2.21.19 PLCO by Plant City Observer

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL ON HORIZON The city is finalizing preparations for the annual Florida Strawberry Festival and has tips for both local residents and first time attendees. SEE PAGE 6

A BERRY ROYAL EXHIBIT

Breanne Williams

Marsha Passmore, Court Member Olivia Frazier, Firsts Maid Madilyn Conrad, Queen Kendall Gaudens, Court Member Jada Brown, Court Member Kennedy Cullins and Dodie White.

Each year the Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and Court are invited to witness a grand reveal of the Festival’s Queens exhibit. SEE PAGE 11

KERR DOUBLES UP

ON HOSPITAL PRESIDENCY

Karen Kerr has been the president of South Florida Baptist hospital since 2013. Now she is adding president of Bartow Regional Medical Center to her resume. SEE PAGE 5

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

NEWS BRIEFS

Courtesy photos

Left: Children in the Everyday Blessings program receive gift cards. Right: Lily Batley and Mary Catherine Stephens won the Feb. 18 Oratorical Contest in Plant City.

Festival names replacement after Steven Tyler cancels Steven Tyler and the Loving Mary Band are no longer performing their March 3 concert at the Florida Strawberry Festival. The band announced Sunday that the show was to be cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Anyone who purchased tickets can get a refund at their point of purchase or, in the case of ticket purchases made by credit card, will get an automatic credit to their account. The festival announced Wednesday afternoon the opening left by Tyler will be filled by cover band Pitbull Toddler, of which Tampa-based radio personality Mike Calta is a member. The Pitbull Toddler show is free with paid gate admission.

Elks donate $2,625 to Everyday Blessings Thanks to the Plant City Elks Lodge, 28 children and five caregivers can go on a small shopping spree. The Elks donated $75 gift cards, totaling $2,625, to those in the Everyday Blessings program on Feb. 12. Everyday Blessings works with abused and neglected children and allows siblings to stay together. “The children were so excited when told they could spend their money on anything they wanted,” Judy Wise said. “God bless them. They have had a rough time in their short lives.”

Optimist Club hosts Oratorical Contest The Plant City Optimist Club’s annual Oratorical Contest was held Feb. 18 and tasked area students with answering the prompt, “Is there a fine line between optimist and reality?” Participants gave presentations from four to five minutes in length to an audience of more than 20 people. Lily Batley won first place and Mary Catherine Stephens was runner-up. They will advance from the club level to the Zone 6 contest, which will take place March 18 in Plant City and see Batley and Stephens take on the top finishers from the Lakeland and Winter Haven areas. The top two finishers from that competition will move on to the Southwest Regional Contest on April 13, also to be held in Plant City. Competitors in the event can win college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. Nine speakers from Plant City have won scholarship money since 2001 and the two most recent winners, Caroline Brummer and Katelyn Yarbrough, also advanced to the contest’s World Championships.

Free swim lessons at the Y The Plant City Family YMCA and nine others in the Tampa Bay area are offering free swim lessons from March 18-21, hoping to turn around a disturbing trend. According to the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, 11 children drowned in Hillsborough County in 2018 — more than any other county in Florida and more than the 2016 and 2017 totals combined. The YMCA and Florida Blue Foundation are trying to reverse the upward trend. The Y’s Safety Around Water program is a free event open to children of members and non-members. Kids age 3-12 can learn skills to get comfortable in the water and reduce their risk of drowning with the four-day course. Participants must bring their own swimsuit and towel and must be present on the first day of the program to continue. Pre-register at tampaymca.org/programs/swimming/water-safety.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

REKINDLING THE LOVE OF FLIGHT The annual Planes, Trains & Automobiles event is this weekend and thousands of youth will flock to the Plant City Airport to take part in the festivities.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Every child dreams of being able to soar among the stars, of reaching out and touching the heavens. Thanks to Plant City’s chapter of the Experimental Aviation Association local youth can turn those dreams into a reality. During the ninth annual Planes, Trains & Automobiles event children age eight to 17 years old can take a spin through the clouds with the Young Eagles flights where EAA Chapter 1178 members offer their skills and planes for free flights. The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce organizes the annual event to help local youth fall in love with the aviation, automotive and train industries. The lessons have stuck and some of the children that first came years ago have grown up and are now pursuing careers in the aviation field. “We have had kids that maybe were in Scouts or just came with their families and they take a flight with us and fall in love with flying,” Ed Dasilva, a member of EAA Chapter 1178 and PTA committee member, said. “The get into aviation programs, they go to local aviation schools like the

one in Lakeland and they’re now pursuing a career in the industry.” One such student is Liam Chancey, who participated in the inaugural PTA and by the time he was 17 years old had officially learned to fly. He’s channeled that passion into his future and is currently enlisted in the United States Air Force. The Chamber said there are many other students who say the exposure to the world of aviation at the annual event is what sparked their interest and led them to pursue their passion as a career. There’s something for everyone at PTA. The event will have the free flights, Boy Scout Merit Badge opportunities, Cub Scout opportunities, a kid’s play area and a large variety of vendors. There will also be displays and demonstrations involving planes, helicopters, remote control planes, model trains, automobiles, K9 demos, Plant City Police Department and Plant City Fire Department, CSX safety demonstrations and computer flight simulators. Local aviation schools will also be onsite to talk about their programs. Families walk around and

strike up conversations with the many passionate volunteers who are there to educate and inspire the young attendees. “A lot of people helped me when I was younger,” Dasilva said. “I’m retired now, I’m 74 years old and I’m just trying to give back to the community. Not just me, but the entire EAA Chapter 1178 in Plant City. A lot of kids right now when you ask them what they want to be when they grow up they don’t know. We’re trying to help them get passionate about aviation.” Dasilva could fly an airplane before he could legally drive a car. He was a teenager and knew with complete certainty he had found his life’s purpose. He said he hopes that same fire can be lit in the hearts of the young attendees every year at PTA. It goes beyond wanting to simply share their passion with society. The entire world is facing a pilot shortage. Boeing projects the world demand for new pilots will reach 790,000 in the next 20 years. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there were approximately 827,000 pilots in America in 1987. That number has has decreased by 30

File photo

Planes Trains & Automobiles is being held this Saturday at the airport.

percent over the past 30 years. Yet the industry itself is only continuing to grow as more and more people turn to the skies as their preferred method of travel. Dasilva said he wants the youth to know that they will have a career for life that pays them “more than a decent wage” if they’re willing to pursue that passion into a job. “If we have just one or two kids that really have an interest we will help them follow that passion,” Dasilva said. “We know how expensive it is, after all we are all pilots ourselves, but there are scholarship programs they can get involved with. There’s so much they can do. If they want help, we can help them.” The members of the local EAA chapter come from all walks of life and backgrounds. Their combined years of experience is extensive and the mentorship opportunities lying in wait are boundless. The one thing they all share is their passion for flight.

The hope is the youth that walk away from Saturday’s event will leave with that same fervor. The opening ceremony kicks off at 10:30 a.m. and the trophy presentation will be at 2:30 p.m. The event itself runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Plant City Airport, 4007 Airport Rd. Registration for the free flights closes at 1 p.m. and is limited to 150 flights that are given out on a first come, first serve basis. Admission is free, but parking is $5.

