03.03.17 PCTO by Plant City Observer

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer

Baseball pitches back into season.

SEE PAGE 12

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUME 4, NO. 34

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FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

Plant City: Ready for road repairs The City Commission approved $6.6 million in road repairs to take place before October 2017. SEE PAGE 4.

YOUR TOWN

Photos by Daniel Figueroa IV

Kerri Miller was honored Monday, Feb. 27.

Plant City clerk receives top honors Of the 604 municipal clerks throughout Florida, only 116 have received the designation of Master Municipal Clerk. As of the City Commission meeting Monday, Feb. 27, Plant City’s clerk, Kerri Miller, is counted among them. Miller became Plant City’s clerk in April 2009. The honor was presented to her by Lakeland City Clerk Kelly Koos. “She is in an elite group,” Koos said. “The program has an extensive educational component ... and a commitment to life long learning.”

City Cuts celebrates fifth anniversary City Cuts Barber Shop celebrated its fifth year in business in style. The barber shop gave away free shirts, food and drinks on Saturday, Feb. 25. DJ Tonio played live music throughout the day. City Cuts is located at 1803 James L. Redman Parkway. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Coming Home In addition to their headliner show, The Bellamy Brothers will serve as the grand marshals of the Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade. EMILY TOPPER MANAGING EDITOR

oward and David Bellamy, better known as the dynamic country duo The Bellamy Brothers, may have just returned from performing in Dubai and Singapore, but they’ll soon grace a hometown stage — and a hometown parade. When they aren’t traveling, the brothers reside on their family ranch in Darby, 40 minutes away from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. True to their homegrown country roots, performing as headliners at this year’s Florida Strawberry Festival on Monday, March 6, is a homecoming for the brothers. Their mother, Frances Cooper, was raised here. Now, they’re heading home. SEE PARADE PAGE 5

Courtesy photo

Howard and David Bellamy will lead this year’s Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade.

She’s taking the lead Bentley Rae Roberts, a member of American Heritage Girls FL0014 in Plant City, just became the 12th girl in Florida to receive the prestigious Stars and Stripes Award. EMILY TOPPER MANAGING EDITOR

Courtesy photo

Bentley Rae Roberts is the 12th girl in Florida to receive the award.

For Bentley Rae Roberts, service comes naturally. Roberts, a homeschooled high school senior, is a five-time recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and has over 1,000 community service hours under her belt. “That’s where my heart is,” Roberts said. “I do it because that’s what I love to do.” For the last year and one half, the 18-year-old spent her time improving the food distribution warehouse of Restoring Hope Global, a Christian organization dedicated to outreach

and helping those in need. It was her most involved project yet — and one of the ones closest to her heart. Roberts chose to help Restoring Hope Global as her service project for the Stars and Stripes Award, the highest service award given out to members of American Heritage Girls. After completing her service project in September, Roberts was officially approved for the Stars and Stripes Award in late October. She is only the 12th American Heritage Girl in the state of Florida to receive the prestigious award. “I want to continue with it,” Roberts said. “And I definitely, definitely want to put my kids in American Heritage Girls one day.”

DEDICATED TO SERVICE

A faith-based scouting organization, Roberts joined American Heritage Girls when she was in middle school. “One of my mom’s best friend’s daughters was doing it,” Roberts said. The family joined a local troop, later transitioning into a Plant City troop. She currently belongs to FL0014 in Plant City. “I liked the social aspect,” Roberts said. “I’ve always been a very social person. I liked mentoring the younger girls. The girls liked touching my sash with all my badges. That was something that really struck a chord in me, when a little girl would ask, ‘What’s that badge?’ That kind of gives it more purpose.” Similar to other scouting organizations, members of American Heritage Girls must complete community SEE HERITAGE PAGE 6

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

City Commission awards posthumous proclamation David M. Miller, who passed away in February, was honored at a City Commission meeting for his improvements made to Plant City over 30 years.

Daniel Figueroa IV

Left: City Commissioners Nate Kilton, Mike Sparkman and Mary Thoams Mathis, along with Mayor Rick Lott and Vice-Mayor Bill Dodson, presented Emma Miller with the proclamation. Friends were present for the ceremony.

DANIEL FIGUEROA IV STAFF WRITER

Courtesy photo

Below: Emma and David Miller.

“(A proclamation) is the highest honor we can give upon a citizen in our city, and there’s no one more fitting to receive that than David M. Miller.” — Mayor Rick Lott

at First Presbyterian Church of Plant City and was a member of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce since 1982. He was also a member of the Plant City Rotary Club, Plant City Elks, Greater Tampa YMCA, the South Florida Baptist Foundation, Hillsborough Community College, the Florida Strawberry Festival and served on the Friends of the Library board for Bruton Memorial Library. In 2012, he received the Plant City Family YMCA’s Strong Leader award. When the chamber needed a new building in the early 90s, he served on the board to relocate the the building to its current facility, helping raise about $600,000 for the project. “David became a very close friend of mine,” City Commissioner Mike Sparkman said. “He almost became the godfather of city elections. He was so active. The two or three times

I had opposition, he was always my campaign manager.” For more than 25 years, Sparkman and Miller remained close in both civic activities, first working together on the chamber’s relocation, and in their personal lives. While Sparkman would go on to serve multiple terms as mayor and city commissioner, Miller opted to remain backstage. He never wanted to be in the spotlight, but wanted to be as supportive of the city’s development as he could. “He didn’t take personal credit for all the things he accomplished,” Lott said. “It’s a testament to the legacy he left in our city.” Of all of his accomplishments, Sparkman said, Miller was most proud of the herculean effort to build the Plant City Family YMCA’s current building, located at 1507 YMCA Place.

“He worked so hard to make it become a reality,” Sparkman said. “He took a lot of pride in helping make that happen.” While Sparkman was mayor in 2002, Miller was instrumental in helping raise $1.5 million from pledges in the city to build the new Y. Sparkman was able to help get another $1.5 million from the city, and the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA contributed $2 million. Without Miller, Sparkman said, it’s hard to imagine the YMCA project being accomplished. Aside from his contribution to the development of Plant City, Miller was also known as a devout friend, a “goto guy.” He was just as handy in the shed as in the kitchen. Originally form Mississippi, he was a proud cajun, his gumbo recipe beloved at the Plant

City Rotary Club. Of the nearly three decades worth of memories, Sparkman said some of the trips the two took with their wives were the most memorable. On one trip to Europe, Sparkman said he got an upset stomach while in Paris. The couples then went to Germany, where Sparkman thought some potato soup would make him feel better. It did not. When Sparkman got sick in a flower bed outside the restaurant, Miller turned to him and said, “Sparky, if I’d have been you, I would’ve just rented that soup. I don’t think I would’ve bought it.” Contact Daniel Figueroa IV at dfigueroa@plantcityobserver.com.

