10.1.20 PLCO by Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 116

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

COMMISSION ROUNDUP: BUDGET APPROVED The next fiscal year’s budget was approved and commissioners then quickly transitioned into a heavy night of public hearings.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Following a unanimous vote, the next fiscal year’s budget was approved Monday evening. The total budget was $94,674,285, an $8,535,898 increase from last year’s budget. There was no increase to the millage rage and commissioners approved the proposed 3 percent raise for employees. From the General Fund, $330,080 will be distributed to outside agencies like the Greater Plant City Chamber of

Commerce, Plant City Main Street and the Plant City Economic Development Corp., to name a few. One of the big changes to this fiscal year’s budget was the relabelling of $3 million that was in the city’s reserve. During a special commission meeting discussing the budget, it was proposed that $3 million be dubbed “Emergency Reserve,” which would mean it would be able to quickly and easily be pulled in case of an unforeseen emergency or disaster recovery.

SEE PAGE 5

PAINT FOR A CURE SPREADS JOY DOWNTOWN The annual event drew countless families to downtown Plant City Sunday as the community rallied together to raise money for local children with cancer. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Paint for a Cure once again touched the lives of children throughout the community. The annual event was held at the Union Station Depot. For years, Jensen’s Heart of Gold’s Florida Chapter has hosted the event in downtown as a means to give local children a chance to play, uninterrupted, and to soak in the joys of being a kid. This year was no different and the depot was filled with families — who socially distanced and wore masks at all times — that wanted to spend an afternoon having some creative fun. The event had a $5 donation for three rocks and then

attendees, young and old alike, were invited to get creative and paint their rocks however their heart desired. There was popcorn, pizza, lemonade and a bake sale on site to make the experience one many will remember for years to come. The event is always held in September in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Each year an estimated 15,780 children up to age 19 are diagnosed with cancer and approximately one in 285 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday. Jensen’s uses the money raised to help local families who are affected by childhood cancer. Some families choose to use the money to help with expenses, others buy tires for the family vehicle that they use to go to treatment and some even will use the money to treat their child to a celebration they’ve been wishing for for years.

SEE PAGE 6

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

Courtesy of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

Knights school security officer charged with child abuse Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of Michael Lashman, a school security officer who worked at Knights Elementary School and physically abused a student this week. According to HCSO, a student became verbally disruptive last Wednesday and teachers were able to calm the child down. Multiple witnesses said Lashman, 57, then confronted the student, aggressively restrained them and pulled them into a building, where the student’s body struck a doorway and Lashman then pushed them against a wall. The student was not seriously injured and did not need medical attention, though there was minor swelling on the back of the head. HCSO interviewed school staff and the student and issued a warrant for Lashman’s arrest. He turned himself in to Orient Road Jail the following night and is charged with one count of child abuse. “I am horrified by this man’s cruelty toward a child,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a Friday morning press release. “Hired by the school district to protect our most precious citizens, this school security officer abused his authority to cause bodily harm and emotional distress to a student. I applaud the teachers who witnessed this violent encounter and reported it immediately.”

Courtesy photo

Ace Hardware breaks new ground in Plant City Ace Hardware Corporation is relocating its new Retail Support Center from Tampa to Plant City next year and broke ground last week. The new facility will give Ace more than 315,000 square feet to add to its current capabilities when construction, which starts this month, is completed around November 2021. Developer County Line Farms One LLC estimates the new facility will bring 200 construction jobs into town. As far as work at the facility goes, Ace plans to have 162 full-time equivalent employees at the facility — 119 of which will transfer over from the current Tampa location. “We looked at Plant City as, really, a community that shared our missions and our values,” Chuck Ungaro, global real estate manager for Ace Hardware Corporation, said in a press release. “Your motto is ‘preserving the past and embracing the future,’ and that goes hand-in-glove with what we do as a company.”

Kiwanis Club installs new officers The Kiwanis Club of Plant City had its annual officer installation dinner last night and welcomed four officers to their new positions.

Those installed Wednesday include President Jimmy Conrow (Edward Jones), President-elect Marilyn Williams (Helpful Companion, LLC), Treasurer Heather Coats (South Florida Baptist Hospital) and Secretary Keri Kozicki (South Florida Baptist Hospital). The club is also celebrating 100 years of service in the community.

HCSO brings back noncontact visitation Starting Oct. 5, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office will resume visitation for families and friends of inmates. HCSO announced is reopening the Falkenburg Road Jail Video Visitation Center for free non-contact visitations with the following guidelines in place: • The Video Visitation Center will be limited to 50 percent capacity. • Personally-owned masks/face coverings are required to be worn for entry into the visitation center. • Any person entering the visitation center will be subject to a temperature check and COVID-19 questionnaire screening. • Inmates will be allowed one adult visitor (18 years or older) per visit. • Social distancing throughout the visitation center will be enforced and stations will be sanitized after each use. “We understand how important it is for families to stay in touch with their incarcerated loved ones. We appreciate their

patience and understanding as we’ve worked to balance the desire to stay connected with the critical need for safety during this ongoing pandemic,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “As video visitation resumes at the Falkenburg Road Jail, we plan to closely follow CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to our inmates, staff, their families, and the public they interact with daily.” Visitation scheduling policies will remain unchanged. If you can’t make it to the visitation center in person, you can video chat on your home computer or an electronic device on HCSO’s website at a cost of $8 for 20 minutes. Inmates get one free 10-minute phone call per week. To set up your video visitation account, visit hcsovisit.com/app.

