2.23.18 PCTO by Plant City Observer

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer

Crest softball makes Tuesday game special.

SEE PAGE 12

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 5, NO. 34

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

FESTIVAL GUIDE For everything you need to know about the 83rd annual Florida Strawberry Festival, check our handy guide. INSIDE

YOUR TOWN

Breanne Williams

Muggles competed in a magical trivia night at The Corner Store.

Nearly Brainless Nicks The highly anticipated Harry Potter Trivia Night, hosted by Instagramers of Plant City and The Corner Store, saw a packed house as dozens of teams flocked to the event. The Corner Store provided Harry Potterthemed food and partnered with Mad Dragon Studio for magical prizes. The highest-scoring teams and the winner of the costume contest walked away with the coveted prizes. The intense turnout sparked the promise of a Harry Potter book-themed trivia later this year as this one was entirely based on the films. Previous events hosted by the duo have included Craft Beer and Coloring and Craft Beer and Board Games.

SAVING THE WORLD ONE ROBOT AT A TIME

FIRST LEGO League held its Championship Tournament at the Trinkle Center Saturday to encourage children to think innovatively about real world issues and compete in a robotics challenge. SEE PAGE 3.

Breanne Williams

Jazzy evening in downtown Plant City The Plant City High School Jazz Band performed at the monthly Strawberry Classic Cruise-In as a fundraiser for the group’s trip to Juilliard in New York City. The group showed off their talent in front of Big Dog’s Patio and viewers dropped off donations into an open case. The group has been fundraising since December and has the opportunity to see a Broadway show, an opera, a performance by the New York Philharmonic, the Jazz and Lincoln Center and potentially have a master class at Juilliard.

Breanne Williams

The teams' robots attempted to complete 24 tasks in two and a half minutes on an official tournament table.

Midtown gets first development A team of investors, including two local businessmen, is turning the old Sweetbay into an entertainment center.

TEE TIME

DANIEL FIGUEROA IV STAFF WRITER

Mini golf at Bruton Memorial Library. SEE PAGE 9

Daniel Figueroa IV

Dipak Patel is part of a group of investors working with Joe Golden to turn the old Sweetbay building into an entertainment center.

By mid-spring, Plant City’s dormant Midtown district could finally be showing signs of life. A group of private investors, including Plant City’s own Dipak Patel and Ashit Vijapura, plan to convert the old home of Sweetbay and Kash n' Karry on Wheeler Street into a new, all-ages entertainment center and recreation

hall by April 30. So far, they’re ahead of schedule. The building will be split into two halves. One portion will be a 15,600 square-foot entertainment center with games, inflatables, three birthday rooms (which would hold 35, 50 and 60 people, respectively), bowling and laser tag called MAD Zone (the name comes from the first initials of the owners’ first names). A soundproof wall will separate MAD Zone from Party Zone, an 8,000 squarefoot room with a 250-person capacity designed to hold functions and larger parties like quinceañeras, Patel said. Vijapura said the center will be similar to PK Zone, on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa. SEE MIDTOWN PAGE 7

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23, 2018 BY THE NUMBERS

2,000

Approximate number of members nationwide in the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas.

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

“Unlike other sports, they’re not going head-to-head. Everybody is sharing knowledge, which is exactly what we have to do on a larger scale to solve world problems. We have to share knowledge, communicate with each other and use each other to come up with innovative solutions to what plagues us.” — Desh Bagley, the affiliate partner for FIRST LEGO League. SEE PAGE 3.

Hope Lutheran holds Teddy Bear Sunday

Plant City honors Billy Graham Reverend Billy Graham, 99, the North Carolina pastor who took the world by storm, died Wednesday morning. He had served as a minister or a counselor to a dozen U.S. presidents and used his ministry to preach to more than 200 million people. Haught Funeral Home held a memorial service all day Wednesday at its facilities. There was a register book for families to sign that will be sent to his family and a memorial video played all day for visitors to watch.

SEE PAGE 8.

285

The number of children that participated in the FIRST LEGO League Championship. SEE PAGE 3.

500

Plant City baseball legend dies at age 89

The number of candles purchased by Strawberry Crest for the vigil held to honor the 17 deceased victims of the Stoneman Douglas shooting.

Terry Thomas toured the country during the 1940s, playing for the Atlanta Black Crackers of the National Negro Baseball League. He was recruited while playing for the Plant City Aces and the Tampa Pepsi-Cola Giants. He is on the rosters at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. Following his baseball career, he worked for the Lykes Packaging Company and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 24 at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, 902 E. Alabama St. The wake is at 10 a.m. and the service is at 11 a.m. City and state proclamations will be presented.

SEE PAGE 12. Courtesy of Rev. Dean Pfeffer

Pictured adding his bear to the “bear mountain” at Hope is member Jackson Venrick.

embers of Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 N. Park Road, held the annual Teddy Bear on Sunday, Feb. 18. The special service aims to “share the warmth and love of God with children in our community and beyond.”

