8.29.19 PLCO by Plant City Observer

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

. YO UR NEWS ER . RAINPAP LEADS TO THOUSANDS IN EMERGENCY CITY REPAIRS Rising water levels have led to several emergency repairs throughout the city this month.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Heavy rain has continued to cause issues throughout the city as was evidenced with the addition of two emergency repair items to the city commission agenda this week. The trouble began on Aug. 1, when a street failure on South Collins Street caused a section of the road to collapse. A

section of steel traffic plates were placed on the street as a temporary safety measure to allow traffic to continue on the roadway. A video confirmed the issue was a failure of the stormwater drainage pipe at the intersection. As preparation of the bid documents for the repair to South Collins Street were in the process of being completed, another issue arose. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

P U N A T TI

SEE PAGE 11

Plant City’s favorite mudless 5K came back to the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds on Aug. 24.

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

Rollyson accepts Strong Leader Award

The Plant City Family YMCA held its annual Strong Leader Award dinner ceremony Aug. 22 to honor 2019 winner Rhett Rollyson. Rollyson, a longtime Plant City Y Advisory Board member and its 2011 chairman, is well known for his tennis acumen and has helped many young players from Plant City and other areas take their game to the next level. He has been involved with the USTA as a tournament director since 1994 and is an assistant coach for the University of South Florida. The Plant City native is also a Florida Strawberry Festival director, Sunday school teacher, board member for Plant City Little League and the South Florida Baptist Hospital Foundation and chairman of Plant City High School’s Raider Champions Foundation and its Booster Club.

Justin Kline

Plant City Y executive director Paul Conley, Rhett Rollyson and Nick Thurston onstage Aug. 22 for Rollyson’s award presentation.

even sweeter knowing that the campaign directly supports Feeding America’s mission to end hunger,” Wish Farms Marketing Coordinator Hailey Clark said. For more information, visit wishfarms. com. To help Wish Farms fight hunger, the farm said you can sign up for the Berry Lover email list. For each sign-up, Wish will donate one meal to Feeding America.

‘Super’ summer for Wish Farms

Men lured to Plant City home and tortured

Wish Farms and Feeding America teamed up for a “super” summer to save hungry bellies. The project, dubbed “Superhero Summer,” launched a social media campaign that led to 50,000 meals being donated to people in need between June 12 and August 12. Wish Farms growers did their best superhero impressions for Instagram, referencing a popular video the farm released last winter, to encourage people to help them “save the world by feeding the world.” For each Instagram engagement, Wish Farms donated a meal. “The ‘Superhero Summer’ campaign was a great success on many levels. We reached a nationwide audience of over 1.1 million, with over 2.1 million impressions on Instagram. These results are

Plant City Police have arrested four people they said lured victims to a Plant City home where they were robbed, beaten and kidnapped. Police are asking for the public’s help locating a fifth suspect, who is still on the run. PCPD’s Investigative Services Division said Hispanic men were lured via social media to the residence within the 900 block of West Risk Street, where they believed they would be socializing with “an attractive female.” The incidents occurred over several dates between April 2019 and June 2019. When the victims arrived, they

were met in the driveway by a female who escorted them into the residence. However, once they were inside they were robbed, “viciously tortured” and beaten by the defendants. They were then held against their will and told their families would be harmed if they did not cooperate. The suspects then put the victims back in their vehicles and drove them throughout Plant City, where they were forced to remove money from their bank accounts at ATM machines. Once the suspects acquired all of the victims’ money, they released the men. The suspects kept the vehicles for their own use. In a news release, PCPD said they arrested Thomas Nolasco, Melissa Long, Joshua Rodriguez and Carina Bailon. Nolasco was charged with one count of Kidnapping, one count of Robbery, two counts of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and one count of Battery. Rodriguez was charged with one count of Kidnapping, one count of Robbery, two counts of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and one count of Battery. Bailon was arrested and charged as a principal to commit Kidnapping, Robbery and Battery. Long was arrested and charged as

principal to commit Kidnapping, Robbery and Battery. Police say they have identified another suspect, James T. Smith, 19, but he has not yet been located. There is an active warrant outstanding for his arrest in relation to the incidents. Police are asking any individuals who have been victimized in a similar fashion by the above mentioned suspects to contact Detective Mark Dunnam at 813-7579200.

HCSO offering drug amnesty program Sheriff Chad Chronister announced a new amnesty program last week giving a pass to individuals in possession of a controlled substance while they are seeking addiction treatment on their own and/or disposing of the substance. Chronister said those seeking treatment can also contact HCSO if they need transportation to their medical facility for treatment. Visit any HCSO location for more information.

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1 0:30 A M | S E P T E M B E R 1 5 | M A D ZO N E J U M P H O U S E You’re invited to The Crossing Church on Sunday, September 15th for the launch of the new Plant City campus! We hope to see you there! MA D ZO N E J U M P H O U S E B U I L D I N G 507 S W H E E L E R S T R E E T | P L A N T C I T Y, F L 33563

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

Plant City is finally home to a quintessential wine bar. Roots is hosting its Grand Opening this Friday at 5 p.m.

ROOTS

PREPARES FOR FIRST POUR BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

When you think of downtown Plant City, the first image that comes to mind is of antique shops and railroad tracks. One couple is hoping to change that image by becoming the first wine bar to open up shop in town. Brandon Snyder and Jerilyn Rumbarger will officially open Roots Tap Room & Wine Bar’s doors at 5 p.m. tomorrow. The bar, located at 101 S. Evers St., fills a hole Plant City has left empty for years. It wasn’t until the efforts of Plant City Main Street led to the April change of the city’s alcohol ordinance for downtown that a business like Roots could theoretically exist, let alone become a reality. Now, Snyder said, they’re hoping to prove it’s a business model that will start a pseudo renaissance downtown for enterprises, specifically those focused on keeping downtown alive after 5 p.m. “This was something I envisioned doing years ago,” Snyder said. “I wanted to get back into the restaurant business and we started thinking about it again recently. We live here. This is where we want to be. So the idea is, if we live here, we want to make it a fun place to hang out. Hopefully this will show Plant City can sustain a business like this, that we won’t have to live in a place where you have to drive to Bran-

don or Lakeland or Tampa to go out and have a fun night with your friends or your family. We want a place like that here, but we still want to make it family-friendly.” Rumbarger echoed the sentiment and added her 7-yearold son is a crucial part of their dynamic. Anything they do, they do with him in mind. The benches of the booth in the back lift up and board games can be pulled out for your entire group to enjoy. There will be a widevariety of special events held all year long, and they said every member of the community will always feel welcome when they walk into Roots. Whether it’s bottle share nights, tap takeovers or wine tasting nights, Roots is sure to be a highlight of the community out of the gate. The bar will also be open for rental if anyone wishes to book a party or event at the location. “Really, we want to be that place in Plant City where everyone wants to go and hang out with their friends or have a relaxing night out with their family,” Rumbarger said. “There’s nothing like this in town, and I think once people try it out, they’re really going to fall in love with it.” It’s an intimate venue with enough tables and bar stools to maintain a blossoming vibe, but not so many as to feel overcrowded. The bar is also dogfriendly and there will be several tables outside on the sidewalk for people to enjoy a craft beer under the stars.

GRAND OPENING

Who: Roots Tap Room & Wine Bar What: Grand Opening Where: 101 S. Evers Street When: 5:00 p.m. Aug. 30 to 12:00 a.m. Aug. 31 Social: Follow Roots Tap Room & Wine Bar on Facebook and Instagram

Stepping inside is reminiscent of walking into one of the many wine bars that have made St. Petersburg and Tampa such popular destinations for cantina enthusiasts. One-of-a-kind woodwork fills every inch of the taproom, transforming the rustic brick venue that used to be an antique store into a cultural hub. An impressive 16-and-a-half foot oak slab bar fills the left side of the room, beckoning people to pull up a chair and find their new favorite brew. All of the interior wood design was envisioned and created by Chris George of Southern Shores Wood Designs. Snyder said he is one of the best woodworkers in the industry, and he handed over the reins allowing Roots to “be his canvas.” Everything from the furniture to the shelving and the walls was built by hand. Part of the appeal of Roots is its tranquility. This isn’t a massive bar that takes up the entire block. It’s an intimate venue where you have the opportunity to join a community. Bartenders can greet you by name and you can shake hands with your friends that you’ve spotted enjoying a robust glass of wine in the corner over a rousing game of UNO. Snyder has also ensured the menu is unlike anything you’ll find nearby. There will be eight rotating craft beers, a 20-bottle wine list and four wines on draft. Whether you have a simple palate or are up for an adventure, Roots will have the perfect selection.

