Plant City O YOUR HOMETOWN. YOUR NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 11, NO. 28
YOUR HOMETOWN. YOUR NEWSPAPER
FREE • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
PLANT CITY READIES TO HERALD IN THE NEW YEAR IT’S A NEW YEAR WITH OLD CELEBRATIONS. MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
Our city residents have been commemorating the ending of one year and the beginning of another with food, music and family and friends for more than 150 years but cultures around the world have been celebrating for several millennia. Sometimes these were simply an opportunity for people to eat, drink and make merry, but in some places the festivities were connected to the land or astronomical events. When I married into my husband’s family, their traditions included running around the house at midnight with suitcases (which they said invited new adventures in the New Year) and eating 12 grapes (one for every month to bring year-long good luck). As you and yours make merry with whatever traditions you hold dear, do you ever wonder where they came from? Well, we’ve done the research and here are some facts about the holiday and its associated traditions. What does “Auld Lang Syne” mean, and why do we sing the song at midnight on New Year’s Eve? The words to the song “Auld Lang Syne” are attributed to Scotsman and poet Robert Burns in the late 1700s. The first verse of the song has come to be firmly associated with New Year’s celebrations. Literally translated, the first line is translated into English as “Old Long Since.” The lyrics are about friends having a drink and recalling adventures they had long ago, maybe not a far stretch from what New Year’s Eve revelers do as we say goodbye to one year and welcome in a new one. When the Canadian-born bandleader Guy Lombardo and his band played the song at the turn of the new year in a series of radio broadcasts in 1929 that continued for more than 30 years, he created the tradition in North America. So belt out the lyrics of the song this year at midnight. It’s tradition. Who determined that January 1 was going to be the start of the year? January 1 hasn’t always been the first day of the New Year. In centuries past, other dates have marked the start of the calendar, including March 25 and December 25. In the 1570s Pope Gregory XIII commissioned Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius to come up with a new calendar. In 1582, the Gregorian calendar was implemented, omitting 10 days from the former calendar and establishing a new rule that only one of every four years should be a leap year. Since
then, people have gathered on January 1 to celebrate the precise arrival of the New Year. Why do we make resolutions for the new year? People have been making New Year resolutions for thousands of years. For early Christians, the first day of the New Year became the traditional occasion for thinking about one’s past mistakes and resolving to do and be better in the future. Even though it has roots as a religious tradition, why not resolve to focus on one or two things to improve in your life in the coming year? When setting goals, keep them SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. Why do some people eat collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day? Collards represent cash and black-eyed peas represent coin to bring wealth in the New Year. Honestly, forgo meat for one meal and you’re already saving money. How long has New York been hosting its famous ball drop? The famous ball in New York’s Times Square has been lowered every year since 1907, with the exceptions of 1942 and 1943 (when the ceremony was suspended because of WWII). The current ball, weighing nearly six tons and 12 feet in diameter, is covered with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and illuminated by 32,256 Philips Luxeon LEDs. While the Times Square ball drop is arguably the most famous, the annual tradition of ball “dropping” dates back to the early 1800s. What are some New Year traditions in other parts of the world? In Denmark, throwing unused dishes against the doors of friends and family to banish evil spirits. They also stand on chairs and jump off them at midnight to ‘leap’ into January in hopes of good luck. In Ecuador, they celebrate by burning paperfilled scarecrows at midnight. They also burn photographs from last year, all in the name of good fortune. In Greece, it’s traditional to hang an onion on the front door of your home on New Year’s Eve as a symbol of rebirth in the New Year. The following day parents wake their children by tapping them on the head with the onion. While there’s no definitive proof that any of these traditions actually work, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try one or two out. It’s sure to make for a memorable New Year’s Eve.
