11.23.22 PLCO

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

Plant City Police Department recognized many of its own, and one civilian, at an Awards Ceremony last week at Michael S. Sparkman Police Center.

After a welcome, invocation, presentation of colors, pledge of allegiance and opening remarks to a standing-room-only crowd, master of ceremonies Captains Robert McLellan and Dave Millich got down to the business of recognizing award recipients.

See the full list of award winners when they are made available online.

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

Thanksgiving is a time to take a welldeserved break from work and recharge in preparation for the last, and busiest, month of the year. As Plant City residents get ready to gather with friends and family, share a meal and enjoy the day, it’s important to take a look back at the history behind the holiday and the traditions we recognize as indelible parts of the celebration.

While many historians trace the origins of Thanksgiving to the harvest celebrations of early colonizers in New England in the early 1600’s, it didn’t become an official holiy until Oct. 3, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving. President Franklin Roosevelt, recognizing that in some years November has fie Thursdays, changed the date to the fourth Thursday of the month.

WATCHING THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

To be honest, I turn on the parade as much to watch the shivering attendees trying to stay warm as I do for the character balloons, flats, marching bands and entertainers. It increases my gratitude for living in sunny Florida. Macy’s staged its fist Thanksgiving Day parade in 1924 (it was aptly named the Macy’s Christmas Parade), meandering through New York’s city streets and ending at Macy’s flaship store at 34th Street and Broadway. While it’s held on Thanksgiving Day, it doesn’t celebrate the holiday as much as it ushers in the next one…the start of the busy holiday shopping season. Still, the parade is a spectacle and a

good way to get in the holiday spirit. It kicks off lie from NYC at 8:45 a.m. and can be watched on NBC or streaming on Peacock.

EATING A TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING DINNER

For many Americans, the Thanksgiving meal consists of roast turkey with stuffin cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. What was eaten at the fist feast by our Pilgrim ancestors? Historical references claim the meal included wild turkey and venison, both plentiful in the region, as well as fall vegetables such as onions, beans and carrots. Corn might also have been served, but not as a tasty casserole. It would have been removed from the cob and turned into cornmeal, which was then boiled and pounded into a thick corn mush or porridge. Yum. Whatever dishes are on your table, keep in mind that Thanksgiving is also one of the top days for cooking fies.

Fun fact: In 1784 Ben Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be a more appropriate national symbol than the bald eagle (thankfully other lawmakers didn’t gobble up the idea).

BREAKING THE WISHBONE FOR GOOD LUCK

A holiday tradition that takes place only if turkey, duck or chicken dons your table. Two family members, usually children, fight ver the furcula, or “wishbone”, each struggling to crack the bone and get the bigger piece.

The Pig Jam returned to Plant City last weekend, with live music, delicious barbecue, dozens of teams and hundreds of hungry residents coming out to take part in the annual event. Hosted by the Plant City Chamber of Commerce and sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the Plant City Pig Jam featured 24 amateur and 25 professional barbecue teams manning their smokers and competing for the opportunity to take home awards presented to the event’s best chicken, pork ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, awarded by a panel of experienced judges and table captains.

PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL CHEER DONATES THOUSANDS OF DIAPERS TO FAMILIES IN NEED

In October, Plant City High School’s varsity cheer team came up with a plan to give back to the Plant City community that supports them, organizing a diaper campaign.

As a way of making the event a fun competition, the cheer squad split into three teams as they raced to see which could collect the most diapers. The team held a Diaper Drive at PCHS and collected diapers from friends, family and other community members, subsequently donating all of the proceeds to the United Food Bank of Plant City. After all of the collecting was completed, the team delivered over 8,000 diapers to the United Food Bank of Plant City last Wednesday, Nov. 16.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON GREENWAYS MASTER PLAN UPDATE

Earlier this year, the Board of Hillsborough County Commissioners initiated an update to the Hillsborough Greenways Master Plan. During the plan’s update, which includes resident feedback, a wide range of greenways will be considered, including natural corridors, natural surface trails, paved trails, and blueways (a water path or trail.)

Greenways include paved and unpaved trails that can be used by people walking, biking, or on horseback, and blueways (recreational waterways) and launch sites where people can access blueways. Please take a moment to learn about Hillsborough greenways, where they exist, which greenways are underway, and those that are planned.