ROOTS HOURS*

Sunday to Wednesday: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday: 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. *Hours are subject to change

As a tribute to his father Dean Snyder, a community leader for whom the annual Dean’s Ride event is named, Roots will have one special menu item that will make an impact in the community. Simply titled,“Dean’s Pick,” the order is a bottle of Tenuta Luce along with two very special glasses. “He died in 2013 of esophageal cancer,” Snyder said. “His favorite wine ever was Luce. It’s this ridiculous Super Tuscan that is impossible to find. Well, one of my guys found me six bottles of it, so we have Dean’s Pick on the menu in his honor. It’s our most expensive item, it’s like a $240 bottle of wine, but we’re also throwing in two wine glasses. My dad was such a freak about his wine glasses. He was so down to earth, but with his wine glasses, he was super pretentious. He would get those super thin ones and my mom would always break them when she was washing them, and it would drive him crazy. So if somebody orders that bottle of wine, we’re going to give you two of those wine glasses as well. It’s just a little nod to Pops.” All proceeds of the purchase will go to Dean’s Ride, which benefits the YMCA Livestrong

program to help cancer survivors maintain a healthy lifestyle. Though it won’t be up and running during the grand opening, the bar will also soon have charcuterie and grilled cheese sandwiches available for anyone who wants a delectable side dish with their fresh pour. While Roots has been on the horizon for months, Snyder and Rumbarger said it’s definitely been a learning experience for everyone involved. This was the first business to come to town under the recent ordinance alteration. Everyone learned as they went along because no one has walked the path before them. They said they were thankful the city has had their back and helped them through the process. Now they’re ready to open their doors and let the public experience what Plant City has waited decades to finally have in its own back yard. “We want this to be everyone’s third place,” Snyder said. “Your first place is your home, your second place is your work and your third place is where you go to hang out. We want Roots to become a part of your life, to be where you make memories at and really just where you feel comfortable at. My roots are Plant City, and while I moved around for a while, this is me coming back to my roots and making a place in my hometown for everyone to enjoy.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

PLANT CITY

This week on Cops Corner:

COPS CORNER

Observer

Plant City Police investigated virtual realty crimes, a sugared up gas tank, a fake $5 bill,

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

a jewelry heist and more.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com

AUG. 16 TAKING THE BAIT 2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft: This complainant told officers that an unknown suspect removed four fishing poles and reels from the bed of his truck between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m. and then fled the scene. WALMART SHOPPING SPREE 2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway Fraud: This man was notified on July 5 by Bank of America that someone used his credit card at the Walmart in Plant City and purchased $669.45 worth of merchandise.

AUG. 17

ing searched, it was revealed she also was in possession of a controlled substance (Spice). She was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

AUG. 18 HANDLE WITH CARE 400 block of East Damon Street Criminal mischief: During the night of Aug. 17, someone snuck onto this complainant’s property and damaged the door handle to a shed. However, they did not enter the shed and no items were reported stolen. The complainant wished to document the incident and then signed a waiver of prosecution. FRIDAY NIGHT FRAUDS 1 Raider Place Counterfeit bill: This complainant received a fake $5 bill on Aug. 16 at the Plant City High School football game. She contacted Plant City Police Department and wanted to document the incident. The bill was placed in PCPD evidence and a waiver report was completed for the incident.

AUG. 19 VIRTUAL REALITY CRIME 2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway Grand theft: An unknown man and woman entered Walmart at 3:11 a.m. Aug. 19 and broke into a locked display case. They swiped multiple PlayStation Virtual Reality systems and walked out the door without paying. The theft totaled $2,342. GUN DISPLAY 1200 block of South Collins Street Drug possession: Officers made contact with a man who waved a gun in the air. When they located him, he was found to be in possession of a black BB gun as well as a controlled substance. He was transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

DOWN THE HATCH 1200 block of Townsgate Court Disorderly/Resist without: AUG. 20 Officers came in contact with a man who was intoxicated and BAD CREDIT causing a disturbance at several 900 block of East Baker Street businesses in the area. He was Fraud: Grove Equipment Services arrested and transported to Orireported to police that someone ent Road Jail for resist without placed an online order for more by David Steinberg August 30, 2019 FLIGHT and public intoxication causingEdited a FAILED than $22,000 worth of goods, 4600 block of Lantana Place disturbance. which is not uncommon for the 12 Taiwanese ACROSS 48Crash Faucet repair arrest: This woman was company.45 TheFrankenorder was made director Lee 1 Littleneck gasketand arrested for leavhelper charged JEWELRY HEIST via credit cardstein’s and, upon delivery the scene of an accident and 2600 block of mollusk of the items New York, 13 “Cimarron” 49ingNarrow valley 46 toSwiss folk the License Suspended James L. Redman Parkway later William advised the studio company washero 5 “Body Party” 51Driving Kind With of room oror Revoked. Felony theft and possession of credit cards fraudulent. 21 suspenHoppy pints, vocalist centerShe had four 50 were Beginner on her license. She was controlled10 substance: briefly VirtuallyA female 52sions Diamond 53 Ancient to Orient 22 Road Jail strolled into Walmart FOR THE LOVE OF FORD Inflatable closedand decided transported Head locale fabulist incident. she was going to attempt to steal 56without Procchi Street pilot in 2400 block 14 Inflated Apres-ski 54ofHurl several clothespublicity and jewelry items. Burglary 55 andSet vehicle “Airplane!” setting freetheft: In total, her swiped merchandise This complainant reported 26 “Rigoletto,” 15 Venomous 60 People who 57 Condemn that was valued at $190.43. cut Germaine the lock/fence to for one someone58 viper While beprefer to do the wrote location listed 27 Commonthe business at 16 Genre related crosswords who

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AUG. 21 $100 A MINUTE 2200 block of North Park Road Fraud: Officers met with a victim who advised an unknown person used her husband’s Chase credit/debit card on Aug. 9 in the amount of $100 for gas. Approximately one minute later, they used it again for another $100 in gas. WELL, THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY Park Road/Baker Street Aggravated assault: This victim told officers he was driving on Park Road and merged lanes, accidentally cutting off an older white Cadillac. The man in the front seat of the Cadillac leaned out the window and brandished a handgun while yelling at the driver. The victim was unable to get a tag number and decided to sign a waiver of prosecution.

AUG. 22 SUGARED UP 1700 block of East Ohio Street Criminal mischief: This victim found sugar in her driveway and around the gas cap of her vehicle. She signed a waiver of prosecution.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

DORIAN

HEADS TO FLORIDA Hurricane Dorian is headed this way and gaining traction. As of press time, the storm was estimated to potentially evolve into a Category 3 hurricane by Sunday morning.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Hurricane Dorian is continuing to strengthen and Plant City is bracing itself for the impact. The storm could reach a Category 3 status by Sunday morning, according to the latest National Hurricane Center calls that came in right before press time. The forecast showed the storm would make landfall along the Florida coast. The current estimation is the storm will remain a Category 1 hurricane by Friday evening as it edges the Bahamas and could make Category 3 by the time it comes ashore in Florida at the start of the week. All of Florida is on alert and Governor Ron DeSantis urges residents to make the effort to get supplies and have proper

plans in place in preparation of the impact. “Based on the current track of Tropical Storm Dorian, all residents on the East Coast should prepare for impacts, including strong winds, heavy rain and flooding,” DeSantis said. “Make sure to have your supplies ready and follow @FLSERT [Florida Division of Emergency Management] and local media for the latest updates on the forecast.” The City of Plant City is already bracing itself for the storm and City Manager Bill McDaniel asks residents to perform the necessary precautionary measures to ensure they’re prepared for high winds and extensive rain. “The worst case scenario would be it does turn into a full hurricane and comes over here,” McDaniel said. “Again, the worst case would be if we had a repeat of 2004. If it goes below us, we

will be on the rainy side. There are several inches of rain estimated to come our way and it’s important residents take the time now to ensure they’re prepared.” A major concern for the city has been the nonstop rain for the past several months. As the local canals reach capacity, water flow throughout the city stalls, causing erosion and damage throughout town. Oversaturated grounds have also led to quick flooding issues, as there is simply nowhere for falling water to go. Residents are seeing water accumulate in their backyards and on their streets and, while it recedes eventually, it has already begun to cause an onslaught of issues. McDaniel said one citizen has already reached out to the city in search of sandbags to proactively protect their property.

