2.2.18 PCTO by Plant City Observer

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer

Seniors, Wounded Warriors play ball.

SEE PAGE 12

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 5, NO. 31

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Leap of faith On the cusp of its second birthday, City Pointe Church, the epitome of an underdog, will soon be taking over one of the largest church buildings in Plant City. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

When the sun begins to rise each Sunday morning members of City Pointe Church can be found lugging boxes into whichever building around town has been designated their home for the day. The nomadic congregation has spent approximately 730 days wandering through locations like the

YOUR TOWN

Plant City Family YMCA and the Trinkle Center. The church will be celebrating its second birthday this Sunday, and it will soon unpack its luggage in one of the largest church buildings in town. Scott McIntosh, pastor of City Pointe Church, is taking his new congregation to his childhood spiritual roots. He has signed a two-year lease with First Baptist Church of Plant City to take over their facilities

on Palmer Street and, on Easter, his congregation will open the doors to the sanctuary for the first time in a celebration of the big move. “We have a philosophy of ‘go big or go home,’” McIntosh said. McIntosh said a spiritual revolution is coming and his church is excited to be a part of it. The new facilities will allow his congregation to do more and offer a more diverse set of services than they were able to when the entirety of their belongings could be packed up into a truck. City Pointe was born two years ago in a living room with $3,000 worth SEE CITY POINTE PAGE 6

•

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Justin Kline

Pastor Brian Stowe of First Baptist Church of Plant City and Pastor Scott McIntosh of City Pointe Church said they are both looking forward to the partnership.

Vikings invade The Florida Viking Festival, a historical reenactment group, has been using the Medard Park as its staging ground since last summer. SEE PAGE 4

File Photo

Strawberry Youth Parade applications open The 2018 Strawberry Youth Parade is now accepting participant applications. There will be awards for the best club or group float, best church florat, best marching unit and the best band entry. The awards program for winners will be at the Stingray Entertainment Tent at the Strawberry Festival at 12:30 p.m. March 3. Caroline Brummer, a member of the 2017 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s court, was chosen as the 2018 Strawberry Youth Parade Grand Marshal. The parade starts at 11 a.m. at the State Farmers Market and will move north on Alexander Street to Reynolds Street. Then it will turn on Sammonds Road and end at the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds. For more information contact Pat Pogue at ppogue1559@aol. com or Tray Towles at 813-7544680.

Plant City named as top train watching location Trains Magazine named Plant City as one of “America’s Top Train Watching Locations.” The Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum features a covered, twostory train-watching platform. From there, onlookers can view the at-grade diamond crossing of the former CSX Seaboard Air Line Yeoman Subdivision and the ex-Atlantic Coast Line Lakeland Subdivision. Everything from chemicals to orange juice makes its way across the steel tracks and the occasional Amtrak train will be found toting passengers to and from Tampa. The train-watching platform has a radio scanner, which indicates to viewers when a train is approaching.

Daniel Figueroa IV

Members of the Florida Viking Festival practice spear and shield techniques during a Viking Fitness and Training event, held Saturdays at Edward Medard Park.

Schools raise graduation bar Plant City is the only area in the Hillsborough district to have graduation rates at high schools above 90%. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Thanks to a variety of programs in place at local high schools, Plant City students are one step closer to graduation than many of their peers. The annual graduation rates for the state of Florida, released by the Florida Department of Education, showed Hillsborough County public schools increased its graduation rates to 82.9%, an all-time record for the district. All three high schools in Plant City — Durant, Plant City High

and Strawberry Crest — have graduation rates above 90% and it is the only area in the district to do so. “Our high schools continue to show great successes. These three schools are now all above a 90% graduation rate. Our teachers, administrators, school staff and district employees never lost sight of our goal of putting students first. Now these students have more opportunities for better jobs with higher wages, which creates a positive economic impact on our community,” said Superintendent SEE SCHOOL PAGE 3

Courtesy of Jeannette Teeden

A group of seniors at Durant enjoyed a breakfast provided by Principal Pamela Bowden before they took the October School Day SAT.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

“I think I’m in my childhood dream. It’s always been wrestling. My parents were always a little skeptical of it. A couple of my family members were in wrestling when they were younger. It’s a tough sport.”

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Winners to be announced for the 2018 Best of Plant City awards

— Chas Waller, Athlete of the Week. READ MORE ON PAGE 14.

Passing the gavel

BY THE NUMBERS

7,000

approximate number of volunteer hours logged in 2017 at the United Food Bank of Plant City.

SEE PAGE 6.

he Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce held its 36th annual Passing of the Gavel ceremony on Jan. 25 at the John R. Trinkle Center. Yvonne Fry’s term as the 2017 chair for the Chamber came to a close Jan. 25 as she gave her farewell speech and left the chamber in the hands of Jason Jones. Following a catered dinner and awards, the 2018 board members were brought on stage to be sworn in for the new year. Chamber members also got a sneak peek at Jones’ plans for the upcoming year as he reflected on the lessons taught by former leadership during his time at the Chamber. Jones summed up his passion for the Chamber by sharing the story of his original involvement with the organization. Shortly after establishing his business in Plant City 14 years ago, he enrolled with the Chamber and soon became heavily involved. His hope for 2018 is to pass that love of Plant City and passion for the Chamber on to new and upcoming members.

$150,000

fundraising goal for City Pointe Church’s move into the former First Baptist Church of Plant City’s Palmer Street facilities. SEE PAGE 6.

the number of wins former world champion boxer Christy Martin has under her belt. SEE PAGE 12.

MEETINGS

Betty Fairbanks Art Classes 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesdays at The Classroom Gallery at 1914 Plant City High School Community Center, 605 N. Collins St. For registration or information contact Betty Fairbanks at 813-986-3632.

Voting has officially closed for the 2018 Best of Plant City awards. The winners will be announced Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Chamber luncheon. Winners will be recognized for their work in the community for the following categories: Best Community Event, City Beautification, Community Service, Customer Service, Downtown Enrichment, Economic Development, Entrepreneur of the Year, Employer of the Year, Health & Wellness, Hospitality & Tourism, Rising Leader, Spirit of the Chamber, New Business, Small Business and Business of the Year. Space is limited for the event, which is held at the Arthur Boring Civic Center, 2406 W. Reynolds Street. Tickets are $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers.

Local student chosen for Elks American Essay Contest

Breanne Williams

Taylor Pentecost, a sixth grade student at Marshall Middle School was chosen by the Plant City Elks Lodge as the winer of the Elks American Essay Contest. Pentecost wrote an essay on why veterans are America’s heroes. Nationally, first-place winners in each division will receive a bronze plaque and local lodges offer different awards for the winners. Pentecost received a certificate and $50 for her entry. The national winner will be announced at the Grand Lodge Session in San Antonio, Texas in July 2018.

Yvonne Fry passing the gavel to her successor, Jason Jones. — BREANNE WILLIAMS

Library to host interactive cooking seminar

Plant City Toastmasters WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

7:30 to 9 a.m. Thursdays at the Community Room at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. For more information contact April Lubrano, president, at 813-545-1607.

The 2018 Strawberry Queen Ally Elizabeth Burt said she wants people to look back at her reign and remember not instances where the spotlight was on herself, but rather all of the small moments she used the title to help others.

SOCIAL STATS Likes: 123, Loves: 23, Shares: 2 Comments: 10

“Where are the Kleenex? That is so sweet! Y’all done good Royce Burt and Raquel!”

“She is s great spokeswoman for our city. Enjoy your reign” — Joyce McFaul

— Diana Mitchell Nunez

Save $2.00 on Adult & $1.00 on Youth General Admission Tickets at Publix

Chef Warren Caterson is coming to the Bruton Memorial Library Thursday at 7 p.m. to share cooking tips and humorous anecdotes about the struggle of cooking for two people. He will answer questions regarding pre-packaged frozen entrees, how to upgrade a kitchen and what to do to preserve leftovers. The session will end with Chef Caterson preparing a healthy entree anyone can recreate at home in less than 15 minutes. Register now by calling 813-757-9215.

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer Building New Memories!