2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
SEE PAGE 2
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
JANUARY
Plant City kicked off 2023 with a month chock full of events. Martin Luther King Jr. Day events kicked off on Jan. 13 with opening ceremonies at the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center. The event featured keynote speaker Reverend Maxi Miller of New City Church of Plant City and presentations by Lincoln Elementary Magnet School’s music department and Marshall Middle Magnet IB World School’s Gentlemen’s Quest Club. The following day shut down the streets for the MLK Parade including businesses, floats, bands, and more, all led by Grand Parade Marshal Karen Chambers, retired Colonel U.S. Army and member of the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers. Events continued with the 5th Annual Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration at the Bing Rooming House Museum, and a Health and Fitness Fair, both held later that week. The Arts Council held ChiliFest on January 28 with approximately two dozen professional and amateur chefs testing their culinary skills at the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum. Alex Chazares was pinned as a new Eagle Scout and we introduced you to Leola McDonald, a Bealsville resident who celebrated her 105th birthday! The Strawberry Festival Pageant was held and a new Strawberry Festival Queen and Court were selected. Junior Royalty Winners were also crowned.
FEBRUARY
The excitement didn’t slow down in February. The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce held their Annual Chamber Gala and it was an 80s-themed event. In addition to parachute pants, teased hair, and awards, the outgoing Chairman of the Board, Irene Castillo passed the gavel to the 2023 Chairman of the Board, Wesley Joyner. Rick Lott was named 2023 Outstanding Citizen of the Year at the Kiwanis Club of Plant City’s Annual Award Luncheon and two new Plant City Police officers, Luz Alonso and Heather Snell, were sworn in to protect and serve the citizens of Plant City. First Baptist Church of Plant City played host to the Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The prom is open to anyone living with disabilities 14
and older and is held simultaneously all around the globe, at locations on almost every continent. We introduced you to Melanie PassPark, a clinical nurse coordinator at HCA Florida Plant City Emergency. She recognized the need to serve the homeless patients treated at the hospital and started Mel’s Care Closet to give clothes or new shoes to those in need. Lincoln Elementary Magnet and Marshall Middle Magnet Schools were honored with National Merit Awards for their commitment to high academic standards. The Durant Cougars girls basketball ended their regular season with an 18-4 record by topping Sickles and the Plant City Raiders boys advanced to the district championship game.
PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
PlantCityObserver.com
APRIL 2023
MARCH 2023
Of course, the month of March kicked off with the Florida Strawberry Festival! This year the event drew record crowds with 606,116 visitors. The last Saturday of the event saw 103,000 people enter the gates making it the largest single-day attendance in its history. In addition, the Festival held its first-ever Special Smiles Day, inviting guests with special needs to enjoy a sensory-considerate festival environment. Sixteen local high school students were recognized for their submissions to the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s largest, longest-running scholarship and recognition program for teenage artists and writers. The 11th Annual Dean’s Ride was held with 223 riders raising roughly $14,000. The City of Plant City’s Finance Department earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its fiscal year
2022-2023 budget from the Government Finance Officers Association. Chief Financial Officer Diane Reichard and her team work hard to keep the city’s budget balanced. Longtime Executive Planner, Mark Hudson, received a proclamation for his dedicated service to the city. He retired after more than 35 years of service to Plant City and Hillsborough County. The Planning Board’s official findings and recommendations on the Walden Lake Community Unit District were forwarded to the commission. The document detailed the board’s findings, which stated the proposed application is inconsistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan, incompatible with surrounding uses, does not meet the requirements of Chapter 102, Plant City Code, and is not in the public interest.