MEETINGS

This year, the church received more than 160 teddy bears, which will be given to Eckerd Connects, the largest child welfare agency in Hillsborough County. Eckerd Connects then takes

Black History Month ‘Community Change Makers’ 11 a.m. Feb. 24 at the Bing Rooming House Museum.

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

Plant City Toastmasters 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. March 1 at The Community Room Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St. The meeting is for the Plant City Toastmasters Club #4051.

the bears and distributes them to children in the foster care system. “This annual event has become such a tradition for us,” said Hope’s Sr. Pastor, Rev. Dean Pfeffer. “Each bear is tagged with a note from Hope’s Human Care Ministry Team and with the words of John 3:16 to remind the recipient of God’s never ending love for us. It is fun to watch the adults come to church carrying teddy bears and to see the joy on their faces as they give that bear to a child in need.”

SOCIAL STATS Likes: 35, Wows: 2, Loves: 3 Shares: 9 Comments: 14

The City Commission Monday approved 32 roadway projects for the second year in a row, featuring more than $6 million in roadway investments.

“What about Alabama St, every time I go down that road I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster. Stop fixing the streets in the white neighborhood and start fixing the streets in the black community. This road has been torn up for over a year this is ridiculous and it’s tearing up people cars. Let’s fix the areas that need to be fixed. Timberlane don’t need to be fixed it’s always getting fixed over and over again. Use our tax dollars in a productive way and not for yourselves!”

“I hope they include MLK between Wheeler and Alexander Rd. The road going in front of Paradise foods trying to get to Fred’s Market is messing up my truck and everybody else’s.”

— Sharon Johnson

— Sharon Flowers

th ANNUAL STINGRAY CHEVROLET

R A F F L E

WIN A BRAND NEW 2018 CHEVROLET CORVETTE GRAND SPORT Raffle tickets will be available at Stingray Chevrolet until 6pm EST Friday 3/9/18, and the Florida Strawberry Festival (March 1-11,2018) during hours of operation up to 4:30pm EDT 3/11/18. Tickets will also be available on-line at StingrayChevroletRaffle.com until 1pm EST Friday 3/9/18 All Proceeds to “Unity in the Community, Inc.” Benefiting local Plant City Charities.

Thank you for being a Raider Champion for Plant City High School!

*A raffle for a new 2018 Corvette Grand Sport is being conducted by Unity in the community, Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Plant City, Florida. Stingray Chevrolet, located Plant City, Florida, is the source of the prize. The winning ticket will be drawn at 5pm EDT on March 11, 2018 at The Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida. Winner need not be present to win. All proceeds from the raffle benefit Unity in the Community, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A $5 minimum donation per raffle ticket is suggested but not required. No purchase necessary. Winner must be 18 years or older. Employees, members and immediate family members of Stingray Chevrolet and “Unity in the Community” living in the same household are not eligible to win. Raffle tickets will be available at Stingray Chevrolet until 6pm EST Friday, 3/9/18, and at the Florida Strawberry Festival (March 1-March 11, 2018) during hours of operation up to 4:30pm EDT 3/11/18. Tickets will also be available onl-ine at StingrayChevroletRaffle.com until 1pm EST Friday, 3/9/18. Limit 50 tickets per person. Winner will be promptly notified of the drawing by phone. If failure to contact winner within 72 hours of the drawing occurs, another winner will be drawn. Winner responsible for any prize related federal taxes (Form 1099 will be provided). Void where prohibited. Participants agree to release, discharge and hold harmless Stingray Chevrolet, Unity in the Community, Inc, participating radio stations, radio programs, parent, subsidiary and affiliated companies, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, against any claim, liability or expense arising from participation in the raffle and/or acceptance or use of any prize. Must be a legal U.S. resident of the Continental U.S. to be eligible to win the car. Winner is responsible for taking local delivery of the Corvette Grand Sport at Stingray Chevrolet.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Brains and bricks The FIRST LEGO League Challenge allowed elementary and middle school students to solve real world problems with teamwork, creativity and their very own robots. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Armed with their customized robots and innovative solutions for the world water crisis, 285 children gathered at the Trinkle Center Feb. 17 to prove they were no longer waiting to grow up and change the world. It may seem like a game. Thirtyseven robots were placed on tables to attempt to complete 24 miscellaneous tasks like lifting objects, retrieving items and navigating a field mat in the span of two and a half minutes. But the FIRST LEGO League Challenge pits elementary and middle school students against some of the toughest issues facing our world today. After months of strategizing, hard work and in-depth research, 36 teams from 16 counties and one from the Cayman Islands gathered around four large tables to see who was inventive enough to progress to the state FIRST LEGO League championship. While their robots’ success is a part of their overall score, the teams’ responses to the global water crossroads will ultimately determine who moves on to state and internationals. Each year, FIRST LEGO League has teams research real world problems like food safety, energy, recycling and more. The young students then develop a solution to the issue, pulling from their knowledge of science, engineering and math to create a new way to tackle the current issue. FIRST, which stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” is the world’s leading child-serving nonprofit advancing science, technology, engineering, and math. FIRST works on building relationships between children and STEM professionals to help encourage the young innovators to change the world. Over the past three years, FIRST LEGO has had more than 255,000 participants in 88 countries. Desh Bagley, the affiliate partner for FIRST LEGO League, said the competitions hook students in with the LEGO robots, but encourages them to scientifically combat real issues and realize they are essential to the future of our