For more information on the Greenways Master Plan, and to leave your feedback, visit www.publicinput.com/greenwaysmp This virtual engagement opened to visitors on July 13, 2022 and will remain open through project end. Survey questions will be available for input through select phases of the project and closed during others. Insight gained from your answers will help develop a comprehensive greenways plan.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD UNDERWAY IN PLANT CITY

Samaritan’s Purse International Relief has kickstarted their Operation Christmas Child project for 2022, a project that partners with local churches around the world to deliver shoeboxes full of gifts to children during the holiday season.

Since starting the project in 1993, Samaritan’s Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with oys, schools supplies and hygiene items for children around the world, serving more than 199 million children in over 170 countries and territories since.

“The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their fist gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love,” Samaratin’s Purse says.

In 2022, there are over 4,500 drop-off locations across the United States for National Collection Week, including one right here in Plant City if you would like to make a shoebox gift donation at the Plant City Church of God, 2103 Mud Lake Rd.

For more information on how to get involved or how to pack a shoebox of your own, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box.

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

The prize? Good luck and a wish granted. The origins of this holiday tradition date back to about 700 B.C.E., when the Etruscans believed birds were oracles and could tell the future. When a chicken was slaughtered they would leave the furcula in the sun to dry out in hopes of gaining some of its divining powers. Villagers would gently stroke it while making a wish, hence the name wishbone. Don’t we all long to have a wish granted?

TAKING A NAP

Thanksgiving Day and ‘food coma” go hand in hand. Is our need to conk out on the couch after the meal due to the tryptophan in the turkey, the fact that we’ve consumed a couple days’ worth of calories in one sitting, the copious amount of alcohol consumed or fatigue from all the shopping, cooking and cleaning leading up to the holiday? Does it matter? Take that nap and don’t feel bad about it one bit.

Cup Qatar. Soccer fans can get their fix y watching: Switzerland versus Cameroon at 5 a.m., Uruguay vs. South Korea at 8 a.m., Portugal vs. Ghana at 11 a.m. and Brazil versus Serbia at 2 p.m.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Plant City residents share their favorite holiday dishes.

BAKED THREE-CHEESE MACARONI & CHEESE

Recipe Courtesy of Gail Lyons

8 oz. uncooked macaroni

3 TBSP. unsalted butter

2 TBSP. flour

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk

1 cup half and half

1/2 - 1 tsp. Creole seasoning

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup gouda or gruyere cheese

1/2 - 1 TBSP. onion powder salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.

2. Add butter to a skillet and as soon as butter melts, whisk in flou. Continue whisking until flour is fully mied with butter, then cook for about a minute to get rid of the flour aste.

3. Slowly add the evaporated milk a little at a time, followed by the half and half; you don’t want the mixture to form any lumps.

10. Bake at 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Pro-Tips: Do not use bagged cheese as it’s drier. Get blocks of cheese and shred it yourself. You can also substitute different types of cheese if you prefer another kind.

WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME

Football and Thanksgiving Day seem to go together like milk and cookies. Whether you play a friendly game of backyard ball with friends and family or prefer to be an armchair quarterback watching a game on television, football and Thanksgiving have been melded together since 1920, when the NFL started playing games on the holiday. Catch the following games this year on Thanksgiving Day: Bills vs. Lions at 12:30 p.m., Giants vs. Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. and Patriots vs. Vikings at 8:20 p.m. If college football is more to your liking, watch Mississippi State play Ole Miss at 7 p.m.

Another ‘’football’ event being held on Thanksgiving Day is soccer’s FIFA World

RUNNING A TURKEY TROT

Is there a better way to kick off a dy of eating than by sweating it out at a local Turkey Trot? I confess, I just signed up for one myself, more to reduce the guilt I’ll feel at partaking of so much food in a single meal than to earn a medal. Turkey trots aren’t a new phenomenon. The inaugural trot took place 125 years ago in Buffalo, New York, when a local YMCA hosted an 8K cross-country race on Thanksgiving Day. Six runners participated in the event but only four of them made it to the finish line. Luckily, you don’t need to be in an officialace to get outside for a quick bit of exercise.

SHOPPING ’TIL YOU DROP

With more stores opening earlier than ever and the increasing popularity of e-commerce, Black Friday has bled into Thanksgiving Day but where did the retail shopping day get its name? One theory posits that back in the 1950’s, police in the city of Philadelphia coined the term to describe the chaos that ensued as hordes of shoppers and tourists flooded the ciy one Thanksgiving for the Army-Navy football game being held that weekend, creating a big headache for police who had to deal with an uptick in shoplifting and crime. The name is fitting since even today the day can bring out the worst in society as frantic shoppers jostle and push each other around to snatch up a new television for a couple bucks less than the regular price. The holiday has also spawned other retail-related events, such as Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday. Happy shopping.

