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FREE • FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015

Cutest Critter is now monthly thanks to Turkey Creek Animal Hospital.

by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer OUR TOWN health

+ Ride to honor accident victims

A memorial ride will be held Saturday, April 4, for a two men who were killed in a Polk County motorcycle crash.

Johnathan “Johny” Walker, 25, of Plant City, and Christopher Bowmer, 23, of Lakeland, died March 15 after Bowmer made a U-turn in front of Walker. Walker tried to swerve and avoid a crash, but they collided.

Both men leave behind families.

The ride starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at Silver Dollar Saloon, 107 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard. Food, drinks, a deejay, auction, car and bike wash, bounce house and raffle will be the entertainment.

A route is set up through the mines to show respects.

Cars, bikes, scooters and trucks are all welcome to join the ride.

Proceeds from the event will go to their families.

Hospital continues to advance in 2015 One of the biggest upcoming improvements for South Florida Baptist Hospital will be the construction of a 17-bed ICU.

South Florida Baptist Hospital just opened its new surgery center, but the updates and construction projects at the hospital will be continuing throughout this spring and summer.

In the last few weeks, two new operating rooms were approved and used for a few procedures. The surgery center’s final inspection was also completed. With the new center, the hospital is able to accommodate 12% more surgery patients in six areas: general sur-

gery, orthopedic, gynecologic, neurospine, ENT and vascular.

But other areas of the hospital are also going through changes.

One wing of the hospital was given a new name: the Steve and Krista Howard Heart and Vascular Center. Though the heart and vascular center opened in 2010, it was named for these donors March 15, 2015.

Steve Howard is president and CEO of Patterson Companies in Plant City. He also

has served on the board of the South Florida Baptist Hospital Foundation since 2013. “(The Howards) have had family members who have suffered from heart disease, so it was a good match for him,” Karen Kerr, the hospital’s president, said.

The next big project for the hospital will be the addition of a new and bigger ICU. Construction will start this summer.

SEE HOSPITAL / PAGE 4

Catherine SInclair

Dr. Ghazanfar Khadim, C.J. Birge, Dashia Hewitt, Matt Snelson, Taylor Nix and Ken Nieves are on staff at the newly named Steve and Krista Howard Heart and Vascular Center

finding a cure

JROTC by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

by Amber Jurgensen |Managing Editor

Relay for Life makes additions Relay for Life will be revamping its night to bring Plant City new activities in the name of finding a cure.

+ PCHS students win essay contest

Three Plant City High School students were recognized at the District 4 VFW Annual Awards Banquet and Ceremony held in Winter Haven for essays on “Why Veterans are Important to our Nation’s History and Future.”

Ashlyn Yarbrough placed first and Brian Becker took second with Post 11179, of Ft. Meade. David PeQueen placed third with Post 4289, of Winter Haven.

+ Sandra Whitmill promoted to VP

Sandra Whitmill has been promoted to Sunshine Bank’s vice president. She will be responsible for managing policy and ensuring the bank is in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Whitmill has almost 40 years of experience in the banking industry. She has been with Sunshine Bank for 14 years and served as the training director. In 2012, she earned her Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers.

Whitmill lives in Plant City.

Members of the ROTC color guard and drill teams say that they depend upon each other for success.

Catherine Sinclair

Knowing the Drill

Three ROTC teams from Plant City High School will be competing in drill and color guard at the state level next week.

T

he end of the school year is in sight, and athletics teams are preparing for playoffs and other post-season challenges. But one group of students at Plant City High School is getting ready to compete in an entirely different kind of competition — one that involves rifles, flags and extreme attention to detail.

One drill team and two color guard teams from Plant City JROTC will be competing at the state level — a first for all of them. And they attribute their success to their collective dedication.

“None of us would have been able to get to state without each other,” Faith Girmscheid, commander of the female unarmed squad, said.

For those who have never seen a drill team competition, battalion commander Jordan Wetherington describes it as

, 3&

SEE RELAY / PAGE 4

WEALTHOFKNOWLEDGE

by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

New CEO starts at Hillsboro Bank

Mike Ward is a resident of Dade City with more than 30 years of financial experience.

TEAM MEMBERS FEMALE UNARMED SQUAD Pictured: Leslie Leon, Sarah Shea, Faith Girmscheid, Rebekah Wetherington. Not pictured: Megan Mulvaney, Sophie Vera, Stephanie Vera.

FEMALE COLOR GUARD Rebekah Wetherington, Faith Girmscheid, Megan Mulvaney, Sophie Vera MALE COLOR GUARD Jordan Wetherington, Joseph Shannon, Rodrigo Vazquez, Ian Matthews

SEE GUARD / PAGE 4

This week’s winner is

Several years ago, Plant City’s Relay for Life was ranked third in the state out of hundreds.

Last year, it slipped to the 11th spot. But this year, organizers are planning to reclaim its fame.

For the April 10 event, new activities and a morning-after 5K have been planned to elevate the competition.

“I’m really excited this year because there are so many

Mike Ward’s true passion is community banking, and he has taken his wealth of knowledge and experience to Hillsboro Bank. Ward is the new CEO of the bank. He has been in the role for one month.

Gary Booth was the previous, longtime CEO of Hillsboro Bank, which has two branches: Valrico and its headquarters in Plant City. In 2014, he made the decision to retire. One of

SEE CEO / PAGE 4

Roy Adams

See her photo on PAGE 15.

INDEX Calendar.......................2

Vol.2,No.37 | Onesection Crossword...................15

Obituaries...................11

Sports.........................12

Weather......................15

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COMMUNITYCALENDAR FRIDAY, APRIL 3

Acoustic Happy Hour — music takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818.

Christian Contemporary Music — takes place from 6:33 to 8:13 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. (813) 752-1220.

Jesus, Only Jesus — takes place beginning at 7 p.m.

Friday, April 3, at First Baptist Church of Dover, 322 N. Gallagher Road. The guest narrator is State Rep. Rachel Burgin. The musical event is free and open to the public.

Seder Service — takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Shiloh Baptist Church, 905 Terrace Drive.

The Good Friday dinner is $10 for adults, $5 for kids or $30 per family. Tickets are limited.

(813) 752-8345.

Skip Frye Blues Live! — takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 752-9100.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4 Easter Egg Hunt — takes place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at First Thonotosassa Baptist Church,

Young Adult Nite — takes place from 7:33 to 10:33 p.m.

Saturday, April 4, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.

Enjoy live music from local artists. (813) 752-1220.

SUNDAY, APRIL 5

BEST BET City-wide Easter Egg Hunt — takes place beginning at 10 a.m.

Saturday, April 4, at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2602 E. Cherry St. Enjoy an egg hunt divided by ages, face painting, games, food and more.

10650 McIntosh Road.

Easter Eggstravaganza — takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at The Cynergy Church, 600 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

There will be Easter baskets, toys, food, iPod and TV giveaways, bill pay, free cotton candy and snow cones, bounce house, and an egg hunt with cash prizes. (813) 708-2783.

The Living Cross — takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 4, and at 10:15 a.m.

Sunday, April 5, at Shiloh

Baptist Church, 905 Terrace Drive.

Mark Barrios Live! — takes place from 6 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, April 4, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 7529100.

Messiah in the Passover — takes place beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Faith Lighthouse Church, 3409 Paul Buchman Highway. There is free admission and limited seating. RSVP to (813) 54537748.

Community Easter Sunrise Service — takes place beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday, April 5, at Walden Lake Community Park.

Easter Sunrise Service — takes place beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 5, at First Thonotosassa Baptist Church, 10650 McIntosh Road. The service will be followed by breakfast.

Son-Risen Easter Service — takes place beginning at 8 a.m.

Sunday, April 5, at Hopewell Baptist Church, 6001 CR 39 S. Enjoy music, fellowship and praise.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9 The Recovery for Life — takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 9, at the Lorena Jaeb Rainbow House, 504 N. Palm Drive. It is a 12-step Bible-based program to help free individuals from all forms of addiction. Debbie Ray, (813) 763-1562.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 Cristi Massey Live! — takes

To publicize your event in our Community Calendar, please send by mail: 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563; or by email: ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com. Photos are welcome. Deadline is noon Thursday. place from 6 to 10 p.m.

Wednesday, April 8, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 7529100.

Open Mic Night — takes place beginning at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, April 8, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818.

Plant City Local Harvest Farmers Market — takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at McCall Park, 100 N. Collins St. PCLocalHarvestFarmer sMarket. com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 41st Annual Wild Game Cookout — takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 10, still in the woods between Forbes and Thonotosassa roads. Rotary sponsors the stag-only feast.

For tickets call Jeremy Burris at (813) 365-8161.

Acoustic Happy Hour — music takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 10, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818.

Munn Park Saints Live! — takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 10, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 7529100.

Relay for Life — takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, March 10, at Plant City High School, 1 Raider Place. Join Plant City Relay for Life teams in the fight for cancer. Enjoy games, dancing, a special princess booth, entertainment, food and more. Facebook.com/ plantcityrelay.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 Florida Opry — takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at 605 N. Collins St. Entertainment will be Hwy 41, Simple Faith & The Masters Four. (813) 757-9226.