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Residents of Plant City would be hard pressed to find a major town improvement from the last three decades that David M. Miller didn’t have a hand in. Miller, 87, died Sunday, Feb. 5 at, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, but his impact on Plant City is perennial. For his lifetime of service to the town he called home, Miller was posthumously awarded a proclamation accepted by his wife, Emma, during a City Commission meeting Monday, Feb. 27. “He was involved in everything, you know,” Mayor Rick Lott said. “The proclamation is something that this Commission bestows upon an individual. It’s the highest honor we give upon a citizen in our city, and there’s no one more fitting to receive that than David M. Miller.” The proclamation acknowledged Miller’s many civic activities and honored him as a “timeless example of the highest standards of citizenship.” “I just want to thank the community members for this award,” Emma Miller said. “David was a very special person and when he came to Florida — CF (Industries) transferred him here — and he discovered Plant City, he knew this was where he wanted to live. He became involved. Not a lot of people knew what he actually did, but he loved this city and he loved the people.” Miller worked for CF industries for 31 years. The company took him to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Tampa and Bartow. He moved to Plant City in 1982, and served as manager of the company’s Bartow plant until he retired in 1998. Since moving to Plant City, Miller maintained a large presence in the community’s civic happenings. He served as a deacon and ordained elder

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

Spotting statues around town J. Seward Johnson sculptures have returned to Plant City for the spring. EMILY TOPPER MANAGING EDITOR

en new visitors to Plant City may have residents looking

twice. The J. Seward Johnson Sculpture Exhibit returned to town for the fourth time Wednesday, March 1. The life-sized sculptures, which travel throughout the United States as part of a traveling exhibit, will be on display at locations across town through Thursday, June 1. The return of the sculptures, brought to town annually by the Arts Council of Plant City, was commemorated with an unveiling ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Village Green Park. The park’s fountain is the focal point of the 85-acre Midtown area. “We feel like Midtown is going to be the hotspot for what’s going on in this community,” Marsha Passmore, president of the Arts Council, said. “We’re so proud to be a part of it. Before a lot of groundbreaking takes place, we think that the City needs to be complimented for bringing this park here as the focal point for what’s going to happen.” This year’s sculptures include a little girl reading outside of Bruton Memorial Library, a mailman at the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum and golfers across the street from Snellgrove’s in Historic Downtown. But one sculpture has added Plant City flair. At the unveiling ceremony, the Arts Council debuted a statue of French Impressionist painter Claude Monet painting a picture of Village

one expects it to happen. It’s become a tradition, and we’re a city of traditions. I’m so glad that we’re able to do it again this year. That true spirit and love we have in our city is really alive and well everywhere we go.” After the unveiling, Lott offered to purchase the painting featured in the Monet sculpture as a Plant City keepsake. “I would love to buy the painting and let that be a donation to the Arts Council,” Lott said. “I’d like to place this piece of art at City Hall somewhere, if the Commission would allow us to. It’s a beautiful piece of art, and I think it commemorates Midtown.” This year, the Arts Council has introduced a way for Plant City residents to join in on the statue fun. From

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, residents are encouraged to take part in the Plant City Statue Challenge. Individuals, families and businesses are invited to stage themselves as living statues in downtown as part of a Facebook photo contest. The annual exhibit is brought to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World by the Arts Council of Plant City, the City of Plant City, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, Unity in the Community, the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center, Plant City Main Street, Don Walden and Hopewell Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens.

. DS ST L O N Y W. RE

KEY 1: My World Bruton Memorial Library 2: Sharing Headlines City Hall 3: Waiting to Cross Plant City Entertainment 4: Between Classes McCall Park 5: Life at a Proper Distance McCall Park 6: Quiet Please Snellgrove’s 7: Got to Watch the Step Plant City Photo Archives and History Center 8: Monet, Out Visiting Town Village Green Park 9: The Hero Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum Platform 10: Special Delivery Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum 2: SHARING THE HEADLINES

10: SPECIAL DELIVERY

Topper

Members of the Plant City Arts Council with Mayor Rick Lott, Vice-Mayor Bill Dodson, City Manager Mike Herr and Recreation and Parks Director Jack Holland at the unveiling ceremony.

1: MY WORLD (LEFT) 8: MONET. OUT VISITING ARTIST (ABOVE)

R ST. E K A B W.

Photos by Emily

Contact Emily Topper at etopper@ plantcityobserver.com.

S. COLLINS ST.

N. WHEELER ST.

Green Park. “We chose the fountain for Monet to be painting as part of the sculpture,” Passmore said. “For us to be able to bring them to Plant City is just huge.” City Commissioners, including Mayor Rick Lott and Vice-Mayor Bill Dodson, attended the unveiling ceremony. Lott commended Jack Holland with the Recreation and Parks department and General Services for their help with the statues, and the Arts Council for their work to bring the sculptures back to Plant City. “I want to thank you for making this a reality,” Lott said. “This is the fourth time we’ve done this. I just think it’s one of those things now that every-

9: THE HERO

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

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On Monday, Feb. 27, the City Commission authorized $6.6 million for utility and resurfacing repairs to 7.78 miles of city-maintained roads. The roads include collector and neighborhood streets, and repairs are expected to be completed by October 2017. For City Commissioner Mike Sparkman, these repairs — the most he said the city has spent at once in years — is much-needed relief for one of his long-suffering pet peeves. “I think the public is tired of the government spending $50 million on a riverside park in Tampa, or spending hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars toward stadiums or other types of sports complexes for these prima donnas that don’t respect our country or don’t respect our nation,” Sparkman said. “I think the people are outraged for that reason, and I’m just so glad to see that we’re trying to take care of our basic needs. We do a great job on police and fire protection, and we’re here to take care of health, safety and welfare of our people. I’m proud of this commission for ... the stance we’ve taken tonight.” SURFACE ISSUES

Plant City currently maintains about 160 miles of roads, according to City

PROJECTED TIMELINE Street resurfacing will be coordinated with the utility work. MARCH n Scope of work prepared and approved n Project advertised MAY n Bids recieved and bid committee review n Notice of award and protest period JUNE n Commission approval n Notice to proceed issues JUNE TO OCTOBER n Construction period

Engineer Michael Schenk. Collector streets, which move traffic from local streets to high-capacity roads and provide access to residential properties, were selected based on the volume of traffic through the city. Neighborhood streets were selected based on pavement conditions. City engineers also took to the roads to determine the pavement condition index (PCI) of roads to establish project priorities. According to Schenk, a PCI of zero is considered road failure, while a PCI of 10 is the equivalent of a newly paved road. An ideal rating is considered to be between seven and eight. The road repairs, Schenk said, will consist of milling the road either between one and one half to two and one half inches in depth, sweeping the milled road and applying a tack coat, installing new pavement and respiring the roads. The surface repairs are expected to cost about $2.6 million, using the city’s current street resurfacing capital improvement plan funding of about $2.7 million. The scope of work is set to be prepared and approved by March, with bidding for the contracts to take place in May. If the Commission then approves the project and contracts, work would take place from June through October, according to the city’s engineering department. WHAT LIES BENEATH

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City invests more than $6 million in roadways

28th Annual “Christmas for an Angel” 2016 Almost 2,000 children received a special Christmas gift this year because of your support.

Thank you from Anna Reitz, Committee Chair Kiwanis Club of Plant City

A special “Thank You” to the following:

An Anonymous Donor, Rotary of Plant City, Billy Herold Progressive Insurance • Stringray Chevrolet - Employees South Florida Baptist Hospital - Team Members And Allegra Printing • Donco Realty • Haught Funeral Home Ken Gibbs Family • Plant City High School Key Club • Southside Western & Outdoor Wear Westcoast Enterprises – Lopez Family

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According to Utilities Director Lynn Spivey, many road issues go down to the sewer and utility systems beneath. Spivey’s office worked with Schenk’s to identify utility water and sewer repairs that should, they said, be completed before road repairs to maximize the life of the resurfaced roads. “We don’t want to resurface a road and then have somebody come in and have to dig it up for some reason,” Schenk said. City staff reviewed video footage of the sewer systems and worked with Killebrew Inc., a company specializing in sewage and utility, to come up with a feasible action plan. “Underneath these streets we saw significant reasons for us to be able to go in and repair ahead of time,” Spivey said. In some cases, she added water was coming through pipes like a geyser. “That’s not a situation we like to see.” Killebrew currently has a contract with Polk County that was awarded following the traditional design/ bid/build structure. That traditional path, Spivey said, could take up to 17 months, far outside the timeline for resurfacing. The Commission opted to award the contract to Killebrew off the already established, best-value contract the company has with Polk County. Water and sewage repairs were estimated at $4 million. The Commission voted unanimously to use the $1 million currently available in the water and sewer capital project fund, along with a transfer of $3 million from the water and sewer fund’s reserves, to support the project. “This vote ... is a vote of confidence that we love the program you’ve put together,” Mayor Rick Lott said. “We are confident in the staff in fulfilling the projections that you have, the timelines that were given to us. We just approved almost $6.7 million in improvements to our city. All these projects move our city forward to being a better city.” “The fun part is now,” Schenk added. “We move forward to executing the plan and doing a good job.” Contact Daniel Figueroa IV at dfigueroa@plantcityobserver.com.