2018 Florida Strawberry Festival Guide

March 1 - 11, 2018 • Plant City, FL Artists Appearing on the

Soundstage:

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Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra

Gary Allan

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Justin Moore with Dylan Scott

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Jimmy Fortune Mon. Mar. 5, 3:30 $20

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Casting Crowns

Gaither Vocal Band

Mon. Mar. 5, 7:30 $25

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Tue. Mar. 6, 7:30 $30

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Festival Dates

March 1 - 11 Engelbert Humperdinck Trace Adkins Wed. Mar. 7, 3:30 $30

Charley Pride Fri. Mar. 9, 3:30 $20

The Lettermen

Wed. Mar. 7, 7:30 $25

Thu. Mar. 8, 10:30 FREE

Earth, Wind & Fire Fri. Mar. 9, 7:30 $40

Drifters, Platters and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters Thu. Mar. 8, 3:30 $20

Sawyer Brown

Sat. Mar. 10, 3:30 $20

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Top of the class FROM SCHOOL PAGE 1

Jeff Eakins. Students who graduate with a high school diploma earn an average of $380,000 more during their lifetimes than those who don’t graduate, according to the district. The financial benefits alone have the potential to reshape local economies. Each of the local high schools say an intentional and interactive method is used for students they realize are slipping into dangerous territory. If a student begins to fall behind, they are immediately highlighted and encouraged in a unique way at each location. At Strawberry Crest, Principal David Brown said his students will have a personal mentorship with one of his six assistant principals if they see they are falling behind. His school has a 95% graduation rate and he said while there isn’t one thing they do differently the fact that his students know that somebody cares about them plays a key role in encouraging them to success. “It’s culture,” Brown said. “We really stress the fact that you’re here to graduate. We’re gonna have athletics and extracurriculars but you really are only here for one reason and that’s to graduate. We have that culture where everything really comes back to academics and graduation.” Brown said his staff looks at the school’s data daily and will monitor major checkpoints to make sure the students are meeting the requirements they need to graduate. If they begin to fall behind or if a teacher notices concerning behavior, the student will be pulled in to chat with an assistant principal where they will be offered tutoring or pinpoint what it is that is causing the student to fall behind. A similar tactic is utilized at Durant, which has a 92.3% graduation rate. Principal Pamela Bowden says the key to her students’ success is a four step process. First, they emphasize the importance of attendance and will offer some incentives for attendance. Then they begin to encourage all of their students to get involved in a club or sport. The next step involves ensuring each student has a mentor on campus, whether that be a teacher, coach or staff member. Those mentors and other staff members will then monitor to ensure the student meets the checkpoints needed, like testing well on the ACT and SAT, to have a successful graduation. On the wall in a conference room at Durant are the names of all of the students that are falling behind. Underneath each name are the requirements, the check-points still needed to allow the student to graduate. All staff come in and read the list of names. If they know one of the students or have a bond with one of the students they are encouraged to take them under their wing and help them begin to check off requirements. If Bowden sees one of the students in the halls she will stop and ask how they are doing with their struggling subject or test. “So many of our kids don’t have

Courtesy of Lauren Bergold

Rio Oliver, a senior at Strawberry Crest, with his Graduation Champion and school counselor Lesley Shea. Oliver is an athlete and already has several college offers.

anybody who cares or people are just busy with their lives and the academic piece, when people are struggling to get by, that kind of falls back,” Bowden said. “If we can build a relationship with the kids and emphasize how important it is to graduate because it opens so many more doors, then well, that’s why we’re here.” Bowden is the longest serving principal in Hillsborough County. In her time at the helm she has seen three boundary shifts for her school. She learned that what works for one group of kids is not guaranteed to work the next year for a different group. Her staff is constantly revitalizing and reworking strategies to make sure each student feels loved and encouraged along the way. The process appears to be working. As of January, Bowden said they are down to the smallest group of bottom-quartile students they’ve had. There are only approximately 12 students left that haven’t passed the reading FSA or have a concordance score. In her years at Durant, this is the lowest the school has ever been at this point in the year. Plant City High School also values building relationships between teachers and students. However, it is taking a more long-term approach to inciting students to graduate. Susan Sullivan, the principal at PCHS, said her students need hope. Those who don’t plan to pursue a col-

lege degree or enter the military need to know what options are realistically available to them. In response, the school created a Career Academy where students will learn a trade and be connected to local employment opportunities. Each year, the Career Academy students go on a field trip to local businesses where they learn exactly what benefits, salaries and opportunities are available in their own backyard. This is the second year with the new program and students have already been hired due to the classes. Several students in the auto-tech program have been offered jobs at Stingray Chevrolet. Making those connections helps those without a plan become focused and eager to graduate. Sullivan said her teachers and staff also work hard to coach and encourage those who come through their doors. The school has a 91.2% graduation rate and uses tactics like free tutoring before and after school, offering virtual school and aiding students in preparation for the tests needed to graduate to ensure all of their students are taken care of. She said many of her teachers will come early or stay late to help struggling students while others will aid in networking for those who seek careers straight out of graduation. “For us, it’s looking past graduation,” Sullivan said. “We really focus on community partnership here at

Plant City. We spent a lot of time helping students understand what employment opportunities here in town are and offer an employment fair at the end of the year. I think our field trip, just seeing what great opportunities are available right here, was a real motivator for our kids.”

Courtesy of Raider Champions Foundation

Students at Plant City High School visited local businesses last week to learn what employment opportunities were available in their own backyard.

Strawberry Festival introduces new grandstand The festival board hopes the new grandstand seating will improve the festival’s headline concert experience. DANIEL FIGUEROA IV STAFF WRITER

The Florida Strawberry Festival unveiled its new grandstand seating Monday, marking the first time in the festival’s history its headline acts will perform in a venue designed for concerts. “We’ve taken the festival one step further,” Sandee Sytsma, board chairperson, said. “It’s hard for us to go against history and go against what we know as being the festival, but it’s our job to make it better all the time and look for ways to improve.” The new seating comes with a number of upgrades aside from backed seats. Every aspect of the design and construction was meticulously planned for the optimum experience, Davis said. The new seating wraps around the Wish Farms Soundstage like an amphitheater, the furthest seat from the stage 12 feet closer than the

old stadium’s nearest seat. The facility has improved ramps and walkways, making it safer and ADA compliant, and a sound engineer helped improve the acoustics with details from the fencing down to the perforated, mesh-like underside of each seat. “It took a lot of planning and a lot of meetings,” Paul Davis, the festival president said. “We think we’ve got a state-of-the-art facility that will serve this festival and serve this community for years to come.” The Oak Ridge Boys will be the first to christen the redesigned venue when they open the festival’s headliner run at 3:30 p.m. on March 1. The true test, however, will be Reba McEntire’s Sunday night show, according to Davis. “She’ll fill the grandstand,” he said. “It hasn’t sold out, not yet, but it’s expected.”

Daniel Figueroa IV

The new grandstands at the Wish Farms Soundstage were unveiled Monday.

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Till Valhalla! The Florida Viking Festival takes participants of a trip through time to the golden era of the Viking Age. DANIEL FIGUEROA IV STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of revelers invaded Tampa in the name of piracy, beads and excess for the annual Gasparilla parade celebrating the likely fictional pirate Jose Gaspar. Some 25 miles to the east, Plant City saw an invasion of its own as Vikings took to Edward Medard Park. “Remember one thing about Viking psychology at this time in the world,” their leader, Jarl Erik the Blood Axe shouted through the fur of his thick and greying beard. “They don’t fear death.” “Shield wall!” he calls to his horde as their round shields slam together in a heavy whoosh, creating a solid barrier of wood. “Advance!” they move forward as one, spears thrusting through the empty space between shields. “Measured step!” they find their pace, set by the tallest among them standing in the middle. To the edges go the shieldmaidens, legendarily fierce women warriors particularly adept at close-quarter combat, ready to cut down enemies attempting to break through their flank. For a few hours every Saturday, the park is theirs. They laugh together, train together, fight together and work on recreating with historical accuracy life in the Viking Age. Since last summer, the Florida Viking Festival, a volunteer historical reenactment group, has called the park its home for the free Viking fitness and training sessions they offer. The festival was founded by longtime reenactor Brent Feagans, who becomes Erik the Blood Axe, the group's chieftain or “jarl” (pronounced yarl). He’s been involved in living history for more than two decades through pirate, medieval and Renaissance festivals. A quest into his own Scandinavian heritage, which began 10 years ago, combined with the rise in popularity of the famed Scandinavian warriors through shows like History Channel’s Vikings and Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior, led to the formation of the Florida Viking Festival about four years ago. “I came upon it spiritually. I’m of Scandinavian and Scottish background,” Feagans said. “So, (it came)

Photos by Daniel Figueroa IV

Members of the Florida Viking Festival practice forming a shield wall.