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Follow the City of Plant City’s social media accounts for updates on the storm and services the city will offer. You can also sign up for its newsletter at eepurl.com/gfM-Wn. Hillsborough County will have sandbags at Edward Medard Park, 6140 Turkey Creek Rd., starting tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. City leaders met Tuesday morning to discuss plans for the storm. McDaniel said all hands are on deck and they will work around the clock to handle whatever Dorian throws our way. One of the largest concerns as far as damage goes lies in the wind impact on the city. Saturated ground leads to weak roots in trees, and even a low-level storm could lead to a barrage of tree or limb collapses across

town. McDaniel said even if Dorian remained a tropical storm, the city could see more damage than normal from a storm of a similar size because of the heavily saturated ground throughout the city. “Prepare now, don’t wait,” McDaniel said. “Now is the time, not when the storm is bearing down on us. Have a plan in place for whatever comes. It’s a simple message and one that is repeated year after year, but it’s an important one. Dorian is just the beginning of the peak of hurricane season. There’s a chance we will be seeing many more in the weeks to come, and historically we’re just entering the real heart of the season. They all say it only takes one storm and that’s unfortunately true. So, make sure you have a plan in place.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

LOCAL MAKER PROVES ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH DEDICATION Lorrin Wagner is a self-taught jack of all trades. Using her “Google degree,” she has developed a skillset that would put even the most versatile creators on their toes and is literally creating the future she dreams for her family. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Failure is merely a path to learning, according to Lorrin Wagner, a Plant City resident that has become a jack of all trades thanks to her inquisitive spirit. The journey began when Wagner and her family moved to Plant City and found themselves with a large property for the first time. Eyeing a tree in the back yard, she decided it would be the perfect location for the quintessential tree house for her two sons. At this point, most homeowners would turn to a professional and hire someone to bring their dream to life. Not Wagner. Using her “Google degree” and advice from building experts, she painstakingly worked in the back yard and eventually created the spitting image of her vision. The sense of accomplishment and glee that filled her upon its completion sparked a flame in her soul. Wagner was a maker, and she was just getting started. “It was just so much fun that I ended up thinking, ‘I wonder what else I can do?’” Wagner said. “I ended up with a pop-up camper that I found on sale on Craigslist. I stripped it down to the frame and then rebuilt it from the ground up. Everything you see on it, I built by hand. It’s now a Romanian Vardo-style caravan.” Wagner and her husband own Wagner Events, a company that specializes in face painting, balloon twisting, henna and more. They are frequent stars at birthday parties, grand openings, festivals, corporate events and other festive celebrations and are one of the few companies in the area that offer henna by appointments. You can learn more at wagnerevents.com. The love of art has been in her blood for as long as she can remember and while she often heard from family and friends that one “can’t make a living as an artist,” she never truly gave up her bohemian spirit. She and her husband Jeff travel all over with their business and are teaching their children the value of living a life in search of happiness. “I guess my philosophy would be to just do what makes you

happy,” Wagner said. “There’s so much more to life than just money. Do what makes you genuinely happy and be sure to give back to the community. Share the joy you have with others. Make this world a better place, even if it’s in a little way.” As Wagner began the process of learning how to build a caravan, she said she had to learn to pair her hyper focus on the project with firm doses of reality. She knew the importance of being self-taught and happily wandered down any rabbit trail of knowledge she could find regarding the skills needed to bring her project to life. She learned woodworking. She learned to weld. She learned about insulation and carpentry. She mastered ancient practices and new techniques. All of her successes came with their fair share of failures, but she never gave up. While she admits there were moments her frustration was through the roof as she had to redo a section of the project over and over again until she finally mastered the skill, she was determined to finish what she started. She already had a strong artistic background, so some of the steps were second nature. Many, however, were entirely new. But she never hesitated to give it a try. The trick was to look at the entire project in baby steps, she said. Start with one tiny aspect and give it a go. Slowly it will grow and, before you know it, you’re building a roof for your caravan with your bare hands. Her sons are homeschooled and Wagner said the plan is to soon travel the country with their business, pulling the caravan behind an RV, which she is in the process of building from a stripped frame as well. It’s a unique family dynamic and she said they’ve created a bond she cherishes. The entire family is active in Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol, and she said they go bowling and do a board game night once a week. She and her husband are passing on their adventurous spirits to their children, and she said she’s loved watching how they explore and interact with the world around them. While working on the RV, Wagner said she began to soak in how much she’s learned over the past

year. Now she’s at the phase on the caravan where she’s adding final murals and soft touches to finish its unique aesthetic. The RV is in its beginning stage, but she said she’s already finding aspects of the build so much easier now that she’s entering her second project. Wagner and her husband will be at That Art Festival in St. Petersburg next weekend. The caravan is designed to offer henna inside and another activity, like airbrush tattoos or balloon twisting outside. The caravan will be on display as their booth at the art show. “Whatever you want to do, you can do,” Wagner said. “There’s nothing you can’t learn if you put your mind to it and don’t quit. You learn from your mistakes and you’re better off for them. Through this process, I have learned so much and I’ve acquired such a vast skillset. Really, now I can fix almost everything. It’s so empowering to know that I can really do this, I can fix this, I can make this. It’s not easy to learn something new, but if you’re a gogetter, I promise you can accomplish anything.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

RECEIVES AFFILIATE ADVOCACY AWARD The Redlands Christian Migrant Association has made an immense difference in the lives of children across the state of Florida, including right here in Plant City. This month, the group received a special award in honor of its dedication to education. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Redlands Christian Migrant Association received the Affiliate Advocacy Award from UnidosUS during the organization’s annual conference, held Aug. 3-6. RCMA serves many Plant City youth via its local child development center and has long been a staple in the community. The Immokalee-based organization is Florida’s largest nonprofit childcare provider and expanded to Ruskin in 1974 after the group’s initial conception in 1965. The award was given to the organization for its “commitment to excellence in education and an unwavering belief that migrant students are to be held to the highest standards, so they reach their potential as individuals, and have life choices and opportunities for success,” according to UnidosUS. “Receiving this honor from UnidosUS reinforces the impor-

tance of RCMA’s holistic approach to engaging and serving the entire family as we provide early childhood education and care,” Isabel Garcia, RCMA executive director and Head Start director, said. “Unlike many other educational institutions, RCMA must plan for the effects that migrant travel, poverty and discrimination have on our children and their parents. The fact that students at our three charter schools score higher on several Florida Standards Assessments measures than their peers and that we have more than 40,000 alumni who have gone on to lead successful lives demonstrates that we are making a positive impact on the most vulnerable children in Florida.” Garcia has worked for RCMA for 30 years and accepted the award for the group during the ceremony at the national conference. She was born into a migrant farm work family and said she “knows first hand the challenges faced by the students and families that RCMA serves.”

Stories of many of the RCMA students have been featured in the Plant City Observer over the years and the lasting impact of its work for the community continues to be seen in ripple effects to this day. It all began in 1965 with children’s centers in Homestead. Now, it operates 66 child development centers and three charCourtesy of the RCMA ter schools, and it partners with 25 family home care centers and Isabel Garcia, RCMA Executive Director/Head Start Director (right) accepts the Affiliate Advocacy Award from Eric Rodriguez and Maria S. Salinas. after-school programs throughout the state of Florida. Approximately 6,500 children are served The annual conference drew legislative visits both throughout each year. Most of the children more than 3,000 “social change Florida and in Washington D.C. to come from “low-income, migrant leaders,” experts and politicians champion its cause and the orgafamilies who also receive sup- to San Diego and acted as a cata- nization has made a strong effort port from RCMA for health care, lyst for further change in commu- to partner with local community immigration services and parent- nities across the nation. leaders for its various Farmworker ing skills.” On top of its child development Advocacy services. UnidosUS, which was formerly efforts, RCMA also attempts After all, approximately 85 known as NCLR, is a nonpartisan to combat misconceptions and percent of the organization’s voice for Latinos and “serves the raise awareness of the chal- $82 million budget comes from Hispanic community through lenges faced by migrant families government grants, so commuresearch, policy analysis, and and children in the communi- nity partnerships and legislative state and national advocacy ties they call home. RCMA staff, awareness play a key role in keepefforts, as well as program work along with many of its students, ing the group afloat. in communities nationwide.” and their parents frequently make