world. “I have been very surprised by how the kids think outside the box about the water problem,” Bagley said. “For example, one team found that we have microfibers from our clothing in our water. Another is researching water infiltration for our pets. We drink out of water bottles and filters but our pets don’t. I thought that was kind of interesting.” The contest draws a diverse group of both boys and girls and tests teamwork and furthers friendly competition. Bagley said the event consistently shows the camaraderie held by all of the teams involved. While they are competing, the opponent is the clock and not each other. “Unlike other sports, they’re not going head-to-head,” Bagley said. “Everybody is sharing knowledge, which is exactly what we have to do on a larger scale to solve world problems. We have to share knowledge, communicate with each other and use each other to come up with innovative solutions to what plagues us.” This is the third year the competition has been in place and Hillsborough Community College is the regional partner. HCC allows the groups to use the space for competitions and the interest is only continuing to grow. Currently there are 97 teams in the region and Bagley said Suncoast gives them grants to help start programs in local schools. The students have been working on their robots since September and Bagley said many of the groups do so much more than simply design a “droid.” Seeing firsthand how the skills can revolutionize society is a key part of the educational program. Many of the children in attendance recently took a field trip to a local water facility to see how technology purifies our drinking water. While the children donned their matching t-shirts or lab coats, huddled around tournament tables and competed for their LEGO trophies one thing was abundantly clear: The problems facing the world are immense, but our youth are more than ready to take up the challenge.

Photos by Breanne Williams

Above: Teams competed against the clock with their customized robots at the Trinkle Center. Left: Two team members for the Purple Explosion 6551 from Fort Myers set up their robot for the competition.

Cypress Lake Middle School came from Fort Myers for the event and attempted to move on to states and internationals.

Though the competition included a presentation on the global water crisis, the robot challenge was by far the most exciting aspect of the evening.

City moves ahead with community center plans The multi-million dollar project would replace the shuttered MLK Rec Center. DANIEL FIGUEROA IV STAFF WRITER

The City Commission Monday voted to move forward with plans to replace the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center with a larger, full-service community center. The standing MLK Center, which was built in 1961, has been closed since September when Hurricane Irma’s impact worsened many existing issues. Water infiltration and trapped moisture caused mold growth and other extensive damages. City officials hoped the center would be up and running before 2018, but damages were found to be more extensive than initially thought. City staff said it would cost at least $400,000 to get the building open and much more to continue maintaining the aging structure. That prompted the city to consider replacing it with a full-service community center, inspired by one in Auburndale. “One of the things that really stands out to me is that right now we have an important community asset that’s

offline and we have positioned ourselves as a city to make a decision to get that asset back online and possibly build something that will be unique and would serve all of our community at a level that we have not yet been able to do,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “Quite frankly, I find that very exciting.” McDaniel said spending the money on repairing the existing MLK Center would leave the city with a “patchedup 60-year-old building” while the new center would provide new opportunities for decades to come. Recreation and Parks Department Director Jack Holland said the existing site would be able to accommodate a 29,000 square-foot facility. He said his staff visited the five-year-old Auburndale Community Center and Gym for inspiration. The Auburndale center has a 10,000 square-foot dividable community room with an adjacent kitchen, a teen area, craft area that doubles as a computer lab and 18,500 square-foot gym with two full-size basketball courts that can be used for a number of sports and activities. While that facility is a good example of what can be built in Plant City, Holland said, ultimately, that’s all it is. “Auburndale is an example,” Holland said. “We’re going with our own

File Photo

The MLK Rec Center is scheduled to be demolished in May.

design.” According to Chief Financial Officer Diane Reichard, the community center can be built with existing city funds. It’s expected to cost the city around $4.5 million that will be pulled from already available money. Reichard said $500,000 will come from the city’s community investment tax and $2 million each will come from the general fund and the fleet replacement fund. “What I was very excited about is the fact that we're able to do this without taking on any debt,” Mayor

Rick Lott said. “We have fund balances where we can take dollars from three different fund balances and be able to do this without having to go out to the market to get a bond or any debt. That shows you how strong, financially, the city is and how good a standing we are in right now.” The new center will cost more to run than the existing MLK center with increased power consumption and the need for a third full-time staff member, but Holland said at least some of that cost will be offset by the size and amount of events that can

be booked in a larger facility. Already, he said, the MLK Center gets booked frequently. Commissioners decided unanimously to move the project forward. The MLK Center is expected to be demolished by mid-May, with the new center opening its doors by the beginning of July 2019 — an aggressive schedule, staff admitted. “I just want to make one comment,” Commissioner Mary Mathis said following the vote. “Let the work begin.”

