Dinner served in a supper-club atmosphere in the Red Rose Ballroom.

FEBRUARY 3 BOBBY PALERMO

Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room, plus Destiny.

FEBRUARY 4 & 17 JOHNNY ALSTON’S - MOTOWN ROCK & ROLL REVUE

JANUARY 14 THE CONTOURS

Performing their hits, including: Do You Love Me, in the Red Rose Ballroom. Johnny Alston’s Motown Rock ‘n Roll Review also performs. Call for our tiered pricing for this fabulous dinner show!

JANUARY 14, 27 & 28 RALPH ALLOCCO & SECOND Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room.

JANUARY 20 BOBBY PALERMO

WIND

Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room, plus Destiny.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

A dynamite crowd pleaser! Plus, Destiny performs before and after the show.

FEBRUARY 10 WALT MADDOX - TRIBUTE TO NAT KING COLE

Walt Maddox performs all of Nat's greatest hits. He started out in the early '60s with The Marcels. His tribute to Nat has performed to sold out crowds nationwide.

FEBRUARY 11 & 25 RALPH ALLOCCO

& SECOND WIND

Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room.

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FEBRUARY 11 THE FOUR PREPS - A VALENTINE EVENT

Bring your special someone for a romantic dinner and show. The chart topping group will be performing their hits. The Las Vegas Sounds will also perform in the Red Rose Ballroom.

FEBRUARY 18 TROY “SATCHMO” ANDERSON - TRIBUTE TO LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Troy Anderson on trumpet as “Satchmo,” a tribute to Louis Armstrong. Plus, a 3 hour set from The Wonderful World Band with the same instrumentation as Armstrong's bands. Destiny opens and closes.

FEBRUARY 24

BRIAN ROMAN

One of Canada’s finest entertainers! Roman performs the classics – spanning the Golden Era, ranging from Sinatra to Tom Jones. Destiny also performs.

FEBRUARY 25

THE FABULOUS HUBCAPS

MARCH 9 & 17 RALPH ALLOCCO & SECOND WIND Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room.

Donʼt forget Valentine’s Day. Enjoy our special Valentine Show on February 11th

– Coming Soon! – MARCH 23-24

DOOWOP WEEKEND EXTRAVAGANZA VI MARCH 24

Come and hear one of the nation’s most sought after oldies’ bands. Their music spans generations BOB RYMAN “THE FIDDLER” of some of the top hits of our time. The Las Vegas APRIL 14 Sounds also perform in the Red Rose Ballroom. THE JARMELS Dinner served in a supperclub atmosphere.

MARCH 2 BOBBY PALERMO

APRIL 28

“SIMPLY STREISAND”

Performing in the Red Rose Dining Room, plus Destiny.

MARCH 3 JOHNNY ALSTON’S MOTOWN ROCK & ROLL REVUE Show Guests – ask about our special overnight room rates!

MRS. EVELYN MADONIA OWNER FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

LOCAL OWNERS • LOCAL DECISIONS

Happy New Year!

Plant City Ofﬁce 1804 James L. Redman Pkwy., Plant City, FL 33563 Telephone (813) 659-1234 | Fax (813) 659-9134 Other Locations: Brandon, Lakeland, Tampa, and Winter Haven

Lobby Hours: Monday –Thursday 9:00am – 4:00 pm Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm Drive Thru Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am – 6:00 pm 24 hour ATM in the Drive Thru Member FDIC

www.platinumbank.com

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

BUSINESS » EDWARD JONES

Contempo Spa

2909 James Redman Parkway • 813-754-0212

SAY “I LOVE YOU” WITH CONTEMPO SPA!

TACKLING TAXES BEFORE THEYIMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL TACKLE YOU INVESTORS I SUBMITTED BY: EDWARD JONES

n our view, the most important potential potential for rising taxes in the future. changes for individual investors are the automatic increases in income, dividends and capital gains taxes, which could reduce your after-tax income. So what should you We don’t know what will happen to taxes do? in the future – no one does. However, we think it’s important to prepare and You may not need to make changes – to continue to invest for the long term, Tax increases would apply to a variety of despite the short-term tax uncertainty. investments, including stocks and bonds. Since taxes on stock and bond returns will So we believe investors who own an appropriate mix of investments in a variety likely be higher, you probably don’t need to change your investment mix, but your of accounts with different tax treatments after-tax income may shrink. probably shouldn’t need to adjust their

TAKE STEPS TO PREPARE

overall asset allocation or sell investments. You may want to consider changes – Possible tax rate changes may make potential tax-saving strategies more attractive than in the past for some investors. And even if taxes don’t change now, there are strategies that may be appropriate to help you prepare for the

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Investing involves uncertainties, and taxes are one of them. We believe you should address this just as you would any other uncertainty – by working to reduce your risk. You can do this by owning a variety of investments with different tax treatments to help reduce the impact of each tax change. FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

BUSINESS » SUCCESS

WE’VE MOVED Bella, Hermida, Hurn & Stertzer 1503 S. Alexander Street Suite #103 Plant City, FL 33563 (located in the Alexander Oaks Office Park)

Phone: (813) 752-6183 Fax: (813) 752-2714 Please visit our website www.bellahermida.com for additional contacts and other information. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients for their loyalty and support. We look forward to continuing to serve you with high quality and personalized service, as we have done for over 60 years.

The Health Center of Plant City

Our team of rehab experts has extensive experience in today’s most advanced therapeutic methods and technologies

Biodex Balance System • Improves balance & agility • Develop muscle tone & strength • Excellent tool for fall prevention & assessment

Ideal for the following Rehab clients • • • • •

Osteoarthritis Parkinson’s disease Stroke (CVA) Post hip or knee replacement Sprained/fractured ankle

Call the

Health Center of Plant City today for a tour Plant city’s highest rated skilled nursing & rehab center

813-752-3611

701 North Wilder Road, Plant City, FL

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

DR. HOWARD TOOTH HOWELL, DDS CABOOSE

1. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

Being given the responsibility to guide the health and dental development of generations of children and young men and women has been a great inspiration to me. Seeing the successes of our past patients who are now living and working in our community and having been a small part of their early years inspires me to continue my involvement.

2. WHAT ARE YOUR ASPIRATIONS?

The staff at the Tooth Caboose and I have always aspired to provide the absolute highest level of individualized dental care for each patient. Employing cutting edge techniques in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry, we always place the patients dental and emotional well being as our primary goal.

3. WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST SUCCESSES?

My greatest successes have come in the confidence shown by our previous patients when they return with their

children requesting that we manage their orthodontic and pediatric dental care. We have been blessed in this way, having treated three generations in a number of families.

4. WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE?

Today I enjoy practicing orthodontics as much as I did when we opened the Tooth Caboose office 34 years ago. My plan for the future is to welcome the fourth generation of patients into the Tooth Caboose family.

5. HOW DID YOU GET INTO BUSINESS?

Returning home to Plant City to open my practice was an easy decision. Being able to contribute to the community where I was born and grew up was very important to me. In the early 1980s we purchased the 1929 Missouri Pacific Railroad caboose and named it the Tooth Caboose. The concept was to introduce a non threatening dental atmosphere for our younger children.

BUSINESS » SUCCESS

MARK PERSAILS -

INSTRUCTORS

BENNY CASTILLO -

12 years of Professional Baseball New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and LA Dodgers Brooks Carey- 30 years of Professional Baseball College baseball at Florida State University from 1975-1978.

SHELDON FULSE -

5 Seasons with Orioles and Cincinnati Reds from 1978-1982 Has been the pitching coach for 4 years with Sussex Skyhawks of the Can-Am league and currently with the Normal Cornbelters in the Frontier League. Won consecutive high school State Championships at Key West High School

12 Years of Professional Baseball Detroit Tigers & Houston Astros

ALAN MILLS -

15 Years of Professional Baseball Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and Texas Rangers Manager in Minor League for the Florida Marlins and the Detroit Tigers Organization

5 years of Professional Baseball Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 3rd round of the 1999 MLB June Amateur Draft and then traded to Boston Red Sox in 2003

As well as special guests throughout the week!!!

Stop Hiding!

Start Living!

COURTNEY PAAT

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE BUSINESS YOU ARE IN NOW?

I majored in Risk Management/Insurance at FSU and was recruited by State Farm to work as an Underwriter. Almost 13 years ago, I moved to Plant City and opened my agency.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR YOUR FUTURE?

Both the agency and my family keep me pretty busy. In just a few weeks, I plan to run the Warrior Dash. It’s not very often us 40-somethings get to go play in the mud!

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST SUCCESSES?

My pride and joy are my 2 daughters, Kalei & Melia. They are why I work so hard

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

Team Wainoris ...Selling Hillsborough and Polk Multi-Million Dollar Producers

sellmyhome@tampabay.rr.com | www.teamwainoris.com

Randall Wainoris 813-997-3000 REALTOR®/Attorney at Law

Kathleen Wainoris 863-608-1557 REALTOR® Notary

2012 WILL BE A GREAT YEAR!

In fact, seventeen of Florida’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported higher existing home sales in November; and 10 MSAs had higher existing condo sales too!

Did you know that according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®, Florida’s existing home and existing condo sales continued its positive upswing in November? (*December data was not yet available) Existing home sales increased 11 percent last month with a total of 12,993 homes sold statewide compared to 11,664 homes sold in November 2010!

Did you also know that according to Freddie Mac, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.99 percent in November, down from the 4.30 percent average during the same month a year earlier? Rates are at the lowest levels in history!

“It’s really clear that two things are happening in Florida real estate,” said Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. John Tuccillo. “No. 1, sales are moving upward – not by a large increase, but definitely, positively on an upward trend. Second, prices are stabilizing. Now, it doesn’t mean that prices have turned around but they are stabilizing, and that’s vital for the market to gain equilibrium.”

According to the experts, it looks like 2012 is going to be a great year for Florida Real Estate! That is great news for all of us! Here at Team Wainoris, we are really excited about 2012! Thinking about buying or selling? With interest rates and prices so low, 2012 may be best time for you to make your move! Call us here at Team Wainoris; let us help make your 2012 the best year ever!

GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD! Wonderful 3 bedroom 2 bath home in established North Lakeland neighborhood. Open plan with volume ceilings and large kitchen. Not a short sale! Asking just $94,900.

DON’T MISS THIS ONE! Built in 2008, this 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath two story condo is located in a wonderful community and is waiting for you! Enjoy an open ﬂoor plan with large kitchen, real wood cabinets, and so much more! Short sale, asking just $59,000.

BANK APPROVED DREAM! Stunning 5 bedroom 4 bath home on beautiful secluded lot with no deed restrictions. Gourmet kitchen, real wood ﬂooring, volume ceilings and so much more. Call today to see this incredible home. Bank approved price of $335,000.

BEAUTIFUL TOWNHOME Short sale. Absolutely beautiful 2 bedroom 2 bath town home in Chelsea Oaks. Gourmet kitchen, large master suite and many upgrades. Asking $95,500.