MAY 2023
In May, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, stopped in Plant City to speak at the 41st Annual AgriTech Trade Show, held by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. Plant City Fire Rescue added a new state-of-theart fire truck to their fleet and Kyle Robinson took over as the Florida Strawberry Festival President. Plant City High School held a retirement party for beloved outgoing principal Susan Sullivan after 41 years in education and eight years as principal at PCHS. The new principal was announced as Traci Durrance, who served as the principal at Tomlin Middle School since 2009. Relay for Life helped raise more than $73,000 for cancer research at a six-hour event that included teams and individuals walking or running
around a marked track. Knights Elementary was one of the top team fundraisers with more than $10,000 in donations. PCHS Track & Field headed to Jacksonville for the FHSAA Class 4A Track & Field State Championships. Trae’veon Smith finished 10th in the state in the 200 meters, and the boy’s 4x100 relay team of Amauri Jackson, Jason Davis, Roderick Jackson, and Smith also finished 10th. On the girl’s side, the 4x100 relay team of Makenzie Holmes, Makayla Holmes, Jalayah Shaw, and Erica Holloman finished 11th in the state with a time of 48.31 seconds. Future Career Academy Future Fair hiring event helped students get a jump start on their careers and the 61st East Hillsborough Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner was held.
In April, incumbent city commissioner Michael Sparkman, won another term, besting newcomer Jeremy Griner. The city got a bit more colorful as the Trash Can-Vas Project brought public art to downtown. Artist Courtney Dodson transformed a new dumpster into a work of art. The dumpster is located in the parking lot off Palmer Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. “Always in Season” features Florida-native flora and fauna. Former Plant City Mayor and retired civil engineer, Randy Larson, purchased a kit to build a Rans W-21 Outbound, a two-seater, 180-horsepower all-metal high-wing aircraft. The New Hope at The Cornerstone church building is to be converted to mixed-use development. “Our vision for the commercial space is similar to
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Armature Works in Tampa but on a smaller scale,” Thom Buck, Principle Capital director of operations, said. “We’ve already been approached by owners of high-end barbershops and several eateries, some that are in Armature Works, who are interested in this project.” Brandon Snyder, owner of Roots, is taking on a new project, Propagation Whiskey Bar and Kitchen in the location formerly occupied by Big Dog’s Patio at 103 Palmer St. We introduced you to the “heroes in headsets,” otherwise known as telecommunicators. They answer both emergency and non-emergency calls for service. Planes, Trains & Automobiles was back after a two-year hiatus and the Plant City Police Department’s two new K-9s compete their training.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
BEST OF COPS CORNER 2022
PLANT CITY
Observer
We’ve compiled the very best of Cops Corner over the course of 2023.
istock
Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Sports Writer / Dylan Tice dtice@plantcityobserver.com
JANUARY 15
MARCH 17
OCTOBER 6
WILD GOOSE CHASE 1800 block of W. House St. Warrant arrest / RAWOV: Multiple officers responded to the residence at the listed location in reference to an individual being at the residence with an active warrant out of Hillsborough County. Upon the officer’s attempt to make contact at the front door, the individual fled out the rear door and jumped a fence to the east of the property and enters the rear yards to the east of the property. Officers gave chase on foot giving verbal commands to stop. The individual was located and arrested hiding in the backyard of a separate residence, the warrant was confirmed and the individual was transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.
ORDER UP 1600 block of W. Baker St. DUI arrest: An officer responded to a business at the listed location in reference to a driver that appeared intoxicated with an open container in the business’ drive-thru lane. As a result of the investigation, one individual was arrested for DUI and driving a commercial vehicle with a suspended license.
FIGHT AT THE FAMILY DOLLAR
APRIL 7
THE DISH RAN AWAY WITH THE APPLIANCES 1400 Block of Tahitian Sunrise Dr. Burglary (Residence): An officer responded to the listed location and was informed of a theft of kitchen appliances.
JANUARY 21 JUMPING CARS 1100 block of W. Ball St. Warrant arrest: An officer made contact with an individual after responding to a report that they were jumping on cars at the listed location. The individual stated that they jumped on a car because they were being chased by a dog and a records check of the individual revealed an active warrant issued on Jan. 19 out of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The warrant was verified and the individual was subsequently arrested and later transported to Orient Road Jail. The officer then additionally made contact with a separate individual who advised that their car was the one jumped on. Upon inspection, it was noted that no new damage was observed as a result.