File photos

The annual PTA event lets youth touch the sky and meet local experts.

IF YOU GO Planes, Trains & Automobiles When: Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Plant City Airport, 4007 Airport Rd. For more information: Visit bit.ly/2RFbX1J Cost: Free to attend, $5 to park

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

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BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL GUIDE COMING FEBRUARY 28

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Advertising / Robert Verner Robert@PlantCityObserver.com

JUSTIN KLIN

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SEND US YOUR RECIPES

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The 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival will be here before you know it, and we’re already hungry. The Plant City Observer’s 2019 Festival Guide will feature a strawberrythemed recipe section and we’re looking for some of the tastiest recipes in the community. Whether it’s strawberry pie, cookies, salads or anything you’ve got that makes for a “berry” sweet treat, we’d love to feature it in the upcoming guide and give you a shout-out. Your recipe will be seen by thousands of people and just might be the next big hit in kitchens inside and outside of Plant City. If interested, please send your recipes and a photo of the dish (if possible) to Staff Writer Breanne Williams at bwilFebruary 22, 2019 liams@plantcityobserver.com by Feb. 23.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

KAREN KERR

NAMED PRESIDENT OF BRMC Kerr has been the president of South Florida Baptist Hospital since 2013. She is now expanding her presidency to Bartow as she extends her leadership to the Bartow Regional Medical Center.

Breanne Williams

Karen Kerr accepting the 2019 Best of Plant City Economic Develompent Award for South Florida Baptist Hospital. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

South Florida Baptist Hospital president Karen Kerr has been leading within the BayCare system for approximately three decades. Now she has been tapped to add President of Bartow Regional Medical Center to her resume. The new title will act as a conjunction rather than as a replacement to her current role at SFBH. Bartow lost its president, Phil Minden, in Jan. 2019 when he took the role as president of St. Joseph’s Hospital - South in Riverview. Kerr is expected to officially slip into the double duty on Feb. 25. “I am excited to have the opportunity to expand an already great hospital and continue to improve upon the strides the team has made in quality improvements,” Kerr said in a news release. “I look forward to building physician relationships and becoming involved in the Bartow community.” For almost 30 years now, Kerr has held a variety of roles at SFBH and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. She officially became

the president of SFBH in Plant City in August of 2013. SFBH is a 147-bed acute care facility that offers a variety of diagnostic, rehabilitative, therapeutic, surgical and women’s services. BRMC is another acute care faculty that serves Bartow, Fort Meade, south Lakeland, Mulberry, rural south Polk County and northern Hardee County. It has four surgery suites and two gastroenterology suites on top of its emergency services. “South Florida Baptist Hospital is part of the fabric of the Plant City community and my commitment to the continued success of our relationship is unwavering,” Kerr said. “Fortunately, we have strong leadership teams both here and in Bartow, so I’ll have tremendous support while taking on additional responsibilities.” Under Kerr’s leadership SFBH has transformed into an award winning institution that provides exemplary care. When she was brought on the hospital was breaking ground on a new surgical center. The expansion brought the total number of operating rooms up to seven and helped keep patients in need of care in Plant City

File photo

Kerr has served as president of SFBH since 2013.

so they didn’t have to drive to the other side of the county for surgeries. Since then the hospital has opened a heart and vascular center, won the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, added a cath lab, created the Charles and Betty Grimes Critical Care Center, achieved the Pathway to Excellence designation and continues to rank in the top percentage of hospitals of its size for a variety of its services. Kerr received her bachelor of science/ nursing degree from the University of South Florida, Tampa and a masters of business administration from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale. On top of being president of SFBH, Kerr has also served as president of the Tampa Bay Organization of Nurse Executives. She’s no stranger to the Plant City community and is attendance representing the hospital at most events in town. She’s been the chairman of the Plant City Family YMCA as well as chairman of the Plant City Daybreak Rotary Club. In 2016 she

received the Plant City YMCA’s Strong Leader Award. She is currently a member of the executive committee of the Plant City Economic Development Corporation. Just last month Kerr was inducted as the chairman of the Plant City Chamber of Commerce where she is already working tirelessly to further advance its membership services and build bridges between Plant City and Tallahassee. “Karen is a dynamic leader who has been with BayCare for almost 30 years,” Glenn Waters, executive vice president and chief operating officer of BayCare, said in a news release. “As president of South Florida Baptist Hospital, she has worked to develop new initiatives for neurospine, surgery, obstetrics, radiology and patient experience. We are confident that her expertise will be an asset to Bartow as the hospital continues its focus on extraordinary care.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

CITY FINALIZES PREPARATIONS FOR FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL We’re less than a week away from Plant City’s largest event and the city has some advice for both local residents and visitors.

File photos

Each year the festival is filled with hundreds of thousands of guests for the rides, shows and unique entertainment. It can be chaotic and the city has advice for incoming visitors. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

In exactly one week, Plant City will be flooded with hundreds of thousands of visitors as the town reforms for the annual Florida Strawberry Festival and the city has some “professional advice” for both local residents and visitors coming to town. “As you know, we’ve been doing this for a very long time and we’re well-rehearsed at it,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “Every department in the city pretty much plays a role: police, fire, solid waste, utilities, building, code enforcement, everyone has something to do. We’re just geared up with our normal plans and ready to

provide the services that are needed for a successful festival.” Plant City natives know just how massive an undertaking the 11-day event truly is. There are two giant parades that shut down traffic for hours, legendary talent pouring in to perform, elaborate agriculture shows and of course the regular stresses of hosting a fair the size of the Strawberry Festival and keeping attendees safe and roads relatively clear. “From our perspective, law enforcement, we of course invite everyone to come out and make memories, but there are things people can do to enhance their enjoyment and stay safe during these 11 days,”

PCPD Spokesman Sgt. Al Van Duyne said. “The way law enforcement is configured for the event is HCSO takes over everything inside and PCPD handles the traffic coming in and everything that happens outside the festival.” If something occurs inside the festival stay inside the grounds and locate an HCSO deputy and they will help you with everything from finding a dropped wallet to locating a missing child. Parking is always one of the largest hurdles. The festival only has so much designated parking. Once the lots fill the continuous flow of incoming traffic parks in yards of nearby homes or the lots of local busi-

nesses. Too often, visitors get confused and wave down an officer to help them find their car. If you park at a home, make sure you’re paying the actual homeowner and not just some random person with a sign. If you attempt to park on the side of the road, Walgreens, South Florida Baptist Hospital or any other business that is not using its lot for festival parking, you will be towed. As for the homes themselves, Van Duyne recommends taking photos of not only the house, but also the nearest street signs so if you get turned around in the festival and end up leaving though a different exit you can still find your car. “I can’t tell you how many times our officers have had to stop what they’re doing to help someone find a car and they’ve said things like, ‘Oh that Walgreens looks familiar,’ and then an hour and a half later our officer finally finds the vehicle all the way on the other side of the festival,” Van Duyne said. “Just make a note of where you parked so that even if you can’t find it we can quickly determine where you are so we aren’t wasting hours helping you locate it.” Getting into the festival is a nightmare as well. “My pro-tip for anyone coming to the festival is to come from the south, take 60 or 574 to get to the festival instead of the interstate,” McDaniel said. “You’ll find the traveling much easier and you’ll get to the gates and the parking with less delays and backups.” On Feb. 25, PCPD will be at Tomlin Middle School to begin the pick-up and drop-off changes as school uses much of its land as parking for the fes-