4. Simmer for about three to fie minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.

5. Add seasonings: onion and garlic powder, creole seasoning and cayenne pepper.

6. Bring to a simmer for about two minutes.

7. Stir in the cheeses (reserve some as topping later), and continue stirring until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

8. Add the cooked pasta to the pot, and stir to incorporate.

9. Transfer the pasta mixture to a pan or lightly-greased 2-quart baking dish; top with remaining cheese.

This week on Cops Corner: This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigate a broken window, counterfeit bills and stolen lottery tickets.

NOVEMBER 12

to the use of two counterfeit $20 bills.

SOUND OFF

1300 block of N. Franklin St.

Vehicle burglary: An officer met with the victim at the listed location who stated that her purse and Apple AirPods were stolen from her rental car.

QUICK WITHDRAW

700 block of W. Saunders St.

Vehicle burglary: An officer met with the victim at the listed location who stated that his wallet, containing his driver’s license, VA card, insurance card, debit card and $106 in cash, was stolen from his vehicle.

CAR TROUBLES

2800 block of James L. Redman Pkwy. Stolen vehicle: Officers responded to the listed location in reference to a motor vehicle theft.

DON’T GO STARTING TROUBLE

1400 block of W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Battery: Officers responded to a business at the listed location in reference to a disturbance. One individual was placed under arrest for battery and subsequently transported to Orient Road Jail without further incident.

ILL WILL BILLS

1700 block of E. Baker St.

Uttering a forged document: An officer responded to a business at the listed location in reference

NOVEMBER 13

GOING DOOR TO DOOR

3500 block of W. Reynolds St. Assault and battery on LEO: Officers responded to the listed location in reference to one individual attempting to open the door to homes in the surrounding area. One individual was arrested for both assault and battery on a law enforcement officer and subsequently transported to Orient Road Jail without further incident.

WINDOW PAINS

1800 block of E. Alabama St. Shooting into a dwelling: An offier met with the victim at the listed location who reported hearing gunshots and later finding a broken window in their home.

NOVEMBER 14

NOT ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR

W. Washington St. / S. Gibbs St. Warrant arrest: An officer made contact with one individual during a traffictop at the listed location. An FCIC/NCIC check revealed that the individual had an active warrant out of Polk County Sheriff s Office for possession of cocaine, grand theft, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony petit theft. The warrants were confirmed and the individual as subsequently arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

NOVEMBER 15

SEARCHING FOR GOLDEN TICKETS

2400 block of James L. Redman Pkwy.

Grand theft: An officer was dispatched to a business at the listed location in reference to a delayed theft of Florida lottery tickets.

OUT OF SITE, OUT OF MIND

3400 block of Birdie Hawkins Ln. Theft: An officer met with the employee of a construction company at the listed location in reference to a theft from the construction site.

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PLANT CITY POLICE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZES OFFICERS FOR ACHIEVEMENTS

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

The Life Saving Award was bestowed upon:

* Corporal William Harvester and Officer Justin Castro- In July, Harvester and Castro responded to a call that involved a citizen wanting to end her life. They located her at a nearby pond and, with no regard for their own personal safety, waded into the water and were able to save her life, maintaining the oath taken to protect and serve the community. In conjunction with the response, Officers Adam Heist, Greg Nelsen and Oresha West were awarded the Employee Recognition Award.

* Offic er Michal PietrusinskiIn August, Peitrusinski was enjoying a leisurely walk with his fiancee when he saw a home engulfed in flames and heard screams coming from inside the structure. He entered the home to save the lives of the children who were trapped inside. His bravery and quick resolve saved the life of a young boy before the fire department

arrived on the scene to rescue the other child.

A unit citation was awarded to ten offi cers who responded to the report of an armed carjacking in progress near the intersection of Charlie Griffin and Mud Lake Roads. After a long and intense inter action with an armed suspect, the officers were able to diffuse the situation without casualties, displaying teamwork, restraint and professionalism. The officers recog nized include Sergeant Justin Carpenter, Sergeant Justin Lee, Detectives Daniel Her nandez and Thomas Trimble and Officers Dustin Colkmire, Quentin Garrell, Derek Hartmann, Austin Johnson, Rebecca Mon roe and Cody Shou. Telecommunicator II Flor Torres also received the award for her participation in the incident.