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

1507 S. Alexander St. Suite 101 Plant City, FL 33563

813.707.6200

PCM

PLANT CITY W W W . P L A N T C I T Y M O R T G A G E S . C O M M O R T G A G E

C O R P

re was never any doubt new home in July of 2011, the our sed cha pur I and ela Ang a Davis and their staff at When my wife h our ﬁnancing. Nate and Natash wit us p hel to use uld wo smooth as we could ever as to who we with and made the process as rk wo to tic tas fan e wer ge e throughout. There were Plant City Mortga continuously kept us up to dat and nal sio fes pro ely rem ext imagine. Nate is ant to them. e treated as if we were import never any surprises and we wer it’s important that you deal purchase a person makes, so est larg le sing the ally usu is mend the Davis’ and Plant Buying a home st. We whole heartedly recom tru can you t tha ies pan com with people and new home. to secure ﬁnancing for their City Mortgage to anyone wishing

Nate Davis

Natasha Davis

President- Loan Ofﬁcer

Vice President- Ofﬁce Manager

Carol Barton

Sherri Judah

Brandi Carlough

Paul Pritt

Tom Roe

Barbara Hall

Duane Madill Loan Ofﬁcer

Stephanie Donalson Swindle

Jaida Davis

Paitlyn Davis

Administrator

Sincerely, Chris & Angela Sparkman

My husband and I recently pur chased a home and Nate Davis was recommended to us by our We are so glad he was, workin realtor. g with Nate truly was the eas iest part of buying our new hom was very informative and walked e. Nate us through the steps of pre paring to buy a home. He ans of our questions quickly and wer ed all thoroughly. Nate made a very stressful time less so by kee informed. If anyone out there ping us is thinking of purchasing a hom e I would highly recommend with Nate. He will ﬁnd you the working best mortgage rate out there and take care of your loan fro to ﬁnish. m start Sincerely, Scott & Georgeann Weaver

Administrator

Loan Ofﬁcer

rtgage on our current home, ge to help us secure our mo rtga Mo y Cit nt Pla d use I y were so wonderful My Husband and Nate Davis and his staff. The ut abo gs thin d goo ugh eno wledgeable about not only and I can not say ponsive and he is extremely kno res very was e Nat s. ces pro ire home buying prothroughout the ket conditions and just the ent mar t ren cur , res sco dit cre creditors on my behalf mortgages but also beyond, even calling one of my and ve abo t wen ly real e Nat . negatively affecting my cess as a whole t was on my credit report and tha ord rec y tor oga der , ute t any reservations that I to resolve and disp clients, and I can say withou his ut abo e car s doe ly real e FICO score. Nat nance or buy and home!! rtgage to anyone looking to reﬁ highly recommend Plant City Mo

NMLS 289323

Loan Ofﬁcer

Ofﬁce Assistant

Sincerely, Kristy Soldati

http://www.youtube.com/user/PLANTCITYMORTGAGE

Buster Davis Security

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

REAL ESTATE » JO-ANN LUSK

Talk to me about Allstate Power Sports Insurance. I can help protect your recreational vehicles. Plus, the more you protect, the more you can save-with multi-policy discounts. Call me and I can help you find the discounts you may qualify for.

RALPH L. FEOLA, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF (813) 752 2556

PLANT CITY

REAL ESTATE

SUBMITTED BY: JO-ANN LUSK

1003 S COLLINS ST PLANT CITY a026519@allstate.com Availability varies by product type and is subject to availability and qualifications. Discount amount may vary by state.Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company: Northbrook, Illinois © 2009 Allstate Insurance Company.

hanks to Trulia, I am sharing with you some 2012 predictions for the Real Estate Market. No matter the prediction, real estate is local and change will affect each market/area differently. Nonetheless, some of these are global and I believe we will see and feel these effects as well.

DELINQUENCIES WILL GO DOWN, BUT FORECLOSURES WILL GO UP.

Owned and Operated by Steve and Kathy Paul Roaches • Ants • Spiders Carpenter Ants (inside & outside) Fleas and Ticks (inside and outside) Service tubes in the wall We’ll get the bugs moving in the right direction.

RENTS WILL RISE – WHICH IS A BAD THING. Steve with Walter Warren and Bud O’ Callaghan

www.homeprotectionpc.com • email: homepropc@gmail.com

3909 N. Keene Rd. • Plant City, FL 33565 Office: 813.757.6752 • Cell: 813.716.0623 64

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Fewer borrowers will fall behind on their payments next year, thanks to the strengthening economy and refinancings. The share of delinquent borrowers is already down more than a quarter from the peak a couple of years ago. But many borrowers who fell behind on their payments during the housing crisis are still in limbo: last year’s robo-signing controversy threw a wrench in the gears of the foreclosure process. That means that some delinquent loans haven’t yet gone through the foreclosure process. Once a settlement is reached with banks over robo-signing, we’ll see a new wave of foreclosures and foreclosure sales.

With fewer people buying homes and more people losing their homes to foreclosures, rental demand is increasing. High rents will hold back economic growth if businesses can’t pay workers enough to have a roof over their heads. Squeezed city-dwellers won’t get relief until late 2012: that’s when a wave of new multi-unit construction projects that

started late this year will be completed and available for rent. To tackle growthkilling high living costs in the priciest cities head on, local governments need to get rid of height restrictions and arduous permitting processes, which hold back urban construction and push development to the suburbs.

MORTGAGE RATES WILL INCH UP – WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE A GOOD THING. A stronger economy will push Treasury bonds and mortgage rates up because inflation becomes more likely and investors demand higher rates to hold bonds. But lots of factors can push rates up or down. For the housing market, which direction rates go is less important than why. Gradual economic recovery is good news for the housing market even if it means higher mortgage rates – because higher mortgage rates should go hand-in-hand with greater housing demand.

GOVERNMENT WILL SIT ON ITS HANDS. In election years, politicians don’t take risks: they’re more talk and less action, so don’t expect any bold housing policy reforms next year. What’s more, with the housing market now recovering, we’re not in enough of a crisis to force political opponents together. Instead, in 2012 we’ll see the effects of modest housing proposals from this year: easier refinancing under the expanded HARP program, and more government-owned homes coming to market for sale or rent. But the bitter debate in Washington over the budget deficit and debt will continue.

1513 Jim Redman Parkway, Plant City

Call us for your Residential, Commercial, and Property Management Needs DORMANY ROAD

Nice 3/2 double wide mobile home on 2.66 acres. Lots of upgrades. 30 x 30 double garage with electric built in 2007. Roof replaced in 2008. A/C replaced in 2010 with new duct work under home. Plus a whole lot more. Call Cathy Casey @ 813-727-4131. MLS T2498228, $169,900

813-754-3586 www.floridamoves.com/plantcity WILLIS ROAD

Sweet little house right of HW Y 60, new roof, new fence, new dual pane windows, big workshop and additional storage building. One owner and well loved home. Ideal rental property, possible owner finance. Call Maggie Beard, 813-299-7155. MLS T2487179, $ 80,000

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

BRUTON ROAD

Over 2 ½ acres, 4 BR and 2 BA, brand new 3 stall barn with tack room and additional storage, and kennels with AC and cement and chain link runs. . Well kept and spacious. Land is dry, but has small spring fed pond in rear of property for your animals. Just off SR 39 on Bruton Rd…10 minutes to I-4. Call Maggie Beard, 813-299-7155. MLS T2487283. $169,900

WALDEN LAKE/PRESERVE

WALDEN LAKE/LAUREL LAKE

Newly remodeled end unit condo with bath upgrades, extra windows for that bright cheery feeling. Deck overlooking conservation area with plenty of privacy and security. New roof just completed, AC in 2005. Home is move-in ready. Priced to sell, and close at buyer’s convenience. Not a short sale. Call Jimmie Robinson, 813-390-6441. MLS T2500493, $129,900

Waterfront and conservation location! Enjoy the Florida lifestyle! Unique “single family” detached “condo”. Freshly painted, new ceramic tile and carpet. “Energy Star” Country Manor aluminum roof installed in “07. Private gated community within Walden Lake. Site condo approved for FHA fi nancing. 1 year AHS home warranty. Call Maddie Alford, 813-382-8382. MLS T2500710, $185,000.

HISTORIC STREET

SAMMONDS ROAD/COMM’L

CARSON OAKS

New Commercial listing with six buildings on four acres in the city limits of Plant City. City sewer. Property is currently rented with additional space available. Property is visible from main traffic on Alexander Street. Call Jimmie, 813-390-6441. MLS T2500816, $ 595,000.

Classy country home located on private oak covered 1.5 acres in non-deed restrictive subdivision. Great room w/stacked stone fireplace, vaulted ceilings, formal dining, bonus study/den. Over sized 3 car garage, with additional parking pad and workshop. Lots of room for big boy toys. Great location, highly rated schools. 1 year AHS home warranty included. Call Maddie today, 813-382-8382. MLS T2494972, $249,000

PRICED TO SELL!

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU!

Historic 3 bedroom 2 bath home in Plant City’s historic district. Brick streets and sidewalks take you on a short walk to downtown. Priced to sell! Call Jimmie for more information, 813-390-6441. MLS T2491577, $89,900

REDUCED PRICE!

BAILEY ROAD

This beautiful 2 story home with mother-in-law apartment and barn invite you to come in and enjoy the “Southern Charm”. This home is “country living” at its best! Take your bike, horse, or stroll to the State Deer Reserve just moments away or simply relax and enjoy nature at its best. Call today for an appointment. Call Jimmie, 813-390-6441. MLS T2486423, $ 650,000

We are a FULL-SERVICE Real Estate Company, providing Residential, Comm’l, Property Management, Mortgage and Title services.

This home is now set up with 3 bedrooms, a den and a bonus room that could be the 4th bedroom if needed. The 3.5 bathrooms are more than adequate with several showers and even an antique tub in the master suite. The spacious 2,756heated sq ft are protected with a 6 year old roof and a 3 year old A/C. The pool is completely screened and can be entered from french doors leading off the master suite, family room or the updated kitchen. The pool area leads to a newly constructed outdoor kitchen including a fireplace, grill, refrigerator, sink and sit-down bar. If you are looking for that one-of-a-kind home, this is the one for you. Call Jimmie today, 813-390-6441. MLS T2485186, now $299,500

Cute as a button 2 bedroom, den, 1 bath home in excellent condition. 1 car garage and 1 car carport. Move-in ready. Owner is moving out of state - NOT a short sale. Close quick! Ask for Jimmie, 813-390-6441. MLS T2492977, $78,000

We have trained and certified REO and Short Sale Experts and we are a HUD Selling Broker. Some of the TOP AGENTS in the County work right here! Call us Today! FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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WALDEN LAKE T

he Walden Lake Community Association Board Meetings are the third Monday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Walden Lake Community Association office building on Griffin Boulevard in Walden Lake. The next meeting will be February 20th. The meetings are open to all Walden Lake residents.