MOPED, MO PROBLEMS 4600 block of SR 574 DWLS arrest: An officer conducted a traffic stop at the listed location in reference to a moped rider traveling down Turkey Creek Rd. with no eye protection. The individual was subsequently placed under arrest for felony driving with knowledge of a suspended license and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.
JUNE 23
Officers responded to Family Dollar where two female employees got into a verbal argument that turned physical. No injuries were reported. Both declined to pursue criminal charges and signed waivers of prosecution.
OCTOBER 27
DECEMBER 4 OVEREXPOSED- EXPOSURE OF SEXUAL ORGAN 2600 Block of James L. Redman Parkway An officer met with the complainant, who reported a male exposed himself.
FROZEN IN TIME 300 block of Faison St. Petit theft: An officer responded to the listed location and met with the victim in reference to the theft of food from a shared freezer.
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We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements. To contact us, send your information via: Email: Sarah Holt, SHolt@ PlantCityObserver.com. Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B, Plant City, FL 33563
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Plant City Observer
is locally owned by Ed Verner, Karen Berry, Nate Kilton and Felix Haynes The Plant City Observer is published by Plant City Observer LLC.
This week’s Crossword answers This week’s answers Jumbles:
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
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JUNE 2023
In June, City Commissioners Michael Sparkman and William Dodson took the oath of office, pledging to serve the citizens of Plant City with unwavering dedication and integrity. The commission also convened to appoint Nate Kilton to continue to serve as mayor. The second Annual Juneteenth Celebration, a celebration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, was held over four days. Master Police Officer, Dennis Pawlowski retired after 28 years of serving his community and the Plant City Police Department launched its body-worn camera program, announcing all officers would be equipped with cameras going forward. The Plant City Memorial Day Event was held to remember those who died and to recognize veterans. The event showcased residents’ patriotism and gratitude for
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JULY 2023
those who served their country. The Plant City community rallied behind a 13-year-old diagnosed with rare cancer. Avery Fales was diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) sarcoma in May. Big Red Barn events and the AlexStrong Foundation said it was their largest event ever. A mega-adoption event was held with hundreds of dogs seeking forever homes and Hole In One Donuts made Yelp’s list of Top 100 Donut Shops. Plant City native Bob Hobkirk was set to represent USA Triathlon at the 2023 World Championship in Hamburg Germany and local karate competitors Elijah West, Nathan Gould, T.J. Bright and Mason Green were selected to represent both Plant City’s Chris Welbon Karate and their country as members of the 2023 AAU National Team at the WUKF World Karate Championships in Dundee, Scotland.
Residents of Plant City came together in July with plenty of southern charm to celebrate Independence Day as the annual July 4th festival wrapped up with a spectacular fireworks display that lit up the night sky. The stadium served as the backdrop for the festivities, where families and friends gathered to enjoy an evening filled with patriotic fun, food and entertainment. The same month, hundreds of empty chairs filled the Trinkle Center Monday night at a special city commission meeting where commissioners considered a Request for Proposal (RFP) submitted by the non-profit East Hillsborough Historical Society (EHHS) relating to the restoration of the city-owned 1914 Plant City High School Community Center. The proposal, which detailed the City deeding the building to the EHHS along with a three-phased approach to make repairs, was ultimately opposed. Commissioners favored a lease agreement between the City and EHHS. July also saw the first residents moving into their new homes at Farms at Varrea,
the 1,008-acre master-planned community located north of I-4 and west of Charlie Taylor Road and Pasco County Firefighter/ Paramedic Patrick Dudkiewicz honored for saving the lives of two gym-goers in one week at CrossFit Plant City. Plant City AMVETS Post 44 presented a $15,000 check to K9 Partners for Patriots, an organization that provides service dogs to Veterans.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
AUGUST 2023