Six department members received Employee Recognition awards for success fully capturing a subject who fled following a single vehicle crash. It was later deter mined that the vehicle had been stolen. Inside a backpack the suspect was carry

ing, a large amount of methamphetamine was found.The suspect was also wanted for several outstanding violent felony war rants from other jurisdictions. The officers recognized included: Officers Jef Hilsman, Greg Nelsen, Michal Pietrusinski, Josh Snyder, Yarley Vasallo and Devin Wilson. Officers who earned promotions include Sergeants Tiffany Lindsey-Tester and Jus tin “Chad” Carpenter and Corporals Pat rick Walker and William Harvester.

Kaitlynn Falletta, badge number 393, was sworn in to begin her journey as a PCPD police officer. Prior to joining PCPD, she worked at Polk County Sheriff’s Office for eight and a half years.

Retiring from the Department was Offi cer Thomas Velez, who has been with PCPD since 2012 and served in its Uniform Patrol Unit. After his honorable service, Velez will be allowed to keep his duty firearm, a PCPD uniform, retired police ID and later receive his retirement badge. “We wish him a very happy retirement,” said McLellan.

Jax and Leto, two K9 police dogs, also retired and were recognized for their con tributions to the Department.

Not every award recipient is an employee with the PCPD. Chief Bradford presented the Chief’s Award to Plant City resident Judy Wise for her tireless and immeasur able support of the PCPD, including sup porting police families, assisting with the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and preparing holiday meals with the Elks Lodge to honor officers for their service.

“She moved to town in 1998 and quickly began making an impact on the city not because she was seeking recognition but because she has a servant’s heart and loves people,” said Bradford. “She’s known for generous contributions of her time and talents.”

Bradford ended the ceremony with words of gratitude for all PCPD employees. “We in law enforcement face many challenges but the members of this department have stepped up to treat those we serve with dig nity and respect,” he said.

STEVE MOREY

REPLACES JAKE AUSTIN AS HEAD OF PLANT CITY EDC

MOREY, THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF TAMPA BAY’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, WILL HELP KEEP PLANT CITY’S ECONOMIC ENGINE CHUGGING FORWARD.

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

Steve Morey has been named Plant City Economic Development Council’s (PCEDC) new president and chief executive offi cer (CEO). Morey will replace Jake Austin, PCEDC’s inaugural CEO who announced his resignation earlier this month.

Since 2013, Morey has served in a variety of roles at the Tampa Bay Economic Devel opment Council (TBEDC). Most recently he held the position of senior vice president of economic development. During his tenure at TBEDC, the organization announced more than 250 projects bringing more than 33,000 jobs and $3 billion in new capital investment to Hillsborough County.

“Steve is a proven, trusted and respected leader in economic development through out the country, and we are thrilled to have him join our team,” said Karen Kerr, chair of the PCEDC and president of South Florida Baptist Hospital and Bartow Regional Medi cal Center. “He is uniquely positioned to hit the ground running, and also continue to sell Plant City as one of the best places in the country to do business.”

Morey is undaunted by the task before him. “I’m excited to bring my experience in economic development, business recruit ment and business retention to Plant City,” he said. “In my position at TBEDC I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of Plant City’s government and business leaders which will definitely help with the transi tion.”

Some of his first goals include meeting with PCEDC’s more than 70 investors and Plant City government officials and review existing processes.

Government officials recognize Austin’s work at the PCEDC but look forward to wit nessing the positive impact Morey will make in the city.

“We are grateful for the significant contri butions that Jake Austin has made over the last seven years- from multiple economic development projects and new jobs to more than doubling the original number of EDC investors and supporting millions in capital development,” said Plant City mayor Nate Kilton. “We are looking forward to build ing on that momentum with a new chapter of sustainable, long-term economic growth under Steve’s expert leadership.”

Morey anticipates his first day on the job to be Dec. 27. “I’m excited to work with PCEDC leadership that has built a very solid founda tion of growth in Plant City,” he said. “There are more than a handful of exciting things going on that I’ll be able to run with.”

BECOMES IB WORLD SCHOOL

It’s been a lengthy three-year process but Marshall Middle Magnet School, located at 18 South Maryland Avenue in Plant City, is now a fully-authorized International Bac calaureate World School for the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for sixth through eighth grade students.

The MYP is a challenging framework that encourages students to become cre ative, critical and reflective thinkers. It also helps students make practical connections between their studies and the real world while fostering the development of skills for communication, intercultural under standing and global engagement. Every student at the school participates in the program.

MYP coordinator and magnet lead teacher Kathy Webb said staff started the process in Oct. 2019 when their applica tion was accepted to become a candidate school. An email they received last month congratulated them on becoming an IB World School. “When I opened the email and read it I screamed and jumped up and down and ran to the front office to let our school administrators know,” said Webb.