Weekly COVID-19 roundup For the week of Sept. 20-26, Hillsborough County reported 42,118 total cases, an estimated 641 total fatalities (1.52 percent of cases) and 36,455 recoveries. The county saw decreases in cases (-11.81 percent) in a seven-day period, positive test percentage (5.27 percent) in a 14-day period and in COVID-related hospitalizations (-12.3 percent) in a seven-day period. The testing average increased from 20,985 to 22,779 last week, as did sevenday percentages in hospital occupancy (60.65 percent), ICU occupancy (67.92 percent) and hospital admission (18.52 percent).

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

EXPLORING HIDDEN GEMS IN TAMPA BAY

Whether you just moved to town or have lived here your entire life, a local author has released a new guidebook full of beloved and obscure experiences that is sure to have you itching to start your next adventure.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Native Floridans know this state is unlike any other. Drive an hour and you can spend the afternoon with professional mermaids. Drive 30 minutes and you can buy gems for your “Victorian cabinet of curiosities.” Hop on your bicycle and you can take a short trip down the road back in time and enjoy a packed lunch among dinosaurs. Those new to Florida quickly find themselves overwhelmed with the buffet of oddities found around every corner. Even those whose families have been here for generations will find themselves glancing at something out their window, wondering what on earth it could be. Joshua Ginsberg has attempted to catalogue some of these peculiar local experiences in his new book, “Secret Tampa Bay: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.” It’s filled to the brim with history and bizarre creations as well as suggestions for experiences that one will literally never find anywhere else. Some of the listings are obvious for locals — like the praise of the Florida Strawberry Festival — while others will more than likely stump even a tried and true native: i.e. the Beatles museum in Dunedin or the Warlock of Wesley Chapel. “Tampa Bay is alluring,” Ginsberg said. “When I think of the word ‘alluring,’ it draws you in. It’s visually beautiful, but the deeper you get into it the deeper you realize it goes. In terms of this area, you could spend an entire lifetime enjoying the beaches and amusement parks and the parks and things, but when you dig deeper there’s a ton of history and experiences that make this place so unique and worthwhile. Tampa Bay is alluring. There’s a reason people were captivated hundreds of years ago and I think there’s a lot of history that unfortunately goes overlooked.”

His passion for discovery was hardearned. Ginsberg said he knows firsthand how easy it is to allow someplace, however magical or wondrous it may be, to become the backdrop to your daily life. While living in Chicago, he said, he worked and played in a city many go out of their way to vacation in. But he never gave it a second thought. It wasn’t until five years ago, when one of his closest childhood friends died, that suddenly he realized how precious time is. “It was a shock to my system and I feel like that was kind of what shook me awake and it made me realize there were all these things we had talked about doing that we never did,” Ginsberg said. “I realized that this ride we are on comes to an end and that may happen sooner than we realize, and that may happen before we take the time to do the things we had always dreamed of doing. If there are things you want to be doing or places you want to see, you have to really seize these opportunities.” He and his wife started to rediscover Chicago. They got good at finding the hidden gems that gave the city its character. When they realized it was time for them to move on and start a new chapter in Florida, they used their adventures to say goodbye to the city they loved. When they moved to Tampa Bay, that same passion for discovery remained. He said they sought that kind of childhood wonder adults tend to lose as they get older. He said people put things in a little box in the attic of our mind too frequently, then lose the key and forget about them. So, in the pursuit of those moments of wonder, they hit the road and frequently left the beaten path. He and his wife were often accompanied by their shih-tzu Tinkerbell. When Ginsberg began to put this book together, he had to tighten his criteria in order to not be overwhelmed with the possibilities of content. Everything within its pages can be found approximately one

hour away from downtown Tampa. He also aimed for a mix of locations or experiences that a lot of locals cherish to venues or activists that you practically have to be lost to stumble upon. Some are indoors and some are outside. Some suggestions are for bars or restaurants and others are for museums and gardens. And the guidebook couldn’t come at a better time. The country is still in the grip of a pandemic. The county’s COVID-19 numbers are still far from manageable and many families are hesitant to return to their normal routine. There is a growing desperation for safe and unique outlets for activity. Whether someone wants to socially distance at a garden or take a trek to a mermaid/pirate-themed shop, Ginsberg has found an activity for readers to try. “One of my favorites for sure is Egmont Key,” Ginsberg said. “If you talk to a lot of locals you will probably hear that as a consensus. You have to take a boat to get there, so you will have to be around people for a moment on the boat, but that is still outside and relatively safe. Once you get there you will be on this little island. And there’s so much history. Seminoles that were captured during the Seminole War were interred there. There was a legendary escape. There’s so much to see and you can wander for hours without seeing another human being, plus you have these ruins to explore.” When it came to Plant City, two relatively known experiences were featured. Ginsberg said he has always had a soft spot for classic vintage roadside attractions, so when he saw the massive dinosaur on the side of I-4 for the first time he knew he had to check it out. And the Florida Strawberry Festival has a cult following in Plant City for a reason. He said he loved having the chance to highlight things you can really only do in one specific place, so it just made sense to make sure the beloved festival got a special spot.

For more information visit secrettampabay.com.