The Plant City Stadium was alive with activity on Sat., Aug. 5 for the third annual community picnic with first responders. The event, organized by a collaborative effort between local authorities, emergency services and iImpact PC, aimed to dispel any apprehensions children might have towards first responders and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for their crucial roles in safeguarding the community. Community residents came out to show their support for TD Bank’s new Plant City store, located at 308 Alexander St. Celebrations included a ribbon cutting, food, entertainment, games and prizes. A centennial birthday deserved a celebration. Burney Elementary, located at 901 E. Evers St., turned 100 years old this month. The event included speakers
SEPTEMBER 2023
who were former alumni and staff, a tour of the original structure with student historians sharing facts about the building, a walking museum featuring photos of the school’s rich history and refreshments. The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation recently announced the 2023 Florida’s 11 to Save, a list of the most threatened historic places in the state, at the 2023 Preservation on Main Street conference. The 1914 High School Community Center made the list. Plant City Police Department (PCPD) welcomed four new officers into its police force: Benjamin Cundiff, Ryan Garcia, Gabriel Galvan and Demarcus Smith. High school football also swung into gear when the Durant Cougars opened their football season before a huge home crowd and pulled out a massive 48-6 win over the Chamberlain Storm.
Plant City City Commission recognized Commissioner Michael Sparkman for his 30 years of service as a commissioner. The commission also adopted the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget, set at $108,79,353. The budget included a substantial investment in the city’s workforce. Full-time, non-bargaining employees received a 13.5 percent salary adjustment on Oct. 1. The question of what to do with approximately 400 gallons of ultra-purified, recycled water from Plant City’s Advance Water Treatment Plant was answered by Keel Farms owner Clay Keel. Keel, who had toured the city’s One Water Demonstration Facility earlier in the year with Leadership Tampa, tasted the clean, direct potable reuse (DPR) water and thought he could make beer with it. He did just that and hosted a tasting event at Keel Farms. Speaking of beer, the second-annual Oktoberfest transformed downtown
streets with the sights and sounds of polka music and lively dancers and drew a crowd of thousands. Plant City said goodbye to the Forbes Road Produce Stand, which had been a part of the community for more than 30 years. Its colorful road signs could be seen by motorist traveling on I-4 and many of them would stop by to pick some delicious, local produce. Plant City resident and avid runner Roger Chapman, along with three teammates from across the country, set the American 4x800 meter record in the 4x800 meter race for the 60 to 64 year old age group. The Strawberry Crest Chargers made their way to Riverview, coming away with a 35-31 win over the Spoto Spartans to move to 2-0 on the year. The Durant Cougars made their way to Bloomingdale, coming away with a 38-7 victory over the Bulls to stay undefeated and move to 3-0 on the season.
PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
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OCTOBER 2023
Walden Lake residents were shook this month when Walden Lake LLC filed plans, citing the Live Local Act, for a multifamily development on approximately 319.26 acres within the Walden Lake community that would include 1,530 multifamily units and 468 townhome-style multifamily units, comprised of one- and two-bedrooms+ units up to three stories high. In a significant boost to higher education in the community, Hillsborough Community College’s Plant City campus was awarded a grant of $1,352,277 million to employ data-driven, research-based methods to remove barriers to enrollment and increase the number of full-time students pursuing and successfully completing a degree or program.
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NOVEMBER 2023
The United Food Bank of Plant City was on the move. It relocated to a temporary facility at 2001 E. Cherry St., the former Autotronics Building on the campus of Hillsborough Community College, while a new larger facility is constructed on its existing location. The Plant City Family YMCA installed a new playground for its members, allowing its youngest members to slide, climb and swing to a healthier lifestyle. In sports news, just one week removed from their thrilling and chaotic comeback win over district rival Sumner, Durant played host to Sickles as the Cougars ran away with a big 44-15 victory over the Gryphons.
