Plant City Times &
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
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IN THIS ISSUE
UPCOMING
Jordan Zilbar seeks to break SCHS record.
The Times & Observer honors Plant City’s Wonder Women.
Those looking for a scare will find it at Sir Henry’s Trail.
PAGE 20
PAGES 7-18
PAGES 3
OUR TOWN
GROWTH SPURT by Emily Topper | Staff Writer
First Baptist plans new campus Plant City’s First Baptist Church has held on to property it owns off James L. Redman Parkway with future growth in mind.
+ Couple getting married Lewis and Regina Swinson, of Hazlehurst, Georgia, are happy to announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Leah Lynn, to Luke Stephen Parker, son of Kevin and Wendy Parker, of Uvalda, Georgia, and formerly of Plant City. Leah is the granddaughter of the late Tessel and Mildred Mullis, of Alma, Georgia, and the late L. W. (Bill) and Lucy Swinson, of Hazlehurst, Georgia. Luke is the grandson of Betty Jean Smith and the late Jessie C. Smith, Carol and Judy Bassett, and George and Wanda Parker, all of Plant City. The couple will exchange vows in a private ceremony Saturday, Sept. 26, on Lake Oconee. They will live in Savannah, Georgia.
Plant City’s First Baptist Church has submitted plans to the city for a new campus on property it owns off James L. Redman Parkway. The church has owned the 57 acres of land for over 10 years and has been waiting to move its current campus on Palmer Street when it reaches capacity. On an average Sunday, the
church has between 1,400 and 1,500 attendees who participate in two morning worship services, various children’s programs and Bible study groups. The church is nearly at its maximum number. Senior Pastor Dr. Brian Stowe has been at First Baptist for just over a year, but he already sees the need to expand.
“The preschool is about to max out,” Stowe said. Finding church parking is also problematic, since the parking lots closest to the church cannot accommodate the large congregation. Stowe said that members often walk across train tracks to get to the main building. The proposed campus will
be built on 3309 James L. Redman Parkway. The first phase of the building process will be the sanctuary and the attached, two-story building for children and adult classes. Stowe believes that this phase will be the biggest section of the process done at one time. Combined with a commons area, the space will be about 60,000 square feet. The sanctuary will seat about 1,800 people. The current sanctuary can only seat about 1,250
people. A blended worship service and a modern worship service will be held every Sunday. The commons area will be the first thing members see when walking into the building. It will be located just off of the sanctuary. The children’s area will have a slide that runs from the second floor down to the first floor. “The preschool and children’s area will about double
SEE CHURCH / PAGE 4
REACHING FOR GOLD
+ Boy celebrates first birthday William Armistead Humphrey celebrated his first birthday. He was born Sept. 11, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa. His first words were “Mama” and “Dada,” and he is now walking. He celebrated his birthday with his sisters, Heidi and Hanah, several cousins and other family members. William is the son of Jonathan and Valrie Humphrey, of Dade City. His grandparents are Don and Mary Humphrey, of Plant City, and Deniece Stanaland and Randy Roadruck, of Lakeland. His great-grandma is Margie Langston, of Plant City.
I PC
This week’s winner is
Abby Baker
Competitors got down and dirty in the Saturday, Sept. 19, Mud Titan off of Pless Road in Plant City. The 5K had 30 obstacles, including an ice pit, blazing fire jump and slides. For more pictures, turn to page 5.
FUR-RAISER by Emily Topper | Staff Writer
Vet to host fashion Paladin complaints decrease about the fumigant Paladin in Hillsborough County show for animal rescues Complaints have decreased since 2013 as the application process improves. Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort will host the fifth annual Fashion, Feathers & Fur fundraiser. Who said couture shouldn’t include dog hair? On Saturday, Oct. 10, furry fashionistas will strut across the stage of Plant City’s National Guard Armory in their best threads. No, it isn’t New York Fashion Week. The animals in the show are part of the fifth annual Fashion, Feathers & Fur fundraiser, hosted by Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort. The event raises money for local animal rescue groups, and features adoptable dogs, cats and birds.
Chris Parker
See her photo on PAGE 23.
GROWING SEASON by Emily Topper | Staff Writer
SEE FUR / PAGE 4
Emily Topper
Christy Layton modeled one of the bracelets sold for Fashion, Feathers & Fur. Although sold out, one more bracelet will be available as an auction item at the event.
As summer comes to a close, strawberry season is beginning in Plant City. Most berry growers have just finished one of the early stages of the growing process: applying fumigants. Since 2013, many growers have chosen to use Paladin, a fumigant that is produced by Arkema. The fumigant is based on dimethyl disulfide, instead of methyl bromide. Methyl bromide was used widely as an effective fumigant, until the EPA banned it in 2005 because it had been depleting the ozone layer and polluting the air. Although Paladin is said to be less toxic than other fumigants and is a naturally-occurring com-
COMPLAINT DECREASE According to Jerry Campbell, of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, the number of residents and the number of households who have complained about Paladin have decreased each year since 2013. 2013: 24 complaints from 23 households 2014: 23 complaints from 13 households 2015 (to date): 16 complaints from 10 households pound, some area residents have associated their illnesses with the fumigant since local growers began using it. Some are also put off my the smell, which has been described as similar to garlic or sulfur. Still, there have been fewer
INDEX Calendar........................2
complaints to Arkema and the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County this year. The EPC has been working with the Florida Department of
SEE PALADIN / PAGE 4 Vol. 3, No. 8 | One section
Crossword....................23
Obituaries....................19
Sports..........................20
Weather.......................23
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