Walden Lake neighborhood and entrances were decked out in bright lights and beautiful designs for the holidays. The judging of the entrances by the Walden Lake Homeowners Association Board of Directors took place on December 10th and 11th. Following are the winners:

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

For Small Entries, Fairway Estates took 1st place, with Silverlake and Wedgewood in 2nd and 3rd place. Laurel Lake took 1st place for Large Entries, with the Paddocks and Sutton Woods in 2nd and 3rd place. Honorable Mention was given to Clubhouse Woods, Forest Club and Emerald Forest. The Board thanks all who participated and helped make Walden Lake “shine” during the holidays. In Walden Lake and Walden Lake East, there were 101 sales in 2011. The highest priced sale was $325,000 in Hampton Place and the lowest sale was $63,500 in Walden Lake East. The average sale price in 2011 was $157,167. Eleven homes sold for less than $100,000 and 14 sold for over $200,000. The average number of days on the market was 158, with the average list to sale price at 95%. The list to sale price is the list price of the home at the time it went pending contract and does not take into account any price reductions from

REVIEW SUBMITTED BY: NATALIE SWEET

when it was listed. There are currently 52 active listings ranging from $84,600 to $869,900 and 19 listings pending contract. Due to work and time constraints, Frank Salerno resigned from the HOA Board of Directors after 10 years of service. In the past years, he has served as President, Secretary and active Board Member. The Board will miss his expertise and knowledge. In his place, the Board has appointed Ray Page to fill this vacancy. Ray is a longtime resident of Wedgewood and currently serves as the Wedgewood President. The Homeowners Association will hold its election of Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting in April. If you have an interest or know someone who would make a great Board Member, please contact Heather Updike at updikeh@aol. com prior to February 1st. The food drive continues and any nonperishable food donations are appreciated and can be dropped off at the HOA office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walden Lake Golf & Country Club wants to thank everyone for their success in 2011. Currently, there are Ladies Clinics on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., and Junior Clinics on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.. You can sign up ahead of time to be sure you can join in or you can sign up the day of the clinic. Dinners in the main dining room are on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays, and the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month. A full calendar of events is posted on the website, www.waldenlakegolf.com. Come out and see all the improvements.

Your Walden Lake Specialists

Angel Miller Cathy Martin Natalie Sweet Natalie Sweet Angel Miller Angel Miller Cathy Martin Natalie Sweet 813-376-0891 813-546-9863 813-758-9586 REALTOR®

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EASY TOWNHOME LIVING

STEP INTO LUXURY

LOVELY WALDEN LAKE POOL HOME

COUNTRY LIVING IN THE CITY

Live the easy life in this 3 bedroom townhome featuring beautiful kitchen, 2 1/2 baths, 1649 sq’ living area and so much more. It’s a short sale at $79,900. Call to take your tour today!

Glass doors open into the grand foyer of this elegant custom home. Oversized dining room. Florida room directly off the huge great room w/ gas fireplace. Media room complete w/ built in speaker system & bar. This home has it all and on over 1 acre. $559,000

Great 4 BR/3BA/3CG home w/ office/den. Features solar hot water, energy efficient thermostat & extra insulation blown in contribute to very low electric bills for this home. Sitting room in master bedroom, solar heated pool. $269,900

Lush Landscaping frames this beautiful home on 3/4 Acre. 3 Bedroom, 2 1/2 Bath, Family Room w/fireplace, loft that overlooks the family room, large screened pool and huge fenced yard. $199,900

GOLF COURSE HOME

WALDEN LAKE WONDERFUL

RANCH STYLE COUNTRY LIVING

WALDEN OAKS AFFORDABLE!

As you enter through the glass doors you will notice the love & care this home has had. Quality remodeled kitchen w/Alder wood cabinets, huge lanai w/large bar, pavers, & beautiful pool w/a great view. $239,900

4 Bedroom 2 Bath home in the Spring Meadow neighborhood of Walden Lake. Featuring a living/dining room, real wood floors, and huge fenced back yard. A must see at only $142,500

Bring the horses & other livestock! Looking for peace and quiet? 8.3 A with Key West style home, metal roof & wrap around porch surrounded by beautiful oak trees. 24X48 Barn/Wkshop & fenced. $279,900

You will love the easy living in this 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath home w/updated Kitchen, new AC in 2010 and more. Enjoy the patio setting with built in spa, and screened lanai. Priced at an affordable $119,900.

Inventory Homes Available Janurary 2012

New homes from the $160s

Fabulous ﬂoorplans Energy Savings Features

Sanctuary $197,990

3 Bedroom • 2 Bath • 3 Car Garage 2017 sq’ living area + 684 sq’ bonus space

Pinnacle $189,390

3 Bedroom • 2 Bath • 3 Car Garage 1936 sq’ living area + 713 sq’ bonus space

Walden Pointe FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

REAL ESTATE » MORTGAGE

MORTGAGE RATES AND HOW THEY ARE DETERMINED B

SUBMITTED BY: NATE DAVIS

JUST IN

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

Located Between Lakeland and Plant City

credit, down payments, etc) and also shopping for their mortgage as there can be drastic differences in overhead thru various lending platforms (bank/lender/ credit union/mortgage company). Mortgage Backed Securities Coupon Rates Independent Mortgage Companies and (The interest rate market) Brokers align themselves with a number Plus of various lenders who provide loans to the publics via the “wholesale” channel. Lending Institution overhead/costs to The benefit to the lender is that they can market and originate a loan to the public get their money to the public with the Plus least overhead, since they only pay the originating mortgage company a fee when Any product rate adjustments for misc a loan is delivered. features (credit score, equity, etc) Mortgage companies are able to pass this = Final Rate to the consumer costs savings on the borrower via a lower rate or lower costs. The mortgage company When you hear that rates have improved is paid a fee from the lender when or worsened, this means that the Mortgage the loan is issued similar to how a car Backed Securities have changed. The insurance agent shops for insurance rates portion of the equation where a consumer for their customer, yet the customer does can really benefit is through proper not pay them a separate invoice. mortgage planning to ensure any product rate adjustments are minimal (improving elow is a simple formula that illustrates how the end user mortgage interest rate is determined.

APARTMENTS FOR THE ELDERLY One bedroom Apartments â&#x20AC;˘ Rent based on income

Plant City Towers 103 W. Mahoney St. Plant City, FL 33563 813.752.5116

Plant City Living Center 405 E. Damon St Plant City, FL 33563 813.659.2669

Applications available at each location

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

Lorraine Ben Bennett YOUR Plant City Realtor

New Look... 8 ACRES

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BIGGER IS BETTER… 6 BIG Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 4048 Sq Ft Home on 8 Acres in North East Plant City. Built in 2005. Open Floor Plan. Completely Tiled. Gorgeous Kitchen. Fireplace. Screened Porch. Metal Roof. Small Barn and Pole Barn. Large Screened Patio. Greenbelted. $460,000

ES 1.6 ACR

WALDEN LAKE: 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Pool Home with 1801 Sq Ft on Large Corner Lot. Upgraded Kitchen with Granite Counters and Stainless Steel Appliances. Fireplace. Short Sale. Home Needs New Roof and Other Repairs. $137,500.

1 ACRE

NEW CONSTRUCTION… 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 3 Car Garage Home. Almost 3,000 Sq Ft. Just Completed. Granite Counters. 42” Cabinets. Stainless Steel Appliances. Beautiful 18” Tile throughout except Bedrooms. Very Open Floor Plan with 3-Way Split. Triple Sliders. Wonderful Neighborhood of Executive Style Homes. Builder will pay Closing Costs! $269,000

NEW CONSTRUCTION… 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 3 Car Garage Home. Almost 2,600 Sq Ft. Just Completed. Granite Counters. 42” Cabinets. Stainless Steel Appliances. Beautiful 18” Tile throughout except Bedrooms. Very Open Floor Plan with 4-Way Split. Triple Sliders. Wonderful Neighborhood of Executive Style Homes. Builder will pay Closing Costs! $249,000

Same Great Service!

(813) 716-3997 70

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

SANCHEZ DERMATOLOGY WHAT EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VISITING THE DERMATOLOGIST Often times when patients are sent to specialist physician practices, they will only see a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant, and may not even realize they did not see the actual doctor. At Sanchez Dermatology, every patient that comes through our doors will see Dr. Sanchez, not just a P.A. or N.P. There is valuable information specialist physicians learn during their extensive education that you and your insurance company are paying for. When you need a dermatologist, come see a dermatologist.

NOW OFFERING COSMETIC PROCEDURES.

Fitzgeraldo Sanchez, M.D.

Have skin related questions you’d like answered? Contact Dr. Sanchez himself at:

HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY 10th Birthday Celebration

Saturday, February 18 10:00am-4:00pm at the Plant City YMCA • FREE TO THE COMMUNITY • The whole family will enjoy face painting, family games, bounce houses, food, music, FUN • Plus, you can join the Plant City Y for free! No join fee from February 17-19.

Strengthening Our Community 10 Years Strong!

PLANT CITY FAMILY YMCA • 1507 YMCA Place • Plant City, FL 33563 • 813.757.6677 • www.tampaymca.org FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

SPORTS » MARTIAL ARTS gymnastics, and the youngest Aubrey is five. Welbon has strategically provided a club that is unique. “The thing that makes us different is that we emphasize a family atmosphere where we try to care for one another. Our core value is God. I really believe what really drives our business, even in the hard times, is our emphasis on God. Every day before class we pray, we have Bible verses that we memorize, and we give glory to Him everyday.”

Photo Courtesy of Chris Welbon

AT A CROSSROAD IN HIS LIFE CHRIS WELBON PUTS ALL OF HIS EFFORTS INTO KARATE “I WRITTEN BY: JOE BOWLES

didn’t pick Plant City,” said Karate instructor Chris Welbon, “Plant City picked me. I grew up in Brandon and I live in Dade City. So, it doesn’t make sense that I would start a business in Plant City. But, when I tried other areas, it just didn’t work. I tried South Tampa and I tried Lakeland, but nothing really worked out. Every time I did something in Plant City, however, it worked and so everything just sort of fell into place. That’s why I’m here.”

Chris Welbon Karate Clubs is now a popular martial arts academy with more than 175 students from the ages of four to sixty-four who take weekly classes to they progress at their own pace. They learn self-defense skills, self-discipline, and confidence while relieving stress. They also work at making the mind and body strong as they exercise, spar and compete in Shotokan Karate. Shotokan is a style of Karate for which training is divided into three parts: kihon (basics), kata (forms or patterns of moves), and kumite (sparring). When Chris Welbon started in martial arts at the age of eight, he initially was

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

trained in Tae-Kwon-Do. By the time he was 16, he had earned his black belt. Welbon continued to train and eventually transitioned to Karate, where he earned another black belt. In high school, he became an instructor but was still heavily involved in competing. He was a member of the United States Karate team and won a couple of medals at the World Karate Championships in 1998. Following high school, Welbon attended Hillsborough Community College. After graduation, he came to a crossroad in his life.

“I had plans to become a physical therapist, but I really enjoyed Karate. So, I decided to try to make a living at it. I theorized that if I didn’t make it, I could always go back to college later. It was then that I decided to put all my efforts into Karate. Since then I’ve had a lot of help. My wife has been a tremendous blessing and a great partner working behind the scenes in my business.” Chris has been married to his wife Carmen for 15 years. They have two daughters. The oldest, Olivia (9) has an orange belt and is also involved in

Photo Courtesy of Chris Welbon

To those who say that Martial Arts has its roots in Eastern religions and philosophies, Welbon counters, “We’ve removed all of the Eastern religious philosophies but have kept the art, the techniques, and the skills. We have inserted Christian beliefs in place of the Eastern beliefs. The key is that regardless of the belief system behind the sport, a person can perform the sport in an acceptable way, keeping their heart and body strong with the full training that it takes to succeed. God has given us the ability to do something good. I believe that we are doing that everyday.” For more information, go to www. PlantCityKarate.com or call 813-7529800.

CHANGING PLANT CITY’S OIL SINCE 1988

February signiﬁes a time of love, warmth and friendship. Valentine’s Day gives us an opportunity to reﬂect on how meaningful our relationships are, and to appreciate those we love.