For those who want to start exploring surrounding communities, Ginsberg has two simple but sage pieces of advice: Never pass up opportunities to talk to locals and ask them questions, and always indulge your curiosity. If you want to find a fun place to eat or explore, talk to your waitress or the staff at the museum you’re at. If you see a marker on the side of the road and want to know what it is, pull over. You never know where your curiosity can lead you. You can get “Secret Tampa Bay” through most major booksellers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. However, if you’re interested in a signed copy and want the chance to get to know the author, Ginsberg will be in front of the Vintage Marche, 2200 2nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg, all weekend long. He plans to be there 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or while books last.

Photos courtesy of Joshua Ginsberg

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

PLANT CITY

This week on Cops Corner:

Observer

FAKE

Plant City Police investigated stolen groceries, an illegal Best Buy shopping spree,

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

a fraudulent paycheck 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

SEPTEMBER 18

SEPTEMBER 20

STICKY FINGERS 3200 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft: Aldi employees reported that someone stole $528.43 worth of merchandise from the grocery store.

CAUGHT SLIPPING, LOST TIPPING 910 block of Ashentree Drive Vehicle burglary: An officer met with this complainant, who stated someone entered their 2020 Ford SUV overnight and stole a waitress’s apron which contained approximately $450 in cash. The vehicle was left unlocked at the time of the burglary.

SEPTEMBER 19 HORRIBLE BOSSES 4700 block of Westwind Drive Fraud: This complainant told police she was led to believe she was hired by a large company, but the check they sent her was fraudulent.

SEPTEMBER 21 SO FRESH AND SO CLEAN 2100 block of West Baker Street Theft: An unidentified subject stole $44 worth of hygiene items from a store.

SEPTEMBER 24

NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T 3400 block of Kilmer Drive Fraud: This complainant reported someone took $220 from her pre-paid debit card without her knowledge. A waiver of prosecution was signed.

Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez

BEST BUY, WORST LUCK 1800 block of James L. Redman Parkway Fraud: This complainant told police an unknown subject used her Florida Credit Union account to buy nearly $4,000 in merchandise from Best Buy on Sept. 23.

SEPTEMBER 22

Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

TO ADVERTISE Call (813) 704-6850

Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com

TOOL TIME 2330 block of Village Green Boulevard Theft/burglary: This complainant stated someone entered a residence overnight and stole $1,450 worth of construction items.

Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com

The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

NEW BUDGET APPROVED ON MONDAY

Monday’s city commission meeting saw the proposed budget pass quickly and heavy public hearings follow. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The budget also allocates funds toward kicking off a body-worn camera pilot program. This is the first step toward determining which body cameras work best for the Plant City Police Department and will evaluate the data storage options for the equipment. Some large projects are coming to the Community Redevelopment Agency as well. The budget allocated $200,000 CRA funds to Midtown utility improvements, $165,000 toward the Cooper Park fitness trail equipment, $161,236 toward street resurfacing, $100,000 toward public parking lots, $90,000 toward brick road restoration, $75,000 toward Brewer Park parking improvement and $20,000 toward ballfields and court lighting. Parks all around are getting an upgrade with the budget. Playgrounds are getting $150,000 for improvements, Sansone Park is getting $12,500 for its bike/nature trail and general park improvements are being slated $40,000. Under these funds, ballfields and court lighting are getting $150,000 for refurbishments. The city is also investing $2,535,494 toward street resurfacing. To date there have been 68.4 miles resurfaced, which is a total of 42.8 percent of the miles of roadways in Plant City. Commissioners also held several public hearings and approved the consent agen-

da Monday evening. One of the changes approved ended up saving local families a little bit of cash. The Plant City Code currently had a 3 percent rate increase automatically scheduled to begin on Oct. 1 for all “single-family residential, multifamily residential, commercial and special pickups.” However, the consultant recommended single-family rates not be increased at this time. So commissioners agreed to defer the automatic 3 percent increase for single-family residential until Oct. 1, 2021. This ends up saving the single-family residential customer $0.84 a month, or $10.08 annually. While that may seem like a small change, it ended up eliminating the estimated $97,000 in revenue that would have been raised if commissioners had kept the code as is. Commissioners also cleaned up some loose ends. There was a request for a waiver relating to the construction of reclaimed water lines in the area of the proposed BonSilva subdivision. Essentially, the city doesn’t currently have any reclaimed water service in place in the area and also has no plans to extend recalled water to the location. So commissioners agreed to approve the waiver for the preliminary plat for the BonSilva subdivision, which is proposed to create a 71-lot single-family residential subdivision inside the James L Redman at Trapnell Road Planned Development District. This subdivision is proposed to be

on the northwest corner of West Trapnell Road and James L Redman Parkway. The northwest corner of Turkey Creek Road and Reece Road will see some movement soon after commissioners agreed to approve the final plat for the proposed plat entitled Turkey Creek Industrial Tracts. This proposal is for the creation of a fivelot non-residential subdivision within the M-AP Airport Light Industrial District. The plan is essentially to do some small industrial development in the corner on those approximately 49 acres. The City of Plant City is also in the process of donating a fire truck to the Melrose Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. Plant City Fire Rescue recently purchased a new 2020 Pierce Saber Pumper to replace a

1998 version of the truck. When it’s time to retire a truck, the city will normally take those vehicles to auction. However, it was discovered that there was a need in the Melrose Volunteer Fire Department and McDaniel said it just made sense to give the truck to them instead. If sent to auction, the Pierce Saber Pumper had a resale value of approximately $10,000. The city is going to donate it instead so the truck will allow Melrose to “provide continued service since they do not have the funding to purchase a replacement pumper.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

PAINT FOR A CURE PLANT FEST Jensen’s Heart of Gold’s annual event came back to downtown Plant City Sunday and drew hundreds of residents to help raise money for local children with cancer and their families.