WHAT’S GETTING DONE? DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BOULEVARD

Site 1: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, from Park Road to CSX Railroad Length: 1 mile Grade: PCI 4 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Site 2: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, from CSX Railroad to South Alexander Street Length: 1.04 miles Grade: PCI 5 Repair Depth: 2.5 inches Cost: $825,000 (for both sites) WEST GRANT STREET

Site: West Grant Street, from South Collins Street to South Alexander Street Length: 1.02 miles Grade: PCI 6/PCI 4 Repair Depth: 2.5 inches Cost: $361,450 NORTH FRANKLIN STREET

Site: North Franklin Street, from West McLendon Street to Valencia Road Length: .94 miles Grade: PCI 6/PCI 4 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Cost: $241,550 NORTH MOBLEY STREET

Site: North Mobley Street, from West Baker Street to Strawberry Drive Length: .37 miles Grade: PCI 3 Repair Depth: 2.5 inches Cost: $111,400 SOUTH LAKE STREET

Site: South Lake Street, from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to East Alabama Street Length: .25 miles Grade: PCI 4/PCI 3 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Cost: $61,400 NORTH SHANNON AVENUE

Site: North Shannon Avenue from East Calhoun Street to South Frontage Road Length: .98 miles Grade: PCI 4 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Cost: $238,000 WALTER DRIVE

Site: Walter Drive, from West Reynolds Street to West Baker Street Length: .36 miles Grade: PCI 3 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Cost: $75,000 SOUTH WOODROW WILSON STREET

Site: South Woodrow Wilson Street, from Airport Road to CSX Railroad Length: .47 miles Grade: PCI 6/ PCI 4 Repair Depth: 2.5 inches Cost: $358,650 FOREST CLUB DRIVE

Site: Forest Club Drive, from Pine Club Drive to the end of the road Length: .72 miles Grade: PCI 6 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Cost: $192,800 PINE CLUB DRIVE

Site: Pine Club Drive, from Griffin Boulevard to Forest Club Boulevard. Length: .63 miles Grade: PCI 6 Repair Depth: 1.5 inches Cost: $147,000

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

“Being that they love Plant City, they’re excited about strawberry shortcake and the festival. It was a good fit.” — Gail Lyons, chairperson for the Florida Strawberry Festival’s Grand Parade

FROM PARADE PAGE 1

IF YOU GO 2017 FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL GRAND PARADE When: 1 p.m. Monday, March 6 Where: Reynolds Street, Historic Downtown BELLAMY BROTHERS AT THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL When: 3:30 p.m. Monday, March 6 Where: Wish Farms Soundstage at the Florida Strawberry Festival, 303 N. Lemon St. Tickets: FLStrawberryFestival. com.

the perfect fit for one of the festival’s most-anticipated events. “I’ve always wanted the daytime entertainment to be grand marshals,” Lyons, who works as a vice president at the Regions Bank on Thonotosassa Road, said. “But they’ve always been so busy. But (The Bellamy Brothers) ... they approached me, so I got my wish.” Lyons said she also likes the close connection that the brothers have to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. “They are so close to us,” Lyons said. “They were ecstatic. Being that they love Plant City, they’re excited about strawberry shortcake and the festival. It was a good fit. Everyone needs to come out and just have a good parade day.” The Florida Strawberry Festival’s Grand Parade will kick off at 1 p.m. Monday, March 6, in Historic Downtown, and will then travel by the festival grounds.

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But this year, the brothers will celebrate in some added Plant City glory. Prior to their 3:30 performance on March 6, the Bellamy Brothers will serve as the grand marshals for this year’s 2017 Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade. “It’s quite the honor,” Howard Bellamy said. “Our mother was born and raised in Plant City. We have a lot of history there, so we were really excited. Our family has always been involved in agriculture, from farming to raising cattle. It’s coming home, for us.” After their first performance in 1968 alongside their father, the brothers have spent the last four decades performing and traveling the globe. They shifted from pop music in the 1970s to their niche sound — country — in the 1980s. “We’ve played in 70 countries,” Howard Bellamy said. “We do a lot of world travels.” Throughout the constant traveling, the brothers have kept Plant City close to their hearts. “We’ve played (the festival) before,” Howard Bellamy said. “We have very fond memories there. The festival’s been so supportive of our music for many years. That in itself makes it really special for us. It’s just a real pleasure to do something like that so close to home.” While the brothers will be busy riding in the parade and performing on the Wish Farms Soundstage, they are planning on making sure to enjoy all the strawberry sensations the festival has to offer. “It’s exciting when this time of year comes around,” Howard Bellamy said. “We always love to see the exhibits, and eat the shortcake.” Gail Lyons, who has served as the chairperson for the Florida Strawberry Festival’s Grand Parade for the last six years, said that the brothers were

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

Future Legislators U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15) spoke to Turkey Creek Middle School students about the political process Friday, Feb. 24. EMILY TOPPER MANAGING EDITOR

Students at Turkey Creek Middle School may be too young to vote, but U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15) wants to make sure the future constituents are aware of the power and responsibility they will one day hold. Ross spoke to civics students at the Plant City middle school Friday, Feb. 24. He encouraged them to take an active role in the political process, including learning about government and how they can make changes by letting their voices be heard. “Sometimes, people just forget about why it’s important to be involved,” Ross said. “But let’s take a couple issues here. There’s a helmet law out there that says that if you’re going to ride a bicycle and you’re under the age of 16, you have to wear a helmet. Do you think that’s a good idea or a bad idea?” Good idea, the students responded. “How would you go about changing that,” Ross said. “If you thought it was a bad idea? You go to your elected officials. I want you to understand something that’s very important to our fundamental form of government. And that’s that you have a right, when you turn 18, you have a right to vote. You have a voice as to how you want your future to be determined, and you need to exercise that right to vote.” Ross, who is currently serving in his seventh Congressional term after being re-elected in November, was invited to speak at the school by civics teacher Daren Essig. “We were learning about the legislative branch in class,” Essig said. “The kids wanted to know if they could talk to a congressman. We called and talked to his secretary, and then we talked about having him come to the Great American Teach-In.” Ross was unable to make it to teachin, as the event was held at the height of the campaigning season, but was able to come in February. “It snowballed into a reality,” Essig said. “For them to see a congressman, that’s really cool.” For Ross, the opportunity to speak to students was a way to help them connect with their future as responsible voters. “My focus is to instill in them a sense of motivation and understanding to get into the political process,” Ross said. “They can change the rules, but they have to understand the process. This country requires participation in its process. All of us have a right to vote, but with that comes an obligation to exercise those rights.”

Emily Topper

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross answered student questions.

STUDENT QUESTIONS Courtesy photo

If the government’s supposed to be transparent, why are there secret files? We have in the state of Florida what’s called ‘Government in the Sunshine.’ That means elected officials in the state of Florida can’t transact business without giving public notice so that people can be there to hear it and see what’s going on. There are secret files when it becomes an issue of national security. Transparency is absolutely necessary. When we run for office, we file campaign reports to show who contributes to our campaigns.