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

MARCH 1ST – 11TH, 2018 With numerous competitive exhibits and contests, the Florida Strawberry Festival is served by many individuals who are passionate about preserving history and fostering creativity and the arts in our community. Over the years, thousands of young people and adults have experienced the joy of seeing their hard work rewarded and on display at the Festival grounds. THANK YOU to these committee leaders and to each person who serves on these committees.

ART SHOW Karen Crumley, Chairman BABY CONTEST Kristi Dean, Chairman Connie Barrow, Co-Chair

BABY PARADE Ilene Chavez, Chairman Jordan Burke, Co-Chair

NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGE Dawn Kicklighter, Chairman Sheri Dusse, Co-Chair

PHOTO CONTEST Jim Black, Chairman Starr Anderson, Co-Chair

HORTICULTURE SHOW Jan Griffin, Chairman

NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGE YOUTH Connie Gerbasi, Chairman Ashlyn del Valle, Co-Chair

QUEEN’S HISTORICAL DISPLAY Marsha Passmore, Chairman Dodie White, Chairman Silvia Dodson, Co-Chair

SHOEBOX FLOAT Courtney Shackelford, Chairman Caitlin Cribbs, Co-Chair

General Information: 813.752.9194 Purchase Tickets Over the Phone Through Etix: 813.754.1996

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

We asked: Who is your favorite superhero? Black Panther broke records during its opening weekend making an estimated $192 million during its three-day debut in North America. Because of its success, we asked: Who is your favorite superhero?

“If it can be Marvel or DC I’d say Nightwing.” — Brandon Boone Jr., 14

“I really do like Black Panther. We saw it twice, we just left the theater again because the kids didn’t see it the first time. I like the idea of it.”

“Supergirl, because she’s my favorite.” — Brooklyn, 5

“Spider-Man, the original Spider-Man. I’ve just liked him ever since I was little.”

“Wonder Woman. She’s fearless. She’s everything you could want in a girl.”

— Zakai Hernandez, 16

— Celeste Manzano, 16

— Brandon Boone, 36

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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.

The Plant City Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Fridays. It is inserted into the Tampa Bay Times for subscribers. The Plant City Times & Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 1507 S. Alexander St., Suite 103. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

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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 23, 2018

Jinkies! Junior Archivist Club comes to Plant City

THINKING POSITIVE SCOTT TOLER

Don’t let the season get you down

The new Junior Archivist Club by the Plant City Photo Archives will teach students how to become “history detectives.”

Seasonal Affective Disorder doesn’t have to ruin your winter. Even though winter sometimes seems like the Monday of seasons, certain actions may be taken to make it more enjoyable. The diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder sometimes gets applied to wintertime dips in mood, but the motivation to make shorter days brighter does not need to come from having that condition. You could remember a neglected activity that you want to reengage and then start to do that again. Getting outside brings contact with sunshine and this leads to the improvement of downward trending moods. Having something to look forward to on a regular basis becomes important. Designating a gathering place to get together with people outside of the place where you live can enliven the day or evening. Reminding yourself of what you appreciate in life by making a gratitude list serves as an emotional boost. If you feel down, it becomes easy to forget the aspects of life that provide enjoyment. One definition of leisure involves the experience of unfettered freetime. This means periods of relaxation uninvolved with everyday tasks. Engaging in these kinds of spontaneous, reflective moments leads to breakthroughs of thought and understanding.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Breanne Williams

all asking if they have or know of an example of a Junior Archivists Club and none of them do, though they all say it’s a great idea. There are Junior Historian clubs all over but no archivist ones.” The students will learn about the importance of archivists, how to analyze a photograph for clues and context, how to compare photos to modern settings, how to make a timeline and connect dots to piece together the meaning of a photo and how to correctly collect and organize data. “We’re just trying to teach people to save their stuff,” Gott said. “That starts with the kids. If we can teach them the importance of history we can teach them to want to document the world they live in.” He plans to have many hands-on lessons with his pupils, teaching them firsthand how to preserve photos and find out what’s going on based off of

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Back to her roots, Jayme Harris, Plant City native, PCHS graduate c/o 1990 and USAF veteran has officially opened her new boutique in Downtown Plant City. A PEACE of Plant City offers an array of boutique style retail items to include locally made strawberry-themed shirts, hats, jewelry, organic soaps, lip balm and lotions. Veteran-made pens and man cave stuff. Repurposed, refurbished and original state antique furniture and household decor. This UNIQUE BOUTIQUE is located at 120 North Collins Street, Suite 101 in the heart of downtown Plant City.

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one single image. Because of Plant City’s deep, welldocumented history with the Strawberry Festival, he plans on structuring much of this first program around the annual event. He said the students can analyze old photos and then attend the event themselves to see in person what has changed and what’s stayed the same. The Archives received a grant from Unity in the Community to jumpstart the club and has plans to expand to a speech, artifact and diary detective program. The club will officially start from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 26. Students need to be signed up by their parent or guardian at the Archives, located at 106 S. Evers St. Gott said he hopes he will have a group of six solid students. “If we can save one photo from the dust heap of history,” Gott said, “then that’s one more we don’t have to worry about.”