Los Dos Live! — takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 752-9100.

Spring Thing 2015 — takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 11, on Drane and Palmer streets. The event is presented by the Downtown PC Business and Merchants Association. For more information, contact Benny Lubrano at (813) 545-1207 or blubranojr@gmail.com.

Young Adult Nite — takes place from 7:33 to 10:33 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Enjoy live music from local artists. (813) 7521220.

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safety in numbers by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

Children’s Board to host forum

The meeting will be a time for citizens to speak up about their concerns related to children’s safety.

Parents, teachers and all others with concern for child safety will have the opportunity to have their voices heard at a public meeting hosted by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, next week in Plant City.

The April 9 event is part of a series of meetings spanning the entire year, at various Children’s Board centers around the county.

“Our goal is to extract information from community members ... in all the different areas and trying to find out what is keeping the kids in that area from safety,” Paula Scott, a spokeswoman for the children’s board, said.

“The format itself is basically a very organic conversation.”

Two facilitators will be present to keep the meeting running, as well as other staff

from the children’s board, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County.

They will be available to answers questions when possible. But the topics of conversation will be up to the citizens who attend.

There also will be presentations on the Safe and Sound Hillsborough County project, and family stability programs and college scholarships at Hillsborough Community College.

Three topics in particular were discussed at the first two meetings earlier this year, and Scott expects them to be important issues for Plant City, as well.

“One that has come up heavily, and usually early on in the meetings, is about pedestrian safety,” Scott said.

This includes children walking in areas without sidewalks, small children walking to their bus stop when it is still dark in the early morning and children walking along busy streets with inadequate crosswalks.

The other two hot issues have been the need for safe caregivers when parents are absent or busy, and the lack of safe activities for teenagers, which often leads to trouble.

Scott and other Children’s Board employees take careful notes at each of the meetings in order to remember the community’s discussion points. After the sixth meeting, which will be in October, they will compile and analyze the information they collected, in order to identify county-wide problems, as

IF YOU GO

CHILDREN’S BOARD TOWN HALL MEETING WHEN: 5 p.m. Thursday, April 9 WHERE: Children’s Board Family Resource Center, 639 E. Alexander Street, Plant City FUTURE MEETINGS: June 11 in Tampa; Aug. 13 in Ruskin; and Oct. 8 in Brandon MORE INFORMATION: childrensboard.org well as localized issues.

“Our goal is to return next year to each of those resource centers and talk about: what did we find, what kind of traction have we been able to get, how can we help you, and how can you help yourself.” Scott said.

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.

SIDE-SPLITTING by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

COMEDY FOR A CURE Comedy for a Cure, sponsored by the Tooth Caboose and hosted at First Baptist Church of Midway, was held Friday, March 27, to raise money for Relay for Life. Guests had time to socialize and make donations through the purchase of concessions, tshirts and luminarias.

But the highlight of the evening was a come-

dic variety show in the church auditorium.

The show began with an hour of energetic improv. Then, Benji Padgett played piano and sang, and BasRocks led the crowd in a freestyle dance party. The improv team returned for another round, and the night closed with a performance by Charizma Dunphy.

ELECTION by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor

Walden Lake to vote on WLCA leadership Walden Lake residents can vote in three candidates April 9.

Three seats are up for grabs on the Walden Lake Community Association board. The election will be held beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9, at Plant City Church of God, 2103 Mud Lake Road, during the annual membership meeting.

The board has been operating one member short since fJim Chancey resigned in November 2014 after serving as

LYNN R. BUEHLER

Forest Park Professional experience: Vice president of Forest Park HOA; State of Florida Homeowner Association Board Member certificate; Board member and president, Arlington Ridge HOA; United States Naval Security Group and Special Intelligence Communications Officer

ROBERT FARKAS

Emerald Forest Education: Bachelor’s in electrical engineering Professional experience: Consultant for many large companies with focus on power and communication solutions

JAN GRIFFIN

Sutton Woods Professional experience: WLCA board member since 1994; President of WLCA for 10 years; Homeowner Board Member certification, Homeowner Association; Plant City Garden Club president

Spring Meadow Education: Bachelor’s in geographic information systems, University of South Florida Professional experience: Document management administrator, The Mosaic Company; mapping technician, City of Tampa

BLAKE M. MEINECKE

In the game “DVD,” Katie Loudermilk, Sean McKenney and Nate Flemming acted out a scene from a made-up movie called “Baby Ate My Donut.”

NEWS BRIEFS + Man critical after scooter hit

A Dover man was in critical condition after he collided with a car Thursday, Feb. 12.

At 10:30 p.m., Alicia GomezMontejo, 22, of Dover, was traveling north on Sydney Dover Road when she slowed to turn left into the driveway at 3226 Sydney Dover Road in her 2005 Nissan Altima. Jerome Townsley, 50, was traveling south on Sydney Dover Road on his 2003 Honda motor scooter at about 30 mph.

Montejo failed to see Townsley. While she was turning left struck him with the front of her vehicle. Townsley’s headlight was not illuminated at the time of the crash and he was not wearing a helmet.

Townsley was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

+ One dead after Jeep hits pedestrians

A 2000 Jeep Cherokee struck two pedestrians crossing Highway 574 Sunday, March 22, killing one.

The SUV, driven by Clifford

Halford, 59, of Plant City, was traveling east on Highway 574.

He did not see the pedestrians, Noe Lara-Garcia, 50, and Rosa Castro, 54, both of Plant City, crossing the road to the El Koco Loco Bar and Grill, from a field north of the location that is used for parking.

Both of the pedestrians were struck by the right front of the Jeep.

Plant City Fire Rescue responded to the scene and transported Lara-Garcia

to Tampa General Hospital, with serious injuries not believed to be life threatening. Castro died at the scene.

Halford was uninjured.

There are no charges at this time. The crash is still under investigation.

within 20 minutes. At 2 p.m., it was extinguished.

No one was injured. The house had damage, and the adjoined unit has some smoke damage. The origin of the fire is uncertain. An investigation is ongoing.

+ House fire causes no injuries

+ Four injured, one killed in Pasco crash

There were no injuries in a March 19 house fire off Larrick Lane in Plant City.

Fire rescue responded to the fire at about 1 p.m. at 1401 Larrick Lane. The dwelling’s rear bedroom was engulfed in flames. They controlled the fire

PLANT CITY MAN WINS LOTTO Daniel Crumley, 37, of Plant City, claimed a $1 million prize in the 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee this month.

He purchased his winning ticket from Circle K at 1514 S. Alexander St. in Plant City. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.

Crumley chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of

$763,404.18.

The $25 game, 100X THE CASH, offers top prizes of $1 million and $5 million.

Seven $1 million prizes and one $5 million prize remain to be won. The game’s overall odds of winning are onein-2.86.

Scratch-Off games comprised about 64% of ticket sales and generated more than $640 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2013-14.

A Plant City man, a Dover man and two Zephyrhills residents were injured, and a Zephyrhills teen was killed, in a three-vehicle crash that occurred in Pasco County March 18.

At 6:37 a.m., William Kent Jr., 32, of Dover, was driving his pickup truck north on U.S. 301 near Shamrock Place in Pasco County. He slowed to turn left and was then struck from behind by a pickup truck driven by Julian Tanner, 67, of Plant City.

The impact caused Tanner to drive into the southbound lane. His vehicle collided with a southbound SUV driven by Zuleika Gonzalez-Tiernan, 39, of Zephyrhills.

Kelmy Tanon, 16, of Zephyrhills, was seated behind Gonzalez-Tiernan. Isaiah Gonzalez, 9, of Zephyrhills, was a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle. Tanon was not

president for seven months.

His seat is open, as well as that of member Bruce Rodwell, who has chosen not to run again. Former president Jan Griffin’s seat has also expired.

She has chosen to run for reelection.

Each seat is appointed for a term of three years.

In addition to Griffin, eight new candidates are running for the three open positions on the board: Lynn Buehler, Robert Farkas, Joshua Hall, Blake Meinecke, Dan Orrico, Daniel Pinero, Robert Rogers and Dave Sollenberger.

WLCA CANDIDATES

JOSHUA W. HALL

Aaron Burns had a “brown bag foul” and was required to act out a scene with Greg Burgess without taking the bag off of his head.

Fairway Woods Education: Bachelor’s in limnology, University of Central Florida Professional experience: Senior environmental scientist, Southwest Florida Water Management District; managed field operations for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill shoreline vegetation Natural Resource Damage and Assessment

wearing a seatbelt and died from injuries suffered in the crash.

Tanner, Gonzalez-Tiernan and Gonzalez were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.

Kent was taken to Florida Hospital Zephyrhills with minor injuries.

U.S. 301 was closed to traffic in the area of the crash until about 10:45 a.m., when power lines that had been damaged during the crash were cleared.

+ Two die in Polk County crash

Two men died, including one from Plant City, in a twomotorcycle crash in Polk County March 15.

Johnathan Walker, 25, of Plant City, and Christopher Bowmer, 23, of Lakeland, were traveling with a group of motorcyclists.