Even though the designation just became official, the school had been slowly imple menting the program at each grade level since 2019. Webb has received positive feedback from students at the school. “They’ve told me they like the inquiry approach and the collaborative projects where they get to work with other stu dents,” she said.

Here’s what students have said about the school:

Giselle McDowell, a sixth-grade stu dent, thinks the educational workload is challenging but doable. “In elementary school you walked everywhere as a group and now you’re one person,” she said. “The

classes are tough but teachers are there to help you as much as you need it.”

Ryo Arnozo, a seventh-grade student, enjoys the electives offered at the school, especially jazz band. Arnozo plays trom bone and piano. He also appreciates the collaborative and peer review learning processes. “I have a friend who’s good with graphs and linear functions but my strength is equations so we help each other learn the concepts,” he said. “Teachers do challenge and push you but it’s manage able.”

Adelyn Montoto, an eighth-grade stu dent who transferred from Greco Middle School, She’s taking an agriculture class and is raising chickens. “The workload can sometimes be a lot but the teachers are here to support you,” she said. “I feel like

I’m accomplishing more here and it makes me feel good.”

Principal Dennis Mayo said that while teachers still adhere to the District’s pre scribed curriculum, it’s packaged and taught so students can direct their own learning pathway and develop skills and confidence they need to thrive and make a lasting difference. “We hope there’s an increased level of rigor that equips stu dents with better study skills as they move into high school and beyond,” he said.

One example of the curriculum in action is an environmental science lesson about recycling. “Teachers not only discuss what recycling is and how it impacts our local and global communities but also helping students make connections to what recy cling looks like outside of the four walls of

our school,” said Mayo. “The program real ly encourages students to think critically.”

The capstone of the program is a stu dent-led project in eighth grade, where each student selects a topic they’re inter ested in, researches it and takes action, maybe creating a Powerpoint and pre senting it, organizing a canned food drive or some other type of action related to their topic of interest.

The first Magnet application window is now open for the 2023-2024 school year. Students living outside of Marshall’s atten dance boundary can apply for a spot at the school until Dec. 16 at www.Hillsborough Schools.org/choice. For more information about Marshall Middle Magnet School visit www.hillsboroughschools.org/marshall.

Nicholas Heathscott, MD, CAQSM Family Medicine and Non-Surgical Orthopedics

MICHELLE

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY USHERS IN CABOOSE JUNCTION RV PARK CONSTRUCTION

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

What do you do if you have a passion for trains and more than 20 acres of vacant land? If you’re Plant City residents Rob ert and Felice Willaford, you construct a train-themed RV park. Its slogan: If you like trains, you’ll love Caboose Junction.

After working with Hillsborough County for more than six years to get the project approved (the project is located just outside of Plant City’s boundary), the Willafords were all smiles last week at the ground breaking ceremony. Willaford’s passion for trains stems from a 42-year career as a train engineer with CSX Transportation.

When completed, the RV park will include 108 large RV lots, a 2,400 squarefoot clubhouse adorned with plenty of railroad memorabilia, ADA compliant bathrooms and 1,920 square-foot storm shelter to protect guests from inclement weather. The park will cater to adults 55 and up and have a four-month minimum rental requirement.

“We think this is a great location for visi tors wanting easy access to all that Florida has to offer,” said Robert Willaford.

Located near the intersection of Paul Buchman Highway and Joe McIntosh Road, the park will offer easy access to I-4. “It’s

WILLAFORD FAMILY TO BUILD TRAIN-THEMED RV PARK ON 20-ACRE PARCEL NORTH OF INTERSTATE-FOUR.

a short drive to Orlando’s theme parks, our beautiful beaches or the Plant City Straw berry Festival,’ said Willaford. “Plant City will also benefit because guests will go into the city to shop and eat.”

In attendance at the groundbreaking was Mayor Nate Kilton, commissioners Jason Jones and Bill Dodson, Chamber presi dent Christine Miller, EDC President Jake Austin and EDC members Wetherington Tractor Services and Stahl and Associates Insurance. Mike Jemison, owner of Solu tion Source and the project’s general con tractor, also attended the eent. “This is a great project that will benefit the city,” said Kilton.

Caboose Junction RV Park wouldn’t be complete without not one caboose but two.

A caboose already sits on the property, a memory of Willaford’s former career, but he’s going to purchase another one before the park’s opening to display on the site.

“You gotta have two cabooses to make a junction,” he said.