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

PlantCityObserver.com

CITY WEBSITE REMAINS DOWN DURING ‘OVERHAUL’

The City of Plant City website has been down for weeks as it undergoes an ADA compliance overhaul. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Residents may have noticed some changes to the City of Plant City’s website. The site has been down for approximately three weeks now as the city undergoes a virtual overhaul to bring the site into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Commissioners approved a $76,800 contract with Crawford Technologies, Inc. to handle the issue and, while much work has been completed, the end is not yet in sight. “We had ADA issues with some of the documents on our site, so we had to get them into compliance,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “Essentially, they’re having to go back through every document we have on our website and make sure it’s compliant. That’s thousands of documents and it’s a project that takes some time.” The city received a request for accommodation to review documents, which was for an estimated 17,799 pages, and Crawford will supply the converted documents to the city as an audited and quality tested file. McDaniel said this isn’t an issue just governments are having to deal with. Businesses and other organizations also have to be sure their sites comply, and he said ignoring the issue is the same as “sitting on a time bomb.” He said it’s an extensive process

and is taking quite some time to complete. In a meeting with the city’s IT team Tuesday morning, McDaniel said they were unable to give him a timeline at that time but is certain they are “closer” to being completed. When the site does go live, he said it will not look exactly like it did before. The City of Plant City has long had extensive documents dating back several years available at the click of a button. While everything the city legally has to have on display will be active immediately, the rest will come in phases — if at all. “People won’t see everything they might have before,” McDaniel said. “If they had tip-toed around the website in the past, they might have stumbled upon agendas from 10 years ago. That’s not a priority for us at this time. Obviously everything that’s city record can still be accessed through a records request, but a lot of those old documents aren’t going to be lingering around the website.” Though the city’s website has been down for weeks, residents have still have had the ability to pay bills online via the links at the bottom of the page that take them to the respective corresponding sites outside of the city network. McDaniel said the website technically can be turned on at any time because its basic form is compliant, but none of the PDFs and documents are ready to be uploaded yet.

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE Did you take the Observer with you on vacation? Send your pictures to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

ECUADOR: Pat Jolles and Art Schauffert recently visited Ecuador and brought a copy of the Observer with them.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

NEW SPEECH THERAPY PROGRAM AT SFBH

STAFF WRITER

Plant City residents with Parkinson’s disease will now be able to participate in a specialized speech therapy program at South Florida Baptist Hospital. The program recently came into existence after the hospital received a grant from Parkinson Voice Project. The Outpatient Rehabilitation Program will now feature “SPEAK OUT!” and “The LOUD Crowd” programs for any and all Parkinson’s patients. Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurological condition. The slowly progressive disease causes a gradual loss of nerve cells in the brain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine essentially is the carrier of signals to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. A lack of signals can cause general slowness, stiffness of limbs and tremors. Eventually, it could also cause speech issues, decreased facial expression and an imbalanced, shuffling gait. More symptoms may occur if other parts of the brain and other neurotransmitters begin to be affected by the disease. The mean age of someone who is diagnosed with Parkinson’s is 60 years old, though five to 10 percent of patients who are diagnosed are under the age of 40, according to the Parkinson Foundation. While there is no cure for Parkinson’s, treatment options are available to delay or minimize some of the symptoms that come along with the disease. Part of that includes working with a therapist to maintain function of capabilities like speech. Through the SFBH programs, speech therapists at the hospital will work with the patients to “convert speech from an

automatic function to an intentional act,” according to a news release. Up to 90 percent of people with Parkinson’s are at a high risk of developing a weak voice, which in turn can lead to major speech and swallowing complications. Losing the ability to speak can impact a variety of aspects in one’s life, so the hospital is eager to offer assistance in maintaining its patient’s personal independence. The “SPEAK OUT!” course typically consists of 12 individual speech therapy sessions where speech-language pathologists and patients work through a variety of exercises using specialized workbooks to strengthen the patient’s speech, voice and cognitive functions. If a patient seeks speech therapy, they would need a physician. “The LOUD Crowd” program is a free weekly group therapy session for those who have already completed the “SPEAK OUT!” program. The concept for “The LOUD Crowd” is that a patient would take the incentive to perform exercises both at the hospital and with daily practice at home. By taking part in a group therapy program, the patient will have access to a support group full of others walking the same path. The impact of camaraderie and encouragement can often make a massive difference in someone’s journey. Attendees do not have to be patients at SFBH for this program, but they do need to make an appointment with the SFBH speech therapist for an evaluation before they can join the group. They would need a physician order for that evaluation. The weekly group will meet at the BayCare HealthHub in Bloomingdale, 2470 Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico, and the Plant City Family YMCA, 1507 YMCA Place.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Jennifer Ackett, speech therapist, at 813-707-9362. To schedule a speech therapy appointment, call 813-443-8028.

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ACUPUNCTURE: DOES IT WORK?

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While the idea of being stuck with needles may make you queasy, acupuncture may be a good alternative treatment for injury and chronic pain. The main goal of acupuncture is self-healing. Acupuncture is a medical practice that entails stimulating certain points on the body with a needle penetrating the skin, which can alleviate pain or help treat various health conditions. It is believed acupuncture was developed in China around 3,000 years ago. Since the first school of acupuncture opened in the U.S. in 1975, it has grown rapidly, and is now widely accepted by the medical community. Since I don’t have any experience with acupuncture myself, I turned to a friend and YMCA group exercise instructor, Alicia Wassenberg. She recently tried acupuncture at the advice of her doctor and was surprised at the results. Wassenberg started having issues with her foot about a year and a half ago. Her diagnosis was tendinopathy of the ankle. She wore a boot for six weeks, completed eight weeks of physical therapy and then reached a plateau. She felt she had done everything right, but she still had pain that kept her from fully getting back to

her regular active lifestyle. It was then that she took her doctor’s suggestion and tried acupuncture with e-stem electrical pulse. Until then, she hadn’t considered acupuncture as a treatment for injury. Wassenberg did her research and decided on the Salt Grotto in Valrico. After her very first treatment, she walked out feeling better. She had three treatments within a two-week period and is now back on her feet. If you’ve tried traditional medicine and physical therapy but are still not healing, Wassenberg suggests you try acupuncture. She says the treatment can be a little uncomfortable, but it certainly can’t make anything worse. Definitely talk to your doctor first before exploring acupuncture and other alternative therapies, however. Happy healing!

Angela Fulgieri is a Wellness Experience Director for the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA. Write her at observerfitness@gmail.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

NONSTOP RAIN

COSTS CITY PRETTY PENNY When waters rise unforseen costs emerge around town in the form of emergency repairs. FROM PAGE 1

STAFF WRITER

“There have been several emergency repairs we’ve had to undergo in the last several weeks,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “The weather and rain have put a strain on some of the culverts around town and have led to some issues.” At approximately 9:30 p.m. Aug. 14, a 24-inch sewer main located at 3305 Sydney Road failed. The issue immediately gained attention when it affected Saputo Dairy’s service, which is located near the site. Utilities staffers were immediately on the scene and set up a bypass system to keep Saputo up and running while they worked on repairing the line. Unfortunately, the structural failure was much larger than anticipated, causing the utilities staff to be unable to complete the repairs. Using an emergency purchase provision, the city employed Wetherington Tractor Service (WTS) for $56,226 to perform the repairs. Wetherington was contacted around 7 a.m. Wetherington had to replace the sewer main from manhole to manhole, which

was approximately 115 feet, and restore Saputo’s driveway. The weather continued to dampen the prospects of a speedy repair, as did the supply of the 24-inch pipe, but the sewer main was back in service by Aug. 21. The Utilities Department also reported the sanitary overflow to the appropriate regulatory agency within the required timeframe. Now that the repair has been completed, additional outsourcing will need to be addressed to reestablish the Saputo sign and the cost of that repair is not known at this time. Less than 24 hours had passed before another strikingly familiar failure hit another portion of Sydney Road. “It’s interesting if you go out there and look at the geography,” McDaniel said. “Sydney Road has a little hill in it, so the sewer collapse was on the back side of the hill on the east side and the stormwater collapse was on the west side. Both of them were on the downhill slope. As I was standing there at the sewer collapse, that water was running off the top of that hill basically as a little river going down the side of the road, and the sewer collapse was down where it leveled out… On the back side, you

have the stormwater drain that went under the road and it washed out, and of course what’s on both sides of it is a wetland.” It was the evening of Aug. 15 and the drainage culvert on Sydney Road failed, closing the road and halting traffic between Turkey Creek Road and Commerce Road. Just like the issue on South Collins Street, the cause related back to the significant increase in rain the city has seen for months on end. The wetlands on either side were flooded with water, causing it to pile up and overwhelm the base of the stormwater drain. On Aug. 16, the City Manager executed an emergency purchase order to repair the drainage culverts on both Sydney Road and South Collins Street. Wetherington Tractor Service submitted a cost proposal for both of those projects for a total of $71,510 on Aug. 19. Commissioners retroactively approved all of the emergency repairs Monday evening. Grant Street has faced similar issues. The first occurred in the intersection and was caused from a sewer issue.