At 6:35 p.m., Bowmer was traveling south on Bonnie Mine Road, between State roads 640 and 60. He made a U-turn in front of Walker, who was headed north on the same road. While making the U-turn, Bowmer entered the northbound lane and Walker’s path. Walker tried to swerve to avoid a collision, but they collided.

Both were ejected from their

DANIEL P. ORRICO

Forest Club Education: Master’s in organizational leadership, Chapman University; bachelor’s in microbiology, University of WisconsinLaCrosse Professional experience: United States Army Colonel; served in leadership roles with U.S. Central Command, the Eighth U.S. Army, the 30th Medical Command, and Task Force Medical — Afghanistan

DANIEL JAMES PINERO Forest Club Education: Hillsborough Community College Professional experience: Director of securitization operations, Clayton; client services manager, Clayton

ROBERT ROGERS

Aston Woods Education: Bachelor’s in finance; bachelor’s in speech, Houston Baptist University Professional experience: Treasurer/board member, Pinedale Estates Unit 4 Homeowners Association; Corporate pilot, Wilkes and McHugh, Attorneys at Law, Martin Automotive Group, Mississippi State University and Courtesy Automotive Group; Loan officer and Branch manager

DAVID SOLLENBERGER

Clubhouse Woods Education: Master’s of governmental administration, Wharton University, University of Pennsylvania; bachelor’s, University of Dayton Professional experience: City manager emeritus Plant City; Sarasota; Winona, Minnesota; Watsonville, California; Vallejo, California; Life member, International City and County Management Association

motorcycles. Bowmer landed 80 feet south of the crash site, and Walker landed 110 feet southwest, after going through a barbed wire fence into a field.

Though they had been wearing helmets, both motorcyclists died at the scene.

+ Pickup overturns on interstate

An overturned pickup truck caused blockage and delays at Interstate 4 near State Road 39 March 18, but no one was injured.

At about 4:50 p.m., Todd Myers, 37, of Wesley Chapel, was traveling west on I-4, in the exit lane onto State Road 39.

The steering mechanism of his Dodge PK malfunctioned. He lost control of the vehicle. It entered the painted gore.

The front of the vehicle struck the crash attenuator between the westbound lanes of I-4 and the exit lane. After the impact, the vehicle overturned and then came to a rest in the westbound I-4 exit lane to State Road 39.

Charla Cole, 36, of Wesley Chapel, was a passenger in the vehicle. Myers and Cole were wearing seat belts. Myers received a ticket for driving while his license was suspended and for driving with defected equipment.

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Catherine Sinclair

Mike Ward began as CEO of Hillsboro Bank this February.

CEO / PAGE 1 Booth’s consultants, who also knew Ward, recommended Ward as his replacements.

Ward and Booth met for lunch one day, and the right decision was obvious.

“It was just a match,” Ward said. “He liked what he heard, I liked what I heard, and next thing I knew, I was in Plant City.”

Investing in the Future

When Ward began his studies at Florida State University, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to focus on. But it soon became clear.

Ward’s best friend’s father was the president of a bank, and he gave Ward a summer job as a teller.

“The interest grew from there,” Ward said. “I admired him greatly and I followed in his footsteps.”

Ward graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting. His first job out of school was with the U.S. Treasury Department, followed by four banking companies. Most recently, in 2007, he started a bank of his own, Florida Traditions Bank.

In July 2014, Florida Traditions Bank was sold to Centennial Bank, a bigger company based in Arkansas. Ward decided to move forward with his career and had several offers from community and regional banks. But the position at Hillsboro Bank in Plant City was the most attractive prospect, he said.

TransPlant

Ward will remain a resident of Dade City with his wife, Dana, but he is looking forward to becoming a member of the Plant City community at the same time.

“Plant City just seems to have more going on, more economic activity,” Ward

HOSPITAL / PAGE 1 In 2006, the James and Ruby Jean Redman Emergency Center was constructed.

Its second floor was slotted to be a future ICU, but has been used for offices until this year.

The current ICU has just eight beds. The new ICU on the second floor of the emergency center will offer an additional 17 beds, allowing more patients to transfer from the emergency room to their beds at a quicker rate. It is expected to be finished by spring 2016.

“It won’t require any additional positions to see the pa-

DID YOU KNOW?

Mike Ward’s father was a U.S. Army colonel with a military career lasting more than 30 years.

Because the small family moved frequently, Ward had to learn to make friends easily, which helps him in his career.

“Meeting people, to me, is fun. It’s exciting,” Ward said.

said. “But the people are very similar to Dade City — friendly, well-rooted, hard workers. Just a great environment for me.”

The biggest reason Ward prefers community banks like Hillsboro Bank over larger corporations is the flexibility.

“Because of the nature of a big bank, they have square pegs that fit in square holes and round pegs that fit in round holes,” Ward said. “It has to match their marketing plan or their business plan, or they can’t help you, and I understand that.

“But community banks are much more flexible. We don’t have pegs and dowels. We’ll consider almost anything that somebody brings in the door.”

Though Ward does not have specific plans for capacity or geographical direction, he knows that he is hoping Hillsboro Bank will grow with his leadership. He also said that no matter how the bank’s footprint expands, its headquarters will stay in Plant City.

“I don’t want to change anything,” Ward said. “I want to do more of what we do.

We’re going to try to grow the bank simply by being good community members.”

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com. tients,” Kerr said. “The same doctors that we have to admit patients to the ICU will continue.”

Another improvement that will soon be seen at the hospital is the use of threedimensional mammography.

Hospital staff do not yet know when this will be ready for patients, but they know that it will be a big advancement.

“That will be a real plus for the women in Plant City because currently, we don’t have that capability anywhere in Plant City,” Kerr said.

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.

teams, so many participants this year,” Linda Herman, event chair, said. “I think it’s going to be one of our biggest Relays.”

Headlining this year is entertainer Cliff Brown, of Plant City-based Clemons Road. He will be playing after Luminaria to uplift spirits and inspire the fight.

“The fact that he’s going to come, he’s a Plant City fellow, it’s great,” Herman said.

Also brand new is the team Sole Sisters 5K. Sisters Angie Rollyson and Autumn Parrish were honorary survivors in 2013. They found out they both had cancer around the same time. And a day after Parrish’s diagnosis, they discovered their grandmother, Martha Hodge, also had cancer. Since then, the duo has destroyed their illness and are on a mission to help others do the same.

In previous years, they held the Sole Sisters 5K in Walden Lake before the night of Relay for Life. This year, they will host the 5K April 11, the morning after the bulk of the Relay festivities. Those who stayed up all night to walk the track are welcome to push themselves a little harder and join the 5K. But the 5K is aimed at getting new participants involved in Relay for Life.

Registration is $25 and can be done online or the day of the 5K, before 8 a.m.

“We’re so excited about the 5K,” Herman said. “It’s going to bring a whole new group of people in that morning.”

Returning this year after a several-year hiatus are two events: Mr. Relay and the Road to Recovery Race.

Mr. Relay is a men’s pageant, where contestants goof around on stage and prance around in heels and dresses. For the past couple years, a talent show has taken its place. But its back by popular demand.

GUARD / PAGE 1 a show of skill, precision and technique, demonstrated through a specific sequence of commands.

“We have to show that we can work together as a team,” Girmscheid added.

Drill team competition season spans December through the end of the school year. Students travel to different high schools in the area.

“What’s hard at competitions is, you have judges that grade you on every little thing,” Wetherington said.

That includes hair, uniforms, whether boys have shaved, and the team’s ability to perform the entire sequence in under eight minutes.

The district competition was held March 7, at Zephyrhills High School. Students from Plant City JROTC competed in nine different events, both armed and unarmed.

And though not all of the students expected to advance, three of the nine teams scored high enough to move on to the state competition: female unarmed squad, female color guard and male color guard.

For Wetherington’s family, pride for the success at districts is two-fold. While he commands the male color guard team, his sister, Rebekah Wetherington, leads the female color guard team.

IF YOU GO RELAY FOR LIFE

WHEN: 6 p.m. April 10 to 12 p.m. April 11 WHERE: Plant City High School football field, 1 Raider Place INFO: main.acsevents. org/site/TR/RelayForLife/ RFLCY15FL?pg= entry&fr_ id=63575

SOLE SISTERS 5K

WHEN: 8 a.m. April 11 WHERE: Plant City High School football field, 1 Raider Place INFO: facebook.com/ SoleSisters.PC?fref=nf Go to PlantCityObserver. com for a full schedule of Relay events.

The Road to Recovery Race is both fun and symbolic. Participants make a cardboard cutout of a car and race around the track. There is both a “driver” and a cancer patient in the cardboard car. The event serves to raise awareness about one of the American Cancer Society’s patient-help programs.

If a patient can’t make it to an appointment, ACS will send a driver to come pick them up.

“Different participants see Relay as different things,” Herman said. “Some say Luminaria, some people say it’s the raising of money. But what is really special about ACS is that we have programs for (patients) … We’re with them throughout the process.”

The superhero-themed Relay will bring back all its fun games, booths and food, as well, all centered around the Plant City High School football field. The event starts at 6 p.m. Friday, April 10, and goes on all night until 12 p.m. Saturday, April 11.