Bentley Rae Roberts put in over 100 hours of work into her project for the Stars and Stripes Award.

FROM HERITAGE PAGE 1

service projects and activities to earn badges. The Stars and Stripes Award, the highest honor, must be completed before a member’s 18th birthday, must be approved at the national level and requires mentors at both the local and national level. “I had been volunteering with Restoring Hope Global and saw the need,” Roberts said. “I asked them for a wish list and walked through the warehouse with them.” Roberts had her work cut out for her. The warehouse, located on Jerry Smith Road in Dover, needed a functioning children’s area, new landscaping and rail work, paint work and more. While she could have focused on one aspect for her project, Roberts combined multiple parts of the wish list into her service agenda. “I painted the walls, floors and shelves,” she said. “I fixed the children’s area inside the warehouse. I added landscaping, a sign outside and I redid the rickety railing outside and added a gate.” With the exception of paint, the majority of Roberts’ materials for the project were donated, including two freezers for food and a couch and television for the children’s area. “I wrote letters to people in the community, and I personally met with some people,” Roberts said. “The couch was donated by Badcock & More and the tubing for the railing was donated by Tampa Bay Steel.” Additional work on the outside included landscaping improvements

Is there a way to get your right to vote back if you lose it? Yes. Many states, including Florida, have ways to restore your civil rights. The only way you would lose it, in Florida, would predominantly be through being a convicted felon. You could go through a board and have your civil rights restored that way. As a legislator, what is the main thing you focus on? Two things. We take care of issues where people have problems with the federal government. We’ll handle any issue with the federal government. And then, on the national level, we will file legislation. What made you want to run for office? Well, I was never that good as an athlete. I was never that good as a student. But I also knew the only way you ever achieved anything in life is to endure. I thought if I could understand some issues, I could run for office. Your understanding of civics will put you at the top of the ladder. How long have you been in Congress? I’ve been in Congress for six years. I’m serving in my seventh year right now. Do you agree with President Donald Trump’s cabinet, including Betsy DeVos? By and large, I do (agree with the cabinet). Betsy DeVos ... I do know that she is providing probably one of the most innovative efforts ever in public education. Betsy DeVos has more innovation ... than we’ve seen in the past.

Contact Emily Topper at etopper@ plantcityobserver.com.

and adding lights to the exterior of the building. Inside, volunteers needed an area where their children would be safe. “I built half walls inside and added carpet squares,” Roberts said. “We added a gate and got a TV donated.” As part of the project, Roberts also had to oversee volunteer teams and supervise youth who assisted with the project. Upon completion, she had to send a binder detailing her work to American Heritage Girls and attend a board of review assessment. After passing her board of review, Roberts had to receive final approval from American Heritage Girls Founder Patti Garibay. She officially earned her Stars and Stripes Award in October, and had a ceremony commemorating the honor in January. “My takeaway is to be prepared for anything,” Roberts said. “I learned to be patient through the process.” For Roberts, the honor goes beyond the award and back to her heart and passion for the community. In her application, Roberts spoke about the lasting impact of Restoring Hope Global and how she hopes to continue to inspire and serve. “The impact of my project will fade,” Roberts wrote. “Paint will chip again, normal wear and tear will start to show ... but the awareness from the community that I have brought forward during the course of my project will still shine.” Contact Emily Topper at etopper@ plantcityobserver.com.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

“Finding Dory.” — Logan Nocella, 5; Joy Newell, 29; Jacob Newell, 5.

PRIMO PARKING 1400 block of South Collins Street. Vehicle burglary: Officer met with complainant, who stated unknown suspect(s) had stolen the handicap placard from her vehicle. Complainant left her car windows open while shopping in the area and noticed the placard was missing when she returned to her vehicle.

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SHEAR LARCENY 3900 block of Creek Woods Drive. Theft: Officer met with complainant, who stated unknown suspect(s) entered their unlocked vehicle and stole a black canvas bag containing $2,000 worth of barber equipment. The bag had “Shear Excellence,” the name of the complainant’s barber school, on its side.

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IN A PICKLE 300 block of North Wilder Road. Burglary: Officer met with complainant who stated unknown suspect(s) entered her home between 1:30 and 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, and stole a pickle jar containing $250 in cash. The suspect(s) had forced entry

DASTARDLY “DAVID” 300 block of North Michigan Avenue. Simple battery: Officer met with complainant who stated he had been punched by a coworker. The complainant only knew the suspect by the name “David,” and was uninjured.

County Line County Rd. Line Rd.County Line Rd.

MORE MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS 2300 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Vehicle burglary: Officer met with complainant, who stated unknown suspect(s) had stolen an envelope containing $10,000 from his car. Complainant had parked next to an auto repair shop and left his passenger side window open before exiting the car and entering the shop.

FEB. 21

PLAYING HOOKY 220 block of West Alexander Street. Found bicycle: Officers responded to a movie theater following a report of three juveniles that were not in school. The juveniles, all boys, were seen entering the theater’s parking lot from an apartment complex. The boys attempted to flee on foot and bicycle, but the two on foot were stopped and taken back to school. The third dropped his bicycle and hopped a fence to evade the officers. The bicycle was impounded for safekeeping after no one claimed ownership.

Park Rd.

FIXER UPPER 2300 block of Maki Road. Petit theft: Officer met with complainant who stated unknown suspect(s) had stolen several pieces of furniture from her patio. The furniture was valued at $50. The incident happened between midnight Wednesday, Feb. 15, and 7 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.

ACT LIKE YOU BELONG THERE 2210 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Burglary: Officer met with complainant who stated unknown suspect(s) had entered a vacant building while it was being remodeled and stole a paint sprayer. None of the workers had noticed the suspect(s).

FEB. 17

Park Rd.

WALLET WOES 920 block of North Mobley Street. Vehicle burglary: Officer met with complainant who stated unknown suspect(s) had entered their unlocked Toyota SUV overnight Thursday, Feb. 16, and stolen their wallet.

FEB. 18

Park Rd.

— Claxton Williams, 59.

FEB. 17

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The following information was gathered from incident and arrest reports obtained from the Plant City Police Department.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

COPS CORNER

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

Hot Rods and Hot Wheels C

ar fans took advantage of a sunny Saturday to head to the Dover Rod Run Car Show Saturday, Feb. 25, at First Baptist Church of Dover. Attendees watched Pinewood derby races and chowed down on strawberry shortcake while checking out classic cars, trucks and bikes.

Feeding the Soul F

—EMILY TOPPER

Photos by Emily Topper

Above: Christine Foster and Linda Bailey. Left: Volunteers served up strawberry shortcake. Below: Bob Hage.

ood truck fans jived to groovy beats Friday, Feb. 24, at the February Plant City Main Street Food Truck Rally. In addition to music, attendees decked out in Motown gear and enjoyed food trucks from the Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally. Food truck rallies are held in Historic Downtown on the last Friday of every month in conjunction with Plant City Main Street. — EMILY TOPPER

Photos by Emily Topper

Top: Face painting was a popular activity. Above: Susan and David Sullivan. Left: United Starz Dance Team performed at the event.

COME LEARN SOMETHING MORE FROM THE BIBLE! Our Vision: Our Core Values:

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The Plant City Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Fridays. It provides free home delivery to several neighborhoods in Plant City. The Plant City Times & Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 1507 S. Alexander St., Suite 103. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

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SEND US YOUR NEWS We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements. To contact us, send your information via: Email: Emily Topper, etopper@ PlantCityObserver.com. Mail: The Plant City Times & Observer, 1507 S. Alexander St., Suite 103, Plant City, FL 33563

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer

Publisher / Karen Berry, kdberry@inthefieldmagazine.com Interim Managing Editor / Emily Topper, etopper@ PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline, jkline@ PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Daniel Figueroa IV, DFigueroa@ PlantCityObserver.com Editorial Designer / C.J. Major, cmajor@yourobserver.com Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster, llancaster@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor of In the Field / Sarah Holt, sarah@ inthefieldmagazine.com

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” — Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

MARCH 3, 2017

YOUR NEIGHBORS Photos by Emily Topper

The event featured over half a dozen planes.