Like the movie Field of Dreams, Willa ford hopes that after he builds it, people will come. “We hope to be booked up solid,” he said.

The RV park’s expected completion date is late-summer or early-fall 2023.

The Durant girls soccer team defeated Brandon convincingly by a final score of 8-0 on Friday, reaching the mercy rule mark ear ly in the second half to remain undefeated and move to 4-0 on the season.

“They’re pretty exciting to watch,” Durant head coach Melissa Brown said. “We’ve got quite a few new freshman and the veterans, they’re just connecting well, playing well together and communicating well together.”

The Cougars opened their season with a 4-1 victory over crosstown rival Strawberry Crest on November 8 and returned a week later to move to 2-0 with a 5-0 win over Sumner. On Friday, it didn’t take long for Durant to impose their will on the visiting Eagles.

By the 12th minute, Durant had already jumped out to a commanding 3-0 lead on the heels of goals from freshman Kendal Vician – the team’s leading goalscorer with five goals through their first four matches – and sophomores Karlie Collens and Alexa Cottrell. The Cougars dominated the con test in all fashions, consistently producing quality chances in front of the net, gathering rebounds in the box and continually keep ing possession in the offensive third. In the 16th minute, sophomore defender Belinda

Posadas netted her first goal of the season to make it 4-0 and freshman Kayla Tellefsen followed it up with a goal of her own in the 24th minute, extending the Cougars’ lead to 5-0.

By the end of the first half Durant was up 7-0 with a pair of goals coming from Kayla DuBose in the 28th and 35th minutes, with the Cougars narrowly missing on a number of chances just before the break that would have eliminated a continuation into the second half. But nevertheless, Durant burst into the second 40 minutes with the same aggression in which they carried throughout the first, ultimately ending the contest on a second-chance score from Cali Sampson in the 51st minute.

The Cougars dominant stretch to start the season is far from a surprise if you con sider the amount of talented players that have returned from a young squad that fin ished the 2021 season with a 14-4-2 record. Despite all of their success last year, Durant was able to do so with just three seniors on the roster. And while the team’s leading scorer from 2021 in Jenna Jorgensen was lost to graduation this past spring, their next six leading scorers remain on this year’s ros ter.

“It’s very valuable to bring back so many players,” Brown said. “It’s unbelievable how excited I am to see these girls connect together and how they’re already playing so well together, including the freshmen with the veterans. They’re just exciting to watch and see making those connections together.”

In addition to their three regular season wins, the Cougars also opened Champions League play with a 2-0 win over Pasco Coun ty’s River Ridge High School last Wednes day. The Tampa Bay Top 10 Champions League draws its inspiration from one of the most prestigious tournaments in profes sional soccer, the UEFA Champions League (UCL.) The UCL is an annual tournament held each summer in which top-division European clubs battle through group stages and advance through a knockout format to ultimately determine the year’s top club in European competition. In similar fashion, the Tampa Bay Top 10 was introduced in 2018 by Jim Harte and Rob Nugent to pro vide an invite-only competitive tournament between some of the Tampa Bay Area’s top high school soccer teams. The event has evolved to feature four groups, each including a Pasco County, Pinellas County,

“I think it’s so exciting to be a part of that tournament,” Brown said. “It’s good experi ence to play those teams, even just to have a chance to play them at that level, and I think it’ll only prepare us more to go to districts and regionals and who knows. It’s just really exciting times.”

The Cougars will return to action on Mon day, Nov. 28 as they hit the road to take on 3-0-2 Bloomingdale before turning right around on Tuesday and heading to Clearwa ter where they will face 2-1-1 Calvary Chris tian in their second Champions League match.

tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

LOCAL SCOREBOARD

Boys Soccer: 11/18

Hillsborough County private and Hillsbor ough County public school. And in 2022 the organization added a girl’s league for the first time, with Durant selected to join the field of elite competitors.

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email:

PLANT CITY ATHLETES ADVANCE THROUGH CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL SOCCER SHOOT

The Elks National Soccer Shoot competition is an annual contest where kids from around the country are able to showcase their talents through contests that test their skill levels, with fi e different age groups included for both boys and girls.

The Soccer Shoot consists of two different contests based on the age group of the participants. For those in the U-8 age group, the event features a “Five Goal Contest” that includes a series of fie goals at which the participants aim, decreasing in size from 48 inches to 17 inches. For the four older age groups ranging from U-10 to U-16, the event features a “Grid Goal Contest” in which participants shoot at a full-size goal that is sectioned off, with different point totals awarded for different sections. In the Grid Goal Contest, participants rotate throughout three different rounds where they take fie shots, resulting in 15 shots total, and the highest-scoring athlete advances.