tival. Parents are asked to be patient and pay attention to the changes. “Up to this point we’ve never had issues with citizens parking at schools,” Van Duyne said. “Students that are out there are working with parents or staff that volunteer. The procedures to secure the school from unwanted visitors are still in place. Fences are up, you still have to check in with ID through the front office, nothing changes.” The officers are all pulling extra hours to ensure the city is safe and the rest of town doesn’t see a change in their calls of service response time while the officers secure the area near the festival. Van Duyne said festival goers need to check the weather and be prepared for the heat or cold. Every year someone doesn’t stay hydrated or will donate blood at the bloodmobile to get free tickets, not take care of themselves and end up in the back of an ambulance at the gates. If you use common sense and come prepared you shouldn’t have a problem. Stay up to date with any road closures — especially around parades — and any other potential updates by following PCPD’s social media sites. “We definitely want people to be safe and vigilant,” Van Duyne said. “The mantra ‘see something, say something’ is adopted nation wide and it still holds true here. Yes there are a lot of officers inside the festival and in the surrounding areas, but the thousands of extra eyes can really make a difference. No tip is too small, nothing is too ridiculous. Call our non-emergency line or find an officer and let us determine if it’s an issue.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

PCPD INVESTIGATING FATAL SHOOTING IN PLANT CITY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

FACEBOOK REPORT

2XS Development tapped for Midtown: Two proposals were brought to city commissioners Monday evening. 2XS Development, LLC walked away with the vote. 36 reactions, 5 comments, 12 shares Comments: Rebecca LeMire - That’s a lot of people. Kind of sad that Plant City will not be the same small town. The price of progress. It will look good though! Hopefully. Richie Long - That “midtown development” has been going to happen for over 6 years! File photo

Police are asking the public to come forward with information regarding the shooting.

Police are investigating a fatal shooting on Madison Street after a man was shot and killed. Police believe up to three subjects could have been involved. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Plant City Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Plant City that occurred Tuesday evening and believe up to three subjects could have been involved in the incident. The shooting took place around 3:55 p.m. near 909 W. Madison St. Detectives have not yet identified the victim, but they said he was a black male that sustained at least one gunshot wound and was taken to a nearby hospital by Plant City Fire Rescue. PCPD said he died as a result of the injuries. Up to three subjects may have been involved in the shooting, police say, and PCPD is asking for information from the public to help with the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Plant City Police Department at 813-757-9200 or Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-TIPS. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the unknown suspect(s) involved in this case, however, to claim the reward those with information must contact Crime Stoppers first. This is an ongoing investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available.

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Commish Roundup: Two public hearings for land amendments were set for the upcoming commission meeting and the city agreed to spend $300,000, plus closing costs, on a property on Mahoney Street. 5 reactions, 2 comments Comments: Grant Knight - 87k for a kitchen remodel really!!!!!! Brandon Shearer - Way to go Plant City- overpay then demo a historic home so the city loses just a bit more of its unique character.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

THINKING ABOUT BOOZE

FELIX HAYNES

There is a spectrum in alcohol use. One end of the spectrum is no alcohol, known as “teetotaling.” The other end is probably public intoxication or alcoholism. No sane person is going to advocate for public intoxication or alcoholism, so in regulating alcohol use the question has always been how far out from the no alcohol end of the spectrum is the government going to place the regulatory limit. In the 1940s and 1950s, in the South of my youth, there were many cities and counties that were “dry.” You could not sell or buy alcohol there. You could possess it or consume it in the privacy of your

home, but the goal was to prevent the sale of the substance. There were “private clubs” where you could take a bottle and purchase mixers or set-ups, where you could mix a drink for yourself or your guests at your table. Since you could not buy that bottle locally, people drove to a neighboring “wet” county and purchased it there. “Dry” communities were normally dominated by religions that believed consumption of alcohol was a sin and the churches banded together to form a powerful political bloc to greatly limit its availability and consumption. As the years passed, values changed. While conservative religions still resisted the sale of alcohol, more and more people began to accept the notion that social drinking of alcohol in reasonable amounts

FAMILY MEDICAL SPECIALISTS OF FLORIDA Michael Paul Gimness, MD Kelli Woody, MD Katherine Newman, ARNP Jennifer Zeljkovic, ARNP 1703 Thonotosassa Road, Suite A, Plant City, Florida 33563

P: 813.567.5679 | F: 813.567.5686 www.fmsflorida.com 292382-1

added to the quality of life of a community. Governments realized that they could sell very limited numbers of licenses to sell alcohol and charge high fees — ”sin taxes” — for them. Restaurants realized that a license to serve only beer and wine, or hard liquor, too, meant they could up the scale of their establishments. They could charge more for food, as well as add the revenue from alcohol sales. The beautiful city of Asheville, North Carolina provides a good example. When I first visited Asheville in mid-1970s, it was a “dry” town. You could walk the sidewalks of the business district and admire the surrounding mountains, but the businesses were dominated by stores selling trinkets. Their racks spilled out onto the sidewalks and filled them. The restaurants were either fast food or local coffee shops. My career took me and my family to other parts of the country for 17 years and when we returned to Florida in 1999 Susan and I decided to return to Asheville on vacation. It had gone “wet,” and the whole town had changed. It was much more upscale. No more trinket stores and much nicer restaurants. There was actually room to walk on the sidewalks. The Plant City Commission has scheduled a vote on our liquor ordinance, which is fairly conservative. Our wonderful Strawberry Festival is totally “dry,” in the name of keeping it a family experience, and it should remain so. But Plant City Main Street is proposing to modify our city alcohol ordinance, with the ultimate goal of creating a higher scale restaurant or bistro in Downtown or

our new Midtown, of increasing our quality of life. Polk County has done it, as well as Tampa. For economic development, as well as our quality of life, we should be thinking about tweaking our regulation of the sale and consumption of alcohol in Plant City. No one wants to see scenes of public drunkenness in our great downtown. But our merchants can work with Plant City Police Department to control that while seeking to strengthen our economic development and quality of life. Plant City Main Street is to be commended for seeking to bring our city ordinances in line with our 21st-century community values.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

ANSWERING A NEW CALL Sydney Baptist Church is about to begin a new chapter as a church for first responders.