Plant City residents had no shortage of spooktacular Halloween fun. Festivities kicked off Friday night with Plant City Main Street’s “Nightmare On Main Street,” where thousands of people, many in costumes, strolled city streets in search of candy. There was plenty to go around. Also held that evening was Monster Mash at the Plant City Stadium. Some residents attended both events! What a difference a year makes for Alex Rae Rhoades, who went from judging the Dancing with the Locals event last year to taking the stage this year with her dance partner Phil Davis and winning the first place trophy. They also raised a lot of money, more than $39,000, to help the Plant City Rotary Club achieve its mission of providing service to others. The Surprise Patrol, comprised of representatives from Hillsborough Education Foundation, Hillsborough County Public Schools and various sponsors, visited several schools throughout the county this week with clappers at the ready as they revealed and celebrated the outstanding educators and district staff selected as finalists for this year’s Teacher of the Year, Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year and Instructional Support Employee of the Year. Plant City Firefighter/paramedic Devin Johnson was named Plant City Fire Rescue Firefighter of the Year. His commitment to his profession and relentless pursuit of knowledge has earned him this peer nomination.
The City of Plant City City Commission unanimously adopted a resolution at its regularly-scheduled commission meeting to direct staff to transmit map amendment PC/CPA 22-15 to the Florida Division of Community Development (DOC) and other state and local agencies for their review and comment, despite objections from local landowners. The applicant is requesting a future land use designation of Industrial for a 243.4 acre site located on Swindell Road.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR DECEMBER 2023
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We don’t have to look back to far to look for happenings in December. We haven’t yet ended the month. Plant City kicked off the holiday season in style with the heavily-attended Lights of Love and Plant City Christmas Parade. It didn’t take long for residents to get into the giving spirit, as residents, business owners and civic organizations kicked it into high gear to help make Christmas dreams come true for hundreds of local children and families. Cops went shopping for local schoolchildren. The Plant City Black Heritage and Des’Aimes Social Club hosted the Santa Sled Festival. The holiday spirit was palpable as people thought of others before themselves. In other news, music goers from near and far camped out for Florida Strawberry Festival concert tickets, which went on sale Dec. 7. Marshall Middle Magnet IB World School Assistant Principal Chandra Todd was named 2023-2024 Hillsborough County Assistant Principal of the Year. In municipal news, Plant City updated water, sewer and wastewater rates.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
BEST OF CUTEST CRITTER 2023
We love highlighting your furry and scaly friends whenever we can, and readers kept a steady stream of cuteness in our email inboxes and Facebook messages this year.
Evie
KitKat
Godzilla and Snowy
Gracie
Titi and Tito
Mia
Molly
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YOUR CALENDAR
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
BEST BET TAMPA BAY’S FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS & SANTA’S VILLAGE Nov. 23 6 p.m. to Dec. 31 9 p.m. at 215 Sydney Washer Rd.
Stop in to see Tampa Bay’s Festival of Lights & Santa’s Village before they close up shop for another year. This hometown holiday festival features more than a million lights, new entertainment and the gift of family fun. For more information visit hillsboroughcountyfair.com.
ONGOING THE LIGHT OF CHRISTMAS
Nov. 26 to Jan. 1 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 3309 James L. Redman Pkwy. Come experience the Light of Christmas, a 40-minute drive-in light show featuring more than 80,000 synchronized lights, great music and a message of hope.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 2 DANCING LESSONS
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Strawberry Square Dance Center, 4401 Promenade Blvd. Dust off your dancing shoes and take modern western square dancing lessons at Strawberry Square Dance Center. The first lesson is free. To register, call Cherylene at 770-825-6513.
and self-care strategies and management. To register visit https://bit.ly/RRMH-23.
take place at 3 p.m. at Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center.
PLANT CITY DANCE PARTY
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20
7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Strawberry Square Dance Center, 4401 Promenade Blvd. Social, line, folk and easy square dancing. No experience necessary. $8 per person. Call Al at (813) 7520491 for more information.