Most of the shields, weapons and furs and other clothing are hand made by members of the Florida Viking Festival to meet historical accuracy.

from the heathenism standpoint, and then Vikings kind of happened on TV and things started getting popular with Vikings. It was a personal vision quest more than anything and it’s just a time period they don’t do festivals for locally.” Since its founding, the festival has grown exponentially, vice-president Michele Phillips said. Participants come from Sarasota to past Orlando to participate. For many, it has become a second family. “We have to have a whole intricate storyline for the fair particularly,” Tyler Dunaway said, “but in our community, we’re all brothers and sisters.” The festival’s next stop is the Bay Area Renaissance Festival where the horde will set up camp and offer patrons an experience like a living museum exhibit, complete with demonstrations of Viking life and interactive games. The Florida Viking Festival is currently in talks with Medard Park to bring a Scandinavian cultural festival to the park in 2018, complete with all the intricacies of Viking weaponry and ways of life. “Everyone can learn the wonderful and crazy things we do,” Phillips said. Dunaway said the camaraderie, and being able to involve his whole family in the fun, bond the troop even more so than the brotherhood he felt during his time in Afghanistan serving with the Marine Corps. One of the biggest attractions in their exhibit, Faegans said, is jomswikinger, a Viking echolocation game where two blindfolded players place one hand on a wooden chest and

take turns asking if they can swing a burlap sack filled with a soft yarn ball at their opponent. “And I want to show an example of marriage therapy,” Feagans says as Will Fray and his wife, Kasey Bryan, dressed in linen tunics and leather turn shoes of the Viking Age, take their positions on either end of a brown wooden chest. Fray doesn’t know it, but Feagans keeps the blindfold off Bryan. “This is marriage counseling,” he says. The rest of the family stands in a circle around them, watching Fray flail away at his wife. He doesn’t ask permission to swing before landing his second blow and is penalized, losing a turn. She asks and he answers “yes,” then crouches next to the box. She creeps to him and pauses for a second, then to laughs and applause, she takes an easy swing to land the winning blow. “This is what we do on Saturdays,” Phillips said with a shrug and a smile.

The city’s solid waste department recently completed transitioning trash removal from county to city in areas incorporated after 1983.

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Left: Jarl Erik the Blood Axe (Brent Feagans) leads a spear exercise.

All city residents now have city-run trash removal

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Above: Tyler and Alysa Donaway play a game of jomswikinger.

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It’s a plan city staff says was more than 30 years in the making. As of Jan. 1, all Plant City residents now have trash removal service provided by the city. Before Jan. 1, areas of the city annexed after the Solid Waste Disposal and Resource Recovery Act of 1983 had trash removal provided by the county. The act was passed in 1983 to help fund bonds on a county-run waste-to-energy plant. Under the act, Hillsborough County retained control of solid waste removal for unincorporated Hillsborough County areas, even if those areas were annexed into other cities. Since the county took over areas annexed after 1983, the city has been trying to get them back to provide more streamlined services to city residents who already have other utilities controlled by the city. City commissioners proved an agreement with the county to take control of solid waste removal in May. The county commission ratified the decision in June. The decision adds about 1,200 new homes to the city’s residential waste removal. “There’s lots of projected growth, especially out on County Line Road,” Solid Waste Director Jill Sessions said. “That was another impetus behind making this happen now. As we see

our city grow, we want to be the provider of all services within our city limits. As the city grows we need to grow with it, as all of our utilities do.” As Plant City has grown, areas haven’t been annexed in perfect squares, so trash removal between city and county trucks has been more like a puzzle piece. “There were neighborhoods where our trucks literally passed each other while collecting on the same street,” former solid waste director Troy Martin said. The county collects trash in bins, while the city collects bagged trash. Often, that can lead to aesthetic discrepancies in neighborhoods. The streamlined services help keep up appearances and ease confusion on code enforcement, Sessions said, as well as providing more personalized service. The transition is the first step to Plant City providing better customer service, commissioners said, a step that took the work of nearly three administrations. According to city documents, the city taking over trash removal from the county “will result in an estimated increase in cumulative net operating income of $7.6 million during the next 10 years for the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.” The city is expected to take over commercial pickup around 2020.

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

What is your favorite theme park? “Oh definitely Disney World. I grew up going to Disney and it’s not just because I grew up in Florida and we have that luxury, I just love the magic of Disney and how they bring joy to children.”

“I don’t really enjoy theme parks. Number one, I don’t have any children. Number two, I don’t like crowds. Number three, I don’t do rides. There’s nothing a theme park has that excites me.”

— Bentley Rae Roberts, 19

“Universal. I love Harry Potter world. Both Universal and Islands of Adventure because the train connects them.” — Cayla Kingsley, 23

“It’s been so long since I’ve been to a theme park. The last one I went to was Universal and I enjoyed that. Vegas is my favorite theme park. I go for the shows and the food.”

“I don’t know that I have a favorite. There’s something unique about each and every one of them. I do like Animal Kingdom and SeaWorld’s fun. I have six kids, so theme parks are fun.”

— Bob Mroczkowski, 60

— Shera Klotz, 55

— Keri Fry, 33

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PLANT CITY TIMES &

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER Locally owned by Ed Verner, Karen Berry, Nate Kilton and Felix Haynes The Plant City Times & Observer is published by Plant City Media LLC, a jointventure of the Tampa Bay Times and Plant City Observer LLC.

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Observer Publisher / Karen Berry, KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt, SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline, JKline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Daniel Figueroa IV, DFigueroa@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Breanne Williams, BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com Editorial Designer / C.J. Major, cmajor@yourobserver.com Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster, LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” — Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

COPS CORNER

City Pointe FROM PAGE 1

of insurance money from a wrecked motorcycle. Now, the congregation regularly sees several hundred attendees. However, even McIntosh recognizes the move is a stretch for the young church. After analyzing the monthly rent and moving costs, McIntosh set a $150,000 fundraising goal to transfer his mobile congregation into the massive First Baptist Church sanctuary. The church has currently raised approximately $50,000, but far more is needed to allow City Pointe to have the resources to fully utilize the new space. If successful, McIntosh said he hopes this move will be the spark that sets a flame behind the spiritual community in Plant City. He said there are over 100 churches in the community, which currently has a population just over 38,000 people, yet City Pointe has prided itself on reaching those who are often overlooked. “This is a town divided by denomination and by race, and we believe Heaven’s not,” McIntosh said. He said that City Pointe is not comprised of people who were going to one church and then decided to attend another. His pews are filled with people who simply are not stereotypical Christians. Former gang members, those with a past of drug and alcohol addiction and even those who simply had to learn to cut down on their profanity on Sundays call City Pointe home, and McIntosh said his doors are always open to his fellow prodigal sons. “Our team will do anything short of sin to bring people to Christ,” McIntosh said. His enthusiasm and genuine love for his neighbor has caused the underdog church to blossom into one of the largest, active congregations in the city. Since its birth, City Pointe has given over $100,000 back to the community and seen over 960 professions of faith. Prior to ever opening its doors, McIntosh sat down with the mayor and asked him to identify what the greatest needs in the city were. Armed with a list, he made it his mission to dedicate everything he had to serving and loving the community. Thankfully, McIntosh said Plant City’s churches have never had a competitive mindset. When he first

ernment, schools or other churches. When McIntosh came along, it seemed like a perfect fit. Leasing the property allows First Baptist to keep several of its services, like its preschool, Spanish ministry and its offices, at the original location until construction is finished at the new property. Ultimately, Stowe said the plan is to sell the property completely, however, no timetable is yet in place to finalize the transition to the James L. Redman Parkway location. “We’re excited about our move and we’re also really excited about Scott and what God is going to do here,” Stowe said. “We’re also grateful there will be some people who won’t have to hurt their backs as much every Sunday putting up and taking down their equipment for services.” McIntosh agreed they are looking forward to being able to take the extra time in the morning to worry about a different aspect of worship other than completely building a sanctuary from scratch. The structure and stability of a physical church home also comes with a challenge. The new sanctuary sits 1,600 people. McIntosh said he hopes his outreach is successful so those pews are regularly filled with people worshipping God each Sunday morning. “This is me putting out a public call to whoever, “ McIntosh said. “If you want to help, we need you. We want to see this city lit up for Christ. I think there’s a revival coming, a revolution. I don’t think it’s far away. I want to be a part of it.”