Justin Kline

Sydney Baptist Church is approximately 120 years old and beginning a new life next month. Justin Kline

JUSTIN KLINE

Late last year, no one was quite sure what the future of Sydney Baptist Church would look like. The church’s pastor departed in November and, though the Rev. Dr. Dan Middlebrooks jumped right in for interim pulpit support, it was clear that there needed to be some change if the church was to make it to 121 years and beyond. It was the opportunity Middlebrooks had prayed for — the opportunity to reach

some of the most underserved people in the community. “I take it from a concept of military.. they will usually deactivate a unit, then reactivate them for a different mission,” he said. “What we were looking at with Sydney was taking them and reactivating them toward a mission and a ministry that no one’s reaching out for right now.” Starting next month, the church will undergo its transition into First Call at Sydney Baptist Church and style itself as a home for all first responders: military,

police, fire, EMS and security. People, Middlebrooks said, whose experiences have discouraged them from attending traditional church services. “I’ve asked them, ‘Why don’t you go to church?’ Most of them, predominately, would give me these reasons,” Middlebrooks said. “One, ‘schedule’s not conducive to my shift.’ Secondly, ‘I don’t feel like I fit in.’ Third, ‘people just don’t understand what I have to do.’ Fourth, ‘my life is messy and I’m not sure people could handle the mess.’” If anyone can identify with their struggles, it’s Middlebrooks. He served 26 years in the United States Army and, having spent much time as a chaplain, is perhaps most comfortable preaching in unsafe lands to people who show up to church service with their guns slung across their backs. He’s also been chaplain with Plant City Fire Rescue, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Hillsborough County School Board security officers and launched Chaplaincy Care, Inc. in 2017 as a way to reach out to even more first responders. Being a chaplain is not as simple as just showing up when you’re needed, saying a prayer upon request and disappearing until the next crisis. It’s being on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and being prepared to be a steady presence in the uneasy life of a first responder. The church will model that ideal, but give it a brick-and-mortar foundation for people to come to and be surrounded not by civilians who couldn’t begin to fathom what they’ve gone through, but by people who can relate because they’ve been there, too. That, Middlebrooks said, will help first responders tremendously.

“Now we have safe places that bring together our first responders, give them a safe place to talk, to share, to hurt and, most importantly, to worship,” Middlebrooks said. “Strengthening their faith helps them to encounter and engage with any fire that will ever be in front of them.” In addition to serving first responders, Middlebrooks also wants First Call to become a training ground for future chaplains to sharpen their skills as iron sharpens iron. Webinar broadcasts, conference calls and other multimedia methods are in the works and the plan is to implement a program with eight to 10 modules. It’s a radical transition for a civilian church like Sydney Baptist, which passed a vote among its members in December to make the change in 2019. The church will start its big conversion in March and spend the month finding its bearings, then launch officially in the first week of April with a special Sunday service and brunch. The church is located in Dover at 1510 Cre Road, just north of Keith Waller Park and the Sydney Dover Trails. Though churches across the nation are no strangers to first responder outreach, with some even serving police or firefighters or other specific groups, an all-encompassing ministry model like this isn’t nearly as common. Middlebrooks believes First Call may be the first church or among the first churches of its kind. “My prayer is we begin to start successfully and succinctly developing a ministry model that not only becomes successful where we are, but that thousands of them will start springing up all over the place,” he said. “My blueprints are free.”

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The Rev. Dr. Dan Middlebrooks is leading First Call.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

BING HOUSE KICKS OFF COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHTS Hillsborough Safe and Sound and the Improvement League of Plant City have come together to start a monthly community movie night series. Marvel’s Black Panther will be shown Feb. 23.

File photo The Bing Rooming House Museum will now host monthly community movie nights.

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Month and it’s important they hear a narrative that they may not see on a typical basis… Any lesson under the sun can be found in movies. There’s a deeper meaning in everything and we are looking forward to hearing the kids’ thoughts.” The night of the event Sykes will have a Google doc set up to stay in touch with attendees for votes on future films. Social media is also a great way to keep your eyes peeled for upcoming events. Facebook is currently the best way to stay in the loop, but an Instagram account for the Bing Rooming House Museum is in the process of being created as well.

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watch at the next showing. There will be an online survey with three options and the community will determine the winner. At the start, the films will be shown inside the Bing House in the community room in the back. Chairs, tables and light snacks will be provided, but anyone is welcome to bring their own food and comfy blankets or pillows. Eventually once some logistics are figured out and the weather takes care of the pesky Florida mosquitoes, the films will be moved outside to a “movies on the lawn” type of setup. “It’s crucial for both groups involved to really work toward bringing children and the community together,” Sykes said. “For one, it’s Black History

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already implementing. Watching movies with family members creates memories. We’re hoping to expand that to a more social setting with neighbors and community members. It’s open for anyone to attend, but we’re putting an emphasis on the local families in the area.” The hope is the monthly movie nights can create a community conversation focused on what local issues and priorities are pivotal for Plant City families. Safe and Sound is wanting to expand those issues into community panel discussions. In March there will be a mental health discussion that will cover a variety of topics on everything from sexual health to how healthy living impacts mental health. The movie nights themselves will be casual and full of fun, Sykes said. Black Panther is the inaugural film, but each month the community will be able to vote on the film they want to

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Few things bring people together like the magic of cinema. Films are able to impact lives and create a cultural conversation. Hillsborough Safe and Sound and the Improvement League of Plant City have come together to kick off a monthly community movie night series starting Feb. 23 at the Bing Rooming House Museum, 205 Allen St. “We do two community events every month with Safe and Sound,” Aaron Sykes, Safe and Sound coordinator and community organizer for the Bing Rooming House, said. “This is one of the monthly events we plan to start. It’s a way to collectively come together for a shared experience with the community.” To usher in the soon-to-be cherished community event the Bing House is pairing an art exhibit with the feature film. The

first film will be Marvel’s Black Panther and the exhibit will feature images from the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center. The photos show prominent members of society from Marshall High School, Midway Academy, prom queens, Strawberry Court images and pictures of yearbooks from the 1960s. Sykes said the inaugural event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 23. At the start everyone will go upstairs to take in the exhibit for approximately 20 minutes. Then the children can participate in crafts during the movie. They will have things to color and draw and, if their parents want, the group will submit their finished artwork to the Afrocon contest in Hillsborough on March 30, which is themed “A Celebration of Diverse Superheroes.” “I feel like movies are something we all watch at home together,” Sykes said. “For children it’s a format, a platform, that hopefully their family is

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

STRAWBERRY ROYALS TAKE IN NEW QUEENS EXHIBIT

The 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and Court were invited to take part in the grand reveal of the Festival’s Queens exhibit.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

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The Queen and Court were joined by their family and their “festival family” for the grand reveal.

The Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and Court were invited to a special reveal of the Queen’s exhibit at the Florida Strawberry Festival Tuesday evening. Each year, the exhibit in Neighborhood Village highlights a showcase of the current queen and court as well as a special presentation featuring a former queen. Maintained by Marsha Passmore and Dodie White, the exhibit is redesigned each year to match the festival’s theme. The 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen Kendall Gaudens, as well as First Maid Madilyn Conrad and Court Members Olivia Frazier, Jada Brown and Kennedy Cullins, were joined by their family for the grand reveal. The gown worn by Gaudens at the pageant is on exhibition as are many photos of the Queen and Court in a special “It’s a Hit” themed display. Silvia Azorin, now Silvia Dodson, was the 1968 Strawberry Festival Queen.