Ben Edgemon has been a member of the Plant City Elks Lodge since 2009, organiz-

ing the local event since 2016 and seeing it grow to a level where Plant City has 144 individual athletes participate in this year’s preliminary round across all fie age groups in both gender divisions.

“The fist year was 2016 and it spun off of the basketball Hoop Shoot,” Edgemon said. “They were just asking some of the members if any of us would be willing to do it with soccer. I had ties to the soccer community here through the local club, the Plant City FC Lancers, so with me having ties there I said I’d give it a shot and we’ve averaged at least 100 kids per year in the seven years that I’ve been doing it.”

After some trial and error, Edgemon has found that the most effective way of getting the highest-level of participation is to come directly to the athletes, meeting at local team practices where players are able to earn their spot right then and there.

Following the local and district rounds, Plant City’s remaining representatives took to the Central Florida regional level

competition in Umatilla, Fla. where seven of the 10 age groups were won by local Plant City athletes, earning their spot in the state round, also to be held in Umatilla on Dec. 10. If competitors advance beyond the state level, they will have a chance to compete at the Southeast regional level. All winners at the state and regional level will then have their scores sent to the national level where winners will be determined for each of the age and gender groups.

“The Soccer Shoot hasn’t been around that long but it’s the same premise as the Hoop Shoot and the Elks wanted to try it with soccer,” Edgemon said. “With soccer growing the way that it is, especially at the youth level, they wanted to try it. It brings attention to the Elks Lodge as well, the Elks Lodge does a lot within the city for the youth and veterans and things like that, but the kids that win have scholarship opportunities. But not just through the competition either, if family members become members they have scholarship opportu-

nities through that as well, so there’s a lot of positives that come from it.”

PLANT CITY’S CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL WINNERS

Boys U-10: Jiovanni Rosales (48 points)

Girls U-10: Julia Ocampo-Cruz (44 points)

Boys U-12: Ivan Camargo (35 points)

Boys U-14: Andres Cruz (24 points)

Girls U-14: Sherlyn Martinez (44 points)

Boys U-16: Trotter Richardson (49 points)

Girls, U-16: Ashley Jeronimo (36 points)

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

Kids from Plant City were crowned the winners in seven of the competition’s 10 age groups, earning their spot in the state round this December.

TAYLOR JENKINS

SPORTS WRITER

Photo courtesy of George Domedion

“Greenbean casserole.” - Shannon Marie

“Turkey and gravy.” - Marilyn Frey

“Stuffin” - Arlene Camper Walker

“Cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce.” - Barbara Skaggs Ward

“Sweet potato casserole.” - Elizabeth Bryant

“Alcohol to stand family.” - Tammy Jo

“Chestnut dressing, if I could get it.”Carlton Langford.

“Paper plates. Less dishes to wash at the end.” - Cody Lenz

“Stuffing and avy, pecan pie.” - Jeannie Denny

“Cranberry sauce, canned.” - Amy Henry

Ernestine Grimes

Ernestine Grimes, 83, of Plant City, Fla., born in LaBelle, Fla. on Nov. 28, 1938, entered into eternal rest on Nov. 14, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

Betty Jean Rickard DeHart

Betty Jean Rickard DeHart, 91, of Lithia, born in Barnardsville, N.C. on Jan. 20, 1931, entered into eternal rest on Nov. 16, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

Shelton Caldwell Dry

Shelton Caldwell Dry, 78, of Plant City, Fla., born in Honoraville, Ala. on April 10, 1944, entered into eternal rest on Nov. 17, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Charlies ‘Charlie’ Manuel

Armenteros

Charlies “Charlie” Manuel Armenteros, 83, of Valrico, Fla., born in Chicago, Ill. on March 21, 1960, entered into eternal rest on Nov. 14, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Clyde R. Dixon Sr.

Clyde R. Dixon Sr., 97, of Plant City, Fla., born in Clymer, Pa. on Aug. 14, 1925, entered into eternal rest on Nov. 17, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Joy Celeste Ciccarello

Joy Celeste Ciccarello, 81, of Plant City, Fla., born in Fort Walton Beach, on April 19, 1941, entered into eternal rest on Nov. 17, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Ken Lucas

Ken Lucas, 84, of Plant City, Fla., born in Balm, on Oct. 14, 1938 entered into eternal rest on Nov. 19, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

7

8:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23

FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing. If you’ve served any time in the military, retired or non-retention, and would like to review your benefis please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific tim.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26

BEGINNING TANGO LESSONS

10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the 4401 Promenade Blvd. Strawberry Square Dancing will be hosting beginning tango lessons at the Strawberry Square Dance Center this month, an event that’s fun for all with no experience required. The class will cost $7 per person and more information can be found at www.strawberrysquaredancing. com.

PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6 to 9:30 p.m. at 4401 Promenade Blvd. DJ Ken will be hosting the Plant City Social Dance every Saturday throughout the

month of November at the Strawberry Square Dance Center. Cups and water will be available and the event’s cost is $7 per person. For more information or a chance to look at sample playlists, visit www. djkenmiller.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

LIGHTS OF LOVE

5:30 to 8 p.m. at 100 N. Collins St. The 24th annual tree-lighting ceremony at downtown’s McCall Park in Plant City marks the start of the holiday season each year. A 20+ foot live tree is adorned with lights “purchased” by individuals, families and businesses in honor or memory of friends and loved ones, with proceeds benefitting the may services and programs at South Florida Baptist Hospital.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

PLANT CITY CHRISTMAS PARADE

7 to 9 p.m. in downtown Plant City. The Plant City Christmas Parade is right around the corner, bringing a wave of lights and exciting flats back to Plant City. This year’s parade is made possible in part because of their major sponsors in Stingray Chevrolet, Unity in the Community and

the City of Plant City, also in partnership with the Noon Day Rotary of Plant City, the Lions Club of Plant City, Plant City Parks & Rec, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and Winn Dixie. This year’s parade will feature an alternate route, starting at Evers St. and Ball St., heading north on Evers to Reynolds St, turning right on Reynolds and coming to an end near the Plant City Court House.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

BLUEGRASS JAM!

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. This is an open invitation for local Bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup loft and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy! Krazy Kup holds their Bluegrass JAM on the fist Saturday of every month.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

FUN WITH FLOWERS

10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.at 303 N. Evers St. The Plant City Garden Club will host another Fun with Flowers event at the First United Methodist Church in Plant City this December. The event will allow you to

create your own Christmas centerpiece with instruction from Margaret Kirkpatrick, a flwer judge at both the state level in Florida and the national level. Advanced registration is required and admission is $25, covering all supplies and a light lunch however it is encouraged that you bring your own scissors and clippers. The deadline for registration is Dec. 5 and admission can be paid via a check made payable to the Plant City Garden Club and sent to Plant City Garden Club, Att: Donna Severson, PO Box 3471, Plant City Fl.

OPEN MIC NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Open Mic Night is back at Krazy Kup. Join them for a fun night where you get to be the star of the show. Come out, strut your stuff and shw everyone what you’ve got.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN

3 to 6:30 p.m. at 102 N. Palmer St. The Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is back on Saturday, Dec. 17, rain or shine. Cars and trucks manufactured in or before 1996 can register for free starting at 3 p.m. Live music by DJ John Paul Gasca.

A NIGHT OF MUSIC

to

at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Head down to Krazy Kup for A Night of Music with Greg Fuentes and Ava Grace, two phenomenal singers with voices that soothe the soul. Admission is free however donations to the “bucket of love” are encouraged.

FORECAST

THURSDAY, NOV 23

High: 83 Low: 69

Chance of rain: 12%

FRIDAY, NOV 24

High: 85 Low: 69

Chance of rain: 24%

SATURDAY, NOV 25

High: 84 Low: 70

Chance of rain: 23%

SUNDAY, NOV 26

High: 78 Low: 59 Chance of rain: 33%

MONDAY, NOV 27

High: 77 Low: 56 Chance of rain: 6%

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Nov 23 6:57a 5:32p

Friday, Nov 24 6:57a 5:32p

Saturday, Nov 25 6:58a 5:32p

Sunday, Nov 26 6:59a 5:32p

Monday, Nov 27 7:00a 5:32p

Tuesday, Nov 28 7:00a 5:32p

Wednesday, Nov 29 7:01a 5:32p

“We provide compassionate care for you and your family.”

It’s

It’s

not just an ID badge.

a badge of honor.

At South Florida Baptist Hospital, the team members who wear this badge give you high-quality care in a comfortable atmosphere. Our wide range of specialty services includes comprehensive orthopedic care, sports medicine services and total joint replacement procedures. We have a comprehensive gynecology program that offers a variety of women’s services, and our weight loss surgery program meets nationally recognized standards. And if surgery is required, we have surgeons who are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures, which means shorter hospital stays and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. All of this means you get outstanding, compassionate care right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptist.org