Gil Gott, executive director for the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center, is spearheading the new Jr. Archivist Club.

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Young inquiring minds will soon have an opportunity to become history detectives thanks to the launch of the Junior Archivist Club by the Plant City Photo Archives. The program will be open for all children age 9 to 14 and utilize a fourvolume series called “Be A History Detective.” Participants will dive into the history of Plant City and surrounding neighborhoods and learn the importance of not only analyzing history, but also preserving our modern community for future analysis. “If you know what happened in the past, you know to save stuff in the present so you can continue to preserve history,” Gil Gott, executive director for the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center, said. “Kids don’t know past their own small history. They think everything is new and that they’re inventing everything. Hopefully, this program will get them hooked on history.” The free program will begin with a course on being a “photograph detective.” The registered students will receive a tote bag, magnifying glass, lanyard, ID badge and a notebook. The course will be one hour per week and last for six weeks. The goal will be to offer a fun, mystery-filled experience to bring out the inner detectives in all the attendees. “To my knowledge, this is the first Junior Archivist Club in the country,” Gott said. “I belong to many archivist societies and I’ve gone to them

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

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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, March 14, 2018, at 1005 South Alexander Street, Plant City, FL 33563, 813-759-9526. CUSTOMER NAME

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If the first Indiana Jones movie taught us anything, it’s to not bring a sword to a gun fight. The same could be said for a can of mace. The Plant City Police Department Tuesday arrested Christopher Lee Jones, 28, of Tampa, after a foot chase and gun-to-mace standoff ended with Jones being tackled to the ground by a bystander after he was hit with a taser and sprayed mace at the officer, according to PCPD. Just before noon Tuesday, PCPD spokesperson Al Van Duyne said, PCPD responded to Walmart, following up on a shoplifting call. Walmart’s loss prevention said they saw Jones attempting to steal a cell phone case. The tall and slender Jones took off on foot when the officer tried to arrest him, pulling something from a holster on the rear waistband of his pants. The officer pulled out a gun and pointed it at Jones, ordering him to stop, PCPD said. Jones then turned to face the officer and began advancing, PCPD said. The officer realized Jones was holding a can of mace and traded the gun for a taser, telling Jones to stop and turn around. Jones ignored the commands. As he advanced toward the officer, Jones shouted obscenities and threatened to spray the officer with the mace, PCPD said. Probes fired from the officer’s taser and hit Jones. Unbowed, he took off once more through the Walmart Parking lot.

“The taser was deployed in an attempt to neutralize Jones, but the probes did not affect him and he was able to swipe them away,” Van Duyne said. “It is believed they penetrated his clothing briefly, but not his person to achieve the desired results of neutralizing his ability to flee and be detained.” The officer called in the foot chase, prompting more units to respond. In all, six units responded or were en route. Jones ran into more police and turned to again face the officer, again pointing the mace and threatening to use it. “A few moments later, Jones did spray the contents of the can towards the officer,” Van Duyne said. “A good Samaritan was able to tackle Jones from behind which allowed police to place Jones in custody. A search of his person…yielded one gram of methamphetamine and several items of drug paraphernalia.” The officer wasn’t hit with the mace, but Jones was hit with the pavement, leading to a few cuts and scrapes, PCPD said. Jones was charged with felony petit theft, resisting arrest with violence, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Orient Road jail. According to information from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Jones has been arrested at least 16 times since 2006 on charges ranging from drug possession and car theft to burglary and fleeing officers. No bond was set as of Wednesday.

110 W. Reynolds Street Suite 109, Plant City, FL 33563 michael@cameronfm.com CAMERONFM.COM

Ida Holmes

Christopher Lee Jones attempted to steal a cell phone case and spray a police officer with mace, but was stopped. STAFF WRITER

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

excitement and bring more people in,” Carr said. Patel and Golden said they hope for the same, that the success of their project can help instill confidence in the viability of Midtown. And, as it builds up, Golden hopes he can be a part of the whole thing. “We want this as the benchmark for Midtown,” Golden said. “I hope to set me up a little office building here and not leave until it’s done.” MAD Zone and Party Zone are expected to be completed by April 30, in time for the Hindu celebration of Pooram, Patel said, and just in time for the children of Plant City to enjoy it over summer vacation. Patel said he and his team are investing more than $2 million into the site, but it’s more of an investment into the community of Plant City. “As a business owner we have to do what the customers are asking us,” Patel said. “This is something our city can use. It’s been a longtime goal we’ve had to build something like this in Plant City.”

Man arrested near Walmart DANIEL FIGUEROA IV

CAMERON

Int. The building was vacant while a lease on the land ran its life. Power and air conditioning were on while the building was unoccupied, keeping the interior in healthy condition, Golden said.