Images from her reign, as well as a special photo album, her trophy and her crown are in the former queen display at the end of the exhibit. Dodson also attended the reveal and shared stories of how the pageant has changed over the last several decades. “The big difference is the number of outfits you have now,” Dodson joked. “We had one dress and it carried us through the entire year. By the end our heels were looking rough.” Though the current royals took the crown only a month ago, they said they’re already making lasting memories. So far they’ve most enjoyed being able to represent the festival and help build partnership prior to the event. The 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival kicks off on Feb. 28 and runs through March 10. The exhibit will be open during festival hours in Neighborhood Village.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

CHAMBER BUILDS BRIDGE TO AG INDUSTRY The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Ag Committee has revamped and is taking on the new challenge of building a bridge between the organization and the local agriculture community.

Courtesy photo

The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce is hosting an ag tour as part of the revamp and new mission of its Ag Committee. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

For years, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Ag Committee has held one purpose: select the winners of the annual Chamber’s Salute to Agriculture awards. Over the past six months, that has all begun to change. It started in August at a Chamber luncheon. Committee members sat down and began to discuss what it was they were hoping to genuinely accomplish with their group. Their dreams were big and they realized it was high time they did something more to help the industry they all cared so passionately about. “The Chamber of Commerce was at one time seen as a networking organization,” Wesley Joyner, co-chair of the committee, said. “You signed up, you went to the breakfasts, you advertised and that was it. With farmers, advertising is not something they need to really rely on. So much of what they do is wholesale anyway. I think now what we want to do is show that it goes a lot deeper than just networking and getting your name out, we can advocate for anything they need. We are here to act as that bridge.” After refocusing their vision, committee members met with Chamber President Chris-

tine Miller asking how they could make the committee better and put it in the position to do the most good for the community. She recommended it become a subcommittee of the Chamber’s Government Advisory Committee. The GAC is constantly taking Plant City’s needs and interests to lawmakers in Tallahassee, fighting to ensure the city and its business owners have political representation. Miller was there this week meeting with lawmakers and discussing Plant City’s interests. But the Chamber can’t advocate for needs it isn’t aware of. Agriculture has long been the roots of Plant City and Joyner said the committee is now focused on meshing that community with the Chamber so it can step up and act as its champions not only around town, but also in Tallahassee. The first step in that process comes in the form of an ag tour, which kicks off on Feb. 22. The Chamber is taking 30 attendees to the State Farmers Market in Plant City, Hinton Farms in Dover, the Gulf Coast Research Center, Audubon Ranch and the Oak Ridge Fish Hatchery in Plant City. “We wanted to just show the different segments of agriculture that are found right here,” Joyner said. “Look at the fish hatchery, they are

Courtesy photo

Hinton Farms Produce, Inc. is showcasing its berry industry for the tour.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

Courtesy photo

File photo

The Oak Ridge Fish Hatchery in Plant City is one of the main stops on the inagural Ag Tour through the Chamber of Commerce.

a major supplier of tropical fish and it’s something that is making an impact here in Plant City. I guarantee a lot of people don’t even realize it’s here. This is just the beginning. We want to expand to other places and add more variety to our tours.” Joyner believes the group will probably offer a spring and fall tour each year showing the community what is in their backyard and showing the local agriculturists they have support and representation in the Chamber. The tours are open for all Chamber members and tickets were $20. It didn’t take long for the inaugural tour to sell out and Joyner said he assumes that will happen each time they offer the unique service. All future tours will be announced via the Chamber’s website, social media and announcements at other Chamber events. Anyone interested in learning more about the vision of the committee or the growing partnership is welcome to give the Chamber a ring at 813-7543707. “We’re just starting, we’ve got work to do, we really want to see what’s the best way to bring those

two together and I think those tours are really a big step in the right direction,” Joyner said. “The interest is there. We capped at 30 and it’s full. We have a lot of new people in Plant City. They understand that the Strawberry Festival is here, but I don’t think they understand everything else. We really want to be a liaison for both, an educational outreach. Plant City is growing, but we want to make sure that our basis, agriculture is represented.”

CHAMBER AG COMMITTEE MEMBERS Wesley Joyner, Pilot Bank, Co-chair Gayle Yanes, Farm Credit, Co-chair Dan Walden, Poppell Insurance/Florida Strawberry Festival Pam Walden, Hills. County Schools, Retired Jim Jeffries, Florida Strawberry Festival/Hills. County Schools, Retired Lauren Walden, Supervisor, Career, Technical and Adult Education Hills. County Schools Mike Lopez, Westcoast Enterprises/Southside Farm Supply Stephanie Conrad, Weeping Creek Ranch Jake Raburn, Hinton Farms Stephen Gran, UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension Director Judi Whitson, Hills. County Farm Bureau Jim Scott, Jarrett Scott Ford

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

HOPE LUTHERAN HOSTS TEDDY BEAR SUNDAY The annual event provides hundreds of teddy bears for children from all walks of life.

JUSTIN KLINE

Courtesy of Hope Lutheran Church

Hope Lutheran Church member Alex A. poses with the “bear mountain” on Feb. 17.

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The sight of dozens of churchgoers strolling into Hope Lutheran on a Teddy Bear Sunday, toy bears in hand and smiles for miles, is one of the Rev. Dean Pfeffer’s favorites of any year. Hope’s latest Teddy Bear Sunday, held during the Feb. 17 service, saw more than 100 teddy bears donated to the church to create a fluffy “bear mountain.” After the service, the bears were prepared to be donated to Tampa Rough Riders, Inc. for distribution. “It is so much fun to watch people come walking in,” Pfeffer said. “People in their 60s, 70s and 80s clutching a teddy bear, and the smile on their faces when they’re coming into church carrying those things.”

The church selects a different organization or cause to donate bears to each year. In 2018, Hope donated its bears to Eckerd Connects kids. Hope has donated to Plant City Police Department and Plant City Fire Rescue in the past, giving officers the ability to give bears to children they encounter who needed some comfort. The church has given bears to members of its own congregation who served in the military, shipping bears overseas to places like Iraq and Afghanistan for the troops and kids encountered by the troops to have. Pfeffer said a plane crash around the time of Sept. 11, 2001 affected members of the congregation of the Rev. David H. Benke, a friend of Pfeffer’s, so Hope sent its bears to

Brooklyn, New York for the children of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. This is the first year Hope has worked with the Rough Riders, a Tampa-based group that styles itself as a “living memorial” to President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. Roosevelt’s refusal to kill a small bear captured by aides during a 1902 hunting trip made waves around the country and led to the creation of “Teddy’s Bear,” inspired by both the act and the President’s nickname. Fittingly, the Tampa Rough Riders have their own annual teddy-centric event: their Teddy Bear Runs provide thousands of bears to “hospital patients, cancer survivors and their families, centers for abused

women and children, community health centers, special needs day care centers and foster children,” according to the group’s website. Hope’s bears will be delivered to children all over Hillsborough County through the Rough Riders. Before the bears are donated to the organization of Hope’s choice, they’re tagged with notes from Hope’s Human Care Ministry as well as John 3:16 “to remind the recipient of God’s neverending love for us,” Pfeffer said.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

SYDNEY BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATES VALENTINE’S DAY The church hosted a marriage seminar on Feb. 13. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Love was in the air a little early at Sydney Baptist Church last week. The church hosted a special Valentine’s Day banquet called First Love: Renewing the Marriage on Feb. 13, inviting couples to stop by the church’s fellowship hall for a candlelit dinner, desserts and music. Couples could also get their photos taken together. A course of ham, potatoes au gratin and green beans was served before guests were able to visit a dessert table loaded with chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberry shortcake and other treats to satisfy any sweet tooth.