BLOSSOMING THIS WEEKEND The Plant City Commons Community Garden is hosting its Fall 2020 Plant Fest this Saturday.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

This year, there was an additional aspect to the event. Morgan Pierce, daughter of Jensen’s Heart of Gold Florida executive vice president Emily Pierce, died of cancer on June 25. Morgan was a beacon in the community and enthralled all who had the honor of meeting her. She was many things: courageous, compassionate, fiercely opinionated and also quite a talented artist. In honor of Morgan, a silent auction art show took place inside the depot. Some of Morgan’s art was on display and up for bid. The silent auction online featured nine pieces of art. During Sunday’s event, the organization was able to raise $1,200 for local children with cancer. Bids for the silent auction were collected Wednesday evening.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Those who wish to add some pizzazz to their yards are in luck. Last weekend, the annual Garden Fest was held in downtown Plant City. Those who missed the event, however, need not fret: the Fall 2020 Plant Fest is right around the corner. Whether you’re searching for annuals, perennials, trees, fruit, fall and winter vegetables, herbs, vines or other unique vegetation, the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St., will be a one-stop-shop for outdoor beautification . The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 3. That morning, the garden will also host a raised earth box workshop for those who reserved a spot. The workshop will teach attendees how to build their own table-height garden.

Despite the pandemic, the PCCCG has been running strong. The massive garden is the perfect place to social distance outside while still giving the opportunity for garden members to socialize. The seedling workshop just a few weeks ago was a massive success and the group’s calendar is full with unique activities for the next few months. Whether you’re looking to volunteer in the gardens, utilize the seed library, do yoga in the garden, participate in a one-of-a-kind workshop or take part in a fundraiser, there are numerous ways to get involved. More details are available at plantcitycommonscommunitygarden.com. You can also stay up to date by following the Plant City Commons Community Garden Facebook page.

To learn more about Jensen’s Heart of Gold, visit jensensheartofgold.com/florida-chapter.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

O T Y D A GET RE

! E T VO LET US HELP YOU PLAN YOUR VOTE. You can vote from home with confidence and convenience. Just call or visit us online and request a Vote By Mail ballot. Mail it back or drop it off, and then track your Vote By Mail ballot online at VoteHillsborough.org/VoteByMail. For the flexibility to vote in person, when and where it’s best for you, consider voting before Election Day. Vote at any of 26 Early Voting sites between October 19th and November 1st. Find a location to vote early at VoteHillsborough.org/EarlyVoting. Remember, on Election Day you must vote in the polling place assigned to you. Look up your polling place, read more about all three methods of voting and find information you can trust at VoteHillsborough.org.

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November 3, due by 7 p.m.

Early Voting

October 19 – November 1 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Election Day

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November 3, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Thank you to Center for Tech and Civic Life for generous grant funding for voter education.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

DIAMONDS & DENIM FEATURES A UNIQUE TWIST In order to keep attendees safe, the 24th annual Diamonds & Denim gala was held as a virtual fundraising event. However, attendees got to experience a “Dinner and a Show To-Go” via a drive-through dinner pickup at the Florida Strawberry Festival.

Photos by Breanne Williams

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Diamonds & Denim looked a little different this year as the annual event evolved to keep patrons safe while still raising money for the South Florida Baptist Hospital Foundation. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the event shifted to still offer something that could help raise funds for the hospital while also ensuring social distancing to keep attendees safe. A maze winding through the Florida Strawberry Festival’s parking lot last Thursday

night was used to funnel in the hundreds of vehicles that had purchased meals for the event. As cars arrived they turned in their tickets, waved to the committee members and slowly wove their way toward the large tents that stored the many bags of dinners. The committee members, all donning denim masks, then loaded the meals into the backs of the vehicles via customized Diamonds & Denim coolers. Families then took their meals home and enjoyed the massive spreads in the comfort of their own dining rooms. Steak, chicken, rolls, vegetables, baked pota-

toes, salad, cupcakes, cookies and the legendary cocktail shrimp were all packaged up for the guests. But the party didn’t stop with the meals. A Facebook Live event was held that night so that attendees would still have “Dinner and a Show ToGo.” The live event had three drawings: a drawing for a diamond ring, the 50/50 drawing and the Grand Prize drawing. There was also a silent auction up for four days during the week of the event. Last year, the foundation was able to raise $117,000 for the hospital.

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

OCTOBER 1, 2020

SPORTS

GAME OF THE WEEK: SUMNER AT DURANT

PLANT CITY vs. Bloomingdale, 7:30 p.m.

The Cougars found a recipe for success last week and plan to keep cooking against the undefeated Stingrays.