In January, the city selected Taurus Investment Holdings as the sole developer of Midtown. The city is still in contract negotiations with Taurus, but the company expects to be building on Midtown by winter. Despite Midtown’s first major development not being an actual part of the city’s Midtown development, city leaders and officials have expressed their support for the project. Patel and Golden said the city has been more than helpful, making sure the permitting and zoning needs were all in place so the project meets its deadline. The building has sat vacant for about five years while the lease ran out, but power and air-conditioning kept it in good shape. Golden said all that had to be adjusted was installing new bathrooms and changing occupancy counts because the usage changed. They even had an environmental study conducted to ensure the air is safe and free from harmful elements like mold. Building Official Jesse Carr said he’s excited about the project, hoping it can help attract more businesses and spur the Midtown development. “I think it’s gonna garner some

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The group purchased the building and 1.5 acres of land next to it in October and brought in local contractor Joe Golden to help with the conversion. Patel said part of the goal is to help Plant City become a self-sufficient community where residents, especially families, can have all their needs met right here. It’s something he felt was lacking as he raised his own children, who are now entering adulthood, here. “I’ve lived in Plant City for 30 years. My kids were born here,” Patel said. "We don’t have any kind of entertainment center like this in Plant City. People have to go to Lakeland, Brandon and different cities. We have a nice community here with nice people. Let’s keep it in Plant City.” For Patel and his partners, the project is one of great passion. For Golden and his company, Golden Construction Solutions, it’s also a labor of love for his family and what he sees Plant City becoming. “I’ve been here all my life, born and raised Plant City boy. I watched them tear Midtown down and I’m glad to be the contractor that’s kicking off building it back.” Golden said. “Now that I’m in Midtown every day, I’m having visions of a place where we all come together, where there is no limitation on what a community can build together.” The building that will soon house MAD Zone and Party Zone sits on the edge of the city’s Midtown redevelopment district. For more than 10 years, city administrations have attempted to develop the land, on which a sign announcing the coming project has sat so long it’s become chipped and faded. The city was able to build the Village Green Park, but its fountain remains the only sign of development in the area.

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Make that JUNK Go Away Today!

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

YOUR NEIGHBORS A life as

Santa Claus A group of professional Santas drove their ‘day sleighs’ to the Plant City car show and reminisced over the joys and occasionally heartbreaking memories they’ve made while in the famous red suit. STAFF WRITER

anta Claus — and eight others — came to town last weekend. They’re making lists, checking them twice and hanging out at the Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In. Nine professional Santa Clauses and a few of their wives gathered at the show with holiday-themed cars, telling those who walked by their other vehicle was drawn by eight tiny reindeer. The group was a small portion of the Palm Tree Santas, the Florida chapter of the International Brethren of Real Bearded Santas. The group meets several times a year to catch up and fellowship together. These men don’t simply don the red suit in December and then live normal lives for the rest of the year. To them, Santa is a lifestyle, a character they remain committed to year round. After all, though they may be in Levi’s jeans, a young child will be able to look at them and know who they are. “If you’re working around the house, say you’re painting it, and you need to go to the hardware store to get supplies, you can’t just leave in your ratty clothes,” Bob Elkin, president of the Palm Tree Santas, said. “You have to freshen up because what could happen is you’ll walk in that store and a child will see you, see your big, white beard and they’ll know. You have to look presentable all the time.” The Santas attend a Santa School to learn how to accurately represent the man who embodies the spirit of Christmas. The seminars prepare them for not only the joy they will bring, but also the sorrow they will face as Father Christmas. As the group of men stood in the blazing Florida sun they began to recount some of the heartbreaking moments they’ve had to push through as Santa. Children have asked for them to “bring daddy home,” they’ve seen children attached to wires, unable to offer a smile as they lay comatose in their hospital bed on Christmas Eve, children whose parents said with a watery smile this would more than likely be the last time they would see Kris Kringle, children who ask Santa to use his magic to make their loved ones happy again after losing a family member. “I once was visiting children in hospice care,” Elkin said. “I got a block from the house and broke.” When such situations arrive, the group said they have to carefully explain there are some things Santa can’t do. Sometimes, if the circumstance is appropriate, they’ll hold the child’s hand and offer to sit with him in a silent moment of prayer. The pain is inevitable, but all of the Santas said it is unequivocally worth the cost. There are so many more happy

moments as the elusive Claus, Elkin said, and even the tough ones offer things the men can “draw from” as they walk the footsteps of St. Nicholas. The IBRBS even has a Santa Claus Oath that is signed by members who vow to use their “powers to create happiness, spread love and make fantasies come to life in the true and sincere tradition of the Santa Claus Legend.” However, the men were adamant parents and employers only hire Santas who get a background check. “Get somebody you know that’s safe,” Santa Steve Hadala said. “Or get someone who passes a background check. We are professionals and this is what we go to school for.”

Photos by Breanne Willams

Santa Jim replicated the business card from the 1994 movie, "The Santa Clause."