There was a warranty issue with the contractor, and water leaking from the inside out caused a large depression in the road. The city got the issue fixed in the intersection only to find another pit had popped up to the west of it in the middle of the block. McDaniel said the second depression was caused by the high water table in the area. All of the water underground is rising to the point it is eroding the structures around the manhole at the location and causing the severe depression. “That’s a chronic problem in that area because it has such a high water table there as well, all of my experts are telling me,” McDaniel said. “We are working right now to get the bid out to get that repair done and we’re trying to get it done as quickly as possible because I realize that’s quite a significant dip. I dodge it every morning.”

CUTEST CRITTER Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are? Send your pictures to Staff Writer Breanne Williams at bwilliams@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

BAILEY AND CODYZ: These Pekingese puppies recently joined the household of David and Stephanie Hrenchir in Plant City. Being an “opinionated” breed, Cody and Bailey appear to be sharing a smile over the good life and travels that they are looking forward to.

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N A T I T

Plant Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite mudless 5K came back to the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds on Aug. 24.

Runners from this area and around Tampa Bay came out to participate in the Tactical Titan, a 5K that has the obstacles of a mud run without any of the mud. The course typically has more than 25 obstacles to put runnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fitness levels to the test from head to toe.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

AUGUST 29, 2019

Logan Teeden excels on the baseball field and the basketball court. See Page 14

Quick Hits AREA PARKS HOSTING EVENTS

SPORTS

GAME OF THE WEEK: RIVERVIEW AT DURANT

Global Sports Alliance Baseball’s Florida Gulf Coast League action is back in Plant City for back-to-back weekends of action. The GSA’s Labor Day Classic will use fields at the Randy L. Larson FourPlex, Mike Sansone Park, Ellis-Methvin Park, the MLK Complex and Snowden Park. on Saturday and Sunday and games have start times from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Next weekend, Florida Gulf Coast League play heats up at Mike Sansone Park and the Larson Four-Plex. Games start between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sept. 7 and 8. The Larson Four-Plex also hosted the Puerto Rico National Women’s Softball Team last week for a series of practices. The team trained in Plant City on Aug. 20 and 22 to prepare for this week’s Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

WEATHER WARNING Hurricane Dorian may have some effect on Plant City over the weekend, per the latest weather forecasts. The storm, which could make landfall early on Labor Day, is expected to cross over the peninsula and could impact the Plant City area. There is also a high chance of rain slated for the entire weekend. The weather could affect or outright cancel weekend sports events at Plant City-area parks. If you are invested in an upcoming sporting event in the area this weekend, check with the host organizations regarding event status and get your hurricane plans (party plans or otherwise) ready early.

A battle between undefeated teams comes to the home of the Cougars on Friday.

JUSTIN KLINE

TAMPA YMCA LOOKING FOR TURKEY GOBBLE RUNNERS The fifth annual Goody Goody Turkey Gobble is all planned out and the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA invites you to join in on the Thanksgiving Morning fun. The 5K, 8K and one-mile run/walk events kick off at 7 a.m. Nov. 28 in front of Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Goody Goody will provide all participants with a free breakfast. The 5K and 8K runs are chip-timed and prizes will be awarded to top finishers in all age groups. Runners must be at least 10 years old to race. All proceeds benefit the YMCA’s LiveStrong program for cancer survivors and their families. The cost is $30 for the 5K ($35 after Oct. 31), $35 for the 8K ($40 after Oct. 31) and $15 for the one-mile run/ walk. Register online at runsignup. com.

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

One week after Mother Nature didn’t feel like letting Durant open 2019 at home, the Cougars are finally able to get their first home game of the new season. The sinkhole that opened up near the scoreboard on the north side of the field was fixed last week before the King game, but the Cougars waited until this week to play on it just in case. Now with a 1-0 record to start the season, Durant’s hoping to start a little hot streak with a win over Riverview at Cougar Path. Those who made the trek from the Durant area to east Tampa to watch last week’s game at King were rewarded with an all-around solid performance from this young Durant team. The visitors dropped 42 points on the hosting Lions — 35 in

the first half, setting up a running clock in the latter — and got a much-needed confidence boost from it. The flexbone offense churned out 261 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries between 10 ball carriers. No one on defense had more than Josh Cannon’s seven tackles, but Durant did rack up eight tackles for loss and three sacks. Kicker Edgar Posadas Jr. found a rhythm and nailed all six of his extra point attempts, too. It was a good start for a team working with an updated offense, a young roster and a new mindset promoting good vibes only. Now, Durant gets to test its might against a team that hasn’t had trouble putting numbers on the board. Riverview hosted Blake last week and picked up a 37-26 win, led by a solid two-way performance by quarterback Stazion Gage. Gage completed nine of 18 pass attempts for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and was

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? FRIDAY NIGHT NOTES

The Durant Cougars looked comfortable with their schemes in SEE PAGE 13 last week’s win at King.

also the team’s top rusher with 155 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. The remaining Sharks credited with rushing attempts accounted for 132 yards on 16 touches. That works out to a respectable 8.25 yards per carry between Isaiah Doby, Cheyenne Greaves and David Haynes. Doby and Greaves also gained all but 25 of Riverview’s passing yards, and Greaves racked up 100 return yards on special teams. The defense was plenty busy, too. Four Sharks recorded 10 or more total tackles and seven players finished with seven or more total tackles. Riverview’s defense produced just one sack but didn’t submit statistics for tackles for loss or quarterback hurries at press time. Blake did not submit any game stats at all by press time. Durant would do well to have a spy on Riverview’s freshman quarterback as often as possible this Friday night, just in case.

The Cougars had little trouble stopping King on the ground but the second team did give up yardage and big plays through the air in the second half when the Lions adjusted their game plan to throw the ball more. King’s best drive of last week’s game came at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth, when the Lions picked up three big first downs on passing plays and capped it off with an 18-yard completion into the end zone for six points. The Cougars likely won’t call nearly as many passing plays as Riverview will, but having backs Nate Rourk and Eli Reed averaging more than 10 yards per carry while leading the team in touches bodes well against a defense that just gave up 27 points to a team with a new quarterback picture.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

JUSTIN KLINE

The Durant Cougars got a confidence boost at the right time in the young season. When your team is young, lacking in experience and working with new offensive concepts, you want wins like what the Durant Cougars just did at King last week. It’s not really for the ability to say “Hi, haters, we can still blow teams out.” That’s not what you should take away from that game if you played in it. The focus is on how that win happened — not that it did happen. As I wrote about for the Football Guide last week, Durant’s new-look offense is well known for taking one base play and using it to create a series of increasingly complex plays that might as well depend on sleight-of-hand magic tricks to pull off properly. It’s by no means an impossible offense to run, but it can both blow up in your face and eat up the game clock like few others if you’re not paying attention or not sure of what you have to do. So it’s good for the Cougars, then, that they got to see exactly what can happen when everything goes right. I’m a firm believer of the idea that you don’t fully learn something until you get out of the classroom (or film room) and apply it. Important as the tape and whiteboards are, it’s not unheard of to excel there and just totally lose it the minute you step onto the football field in the regular season. Case in point: my favorite NFL team started Nathan Peterman at quarterback on multiple occasions. We all know how that went. Durant wasn’t flashy at all, but the offense just worked. No one went over 100 yards rushing or 30 yards receiving individually, but Durant finished with 306 total yards of offense and six touchdowns. Five of those six touchdowns happened in six drives during the first half. Five of those six touchdowns came on the ground and the other was a well-thrown dime from Sean Williams to Collin Cole. Williams accounted for three touchdowns if you count that pass and two scores on the ground. The mood on the sideline was quite upbeat, especially once the Cougars saw how efficiently the offense was getting things done. They had good reason to be happy with the defense, too, which prevented King from crossing the 50-yard line until late in the second half. I was