Give your sweethearts something special…. Give the gift of relaxation…. Give the gift of pampering… Gift Cards Available

Free $5 Gift Card w/any gift card purchase of $50 or more.

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Specializing in the servicing and repair of automatic and standard transmissions. We also perform expert repairs on your vehicle such as: brakes, ac, front end, oil leaks and many other repairs.

Come see Chris and he will address any of your automotive needs.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

SPORTS » ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

WRITTEN BY: JOE BOWLES

JESSICA MCCLERNAN J essica McClernan’s life became complicated at the age of 10 when her father, Tom, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Within two months, he was gone. Initially, times were rough for Jessica and her mother Barbara, and the pain is still there, but Jessica was able to help cope with the help of a loving family and through her participation in sports. “After my dad died, I started playing soccer in a league at the Turkey Creek Recreation Center. They only had a few games but I really loved it from the start. I never really stuck with anything before. But I definitely stuck with soccer and I’ve been playing it ever since,” said McClernan. Following her introduction to soccer, Jessica played a year in the Plant City Recreation League and then joined the Plant City Lancers, a club team that plays a pretty competitive schedule. After three years with the Lancers, she hooked up with the Temple Terrace Spirit. The Spirit play in the Florida Youth Soccer Association and have moved from Division II to Division I after a successful season that resulted in a regional win and a state runner-up finish. Jessica, a 5’9” 135-lb. sophomore at Durant High School is the team’s goalkeeper and has been a solid force between the posts as the Cougars have captured 10 wins out of their first 13 games, with plenty of highlights for McClernan to cherish. “For me, the biggest game this year was our win against our rival Plant City. We haven’t beaten Plant City in a long time and we lost to them pretty bad last year. I played in the Plant City game last year

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

as a freshman, so it was good to beat them this year. We beat them 4-1.”

Jessica was recently named to Top Drawer Soccer’s’ National “Players to Watch List.” Top Drawer is the nations #1 college recruiting website. In June, she amassed 1079 consecutive shutout minutes and was named to Top Drawers National Team of the Month. She also was a first team all-tournament and all-league selection, with an invite to an all expense paid trip to Baltimore to participate in the Puma Women’s Premiere Camp.

“The top 60 girls in the nation were chosen to go to the Puma camp,” McClernan recalled. “It was a showcase for Division I colleges. It definitely was an awesome experience. We got to hang out with a few professional players. It was right after the World Cup, so they had a lot of World Cup stories to tell us. It was nerve racking but after I stepped on the field, my nerves calmed down. Most of the girls there were involved in the Olympic Developmental Program and they all knew one another, but I was the only one that didn’t know anybody. I haven’t tried out for that program yet, but I plan to this year.” If it’s not soccer or schoolwork (she’s an honor student), it’s flag football. As a freshman, she was Durant’s quarterback, setting records for the longest pass completion (70 yards) and the longest run from scrimmage (79 yards) on the way to being named the team MVP. Life may still be complicated for McClernan, but she is enjoying the ride. “Live life to the fullest and enjoy every minute” is Jessica’s motto. Today, every minute for her seems to be enjoyable and full. Just the way she likes it.

BAD BREATH {TIME TO HAVE A CLEANING?}

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS AND EBT NOW OPEN ON SUNDAYS 10-6

We wish you a very Happy New Year!

Plan ahead for Superbowl Cookouts and Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget Valentines Day February 14! Deer Processing Available call ahead SPECIAL CUTS for Ribeyes, T-bone,Porterhouse, Filet Mignon, New York Strip, ROAST CUTS- Pork Tenderloin, Beef Tenderloin, Sirloin, Prime Rib, Bottom Round, Boston Butt ALSO AVAILABLE: Pork Chops, Bacon, Sausage, Hamburger, Cubed Steak, Alligator, Rabbit, Goat, Black Canyon, Black Angus Jams, jellies, relishes, chicken, beefbrisket, fresh and frozen vegetables, deli meats and fresh Plant City strawberries.

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

SPORTS » KAZBOR’S BASEBALL TEAM OF THE MONTH 2212 James L. Redman Pkwy., (In the Publix Plaza) Plant City, FL (813) 752-2700 Daily specials include Tuesday night kids 12 and under eat free off the kids menu with the purchase of an adult meal. Thursday night is all you can eat wings

WRITTEN BY: JOE BOWLES | PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA BASEBALL HEAVEN In the second pool game, the Central Florida Legends took an early lead, but the Miracles came back late in the game with a bases clearing double by Emilio Rivera and scored the final three runs to secure the victory 6-5. With the exception of Rivera’s double, the Miracles played small-ball, stealing six bases, moving runners over, and pitching by committee as four hurlers (Hildago, Deyvon Terry, Ryan Davis, and Kris Clayton) had strong outings on the mound. Jacob Herbert, who threw out 65 % of potential base stealers during the tournament, was solid behind the plate. The first game of the championship round was highlighted by a double play and two outstanding defensive plays at second base from Hunter McKown as the Miracles combined 10 hits to go along with their fine defensive effort to defeat the Wesley Chapel Storm 7-3. Rivera took the win and Clayton closed out the game with two innings of relief.

Florida Baseball Heaven Miracles 12U Navy Blue: (Front Row: L to R) Ethan Higgins, Hunter McKown, Michael Pine, Addison Barger, Kris Clayton. (Back Row: L to R) Coach Sheldon Fulse, Ryan Davis, Dehreon Pressley, Emilio Rivera, Jamarcus Lyons, Jacob Herbert, Benji Hildago, Coach Steve McKown. (Not Pictured: Coach Mark Persails, Austin Eldridge, Sean Osceola, Dayvon Terry)

BASEBALL TEAM OF THE MONTH After the fall season of the Sunshine Sports AAU Baseball League, the Florida Baseball Heaven Miracles Navy Blue are in first place heading into the spring season in the 12-and-under age group, following their undefeated run through the Fall Slug-A-Rama tournament. Coached by Sheldon Fulse, Mark Persails and Steve McKown, the Miracles defeated all five opponents, claiming the championship trophy in their age group on October 24, 2011 following the weekend tourney held in Winter Haven, Florida.

at five different venues throughout Polk County in what has become one of the most competitive tournaments over the past decade.

Sunshine Sports, the largest youth sports league in the nation, brought together more than 100 teams in six age groups

This was the fourth tournament championship that the Miracles have claimed in their last five outings, and they

“We have some players who have real potential,” remarked Persails. “We started out with a team with a lot of raw ability that they have turned into talent. The young men have really worked hard and have gelled together as a team. The best thing about this team is their desire to discipline themselves to get better.”

have won each competition utilizing every aspect of the game. According to Persails, the Miracles have the power to outscore an opponent, as well as the defense and pitching to win close low-scoring affairs.

The semifinal game pitted the Miracles once again against the Central Florida Legends. This time, however, the Miracles jumped ahead early and plated eight runs before the end of the fourth inning on homeruns by Pressley, Lyons, and Terry. Eldridge, Pressley, and Lyons held the Legends to a single run in the 9-1 win.

In the final, the Miracles jumped out to a 6-1 lead only to see the Stampede come In the first of two pool games, the Miracles back to tie the game in the bottom of the utilized their power as they blasted five fifth inning 7-7. In the Miracles’ last at home runs against the Sunshine Black bat, Benji Hildago belted a solo homer for taking the victory by a score of 7-4. Benji an 8-7 lead and the Miracles held on as Hildago accounted for two of the roundPressley struck out a Stampede batter with trippers while Dehreon Pressley, Addison two outs and runners on second and third Barger, and Jamarcus Lyons hit one homer to preserve the win and the championship. each. Austin Eldridge picked up the win, Michael Pine earned the save in relief, and Ethan Higgins turned in a strong defensive effort. FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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t Women’s Care we continue to grow to meet the needs of the women in the community. Our Brandon location is open late on Tuesday evenings to help you tackle your hectic schedule. If you are ready for permanent contraception or you suffer from heavy periods, we provide in-office and minimally invasive surgery options, including daVinci® Robotic Surgery.

We offer FREE Pregnancy tests for women ages 18 and older at our Lithia, Plant City and Gibsonton locations. Vaccinations couldn’t be more convenient. We offer Flu, Hepatitis A& B, Tetanus and HPV (Human Papillomavirus), vaccinations at all four of our locations.

With all of our added conveniences for women, shouldn’t the new face at Women’s Care be yours? Se Habla Español

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

EXTRA » SENIOR OF THE MONTH

NICOLE PARMLEY SENIOR OF THE MONTH WRITTEN BY: JEREMY MINAYA

senior year. She has also been an active member of the Life is Good club, Best Buddies, Civinettes, and Executive Council, in which she served as class secretary her junior year. During her four years with the Civinettes, Parmley has participated in various service projects. These have included Relay for Life, food collections for the United Food Bank, the High Heel Hike for Autism, and the Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Center food distribution, as well as many other community events.

icole Parmley has dedicated her high school days to cheerleading, academics, and service. In those four years, this Plant City High School senior has proven to be a leader in both her school and community. With a 5.23 GPA, Nicole is currently ranked 28th in her class. This puts her in the top 7% of the senior class. Due to her overall excellence in academics, Parmley lettered in academics and was inducted into the National Honor Society. Nicole has been a member of the cheerleading squad since her sophomore year. In those three years, Parmley has lettered in cheerleading and has been a member of the competition team. As cocaptain this year, Nicole leads her squad through warm-ups, competitions, and games. Parmley has taken an active interest in clubs as well. She has been a member of the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) for four years and has served as secretary both her junior and

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

This past September, Nicole participated in the PCHS Booster Club’s 2012 Calendar Girl competition. She was a Calendar girl winner as Miss July. Since then, Parmley has represented both the Athletic Booster Club and PCHS at community events such as Lights of Love, the PCHS homecoming parade, and the Christmas parade. As a Calendar Girl, Nicole has been raising money by selling 2012 calendars to benefit the PCHS Booster Club. Nicole is a dedicated Christian as well. Since her freshman year, Parmley has been a member of Clair Mel’s First Assembly of God youth group. Exemplifying her stewardship, Nicole has volunteered at her church sorting and distributing food and supplies to families in need. Next fall, Nicole plans on pursuing a major in Elementary Education at either the University of Central Florida or the University of Florida. After earning her degree, Parmley hopes to become a second grade teacher. The humility learned from service and the leadership learned from cheering have prepared Nicole well for her future in teaching and in leading others.