In addition to Pastor Dan Middlebrooks’ talk about keeping a strong, Christ-centered marriage, guests were also filled in on the future of Sydney Baptist Church. Starting in March, the church will undergo a transition to become First Call at Sydney Baptist Church, a home for all first responders and members of the military to worship and a training center for future chaplains.

Courtesy of Jerry Deck

The Rev. Dan Middlebrooks was excited to brief guests about the future of Sydney Baptist Church.

Courtesy of Jerry Deck

A photo booth area was available for couples to use during the event.

Courtesy of Jerry Deck

Couples enjoyed dinner and dessert in a romantic setting.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

COPS CORNER

FEB. 8

UP IN SMOKE South Collins Street/Mahoney Street Drug investigation: Officers made a routine traffic stop. When they made contact with the juvenile passenger they found marijuana in their possession. The juvenile qualified for the JAAP program. BRAZEN THEFT 2900 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft/waiver: Officers came out to the business after receiving a call about theft. When they arrived they talked to the worker and he said that a man entered the store and purchased two items. He then asked for a $10 scratch-off and a lighter and left the store without paying for the additional items. The worker did not wish to prosecute the subject.

FEB. 10

BURN BABY BURN 2800 block of Wilder Road Stolen vehicle recovery/arson: Officers came to the above location that was in PCPD jurisdiction after HCSO said they had found a vehicle on fire. Sure enough, the car was ablaze and they also found a boat that had been “scrapped.” The car was confirmed as stolen out of the city of Tampa and the boat had not yet been reported stolen.

FEB. 11

DOMESTIC REVENGE 1700 block of East Alabama Street Burglary residence/waiver: This complainant told officers that sometime over the last few weeks, an unknown suspect busted the rear glass window to her home and took four flatscreen televisions and a mattress and box springs. She said she believed the suspect was her husband, who she is currently separated from, but that she wasn’t 100 percent sure.

She reported the instance for insurance purposes and signed a waiver of prosecution. BOGUS PRESCRIPTIONS 400 block of North Alexander Street Fraud: This complainant told officers he was contacted by the corporate office of this pharmacy and was told that the pharmacy had filled a prescription for medication, but later discovered the prescription was fraudulent.

PlantCityObserver.com

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE Did you take the Observer with you on vacation? Send your pictures to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

FEB. 12

CRACKING CARRABBA’S 1200 block of Townsgate Court Burglary business: The complainant told officers that between Feb. 11 and 12, someone broke the glass to the southeast exit door and entered the building. Once inside they broke into the office area and removed a 3’x2’x2’ metal safe that contained approximately $6,000 in cash.

FEB. 13

WALLET WOES 3100 block of Sammonds Road Vehicle burglary: The victim told PCPD his Chevy Silverado was burglarized on the night of Feb. 11. The vehicle had been left unlocked and someone came in and took his wallet, which contained $80 U.S. dollars, $1,000 Mexican dollars and his Mexican ID card.

FEB. 14

M.I.A. TODDLER 2200 block of James L. Redman Pkwy. Information report: Officers came out to Duke’s Brewhouse after a three-year-old was left at the restaurant by accident. The child was returned to the mother, who responded back to the business.

COLOMBIA: Ken and Beth Jones visited South America this month. While visiting family in Moniquira, Colombia, Ken and Beth Jones took some time to visit cathedrals in the state of Boyaca and snapped a photo with the Observer in hand.

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

SPORTS Quick Hits PRESEASON CLASH Dalton McMath is heavily involved with area Special Olympics activities. See Page 19

Hillsborough County wrestling championships

The Plant City Raiders and Trinity Christian Conquerors have an anticipated Friday night matchup on deck.

Strawberry Crest wrestling had the best showing of any Plant City-area school at the Hillsborough County Championships, which wrapped up this week at Wharton High School. Crest placed third out of 27 teams with a team score of 115, finishing behind Brandon (281.5) and Riverview (210.5). Crest’s team score of 176.5 in National Division competition was good enough for first place in that category. Jarrett Affronti (126 pounds), Ty Young (152 pounds) and Amneous Chambers (182 pounds) reached the tournament finals and Chambers won his match against Newsome’s Kohl Drake by a 6-4 decision. Durant placed 12th overall in the tournament and sixth in Federal Division competition. The Cougars did have one grappler, Hendon Haley (132 pounds), reach the tournament finals and win the 132-pound championship match against Riverview’s Chris Felix with a 7-5 sudden victory. Haley and Felix also faced off earlier, in the divisional championship round, which saw the Durant Cougar pick up the victory (3-1 decision). Plant City tied with Hillsborough for 26th place overall and finished ninth in Federal Division competition. Courtesy photo

Bonanno leaves SCHS swimming

The Plant City Raiders are hoping to start their 2019 season off with a bang. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Paul Bonanno, head coach of Strawberry Crest’s swim teams, announced last week his departure from the program. Bonanno, who also leads the school’s culinary program, has led one or both teams since getting involved with the program five years ago and helped Crest swimming make a name for itself as a force to be reckoned with in and out of the pool. While coaching the boys in 2015, Crest not only succeeded in competition but also won a scholastic award for having the highest cumulative GPA of any boys swim team in the county. While coaching both teams in 2016, he helped five swimmers make it to states. In 2017, his boys and Amanda Linton’s girls teams finished the regular season undefeated and eventually sent five more swimmers to states. “The time has come for me to put family first and support my amazing wife in her new career venture” he wrote in a Feb. 17 Facebook post. I would just like to personally thank all of you for an amazing five years.”

SCHS football golf tourney Strawberry Crest football’s second annual fundraiser golf tournament tees off April 6 and the team is currently seeking sponsors and teams. The four-person scramble tournament will be held at Pebble Creek Country Club with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Tax-deductible donations will benefit the football team directly. The registration fee is $85 per person or $340 per group for players and four tiers of business sponsorship, ranging from $200 to $1,000 packages, are available. For registration forms and more information, visit crestfootball.com.

wo of the top 20 baseball teams in the state of Florida are getting ready to face off at 1 Raider Place this week. Plant City High School will host a preseason classic featuring Trinity Christian Academy, Seffner Christian Academy and Brandon High School that begins this afternoon and ends Friday. Of the four games on tap for the next two days, Friday night’s closer between PCHS and TCA is the highlight. The Raiders and Conquerors are far from strangers, having gone head-to-head in several preseason contests during Raiders head coach Mike Fryrear’s time at PCHS. The coach is particularly excited now because, for the first time in school history, PCHS is entering the 2019

season as one of the top 20 teams in the state. The Raiders are ranked 18th in Florida, according to PrepBaseballReport. com. Trinity Christian, which posted a 21-9 record in 2018 and advanced to the state semifinal round, comes in just behind the Raiders at 19th overall. Fryrear said the matchup will be a huge test for the Raiders, who are attempting to win the first baseball district championship in school history. Plant City’s junior-heavy team is led by lefty ace pitcher Parker Messick, who signed with Florida State University in early February. Other key players returning for 2019 include defensive stalwart Cade Shissler, righty pitchers Grant Gifford and Casey Mawhinney and backstop Hunter Emerine. Plenty of eyes will be on football star Mario Williams as the speedster enters his sophomore