particularly impressed with the effort from Bradley Guasto, who recorded six solo tackles and three for loss. That dude was all over the field in the first half and it seemed like he got involved with every play King ran. I know the attitude out there at Durant is very much “one game at a time” like with, well, everyone these days. But I think this is where you can and should make an exception and focus on being 1-0 this week, not 0-0. Again, that’s not because Durant did win — it’s because of how they won. You can punch above your weight class to at least some degree if you execute your game plans well, and now the Cougars should have a much better idea of what they need to do and how they need to do it going forward. Riverview just got out of an offensive battle with Blake, scoring 37 in what turned out to be the Stazion Gage Show, so it would do Durant well to be more comfortable with its game plans than it may have been last week. Also of note, as I pointed out in last week’s game recap, is that last Friday was the first time in almost six years all three area schools won a regular-season game on the same night. Plant City went out there against a typically tough opponent and did good things that probably didn’t surprise Raider fans. Strawberry Crest has its first legit winning record, one above .500 in the regular season, since 2013. Can we get two weeks in a row with a 3-0 record? I think so. Durant stands a chance against Riverview if the Cougars can keep Gage in check. Plant City has another tough test at Tampa Bay Tech, but the Raiders are built for such things. Having just watched King play, I think I’ve further confirmed my Football Guide prediction that Crest has more than one winnable game on its schedule. Hopefully Hurricane Dorian will let us see all of this play out on the field.

Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

OTHER AREA FOOTBALL ACTION PLANT CITY AT TAMPA BAY TECH, 7:30 P.M.

STRAWBERRY CREST AT KING, 7:30 P.M.

The Raiders’ schedule doesn’t get any easier with this week’s business trip to Tampa Bay Tech. The Titans just hosted Chamberlain last week and pitched a 25-0 shutout against a Chiefs team coming off of an eight-win season in 2018. Tech may have lost offensive linchpin Treshaun Ward to Florida State University but still racked up 244 rushing yards and all three offensive touchdowns on the ground, thanks in large part to a big game from senior Osmanis Aguilera (17 carries, 144 yards, two touchdowns). Tech only led by a 6-0 score at the half, but scored 19 in the second half to put the game on ice. Plant City, meanwhile, was busy making a statement of its own with a clutch 37-29 win at Jesuit. Quarterback Makenzie Kennedy had a career night (9-for-19 passing, 257 yards, four touchdowns, one pick). Zamir’ Knighten tore it up on the ground with 143 yards and a touchdown. Mario Williams picked up 169 yards and three touchdowns on four catches. The defense accounted for 11 tackles for loss and five sacks, with Antron Robinson’s 11 total tackles leading the way. That win went a long way toward opening people’s eyes to what’s going on at 1 Raider Place, and the Raiders hope to keep exceeding expectations on the road tomorrow night.

Strawberry Crest didn’t submit stats for their win at Leto by press time, but here’s something that hasn’t been written in more than half a decade: the Chargers are now above .500. Crest was productive on the scoreboard against the Falcons, putting up points in each of the first three quarters. Like the Raiders against Jesuit, the Chargers’ defense thwarted any plans Leto had for a comeback in the second half, though the home team did get all six of its points on the scoreboard in the third quarter. Crest has a favorable draw at King this Friday. As was mentioned earlier, King had no answer for Durant’s rushing attack and couldn’t get their own going against a motivated Cougars defense. The Chargers probably won’t run an entire offensive game plan around the triple option Friday night, if they even do experiment with it in some way, but they’ve found a way to get on the scoreboard all the same. It’s also worth mentioning that Crest has beaten King in each of the teams’ last two meetings (2018 and 2017) and allowed just six points each time. The last time Crest scored 20 or more points in a game happened to be against the Lions on Sept. 1, 2017, which ended with a 23-6 victory for the Chargers.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

SPONSORED BY SPORT CLIPS

Logan Teeden

Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at JKline@ plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

Logan Teeden is one busy guy these days. The Tomlin Middle student is a member of his school’s basketball team and also plays travel ball. He can also be found on the baseball field with the Florida Baseball Heaven Angels. In baseball, he was also a member of the 2019 Little League state runner-up Majors All-Star team and was a part of the Raiders 12U team that recently played in the Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament — where he hit his first home run.

What about Tomlin’s season are you most excited for? It starts next Tuesday. I’m excited about scoring and playing with my team. Which positions do you normally play? Point guard and shooting guard. Are there any college or NBA players you try to play like?

In baseball, you hit your first home run this summer playing at Cooperstown. How did that feel? It was so cool. I’m glad it happened. What kind of pitch were you looking at there? I was looking at a high fastball, and I got it. How long have you been playing baseball? Five or six years. What’s some of the best advice you’ve gotten from a coach? Working hard and doing my best.

DURANT ROUTS KING, 42-6, IN SEASON OPENER The Cougars scored on five of their first six possessions en route to a blowout win Aug. 23.

I try to play like Steph Curry. You had a tournament with your travel team last weekend. How did that go?

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

We won it. What was the toughest part of competing in that tournament? It was the team that beat us first, but we came back and beat them again in the championship game. They were called Five Star, something like that. What did you guys learn from the first game that helped you beat them in the championship? What defenses to run and how they played, stuff like that. What’s the coolest thing you’ve done on a basketball court? Make three threes in my brother’s face.

On Aug. 23 it was the Cougars, not the Lions, who were kings of the jungle. Durant started its 2019 season on a high note with a 42-6 win at King, propelled by a 35-point first half with just one punt. After Durant’s defense forced the Lions to go three and out, the Cougars got the most out of their new flexbone offense and Eli Reed capped off their opening drive with a 25-yard rushing touchdown. Quarterback Sean Williams scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns on Durant’s next possession, busting out a 15-yard run after King turned the ball over on downs. On the final drive of the first quarter, Reed struck gold again finding the end zone from 10 yards out with 1.2 seconds left. The Cougars forced King to punt early in the second quarter and, on their first offensive snap, Williams connected with Collin Cole on a 29-yard touchdown pass for the 28-0 lead. After getting the ball back with 8:09 left in the half and needing one more touchdown to secure a secondhalf running clock, Durant had its first unsuccessful drive of the game with several penalties driving the offense backward and several passes not connecting. But King only had the ball for about two minutes of game time, then had a punt blocked by the defense and recovered by Durant’s Lane Robbins. The Cougars finally got that touchdown on the ensuing drive, marching all the way to the goal line for Williams to sneak through the defense with 1:47 to go. Durant got the ball back after the half and gave the backups two quarters of run. The second team got hot early on, returning the opening kickoff to about the King 34. L.J. Gappy broke off a 30-yard run to put the Cougars in prime scoring position and put another touchdown on the board himself four plays later.

King crossed the 50-yard line for the first time early in the fourth quarter, picking up two quick first downs through the air, and David Hayes caught an 18-yard touchdown pass to put the Lions on the scoreboard. The two-point conversion attempt bobbled out of the end zone, however, and the final score was set. Durant ate up almost all of the remaining game clock on its next drive, turning the ball over on downs in King territory but then stifling the Lions’ attempt to make something happen through the air again. In other area action, Plant City came out of its battle at Jesuit with a 37-29 win and Strawberry Crest handled Leto with a 20-6 win of its own on the road. It was the first time since Oct. 18, 2013, that Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest all won a regular-season game on the same night.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

FOOTBALL AUG. 23 Durant 42, King 6 Plant City 37, Jesuit 29 Strawberry Crest 20, Leto 0 AUG. 30 Riverview at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at Tampa Bay Tech, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at King, 7:30 p.m. SEPT. 6 Durant at Blake, 7:30 p.m. Gaither at Plant City, 7:30 p.m.

Lennard at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Armwood at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Wharton, 7:30 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL AUG. 22 Durant 3, Spoto 0 Riverview 3, Plant City 1 Robinson 3, Strawberry Crest 0

Durant at Osceola, 6 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Calvary Christian Warrior Invitational SEPT. 7

Strawberry Crest at Leto Invite, 6 p.m.