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EXTRA Âť SENIOR OF THE MONTH

ADDISON KILLEBREW SENIOR OF THE MONTH WRITTEN BY: JEREMY MINAYA

member of Student Council his freshman and sophomore year and has been a member of Student Government Association his junior and senior year. He was vice president of his class freshman year and sophomore year and president in his junior year. That year he was also selected to attend a Young Leadership Conference held by the University of Florida. Academics are an important part of Addisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. Currently he ranks 8th in his class with a 5.8 GPA, which places Killebrew in the top 2% of the senior class. For academic achievement, Addison was inducted into the National Honor Society and the 1270 Club. He was also recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction for his excellence in passing various Advanced Placement course exams.

ddison Killebrew is known around school and the community for being a hardworking, driven leader. From academics to leadership, to sports as well, this Plant City High School senior is the prime example of a well-rounded student. Since his freshman year, Addison has been a member of the Junior Civitan Service club and the Best Buddies Club. Killebrew currently serves as treasurer of Jr. Civitan and Vice President of Best Buddies. He also served as treasurer of Best Buddies last year. Through these clubs, Addison has done volunteer work in Special Olympics, Relay for Life, the Boys and Girls Club and the United Food Bank. Addison has also taken an active role in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) where he served on the Board of Directors last year. He is also a member of the Life is Good Club, and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). Killebrew has represented his class various times throughout high school. He was a

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Killebrew has participated in a variety of sports throughout high school. As a freshman he played football. Last year, he brought back an old tradition by joining the varsity cheerleading squad. Addison was the first male cheerleader at PCHS since 1987. His hard work was rewarded with a school letter in both varsity football and cheerleading. Currently he plays varsity soccer on the undefeated team that is expected to do very well at districts and state competitions this year. On top of schoolwork and his many extracurricular activities, Addison also manages to hold down a part time job. Last year he worked for the school, recording scores and statistics for sporting events. He currently works as a sales associate at Old Navy. In the future, Addison plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Florida. The experiences Addison has faced during high school have taught him morals, leadership, and a confidence that will serve him well throughout life.

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EXTRA » AL REUCHEL brains may not allow us to in order to protect itself. And the thesis here is that overloading, that information maelstrom, may be creating genuine mental health issues that could surface in the near and far future. Let me rephrase that. Multi-tasking may be a cool buzz word in the work world when we are all trying to do more with less, thanks to technology, but multitasking isn’t the way our brains like to work. We do have the robotic portion of our brains that is very good at repeating tasks, but we also have the creative side that looks at each task and tries to develop new ways of handling the load. When that portion of our thinking process is overloaded with repetitive motion, it brings on all the anxiety, the depression, etc. We don’t just feel like we are being overworked….we actually are. Here’s the scary part. Everyone is afraid to say.. enough is enough. This is the way it is and will always be. Information overload is a joke. Go home and get some rest. Maybe that is the solution. But if the researchers are correct, we could be in deeper waters than we thought. The blessings of technology could become a curse hidden by our desire to try and do it all….when we were never meant to!

INFORMATION OVERLOAD IS REAL!!! H WRITTEN BY: AL REUCHEL

ave you noticed a theme in some of my writings over the past couple of years? I love technology, but there are a lot of dangers that are surfacing themselves in the last several months.

No, it’s not just about companies having their files stolen or broken into or hacked. You’ve got to expect that enough bad people out there in the world are going to find a way to steal information. And since we all have credit cards, somebody has a file with our names, addresses, social security numbers, and other personal information stored

JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

somewhere. Unless you literally live under when you change operating systems or a rock there are files about you out there in upgrade? What happens when four the cloud. employees are cut to two because with technology you can do so much more? The problems I am talking about are And then the two cut to one with the getting a lot more attention in the medical same expectations? world. Worker exhaustion, inability to concentrate, heightened anxiety, feelings of Leading research institutions are dealing desperation, and actual psychoses brought with those very questions. And so far on by asking our brains to do much more they’ve found that our brains may be able than they were designed to handle. to handle the actual work, but in order to accomplish those tasks it literally shuts Computers have been such a blessing and down portions of the brain and tries to partition itself so left-brain and rightcell phones such a part of our lives that brain functions don’t conflict. The end we scarcely imagine there could be any downside. But ask yourself this? What result is a tremendous lack of focus, not happens when the computers go down, because we can’t focus, but because our

“...they’ve found that our brains may be able to handle the actual work, but in order to accomplish those tasks it literally shuts down portions of the brain and tries to partition itself so left-brain and rightbrain functions don’t conflict. ”

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EXTRA » DEREK MAUL hanging on for dear life, stuffing their imagination in a sock and shoving it under the bed, forgetting that their lack of vision pretty much guarantees the negative result they can only avoid if they actually risk doing something.

NO NEED TO HIDE:

There’s a Bible parable that speaks to this (Matthew 25:14-30). Jesus told a story about a guy who buried his master’s investment in the dirt. He buried it because he was afraid, so he made sure the principal remained intact. But most of all he did it because he didn’t understand that the treasure wasn’t so much the gold as what could be done with it. The treasure wasn’t so much the gold as what could be done with it. The parable offers a disturbing conclusion. The “master” is over-the-top angry, the punishment seems disproportionate to the event, and the story sometimes gets lost in the aftermath.

PUTTING OUR PRINCIPALS/ A LETTER TO PRINCIPLES TO WORK: CORPORATE AMERICA L WRITTEN BY: DEREK MAUL

et’s start by getting our definitions in order. “Principle” means a fundamental truth that serves as the foundation for a system of belief. “Principal,” on the other hand, is an initial or foundational investment. Recently, I’ve enjoyed some really great conversations around the topic of corporate culture. Yes, I know, that sounds like a boring direction for dinner dialog, and far out-ofsync with my writing theme of “LifeCharged Life.” But it’s not. Corporate dynamics are neither boring nor irrelevant to my thinking, not by a long shot.

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In fact, if there’s any area of North American culture that’s ripe for the introduction of life-charged principles, then it’s the world of business and commerce.

Bottom line, if your motivation in business is to see things “return to normal,” then you can’t embrace any kind of legitimate vision - because all you’re doing is looking in the rearview mirror. If that describes you, then the “MO” in your modus operandi really stands for “Missed Opportunity!”

ARE WE SERIOUS?

Good grief, America, isn’t it time to grasp the fact that re-mounting “The horse we rode in on” is a lot like sitting in the penthouse of your corporate HQ after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake, and holding onto your money with both fists while waiting for the next series of after-shocks to finally reduce your future to a pile of rubble?

But I think it’s a deliberate story-telling ploy by the Great Teacher. Nothing pushes God’s buttons like the crime of squandered opportunity. Seriously, folks - and you have to understand this even if faith and religion mean nothing to you at all - the characteristic that makes us the most alive is our creativity.

CREATIVE PASSION:

No matter how you slice it, life without creativity and passion is no life at all. And one of the last places we need to put our passion on hold is the workplace. America didn’t get to be America by people getting off the boat and burying their gold in the dirt, afraid of loss. The loss occurs the moment the talent is buried - because (and Jesus was all about this) the greatest loss is not the gold but the invention, the imagination, the creativity, the spirit....

When what you really should be doing is erecting a brand-new structure.

The greatest loss is: • The invention • The imagination • The creativity • The spirit...

Fear immobilizes; that’s what the word petrified implies. Fear of failure leads to the sorry specter of corporate executives

So, when the guy put the principal in the ground to just sit there, what he had really done was to bury the principle instead. Are we even listening...?

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EXTRA » ARTIST OF THE MONTH

ARTIST MARCHES TO THE BEAT OF HIS OWN DRUM S

WRITTEN BY: HEATHER DAVIS

ometimes in life things may not always appear as they seem. Hard edges may actually be soft and soft edges may actually be hard. Life can be full of surprises.

Dan Brawley is one such artist who paints from his heart and soul creating a canvas of surprise and wonder. I first met Dan as he attended my yoga classes wearing shorts with fresh streaks of paint. What I did not know about this gentle yoga-practicing artist was that he previously was a trial attorney for criminal cases. Over the course of his career Dan tried more than 200 jury trials, 20 of which were first-degree murder cases including 15 defendants who were on death row. All of this work experience results from someone who openly admits to not liking confrontation.

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It can be said that Dan found a place of peace and rest from the pressures of his career through his painting. As a selftaught artist, Dan paints only for himself - marching to the beat of his own drum. He does not allow thoughts of what other people may think to influence his work. Using canvas, a knife, and oil paints, Dan approaches each painting with intensity, laying down the paint in layer upon layer. Each monochromatic painting takes a certain discipline, both in the process and in knowing when to complete the last stroke. Although Dan spends a very long time contemplating before starting, he never has an idea as to how the paintings will actually turn out. As the famous painter Edward Hopper phrased it, “I can never paint what I set out to paint.” As an artist Dan has had the opportunity to participate in a few one man art shows and admits that although some people

understand and appreciate his work – some people do not get it. His work has been approached by blank stares while eyes scan the wall looking for something that can be dealt with.

Dan’s paintings represent a certain type of crudeness. They are not mannered, pretty, or slick, and above all they are not phony. They represent life as it is - full of surprises.

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

EXTRA » AUTO REVIEW

RX-8 CONTINUES WITH MORE OF THE SAME SLIGHT STYLING CHANGES WRAP UP THE CURRENT MODEL M SUBMITTED BY: BRIAN WEST

azada may not have a large portion of the auto industry, but their product offerings are sound – especially those that are performance based. The RX-8 delivers.

The RX-8 is the flagship sports car for Mazda. It began in the 1980s as the RX7. The 7 ran its course, and several years ago evolved into the car we see today, the RX-8. The biggest difference between the two, aside from the typical evolution you expect with sports cars, was the addition of two suicide doors allowing easier access to a rear seat. This places more emphasis on the RX-8 being more than a two-seater sports car, but it really is. Although there is a rear seat, it’s very small. Unless you have younger children, it’s just not very practical for use for additional passengers.

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On the exterior, the RX-8 definitely has a look of its own. Its lines are distinctive with a slight rise from front to back providing a low wedge, and covered by what could be defined as a stylish bubble or dome. Its simple, but it works. The wheel wells are highly defined, and the narrowing from the side panels to the hood makes them over emphasized in the front. All in all, the exterior styling works, but it isn’t as exciting as it could be.

The interior is better. Mazda does a good job of placing each of the controls where you would naturally want them. The gauges are bright and easy to read. Seating for the driver and front seat passenger is comfortable, but taller occupants will find it a bit of a chore to climb in and out of the low seating.

Under the hood, the RX-8 does well to show off the rotary engine that made Mazda famous. This rotary engine provides more horsepower per square inch than any piston engine on the market today. The RX-8 comes in three different trim levels: Sport, Grand Touring and R3. All are available with the same 232hp engine, but you’ll lose 20hp by going to an automatic, instead of the standard 6-speed manual. Either engine will delight, but if you can do it, I’d really suggest sticking with the 6-speed manual. The performance is great, and its just much more fun to drive.

The transmission is smooth and the engine really responds well. Zero-to-60 takes about 7 seconds, which is considerably slower than the V-6 Mustang coupe. Mazda designers want to move from the

current 1.3L to a 1.6L, which could have a significant impact on its performance as a sports car, but with such emphasis these days on fuel economy, it may be tough sell to the Mazda brass. If you’re interested in an RX-8, you’ll likely be pleased with this version, but it may be worth waiting to see next year’s model. The current body style has been in place since 2003 and it’s rumored to change next year.

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FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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ENTERTAINMENT » RED ROSE guests that the Red Rose Staff enjoys their work. The fifth course served by the well trained wait staff was a dessert of chocolate soufflé with raspberry sauce, whipped cream, sliced strawberries and blueberries. It was the perfect ending to the gourmet meal.

Guests at the Red Rose New Year’s Eve Gala enjoy dancing to the Platters.