First Baptist Church of Plant City is transitioning into its new facilities and plans to lease the current building to City Pointe Church.

LANDSCAPING LARCENY 300 block of East Young Street. Burglary: Complainant stated unknown suspect(s) broke into their shed at an unknown time and stole an orange Husqvarna weed eater and a Husqvarna gas-powered backpack leaf blower.

WINDOW SHOPPING Lake Boulevard/Euclid Drive. Multiple charges: An officer responded to an area regarding a report of two male subjects looking into vehicles. The two subjects, both juveniles, were located and arrested for vehicle burglary and resisting arrest without violence. DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT 900 block of East Alabama Street. Stolen/recovered vehicle: Complainant stated an unknown male subject stole his vehicle after he had left it running while visiting a restaurant. The subject only made it as far as one block away before hitting a TECO pole and fleeing the scene on foot. Complainant signed a waiver of prosecution.

JAN. 25

GPS GETAWAY 900 block of West McLendon Street. Vehicle burglary: Complainant stated an unknown suspect entered her unlocked vehicle and stole two GPS devices, valued together at $160, and $2 in coins. Complainant signed a waiver of prosecution.

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IN NEED OF JESUS 2500 block of West Granfield Avenue. Criminal mischief: Complainant stated unknown suspect(s) broke a church’s glass front door overnight but did not enter the building.

CAUGHT RED-HANDED 1 block of West Risk Street. Trespassing: Complainant stated an unknown male subject reached through her open living room window with one hand and unlocked her front door’s chain link lock to enter the residence. The subject entered the home but, upon seeing the complainant, he fled the scene. Subject caused no damage to the home and did not steal anything.

Breanne Williams

started out, Pastor Brian Stowe from First Baptist Church of Plant City encouraged McIntosh to continue his fight for the lost. “(Brian) said ‘Scott, there’s plenty of lost people out there. Just go after them,’” McIntosh said. “I never forgot that.” Stowe said his love for Plant City makes a partnership with any church that has a heart for the lost a nobrainer. He said there are still many needs that have yet to be met and he is excited First Baptist is able to offer City Pointe a place to call home. “It’s pretty evident in our area just as it is in much of America that seven out of 10 people are unchurched,” Stowe said. “We all realize the need. Some are trying different things to reach them. Scott is definitely doing different things than most other churches.” Like McIntosh, Stowe is optimistic about a spiritual revolution in the city. However, he said the only way it will ever take off is if the local churches band together to make sure they are maximizing their reach for Christ. Citing Proverbs 27:17, which says “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” Stowe said partnering with McIntosh and other spiritual leaders will only help straighten God’s impact on the city. When First Baptist began its move to the new facilities on James L. Redman Parkway there were only a limited number of options for its old building. Stowe said selling a church is a unique process because the building is usually only sold to city, gov-

JAN. 19

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Preparing churches for attacks A free seminar offered an active shooter training for spiritual leaders in Plant City. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Try our

All-You-Eat Special!

Breanne Williams

small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that ideology went out the door. In 2015, nine people attending Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina were killed by white supremacist Dylann Roof. In 2014, a gunman opened fire at two Jewish affiliated facilities in Kansas, killing three people. In 2008, two were killed after a man fired a shotgun at a children’s musical performance at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Middlebrooks said society has often found itself devaluing life rather than learning to love one another, a trend he believes will cause shootings and other tragedies to continue to increase in frequency. Every church in the U.S. should be open to training its people, focus on being aware of its surroundings and get over the fear of intruding in the lives of its visitors, Middlebrooks said. “It is better to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent,” he said. If someone new sits in the pews, he said the immediate response should simply be to interact with the guest and find out why they are here and what their story is, to fully embrace the textbook definition of fellowship. “When you’re at church you’re there to worship, to pray and to praise, and you are the most vulnerable at that time,” Middlebrooks said. “The most dangerous place is when you feel the safest. That’s not to make people paranoid. It’s just to keep people aware that darkness is always around you.”

Grate-ful for volunteers Cabot Creamery Co-operative honored volunteers at the United Food Bank of Plant City with a cheese-filled lunch cooked on the company’s mobile grill. BREANNE WILLIAMS

813-571-7630 Tues. - Thurs. 4:30pm to 9:00pm Fri. & Sat. 4:30pm to 9:30pm

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“If they leave more scared than when they came in, we failed,” Hartley said. “What we’re doing is we’re teaching them to be prepared. The chances of being in an active shooter situation is, well, you stand a better chance winning the lottery. But people win the lottery every day.” Essentially, the main advice was to simply be aware of who comes in the door. By practicing situational awareness, the leaders may be able to identify a hostile situation long before the moment turns critical. Dr. Daniel Middlebrooks, the president and CEO of Chaplaincy Care, Inc. and the lead chaplain for HCSO, partnered with Innovative Training and Consulting to present local spiritual leaders with a free training session. Middlebrooks was a pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church in Plant City for more than four years. During his time as pastor, the church established a “sheepdog” and “medical” ministry, which ensured the entire congregation was as safe as possible. “There’s a lot of darkness out there,” Middlebrooks said. “We reflect the light but we can’t close our eyes to the darkness. We need to make sure that we can engage it and protect our people.” He said even with mass shootings increasing in frequency in the U.S., most people assume it could never happen in their home church. Many of the smaller churches often wrongly believe that, due to their limited size, they wouldn’t be ideal targets. After the November 2017 shooting at a

Tuesday, Wednesday sd and nd Thu Thursday! hu day!

VALRICO RD.

Innovative Training and Consulting partnered with Chaplaincy Care, Inc. to provide spiritual leaders in Plant City with an active shooter training seminar.

MT. CARMEL

Spiritual leaders gathered in the Expo Hall at the Strawberry Festival Grounds early Jan. 25 for a free Innovative Training and Consulting “Active Shooter Session.” Approximately 20 attendees drank coffee and took notes while Andy Ross, a retired Captain from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Ron Hartley, a retired Colonel from HCSO, gave professional pointers on how to respond to a threat in a place of worship. “We decided the spiritual leaders need to have this training,” Hartley said. “Unfortunately it’s become much more prevalent than it was in the past. I was a cop 40 years ago and when I started, you never heard of a mass shooting. Now we read about them on a weekly basis, almost.” He said perpetrators will often look for a “soft target,” a place full of people with little to no security. Thus, his company provides training for businesses, schools, churches or any other group that feels the need for a professional assessment of its property and expert advice. If hired, the group will evaluate each individual property and offer a personalized training. When the pastors, priests or other leaders walk through the door, Hartley said they will learn step-by-step responses to take back to their congregation. He wants them to be prepared for both the psychological and physiological responses people go through during a high-stress situation, like one with an active shooter. “We tell them to be prepared,” Hartley said. “You’re not walking around like a coiled spring, ready to jump out like a ninja turtle. You’re aware of your surroundings, situational awareness. What’s going on around you. If the hair on my neck is standing up for some reason, believe it. Trust it. Trust your instincts.” The attendees were encouraged to have a plan of action in place for each of their respective houses of worship. During the seminar, attendees asked questions as Hartley and Ross gave a thorough presentation of what to look for and how to respond. The key, Hartley said, is to not use gory or dramatic tactics to scare lessons into the viewers. Instead, a calm and logical analysis will ensure the advice registers for those in attendance.

