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OUR TOWN
HEROES FOR HAYDEN by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Shoebox float winner honors Hayden Jackson Trapnell’s float was dedicated to Hayden Hitchcock, who recently died from an accident in a strawberry field.
+ Keller Williams flushes out cancer
There were a few raised eyebrows Thursday, March 19, at the Plant City Keller Williams office. Some customers and guests were confused by a toilet in the lobby. But it wasn’t just any toilet. It was a purple bedazzled toilet gifted by Hillsborough Title through a Plant City Relay for Life fundraiser. Before Keller Williams could have it removed, the office had to raise money to “Flush Out Cancer.” It was extra special because Keller Williams was also celebrating a groom shower for its very own Tres Hall and his fiancee Jaimie, who gained insight on how crazy real estate can be. Keller Williams quickly raised over $100 and had the potty sent to another business.
Jackson Trapnell, 7, decided to enter the Shoebox Float contest at the Florida Strawberry Festival for the first time this year. But his motivation was more than just the opportunity to win a trophy. Trapnell’s grandfather, Theodore Knight, used to work at Parkesdale Farms. He was so valued as an unofficial member of the Parke family that when he received a cancer diagnosis, the Parkes threw him an appreciation party and fundraiser at the farm.
So when Trapnell found out that the four-year-old grandson of Parkesdale’s owners, Hayden Hitchcock, died after falling under a truck at a strawberry field in January, he wanted to show that he cared. Just as the Parkes had comforted Knight and his family before Trapnell was even born, Trapnell wanted to show his support for the Parkes in their time of need. Trapnell’s shoebox float, displayed with other entries in a glass case just across the hall from Parksdale Farms’ booth
at the festival, won first place in his age group. It had a superhero theme. “I knew he liked superheroes, and it touched my heart,” Trapnell said. The back of the float had Hayden’s name and a Captain America shield. “He wore Captain America everything. He had the shield, he had it all,” Matt Parke, who oversees farm operations for Parkesdale Farms, said.
SEE HAYDEN / PAGE 4
education by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Independence Academy opens new campus on McIntosh Road
QUEEN FOR A YEAR
A series of delays pushed back the move, but the school is now located at U.S. Highway 92 and McIntosh Road.
+ Commision debate planned
The Plant City Area Democratic Club will be hosting a debate between two Plant City Commission candidates. The debate will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. Mary Yvette Thomas Mathis is the incumbent. She is in administration at Marshall Middle School and previously served as mayor. Challenger Hasani Jackson is a teacher at Simmons Career Center. The format will include a moderator and three panelists. Questions from the audience will be solicited. Contact President Gerri Smith at (813) 720-5304 for more information.
+ Simmons PSA recognized
Hawk Media Club and Simmons Career Center were honored at an awardwinning Service Day event earlier this month for a PSA
OUR TOWN / PAGE 4
, 3&
This week’s winner is
Linda Hunter
See her photo on PAGE 15.
Catherine Sinclair
Matt Parke accepted Jackson Trapnell’s shoebox float on behalf of Parkesdale Farms.
Catherine Sinclair
Chloe Tew, 15, was crowned as the 2015 Miss Blueberry Queen Saturday, March 21, at Keel and Curley Winery. The third annual pageant had seven age groups and benefitted Fierce Athletics, a Plant City nonprofit organization that helps girls and young women pay for athletic programs that they might not be able to afford otherwise. For more photos go to page 8.
After two delays, Independence Academy said “goodbye” to its campus of small portable buildings off of Alexander Street near Interstate 4, and “hello” to a large, stateof-the-art campus at U.S. Highway 92 and McIntosh Road March 16. Independence Academy, formerly Shiloh Charter School, was initially set to move to its new building in Dover at the beginning of this school year, but permitting issues pushed back the move. It was rescheduled for December. Unusually heavy autumn rains delayed construction even further. The new campus is expected to accommodate more than 300 additional students by the 2016-2017 school year. For principal Shane Clark, the safety features at the new campus are key. At the old campus, there were many openings through which strangers could enter the school grounds. This is no longer the case. “The number one thing about the new campus is the security we have here,” Clark said. “There’s no possibility of
BY THE NUMBERS 3: Number of classrooms dedicated to the arts
4: Number of computer labs
38: Current number of
teachers (up to 12 additional teachers could be hired next year)
40: Total number of classrooms
600: Approximate current number of students
950: Total number of stu-
dents the new campus can accommodate
some random person walking into our building.” There is only one door through which visitors may enter, and they first have to buzz in to notify the office of their arrival. After passing through the first door, their only option is to go through the school’s main office. There is no direct access to the interior of the school.
SEE SCHOOL / PAGE 4
SHOW ME THE BUNNY by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
City offers Easter festival, egg hunt The 26th annual egg hunt is free for children under age 12. It’s time to dust off those Easter baskets and get ready for the fun-filled flurry of Plant City’s city-wide egg hunt, which will take place Saturday, April 4. “It definitely has a longstanding history with the city and with our department, as
well as the Optimist Club,” Tim Hanlon, assistant program manager for the Recreation and Parks Department, said. This will be the 26th year that the City of Plant City has organized the event. The event starts at 10 a.m.
with a show by magician and balloon artist Luis Campaneria of A-1 Magic. Then children will split into four age groups to hunt for eggs containing candy and coupons for local businesses.
SEE EASTER / PAGE 4
Catherine Sinclair
Children can have lunch inside or out by the playground.
INDEX Calendar.......................2
Vol.2,No.36 | Onesection Crossword...................15
Obituaries...................11
Sports.........................12
Weather......................15
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