Last week, the Plant City Raiders (1-1) got to rest up physically and get some extra prep work done for tomorrow night’s tough customer, the Bloomingdale Bulls. The Bulls (2-0) came off of a bye week of their own to face Tampa Bay Tech last week and escaped with a 25-22 win thanks to some late-game heroics from wideout Agiye Hall. Bloomingdale hasn’t been winning games decisively — their two wins have come by a total of four points — but getting those close wins over the likes of Armwood and Tech is still good enough to put Hillsborough County on notice. Plant City (1-1) does have the talent to hang with the Bulls on all sides of the ball, but it will have to clean up the turnovers and other mistakes that ultimately led to their loss against Manatee.

Quick Hits RAIDERS SNAP LAKELAND LOSING STREAK The Plant City Raiders are still going strong on the volleyball court and have reached another big milestone. PCHS snapped a long-running losing streak to Lakeland on Tuesday with a 3-2 win at home. That was the first time the Raiders have beaten the Dreadnaughts in at least 13 years (according to MaxPreps.com, which has game logs from 2007 to the present). The win boosted Plant City’s record to 7-0 with 21 sets won out of 26 played.

PCHS BOOSTERS TO HOST GOLF TOURNEY Plant City High School’s Athletic Booster Club is getting ready to host its annual golf tournament, this time scheduled for an 8 a.m. shotgun start on Nov. 14. The tourney will be held at Cleveland Heights Golf Course, 2900 Buckingham Ave., Lakeland, and this year’s field is limited to 100 players (25 groups of four). There will be raffles, a 50/50, a silent auction and contests for driving, putting and getting closest to the pin. Registration is $75 per player or $300 per team of four. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Payments can be made by check or credit card. For more information, call Rhett Rollyson at 813-719-0158 or Shannon Scott at 863-289-0519.

OTHER GAMES TO WATCH

STRAWBERRY CREST vs. Lakeland, 7:30 p.m.

COVID-19 has forced another scheduling switcheroo within the Plant City area, but this one’s probably better for Durant fans on the official guest list. Since Kathleen’s football team has been forced to quarantine for two weeks, the Cougars are no longer heading to that corner of Lakeland this week. Durant will instead host undefeated Sumner on Friday night in a matchup that could be favorable for the surging Cougars. Durant’s coming into this game with momentum from last week’s 27-13 win over East Bay, which the Cougars pulled off without several of its starters on offense and senior Aashton Kirkland, a defensive back by trade, at quarterback. There was no selfishness whatsoever in the Cougars’ attack: four different players (Andre Givens, Jeremiah Gines, Alex Daley and Joshua Cannon) scored touchdowns for the home team and Kirkland kept a cool head leading the offense after the Indians cut Durant’s lead to one point, 14-13, to start the second half. Durant allowed just 13 points for the second week

in a row and the defense was able to keep East Bay’s offense contained for much of the game. The Cougars held quarterback Nathan Carter to 72 passing yards on nine completions (19 attempts), one touchdown and one interception. East Bay’s only other touchdown was an 80-yard kickoff return by Malachi Drayton at the start of the third quarter. This looks like the toughest test yet for the Sumner Stingrays, who beat Strawberry Crest 22-6 in Dover last week. Though Sumner does have a 3-0 record in its inaugural season, there’s one big catch: those three opponents (Spoto, Blake and Crest) have a combined record of 1-8 this season and only Spoto, which got a 21-6 win over Freedom on Sept. 17, has scored more than 14 points in a game. Last week’s 22-6 final score also doesn’t reflect how closely the Chargers played the Stingrays. Crest’s offense actually out-gained Sumner’s (145 total yards vs. Sumner’s 136) and the defense took away the Stingrays’ passing game. The Chargers held quarterback Jason

Rivera to five completions for 29 yards and a pick on 11 attempts, though Rivera did gain 32 yards and a touchdown running the ball. The one thing Durant absolutely cannot do at any point in the game is get careless on offense. Sumner’s defense has done an excellent job at both generating turnovers and scoring points with them. Two of the Stingrays’ three touchdowns last week were scoop-and-score plays — one forced fumble after a handoff, one strip sack — and they also turned a fumble into six points against Spoto. Friday’s kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and if you can’t go to the game, you can watch online at NFHSNetwork.com.

Last week, the Strawberry Crest Chargers put up a good fight against Sumner but eventually lost, 22-6, thanks in large part to a pair of fumbles recovered by the Stingrays and returned for touchdowns. The Chargers did put up 131 rushing yards in the game and Miles Jones scored on a nice 30-yard run in the third quarter to end their scoring drought, though. The Chargers (0-3) now have a much more difficult matchup with Lakeland (1-0) coming to Dover tomorrow night. Last week, the Dreadnaughts finally got to open their season at home with Lake Gibson and escaped with a 23-22 win over the Braves thanks to a nine-point effort in the fourth quarter. Their strategy last Friday night was pretty simple: run the dang ball. Lakeland only attempted five passes (completing one to Reggie Kellum) and split 40 touches on the ground between five players. Three of them ran for more than 100 yards: quarterback Mason Martin (118 yards), Tayler Gant (120 yards) and Kellum (127 yards) chipped in most of the Dreadnaughts’ 407 total rushing yards. Crest can expect more of the same Friday night. IN OTHER NEWS The FHSAA released its 2020 football classification assignments on Monday, several weeks after the deadline to opt in to the state series passed. All three Plant City-area schools are now in Class 7A-Region 3 along with Armwood, Bartow, Bloomingdale, East Bay, East Lake, George Jenkins, Kathleen, Lakeland, Leto, Pinellas Park, Sickles, Tampa Bay Tech and Winter Haven. J.C. Carnahan of the Orlando Sentinel tweeted Monday that regional tournament matchups (which will be determined by blind draw) should be released next week.