“We have worked so hard for the past three years to even place. So when we had our names called, we were overjoyed,” Wetherington said.

Wetherington said the female unarmed squad had the biggest reaction he had ever seen when they found out how highly they had placed. Girmscheid admitted to being so excited that she jumped out of formation and even shed a few tears of joy.

It certainly has been a unique time for Plant City JROTC. Last year, one of the teams brought back Plant City’s first district trophy since 2006, and a female color guard competed for the first time in about 14 years. So to earn three trophies this year was a big step in achievement.

“That was a giant goal for all of us, to start bringing trophies back, and prove not just to ourselves but to other schools that we’re not here just to be here,” Wetherington said.

The state competition will be April 11, at George Jenkins High School in Lakeland. Some of the cadets from Plant City are confident that they have a shot at doing well enough to advance to nationals. But they will be taking it one step at a time, practicing for hours almost every day to prepare for state.

“None of us have made it this far before, and I think we’re all excited to see what’s in store,” Wetherington said.

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COPS

CASHED OUT

FEB. 27

500 block of West Mahoney Street. Vehicle burglary. A Fossil purse, which contained a Coach wallet, was taken from an unsecured vehicle.

400 block of West Mahoney Street. Lost property. The complainant lost his cell phone sometime during the day. The complainant was highly intoxicated and refused to cooperate with the officer. A lost property CAD was completed.

EVASION

1100 block of West Alsobrook Street. Fraud. Officers responded to the residence in reference to a possible tax fraud.

NOT YOURS

2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Shoplifting.

Suspect was arrested for petit theft.

DOUBLE WHAMMY

2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Shoplifting. Two suspects were arrested for petit theft.

UNREFINED ART THIS WEEK’S CRYPTOQUIZ ANSWERS 1) Cotton Gin 2) Interchangeable Parts 3) Muskets 4) Milling Machine 5) Yale. Eli Whitney

Plant City Times & Observer Locally Owned by Ed Verner, Nate Kilton and Felix Haynes The Plant City Times & Observer is published by Plant City Media LLC, a joint-venture of the Tampa Bay Times and Plant City Observer LLC.

110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A Plant City, FL 33563 (813) 704-6850 www.PlantCityObserver.com &RS\ULJKW 3ODQW &LW\ 0HGLD //& $OO 5LJKWV 5HVHUYHG

CORNER

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

DRUNK DIAL

THIS WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS

WEST ORANGE

3600 block of West Baker Street. Gang graffiti. Officers responded to the area in reference to gang graffiti.

TO ADVERTISE

Call Veronica Prostko, (813) 716-0007, or Joanna Verga, (813) 451-6489.

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: Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@ PlantCityObserver.com.

Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563

East Dr. MLK Boulevard.

Theft. Complainant’s wallet was stolen.

DESIGNER BAGGED

ONE TOO MANY

Grant/Hunter streets. DUI. Suspect was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

800 block of South Thomas Street. Criminal mischief. The window on a 1989 Chevy pick up had been broken. The complainant stated his insurance deductible was too high and signed a waiver of prosecution. The window was valued at about $100.

FEB. 28

FESTIVAL FEUD

West Lowry Avenue. Battery.

Officers responded to the area in reference to a possible fight.

Upon arrival, officers met with the complainant, who stated she was in an argument with two carnival workers over vehicle parking. During the argument, a carnival worker struck the complainant. The

CONTACT US 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, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

complainant, who is also a carnival worker, stated she did not want to press charges.

A waiver of prosecution was signed.

MARCH 3

BAD HAIR DAY

2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Shoplifting. Suspect was arrested for petit theft of hair products totaling $53.

STOLEN FREEDOM

2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Shoplifting. Suspect was arrested.

QUITE A FALL

Kingsley Circle/Walden Wood Drive.

Information report (accidental injury). Units responded in reference to an elderly male lying in the roadway. Upon arrival it was determined the male fell in the roadway.

to this house in reference to a daytime burglary.

BLAZING GUNS

WASTED

North Alexander Street/West Lowry Street. Possession of marijuana/convicted felon in possession of a gun. An officer conducted a traffic stop for speeding. The suspect was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail.

MARCH 2

GETAWAY CAR

400 block of South Maryland Avenue. Stolen Vehicle. A black 2010 Toyota Corolla was stolen.

IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

600 block of Coronet Road.

Burglary. Officers responded

300 block of Park Springs Circle. Drug arrest. Suspect was arrested.

MARCH 3 BUST

South Franklin Street near West MLK Boulevard. Narcotics arrest. The officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle and made contact with the suspect, who was arrested.

EASY STREET

1800 block of Wilkins Court.

Stolen vehicle. Overnight, an unknown person stole a dark blue 2001 Toyota Corolla fourdoor car.

Plant City Times &

Observer

General Manager/Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@PlantCityObserver.com General Manager/Advertising / Stacey Hudson, shudson@tampabay.com Managing Editor / Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@PlantCityObserver.com Assistant Managing Editor / Jess Eng, jeng@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writers / Justin Kline, jkline@PlantCityObserver.com; Catherine Sinclair, csinclair@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Executive / Veronica Prostko, vprostko@PlantCityObserver.com; Circulation/Office Manager / Linda Lancaster, llancaster@PlantCityObserver.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

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STRUGGLE BEFORE PROGRESS by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Former football star finds success in barber shop

Raheem Billington isn’t afraid to say he’s made some bad choices in life. He’s also pleased to say that, at 23, he’s found his true calling and is running with it.

It’s not unusual to see one person working in the barbershop on the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Evers streets. That’s Raheem Billington, putting in long hours every day as the self-styled “number one barber in the Number One Barber Shop.”

And even if there are 12 customers waiting in line or none at all in the shop, Billington is always positive. The 23-year-old Plant City native is in the upswing of a career renaissance, which has seen him completely turn his life around. He’s close to becoming the sole owner of Number One, has a son on the way and mentors Plant City youths every week.

And, had anyone told him even two years ago that this would be his life, he’d never have believed it.

FALLING STAR

Billington’s upbringing was classic Plant City: He attended Lincoln Elementary, Marshall Middle and Plant City High, and spent much of his life playing football for the Plant City Dolphins and Raiders. As a child, he said he would pray every night for God to lead him to college ball and the professional leagues.

In high school, he was the real deal: a star cornerback with interest from NCAA Division 1 schools. It looked like he was well on his way to achieving his goals, but his life took a turn for the worse in his junior year.

While hanging out with what he describes as the “wrong people,” Billington was jumped at a party during his junior year.

“I was knocked unconscious,” Billington said. “Then

I wake up, look at my ankle and it’s hanging there like a feather.”

His football career was never the same.

Ankle surgery required six screws and a metal plate to fix the damage. He wasn’t able to play football in his senior year.

The D-1 attention vanished.

He did play in two of his three college stops, at Midland University in Nebraska, and Warner University in Lake Wales, but it became clear that the NFL was out of the question.

“I played football because that’s what I love to do,” he said. “Did I love school? Heck no. But I just felt like I had to do the things that people expected of me.”

As a broke college student with no clear goals in mind, Billington turned to selling drugs as a way to stay afloat.

“I’ve done things in my life where I could have gone to jail for a long time,” he said. “I’ve done things that, I could have maybe been shot or killed. I was in situations in my life that I knew I shouldn’t be in, but I was in them because I let the adversity in my life take me into those situations.”

He did end up in jail, and that was what opened his eyes to turning his life around.

“I looked at myself in the mirror and said, ‘Why am I doing something I’ve watched so many other men fail at,’” Billington says. “‘Why am I not trying to seek positive ways, positive energy and positive people in my life, so that I can take my life to the next level?’”

MODEL CITIZEN

When he got out of jail, Billington came back to Plant City with the desire to change, even

Raheem Billington is just a few thousand dollars shy of becoming Plant City’s youngest barber shop owner. though he wasn’t sure of which direction to go.

He got support from Paul Granville, owner of Focus 4 Beauty, who helped Billington get both his barber’s license and his cosmetology license through a vocational rehab program. Once Billington picked up the clippers, he knew he’d found his calling.

Billington is also known for his tireless work ethic, and supported himself throughout barber school by cutting hair in his backyard for practice.

Even if he wasn’t making money from a cut, he never turned anyone down. He needed the practice, after all.

“I worked at home every weekend,” Billington said.

“Every night, I was cutting hair. Anybody who would let

me. I would even cut homeless men’s hair, in my neighborhood. Crackheads, bro. If they were walking around the neighborhood, I would literally ask them, ‘Let me cut your hair.’ I wanted to be the best.”

He completed school in a year and two months and moved on from his backyard to My Town Barber Shop, the first black barber the shop had ever hired. After working there for around seven months, Billington jumped on an opportunity to become part-owner and manager at Number One, just down the street.

Now he’s just a stone’s throw away from owning the shop by himself. He markets himself on social media every chance he gets and is also making an impact in the community with

longtime friend Kristopher Bellamy’s nonprofit organization, More Than Enough.