Strawberry Crest at Calvary Christian Warrior Invitational

Strawberry Crest at Pasco Steven Villareal Memorial Invite, 8 a.m.

SEPT. 9

SEPT. 14

Newsome at Durant, 7:30 p.m.

All three schools at Seffner Christian Invite, 7 a.m.

SWIMMING AUG. 29

Riverview 3, Durant 1

Durant vs. Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m.

AUG. 27

Bloomingdale at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Lakeland at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Kathleen at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m.

Armwood at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 20

AUG. 29

Durant at Newsome, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at East Bay, 7:30 p.m. Riverview at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m.

Durant at Brandon, 7:30 p.m. Kathleen at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Wharton, 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 27

Gaither at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at George Jenkins, 7 p.m.

OCT. 4

SEPT. 4

AUG. 26

SEPT. 13

Durant at Kathleen, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at Bloomingdale, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Lakeland, 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 6

AUG. 28 Lakeland at Plant City, 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 7

SEPT. 19 Durant vs. Strawberry Crest vs. Brandon vs. Spoto, 6 p.m.

GOLF

SEPT. 3

Strawberry Crest vs. East Bay vs. Bloomingdale, 7 p.m.

Durant vs. King, 2:15 p.m.

SEPT. 4

SEPT. 5 Plant City vs. Brandon, 2:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Freedom, 2 p.m.

TCYFCC SEPT. 7 Brandon Cowboys at Dover Patriots Plant City Dolphins at Southwest Junior Saints Turkey Creek Trojans at Brandon Broncos SEPT. 14 Dover Patriots at Turkey Creek Trojans Wesley Chapel Coyotes at Plant City Dolphins SEPT. 21 Dover Patriots at Lakeland Eagles Plant City Dolphins at East Bay Bucs Turkey Creek Trojans at Seffner Seahawks SEPT. 28

Durant vs. East Bay, 2:30 p.m.

Pinecrest Pilots at Dover Patriots Brandon Cowboys at Plant City Dolphins Turkey Creek Trojans at Lakeland Eagles

SEPT. 10

SEPT. 11

OCT. 5

Durant vs. Plant City vs. Lennard, 6:30 p.m.

Strawberry Crest vs. Brandon, 2 p.m.

CROSS COUNTRY

SEPT. 12

SEPT. 5

AUG. 31

Durant at Osceola, 6 p.m. Armwood at Plant City, 7:30 p.m.

Plant City at Lecanto Invite at Lecanto, 8 a.m.

Durant vs. Lennard, 3:15 p.m. Plant City vs. Riverview, 2 p.m.

East Bay Bucs at Dover Patriots Plant City Dolphins at Lakeland Gators Turkey Creek Trojans at North Lakeland Legends

SEPT. 4

Durant vs. Wharton, 7 p.m. SEPT. 5 Plant City vs. Strawberry Crest vs. Spoto, 7 p.m.

SEPT. 9

SPORTS SCORES

SPORTS SCORES AND MORE

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

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community

Betty Jean Sullivan

William “Bill” Reed, 79, of Plant City, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 20, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Betty Jean Sullivan, 72, of Dover, born in Woodstock, Georgia on June 7, 1947, entered into eternal rest on Aug.17, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

is all about.

Elder Curtis J. Bass Louise Reynolds Elder Curtis J. Bass, 88, of McCrosky Tussey

Michael ‘Mike’ Robert Rind Michael “Mike” Robert Rind, 66, of Plant City, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 23, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Americus, GA passed away on Aug. 25, 2019. Louise Reynolds McCrosky TusThe family will sey, of the we’re Bridges in Riverview, dedicated to helping families create a WE’R E P RO UDreceive TO S E RVfriends E our community Saturday, Aug. 31,compassionate 2019 from care since formerly Kentucky, passed memorial that truly and meaningful with personal, 1896. ofunique celebrates the9,life it represents. yourtoDignity professionals, 9:30As a.m. 10:00Memorial a.m. at Mt. away on Friday, Aug. 2019 in Enon Primitive Baptist Church, Brandon. > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability 3660 N. Frontage Rd., Plant She was born Dec. 4, 1924, Travel Assistance > TheonCompassion Helpline® > Bereavement City. Funeral services will follow in Mercer County, Kentucky. at 10:00 a.m. Condolences may be offered Online condolences may at www.wellsmemorial.com. Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. be left for the family at www. haught.care. ®

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Craig E. Crosby

Donald W. Despres, 83, of Plant City, formerly of Lutz, born in 1935 in Massachusetts, died on Aug. 21, 2019. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

Craig E. Crosby, 59, of Brooksville, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 23, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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OBITUARIES

William ‘Bill’ Reed

Constancia Maria Fernandez Batista, 69, of Valrico, born in La Vega, Dominican Republic on Sept. 19, 1949, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 19, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

SATURDAY, AUG. 31 DISNEY TRIVIA NIGHT

8:33 to 10:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101. E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting a free Disney Trivia Night in the loft. Here’s your chance to show off your Disney knowledge and win prizes (and bragging rights). They’ll have Disney inspired treats and drinks, and as always, a “Krazy” good time. Teams of two are welcome. There will also be a costume contest during the event.

THURSDAY, AUG. 29

DUPLICATE BRIDGE

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

7:30 to 9 a.m. Plant City Toastmasters is held every Thursday. Guests are always welcome to come join the free meeting at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St.

1 p.m. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 302 Carey St., is now hosting a weekly Duplicate Bridge game, the most widely used variation of contract bridge in club and tournament play. Contact Walt Arnold at 813-7521602 for more information.

SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB

10:30 a.m. Come on out to the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., each Thursday to find out more about a new Shuffleboard Club. Topics being discussed are days of the week, times, skill levels and anything else you may want to know. The club is hosted by Anita Balch and she can be contacted at 808-7225821 for more information.

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES 3:30, 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. Come on out to Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., for the new Baton Twirling Classes held every Thursday. Beginners meet from 3:30 to 4:40 p.m., intermediates from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and middle schoolers from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. Twirlers have the opportunity to participate in local parades, civic events and competitions. For more information contact Barbara Patrick at 813-626-4554.

FRIDAY, AUG. 30 BLOOD DRIVE

12:30 to 5:30 p.m. OneBlood is coming to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., for a blood drive. All donors will receive two free movie tickets and a wellness checkup, including blood pressure, temperature, iron count, pulse and cholesterol screening.

fering will be collected during the performance.

SATURDAY, AUG. 31 SOUTHERN GOSPEL SINGING

6 to 7:30 p.m. Harmony Baptist Church, 6008 W. Knights Griffin Road, is hosting a Southern Gospel Music Night featuring the Jason Funderburk’s Driven Trio. This performance features the kind of singing you’re used to from Jason’s dad, Danny Funderburk. Stan Shuman will also be filling in with the trio. No admission charge, a Love Offering will be received during the program.

MONDAY, SEPT. 2 FOOD TRUCK RALLY

5 to 9 p.m. The monthly Plant City Food Truck Rally is held in downtown Plant City, 102 N. Palmer St. The event is free to attend and there will be a variety of food trucks on site as well as a mobile DJ truck. Local stores also remain open later in honor of the event.

CHARLIE BOONE AND CHERI HORNSBY

5:30 to 8 p.m. Come on out to the Corner Store, 121 E. Reynolds St., for a special event filled with yummy food and harmonies. Charlie Boone and Cheri Howerton Hornsby will be playing throughout the event. Keel & Curley Winery will have a cider sample station set up at the event.

FROM ASHES

6:33 to 8:33 p.m. Join Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for an evening of worship and fellowship led by “From Ashes.” A Love Of-

PLANT CITY DAYBREAK ROTARY CLUB

7 to 8 a.m. The Plant City Daybreak Rotary Club holds a meeting every Monday in the conference room next to the cafeteria at South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St. Guests are welcome to come and join in for a free breakfast.

READ WITH TANNER THE THERAPY DOG

6:30 p.m. Tanner the Therapy Dog comes to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., every Monday to listen to children read to him on the couch. Tanner is an Australian Shepherd Reading Therapy Dog certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. For children of all ages.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 3 STORY TIME

10:30 a.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting its weekly Story Time (Toddler Time) event. Stories and

STRONGER

THAN EVER

interactive activities make up this engaging 45-minute program that highlights early literacy skills and encourages reading readiness and social interaction. For children ages 2 to 3 years and their caregivers.