COMEBACK SEASON FOR PLANT CITY BOXING GYM TRAINER Local boxing trainer Jose Rodriguez is making his professional debut on Oct. 17 in Lakeland. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Chevelle Hallback made headlines when her five-year drought without a bout came to an end, and she stayed in them when she won both that fight and the rematch. She’s living proof that one’s age doesn’t have to be a limitation. That’s why Jose Rodriguez, best-known as the owner of Plant City Boxing Gym and a longtime trainer for

everyone from kids to seasoned pros, is getting back into the ring in a few weeks. “God gave me a second chance,” Rodriguez said. “He keeps giving me second chances. Even at this age I think you have to follow your dreams. Chevelle, that was my inspiration. She had it. She was banging, throwing punches and I’m like, ‘I gotta get me a fight.’ T&K Boxing Promotions got me a fight.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

RODRIGUEZ PUTTING THE GLOVES BACK ON Jose Rodriguez, who owns Plant City Boxing Gym, is used to training others. Now he’s getting ready for a fight of his own. SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

His last fight was 31 years ago. Back then, he was an amateur living and fighting in Puerto Rico. This upcoming fight will be his first on the professional level and he’s not treating it as something one does because they’re having a midlife crisis. At 50, he’d rather put his skills to the test and see how far he can go than, say, buy a Harley and a set of golf clubs. “I’m gonna win,” he said. “I’m gonna throw down. Everything’s on the line for me. I’m not taking this as just a boxing match, I’m taking it as everything on the line for me.” Rodriguez will face Josh Boudreaux, 38, who is also a bare-knuckle boxer. He’s getting plenty of help from within the gym to get ready for the fight. Hallback, Jason Crosby, Anthony Holmes, Andres Cruz and David Torres have lent their coach their full support and even some of the kids who train at the gym are feeding off of Rodriguez’s energy. “I take it serious,” Rodriguez said. “I get up at 5 a.m. and do strength and conditioning with Anthony. Then I come here after work and I train with Chevelle, we spar. I get in the ring with Andres, David and Jason, all of them. Even the little kids that want a part of it. They get excited because they see you training hard and now they want to do the same… I think that if my people — my trainers here in Plant City Boxing Gym — if they thought I couldn’t do it, they would be straight up with me. I’m 50 years old. I’m fast but I can’t over-train. Everything hurts. When I wake up in the morning, I roll out that bed. But it’s OK. I can deal with it. I just want to do this.” Rodriguez and Boudreaux will fight at 147 pounds on T&K’s All or Nothing 3 card. The event will be held at the Polk Theatre,

121 Florida Ave. S., Lakeland and doors open at 5 p.m. Social distancing will be practiced and tickets can be bought online at polktheatre.org. Rodriguez is completely confident he’ll succeed in the ring, but wants to make one thing clear: win, lose or draw, he’s out there to show everyone that you can do great things at any age if you believe in yourself. “There’s no better feeling than this,” Rodriguez said. “I’m newly reborn. It’s like everything started again and I got my life back again. It don’t matter how old you are. Whatever it is you’re trying to do, don’t let nobody get between you and that. You know as a person, in your inner self, how you’re gonna do. If you don’t have it, you know you don’t have it. If you have it, go get it. It doesn’t even have to be boxing — it can be other things. Don’t let nobody stop you from that. I don’t care who it is.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

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In Monday’s city commission meeting, there was discussion about a proposal to rezone the parcel at 1909 E. Alsobrook St. from R-1A Single-family Dwelling District to C-1 General Commercial District. The site is located on the southwest corner of East Alsobrook Street and South Park Road. The developer plans to build a convenience store with gas pumps and a climate-controlled self-storage facility. Plant City residents had much to say about this. The discussion of the proposal began approximately one hour and 41 seconds into the commission meeting, which was live-streamed Monday and it, along with full public comment, is viewable online at youtube.com/watch?v=XaEW5IUOdrA. “We don’t know what improvements are going to be there, but it seems to me that a development of this size with this magnitude and this traffic — and we’re only being presented a concept — we are aware that there are concerns regarding the amount of traffic and trucks, and what the full extent and how intense the utilization of the property is going to be. It seems as thought all the concerns that were raised are best handled through a planned development where you, the commission, decide what can and cannot be done on that property within the zoning and then to approve everything.” — Bruce Sperry

“I do not believe that it should be a C-1… I do know that from my window, I already see the traffic backed up there on East Alsobrook every day because of the buses to and from school. That’s a busy road right now that’s getting heavy traffic for some reason. The people are having quite a difficult time getting in and out of their driveways there on East Alsobrook and on Maryland Avenue. I not only work in this area — I live here. This is my community… and for some reason, we’re adding traffic to an already problematic light. And for some reason, there’s an accident there monthly at the intersection. I’ve had an accident there myself. We don’t know what the problem is, but there’s a problem there.” — Pat Dexter “Once the C-1 is there, you can do anything within that. You can change proposed plans. My concern is for the housing units that we manage and that we have been managing in the City of Plant City… I agree with Mr. Sperry that if we’re going to do anything, it should be in the planned unit development. And I’m concerned for the safety of our schoolchildren, light pollution, noise and no one mentioned crime.” — Marlene Moore