Every Wednesday, at 6 p.m., Billington mentors young men at the MLK Rec Center as part of More Than Enough. Billington and Bellamy offer advice to help keep the kids out of trouble and boost their self-confidence, and because Billington just can’t put down those clippers, the boys can also get their hair cut.

Billington’s dream is to make a million dollars before he turns 30, and he doesn’t care who calls him crazy for saying that. But whether he’s successful in that endeavor or not, he said nothing’s better than helping a young man avoid making the same mistakes he did as a youth.

Justin Kline

NUMBER ONE BARBER SHOP

Raheem Billington is the only barber working at Number One Barber Shop and, as a licensed barber and cosmetologist, can do any kind of cut for customers of all ethnicities.

To see some of Billington’s work, check out his Instagram profile: @raheem_cutsbyheem.

“I’d rather save 10 lives than make $10,000,” Billington says.

“I could change 10 different kids’ lives in my neighborhood, and it’s gonna be worth way more than money.”

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

Neighborhood R E A L E S TAT E | P L A N T C I T Y L I F E | O B I T U A R I E S | G A M E S | FA I T H | S P O RT S

PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM

Hopewell Baptist Church held a safarithemed hunt.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015

All of the eggs were dropped from a helicopter at First Baptist Church’s celebration.

The egg hunt at the Redskins’ field was fun for all ages.

SHOW ME THE BUNNY

Plant City kicked off Easter early with festivities and hunts over the weekend of March 27 to 29.

Plant City’s First Baptist Church hosted its ninth annual Easter Festival and Egg Drop Saturday, March 28.

Children and their families enjoyed a wide variety of games, as well as snacks, face painting, bounce houses and more. At noon, 50,000 easter eggs were dropped from a helicopter into a field on the southern campus.

Hopewell Baptist Church got wild with their easter activities this year. The safarithemed egg hunt was on Saturday, March 28, and also had games and fun for the whole family.

And it wasn’t just churches that held celebrations. The Antioch Redskins hosted an Easter egg hunt Sunday, March 29, at its field. Kids could decorate their own eggs, play on an inflatable slide and bounce house and hunt for eggs in two different locations.

Children ran onto the field as soon as the horn blew and collected eggs as fast as they could at First Baptist Church’s Egg Drop.

MORE PLANT CITY EASTER EVENTS

Don’t miss these fun Easter activities this weekend.

HOPE’S EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA WHEN: Easter breakfast, 8:15 a.m.; Children’s Easter Eggstravaganza, 9:15 a.m.; Sunday, April 5 WHERE: Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 N. Park Road CONTACT: (813) 752-4622

Antioch residents hunted for eggs at the Redskins’ field.

The egg hunt at Hopewell was the highlight of the celebration

CYNERGY’S EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30

p.m. Saturday, April 4 WHERE: The Cynergy Church, 600 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

CONTACT: (813) 708-2783

EASTER CELEBRATION WHEN: Egg hunt, 10 a.m.

to 12 p.m.; April 4. Easter breakfast after sunrise service, 7 a.m.; April 5 WHERE: First Thonotosassa Baptist church, 10650 McIntosh Road.

CONTACT: (813) 986-4756

A bouncy slide was a fun spot before the hunts at the Antioch Redskins’ field.

Right: Alayah Adsit collected eggs in the youngest age group at the Egg Drop.

EGGSTRAVAGANZA by Justin Kline and Catherine Sinclair

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CUTESTCRITTER

REVERSE, REVERSE by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

C

heryl Southerland has one cute puppy. She said this about her: “This is Sadie, our 10-week-old pit/lab mix puppy. She was a gift for our 3-year-old daughter. This is the first picture we saw of her, and we instantly fell in love. Who wouldn’t! Look at that face!”

Turkey Creek Animal Hospital and Animal Wellness Center have partnered to present a weekly Cutest Critter Contest. Entering is simple: Just submit a high-resolution photo (200 dpi or better) and a sentence or two about why your pet is the cutest. Include your name and contact information. Winners will be showcased in the Plant City Times & Observer and will receive a free bag of dental chews to be picked up at Turkey Creek Animal Hospital and Animal Wellness Center.

Submit your entries to Managing Editor Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver. com; subject line: Cutest Critter Contest. Good luck!

The raffle had a ton of prizes, and participants were excited to win.

Raffle roars into Plant City

The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce hosted a 1920s-themed “Reverse Raffle” at Keel and Curley Winery March 19.

At a typical raffle, one ticket number is called, and its owner wins the prize. But at this event, guests were gradually eliminated from the raffle throughout the night as their numbers were called. The last person standing without his or her number being called was the winner of the grand prize: $1,500 in cash. Other prizes included smaller amounts of cash and gift cards. There was also a silent auction.

Tony and Teresa Lee

Cookie and Mac Smith caught up with Katherine Wolf, who wore her best 1920s attire.

Mark Poppell and his son, Cameron, hoped their raffle tickets would match to a win. Their shirts matched, as well.

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OBSERVER OBITUARIES Rufus Wayne Alderman

RufusWayne Alderman, 65, died March 24, 2015, in Land O’Lakes.

He was a native of Plant City, born June 6, 1949, to Abbie and Sara Naomi (Perry) Alderman.

He is survived by his wife, Maree Sue Alderman; daughters, Melissa Alderman and Alicia Flores; son, Wayne C. Alderman; grandsons, Gustavo Franco, Luis Franco and Julio; sisters, Elizabeth Shepard and Betty Josey; brothers, Kenneth, Dean, Richard, Eddie and Jackie Alderman; and sons-in-law, Alberto Franco, Rodolfo Flores and Antonio Sanchez.

Online condolences may be made at wellsmemorial. com.

Elsie Powell Cooper

Elsie Powell Cooper, 94, of Plant City, died March 24, 2015.

She was a member of Church on the Rock. She loved her family. She enjoyed caring for her grandchildren and gardening.

She is survived by her daughter, Mollie M. Genrich (Charles); grandchildren, Mathew Genrich (Mitzi), Kirstin Philippus (Troy) and Gretchen Genrich; greatgrandchildren, Madeline, Abigail, Mara, Vaughn, Mollie Rose and Sophia; and close friend, Phyllis Meachum.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Church on the Rock, 301 E. Alsobrook Street, Plant City.

Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral. com.

Dorcas Jean Loezius

Dorcas Jean Loezius, 80, died March 22, 2015, in Brandon.

She was a resident of Plant City, but was born in Bedford, Virginia, to William Henry and Minnie Pearl (Smith) Rader. She is survived by her loving family. Services will take place in Virginia. Online condolences may be made at WellsMemorial.com.

Clarence Robert McCormack Jr.

Clarence Robert McCormack Jr., 74, of Plant City, died March 25, 2015.

He was born in Buffalo, New York, to Clarence and Genevieve (Percy) McCormack. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Shirley A. McCormack; and other loving family and friends. A celebration of life service is pending. Online condolences may be made at WellsMemorial.com.

Gilberto Montana

Gilberto Montana, 20, of Plant City, died March 23, 2015, in a car crash.

Born in Brandon, he was the son of Jesus Montana Sr. and Maricela Montana. Mr.

Montana was a carpenter by trade, and loved working with wood. He enjoyed music, dancing and “mudding.” He was a kind spirit who always had a smile for everyone.

Survivors include his wife, Linda Gomez Montana; siblings, Linda, Monica and Jesus Montana Jr.; and nephew, Jayden Mejia.

Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome.com.

Richard Martin Reddecliff

Richard Martin Reddecliff, 93, of Plant City, died March 17, 2015, at his residence, under hospice care.

He was a World War II naval veteran and retired from Eriez Magnetics. He moved to Florida in 1983.

He is survived by his wife, Mary J. Reddecliff; son, Richard Reddecliff (Marie); daughter, Carol Potts (Charles); grandchildren, Carrie Campbell-Hancock and Kelly and Theron Reddecliff; and great-grandson, Zachery Porter. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sandra Reddecliff.

A church service will be held at 11 a.m. April 18, at Evangelical Presbyterian, 1107 Charlie Griffin Road, Plant City. Interment at Florida Hills Memorial Gardens, Brooksville. Memorial contributions may be made to Life Path Hospice, 12470 Telecom Drive, Suite 300, Temple Terrace, Florida 33637.

Charles Clinton Rippy

Charles Clinton Rippy, 66, died March 28, 2015.

He was born in Champaign/ Urbana, Illinois, and moved to Florida 64 years ago. Mr. Rippy worked for many years as a air conditioning mechanic for Payne Air Conditioning.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1972. He was a member of First Baptist Church Midway. He also enjoyed going fishing and playing golf.

Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Beverly; sons, Steven Katie Rippy, of Corinth, Michael Jenifer Rippy, of Plant City; daughter, Allison Pate, of Lakeland; brother, Ronnie Rippy, of Live Oak; sister, Janice Griffin, of Orlando; grandchildren, Jessica Holley, Joshua Thompson, Abigail Rippy, Ethan Rippy, Ava Rippy, Kaylee Pate, Adalyne Rippy and Isley Rippy; great grandson, Brantlee Hendrick. Chuck was preceded in death by his daughter, Kimberly Rippy.