PLANT CITY LIONS CLUB

12 to 1 p.m. The Plant City Lions Club holds a meeting every Tuesday at Buddy Freddy’s, 1101 Goldfinch Drive. For more information on membership call 813-924-3829.

AUTHOR PANEL

6 to 8 p.m. Join authors T. Allen Diaz and Rick Partlow for a sci-fi/ fantasy night author panel at Krazy Kup, 101. E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Grab a cup of coffee and head upstairs for a meet and greet and authors discussion.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4 PLANT CITY COMMUNITY LADIES BIBLE STUDY

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This Plant City Community Ladies Bible Study kicks off this week and runs the first Wednesday of every month from September until May at the Planteen Recreation Center, 201 N. Dort St. There will be salad, desserts and a covered dish lunch at the study and attendees are invited to bring an item to share. All ladies in the community are welcome. Donations are $1.

KIWANIS CLUB OF PLANT CITY

12 to 1 p.m. The Kiwanis Club of Plant City meets Wednesdays at Buddy Freddy’s Restaurant, 1101 Goldfinch Drive (off Thonotosassa Road). For club information call 813-417-7559.

READ WITH BONNIE THE THERAPY DOG

4 to 5 p.m. Bonnie the Therapy Dog comes to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., every week for children to have the opportunity to share a book and some soft pats on the head. Join Bonnie on the couch in the children’s section and read to her some of your favorite stories.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

7:30 to 9 a.m. Plant City Toastmasters is held every Thursday. Guests are always welcome to come join the free meeting at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St.

SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB

CRAFT NIGHT OUT

5:30 p.m. Adults are welcome to join Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., in its monthly Craft Night Out. This month they will get a jump start on fall with 3D paper pumpkins. All supplies are provided. Registration is necessary. Please register online at plantcitygov.com/library. This class is open to all adults age 18 and older.

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Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg August 29, 2019 PlantCityObserver.com

I LOVE PLANT CITY

we look forward to getting to know some of Plant City’s superstars along the way.

8/29

Tinder Profile by Matthew Sewell

ACROSS 1 Fellow 5 Glitzy rock subgenre 9 Gently splash against 14 Leia’s brother 15 Architectural overhang 16 No longer dozing 17 Elevator giant 18 Mars, to Greeks 19 Vintage photo tone 20 “Hoping to feel sparks with a fellow German literature fan; here’s me reading ___” 23 Slip up 24 Collective values 25 Become silver-haired 27 Patchy

30 Online gaming platform from Valve 31 Bookmark info 32 Luxury craft 35 Preliminary version 38 May honorees 40 Has the courage 42 Vivacity 43 “Casino Royale” (1967), but not “Casino Royale” (2006) 45 Arizona city west of 8-Down 47 Auditing org. 48 Drug bust cops 50 Established truths 52 Prado Museum locale 54 Everest stopping places

56 Gambling parlor inits. 57 “... barbershop fan; here’s me performing in my ___” 62 Lewis’ partner 64 Hence 65 Captain Kirk’s birth state 66 Gold-rush story author Bret 67 Tape measure divisions 68 Gets on in years 69 Didn’t assume 70 Fateful Roman day 71 Heavenly instrument DOWN 1 Sink nuisance 2 Rwandan people

3 Resembling, with “to” 4 Bedevil 5 Many a mechanic, informally 6 Slow, in music 7 States confidently 8 See 45-Across 9 Caught with a rope 10 Dazzle 11 “... Nintendo fan; here’s me playing ___” 12 Director Kurosawa 13 Visibly upset 21 Handmade goods website 22 Cpl.’s superior 26 Outfit 27 Totals 28 Play accessory 29 “... nutty candy fan; here’s me eating ___” 30 Cherry part 33 Scratching post users 34 Charle-magne’s domain: Abbr. 36 Non-negotiable, as a price 37 Chuck 39 Take to the skies 41 Automated mass mailers 44 Patted down 46 Big showcase 49 Twin Cities summer hrs. 51 Biblical prophet 52 Chocolaty coffee drink 53 World book? 54 Had feelings (for) 55 “Well, shucks!” 58 Mortgage option, for short 59 Roman wrap 60 Vaselike vessel 61 Wood smoother 63 USPS assignment

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, August 29

7:05a

7:53p

Friday, August 30

7:06a

7:52p

Saturday, Sept. 1

7:06a

7:51p

Sunday, Sept. 2

7:07a

7:49p

Monday, Sept. 3

7:07a

7:48p

Tuesday, Sept. 4

7:08a

7:47p

Wednesday, Sept. 5

7:08a

7:46p

WEATHER

ACROSS 45 Arizona 7 States 36 Non1 Fellow city west of confidently negotiable, 5 Glitzy rock 8-Down 8 See as a price subgenre 47 Auditing org. 45-Across 37 Chuck FORECAST 9 Gently 48 Drug bust 9 Caught with 39 Take to a rope the skies THURSDAY, AUGUST 29 Sendsplash your photo submissionscops to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com against 50 Established 10 Dazzle 41 Automated or hashtag Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature. 14 Leia’s #iloveplantcity ontruths 11 “... Nintendo mass mailers High: 90 brother 52 Prado fan; here’s me 44 Patted down Low: 75 15 Architectural Museum playing ___” 46 Big Chance overhang locale 12 Director showcase of rain: 80% 16 No longer 54 Everest stopKurosawa 49 Twin Cities dozing ping places 13 Visibly upset summer hrs. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 17 Elevator 56 Gambling 21 Handmade 51 Biblical giant parlor inits. goods prophet High: 87 18 Mars, to 57 “... barberwebsite 52 Chocolaty Low: 75 Greeks shop fan; 22 Cpl.’s coffee drink Chance 19 Vintage of rain: 80% here’s me superior 53 World book? photo tone performing in 26 Outfit 54 Had feelings SATURDAY, SEPT 1 20 “Hoping to my ___” 27 Totals (for) feel sparks 62 Lewis’ 28 Play 55 “Well, High: 88 with a fellow partner accessory shucks!” Low: 75 German 64 Hence 29 “... nutty 58 Mortgage Chance literature fan; 65 Captain candy fan; option, for of rain: 80% here’s me Kirk’s birth here’s me short reading ___” state eating ___” 59 Roman wrap SUNDAY, SEPT 2 23 Slip up 66 Gold-rush 30 Cherry part 60 Vaselike 24 Collective story author 33 Scratching vessel High: 87 values Bret post users 61 Wood Low: 75 25 Become 67 Tape 34 Charlesmoother Chance silver-haired measure magne’s 63 USPS of rain: 80% 27 Patchy divisions domain: Abbr. assignment 30 Online 68 Gets on in AVOCADOS gaming years PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER Shipping point: Lloyd Thomas captured this platform 69 beautiful Didn’t sunrise the morning of Aug. 18 while a CSX crew replaced Central Florida the double diamonds at the train depot in the Historic Downtown district. from Valve assume $6-$8 31 Bookmark 70 Fateful Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instgram, infoL I N E Roman day ON @PlantObserver 32 Luxury 71 Heavenly on Twitter and Plant City Observer on Facebook. craft instrument 35 Preliminary DOWN version 1 Sink 38 May nuisance LOCAL NOW HAVE THE CHANCE TO SHINE A SPECIAL honoreesBUSINESSES 2 Rwandan 40LIGHT Has the ON THEIR people EMPLOYEES IN THE PLANT CITY OBSERVER. courage 3 Resembling, 42 Vivacity with “to” If you a staff member that has gone above and beyond the call of duty, or an 43 “Casino 4 have Bedevil employee thata you believe deserves special recognition, submit their story and photo Royale” 5 Many to sholt@plantcityobserver.com. Every so often the Observer will select a submission (1967), but mechanic, the local everyday hero in print. not “Casino and highlight informally 8/28 © 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal Royale” 6 Slow, in (2006) music Here at the Observer dedication toward ourwww.upuzzles.com community will always come first and

MOON PHASES Aug. 30 New

Sept. 3 First

Sept. 13 Full

Sept. 24 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Aug. 19

0.26

Tuesday, Aug. 20 0.00 Wednesday, Aug. 21

0.00

Thursday, Aug. 22 0.00 Friday, Aug. 23

0.02

Saturday, Aug. 24 0.00 Sunday, Aug. 25

0.00

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2019 33.67 in.

2019 13.01 in.

2018 21.24 in.

2018 3.09 in.

EMPLOYEE!

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019

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