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Dorothy “Dottie” Geoline MacDonald, 90, of Valrico, born on August 31, 1930 in Summit, New Jersey, entered into eternal rest on September 26, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Lamar J. Maxwell Lamar J. Maxwell, 81, of Lithia, born on March 1, 1939 in Cairo, Georgia, entered into eternal rest on September 21, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Reyna Aguirre Hernandez Reyna Aguirre Hernandez, 89, of Dover, born on January 6, 1931 in San Lucas, Michoacán, Mexico, entered into eternal rest on September 20, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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León, Mexico, entered into eternal rest on September 20, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Kitty Acord Lusker Kitty Acord Lusker, 81, of Valrico, born on December 21, 1938 in Cranberry, West Virginia, entered into eternal rest on September 25, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Ray Smith Ray Smith, 82, of Lithia, born on September 18, 1938, entered into eternal rest on September 25, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Estella Kidd Estella Kidd, 48, of Brandon, born on February 3, 1972, entered into eternal rest on September 19, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Robert Philbin Robert Philbin, 77, of Plant City, born on February 6, 1943 in Hartford, Connecticut, entered into eternal rest on September 19, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Barbara Jean Suiter

Betty Faye Allen, 88, of Lithia, born on March 10, 1932, entered into eternal rest on September 22, 2020. She was a member of Pleasant Grove Assembly of God and a retired teacher with Hillsborough County Public Schools. She loved her family and enjoyed singing and running the small family farm for many years. She was preceded in death HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM by husband Herman Allen and George Edwin parents Guy and Lois Palmer. Curtis She is survived by children, David Lipsey Allen (Laura) and Patti Allen, both ‘Wade’ Taylor, Sr. of Lithia; grandchildren Kelly George Edwin Lipsey, 62, of Plant City, born on October 7, 1957, Curtis “Wade” Taylor, Sr., 66, of Longanecker, Katie Miller, Matt entered into eternal rest on Sep- Dover, born on October 17, 1953, Allen and Forrest Allen; and greattember 22, 2020. entered into eternal rest on Sep- grandchildren, Jayce Ware, Beau Ware, Katyn Miller, Bryce Allen Expressions of condolence tember 23, 2020. and Aubrey Allen. Funeral services at HopewellFuneral.com. Expressions of condolence were held September 29, 2020 at at HopewellFuneral.com. Pleasant Grove Assembly of God, 7051 S. Turkey Creek Road, Plant City. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Expressions of condolence at HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM HopewellFuneral.com. Harold Wayne

Thomasson

Harold Wayne Thomasson, 76, of Plant City, born on December 31, 1943 in Tampa, entered into eternal rest on September 20, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Barbara Jean Suiter, 83, of Plant City, born on April 19, 1937 in Barboursville, West Virginia, entered into eternal rest on September 20, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Donald ‘Pete’ S. Beaty

Donald “Pete” S. Beaty, 91, of Lake Wales, born on August 13, 1929 in Plant City, entered into eternal rest on September 21, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Betty Faye Allen

Aurelio Mendoza Aurelio Mendoza, 84, of Plant City, born on August 24, 1936 in San José de Medina, Nuevo

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

OBITUARIES

Dorothy ‘Dottie’ Geoline MacDonald

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Conrad Edward Lerum Conrad Edward Lerum, 80, of Plant City, passed away on September 22, 2020. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haughtfuneralhome.com.

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Frederick Henry Knight Frederick Henry Knight, 73, of Plant City, passed away on September 24, 2020. Funeral services were held September 26, 2020 at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W Dr MLK Jr Blvd, Plant City, FL 33563. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

Linda Faye Ouzts Linda Faye Ouzts, 64, of Dublin, Georgia passed away September 21, 2020. A native of Plant City, she was the daughter of the late Earl and Louise Walker. She was also predeceased by her brother Kirby and sister Doris. Linda is survived by her loving husband Boyd; beloved son Andrew; brothers Donnie (Janette) and Buford (Janette); and sister Lucille (Dave). She was blessed with nine nieces, two nephews and multiple extended family members. Linda was a beautiful soul who loved the Lord with all her heart and is now resting in the arms of Jesus. Memorial service October 3, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Olivet Baptist Church in Dublin, Georgia. 10/27/15 10:42 AM

YOUR CALENDAR

OBITUARIES

BEST BET SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 BLUEGRASS JAM

6:30 to 9 p.m. This is an open invitation for local bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup Loft, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy. They have a Bluegrass JAM the first Saturday of every month.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person. Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/ PlantCityToastmasters/, for meeting locations and information.

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

Plant City Recreation presents Baton Twirling Classes at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Classes are held every Thursday. Beginner classes are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Intermediate classes are from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your first class will be free. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Barbara Patrick at 813626-4554.

County and the correct date for your zip code.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

food system. The library is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Call (813) 435-8111 for more information.