418947-1

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC AUCTION STORAGE SALE

In accordance with the provisions of the Florida Self Storage Act (sections 83.801 - 83.809), there being due and unpaid charges for which the undersigned is entitled to satisfy an owner and/or manager’s lien of the goods hereinafter described and stored at the Life Storage location listed below. And, due notice having been given, to the owner of said property and all parties known to claim an interest therein, and the time specified in such notice for payment of such having expired, the goods will be sold at public auction at the below stated location(s) to the highest bidder or otherwise disposed of on Wednesday, 9:00 am, February 14, 2018, at 1005 South Alexander Street, Plant City, FL 33563, 813-759-9526. CUSTOMER NAME

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264408

STAFF WRITER

Photos by Breanne Williams

Above: Debbie Rita, a local representative for Cabot, fed volunteers at a luncheon for the United Food Bank of Plant City. Left: Cindy Stoker, a brand ambassador for Cabot, was the chef of the day and made pimento grilled cheese sandwiches for volunteers at the United Food Bank of Plant City.

grill in the mobile kitchen. Debbie Rita, a local representative, greeted volunteers as she filled their plates with hot, cheesy sandwiches and a fresh salad. Both said it was an honor to be able to serve those who spend their lives caring for others. “Being that Cabot is a dairy farmerowned cooperative, our farmers are the key volunteers within their communities,” Stoker said. “You don’t see Cabot advertising a lot in glossy publications and on television, so our farmers got together and said, ‘Let’s do something with our marketing money to give back.’ So they developed the Cabot Farmer’s Gratitude Grille to provide goodness for good.”

Stoker said Cabot’s prior partnership with UFB made them an easy choice for their Gratitude Grille. She said the company visits food banks across the country but they always love returning to Plant City. The Grille was created in 2014 and hits the road year-round from Florida all the way up the east coast. “We tend to use when we’re in Florida, Florida Natural, because like Cabot they’re also a cooperative of growers,” Stoker said. As volunteers and board members from the food bank enjoyed their fresh lunches, Stoker and Rita happily informed them of Cabot’s love and appreciation for community activism.

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The United Food Bank of Plant City was chosen by the Cabot Creamery Co-operative as the recipients of a visit from the Farmer’s Gratitude Grille. Cabot is no stranger to Plant City. In 2017, the company participated in creating the world’s largest strawberry smoothie at the annual Florida Strawberry Festival. More than 250 gallons of Cabot Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt and 2,000 pounds of fresh Florida strawberries came together for one 1,000 gallon shake. All of the proceeds were donated and a majority of that went directly to UFB. “Out of the blue they contacted us to do their gratitude grill,” Angelica Conrad, operations manager at UFB, said. “It’s something they do out of the kindness of their heart. They just travel from location to location and they cook for the volunteers and the staff of those in the community that do good.” Cabot picks locations across the country where an organization or business is helping the community prosper and honors them with a free hot-cooked meal. Over 500 people volunteer at the food bank throughout the course of the year. In 2017 alone there were approximately 7,000 volunteer hours logged at the bank, according to Conrad. The food bank is run predominately on volunteer labor and Conrad said those who spend their time within UFB’s walls become family for the staff. She said they are always grateful for opportunities to love on those who give back to the community by serving at the food bank. Cindy Stoker, a brand ambassador for Cabot, flipped dozens of grilled pimento cheese sandwiches on the

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Morgan Pierce, the 2018 Junior Royalty Queen. Strawberry Queen’s court member Selena Sue Berrios. Hannah Benton, owner of RAOK Boutique.

Berry latest fashion

Photos by Breanne Williams

The Florida Strawberry Festival Fashion Show had more than 600 people in attendance at the Charlie Grimes Family Agricultural Center.

onned in the latest fashions from local boutiques, Plant City residents strutted their stuff down the runway of the 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival Fashion Show. More than 600 people attended the event and enjoyed a catered dinner prior to the highly anticipated show. The 2018 Junior Royalty Court and the 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and Court modeled their showstopping attire along with many of the residents. Several of the models wore strawberry-themed attire in preparation for the festival. The 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival will run from March 1 through 11. Tickets are on sale now. The theme for the 2018 Festival is “Building New Memories.”

Tony Mathis strutted in his western attire for the annual show. Models ranged in age from senior citizens to infants.

— BREANNE WILLIAMS

The local boutiques featured all showed off their unique strawberry-themed clothing.

Several models sashayed in their finest strawberry attire.

Ally Burt, the 2018 Strawberry Queen.

A model for the nonprofit Hook a Hero.

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Photos by Karen Berry and Justin Kline

Left: The Katz family brought their pit bull, Mekah.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Boar’s Head products now available at

Felton’s Market Felton’s Market Boar’s Head products now available at

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Below Left: The event was a place for dogs to make new friends, though some are more shy than others.

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Bark in the Park makes debut downtown

n Friday evening, McCall Park looked a little "ruff" around the edges. Plant City's first-ever Bark in the Park event brought more dogs than you could shake a squeaker at, as well as vendors, artists and athletics, to the park and the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum. The city's monthly Food Truck Rally served barbecue, Italian fusion, poutine and other cuisines to hungry humans on the other side of Palmer Street. The highlight of Bark in the Park was the Wiener Dog Derby race series, a friendly competition for dachshunds and anything resembling them. Those feats of speed were held at the train museum near its main entrance. Crossing the finish line with blazing speed was Gracie, owned by Robyn Briggs. Missey crossed the line in second place, followed by Harley. Both are owned by Nick Briggs.

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Navigation to Wealth Creation

Opening Night Special

Left: Dude, the pirate, enjoying the festivities. Below: The winners of the Wiener Dog Derby.

Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Original Score. The Drowsy Chaperone is a loving send-up of the Jazz Age musical, featuring one show-stopping song and dance number after another. Music & Lyrics by: Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison. Book by: Bob Martin & Don McKellar.

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only available in advance at Hardee’s Fashions & at the door Advance tickets available at Hardee’s Fashions 1501 N. Wheeler St., Plant City FL 33563

or at the door while available 101 N. Thomas St. Plant City, FL 3563

online

to purchase tickets online and for additional info: www.pceshows.com Ticket prices do not include $1 service fee per ticket for online orders

Original Broadway production of the Drowsy Chaperone produced by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Bob Boyett, Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag and Jill Furman. The Drowsy Chaperone is presented through special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th St. New York, NY 10019

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Above: Tense moments at the start line for the Wiener Dog Derby

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264341

— OBSERVER STAFF

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

FRIDAY, FEB. 2

A SHORT DRIVE

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE 8 to 10 p.m. Plant City Entertainment presents “The Drowsy Chaperone,” a hit Broadway musical that has won five Tony Awards. The show will run Feb. 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 11. Fridays and Saturdays are at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $14 for senior citizens, $14 for students and $12 for P.C.E. members. Tickets can be purchased at Hardee’s Fashions, online at PCEShows.com and at the door while supplies last.

SATURDAY, FEB. 3

BROOKSVILE NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 5360 Lockhart Road, Brooksville. This two-day event is a celebration of art, culture and history. Runs from Saturday through Sunday evening. Native American dancers and musicians will perform and there will be fine arts and crafts available. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for kids over age 5 and free for those under 5.

SATURDAY, FEB. 3

PLANT CITY BIKE FEST 5 to 9 p.m. The Plant City Bike Fest is held four times a year at the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum. It features a motorcycle show, food trucks, a vendor market and live music. For more information contact Laura Leslie at 813-754-3707. THE FLORIDA OPRY 6 p.m. The Florida Opry is held at 1914 Plant City High School, 605 N. Collins St. This month features Blue Cypress Bluegrass and Randy Scott the Master of Ceremonies. Admission is $15 for adults and $8 for students. Tickets can be purchased at 813-757-9226 or by visiting https:// EHHSoc.org.

MONDAY, FEB. 5

PLANT CITY AREA DEMOCRATIC CLUB 6 p.m. at the Bruton Memorial Library. Social time is at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Mr George Niemann will address the club about a petition to amend the County Charter regarding term limits for the Board of County Com-

BEST BET SATURDAY, FEB. 3

10TH ANNUAL CELEBRITY CHEF DINNER 7 to 9:30 p.m. The United Food Bank is hosting its 10th annual Celebrity Chef Dinner featuring Fabio Viviani, Bravo’s Top Chef Fan Favorite. The event is held at the Trinkle Center and tickets are $100 a person. For more information call Leigh Scott at 813-764-0625 or visit www.ufbpc.org/celebritychef.