Online condolences may be made at Gentry-Morrison. com.

Lucille Tatum Styron

Lucille Tatum Styron, 88, of Plant City, died March 26, 2015.

She loved her family, and she enjoyed gardening and crocheting. She is survived by her children, Gene Styron (Jeannie), Virgil Styron (Lin), Kenny Styron, Bruce Styron (Claudette), Jewell Gay (Ralph), Linda Passmore, Laverne Jackie Granger and Janet Sweeney; daughter-inlaw, Brenda Styron; sister, Marie Colson; sister-in-law, Dorothy Styron; and many loving grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cordell Styron; son, Jerry Styron; and grandchildren, LeAnn Styron Clos and Joshua Granger.

Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

Bryan “Bill” Varn

Bryan “Bill” Varn, 94, of Plant City, and formerly of Parlin, New Jersey, died March 30, 2015.

He was born in Durant. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Merchant Marines, having served in WWII. He was a member of Pleasant Grove Assembly of God. He is survived by his children, Annette Craven (Neal), Mary Hawke and William Varn (Theresa); siblings, Aaron Varn (Cecile) and Fredrick Varn (Celita); grandchildren, Sherry Taylor, Richard Marciante (Dana), Bryan Marciante (Shannon) and Ian Hawke (Nicole); and seven great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joy Belle Varn.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. April 3, at Hopewell Funeral Home. The family will receive friends beginning at 10 a.m. Interment to follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

Johnathan Randall Walker

Johnathan Randall Walker, 25, of Plant City, died March 15, 2015, in Mulberry.

He was born Jan. 11, 1990, in Brandon. His life is celebrated by his most loving parents, Patrick John Walker and Dawn Michelle Walker; sister, Nicole Dawn Walker; the love of his life, Elizabeth Kayla Ward; and their two fur babies, Molly and Busa; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. His grandfather, Charles L. Floyd Sr., died just five days later. Mr. Walker was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Howard and Mary Walker; and his maternal grandmother, Cynthia Miller Floyd. His TNT Ryders family accompanied him on his final ride as he rode off into the sunset. He would have chosen no other way to leave his temporary home.

Sports

YOUTH | HIGH SCHOOL | GOLF | COMMUNITY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Jackson Hardee makes his mark pole vaulting for the Raiders. 14 SPONSORED BY COURTNEY PAAT | STATE FARM

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015

PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM

SIDELINES Do you have a good sports scoop for us? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com, or Tweet us at @PCTOSports.

BASKETBALL

+ Vipers complete first tourney

The Plant City Vipers, playing with two squads for the first time, competed in its first tournament of the 2015 season from March 27 to 29.

Playing in the Youth Basketball Association of America Super Regional Championships, which were held all in Polk County, the Vipers’ varsity squad won two of its four games. The Vipers first beat Florida Elite, 77-34, and then topped the Polk Pride Elite, 55-45. The team then dropped its rematch with Polk Pride Elite, followed by a loss to the Lakeland Hawks.

The junior varsity squad, which had to play up one level in the ninth-grade bracket, lost all three of its games to the Florida Force, Lakeland Hawks and Lakeland Xpress Elite.

FOOTBALL by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Plant City NextLevel athletes making offseason strides

Half of the college football recruiting game is the regular season. But some of the hardest work happens in the offseason — and these Plant City athletes are on the rise.

When it comes to the local recruiting scene, Gerold Dickens has plenty to talk about.

The Plant City native, who is the president of NextLevel Sports Academe, has seen his program expand over the past few years, but things are bigger than ever now. He and vice president Hasani Jackson have had to add some extra coaches to the staff to work with the 60 Tampa Bay-area

athletes they mentor, and this group of athletes is finding its members in the spotlight fairly often these days.

Residents of the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World will be pleased to know that several of the camp’s biggest standouts, including the top guy in the program, hail from this neck of the woods.

In fact, all three local high school programs have some-

one in the NextLevel pipeline to keep an eye on.

TOP DOG

No discussion about the local recruiting scene is complete without mentioning T.J. Chase, the former Plant City Raider.

Since transferring to Bradenton-based football powerhouse IMG Academy, Chase led the Ascenders with 521 re-

ceiving yards and also scored five touchdowns as the team went 10-1 last season. The junior now has around 35 NCAA Division 1 offers to choose from, but has given a verbal commitment to Clemson.

Last month, he caught over 20 touchdown passes in the Las Vegas Pylon 7-on-7 Tournament. The performance

SEE NEXTLEVEL / PAGE 13

Courtesy Photo

Plant City native Tavares “T.J.” Chase, a Clemson commit, is well on his way to national stardom.

baseball by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

BODYBUILDING

+ Mr. and Miss Cougar named

Durant High School hosted its annual Mr. and Miss Cougar bodybuilding competition on Friday, March 27, and a pair of Cougar athletes took home the top honors.

The title of “Mr. Cougar” was awarded to Mike Daley, a midfielder on the boys lacrosse team. Shelby Keely, a guard-forward for the girls basketball team, was named “Miss Cougar.”

BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL

+ Crest, Durant split last rivalry games

In the last Crest-Durant games of the season, both schools got to leave Cougar Path with another “W” in the win-loss column.

On the boys’ side, the Cougars (14-5; 9-0 district) continued their district dominance with a gutsy, 1-0 win over the visiting Chargers (12-8; 5-4 district). Both sides gave up four hits in this pitchers’ duel between Durant senior Bryce Gainer and Crest ace Mark Moclair.

Gainer finished with the edge, giving up one walk to Moclair’s two and striking out nine batters to Moclair’s six.

Justin Nardello hit the walk-off RBI single in the seventh inning, scoring Brandon Wheat.

The softball game was a little more exciting from an offensive standpoint, with the Lady Chargers (117; 7-2 district) topping the Lady Cougars (7-11; 5-4 district) by a score of 11-8.

Crest overcame an early 5-2 deficit and big night at the plate from Madison Farrell, who went 4-for-4 with four runs acored and two RBI, thanks in part to a great effort by Kaylan Kelly.

Kelly went 3-for-3 with five RBI, two runs scored, one double and one triple.

Durant tied the game at 8-8 in the fifth inning, but Crest scored once in the sixth inning to go ahead for good, and twice in the seventh to make the lead more comfortable.

Courtsey Photo.

Easton Chandler was an honorary captain throughout the GSA Spring Break Classic tournament.

BIGGER

THAN BASEBALL

On World Down Syndrome Day, the Tampa Bay Bats were busy winning a tournament in Plant City — but not too busy to honor the holiday and Easton Chandler.

T

ampa Bay Bats baseball coach Bill Clinton is about showing his team that helping others in need is always the right thing to do.

During the GSA Spring Break Classic, he and the Bats made one young boy as happy as he’s ever been.

The tournament, which was held March 21 and 22, happened to coincide with World Down Syndrome Day — a day that player Jordan Chandler and his family were celebrating anyway, in honor of his younger brother, Easton.

The Bats decided to come together and make Easton a part of the team. They went all-out in the process.

“It is great to see a young team like this pull together to help spread awareness through our community for different causes, and they do it without hesitation,” Jen Chan-

dler, the boys’ mother, says. “It isn’t because Coach Bill tells them they have to. It’s because they truly want to.”

CAPTAIN EASTON

It started with an email, sent to Clinton and the coaches by the Chandlers, about World Down Syndrome Day. The Bats knew that this was something they could really get behind, so the team decided to make the most of it for the Plant City-based GSA tournament.

The team ordered blue and yellow socks to wear over the weekend, as those are the official colors of Down Syndrome awareness. Clinton also spoke with the other teams before tournament play began, telling them of the team’s plans to honor Easton over the weekend and asking for their support.

“All of the teams were very

gracious about everything I asked of them,” Clinton says.

The plan was to make Easton an honorary team captain for the weekend, meaning that the boy would get to participate in just about every aspect of the team’s activities. And he did. He was on hand for the first coin toss Saturday, March 21. He had a meet and greet with the other team’s coaches and players. And he helped lead the pre-game chant from the middle of the huddle. In fact, the Bats wouldn’t have done the huddle chant over the weekend if Easton wasn’t around.

On Sunday, Clinton was able to get Easton out on the diamond to throw the first pitch of the day. After Jordan caught the ball, Easton got to keep it.

Both teams circled around the

SEE EASTON / PAGE 14

GIVING BACK

The Tampa Bay Bats 11U travel team, coached by Bill Clinton, is big on giving back to the community.

This group of coaches and players from the Plant City, Valrico and other surrounding areas makes it a point to organize fundraisers when certain things come to attention. They’ve raised money for a military family going through hard times, presenting a check on the field before a Tampa Yankees game.

And the second Bats team also raised money to help a player’s mother who was battling brain cancer.

Though Clinton mostly helps families in need, he’s not opposed to supporting causes such as Down Syndrome awareness and research. And almost as much as it is about helping others, it’s about showing the young boys that good things happen when people take action.

“I want them to see the big picture,” he says.

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lacrosse by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Durant High lacrosse celebrates seniors Seven smiling seniors strutted their stuff Monday, March 30, as Durant lacrosse hosted Robinson High School in its final regular-season home game.