Elkin, who originally began his career 25 years ago as Santa after he was filling in for a man who called in sick, said the lessons he learned after first attending Santa School completely changed his mindset on the craft. His very first lesson he was asked, “Why does Santa wear white gloves?” After the students all made guesses about the mythology of the story their teacher bluntly informed them it was so their hands would be visible in the photos at all times. This isn’t a joke or a weird hobby to these men. They’ve committed to this lifestyle because they have seen firsthand the joy it can bring. Many of their wives get in on the career and train to become Mrs. Claus. The Palm Tree Santas also have a drill team that participates in Honor Flights, parades and many other veterans activities. They love their country and believe their mission in life is to spread goodwill and cheer to all they meet. In fact, the group’s motto is simply “collect smiles.” “It doesn’t matter where you are or what group you’re visiting, the look in those children’s eyes when they see you, the love you feel from across the room makes it all worth it,” Elkin said. “Their eyes are like saucers whenever they see us. I tell everyone that I’m just not sure that God intended for an old man to have as much fun as Santa does.”

Santa Dennis with his Christmas magicinspired sleigh. Santa Dennis has a car that’s license plate says “OnDashr.”

Santa Rex Ray with his 1929 Ford Model A.

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BREANNE WILLIAMS

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

A HISTORY OF S

— BREANNE WILLIAMS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

A night of Plant City comedy

DREAMERS t. Mary’s Community Church hosted a historic “roll call” in honor of its annual Black Heritage Celebration. Six historic African Americans were played by prominent members of the Plant City community. Justice Thurgood Marshall was played by Rev. Edward Singleton. Maya Angelou was played by Commissioner Mary Mathis. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was played by Rev. Dr. Larry Sykes. Oprah Winfrey was played by Sharon Moody, president of the Plant City's Black Heritage Celebration. Namesake of Marshall Middle School, E.J. Marshall, was played by William Thomas Jr., president of the Improvement League of Plant City. Nina Simone was played by Sandra Harrell. During the event, each character told a story of the work they have done to better their community. Some sang, others recited speeches and a theme of perseverance and dedication shone through the event. Though each historic figure had vastly different personalities and passions, all lived their lives fighting for equality in their own unique way in hopes the generations to come would be given a brighter future. The skit blended an educational message with an inspiring undercurrent of emotion, encouraging all those in attendance to evaluate what they had to offer to society and begin working toward making the world a better place.

Sandra Harrell gave a spot on Nina Simone impression during the skit and told about some of the challenges she overcame while becoming one of the greatest musicians of all time.

Justin Kline

Tom Chase impersonates WPLA callers who highlighted the station's "This & That" show.

Tom Chase did a fundraiser show at the 1914 PCHS Community Center on Feb. 17. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Photos by Breanne Williams

Above: Rev. Dr. Larry Sykes portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the skit, sharing one of his many famous speeches on his dream of an equal society. Right: Rev. Edward Singleton portrayed Justice Thurgood Marshall during the event.

Golf at the library B

ruton Memorial Library's newest family activity was a real holein-one. With help from local sponsors, the library set up a 12-hole mini golf course and allowed people to play for $5 per person or $8 per family. Lowe's of Plant City assembled each hole and its obstacles and there was a guest appearance by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Adam Hayward. — JUSTIN KLINE Photos by Justin Kline

Anything from books to buckets was used throughout the course as an obstacle.

Above: The event was held to give families a fun, affordable activity to do together. Left: Mike Spall and Adam Hayward.

Dark Horse Music Store was one of the event's sponsors and brought the whole staff out to play.

Few Plant Citians can tell a story about life in town like Tom Chase. An audience got to see him do just that on Feb. 17 at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center. Chase, a Fort Myers-based lawyer and longtime poet, came back to town for the East Hillsborough Historical Society-sponsored Tom Chase Night of Comedy to make Plant City laugh. Shelby Bender, the group’s president, said the idea for the comedy show came when she and Chase were talking about similar shows he puts on in Fort Myers, where he is currently based. John Dicks and Steve Smith joined in because the three men are lifelong friends and college fraternity brothers, and therefore were the perfect people to introduce Chase to the crowd. There were bits like Chase’s “Dorgan and Dorgan” spoof of well-known Florida lawyer John Morgan’s advertising campaigns, complete with a convincing impression of Morgan’s accent, and one called “Things My Mama Said” that had the audience rolling. Chase had help from two of his closest friends, former Plant City mayor John Dicks and Steve Smith, during parts of the show. One notable example came when the trio portrayed WPLA broadcasters Al Berry and Ercel Smith and a rotating cast of callers. Citing “true stories,” the group did reenactments of calls made to the station’s “This & That” show for everything from a Sunday school teacher upset about grammatical errors in graffiti to a woman looking to give away a Chevrolet Corvette to get back at her husband. There were also moments of nostalgia when Chase — “Plant City’s poet laureate,” Dicks told the audience — recited poems he had written about living in town, spending time with his family and friends and growing up. “When we get together, there’s always a refreshing wind,” Chase said in one poem. “Tonight is wonderful, but I can’t wait ’til we get together again.” Musical performances by Este Elizabeth, Joy Burt Lingenfelter and Dana Burt Duke before and during the show also kept the crowd’s spirits up. Proceeds raised from the event will help with the EHHS’s efforts to further restore the 1914 PCHS building and help fund the group’s programs.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

sung in four part harmony by the classically trained vocalist of Divonicci at Plant City Entertainment, 101 N. Thomas St. Tickets can be purchased at pceshows.com.