3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Downtown Plant City This monthly event celebrates the automobile in all its former and current glory, from classic muscle cars to works-in-progress. This family-friendly event features dozens of cars on display throughout the downtown area, music, food trucks and more.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 STORY TIME ON THE GO- HEALTHY HABITS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 6
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center, 1601 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Story Time on the Go is an event for preschool-aged children and parents/guardians to gather around a good book and enjoy an activity together. Discover a new theme and story each month at different destinations around Plant City.
RESET & REFRESH
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13
9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Trinkle Center, HCC Campus Join National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Anointed Life Ministry of Plant City for a discussion about mental health and wellness, caregiver support
PLANT CITY STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10 PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES 2024
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4007 Airport Rd. This annual community event features a wide variety of family activities at the Plant City Airport. See real aircraft and radio-controlled aircraft displays and demonstrations, a car show and operating model train layouts. There will be many hands-on stations for kids, bounce houses for the littles, food trucks, local vendors and more. Children 10 and younger are free. Ticket pricing is $7.50 online in advance and $10 at the gate. Parking is free.
PLANT CITY MLK FREEDOM PARADE 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Downtown to MLK Recreation ComplexThis annual event celebrates MLK Day is free and fun for all. Following the parade, a drumline will
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
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BEST OF I LOVE PLANT CITY 2023 We don’t need to tell you Plant City is an extremely photogenic place — you know that as well as anyone, and you showed us throughout 2023 with your photos of life around this strawberry town.
Send your photo submissions to staff writer Michelle Caceres at michelle@plantcityobserver. com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.
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April Sullivent
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ACROSS 1 Rene of “Ransom” (1996) 6 Not as expensive 10 A bit loopy 14 Part of “the works” on a burger 15 Old man, in German 16 Needle case 17 1950 Gloria Swanson film 20 Peanut butter choice 21 Like wax fruit 22 Note from one who’s shy? 24 Laser pointer chaser 25 1979 Jim Henson film 33 Get out of bed
34 Jazz instruments 35 Peruvian singer Sumac 36 Squirrel’s hoard 37 Credited in an endnote 38 Place to tie up a boat 39 24-hr. cash source 40 Equestrian 41 “That’s __!”: “Piece of cake!” 42 1988 Demi Moore film 45 News initials 46 __ bunt: productive MLB out 47 Looks at closely 52 “John Wick” star Keanu 57 2002 Woody Allen film ... or what each of the
last words of 17-, 25- and 42-Across can be 59 “Garfield” dog 60 Baseball family name 61 Dalai Lama’s land 62 Have a craving for 63 Appraise 64 Clairvoyants DOWN 1 PBS painter Bob 2 E pluribus __ 3 Chinese: Pref. 4 Fair-to-middling 5 Previous 6 Chem class 7 Fair-haired Wells race 8 Flabbergast
9 Chose 10 Actor Danny who appears in M&M’s commercials 11 Run __: drink on credit 12 Roll and bind, as a sail 13 Laundry soap brand 18 Commandment pronoun 19 Red-wrapped cheeses 23 Positive aspect 25 “The __ is out there”: “The X-Files” catchphrase 26 Blackjack request 27 Handy Scrabble tile 28 Eucharistic plate 29 Applies, as pressure 30 Competing (for) 31 “Know what __?” 32 Wyatt of the Old West 33 Future MD’s class 37 1860s North-South conflict 38 Letter before omega 40 Settle, as a debt 41 Climbs 43 Rental from a renter 44 Tortoise racer 47 Website with step-bystep instructions 48 “Star Wars” sentence inverter 49 Tiger Woods’ ex 50 1970 Kinks hit 51 Chimney residue 53 Actress Falco 54 Vague feeling 55 The “E” in DOE: Abbr. 56 Some NCOs 58 Deserving
Kathy Flemister
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2023
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