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

season. Plant City posted a 16-7 record in 2018 and took a 5-2 loss to Riverview in the district semifinal round on May 1, ending the season earlier than any of the Raiders would have liked. Almost all of the Conquerors from last season’s state semifinal run are returning for 2019, so this battle-tested Trinity Christian team is widely expected to perform well in the Class 4A playoffs once again. Messick could face off against future Florida State teammate Dyland Simmons who, like Messick, is known for being as effective at the plate as on the pitcher’s mound. Plant City and Seffner Christian will play at 7 p.m. tonight. Seffner Christian and Brandon will play each other at 5 p.m. Friday. Trinity Christian is only scheduled to face Plant City in the classic. The Raiders will open the 2019 regular season on

Feb. 26 when they host Jefferson at 7 p.m. For those who can’t make it to the 7:30 p.m. game Friday night, a radio broadcast will be played on FM 91.7 The Truth and is available online at ilovethetruth.com.

JUSTIN KLINE

PARENTS, CHECK YOUR EGOS A viral video of a scuffle at a wrestling tournament should remind parents what not to do.

hree people from Wisconsin got cited by police this month because they let their pride get hurt and lashed out at each other — at their kids’ wrestling tournament, of all places. The video, which was reported on by the Appleton Post-Crescent, shows the grown men and women arguing about a match before escalating into profanity and fisticuffs, spilling out onto the mat where a match is taking place and forcing the kids to stop and watch. When you

play stupid games, you win stupid prizes and theirs came in the form of citations for disorderly conduct and battery. What is wrong with people? Why is it so hard for some folks to just roll with the punches (figuratively speaking, that is) and focus on positive reinforcement for their own kids, maybe even their teammates as well? This is something I ask myself often knowing full well I may never find the

SEE KLINE, PAGE 18

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

JUSTIN KLINE

PARENTS, CHECK YOUR EGOS FROM KLINE, PAGE 17

answer, even when something I’ve seen isn’t this extreme. Every good parent out there wants what’s best for their kids. It just looks to me like some people have a really warped interpretation of what that means. It never ceases to amaze me when a parent or parents watch their kids play sports once or twice and somehow come away from it with their own egos inflated. It’s one thing to be your kid’s number one fan and hope their athletic talents can help them get somewhere in life, but another thing entirely when you’re living so vicariously through your kids that it becomes more about you than them. You may not even realize you’re doing it, or you may want to deny it, but getting so aggressive about your kids only makes people think you care more about your own sense of pride than their accomplishments. Other than straight-up violence like what went down in Wisconsin this month, I’ve seen just about everything. Ever hear that stereotype about youth sports parents who spend entire games verbally harassing coaches for keeping their kids out of the game for too long when they’re “really” the best players on their teams? That happens a lot. Do parents ever go overboard on their kids’ hype train when they accomplish something more than just suiting up? You bet they do, and they also occasionally try and take advantage of sportswriters like me. I once had a recurring an Athlete of the Week submission that started with one phone call and, when I didn’t get right on it after one week, got to the point where my editor and I were getting phone calls from a person who always claimed to be from another town and happened to watch this kid play in games while visiting Plant City — but whose story changed depending on which of us they were talking to. With my editor, they knew

the kid’s name. When I got a phone call after she did, they didn’t know the kid’s name but did know the jersey number. We were able to determine we’d been contacted by the same person and, adding in the fact that the kid’s coach never returned my calls, decided not to go through with it. For the record, I do encourage parents or their friends to submit candidates for Athlete of the Week. I just ask that if it’s one of you doing it, you also give me contact info for their coaches so I can talk to them, too. Helicopter parents are the reason why, when I can’t find a kid’s stats on MaxPreps.com, haven’t heard about them from a coach or haven’t seen them do great things in their sport with my own eyes, I want to hear from a credible witness to back up the claims. I know a hyperlocal paper’s Athlete of the Week section isn’t as glamorous as getting featured in USA Today for the same accomplishments, but I try to keep that section as merit-based as possible so the athletes can feel like they’ve earned something when they show up in the paper that week. Look, it’s not hard at all to be a good sports parent and having a Marv Marinovich mentality won’t get you or your kids anywhere. You just have to stay positive with your kids at all times and not let the crazy folks who ruin it for everyone else get under your skin. Let the coaches coach and the players play: you only need to be a fan.

Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Observer. Email: jkline@ plantcityobserver. com.

OMG IT’S WEDNESDAY! PLANT CITY FARM AND FLEA MARKET Highway 39 North at Sam Allen Road—1 mi. N. of I-4 Exit 21

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

OP EN

PM 7A M T O 1 708 W. SAM ALLEN RD. 1 MILE NORTH OF I-4 EXIT 21

287696-1

LIKE KMART WITHOUT A ROOF!

HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS HEAT UP

SPORTS

Plant City’s boys and Strawberry Crest’s girls advanced to their FHSAA regional tournaments last week.

Justin Kline

Justyn King goes up to swat away a Tampa Bay Tech shot attempt. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Plant City High School hosted last week what went down as an exciting boys basketball district tournament from start to finish. The Raiders went to the semifinal round on Feb. 13 and handily beat East Bay, 71-39, in a game where results weren’t available at press time last week. It was a strong offensive and defensive effort by the hosting team, which held the Indians to nine points scored in three of the four quarters and only let off the gas pedal in the fourth, when the game was already wrapped up. Justyn King (18 points), Drew Johnson (13 points), Jordyn Manning (12 points) and Mykel Oyola (10 points) each scored in double digits and the team hit 11 of 14 free throws to overpower East Bay’s defense just two days after the Indians upset Strawberry Crest. Though the Plant City Raiders went down Feb. 15, they made sure not to go down without a fight. A strong fourth quarter effort from Plant City had the crowds on both sides of the court on their feet in anticipation of a win that, unfortunately for the hosting team, didn’t materialize. Tampa Bay Tech found its footing in the last two minutes of the game to win the 8A-District 9 title, 56-47. The two teams played a mostly even first half and Tech headed into the locker room at halftime with a slim 28-25 lead. The Titans took over in the third quarter with a 7-0 run to start things off, and eventually took a 39-29 lead. Plant City tried to push the tempo and get quick scores to get back in it, but the Titans took advantage of mistakes and ended the quarter with a 45-31 lead. Drew Walden helped spark the PCHS offense in the fourth quarter, scoring five points under the basket and at the free throw stripe and throwing a perfect pass to a cutting Oyola for a layup that got the Raider fans back in the game in full force. With four points from Jadyn Strawder and King, the Raiders were able to cut the deficit to just five points — 47-42 — and Tech began to get sloppy. Though the Titans were able to regularly draw fouls and get to the free throw line, no one could sink a foul shot until there was just