MRS. EVELYN MADONIA AND THE BRING IN THE YEAR 2012 WITH FIRST RED ROSE STAFF CLASS DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT M WRITTEN BY: SHERRIE MUELLER

Riccardo Ciabatti worked months in advance to plan the perfect menu. The first course was a Seafood Trio appetizer. This dish consisted of chilled shrimp cocktail, Ahi Tuna and a hot crab cake. Ron Daniel, who grew up on the eastern shore of Maryland commented, “This crab cake tastes as delicious as any I have Smartly dressed hostesses escorted arriving had in Maryland and they are known guests to their tables, where especially to be the best!” As guests began dining, attractive centerpieces contained New the music of the evening began. In the Year’s crowns for the ladies and top hats Ballroom, Destiny opened the evening for the gentlemen. Of course, party horns with wonderful background music. were included in the arrangements. To the guests delight, individual ice buckets The second course was Tomato Bisque. on each table contained a bottle of chilled This signature soup is a special tribute champagne for each couple. to the industry in which the Madonia family is a leader . . .Tomatoes! Batista Both venues were decorated regally with and Evelyn Madonia are the President and rich colors. Balloon sculptures with light Vice President, respectively, of East Coast displays decorated the entrance and stage Brokers and Packers, Inc, a tomato grower areas. The Ballroom was decorated with and packing company. gold, red and black while the Dining Room was decked out in royal blue, purple The third course was a crisp Classic Caesar and black. Jennifer White, Director of Salad with homemade Caesar Dressing. Sales, Kelley Grice, Ballroom Manager Guests were given a choice of Entrées and David Rodas, Dining Room Manager including Stuffed Breast of Chicken, Filet greeted guests and ensured that all details of Salmon and Grilled Tenderloin. The for a spectacular evening were in place. tender breast of chicken was stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and sundried tomatoes, Mrs. Madonia and Executive Chef rs. Evelyn Madonia has done it again! The Red Rose Dining Room and Ballroom were filled with guests celebrating the end of a great year with anticipation of the beginning of the Year 2012.

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served with white wine and sage butter sauce. The fresh fillet of salmon was baked with shrimp and asparagus and served with a white wine cream sauce. The grilled tenderloin was a center-cut filet topped with wild mushroom Madera wine sauce. All the guests raved about their personal selection of entrée.

The evening’s entertainment continued to exceed expectations. Next on the stage were the 1950s World Famous Platters. This group of five opened with one of their smash hits, “Only You.” They followed the theme “Re-Live the Romance” by performing hits such as “Stand By Me,” “Smoke Gets in your Eyes” and “The Great Pretender.” The Platters had 35 “Top 10” hits over their 50 years of entertaining. Tarri Frye who was dining at the Red Rose for the first time exclaimed, “Being here makes me feel young again! The meal was incredible . . .I Love music and I love dancing. This is the perfect place to come for New Years Eve!” Next to take the stage was the Legacy of the Temptations. This five member group brought energy to the stage as they performed top hits of the Temptations with choreographed moves to every song. One personal favorite of many was their rendition of “Silent Night.” It gave a sense of peace to all in the holiday spirit of celebration. They brought the crowd to their feet with the Temptations’ first #1 hit, “My Girl,” which was recorded in 1964.

Again, going over the top, The Red Rose Ballroom brought Time Square New York to the Ballroom. On the three screens in the ballroom guests watched and did the As Destiny left the stage, The Las Vegas countdown to the New Year with millions Sounds took center stage in the Ballroom of others around the United States. The and entertained the guests with nostalgic Legacy of the Temptations helped lead hits. A special guest performer, Ken Brady, the countdown and the celebration of formerly of the Casinos, joined this group “Happy New Year!” As dancers on the on stage and wowed the crowd. Mr. Brady packed dance floor celebrated, countless livened the evening with a hit from the balloons dropped from the ceiling onto the Drifters “Under the Boardwalk.” He had celebrating, happy crowd. the audience dancing and singing along. The evening was warm, friendly, and happy! Garrett Fussell, a member of the wait staff has been with the Red Rose Staff for almost a year. He has worked with chain family restaurants. He said, “The atmosphere at the Red Rose among the staff is different than at other places. There is closeness among the staff and we really enjoy one another and like to get together even when we are not working. Our staff is more like a family.” It is evident to the

Don’t be left out of the next event hosted by the Red Rose Dining Room. A calendar of entertainment can be found on the website at www.redroseinnandsuites. com The Red Rose is located off I-4 Exit 21 in Plant City. Call 813-752-3141 for reservations. Evelyn and Batista Madonia wish all a very Happy, Healthful and Prosperous New Year!

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ENTERTAINMENT » DINING PROFILE

CRITICAL INFO 1902 W REYNOLDS PLANT CITY, FL 33563-4742 PHONE: 813-752-2236

DAIRY QUEEN D airy Queen is a nationwide franchise that has been a part of American culture since the pre-WWII era. Americans are in love with the softserve ice cream chain, and at this time approximately 5,700 locations are open throughout the country.

Since there are so many eateries in so many different towns, it is easy to take something like a Dairy Queen for granted. But Plant City is home to a very special and historical location. Don’t believe me? Just stop by the store on a balmy, dead-of-winter evening (thank you Florida weather!) like we did and ask the folks who come around here — whether they be behind or in front of the counter. It’s guaranteed that everyone will have some special memories tied to this location. Plant City’s DQ was first opened in the early ‘60s by the current owner Lizzette Sarria’s grandfather. The store was passed down to her father Gil Gill in the ‘80s and then to her five years ago. Sarria jokes, “I guess you could say ice cream was in my blood.”

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A LONG-TIME PLANT CITY FAVORITE WRITTEN BY: AMANDA MOLINARO

Longtime PCDQ customer and loyal community patron Nancy Dickson remembers the set of bright red stairs that led up to the service counter in the old days, as well as the fountain next to the store. Cassie, a current employee, also remembers those stairs from her childhood and happily points out a small, preserved chunk of the stairs next to the counter. Pictures of days gone by line the walls around the dining areas: people leaning on their ‘60s Chevys, looking as cool as the ice cream, or the families gathered ‘round the red stairs for a special treat give this Dairy Queen a feeling of being deeply seeded in the Plant City community. It is indeed refreshing to find a chain restaurant with such personality. Today, the PCDQ serves the same treats for which the company has long been famous. They offer two types of soft-serve ice cream — vanilla and chocolate, of course — with their aesthetically pleasing rounded dollop shape in a cake cone for those who are looking for a simple pleasure. Not to be overlooked are the many different types of the signature Blizzard

treats they offer. The Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard is the specialty flavor DQ is promoting. This blend of vanilla soft-serve, strawberry syrup, and tiny chunks of cheese cake is a real treat. Then there are the classics, the Oreo and the M&M Blizzard. The good news for customers is that the treats remain extremely customizable; if you can dream it (and they have the ingredients) they can blizzard-tize it. Other popular items are the soft-serve banana splits that feature three different types of syrups - chocolate, strawberry, and pineapple; waffle-bowl sundaes

HOURS OF OPERATION: MONDAY - THURSDAY:V 11:00 AM TO 10:00 PM FRIDAY - SATURDAY: 11:00 AM TO 10:30 PM SUNDAY: NOON TO 10:00 PM with whipped cream; milk shakes; coffee “MooLattés”; Dilly bars and sandwiches; and made-to-order ice cream cakes. Of course, any of these menu items can be chocolate dipped if you desire! Perhaps the most unexpected thing on the PCDQ menu is their delicious, pressed Cuban sandwich, which counts Nancy Dickson and many other locals as fans. Come in today to take a trip down memory lane or to just get a taste of the old familiar standbys that Plant City has been enjoying for generations.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT

ASIAN CHEN CHINESE BUFFET

resh specialties, top chefs, and great prices are what you can expect at The Asian Chen Restaurant located in the Thonotosassa Publix shopping area. Find out why customers are raving about this new fine dining establishment. Monday-Thursday 10:30am-10pm. FridaySaturday 10:30am-11pm: Sunday 11:30am-10pm. Seniors receive a complimentary beverage with their meal and party trays are available.

2609 THONOTOSASSA RD. PLANT CITY, FL 33563 813-757-9888

LUNCH $ 5.75 • DINNER $6.95 • SENIORS GET FREE DRINK DINNING ORDER FROM MENU SALAD BAR FOR FREE.

CHILI’S

hili’s has been spicing things up since 1975. There is something for everyones taste. From sizzling chicken or beef fajitas, fired grilled classic burgers or the new honey chipotle baby back ribs that are slow smoked over pecan wood so they’re “fall-off-the-bone” tender with a bold new honey-chipotle flavor that’s impossible to resist. Call in or come in, your always welcome at Chili’s.

3001 JAMES L REDMAN PARKWAY PLANT CITY, FL 33566 813-764-8548 • WWW.CHILIS.COM

COWBOY’S SALOON AND STEAKHOUSE

owboys Steakhouse and Saloon features a restaurant for meat-loving southerners to enjoy southern cooking and a connected saloon to line dance in afterwards. Inside everything is wooden from the floors to ceiling. Come in and enjoy juicy steaks,but don’t forget about our fresh baked sour-dough bread, and other appetizers and entrees that are sure to make your mouth water.

106 STATE ROAD 60 E. PLANT CITY, FL 33567-9253 813- 650-8888

MI CASA

i Casa Mexican Restaurant is a family-owned restaurant dedicated to serving the finest foods and atmosphere of Mexico and the Southwest. We serve lunch and dinner, and proudly feature Fajitas, Enchiladas, Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Chiles Rellenos and Chimichangas, as well as other specialties of the house. In addition, we offer a wide variety of margaritas, beer and drinks to accompany your favorite meal. And best of all, at prices that are affordable to almost anyone. We’ve been voted Best Mexican by the Focus RCA awards five years in a row!

2613 THONOTOSASSA RD PLANT CITY, FL 813-752-0057• WWW.MICASAMEX.COM FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

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» DINING GUIDE

FIND DEALS ONLINE AT MYFOCUSCOUPONS.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT

OLDE TOWN PIZZERIA

f you love deep-dish pizza, Olde Town Pizzeria is the only place around to find it. The cheesy Chicago-style pizza is a popular item on the menu, as well as the Award Winning Strawberry Walnut Salad and thin crust pizzas. In addition, they have an array of delicious pastas, salads and sandwiches to satisfy all taste buds. This family owned and operated restaurant is a Plant City favorite for those who love high quality food and friendly service.

3011 JAMES L REDMAN PARKWAY PLANT CITY, FL 33566 (813) 752-5800 • WWW.OLDETOWNPIZZERIA.COM

PLANT CITY HOMETOWN BUFFET

lant City Hometown Buffet is a family owned and operated business started by Elaine Vo, a resident of Plant City for the last 24 years. They offer a wide variety of items spanning the five buffet bars, including seafood and steak. There is certainly something to fit every taste preference, especially if you’re looking for seafood with their catfish, stuffed crab, buttered shrimp and much, much, more.

1914 JAMES L REDMAN PARKWAY PLANT CITY, FL 33563 813-754-4488

THE RED ROSE DINING ROOM

he Red Rose Dining Room is the only 5-star rated restaurant in Plant City. Mrs. Evelyn Madonia invites you to help her welcome back Executive Chef Riccardo Ciabatti! Enjoy an elegant setting and beautiful atmosphere for lunch or dinner. On Tuesday night we have a “Southern Buffet”, and on Wednesday night it’s “Seafood Buffet”! On the weekends you can catch fabulous entertainment (visit the website for upcoming shows).

2011 N WHEELER ST PLANT CITY, FL 33563 813-752-3141 • WWW.REDROSEINNANDSUITES.COM

ZAXBY’S

axby’s offers its guests indescribably good prepared-at-order Chicken Fingerz, Jumbo Buffalo Wings, sandwiches, Zalads, Zappetizers and milkshakes along with a variety of sauces.