ONLINE For more events and ongoing events, visit

PlantCityObserver.com

missioners. There will be a working session on activities the club can undertake regarding its priorities.

a healthy entree that anyone can replicate in their own homes in less than 15 minutes.

THURSDAY, FEB. 8

FRIDAY, FEB. 9

BEST OF PLANT CITY AWARDS CEREMONY 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Presented by The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce at the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds Arthur Boring Civic Center, 2406 W. Reynolds St. Tickets are $40 for members and $50 for non-members. COOKING FOR TWO 7 to 8 p.m. The Bruton Memorial Library is hosting “Cooking for Two.” Join Chef Warren Caterson as he shares kitchen tips, cooking hints and humorous anecdotes about the joys and challenges of cooking for two. The session concludes with a demo of Chef Warren preparing

2018 BLACK HERITAGE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL 6:30 p.m. February 9, 10 and 11. Friday’s event is the 15th annual Black Heritage Gala at the Trinkle Center. The keynote speaker is Attorney Jeraldine Williams. Tickets are $35 per person and must be purchased in advance. For more information, contact Sharon Moody at 813-4537134.

JOIN WITH A FRIEND...

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FRIDAY, FEB. 9

28TH ANNUAL WINEFEST 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 28th annual Winefest at Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards is $10 for adults and free for kids age 12 and under. Artists and crafters will show their work and live music will be played outdoors throughout the weekend. Wine, beer, soft drinks and food are available, as are complimentary tours and tastings.

Here’s how it works... 1 Invite your non-member friend to join the YMCA with you. 2 Visit a Tampa YMCA together, take a tour and join.

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3 Once eligibility is verified you will both receive 20% off your monthly dues as long as you both are members!

PLANT CITY FAMILY YMCA | 1507 YMCA Pl., Plant City | 813 757 6677 | tampaymca.org

OMG IT’S WEDNESDAY!

Our Grand Opening date of February 9th,

PLANT CITY FARM AND FLEA MARKET

at 11AM – giveaways will be included.

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We accept call in and online orders at www.normascuban.com

WEDNESDAY FLEA MARKET OVER 40 ACRES . . . MORE THAN 500 VENDORS

Stay tuned for a ‘Night at Norma’s’ event”

(a 3-course dinner hosted once a month, reservations required.) Follow us: www.facebook.com/normascuban/ & Instagram @normascuban for promotions.

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Carl ‘Neal’ Craven

Joean Boatwright Taking care of Taking care of each other is what each other is what

Carl “Neal” Craven, 80, of Plant City, born in Grant City, Missouri, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 22. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

Dr. Ken A. Wetherington

Dr. Ken A. Wetherington, 57, of Plant City, born on April 4, 1960, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 24, 2018.

James Lee Hamilton, 77, of Mulberry, born on March 26, 1940 in Smithfield, Mississippi, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 29. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

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Joean Boatwright, 77, of Lithia, born on Nov. 17, 1940 in Lepanto, Arkansas, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 26. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

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land, born in Columbus, Indiana, City, passed away at home Jan. 24, City died Jan. 25, 2018. Edward “Gene” Eugene Cumbie, 81, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 14. 2018. Visitation was held Jan. 30 at passed away on Jan. 27, 2018. Expressions of condolence at www. Visitation at Wells Proudly Memorialsupporting Turkey Creek First Baptist Church, the Plant City Strawberry Festival. Online condolences can be left for HopewellFuneral.com. service at Cork United the family at haught.care. Proudly supportingand thefuneral Plant City Strawberry Festival. followed by a service. Methodist.

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Robert E. Clayton Robert E. Clayton, 78, of Plant City, born in Attalla, Alabama, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 24. 10/27/15 10:42 AM Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

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Clayton James Edenfield Clayton James Edenfield passed away at the age of 64 on Jan. 16 at his home in Plant City. He is survived by his three children, Clayton Edenfield Jr., Candis Edenfield and Michelle Edenfield; siblings Salina Faison, Sheila Page, Steve Edenfield and Linda May; mother Ester Blocker. The family will be holding a private ceremony on Friday Feb. 2, 2018.

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FEBRUARY 2, 2018

SPORTS Do you have a good sports scoop for us? Email Justin Kline at jkline@ plantcityobserver.com.

Crest cheer takes regionals Strawberry Crest’s cheerleading team kept its hot streak alive at the FHSAA regional championships on Saturday, winning the competition and booking yet another trip to states. Crest placed first with a score of 84.20. Runner-up Sebring finished with 72 points. St. Cloud, George Jenkins and East Bay rounded out the top five. The Class 1A state championships will be held Feb. 5 in Gainesville at the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Jackson places at Texas gymnastics event Plant City gymnast Amari Jackson, a past Plant City Times & Observer Athlete of the Week, tore it up in Texas over the weekend. Jackson traveled to Dallas to compete in the 2018 Metroplex Challenge, placing first in her two events. Jackson also scored a 9.7 out of 10 possible points in her floor routine.

FHSAA, NFHS change high school football rules The governing bodies will make several changes to the system beginning this fall. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Last season, the Florida High School Athletic Association introduced a big shake-up for prep football with a new playoff system. The move to a pointsbased method was well-received, and the FHSAA voted Monday to approve a series of tweaks to the rulebook to improve it. The most talked-about change came for schools in classes 1A through 4A, as the board of directors approved to bump the regional playoff field up from four teams to six for the upcoming 2018 season. The top two seeded teams will receive a first-round bye week. That move will not affect foot-

ball in the Plant City area, however, as Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest are all Class 7A schools. Area schools will be affected by the other moves, though. The FHSAA approved a five-point increase for losses taken to opponents in all four tiered categories, meaning a Category 1 loss is now worth at least 35 points, Category 2 losses net 30 points, Category 3 losses net 25 points and Category 4 losses net 20 points. Coupled with the bonus a team can earn from playing a team that made the playoffs in the last two seasons, a Category 1 loss can be now worth up to 38 points. There will also be changes to the way in which future games are rescheduled. Hurricane Irma magnified the need for clear-cut rescheduling rules early last season, as the storm killed two weeks of football throughout the state and left many schools to make impromptu deci-

sions on whether to cancel or make up games. Though the new rules will likely not be defined and implemented until around August, the FHSAA’s goal is to make sure all programs are prepared for any similar scheduling emergencies in the future. Another change coming to the game affects the play clock. The National Federation of State High School Associations’s football rules committee proposed the idea to allow states to institute a 40-second play clock, scrapping the current 25-second clock in all instances except during kickoffs and following penalties. The FHSAA’s Athletic Director Advisory Committee voted to approve switching to the extended clock if the NFHS implements the new rule. Plant City-area coaches view the playoff system and recent changes positively. Durant head coach Mike

“Districts lock you into a schedule that can be beneficial, or not … our district is OK because it’s a pretty tough district. Not top-heavy like others. But there are others where that’s not the case. It’s not equal.” — Coach Ron Hawn

SEE RULES PAGE 13

Wounded Warriors, ISSA bring softball tourney to Plant City

The groups also played an exhibition game and home run derbies Friday night.

The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department/Optimist Club’s youth soccer league is accepting registrations for its 2018 season. The league, open to boys and girls age 4 through 18 (as of June 1, 2018), hosts games on Saturdays and Tuesdays at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2402 E. Cherry St. Teams are organized by age and gender into 11 groups and, with the exception of the 4, 5 and 15-18 groups, they practice once per week at most. Families have until Feb. 7 to sign their children up for the season, which runs from March 20 through May 24. Call-outs for team assignments will happen from Feb. 20 through 22. The cost to sign up is $35 per child, which includes insurance. The PCRPD office accepts cash, checks, money orders and credit cards. Register in person at the office, 1904 S. Park Rd., from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or by mail. For more information, visit PlantCityGov.com. To download the registration form, visit PlantCityGov.com/ DocumentCenter/View/19746.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The International Senior Softball Association/World Baseball Softball Confederation Tournament of Champions was in full swing over the weekend. Plant City hosted many of the tournament’s games, which were played around Hillsborough County, and Plant City Stadium played host to a series of home run derbies and an exhibition game between the ISSA All-Stars and the Wounded Warriors Amputee Softball Team on Jan. 26.