The ceremony came after the Lady Cougars finished the second half of a game that

had previously been rained out at halftime, beating the Lady Knights with a flurry of late goals to make it a 13-8 game. The Durant girls improved to 8-2 on the season.

After the ceremony, the boys won 13-5, improving their record to 7-4.

Baylee Cauwels and her parents Left: Isaac Graham and his mother

GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL

NextLevel Sports Academe is a locally-based football training program that works with Tampa Bayarea youths to improve their football skills and classroom performance, and to also make them more visible to college scouts.

Program president Gerold Dickens says, though NextLevel is meant to supplement each player’s high school (or other) program instead of take the spotlight from it, every player who joins the program will be there to put in nothing but hard work.

If interested in getting your child involved with NextLevel, call Dickens at (813) 770-8367, or contact Hasani Jackson at (813) 382-0740.

NEXTLEVEL / PAGE 12 helped him reach a four-star rating on rivals.com, which has also named him one of the top 25 wideouts in the country.

DURANT

The Durant Cougars made their mark offensively last season with a strong ground attack, so it should come as no surprise to Cougar fans that one of their own running backs is impressing the NextLevel coaches.

Jalen Forte, who saw limited action behind Crispian Atkins and Kadarius Griffin

last season, has spent the offseason grinding so much that Dickens cracks a smile just thinking about it.

“He is the rising star from Durant,” Dickens says. “Jalen came in with us at the Elite game, over in Tampa, and caught a lot of touchdown passes coming out of the backfield and lining up at wide receiver. He showed a lot of quickness. You could tell he can definitely play.”

Dickens calls Forte a “bigtime impact player,” based on what he’s seen Forte do thus far, and praised his ability to thrive in both the short and deep passing games. He also won an MVP award at the National Underclassmen Football Combine in Tampa.

Both Raiders got recognition in February at the Nike Football Opening Regionals, an invite-only camp held in Orlando, and Thompson won a spot to work at wideout in the NUC Five-Star camp.

Running back Markese Hargrove also drew praise for his recent performance at an Adidas 7-on-7 tournament camp and for the rest of the work he’s put in this offseason.

“He really, really shined a lot,” Dickens says. “Coming up big with some catches.

He’s a good talent. His brother is Dazmond Patterson.

That whole family is very athletic. We’re looking for him to do very good things at Plant City.”

PLANT CITY

STRAWBERRY CREST

Of the Raiders players, Dickens says linebacker Steven Ogletree has been the main guy this offseason.

“He has great potential, and has gotten real, real high reviews in the camps we’ve gotten him in,” Dickens says.

“He’s a potential four or fivestar prospect.”

In addition to Ogletree’s onfield ability, Dickens praises his leadership skills. But right there with Ogletree is wideout Antoine Thompson, who got his chance to take over for Chase as the team’s number one wideout and performed well.

“He’s in the same kind of mold as T.J.,” Dickens says.

“He’s a gamer. He plays well in games and has done very, very well in our tournament play and in the camps.”

Three of the newest Strawberry Crest Chargers have also been involved in NextLevel’s activities, and Dickens

expects all three to show improvement by the time they take the field in August.

There’s Kisean Ruth, the freshman defensive end/linebacker who played in all 10 games last season. Dickens sees real potential in the interior lineman.

“He’s done very well for us,” Dickens says. “He has a lot of upside. Very quick coming off the ball. He’s a real good talent.”

The other two are the Blackmon twins, Bryce and Chase, who transferred to Crest from Armwood last season. Bryce plays linebacker, Chase plays running back, and both twins have been showing some promise lately.

“Great impact players, doing very, very well,” Dickens says. “We’re real excited about them.”

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver. com.

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

What’s in a ribbon?

If you feel like you’ve seen Even the official website of cause awareness ribbons Down Syndrome awareness, everywhere over the last few ndss.org, has nothing. years, you’re not alone.

Maybe it’s because of my When I was working on background in design, but this week’s feature about I’m just used to certain colors Easton Chandler and and symbols bethe Tampa Bay Bats, I ing used for specific wanted to know why reasons. And other the official colors causes, such as AIDS of Down Syndrome awareness and reawareness were blue search, do incorporate and yellow. I’ve seen symbolism into the a ton of ribbons for a imagery and provide ton of different things, such information on but wasn’t sure exactly JUSTIN their websites.

KLINE how those colors came So I called the to be associated with National Down those causes. So, I did a quick Syndrome Society offices in Google search and: whoa. pursuit of an answer. Here’s There are a lot — and I what I found: mean a lot — more cause When the Buddy Walk funawareness ribbons out there draising program started 21 than I thought. There are so years ago, in 1995, blue and many that causes have had yellow were the colors used to share colors, combine two for all of the visual elements. or three together, or in some Over time, as NDSS and the cases, opt for prints instead Buddy Walk grew, people of straight-up colors. (Autism involved simply continued to awareness has a puzzle-print use those colors. ribbon.)

“They just kind of became We’ve seen ribbons and the colors of the commucolors used to raise awarenity,” Mark Priceman, vice ness around Plant City every president of communications so often, with one big exand marketing, says. ample being the Strawberry According to Priceman, Crest High girls basketball I was the first person who team. They wore purple had ever asked him about socks to help player Aliyah the colors. I guess that old Gregory’s anti-domestic viosaying, “You learn something lence campaign. new every day,” was true for Blue and yellow, serve all parties involved. three purposes (that I found): I was a little bummed to Down Syndrome awareness, hear that there’s no symbolic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome meaning behind the blue and awareness and designated yellow, because those stories driving. I always thought can sometimes be cool to of the latter being symbolhear, but it’s small potatoes. ized by a glass of water, but I The value of the work done digress. by the NDSS and the Down I also looked for the reaSyndrome communities outsons why these colors were weighs the value of giving a chosen, but all I found was set of colors something more someone on Yahoo! Answers to represent. Saying, “This is spitballing a guess as to why just who we are,” is perfect those colors were picked. with me.

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FUNDRAISER by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Plant City High School poker tourney raises money for teams

Plant City Raider fans and coaches came together the evening of Saturday, March 28, to play some poker and raise some money.

Each player chipped in $100

for the buy-in, and the top three finishers took home gift cards, Raiders gear and other prizes. Armand Cotnoir won the tournament, with Steve Bonds and Danny Coton fin-

ishing second and third, respectively.

The tournament raised a total of $3,400 to be split evenly between the baseball and football teams.

Football head coach Greg Meyer got in on the tourney action.

Right: Steve Bonds, Danny Coton and Armand Cotnoir were the top three finishers.

EASTON / PAGE 12 boy and gave him high fives.

Perhaps all of the good vibes that were going around that day did something for the Bats, because they were able to do even more after a hot streak.

GETTING RESULTS

Saturday’s seeding games went poorly for the Bats, who lost both outings. Clinton chalks it up to rust but, no matter what, the team knew it had to get something going to win the tournament.

Especially since the coach had even more in mind for Easton.

“In my head I planned that, if we had gotten to championship game, our trophy was going to Easton,” Clinton says. “I didn’t let anybody know until the end of the game, except for my wife.”

The Bats switched things up Sunday by rotating the pitch-

ing staff more than they had Saturday, getting all 13 players on the roster in on the action. The approach worked, as they were able to sweep the first two games and make the championship against a team that had already beaten them: the Clermont Coyotes.

Clermont had beaten Tampa Bay, 11-5, the day before, and the Coyotes weren’t backing down Sunday. But the Bats found their rhythm at the plate, as well as on the mound, and the defense held on in the final inning to preserve a 9-8 win — and the championship.

Easton got that trophy as soon as it was presented to the Bats, but there weren’t enough medals for both he and the team to have, at first. Fortunately, a GSA official found an extra and gave it to him.

“He was over the moon,” Clinton says. “He had a big ol’ smile on his face.”

The Chandler family was grateful for the team’s gestures

over the weekend and were especially thrilled when Clinton surprised Easton with the trophy.

“They brought awareness for World Down Syndrome Day, in honor of Easton, so that others can also enjoy and understand that people with special needs are no different,” Jen Chandler says. “These boys are truly a team and, in my eyes, heroes for not only the game they play in baseball, but also the game of life.”

Clinton and the Bats are now planning a fundraiser for Down Syndrome awareness and research, with help from the Chandlers, but the coach says that those plans aren’t yet final. No matter what they do, the Bats have two goals for their off-the-field activities: to help others in need, and to help the boys grow as young men.

“It shows the boys that there’s more than just baseball,” Clinton says.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY COURTNEY PAAT | STATE FARM

JACKSON HARDEE Plant City High senior Jackson Hardee is one busy guy, but he finds a way to excel wherever he can. Athletically, he makes his mark pole vaulting for the Raiders’ track and field team and has placed first in most events throughout this season.

You’ve got the Vernon Korn championships coming up on Tuesday.

What are you looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to jumping with some kids who are more upper-level pole vaulters. A lot of the kids in my area aren’t really. They don’t do it enough to be that good at it. I’m hoping there will be some kids that are real competition, so I’ll have a run for my money.