Zaxby’s also offers Party Platterz and catering which are perfect for any size event. Visit Zaxby’s location in Plant City at 2901 1/2 James Redman Pkwy. to find out for yourself how delicious and flavorful Zaxby’s is.

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2901 1/2 JAMES REDMAN PKWY. PLANT CITY, FL 33564 (813) 752-1971 • WWW.ZAXBYS.COM

Jade’a Alandis Broome 2012 Junior Royalty Princess

Our Home Grown Princess We are so proud of you Daddy Bae, Momma, AJ and Johni

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

NOMINATED BEST ASIAN

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

CUBAN SANDWICH DRINK AND CHIPS ON LY

$3.99

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

NOMINATED BEST MILKSHAKE CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

NOMINATED BEST BBQ

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

813.752.2236 1902 W REYNOLDS ST. FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

105

FOCUS » CLASSIFIEDS MISCELLANEOUS Are you Suffering from Diabetes? Earn up to $500 by participating in a research study. Call Now to see if you Qualify 877-372-2805.

Abortion Not an Option? Consider Adoption. It’s a Wonderful Choice for an Unplanned Pregnancy. Living/Medical Expenses Paid. Loving, Financially Secure Families Await. 1-877-341-1309 Atty Ellen Kaplan (#0875228)

Adopt - Art classes to Zoo trips, Everything AT&T U-Verse for just $29.99/mo! SAVE when in between, 1st baby will be our King/Queen. you bundle Internet+Phone+TV and get up to Dave & Robin. FL Bar42311. 1-800-552-0045. $300 BACK! (select plans). Limited Time Call Expenses paid. NOW! 877-265-1754 ADOPTION GIVE YOUR BABY THE DIRECTV Holiday Special! Pkgs Start: $29.99/ BEST IN LIFE! Many Kind, Loving, mo+Qualifying pkgs: FREE HBO | Showtime | Educated & Financially Secure Couples Starz | Cinemax for 3mos, FREE HD & FREE Waiting. Living & Medical Expenses Paid. HD DVR/3 HD Receiver upgrades! Ends Counseling & Transportation Provided. 2/8/12, Terms apply 1-888-420-9466 Former Birth Moms on Staff! FLORIDA ADOPTION LAW GROUP, P.A. Attorneys DISH Network. Starting at $19.99/month who truly care about you. Jodi Sue Rutstein, PLUS 30 Premium Movie Channels FREE for M.S.W., J.D. Mary Ann Scherer, R.N., 3 Months! SAVE! & Ask About SAME DAY J.D. Over 30 Combined Years of Adoption Installation! CALL - 888-418-9787 Experience. 1-800-852-0041 Confidential 24/7 (#133050&249025) CASH FOR CARS! We Buy ANY Car, Truck or Van! Running or ADOPTION 866-633-0397 Unplanned Not. Get a FREE Top Dollar INSTANT Offer Pregnancy? Provide your baby with a loving, NOW! 1-800-558-1097 We’re Local! financially secure family. Living/Medical/ Counseling expenses paid. Social worker on Every baby deserves a healthy start. Join more staff. Call compassionate attorney Lauren than a million people walking and raising money Feingold (FL Bar#0958107) 24/7 to support the March of Dimes. The walk starts at marchforbabies.org. ADOPTION 888-812-3678 All Expenses Paid. Choose a Loving, Financially Secure * REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL! * Get a family for your child 24 Hrs 7 Days Caring & 4-Room All-Digital Satellite system installed Confidential. Attorney Amy Hickman. (Lic. for Free and programming starting at $19.99/ #832340) mo. Free HD/DVR upgrade for new callers, Call Now. 1-800-795-7279 LAWSUIT CASH Auto Accident? All cases Qualify Get CASH SANLANDO GLASS Show, Sanford Civic before your case settles! Fast Approval. Low Center, 401 E. Seminole Ave. Sanford, FL. Sat. Fees. (866) 709-1100 or www.glofin.com 1-28 9am-5pm, Sun. 1-29 10am-4pm. Admission $4.50, $4.00 w/this ad Any laptop repaired just $79. Macs too. REALLY! FREE Fedex shipping! $69 extra SAVE on Cable TV-Internet-Digital Phone. for screen or motherboard replacement. CALL Packages start at $89.99/mo (for 12 months.) Authorized Laptop Repair Specialists 888-485Options from ALL major service providers. Call 3858 Acceller today to learn more! CALL 1-888-9032647 ARE YOU PREGNANT? A Childless Married Couple Seeks to Adopt! Large Extended Family. SWIM SPA LOADED! Brand New with Financial Security. Expenses Paid. Theresa and Warranty, 3 Pumps, LED lighting, Ozone Steve 1-877-801-7256 (FL Bar # 0150789) Deluxe Cover, maintenance free cabinet. Retails for $18,900. Sacrifice $8995. Can deliver. 727*DIVORCE* BANKRUPTCY Starting at $65 851-3217 *1 Signature Divorce *Missing Spouse Divorce “We Come to you!” 1-888-705-7221 Since1992 WANTED YOUR DIABETES TEST STRIPS. Unexpired. We buy Any Kind/ PREGNANT? CONSIDERING Brand. Pay up to $22.00 per box. Shipping Paid. ADOPTION? Talk with caring adoption expert. Hablamos Espanol. Call 1-800-267-9895 www. You choose from families nationwide. LIVING SellDiabeticstrips.com EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 866-413-6298. License #100013125

SERVICES/MISCELLANEOUS

A CHILDLESS, YOUNG, SUCCESSFUL WOMAN SEEKS TO ADOPT. Will provide loving home. Large extended family. Excellent support. Financial security. Expenses paid. Jessica or Adam 1-800-790-5260. (FL. Bar#0150789)

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. You WIN or Pay Us Nothing. Contact Disability Group, Inc. Today! BBB Accredited. Call For Your FREE Book & Consultation. 888-903-1353

3 LARGE PALM or SHADE TREES Delivered & Planted, $75! Trees included. Free Landscape Estimates. 888-713-0264 View trees at paulbunyantrees.net (Cert#11507432)

EDUCATION/INSTRUCTION AIRLINES ARE HIRING – Train for hands on Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified – Housing available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-314-6283 AVIATION MAINTENANCE / AVIONICS Graduate in 14 Months. FAA Approved; financial aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call National Aviation Academy Today! 1-800-659-2080 or NAA.edu EARN COLLEGE DEGREE ONLINE. *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 888-203-3179 www.CenturaOnline.com NEED YOUR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA? Finish from home fast for $399! Nationally accredited. EZ pay. Free brochure. www. diplomaathome.com Call 800-470-4723

FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE Available Now 2-4 Bedroom Homes. Take Over Payments. No Money Down. No Credit check! Call Now 1-888-270-0372 OWNER FINANCE N. FLORIDA LAND Beautiful area near springs and rivers, 5 - 10 acre tracts, No Credit Check, Easy Terms! Call for Free Color Brochure, Shirley 800-545-3501 386-466-2254 100 ACRE TEXAS LAND SALE- 70% Discount!! $0/Down, $195/month. Was $64,500. NOW $19,500!! No Credit Checks. Owner Financing. Money Back Guarantee. Great Mountain Views. FREE color brochure. 1-877284-2072

HEALTH/MEDICAL ATTENTION DIABETICS with Medicare. Get a Free Talking Meter and diabetic testing supplies at No Cost, plus Free home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 888-377-3536 SAVE $500.00. Take VIAGRA? 100MG and CIALIS 20mg! 40 Pills+ 4/FREE for only $99. #1 Male Enhancement, discreet Shipping. Only $2.25/pill. The Blue Pill Now! 1-888 800-1280

Canada Drug Center is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90 percent on all your medication needs. Call Today 888-372-6740 for $25.00 off your first prescription and free METAL ROOFING & STEEL shipping. Prescriptions Dispensed from Canada BUILDINGS. Save $$$ buy direct from are Dispensed by: Health One Pharmacy. License manufacturer. 20 colors in stock with trim & acces. 4 profiles in 26 ga. panels. Carports, horse Number: 21791 barns, shop ports. Completely turn key jobs. All Steel Buildings, Gibsonton, Florida. 1-800331-8341. www.allsteel-buildings.com GIGANTIC MIRRORS Jobsite Leftovers, Brand New, Perfect Condition, 48”x100” (7), $115 each; 60”x100” (8) $140 each; 72”x100” (11), $165 each. Free delivery. 1-800-473-0619.

AUTOMOBILES

HELP WANTED ASSEMBLE JEWELRY & MAGNETS from Home! Year-Round Work! Excellent Pay! No Experience! Top US Company! Glue Gun, Painting, Jewelry, More! Call 1-860-482-3955 FEDERAL POSTAL JOBS! Earn $12 - $48 per hour / No Experience Full Benefits / Paid Training 1-866-477-4953 Ext. 110 Now Hiring!! MYSTERY SHOPPERS Earn up to $150 per day. Under cover Shoppers needed to judge retail and dining establishments Exp Not Re. Call 1-888-879-0084 WANTED: Process Mail From Home! Pay Weekly! Free Supplies! Bonuses! Genuine Opportunity! Helping Homeworkers for 20 years! Call 1-888-302-1512. www.howtoworkfromhome.com

CASH FOR CARS: All Cars/Trucks Wanted. Running or Not! Top Dollar Paid. We Come To You! Any Make/Model. Call For Instant Offer: 1-800-871-9638 DONATE YOUR CAR for Cash on the Spot & IRS Tax Deduction. Free $3,000 Grocery Shopping Coupons. Free Towing. All Cars Accepted. 1-855-WE-CURE-KIDS / 1-855932-8735 www.CarsCureKids.ORG

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

NOMINATED BEST HOMETOWN COOKIN’ & BEST BREAKFAST CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

(813) 707-9303

2301 James L Redman Parkway, Plant City, FL

EE 2011 FOC OMIN US DN

CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

NOMINATED BEST MILKSHAKE CHO DER’S ICE AWAR REA

VOTE US BEST MILKSHAKE!