LOFTY DREAMS A

utomotive and air fans got their fix at the 2017 Planes, Trains and Automobiles event Saturday, Feb. 25, at Plant City Airport. Kids enjoyed plane rides while families checked out classic cars, watched K-9 demonstrations and chowed down on food truck treats. The annual event was started by Jason Jones and is presented by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; EMILY TOPPER

Kids mimicked the nearby planes.

Daveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jukebox Diner served up grub to attendees.

Michael and Rochelle Mock with their plane, Flying Tigger.

Stephanie and Joe Arnold.

Pilots offered flights to kids. Connor Blake, Logan Blake and Hailey Norman took a turn in the air.

Boy Scouts were able to take flight.

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

MOONLIGHT MAGIC Begins at 10 p.m. Friday, March 3, at the Belle City Midway on the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 303 N. Lemon St. Ride most mechanical rides for $25 per person.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

44TH ANNUAL STRAWBERRY YOUTH PARADE Begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 4, at the State Farmer’s Market, 1305 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Led by Grand Marshal Ashlyn Yarbrough, the parade will pass by the Florida Strawberry Festival. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PLANT CITY AT THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Publix Showcase Tent at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 303 N. Lemon St. The First Baptist Church of Plant City Modern Worship Team will lead a service. GOSPEL NIGHT AT THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Publix Showcase Tent at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 303 N. Lemon St. Pastor Calvin “Pee Wee” Callins will lead the service.

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

BABY CONTEST AT THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 5, at the Publix Showcase Tent at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 303 N. Lemon St. Includes a decorated diaper contest, diaper derby and baby features contest. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the

BINGO 6:30 p.m. Saturdays, at American Legion Post 26, 2207 W. Baker St. There is a full kitchen.

BEST BET 2017 FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL GRAND PARADE Begins at 1 p.m. Monday, March 6, in Historic Downtown Plant City. The annual parade, led by The Bellamy Brothers, will pass by the Florida Strawberry Festival at 2 p.m. via Reynolds Street.

CHRISTIAN MUSIC 6:33 to 8:33 p.m. Thursdays, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. (813) 752-1220. THE CLASSROOM GALLERY 1 to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center, 605 N. Collins St. Art is on display by members of the East Hillsborough Art Guild.

administration office. Open only to babies of Hillsborough County.

MONDAY, MARCH 6

SOUTH FLORIDA BAPTIST HOSPITAL GRAND PARADE BLOCK PARTY Begins at 12 p.m. Monday, March 6, on Reynolds Street next to South Florida Baptist Hospital. Enjoy fun, music and snacks before and during the Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade. Hospital parking is reserved for patients and BayCare team members.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7

MOTION COMMOTION Begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. Motion Commotion is a 45-minute program that incorporates music, literacy and fitness. For children ages 18 months to five years and their caregivers. TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE: BUILD A BETTER WORLD Begins at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. Teens are provided video cameras and can make videos to encourage others to use public

DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB 1 p.m. Fridays at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 302 Carey St. For more information, call Walt Arnold at (813) 752-1602. libraries as part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program. PLANT CITY ROCKS! ROCK PAINTING PARTY Begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, march 7, at Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill, 106 State Road 60 E. Bring paint and rocks to participate in the event, held the first Tuesday of every month.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

NIGHT OWLS STORYTIME Begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. Children are invited to wear pajamas and bring a blanket and favorite cuddly toy for stories, songs and activities. For children ages 3 to 7 and their caregivers.

SUNDAY, MARCH 12

HARMONY BAPTIST CHURCH 23RD ANNIVERSARY JUBILEE Begins at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, March 12, and 7 p.m. Monday, March 13 through Friday, March 17, at Harmony Baptist Church, 6008 W. Knights Griffin Road.

ONGOING PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS CLUB #4051 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. Thursdays at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 S. Evers St., Plant City. New members welcome. ACOUSTIC HAPPY HOUR 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fridays, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818.

KEEL AND CURLEY LIVE MUSIC 6:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 752-9100. KRAZY KUP LIVE MUSIC 8:33 to 10:33 p.m. Saturdays, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. (813) 752-1220. O’BRIEN’S LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818. OPEN MIC NIGHT 8 p.m. Wednesdays, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 7648818.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Wanda Kay James, 61, of Plant City, died Feb. 6, 2017. She was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on Jan. 1, 1956. She is survived by her son, Josh James, of Plant City; and many other family and friends. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

ANITA GRACIELA ORELLANA WILSON Anita Graciela Orellana Wilson, 58, of Plant City, died Feb. 2, 2017. She was born Nov. 29, 1958, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. She is survived by her husband, Jose Alfredo Hernandez; sons, Daniel and Adam Wilson; father, Humberto Orellana (Blanca); sisters, Myriam Hernandez (Agustin) and Nelly Orellana Diminich; nieces, Pricilla, Andrea (Buster), Edgar Andres and Jonathan; best friend, Alejandra; and many other cousins, relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother, Graciela Cabrales de Orellana. A celebration of life was held Feb. 8, at Hopewell Funeral Home in Plant City. Committal followed at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

WALDO HAMPTON YOUMANS Waldo Hampton Youmans, 87, of Plant City, died Feb. 7, 2017. He was born in Pinetta, Florida, on March 11, 1929, to the late Joseph William and Saviner Mae Milton Youmans. He was veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served during the Korean War. After his service, he was an engineer for the Seaboard Railroad and then founded Youmans and Son Well Drilling Co. During this time, he drilled many wells for missionaries in Ethiopia and Honduras. He was a deacon at Bethany Baptist Church, and was recently a member at Shiloh Baptist Church in Plant City. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his friends and family. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dixie D. Youmans; daughters, Dee Miller (Craig) and

Dana Brannon (Donald); son, Joe Youmans (Wendy); grandchildren, Brandi Viciere (Joe), Ethan Brannon (Megan), Emma Youmans and Ian Youmans; great-grandchildren, Nora Lyn Viciere and Carter Alan Brannon; and siblings, Mary Griffin and Emory Youmans. The family is appreciative of the excellent care provided by LifePath Hospice, Sapphire team. A funeral service was held Feb. 10, at Shiloh Baptist Church in Plant City. Memorial contributions may be made to LifePath Hospice, 12470 Telecom Drive, Suite 300 W., Temple Terrace, Florida 33637, or to Shiloh Baptist Church, 1104 Cason St., Plant City, Florida 33563. Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome. com.

ARCHIE D. YOUNG Archie D. Young, 84, of Plant City, died Feb. 10, 2017. He was born in Mt. Morris, Michigan, and formerly lived in Ridgecrest, California. He was a retired chief petty officer in the United States Navy. He served in both Vietnam and Korea. He was a member of Bay Area Church of Christ in Mango. He is survived by his son, Jeffery Young (Nancy), of Plant City; daughter, Dayle Ann Patty (Thomas A.), of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; six grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Mary Ann Young; daughter, Linda Thrift; and brother, Elias Durham. A memorial service with military honors was held Feb. 18, at Bay Area Church of Christ in Mango. Interment will follow at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to LifePath Hospice, at ChaptersHealth.org, or to a charity of choice. Online condolences may be made at WellsMemorial.com.