“They bring in 25 amputee children and they teach them some softball skills,” Thomas said. “More importantly, they show them they can do just about anything they want. I’m sure it helps with the selfesteem of the children, to see (the players) as role models.”

PCHS baseball to host Little League clinic Plant City High School’s baseball team is preparing to help Plant City Little League coaches and players step their games up. The coaches’ and players’ camp will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 10 at Mike Sansone Park, 1702 N. Park Road. The Raiders will cover fundamentals, skills and drills. Last year, coach Mike Fryrear and the Raiders teamed up with Butch Valdes, Donnie Scolaro, Gary Graham and the Durant Cougars for a similar coaches’ clinic at Mike Sansone Park.

— R.B. Thomas

“We got all our games in, got a lot of compliments from the players on many teams about our program and the facilities there,” organizer R.B. Thomas said. The tournament brought in more than 130 teams from around the country in 20 men’s and women’s divisions. It also served as a fundraiser for the Wounded Warriors team’s annual summer camp, where the athletes Justin Kline

The 2018 tournament featured 20 divisions.

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

SEE SOFTBALL PAGE 13

JUSTIN KLINE

FHSAA makes progress with football rules The FHSAA’s football playoff rule changes seem like logical steps for the new system.

ast year’s sweeping changes to the FHSAA’s playoff system were welcome but, in my opinion, imperfect. The governing body’s board of directors put their seal of approval on proposed tweaks in their meeting on Monday, though, and I believe it’s an upgrade across the board. The only item that wasn’t unanimously supported by the FHSAA from start to finish was the five-

point increase for losses in every category. It was proposed on the basis that teams who schedule tougher opponents would be better rewarded for taking a loss, but I really don’t think it was necessary. I’m cool with it, but I don’t know that it’s perfect. I would prefer a measure which was discussed that awards tierbased points for schools that play up because I believe it on its own would force scheduling to be more selective

and less likely to end with big-time teams getting “cupcake” schedules. That measure won’t be added until at least 2019, however. We really need the upcoming updates to game rescheduling methods, so I’m glad the FHSAA committed to making that happen. Hurricane Irma caused chaos for everybody’s schedules in a way I’d never experienced before and, while our schools were able to work things out when the time came to get something done, I think the storm showed us we had a need for some changes and may not have known the extent until it left town. Even

if we don’t get another Irma-like storm in the near future, I’d rather we have clear, concise guidelines for rescheduling and not need them than need them again and not have them. And then, there’s the field expansion. Classes 1A through 4A will have six-team playoff fields, with first-round byes for the top two seeds, so the extra week they got last postseason would now be used for games. It makes sense considering those teams are now considered “independents” and do not play in districts. I wouldn’t say any of these rule

changes affect our teams profoundly, like bumping the field up to six teams for all classes would have (Durant could have benefitted directly from that last season, having barely missed the cut), but they’re not likely to hurt the game, either. I thought Strawberry Crest coach Ron Hawn brought up a fair point when he told me Monday afternoon getting rid of districts entirely would be Florida’s best bet. Though I doubt that will happen in the next two seasons, I agree that it’s probably the SEE KLINE PAGE 13

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

PUBLIC NOTICE Applications will not be taken online The Plant City Housing Authority will be accepting applications for the Public Housing Program waiting list on Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 at 9 A.M. Interested individuals may pick up a housing application at our main office located at 1306 Larrick Lane in Plant City. We will be accepting a total of 200 applications under the following categories:

• 2 BR- 50 • 3 BR- 100 • 4 BR- 25 • 5 BR- 25

applications applications applications applications

The waiting list will be closed once the above sublist have been received INCOME LIMITS Persons in Family

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FROM PAGE 12

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Photos by Justin Kline

The Wounded Warriors Amputee Softball Team scored five runs in the first inning of the Jan. 26 exhibition game.

spend a week with amputee children to teach athletics, life skills and more. “They bring in 25 amputee children and they teach them some softball skills,” Thomas said. “More importantly, they show them they can do just about anything they want. I’m sure it helps with the self-esteem of the children, to see (the players) as role models.” Thomas said he and the ISSA hope to see more people come out to next year’s tournament, especially the ISSA-WWAST all-star game. Other than that, he said, the tournament experience was just what the organizers and players were hoping for. “I think the tournament went very well,” Thomas said.

Elderly and disabled individuals needing a reasonable accommodation may call (813)752-0569 on Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 starting at 9:00 a.m.

Boxing icon visits Plant City gym Christy Martin brought four fighters from Charlotte, North Carolina, to train with Fire Fist Boxing Promotions this week. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Christy Martin knows what it takes to make it in the world of boxing, and she’s taking four fighters on a path that runs through Plant City. Martin, a former world champion with 49 wins, a Sports Illustrated cover and the title of first woman in the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, is working with a group of fighters from Charlotte, North Carolina to prepare for her namesake boxing promotion’s Feb. 23 fight card. This week, North Carolina lightweight champion Stevie Massey, Joe Jackson, Jamaal Gregory and Michael Williams Jr. are training in Plant City and sparring at Plant City Boxing Gym with local promotion Fire Fist Boxing.

Rules FROM PAGE 13

Gottman had nothing but praise for the system Monday afternoon. “It was kind of a feeling out process with the whole new system. I had said long ago that I felt like you needed to be good if you’re gonna go to the playoffs,” Gottman said. “I made the comment that I didn’t want to be in the playoffs if I didn’t have a good team … I’m for it. I think it’s fair.”

“Stepping outside and getting some tougher, better quality sparring in, and see what’s out there in the real world. That’s why we’re here,” Martin said. Martin will be inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame in June and the Boxing Writers Association of America named its inaugural Female Fighter of the Year award after her in December. World No. 1 Cecilia Braekhus is the award’s first recipient. "It’s been pretty cool, a little bit overwhelming … in 20 years, 30 years, somebody’s going to get that award and they’re gonna have to Google Christy Martin to find out who she was, what did she do and why was it named after her," Martin said. "Hopefully it’ll last a long time." Fire Fist is set to host an event March 3 in Clearwater. William Silva, who signed with the local promotion in the fall, will fight Rogelio Casarez in the main event as both men try to win the IBO Continental North American Lightweight Championship and the National Boxing Association World Lightweight Championship.

Strawberry Crest head coach Ron Hawn said that, while the new playoff system and rules are a clear improvement over what was previously in place, the FHSAA still has a ways to go before it’s truly fair and beneficial for all teams. “You want to give everybody a chance to compete and have a positive experience in football,” Hawn said. Hawn said scrapping districts would be the best way to ensure scheduling is done fairly to let every team compete at the highest level they can. He would like to see the top eight

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? FROM KLINE PAGE 12

best way to ensure that our playoff system is always going to allow the very best teams in our state to make the cut. There’s something to be said about your team winning its district, sure, but it’s another thing entirely when that district champion is getting blown out in a playoff game

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The Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex was the site for many of the games.

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This week’s Sudoku answers

Justin Kline

Christy Martin is the first woman to have been inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

teams from each region make the cut, and believes Florida will eventually get rid of all districts and move to that regional format, as was done with classes 1A through 4A. “Districts lock you into a schedule that can be beneficial, or not … our district is OK because it’s a pretty tough district,” Hawn said. “Not topheavy like others. But there are others where that’s not the case. It’s not equal.” The FHSAA also officially expanded golf season to have 16 contests.

This week’s Crossword answers

JUSTIN KLINE

against a much better opponent while solid teams that didn’t benefit from the scheduling process sit at home. It’s progress being made in a relatively new system, and perhaps lessons learned from this year’s postseason play can be used to make it even better for our area teams and all others in 5A and up in 2019 and

beyond. What matters now is that the FHSAA is taking steps in the right direction. Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Times & Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

2018

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Chas Waller Strawberry Crest senior Chas Waller’s goal is to place at the FHSAA wrestling state championships, and he’s currently on a roll. Waller was recently named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Sickles High School Jerry Brisco Challenge after finishing with a 5-0 individual record, helping the Chargers team go undefeated and place first overall. Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue. Photos by Justin Kline

How did you feel going into that tournament? I felt pretty good. I’ve had a couple of obstacles throughout the season but came back to practice. Had to get a clear head, clear mind and keep wrestling no matter what … I had a clear mind, went out there, had to do my thing and that’s what I did.