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

OPEN MIC NIGHT

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

VALLEY’S END

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9

7 p.m. Visit Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for a night of worship with Valley’s End. A love offering will be collected.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 RAISED EARTH BOX WORKSHOP

9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. Build your own table-height garden! Ed Buckley will furnish materials and guide you step by step to assemble your new growing space. Suggested $55 donation. RSVP required. Call Karen at (813) 435-8111 to register and get more information.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 STRAWBERRY GIRL SCOUT NIGHT

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Interested in joining the Girl Scouts? Girl Scouts of West Central Florida will host a Sign-Up Night were you can bring a friend, make new ones and learn all about the program for free. Registration is required and must be done online at form. jotform.com/202355996099167. Be sure to select Hillsborough

HORROR MOVIES TRIVIA NIGHT

7 p.m. What better way to celebrate October than with a Horror Movie-themed Trivia Night at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.? Play a free, family-friendly game of trivia with a chance to win prizes.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 VOLUNTEER DAY AT PCC COMMUNITY GARDEN

9 a.m. Spend a couple of hours in the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. There are always projects that need special talent and attention. You do not have to be a gardener. You can help by building, painting, cutting, drilling and more. Volunteer days are the second Saturday of every month. Call (813) 4358111 for more information.

SEED LIBRARY OPEN AT PCC COMMUNITY GARDEN

9 a.m. Choose or donate heirloom seeds at the Seed Library in the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. This helps keep diversity in the local

7 to 8:30 p.m. Open Mic Night is back at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. You get to be the show in this “krazy” fun night. To sign up, visit https://forms.gle/tYPLqRiyYBmNTtCP9.

FOX SQUIRREL CORN MAZE

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Futch Entertainment presents the ninth annual Fox Squirrel Corn Maze at 3002 Charlie Taylor Road North, featuring a corn maze, pumpkins for sale, hayrides, games and simply enjoying the great outdoors! There will be food, fall cakes, roasted corn, boiled peanuts, kettle corn, shaved ice, honey and more yummy delights. Vendors will feature pumpkin painting, a butterfly experience, arts and crafts, handmade children’s clothing, face painting, horse and pony rides and more. Most vendors are cash only and there is no ATM on site. Fox Squirrel Corn Maze is open Oct. 10 through Nov. 1 on Saturdays and Sundays only. Guests are asked to exit the venue by 6 p.m. See FoxSquirrelCornMaze.com for COVID-19 restrictions, rules and pricing.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

Send your photo submissions to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

THURSDAY, OCT. 1 High: 84 Low: 64 Chance of rain: 10%

FRIDAY, OCT. 2 High: 84 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 10%

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Oct. 1

7:22a

7:14p

Friday, Oct. 2

7:22a

7:13p

Saturday, Oct. 3

7:23a

7:11p

Sunday, Oct. 4

7:23a

7:10p

Monday, Oct. 5

7:24a

7:09p

Tuesday, Oct. 6

7:24a

7:08p

Wednesday, Oct. 7

7:25a

7:07p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, OCT. 3 High: 82 Low: 71 Chance of rain: 20%

SUNDAY, OCT. 4 High: 82 Low: 71 Chance of rain: 60%

OKRA Betty Jones snapped this photo of the Plant City sky at dusk last week.

ONLINE

Shipping point: Central Florida $12.35-$12.85

ACROSS 1 Baseball warm-up word 5 Brazilian music genre word meaning “trend” 10 Secured 14 Ebb 15 Nailing, in a way 16 Weather __ 17 Kitchen fixture 18 Mountain slope debris 19 Welder’s output 20 Home improvement team 22 One of two sts. admitted to the Union 11/2/1889 23 Elder of an ‘80s-’90s country duo

24 Metaphorical casino loss 25 Formed by solidified magma 26 Is __: imminently will 27 Turndowns 28 Perceived Cold War weapons disparity 31 Propelled, as a raft 32 Words preceding an important reminder 37 Power eponym 41 Antagonism 42 Amazon, notably 44 Singer for whom Bernie wrote lyrics 45 Remit, nowadays

47 “Contact” author Sagan 48 Comes to terms 49 “I’ll do it” 50 Formal “Who’s there?” response 51 Letter-bottom abbr. 52 Bit of progress 53 Atlantic food fish 54 Pak of the LPGA 55 Artist’s pseudonym formed from the French pronunciation of his initials 56 1953 Ladd classic 57 Casual wear DOWN 1 Like court witnesses

2 Try it 3 Buttercup family member 4 Biological mapping subjects 5 Parachutist using lowaltitude starting points 6 Blockage 7 Brought into being 8 Dummy Mortimer 9 Quite a while 10 Rowena’s lover 11 Bouncer’s job 12 Early Wikipedia competitor 13 Icon locale 21 Giovanni’s god 24 Roman sun god 26 Like a pendulum’s movement 29 __-mo 30 Saw 32 Like Hollywood films before censorship guidelines were introduced 33 LeBron, since Jul. 2018 34 One in a 1K, say 35 Follower 36 Certain youngster’s nickname 37 Least civilized 38 Property recipient, in law 39 Like a good-sized farm 40 Plant support 43 Santa follower 45 Cabbage site 46 “Ran” director Kurosawa 48 Wish were here

Oct. 16 New

Oct. 21 First

Oct. 2 Full

Oct. 12 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Sept. 21

0.00

Tuesday, Sept. 22 0.00 Wednesday, Sept. 23

0.00

Thursday, Sept. 24 0.00 Friday, Sept. 25

0.00

Saturday, Sept. 26 0.07 Sunday, Sept. 27

0.25

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2020 46.97 in.

2020 7.77 in.

2019 33.39 in.

2019 0.00 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

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