Plant City Times &
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
A PARTNERSHIP WITH
IN FOCUS
SPOTLIGHT
Instructor inspires students through sign language. PAGE 3
OUR TOWN
+ Food Bank serves more than 3,000 For the past seven years, the United Food Bank of Plant City has been serving free breakfast and lunch to low-income kids in our community during the summer months. This year, its Children’s Nutrition Outreach Program served more than 3,000 children. Many low-income children who eat free or reducedpriced meals at school miss out on good nutrition during summer vacation. This summer, kids dined on breakfast bars, oatmeal, grits, canned fruit, canned pasta, canned soups and other breakfast and lunch items. “We see people suffering every day and making the choices between buying gasoline and putting food on the table for their children,” said Christine Miller, director for food bank. “Anything we can do to help families during the summer is not only our responsibility but our privilege.” The summer nutrition program is funded through donations of corporate sponsors and people the community. The bank is accepting non-perishable food donations. To make a donation or learn more about the organization, call Miller at (813) 764-0625.
+ Bible study starting up The Plant City Community Ladies Bible Study begins another season this September. The study meets at 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays, at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. For more, call Martha Sue Skinner at (813) 7527630.
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This week’s winner is
Benito Lubrano Jr. See his photo on PAGE 15.
SPORTS
Children enjoy a ‘beary’ good time at Motion Commotion.
Kendall Dawson returns from Japan with silver.
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PAGE 12
good eats by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
City reinstates farmers market, food truck rallies Foodies, rejoice: Two opportunities for fun, fresh flavors will be returning permanently to Plant City this fall. Plant City commissioners approved two resolutions Sept. 8, designating food truck rallies and farmers markets as community events. The sponsors of these events hope to bring
more visitors and consumers to the downtown district. Although the event sponsors will be working largely independently, they still have to make sure the city man-
ager’s office approves most of the details, such as date, time and location. These details have not been finalized, but the sponsors do have tentative plans for them.
“Once the event parameters have been approved, the city’s role will be one of support, much like what we do now for the Bike Fest and (Strawberry Classic) Car Show,” Assistant City Manager Bill McDaniel said.
SEE DOWNTOWN / 4
File photo
Food trucks will once again roll into Plant City beginning Oct. 17.
CLOSE CALL by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor
Keys recovering from construction accident Plant City resident Brady Keys was shocked while working on a light pole in North Port. According to a crane operator, the whole ground turned red when a Plant City man was shocked as he worked Sept. 9, at a Sarasota County construction site. Brady Keys, 49, was working on the foundation for a traffic light pole on U.S. 41 in North Port, according to his family. While the crew was waiting for the concrete around 1 p.m., they worked to drag a metal casing used to funnel the concrete with a crane. Keys’ body was pressed against the casing, when the cable attached to it snapped
HOW TO HELP
The family is encouraging friends and family to post thoughts and prayers at facebook.com/brady keysrecovery. and hit the power lines overhead. The accident left 2,800 Florida Power and Light customers without electricity, said Bill Orlove, spokesman for Florida Power and Light.
SEE KEYS / PAGE 4
all for one by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
+ Police collecting expired medication The Plant City Police Department is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration to collect expired or unwanted medication. Medication can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at CVS, 2302 James L. Redman Parkway.
FREE • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2014
Family with P.C. roots to appear on the ‘Feud’ The Houstons’ episode will air Sept. 22. Amber Jurgensen
Big cats took center stage as Pages Circus opened its Plant City show Sept. 12, at Plant City Armory. This year’s show featured everything from aerialists and acrobats to fire juggling and plenty of fun for the family. For more photos, see page 9.
GREEN THUMBS by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Community garden takes root at Wilson Elementary School
Since “Family Feud” first aired in 1975, viewers have enthusiastically played along with the TV and dreamed about a chance to win the grand prize. For one Plant City-based family — the Houstons — watching the show was not enough. They were determined to play live. Their endearing family bond and gregarious personalities landed Janet JohnsonWright, Angela Johnson, Angela Vickers, Kiara Dickens
and Chris Bonner a spot on the show, which will air Monday, Sept. 22. Johnson-Wright, Johnson and other family members were gathered one night last December to watch “Family Feud,” when a plan was set in motion. “I looked at my mom, and I said, ‘I’m going to get us on ‘Family Feud,’” Johnson said. She emailed the producers of
SEE FEUD / PAGE 4
The garden is already in its beginning stages of preparation. Anyone can participate in planting and growing organic crops. Nothing compares to fresh, seasonal produce, especially when it is accompanied by the satisfaction that comes with hard work. In Plant City, there is a new place where amateur farmers can grow their own crops: Wilson Elementary School. Karen Elizabeth, who is leading the project, began organic gardening decades ago, when her children were small. Later, she was on the founding team of Plant City Commons Community Garden at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in 2011.
COMMUNITY GARDEN INFO MEETING WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25 WHERE: Wilson Elementary School cafeteria, 702 W. English St. CONTACT: Karen Elizabeth, (813) 435-8111 or 12cir cle8@gmail.com Last spring, Wilson Principal Gina Becker approached Elizabeth at the downtown farmers market and told her about her
desire to expand the school’s small existing garden. The interest had begun with faculty member Zac Shaw. About five years ago, Shaw got the idea to grow fruits and vegetables with his students. He did not have any background in gardening, but the school district granted him training through a program called Gardening for Grades. He started a garden for second- and fifth-graders. Fifth grade is the class that has
SEE GARDEN / PAGE 4
Courtesy photo
Chris Bonner, Janet Johnson-Wright, Angela Johnson, Angela Vickers and Kiara Dickens enjoyed filming with Steve Harvey, the comedic host of “Family Feud.”
INDEX Calendar.......................2
Vol. 2, No. 9 | One section Crossword...................15
Obituaries...................11
Sports.........................12
Weather ......................15
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