Plant City Times &
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015
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ON THE HUNT
THE FIGHT
SPOTLIGHT
Check out the special section hunting guide.
Cheer squad rallies against cancer.
Dancers prepare for Dancing with the Locals.
PAGES 8-9
PAGE 14
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ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
WLCA by Emily Topper | Staff Writer
First phase of polo field approved With $50,000 allocated for the project, the board approved a pavilion and baseball amenities.
Check out a photo gallery from the Hispanic Heritage Festival.
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OUR TOWN
At the Monday, Oct. 19, Walden Lake Community Association meeting, the WLCA voted to approve the first phase of construction and added amenities on the community’s polo field, located on Griffin Boulevard. The motion passed with a vote of 6-2. The WLCA’s budget for this year allocated $50,000 for the project. The biggest aspect of the first phase of construction consists of building a pavilion that is 20-
by-30 feet. The WLCA accepted a $30,000 bid for the pavilion from Magnolia Construction. The pavilion will be made of a concrete slab and will have a metal green roof. As the project continues in phases over the next few years, the WLCA hopes to add other pavilions throughout the field. Other amenities in the first phase of the project include six green pavilion tables, which are 6 feet long and have builtin benches for seating, and
hibachi grills to be placed at the end of the pavilion. Covered trash cans will be placed around the polo field. Baseball field equipment, including a backstop and bases, are also included as part of the project. Four baseball benches with backs, each 8 feet long, will be ordered. Out of the $50,000 allotted this year from the WLCA budget, $42,584.03 will be spent for the first phase of the project. Many residents and WLCA
board directors believe that the added amenities will continue to make Walden Lake a desirable community for families as new neighborhoods spring up around Plant City and surrounding areas. WLCA President Bob Hunter said that the Polo Field Committee has reviewed resident concerns and said that the polo field would be covered by insurance. “I think it’s a very positive move that’s needed for this
community,” Hunter said. “The committee has looked at issues over the last six months.” Still, some expressed concerns about parking, bathroom facilities, ongoing maintenance costs and keeping the polo field exclusive to Walden Lake members. WLCA board director Rich Glorioso had questions about spending the $50,000.
SEE WLCA / PAGE 4
HALLOWEEN HEX-ERCISE by Emily Topper | Staff Writer
Let’s do the Monster Dash
+ Archives offers children’s books The Photo Archives and History Center is offering a new selection of children’s books for sale in its book store. Fourteen new titles are available, ranging from $8 to $10. The books offer historic themes, as well as the complete selection of Word Wizard’s popular grammar series. The engaging Word Wizard’s book series is geared toward readers ages 5 to 8, and includes topics such as nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, homonyms, synonyms and antonyms. Titles include: “School Days Then and Now,” for ages 5 to 8; “Community Helpers Then and Now,” for ages 5 to 8; and “Agricultural Engineering and Feeding the Future,” for readers ages 10 to 13. “We wanted to offer something for younger readers,” Executive Director Gil Gott said. “People enjoy our local history books and often ask us if we have anything for students.” The archives is also offering two fun titles: “Betty Q Investigates” and “Pirate Treasure.” The archives anticipates the book “Christmas Long Ago,” written for readers ages 6 to 12, to be a popular choice during the holidays, along with the DVD “An Evergreen Christmas,” starring Plant City native Charlene Closshey. The archives’ bookstore offers adult regional history books and features local writers, including Alvin Futch, Col. Ken Cassels, Betty Patton and Nick Brown. The archives is a nonprofit history organization dedicated to the history and heritage of the Plant City community. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 106 S. Evers St., in downtown Plant City. For more information call (813) 754.1578 or email info@plantcityphotoarchives.org.
SEE OUR TOWN / PAGE 4
Need an excuse to eat Halloween candy? The FRANkenstein 5K & WOD-O-Ween will be held Halloween morning.
Emily Topper
Mike and Lauren Bearden, owners of CrossFit Plant City, are hosting the FRANkenstein 5K.
Zombies, witches and monsters galore will follow mortals down the trails of Alderman’s Ford Park Saturday, Oct. 31, in support of two local causes. The first FRANkenstein 5K Fun Run & WOD-O-Ween will be hosted by CrossFit Plant City on Halloween morning. The event, named after a common CrossFit workout, will include a 5K and a 1-mile dash that can be completed by individuals at any fitness level. CrossFit Plant City owners Mike and Lauren Bearden also will be demonstrating basic CrossFit exercises and workouts at the event for no additional cost. The couple opened the Plant City gym, off of Airport Road, almost two years ago. “It’s a 5K, but we want to bring in some CrossFit elements,” Lauren Bearden said. “It’s our very first year, first event. We wanted to provide an un-intimidating way to introduce people to CrossFit.” Proceeds from the event will
go toward two local causes, one of which is near and dear to the heart of CrossFit Plant City: raising money for the family of Jean Croslin. Croslin was diagnosed with stage four cancer in August. Her daughter, Tammy Piergallini, has been a member of CrossFit Plant City for about a year. The gym decided to make the family a beneficiary of the upcoming 5K. “She was totally fine, living her life. One day she had trouble breathing,” Lauren Bearden said. “Just seeing how heartbroken they were ... we wanted to rally around her and support her.“ After being diagnosed, Croslin died Sept. 25. The cancer was initially found in her lungs, but spread through the rest of her body. “It was all really quick,” Lauren Bearden said. “(Jean) was just very down to earth, very
SEE DASH / PAGE 4
ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS by Emily Topper | Staff Writer
Contest open for P.C. art show name, logo Event organizers announced April 2016 as the date of the show in Historic Downtown. Plant City’s first art festival has temporarily been dubbed the Plant City Fine Arts Show, but the name may change as soon as early November. The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce has recently announced a contest for Plant City artists to create a name, logo and poster for the show. The deadline for entries is Friday, Oct. 30. The show will be held on April 23, 2016, in Historic Downtown, and will stretch from McCall Park to Plant City Mercantile on South Collins Street. David Gnage is the co-owner
of Plant City Mercantile and one of the show organizers. The idea for an art show piqued Gnage’s interest in February. As a St. Petersburg native, he was interested in a local art show that could be modeled after St. Petersburg’s Mainsail, a festival that attracts over 100,000 visitors each year. “Everything’s going good,” Gnage said. “We weren’t sure if downtown would work ... now we’re sure. We want to encompass as much of downtown as possible.” Gnage is primarily in charge of finding vendors for the festival. The event organizers,
The art festival will feature ceramics, fiberglass, jewelry, printing and photography, among other forms of mixed media. And it’s free for artists to join. which include representatives from Plant City Creatives and the chamber of commerce, are using ZAPP.com, a website that artists from across the nation use to showcase their work. It is the same website St. Peters-
burg Mainsail uses to find artists. “It’s free for artists to join,” Gnage said. “It’s a good system.” Plant City’s art festival will feature ceramics, fiberglass, jewelry, printing and photography, among other forms of mixed media. Gnage reviews the applications as part of a screening process, to make sure that the applicants are a good fit for the show. “We don’t want to exclude any kind of art form,” Gnage
SEE ART SHOW / PAGE 4
INDEX Calendar........................2
ENTER YOUR CREATIVE IDEA The art show is looking for an individual to design a logo and poster for the event and create an official name. Winners will be recognized in all promotional materials related to the show. EMAIL: peggy@plantcity.org DROP OFF: The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St. DEADLINE: Friday, Oct. 30
Vol. 3, No. 12 | One section Crossword....................17
Obituaries....................13
Sports..........................14
Weather.......................17
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