over a minute left to play. Another Oyola layup and a made free throw by King brought the Raiders within two points, 47-45, and things looked good for the hosting team. That’s when the Titans woke up. Tech answered King’s free throw with a 9-2 scoring run, starting with a quick three-pointer to go up 50-45. Tech got to the free throw line four more times and sank four of their seven shots, and Plant City went 2-for-4 with King draining both of his attempts. Taking the loss didn’t totally dampen the Raiders’ spirits, however. They still ended up making it into the regional tournament and will get their chance to rebound from the loss with tonight’s game at East Lake High School. Plant City is probably hoping they’ll have the same luck Strawberry Crest’s girls did out there. One week after the Chargers took a 62-16 loss to Tampa Bay Tech in their own district championship game, they visited the Eagles at East Lake and never lost control in a 73-57 win. Crest got a big game from Megan Watson, who finished with 26 points, seven steals, five assists and four rebounds to lead the team. Also scoring in double digits for the Chargers were Mya Lamar, who scored 15 and also led the team with 13 rebounds, Monyette Montgomery, who scored 12 and added five steals and four assists, and Zoe Stough, who finished with 11 points. The win set up Tuesday night’s rematch with the Titans at Tampa Bay Tech which ended with the Chargers taking a 68-10 loss.

PLENTY OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Justin Kline

WWW.PLANTCITYMARKET.COM

Mykel Oyola advances the ball.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

SPORTS

UPCOMING GAMES BOYS BASKETBALL

SOFTBALL

TENNIS

Feb. 13

Feb. 16

Feb. 21

Durant vs. Tampa Bay Tech Plant City 71, East Bay 39

Lake Wales 8, Durant 2 Durant 8, George Jenkins 1

Feb. 15

Feb. 19

Durant vs. Lennard, 3 p.m. Plant City vs. Riverview, 3 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Newsome, 3 p.m.

Tampa Bay Tech 56, Plant City 47

Durant 10, Plant 0 Plant City 7, Brandon 0 Strawberry Crest 16, Spoto 0

Feb. 21 Plant City at East Lake, 7 p.m.

Feb. 21

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Durant at Gaither, 7 p.m Spoto at Plant City, 7 p.m.

Feb. 14

Feb. 22

Strawberry Crest 73, East Lake 57

Strawberry Crest at Chamberlain, 7 p.m.

Feb. 19

Feb. 26

Tampa Bay Tech 68, Strawberry Crest 10

Durant vs. Wharton, 2:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. East Bay, 3 p.m. Feb. 27 Plant City vs. Wharton, 3 p.m.

Durant at Newsome, 7 p.m. Jefferson at Plant City, 7 p.m.

Mar. 5

Feb. 27

Durant vs. Middleton, 3 p.m. Plant City vs. Riverview, 3 p.m.

I work with Craig Gordon (Special Olympics Florida Games and Competitions Chair) and his wife, Pam. I’ve been going out to their farm since I was a little kid. I knew he did Special Olympics for a while but I was playing Little League, so I couldn’t really go to Gainesville on Saturdays. I ended up taking a year off football, got into working out a little bit, I helped him out and I love it. I’ve been doing it for four, five years now.

Feb. 21

Feb. 28

Feb. 23

Seffner Christian at Plant City, 7 p.m.

Durant at Brandon, 7 p.m. Plant City at Wharton, 7 p.m.

Plant City, Crest: at Wharton Invite, 8 a.m.

Feb. 23 Strawberry Crest at Venice, 7 p.m. Feb. 26 Durant at Newsome, 7 p.m. Jefferson at Plant City, 7 p.m. Feb. 27 Strawberry Crest at Tampa Bay Tech, 7 p.m. Feb. 28 Durant at Brandon, 7 p.m. Plant City at Wharton, 7 p.m. Mar. 5 Plant City at Newsome, 7 p.m. Mar. 6 Bloomingdale at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 7 Durant at Plant City, 7 p.m. Mar. 8 Freedom at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 9 Chamberlain at Durant, 10 a.m. Plant City at Sickles, 10 a.m. King at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m.

You’ve played on both sides of the field for the last eight years. Which position is your favorite to play?

How did you get involved with Special Olympics?

TRACK AND FIELD

Trinity Christian at Plant City, 7 p.m.

Between the Antioch Redskins and Dover Patriots, Dalton McMath has played all over the football field. These days, you can find McMath slinging the pigskin in Special Olympics flag football competition and volunteering much of his time to help local special needs athletes have a meaningful, successful sports experience.

Strawberry Crest vs. Riverview, 2:30 p.m.

Tampa Bay Tech at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m.

Feb. 22

Dalton McMath

Feb. 28

Durant 10, King 0

Feb. 26 Mar. 1 Plant City vs. The First Academy, 2 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Lake Weir, 4 p.m. Mar. 5 Plant City at Newsome, 7 p.m. Mar. 6 Bloomingdale at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 7 Durant at Plant City, 7 p.m. Mar. 8 Freedom at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 9 King at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. LACROSSE Feb. 21

Crest: Tri meet at Brandon, 6 p.m. Mar. 2 Durant, Plant City, Crest: at Nash Higgins Relays, 8 a.m. Mar. 5 Durant, Plant City, Crest: at Festival Showdown, 5 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

What’s the most fun thing about working with the Special Olympics athletes? Just the excitement and joy that they have for the littlest things that we take for granted, like catching the ball. Making a touchdown is like winning the Super Bowl. It’s the most incredible thing to see. We don’t even have to win and they’re excited to be there.

What’s next for you? Right now we’re in between football. We’ll start up sometime in the summer.

Any college plans? Not at the moment. I’m kind of just chilling right now.

Is there any sport you’ve never tried before, but would if you could? I’ve tried a little bit of everything. I’ve played hockey, basketball, baseball, football, soccer… rugby seems pretty cool, not gonna lie, so I’d say rugby.

What’s your favorite sports moment that you’ve been a part of? We have a Special Olympics athlete named Ruben and he can’t use his right arm. He can catch anything as long as you hit that left shoulder area. We were up in Gainesville two years ago and I was rolling out, I ended up hitting him in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

What’s one of the funniest moments you’ve had with a team? Once again, probably Ruben. He caught a ball in the middle of the field and fell down. Sometimes he has seizures and everyone thought he was having a seizure, but he was actually really excited that he caught the ball. He just didn’t get up. Everyone was freaking out but he ended up being alright.

How is the unified competition set up? They have different divisions. You have Division 1, 2 and 3. I used to play on a Division 1 team… that is really hard, I’ve got to keep up with them. Right now I enjoy working with the lower level, Division 3.

You also work with the athletes beyond the playing field, taking care of travel and nutritional stuff? It’s a lot to look after 20 or so athletes, like what they eat for breakfast at the hotel. You don’t want everybody loading up on cereal before an 8 a.m. game.

Do you play sports for any other organizations these days, besides Special Olympics? I don’t. I just fell in love with Special Olympics and working out.

Durant at Jefferson, 5/7 p.m. Feb. 22 Plant at Durant, 5/7 p.m. Feb. 25 Wharton at Durant, 5/7 p.m. Feb. 27 Durant at Freedom, 5/7 p.m. Mar. 5 Newsome at Durant, 5/7 p.m.