What sets you apart from other kids in the area, then?

The biggest thing for me is, I’ve been working at it year-round. Most kids do it for the three months out of the year that we have track season. I have a coach in St. Cloud that I go to at least twice a week, and I jump out there and work real hard.

You take this very seriously, then.

Yeah, I do. It’s something I’ve worked hard at. I’ve wanted to be good this year, so that was my goal.

How long have you been doing track and field?

I’ve never done any track.

I actually started pole vaulting my sophomore year, so this is my third year doing it. My sophomore year, I didn’t really have any coaching. I jumped, like, 10 feet. There was a kid that I jumped with that went to this coach, that kind of showed me how to do it, and after track season ended, I decided that I wanted to be better at it. So, I started going to this

coach. I started working hard my junior year to be where I’m at now.

What drew you to pole vaulting?

I played baseball for pretty much my whole life, from tee-ball. I played in high school my freshman year. I played on JV. After the summer, we had a new coach my sophomore year. I didn’t make varsity. I made the practice squad that we had, and I didn’t really want to do that. I heard one of my friends talking about pole vaulting, because somebody that he knew pole vaulted. I had never heard of it at our school, at the time.

Once he mentioned trying it, I decided I’d go out there and try it just for fun, and I found out I was pretty good at it.

Do you play any other sports?

No, just pole vaulting.

I have a job at Outback Steakhouse, and I’m President of the Civitan Club.

I try to stay involved in school.

You’re a pretty busy guy, doing well in school, in the community and on the field. How do you balance everything?

The biggest thing is, I try not to slack off. I put my schoolwork before anything else. If I have to study for a test, I’ll skip pole vaulting practice for that day if I have to. It’s paying off, because I’m going to Florida in the fall for the building construction program at Santa Fe for two years. You can’t start Florida’s program until your junior year, so I’m starting with this one and then transferring to UF after two years. Hopefully, I’ll get my master’s in construction management.

Who’s your favorite athlete of all time?

Probably, honestly, Tim Tebow, as generic as that sounds. I’m a huge Florida fan, and my family is, and I think he’s a really inspirational guy.

Let’s say you could meet someone you’ve always looked up to. Who would it be, and what would you want to talk about?

Probably George W. Bush. I’d like to talk about, basically, his opinions on what’s going on with America right now.

He’s one of my favorite Presidents we’ve had, and I think he’d be an interesting person to get to meet. Coming from a conservative family, I just think that he’s somebody who I get a lot of my ideals from.

If you could be either rich or famous, what would it be?

I’d rather be rich, because I feel like fame would get annoying. I’d rather have money so that I could help give back to people — my family, help support anybody who needs help in my family, and any charities. I feel like, being rich, I’d be able to give back.

— Justin Kline

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PLANT CITY

RAIN

(INCHES)

WEATHER

THURS.

March 26

0.21

FRI.

TEMPERATURES

March 27

1.03

SAT.

Friday, April 3 Saturday, April 4 Sunday, April 5 Monday, April 6 Tuesday, April 7 Wednesday, April 8 Thursday, April 9

March 28

0.00

SUN.

March 29

0.00

MON.

March 30

0.60

TUES.

Friday, April 3 Saturday, April 4 Sunday, April 5 Monday, April 6 Tuesday, April 7 Wednesday, April 8 Thursday, April 9

0.00

WED.

April 1

0.00

APRIL

0.00 (2014: 0.01)

YEAR

TO DATE 6.28 (2014: 4.54)

HIGH 89 86 81 87 91 93 93

SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

March 31

TO DATE

SUNRISE 7:17 a.m.

7:16 a.m.

7:15 a.m.

7:14 a.m.

7:13 a.m.

7:12 a.m.

7:11 a.m.

SUNSET 7:47 p.m.

7:47 p.m.

7:48 p.m.

7:48 p.m.

7:49 p.m.

7:49 p.m.

7:50 p.m.

SQUASH

LOW 62 62 61 65 67 67 68

MOON PHASES

April 4

April 11

SHIPPING POINT: Orlando

1/2 Bushel Small $6.35 to $8.85 Med $4.35 to $6.85 Courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture

CRYPTOQUIZ Each of the following cryptograms is a clue to the identity of a prolific inventor. Using the hints Q=E and W=N, decipher the clues to name the inventor.

1. L G F F G W M E W 2. E W F Q K L X U W M Q U R Z Q SUKFD 3. T Y D H Q F D 4. T E Z Z E W M T U L X E W Q 5. P U Z Q This inventor helped make cotton profitable:

SUDOKU

Solve the puzzle by placing the numbers 1 through 9 in each row, column and box.

April 18

April 25

, 3&

Roy Adams took this shot at Dinosaur World. Adams enjoys photography and art. His work can be seen at PrintMaker.mysite.com.

The Plant City Times & Observer and Grimes Hardware have partnered to host the I Love Plant City Photo Contest. Winners will have their photo featured and receive a $15 gift certificate to Grimes Hardware’s Strawberry Town Cafe!

To enter, email your photo, along with a caption, to Editor Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com; subject line: I Love Plant City. Winners can pick up their prize at Grimes Hardware.

CROSSWORD HIGH CARDS by Kenneth Holt ACROSS 1 “... bombs bursting ___” 6 Generic name for a dog 10 Make cookies 14 ___ of Wight 18 Danes of “Homeland” 19 Love, in Latin class 20 Over again 21 Cut, as coupons 22 Everyday 24 Hard-water product 26 NNW opposite 27 Unpleasantly loud 28 Lively duple-time dance 30 Chess side 31 Testimonial dinner, e.g.

33 Wedding dress material, sometimes 34 Balcony feature 35 Marino of football fame 36 Singer Norah 37 Winged horse of myth 40 Quick impression 43 “Turn, soldier!”

45 Home-school link, briefly 46 Once more, to Li’l Abner 47 Conjure up, as a memory 49 St. ___ Girl (beer brand) 50 “Blueberry Hill” singer Domino 51 Karate award 52 Legally prohibit 53 New York team player 54 Blackjack cards 55 Perform without preparation 57 No-fly zone, e.g.

61 Greasy spoon, e.g.

63 Complain about little things 65 Sports car engine option 66 “Char” anagram 67 Sorrowful sound 70 Wall decorators 72 Like some horror films 76 Another wedding dress material 77 Off-road vehicle 79 Decay away 81 Courtroom cover-up 82 Industrial insects 83 “Bear” that’s not a bear 86 ___ good faith 87 Cave, to some animals 88 “The Way,” to the Chinese 89 Belmont Park attraction 91 Insurance cases 93 Bakers’ implements 95 Back-to-school times (Abbr.)

96 Sort or kind 97 Guys’ companions 98 Gets closer 99 Throw off the scent, e.g.

103 Emergency-room supply 105 Modern Iranian language 106 Starbucks offering 107 Signal at Sotheby’s 109 Risky venture 111 Finishing touch 114 Start of many fairy tales 115 Coating of ice 116 Grad student’s exam 117 Wipes off the blackboard

©2015 Universal Uclick

118 Golfer’s collection 119 Went way down in the rankings 120 Test answer 121 Sound units DOWN 1 Gambler’s words of lament 2 Christener, e.g.

3 “Ready, ___, fire!”

4 Cell feature 5 Gave up 6 Opposite of 120-Across 7 “___ be wrong, but ...”

8 “Gunsmoke” character 9 Spaghetti sauce seasoning 10 Catapult 11 Negatively charged atom 12 Dole’s running mate 13 Fleece-producing female 14 Bay of Naples isle 15 Extremely slow rate 16 Merry-go-round music, e.g.

17 Weapon with a bell-shaped guard 18 Units for liquid meds.

23 “The ___ and the Pendulum” 25 Metal-bending tool

29 Enjoyed, as flattery 32 Picks out of a lineup, e.g.

33 Dries out, in a way 34 Poet at a reading, e.g.

36 City once known as Batavia 37 Like Death’s horse, in Revelation 38 Pronounce 39 Disrespectful, in a way 40 Full of years 41 Vitamin bottle unit 42 Irises are part of them 44 Get steamed up 46 Atty. grp.

48 Kimono closer 50 Paternal 56 Hamburger holder 58 Fabricated beginning?

59 Releases pent-up feelings, in psychoanalysis 60 Intimidates 62 High card 64 Groggy states 66 Sonar predecessor 67 Braids 68 Porch, in Hawaii 69 Thing from God

70 Ballpoint and fountain 71 Decay 73 Be a gadabout 74 Long-legged bird 75 “Mountain” or “rocket” finish 78 Sailors, in slang 80 Service volunteers 84 Ran out on 85 They can be designated for rest or play 89 Ships’ wheels 90 Juicy, soft fruit 92 Quickly, musically 94 Brownish grays 98 Actress Watts 99 Kind of sugar 100 “Why, ___ be a pleasure!”

101 Humiliate 102 Cuts into small pieces 103 Aberdeen resident 104 Atlantic bird 105 Fencing weapon 106 Maui feast 108 ___ Plaines 110 “48 ___” (Murphy/Nolte flick) 112 Bobby the hockey great 113 Entered a marathon

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