Crest's seniors were honored during the meet with Chamberlain.

Crest wrestling wins on senior night

even Strawberry Crest seniors experienced their last high school home meet Thursday night, leading the way to a 56-18 win over Chamberlain. Chad Grassel, Taeler Green, Kisean Ruth, Osvaldo Sandoval, Jake Spray, Colton Tanner and Chas Waller were celebrated with their families after the first match of the evening. The team’s two student managers, Destiny Cox and Clair Gill, were also honored on the mat before the rest of the action began. Senior Trenton Davidson was also honored but missed the meet with an illness. The Chargers now have a 31-5 overall record. The Class 3A-District 6 tournament will be held at George Jenkins High School on Feb. 17.

What obstacles did you have to overcome? I kind of lacked a little bit of motivation. You’ve got to stay strong and keep going, keep moving forward. The more work you put into it, the more the payoff is.

wrestling. College is my next step in life, so I’m just working on that and focusing on grades, schoolwork and what to do in my next chapter of life. What’s your plan for college? I want to go to and graduate from UF for dentistry. What sport have you never tried but always wanted to? I think I’m in my childhood dream. It’s always been wrestling. My parents were always a little skeptical of it. A couple of my family members were in wrestling when they were younger. It’s a tough sport. My dad was definitely nervous about it because there’s a lot of risks, injuries. I kept telling him, “Let’s go, let’s go” and I ended up starting at Brandon Wrestling Club … I think it’s an awesome sport. How are you doing in the classroom? What’s your favorite subject? I’ve got straight A’s right now. I’m dual enrolled at Hillsborough Community College. I’m just trying to get my free education as much as I can … probably my favorite (class), I’m really enjoying economics.

As a senior, this is your last ride as a Charger. How far have you come since you started wrestling here? I think I’ve come quite a long way. I’ve got my team to back me up no matter what. I’ve got a great coaching staff that’s always been there through the hard times. Without them, I don’t know if I would have been here today. It’s been a tough road. But I’ve always got them to back me up and keep me going.

The Crest and Chamberlain wrestlers put on a show for the fans.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned out there on the mats? Brotherhood. Having the team behind you no matter what, win or loss, having the coaches right there to teach you not only through the sport … but also throughout life. They’ve taught me a lot of life lessons that I’ll keep with me forever.

— JUSTIN KLINE

What other sports do you play? I just do wrestling right now. It’s a full-time job. It’s always been

Triston Davidson won his match in the first period.

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Do you have a photo that speaks to the heart of Plant City? Send it to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

SUNRISE / SUNSET

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High: 77 Low: 51 Chance of rain: 10%

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SATURDAY, FEB. 3 High: 75 Low: 58 Chance of rain: 0%

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High: 81 Low: 63 Chance of rain: 50%

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Mar. 1 Full

MONDAY, FEB. 5 High: 76 Low: 54 Chance of rain: 20%

STRAWBERRIES Shipping point: Orlando $8.90 to $12.90 Jayla Taylor got a nice surprise Jan. 23 when she became one of the first people to meet the 2018 Strawberry Festival Queen and Court out in public. “The ladies were all so sweet and engaging with her,” Taylor’s mother, Vanessa Borges, said. “Talk about making a little girl’s day!” Borges wins this week’s I Love Plant City photo contest.

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102 Place for the first couple 104 Heal for good 105 Romantic couple’s plans 112 Three gift bearers seeking Jesus 113 Words with bend or lend 114 Hand out cards 115 Home for a falcon 116 Third-generation Genesis man 117 Chatter on foolishly 118 The Old Sod 119 Hag relative 120 Too-heavy drinkers 121 Tipped, as a dealer 122 “Mush!” vehicle 123 Daly and an English river

OctopusCarWashFlorida.com CELEBRITY CIPHER

title 52 Warm Alpine wind 55 More than chubby By Luis Campos 56 U-turn from include Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from 57 Accessory quotations by famous people, past and present. 58 Email attachment, Each letter in the cipher stands for another. sometimes “C LWFZ MLNM C’T NDUNSY 59 Indian state 60 “We Can Work ___” YMKAIIDCXI ... SWA GZHZDWF ULZX 62 Capital near the 60th parallel SWA’KZ YMKAIIDCXI. ULZX SWA’KZ 64 “___ say!” (parental order) YMKAIIDCXI, SWA IZM YMKWXIZK.” 65 Charles who wrote the Maximus poems – NXGKZU INKRCZDG 66 Words after “My country” 67 Car allowing leg-stretching “LX WGCNC’O OHCVLXLV DOWN 68 A certain Middle East1 Tennis player’s concern erner NCOLOWDUVC WP ZPBCU BDFLUT 2 Kinks hit 69 Word in some U.S. state 3 Viking god of war names BPALCO, L RJOW VGPPOC WP 4 “My fault!” relative 70 Highest country on Earth 5 Concession stand drinks 75 “I blew that” LTUPNC WGDW DO DU PKOWDVYC.” 6 Like corner joints in 77 One making ground carpentry – FDWGNMU KLTCYPZ 7 Expressions of repugnance strokes? 8 One of three in a 1970 war 78 Showy stoles 79 Time-signature go-with film title ©2018 NEA, Inc. 80 Shower-ready 9 Cut short 81 Angrily agonize 10 More in need of refining 83 Country girl? 11 Try another color on 84 Hand-thrown bombs 12 Scratch a liftoff Complete the grid so that every row, column 86 Type of British court 13 Expert and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 89 Be flexible again 14 King of horror inclusively. 90 Emulated a helicopter 15 Morally pure 91 “... lived happily ___ after” 16 Tommyrot or nonsense 92 Ribbed or teased 17 Psychology’s soul 93 Baby’s parental word 18 Mortise’s mate 94 Banded metamorphic 28 Distance letters rock 29 Be overly fond of (with 97 Apexes “on”) 98 Bat’s fertilizer source 34 Dog collar attachment 99 Problem for a grain 35 Dot in the Atlantic farmer 36 Fit ___ (be just right) 100 Stealthy fellow 37 Superboy’s Lang 101 Relative on mother’s side 39 Hit a fly 103 Make so, legally 40 Dashboard dial, briefly 106 Geisha’s ornamental 41 Acting Kingsley accessory 43 Goalpost-shaped letter 107 Astronaut Armstrong 44 ___-Roman wrestling 108 Truth counterpart 45 Technique-practicing 109 Laundry item piece 110 Great cloud to be on 46 Comic’s question 111 Leads a horse right 47 Dixie dish 50 Country in a Beatles song ©2018 Andrews McMeel Syndicate 2-1-18

Puzzle Two Clue: R equals J

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31 Any computer operator 32 Mathematical sub1 Grabs (with “onto”) grouping 6 Cur relative 33 One whose job is murder 10 Climbers’ rocky 35 “___ all work out” obstacles 38 Say over 15 Activity in an online room 41 “Adam ___” (Eliot novel) 19 Neck-ringing event? 42 Common cleaner couple 20 “Young Frankenstein” 44 Swell chap role 45 Humpty Dumpty, 21 Do a debate activity famously 22 Put an edge on 48 Hawaiian porch 23 Homer’s epic (with “The”) 49 Card player’s bullet 24 No ___ traffic 50 Vase on a base 25 Be smitten with 51 Diet ad caption 26 Like all of your relatives 53 “About when” inits. 27 Breakfast couple 54 It may be capped or 30 Sport for the big

chipped 57 Place for mass people? 59 Rabbit-sized rodent of South America 60 Type of ballistic missile (Abbr.) 61 ‘70s boogie-down spots 63 Improve text 64 Couple of editing tasks 71 Highly spiced stew 72 Semi-modern record player 73 Lie form 74 Take on, as mortgage payments 76 Break of day 77 WMD since ‘52

79 “Madam Secretary” network 82 Like an active chimney sweep 83 Chew the fat 84 Melted caramel, e.g. 85 Dazzling display 87 Like two Beethoven symphonies 88 Muffin variety 90 Couple of places 94 Celt on the Isle of Man 95 How some travel between continents 96 About three 97 Your to-do list 100 A Vegas natural

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