HERCULANO ALEJO Herculano Alejo, 87, of Plant City, died Feb. 16, 2017. He was born in Guerrero, Mexico, on Nov. 7, 1929. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Hermelinda Duran; children,

Victor M. Alejo (Felipa), Nicolas Alejo (Rudolfina), Francisco Alejo (Irma), Angela Alejo (Alfonso), Maria I. Alejo (Humberto) and Gildardo Alejo (Dioselina); brother, Abraham Alejo; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and other family and friends. A celebration of life was held Feb. 20, at Hopewell Funeral Home in Plant City. Committal followed at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

RACHEL A. BENNETT Rachel A. Bennett, 63, of Seffner, died Feb. 14, 2017. She was born in Plant City on Sept. 24, 1953. She was a member of East Point Assembly of God in Tampa. She loved her family and enjoyed baking, arts and crafts and flowers. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Ronald Bennett; children, Travis Bennett and Angela Curci (Shane); siblings, Jean Cribbs Lindsay (Mike), Daniel Cribbs (Deborah) and Renita Cribbs Johnson (Jimmy); and grandson, Daniel Curci. She was preceded in death by her brother, David Cribbs; and parents, Melvin and Carolyn Cribbs. A celebration of life was held Feb. 18, at East Point Assembly of God in Tampa. Committal followed at Seffner Cemetery, Seffner. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Boys and Girls Missionary Crusade (BGMC), East Point Assembly of God, 5337 Garden Lane, Tampa, Florida 33610. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

KATHRYN GAINEY Kathryn Gainey, 74, of Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2017. A native of Plant City, she was the daughter of L.C. Johnson and Verna Hopkins-Johnson. She was a teacher at Combee Elementary School. She retired from Polk County Schools after 35 years of service. She is survived by her mother; daughters, Katyna Gainey (Claudine) and Krystal Gainey; grandchildren, Karis, Schyler and Peyton Suor and Jennings Gainey.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome. com.

JOEY GUDE Joey Gude, 46, of Dover, died Feb. 25, 2017. He was born on July 10, 1970. He was the owner of Brandon Farms. He loved his family and he enjoyed farming, fishing and hunting. He will forever be remembered for saying, “I have to get to the fields” and “I love you.” He is survived by his wife, Lindsey Pope Gude; daughters, Faith Gude, Ashlyn Gude and Piper Gude; father, Cliff Gude, of Dover; brother, Steve Gude (Kim), of Plant City; parents-in-law, Albert and Sheila Pope, of Dover; brothersin-law, Brian Pope (Maggie) and Kevin Pope (Stephanie), of Dover; and many nieces, nephews, family and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Judith Dees Gude. A celebration of life was held Feb. 28, at First Free Will Baptist Church of Tampa in Seffner. Committal followed at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

JOYCE M. HENDRY Joyce M. Hendry, 94, of Plant City, died Feb. 12, 2017. She was born in Boyd. She was a member of Southside Baptist Church in Plant City, now known as Church on the Rock. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R). She is survived by her son, David Hendry; daughter-in-law, Beverly Hoover; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Talmadge Hendry; daughter, Jeanette Hoover Preston; and son, Dr. James R. Hoover. A visitation was held Feb. 17, at Wells Memorial Funeral Home and Event Center in Plant City. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Willis Peters Exceptional Center for the visual and hearing impaired, 2919 Nelson Ave., Dover, Florida 33527.

MARLENE LOUISE KIRKLAND Marlene Louise Kirkland, 76, of Plant City, died Feb. 19, 2017. Born in Tacoma, Washington, she was the daughter of the late Louellyn and Mary Hoffman Swanson. She was a homemaker who enjoyed taking care of her family and her animals over the years. She is survived by her husband of 26 years, Bryant Kirkland; children, Steven Brandow, Joseph Bubziszewski, Brian Brandow, Brian Kirkland and Janet Parilla; siblings, Art Hoffman, Mary Ann Wright, Georgina Messick and Louella Whitting; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents; children, Orlon Brandow and Chris Brandow; and sister, Josephine Strauss. A funeral service was held Feb. 27, at Haught Funeral Home in Plant City. Interment followed at Bloomingdale Cemetery, Valrico. Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome. com.

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SPORTS

Area baseball/ softball roundup

“Don’t slack at all. Not one bit. You’ll be trying to play catchup, and it’s really hard.” — C.J. Washington’s first year of track and field is going well. PAGE 14

LET’S PLAY BALL The Durant Cougars opened their season with a road win in extra innings on Thursday, Feb. 23.

BASEBALL SCORES TUESDAY, FEB. 28

Strawberry Crest 3, Plant City (H) 1

SOFTBALL SCORES TUESDAY, FEB. 28

Plant City (H) 4, Strawberry Crest 1

UPCOMING GAMES

JUSTIN KLINE

(Baseball and softball games run concurrently)

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

t took a couple extra innings, but the Durant Cougars started their baseball season exactly how they hoped to: with a win on the road. Visiting Plant City High School, Durant was able to weather a late Raiders (0-2; 0-1 district) storm and pull out a 4-3 win in nine innings. Senior reliever Colyn White picked up the "W" for the Cougars. Durant jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, thanks to Jonah Scolaro's two-RBI triple and pinch runner Bryar Christian's score on a wild pitch. Scolaro, Durant's starting pitcher, spent the next few innings dueling with Raiders starter Parker Messick before being subbed out in the fifth inning. Both starters finished with nine strikeouts on the evening. Plant City's offense got rolling in the sixth inning, quickly loading up the bases without an out. J.J. Gonzalez put the home team on the board with a two-RBI single and, with runners on first and third, Brandon Grant tied the game with an RBI single of his own. Though the Raiders were unable to take advantage of a successful Cody Cribbs sacrifice bunt afterward, Messick was able to retire the side in the top of the seventh inning. Both teams were able to put just one man on base in the seventh and eighth innings, but Durant broke through in the top of the ninth. Jared Mejia hit a single and soon took second on a wild pitch to Jacob Smith. One atbat later, Scolaro got on base with a walk. Braden Runey then struck out, but Mejia was able to steal third base and set up the dagger, Alex Molinelli's two-out RBI single.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3:

lant City @ Riverview, 7 p.m. Durant at Bloomingdale, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4:

Durant @ Lennard, 10 a.m. Newsome @ Strawberry Crest, 1 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7:

East Bay at Durant, 7 p.m. Bloomingdale @ Plant City, 7 p.m. Leto @ Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m.

YMCA to offer free water safety lessons The Plant City Family YMCA is one of several branches in the Tampa Bay Area participating in this month’s Safety Around Water program. The program, will teach children age 3-12 with little to no swimming experience how to stay safe and confident around the pool, beach or any body of water. The free course is scheduled to run from Monday, March 13, through Thursday, March 16. A YMCA membership is not required for registration. All children must bring their own swim suits and towels. Families interested in signing their children up can contact the Plant City Family YMCA at (813) 757-6677, or by visiting the facility at 1507 YMCA Place.