USED AUTO & RV PARTS “U-PULL” or “WE PULL”

*Bring this ad and receive free yard entry*

LOETSCHER AUTO PARTS, LLC

( new ownership) We Buy Wrecked or Damaged Motor Homes, Trucks, & Junk Cars

813-752-3770

WWW.LOETSCHERAUTO.COM 4306 HWY 574 W.Plant City

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE Any Cone

2301 James L Redman Parkway, Plant City Expires 3-15-12 (813) 707-9303

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE Any Milkshake

2301 James L Redman Parkway, Plant City Expires 3-15-12 (813) 707-9303

Were not just Pizza, Come try our Hambugers and Chicken and Steak too! Lunch and Dinner specials every day! and View our Printable Menu on Abcpizza.com

813-752-5146

114 North Alexander Street • Plant City, Fl. 33563 BRING THIS AD IN AND RECEIVE 15% OFF

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

107

ENTERTAINMENT » EVENT CALENDAR

PLANT CITY

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

» Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Leadership Breakfast 7:30 am - 9:00am Plant City Red Rose Inn & Suites Ballroom 2011 North Wheeler St. Plant City, Fl 33563 Tickets $25 RSVP For more information 813.757.6760

MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH » Dr. Martin Luther King Day

Schools closed and some government offices closed

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19TH » Adult Literacy Tutor Orientation

6pm-7pm SERVE and Hillsborough County Public Schools Adult Education Department need volunteers who can assist adult students ages 16 and older. Bruton Memorial Library W. McLendon St Plant City, FL 33563 For more info call 813.757.9215

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21ST » Strawberry Ball

Festival Grounds Expo Hall

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH » Argentine Tango & Latin Mix Dance

Party 7pm-12am Master Pro’s Eddy and Veronica will teach Argentine Tango. The class will be followed with a dance party serving food, wine and soda drinks. Stardust Dance Center

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JANUARY 2012 focusplantcity.com

» Valentine’s Day

partner on any dance floor. No partner needed. Call: 863-604-5060 (small fee)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16

Red Rose Inn & Suites- Every Tuesday and Wednesday. Prime Rib & Seafood Buffet » Focus 10th Anniversary Party and Enjoy baked, broiled, steamed, and fried Business After Hours seafood including lightly battered fried 5:30 pm – 10PM 1405 S. Collins St. shrimp. Keel and Curley Winery Plant City, FL 33566 Come join us as we celebrate 10 years of Succulent steamed crab legs, even tender prime rib au jus with all the trimmings! Focus Magazine » Florida Strawberry Festival Queen All this plus salads and deserts to tempt RCA awards also presented this evening. Pageant the most demanding palates! Music It is an evening you don’t want to miss. Pageant begins at 6pm from Free Time Jazz. For more information call the Focus Watch as 31 beautifully, talented, local young ladies vie for the title of the 2012 office 813.707.8783 Red Rose Inn Suites- Every Thursday Florida Strawberry Festival Queen. Singles Night Out Evelyn and Batista Madonia Sr. Happy Hour, Dance Contest, Bottle Agricultural Show Center on Strawberry of Wine and $50 Gift Card giveaway Festival Grounds » Florida Strawberry Festival PLUS music from Destiny and either For more information call 813.752.9194 Melissa Malone or Tony Johnson! Tickets can be purchased the night before at the door or the night of. Strawberry Square, 4401 Pomenade Blvd., Plant City Red Rose Inn and Suites Ongoing A full schedule of Square and Events: Round Dancing is happening every » Spirituality & Dementia Seminar of day at Strawberry Square. We have Hope Red Rose Inn and Suites- Every many callers and cuer’s on the 9:30am to 2:00 pm Monday schedule. Visit our website: www. The Alzheimer’s Association-Florida Learn to Dance with Susan strawberrysquaredancing.com or call the Gulf Coast Chapter presents a free 7 to 9 pm. Learn and easy, fun, and office: 813-752-0491 educational event for caregivers, parish fast method to start dancing with any volunteers & nurses, Senior Adult Pastors, & others interested in learning more about compassionate memory care. Lunch & snacks provided by Hope Lutheran. 2001 N. Park Rd. Plant City, FL 33563 More information call 863.292.9210

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to add it to our calendar of events please email the information to: editorial@floydpublications.com

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15TH

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

MARCH 1-11

ONGOING EVENTS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH

» Jayc Harold Concert

7:00 pm Nashville recording artist Jayc Harold in Concert. 2008 Winner Country/ Bluegrass Album of the Year CGMA. 3409 Paul Buchman Hwy Plant City, FL 33565 For more information call 813.752.1885

» The Florida Opry

6:00pm Bluegrass, Country and Gospel. Reserved seats $12, and general admission $10 1914 High School 605 N. Collins Street For more information contact Shelby or Christa 813.757.9226

Become a fan of Focus Magazine on Facebook and be the first to know.

ENTERTAINMENT » CROSSWORD

BEST OF FRIENDS CREATED BY: CALVIN R. AND JACKIE MATHEWS BEST OF ACROSS 1. Holler for 5. Lanai greeting 10. Symbol 14. Minor role 15. Fats, for one 17. Capital city 20. Fictional friends 23. 3/7 and 4/7 24. Reason to call in sick 25. Last part 26. Lilliputian 28. Slimy fellow 29. Qt. or gal. 31. Place of relief 34. __ culpa 35. “Lean __”; hit song of 1972 36. Present to the public 39. Prefix with natal or conservative 40. In the __; not aware of facts 41. See 60 Across 48. Up to 49. Pacific Ocean discoverer 50. Headache buster 54. Laurel, for one 55. Senility 58. Stop __ dime 60. With 41 Across, film friends 61. Farmyard animal 62. Former intl. alliance 63. Suffixes for residents 65. MJB rival 67. Infamous Germans 70. Fan 72. Conceal 75. Secondhand 77. Bill amount 78. Pronoun 81. TV’s “__ Own” (1994-95) 82. Eur. nation 84. Spin 86. Billy __ 87. Wynonna’s mom 88. Baseball’s __ Jackson 90. Walkway 91. Cartoon friends 97. With 120 Across, TV friends 100. __ Arthur 101. S. A. nation 102. Submit 103. Man’s nickname 104. Setting 106. Pasture cry 107. Word with dog or top 110. Left-side ledger entry 112. Pulls a tub plug

117. 119. 120. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130.

FRIENDS

by Calvin R. & Jackie Mathews

Literary initials Valuable find See 97 Across Rossini opera One who shakes at the table __ board Others Examinations “Auld Lang __”

32. 33. 35. 36. 37. 38. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 51. 52. 53.

DOWN 1. Primitive transport 2. Radio bands 3. Page 4. Valley 5. Fruity drink 6. Traditional learning 7. Yemen’s neighbor 8. Female animal 9. “The King __” 10. Maj.’s superior 11. Shade provider 12. Talents 13. Sheriff Taylor’s boy 14. Scoop holder 16. Cry of alarm 18. Fleet, for one 19. Central 20. Gout site 21. Delicious 22. St. Charles Lwanga, for one 27. Beast of burden 30. British custom 1

55. 56. 57. 59. 64. 66. 67. 68. 69. 71. 72. 73. 74. 76. 78. 5

10 16

31 36

58 63

74 82

87 92

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105 113

90 94

112 121

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62 67

34 40

49 56

79. Steerer’s place 80. Sch. type 83. Florida tourist’s destination 85. With 32 Down, parted water 86. Triangular sail 89. Org. for girls 90. Grant or Carter 92. London network 93. Pollinator 94. Hope, for one 95. Ease 96. Undesirable spots 97. Dangerous drug 98. In __; preborn 99. Old measure of about 18 inches 104. Not fresh 105. Times 107. Actor Peter 108. Pretentiously talented 109. Candy holder 111. Cake decorator 113. Body study: abbr. 114. Just sitting there 115. New Jersey __ 116. Leave it be 118. Award for “ER” 121. Stevenson’s monogram 122. Polka __ 123. Time periods: abbr. 124. Dusk, to a poet

See 85 Down Charged atom Lubricate Slow indications, in music Bit of land Chafe Torrent Tooth part Against Hunter’s prey Sermon topic Mavericks’ org. Lariat feature __ car Warm saison DVD player’s forerunner Syllables from the hard of hearing Do a household chore Like Cheerios Refrain syllable In progress Swirling Tribal member In a bad mood Spine-chilling Mixer speed By way of Junior Spain’s last queen Contented sound Actress Samantha 1998 National League MVP

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L U S T D E R O

C U B I T

I C E R

C A S S U N T I S T A N P I G G S E C R O N O U N A O M P Y C T O O N E E

S T A L E E E R I E

D O T U A R S T A T E N O R B B L B E A C E N D R D O L O S T

C A L L A M E O M S AW E F L L A O N I D L

A L O H A D O M I N Y E R A N D U E N D I M T M E A I R Y A N D S U B A L B A G E I T E P O D U S E D R G Y E G G I E S A N A R G E R A I N A N D E S A L T T E S

L O O T A H U C K N G O A S I N E O N D A N O A O N A S F O E V O T I O O R A T E E D B A M O B E B A A S T S T H E L E R E T S S

Best of Friends

G O I P E I F I N N T E E N Y S M E A D A R K C E A L E V E B U T C H L G E R S E E S H E J O E L A I S L E M B A M M Y L A P E O R E M E R T Z M E R Y Y N E

We Will Make Your Home Sparkle! Locally Owned and Operated

Sa me Great Service, Sa me Great Cleaners,

Residential & Commercial Cleaning Weekly • Bi-Weekly • Monthly Quality, Dependable Service

Everytime!

Fine Touch Cleaning 813-300-4763 • 813-757-0140

NEW SERVICE OFFERED

Let us make your move less stressful. In addition to our cleaning service we now offer packing your home for a move. You provide boxes, etc., we pack your home, the movers do the rest.

Prices are Based on Time that is Needed.

We Offer One Time Cleaning • Licensed - Insured - Bonded • References Available Upon Request

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Ta k

nts

One of the most important services we offer is easy, no hassle, ﬁnancing for our customers.

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We are proud members of NARI, Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Angies List, BBB, and many more. You can rest assured that you are working with professionals and a respectable organization We Offer 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, 30 Day 110% Money Back Guarantee, Our Exclusive Lifetime Workmanship Warrantee.

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ro p m I ut of H o m e

Dinner for Two Gift Card for just the Appointment! $200.00 Gas Card with Purchase!

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Energy Efﬁcient Replacement Windows Solid Core Insulated Siding Products Door’s of all types Room Additions Stucco, Painting and much more.

60% off all Labor for a Limited Time! Hurry This Offer Ends 2/15/2012

Morgan Exteriors is committed to providing the most innovative, energy efficient and highest quality products available

License CRC-057210

(813) 931-4663 • (727) 502-5300

*Some Restrictions Apply and cannot be combined with any other offers

FOCUS MAGAZINE PLANT CITY JANUARY 2012

111

Life is better in the Quick Lane. Auto service just got better!

813-757-6429

Quick Lane® at Jarrett-Scott Ford provides all the services your car or truck needs most. All our services are performed by factory-trained experts and on your schedule. No appointment necessary and you’ll get service while you wait, even on evenings and weekends. We’ll take care of any make or model, using quality parts from trusted brands like Motorcraft® and name-brand tires from Goodyear, Continental, Michelin and more.

FREE

ALIGNMENT CHECK Must present coupon at time of write up. May not be used with any other coupon or store special. Shop supplies and tax extra. Most cars and light trucks.

THE WORKS PACKAGE

29.95

Includes up to 7 quarts of synthetic blend oil, 31 point VCU inspection, Check and top off all ﬂuids, Tire presure check, Balance check, Four Tire rotation

Must present coupon at time of write up. May not be used with any other coupon or store special. Shop supplies and tax extra. Most cars and light trucks excludes diesels.

2000 East Baker Street Plant City, FL 33563 Service Hours Mon-Fri 7am-7pm Sat 7am-3pm

50.00 OFF PARTS AND SERVICE.

Cannot be used for parts only, collision work or tires. Savings not to exceed 10 percent of total parts and labor Must present coupon at time of write up. May not be used with any other coupon or store special. Shop supplies and tax extra.

ALL MAKES AND MODELS! WE’LL BEAT YOUR BEST TIRE PRICE GUARANTEED!

FLORIDA’S OLDEST FORD DEALERSHIP, SINCE 1912 2000 East Baker St. | Plant City, FL 33563 | 800-545-2018 Over 900 New and Used vehicles for sale on-line!