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? JUSTIN KLINE

SEE BASEBALL PAGE 13

Durant, Plant City play another one to remember The Thursday, Feb. 23, baseball game lived up to the hype.

don’t think Plant City-area residents could have asked for a better way to kick off prep baseball season, school allegiances aside. What was echoed in the bleachers during the Thursday, Feb. 23, game — basically, “Durant and Plant City always play each other well” — is true. Sometimes your friends know how to compete against you better than anyone else, and these programs are close enough to know each other like few others in East Hillsborough. That means we, the baseball fans, get to see great games. So a 4-3 final score in extra innings is a great way to set the tone for this season. After all, who could say no to a rematch between the two teams from last season’s 8A-6 district championship game? Not this columnist, and definitely not the many Cougars and Raiders fans who filled up every seat in the house. You got to see two potential professional players in Durant ace Jonah Scolaro and Plant City outfielder Dalton Wingo, for one thing. Scolaro pitched fairly well, striking out nine batters and giving up just three hits, while walking five batters. He only got one hit, but no one’s ever going to complain about a two-RBI triple. Wingo didn’t get much of a chance to show his talents at the plate, having drawn walks in four plate appearances, but capitalized on every defensive chance he got. Plant City’s roster is considerably SEE KLINE PAGE 13

Photos by Justin Kline

Top: Parker Messick was the Raiders’ starting pitcher. Above: Durant was the first team to get on the scoreboard.

Crest wrestling sends six to states Strawberry Crest wants to show the state that its young wrestling program is a force to be reckoned with. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Few schools, if any, know what it’s like to wrestle with as big a chip on their shoulders as Strawberry Crest. Training in improvised spaces and dealing with all the perceptions that stem from being a relatively new program, the Chargers want nothing more than to show everyone — from the school to the state of Florida —

that perceptions aren’t always reality. Of course, it helps that Crest just had six wrestlers make the cut for the FHSAA State Championships, following a strong showing at regionals. Prior to regionals, which were held at George Jenkins High School in Lakeland, Crest’s coaching staff was confident that the team would send several kids to states. Six was the goal File Photo

SEE WRESTLING PAGE 13

Cullen Telfer is one of six advancing Chargers.

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FROM BASEBALL PAGE 12

Justin Kline

Steven Witchoskey swings at a pitch.

In the bottom of the ninth, White struck Cribbs out, induced a Cade Shissler flyout and wrapped it up by striking out Brett Becker. In other area baseball action, Strawberry Crest (2-0; 1-0 district) picked up a 3-2 win over Freedom (0-3; 0-1 district) in its home opener. On the softball field, the Lady Raiders boosted their record to 4-0 (1-0 district) with a 2-0 win over the Lady Cougars (1-2; 0-1 district), and the Lady Chargers (2-2; 1-0 district) climbed back up to the .500 mark with a 2-0 win over Freedom (2-2; 0-1 district).

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Manny Ramirez placed second at regionals.

FROM WRESTLING PAGE 12

that head coach C.J. Gittens and the assistants had in mind, and the kids made it happen. The only Charger to win first place was Crest’s first-ever state champion, Cullen Telfer, who is wrestling at 138 pounds. Second-place finishers included Lane Keck, wrestling at 106 pounds, Manny Ramirez, wrestling at 113 pounds, and Trenton Davidson, wrestling at 152 pounds. The team’s thirdplace finishers were Harry Combs, at 170 pounds, and D.J. Tice, at 285 pounds. The team took third place overall at the 3A, Region 2 meet, scoring a total of 136.3 points. This year, Crest trailed only Kissimmee-Osceola (158.5) and Manatee (140) in the standings. After last year’s 3A, Region 2 competition, Crest finished behind 10 other teams. The 2017 competition ended well for the Chargers, especially considering the obstacles the program has had to overcome. Much of the team’s training throughout the regular season happened in a slice of the gymnasium, which forced the Chargers to compete to be heard in the din of a room packed with practicing basketball players and cheerleaders. The wrestlers could also be found in the cafeteria, where they trained for regionals, which presented its own set of challenges: the wrestlers not only had to fold up and put back the tables before and after practices, but they also had to compete for time slots with academic clubs — which could kick the team out if practice ran longer than its allotted time. The average age of the coaching staff is around 30 years old. Gittens, who is short and built with lean muscle, has been mistaken for a student several times — even being shoved aside from the mat by referees, which he now laughs about. But that doesn’t mean the staff is fine with being seen as inferior because of its youth, or with being taken lightly because of the “Strawberry” before the “Crest.”

“There have been times where we’ve gone to dual other programs, and we get called the ‘Strawberry Cupcakes,’ we get called this, that and the other,” assistant coach Will Terry says. “One time, we went to go dual a rival and they introduced us as their ‘little brothers.’ Being new, being young and not being a traditional power in this county, we are having to wrestle with a chip on our shoulder to make a name for ourselves.” Rodney Dangerfield might have sympathized with the Chargers, at least at times. But Gittens and the staff know that, in athletics, winning is the quickest way to earning widespread respect. And even if it takes a long time to reach the level of programs such as Brandon, that have seemingly been strong since the dawn of high school sports, all programs had to start somewhere. To have fielded a state champion, Telfer, before the school itself even turned 10 years old, is a start, but the coaches hope to build upon that in 2017. That chip on the shoulder is, to the program, also a badge of honor. After bringing on assistant coach William Knighten, who came over from Plant City High in the offseason, practices drew more inspiration from the military — specifically Knighten’s experiences in the United States Marine Corps. He, Gittens and assistant Abe Fernandez also work directly with the wrestlers on the mat at every practice. In Knighten’s opinion, working with a young, passionate staff in a program looking to establish itself as a serious contender made Crest the right fit for him. “Here, it’s just a different environment,” Knighten says. “It’s kind of that brotherhood that makes me feel like I’m back in the Marines. It’s that feeling that we’re all together, we’re all in it together and we all work together to make things better.” Gittens will be the first to admit that, despite a 39-1 record, dominance at districts and a top-three finish at regionals, it hasn’t been an

GROUP CHAT Strawberry Crest’s coaching staff is never not thinking about wrestling. Anyone looking for proof of this can just take a glance at a coach’s cell phone. One of the things that the coaches credit for keeping a tight bond among the staff is its text message group chat, which is always active — except during school hours, of course. “Day and night, wrestling,” assistant coach Will Terry says. “I’m trying to feed the baby, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz … there’s no other staff in this county that eats, sleeps and dreams about wrestling like we do.” It’s a medium for the coaches to discuss new ideas as quickly as they come to mind, whenever they come to mind. That does mean that anyone included in the group is as likely to get into a debate at 10 a.m. on a Saturday as they are to get a barrage of YouTube videos demonstrating a technique at 1 a.m. on a weeknight. “I’ve gotten complaints, as the head coach, from the other coaches’ wives and girlfriends like, ‘You need to stop texting my husband at 2 o’clock in the morning,” head coach C.J. Gittens says. “‘No one cares that you don’t have a wife and kids, C.J.!’”

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This week’s Sudoku answers

easy season. But with one tournament left to go in the 2016-17 season, he, the staff and the team want to leave Kissimmee on Saturday, Feb. 4, with something Crest, and any program, could be proud of. Contact Justin Kline at jkline@ plantcityobserver.com. ©2017 NEA, Inc.

This week’s Crossword answers

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? FROM KLINE PAGE 12

younger than Durant’s junior and senior-heavy squad, but some of its young guys played well. Shortstop J.J. Gonzalez led the team going 2-for-4 with a two-RBI single, and ace Parker Messick struck out nine batters in seven innings pitched. It also appears that the Raiders’ defense is on to something good. After Durant’s three-run second inning, I thought the Raiders did a solid job of keeping things from getting any further out of hand. The kids certainly have more to learn about the game, but you can see it

JUSTIN KLINE

coming together. A lot of people did leave before the end of the game, shortly after 9 p.m., and I’d say they missed out on a solid ending. One of the things I’ve always loved about baseball is that there’s no real clock to worry about, so there’s no way to be “saved by the bell:” it’s all on the individual to come through in the clutch, whenever it happens, and that always heightens the sense of drama for me. Situations such as Durant’s last offensive half-inning, where Alex Molinelli hit the game-winner, and Colyn White pitching the bottom of the ninth, are moments that you

can’t really compare to anything in any other sport. Things like that make baseball fun. These two teams meet again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at Durant High School, when they’re fresh out of the Saladino Tournament. In my opinion, that’s a date any area baseball fan should save. Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Times & Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

2017

232657

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

C.J. Washington Plant City High School senior C.J. Washington became academically eligible for high school sports for the spring semester, and immediately joined the track team. He won in the triple and long jump events in his first-ever meet, and followed it up with third-place finishes last week at Wharton High. Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue. What made you come out for track? My freshman year, I was doing kind of good (with grades), and then I slacked off. I came back out here to do something before I left. How did you work to get your grades back up and get eligible? I had to cut off all the negativity and get back into the books, like I’m supposed to be. What’s your favorite subject now? I like reading and writing.

Martucci) was like, “I need you to go out there,” so I went out there. It felt good. It was nice. What are you hoping to accomplish this season? Hopefully, to make it to states and try to beat some records that older people left. Any college plans? Two years of community college and two at a university. What do you want to do after college? I’d like to be a doctor. As someone who successfully turned his grades around and reached your goal, what advice would you give to help someone who’s falling behind in the classroom? Don’t slack at all. Not one bit. You’ll be trying to play catch-up, and it’s really hard. It’s not easy to just catch up and get everything made up that you’re supposed to have made up.

Were your sights set on any other sports, or just track? There was football, but I didn’t have (my grades) up in time. So, I got out here. What was the transition like, going from three years on the sideline back into the action? Well, I stayed doing something active. But coming out here and trying to adjust and learn everything, it was kind of difficult. What was the hardest thing to learn out here? I think it was the triple jump. You’ve got to swing your leg and land it properly. You’ve got to learn it and get it down pat.

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How long did it take you to get it down? I’d say about a week and a half, two weeks, something like that. How did you feel when you picked up those wins at George Jenkins? It was kind of crazy because it was my first time doing the triple jump. It was just long jump. But Coach (Drew

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

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SATURDAY, MARCH 4 High: 76 Low: 58 Chance of rain: 0%

Friday, March 3

6:50a

6:30p

Saturday, March 4

6:49a

6:30p

Sunday, March 5

6:48a

6:31p

Monday, March 6

6:47a

6:32p

Tuesday, March 7

6:46a

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Wednesday, March 8

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MONDAY, MARCH 6

March 27 March 23 March 3 New Last First

High: 80 Low: 60 Chance of rain: 10%

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Jackie Seevers captured this photo of Plant City strawberries at Spivey Farms U-Pick Strawberries. Jackie wins this week’s I Love Plant City photo contest, and gets a free car wash at Octopus Car Wash, 1503 S. Collins St. Do you have a photo that speaks to the heart of Plant City? Send it to Managing Editor Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com for a chance to be featured.

Courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture

ACROSS

Puzzle One Clue: D equals C

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

Sunday, Feb. 26

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Tuesday, Feb. 28

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2016 8.23 in.

2016

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1 Thailand, once 5 Provo’s state 9 You may break one while exercising 14 Common pet 17 Be a debater 19 Thing on a football jersey 20 City in Taiwan 22 Valuable mined rock 23 What Charlie said 26 Tennis court feature 27 Makes a lasting impression? 28 Down Under city 29 Word with latch or hang 31 Bird of the cuckoo family 32 Commandments number 33 “Married to ___” (Michelle Pfeiffer film) 36 Make imperfect 39 Extremely cold Circle 43 Initial acts 46 Have a brilliant thought 48 Monetary unit of Albania 49 “Psycho” scene of terror 51 One chin-up, e.g. 52 ___ &Gabbana of fashion 53 Beaver’s construction 54 Color over, as hair 55 Type of pickle 56 Help a criminal in wrongdoing 57 Musical Puente 58 Toyota no more 59 Television, radio, newspapers, etc. 60 Caribbean, for one 61 Bus utilizer 62 “For ___ a jolly good ...” 63 Monopoly property 65 ___ Arabia 67 Remote button abbr. 68 Classic column style 69 Sidestepped 71 About half of the adult population 72 Humble home 74 Word with “as directed” 77 Hidden complication 78 Vital layer with a hole 80 Con ___ (lively, in music) 81 Show off one’s muscles 82 Sound reverberation 83 Fourteen pounds, across the pond 84 One’s boy 85 Garlic mayonnaise 86 Have regrets 87 Collusion or secret agreement 88 Baseball score 89 LPs 90 Dessert of nuts and honey 92 It converts sun rays into electricity 95 Had a seat 96 Turns back to 000, e.g. 98 Many moons past the newborn stage 99 Sammy with over 600 home runs 101 Be patient in line 102 Concerning the pope 105 Without punishment

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109 Irritate 110 Common Darth Vader misquote 114 Billy ___ Williams 115 Tweaks text 116 Relative of a U.S. dollar 117 Film archive containers 118 ___ Arbor, Mich. 119 Finely chopped spreads 120 Meaty, soupy dish 121 Common Valentine’s Day gift

DOWN

1 Wise 2 Metal that can rust 3 Obviously excited 4 Ritual hand movement in Indian classical dancing 5 Riotous feeling 6 Turns browner in the sun 7 “What ___ bid?” 8 Nag persistently with trivial complaints 9 Light in the night sky 10 Would like to have 11 Ice skater’s figure

12 Do an impression of 13 ___ Aviv of 41-Down 14 What Balki Bartokomous said 15 Cookie with a white center 16 Exact revenge on 18 Proceed or issue forth 21 Chemically similar compound 24 Sheepish 25 Well-mannered man, in Britain 30 Prefix with smoking or lethal 32 Earthquake’s onset 34 What Joey Tribbiani said 35 Olympic sword event 36 Man with a golden touch 37 Photoshop software producer 38 What Zeus said 40 Off to ___ start (running behind schedule) 41 Jewish republic 42 You may be checked in it 44 Started again, as a candle 45 Spread out, as fingers 47 Be directed? 50 Lyric poem with complex stanza forms 53 What Steve Urkel said

55 Places to grab a sandwich 57 It may get high on the beach 58 Word with call or booth 59 Soft, deep mud 61 Slugger Babe 64 Heading for a list 66 With a bow, to a cellist 67 Via ___ (expensive street of Rome) 69 Harsh in taste 70 Place where nothing’s the matter? 71 Pre-stereo recordings 72 Asinine 73 Rodeo bucker, for short 75 Historic city in Alabama 76 Remain alive 79 “Do not feed the animals” sign locale 81 Little lie 83 Utilize a bank account, in a way 85 Outstanding, elite player 87 Home for a king 88 Long-distance auto races (var.) 89 Socially distant

91 Hawaiian island giveaway 93 Good gardening soil 94 Account held in reserve 97 Emptied one’s wallet 100 Time-time link 101 “Beau Geste” author or type of bird 103 Paid helper 104 Quarterback’s option 105 “You betcha!” 106 Stat start 107 Seafood items often smoked 108 Language of Scotland 109 “Sweet as apple cider” girl of song 111 Baseball official 112 Mauna ___ (volcano) 113 Call from 111-Down

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017

Don’t Ignore the Signs

CHEST PAIN

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

Join Us at a Free Heart-Healthy Screening Near You Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Knowing your risk factors for heart disease could save your life or the life of someone you love. BayCare is offering free heart-healthy screenings across the greater Tampa Bay area to help you get to know your heart and the signs you shouldn’t ignore.

Choose from Convenient Dates and Locations Tuesday, March 7

Morton Plant Hospital (Clearwater)

8am–2pm

Thursday, March 9

South Florida Baptist Hospital (Plant City)

8am–2pm

Saturday, March 18

Bloomingdale Regional Public Library (Valrico)

11am-4pm

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