PLANT CITY FOOD TRUCK RALLY 5 to 9 p.m. on the corner of Drane Street and North Palmer Street. February’s event will be strawberry shortcake-themed, with an eating contest for kids and family karaoke in addition to the DJ truck. BRIDAL EXPO INVITE 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Bridal Expo will be held at UMCatering at Blake Hall, 120 State Road 60 E. It will feature many vendors, fun, food and prizes. One winner receives 50% off a photography package and other winning prizes include discounts on Hall and Catering venue at UM Catering at Blake Hall.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

SPRING CRAFT FAIR & INDOOR YARD SALE 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 26 is hosting a Spring Craft Fair & Indoor Yard Sale at 2207 W. Baker St. Come find yard sale treasures and local crafts including hand crafted jewelry, home decor, sewn creations and more. Vendor tables available for $10 each. Contact Pam at 813-752-8608 x805 to reserve your spot. FIFTIETH DOVER ROD RUN & PINEWOOD DERBY 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 50th Dover Rod Run is held at First Baptist Dover, 3223 Gallagher Rd. There will be live music, food, vintage cars, custom vehicles, motorcycles, jeeps, pinewood derby and more. Youths will be selling strawberry shortcake for $5 in front of the CLC. All proceeds go toward helping our students attend camp this summer. Races will begin at 11:45 am. Anyone

A SHORT DRIVE

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

BEST BET

File photo

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

JENSEN’S HEART OF GOLD FL CHAPTER GOLD GALA 7 p.m. at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College, 1206 N. Park Road. The Gold Gala is Jensen’s Heart of Gold Florida Chapter’s primary fundraising event. Guests will enjoy delectable dishes from Lakeland’s Nineteen61 Restaurant, open bar including Sangria from Keel and Curley Winery, silent auction, live auction and live entertainment. Tickets are on sale now at jensensheartofgold.com/ gold-gala. Jensen’s has given more than $50,000 in direct hardship assistance to over 80 kids with cancer in Central Florida.

ONLINE For more events and ongoing events, visit

PlantCityObserver.com

Jensen’s Heart of Gold Florida Chapter Gold Gala returns to Plant City this year. It was held in Lakeland in 2017.

WRITING YOUR CHILDHOOD MEMORIES 6 p.m. The “Writing Your Childhood Memories” writing and illustrating class is sponsored and hosted by the East Hillsborough Historical Society. The event is at 1914 PCHSCC, 605 N Collins St. Award-winning Florida artist and author of “Room 4” Beth Ford will be leading the class. For a list of upcoming classes, please visit ehhsoc.org/events.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1 of any age is able to participate in the pinewood derby. PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES 2018 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Planes, Trains & Automobiles 2018 is at the Plant City Airport, 4007 Airport Road. Admission is free and parking is $5. Free flights for kids, ages 8 to 17 years old. Registration closes at 1 pm. Boy Scout Merit Badge opportunities, Cub Scout activities, Vendors, kids’ play area, planes, helicopters, remote control planes, model trains, automobiles, K9 demos, PC Police Department, PC Fire Department, CSX Safety and computer flight simulators. AN EVENING OF CONTEMPORARY POP CROSSOVER 8 to 10 p.m. Orchestrated versions of some of your favorite pop songs,

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The annual Florida Strawberry Festival is officially open for the next 11 days. Come down to the festival grounds for strawberries, shortcake, concerts, rides, shows, animals and a berry sweet time. For more information visit flstrawberryfestival.com. ONEBLOOD BLOOD DRIVE 1 p.m. The OneBlood Big Red Bus will be in front of Bruton Memorial Library on March 1 and March 2. All donors will receive two free admission tickets for the Florida Strawberry Festival and a free wellness checkup. For more information or to make an appointment, call 1-888936-6283 or visit oneblood.org/ strawberryfestival. Identification is required. Donors must be at least 16 years old. Those who are 16 years old need parental permission. See website for more details.

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FRIDAY, FEB. 23

ST. PETERSBURG JAZZ FESTIVAL 7:30 p.m. The 10th annual St. Petersburg Jazz Festival is a diverse and unique jazz lineup presented by nonprofit EMIT. All five evening concerts are at the Palladium Theater and Side Door in St. Petersburg, Florida. See www.stpetejazzfest.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

2018 EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL The magical event features outdoor kitchens offering delectable bites and libations, dozens of world-renowned Disney-themed topiaries, breathtaking garden spaces and wildlife habitats, inspirational exhibits, a “How-To” Garden, engaging tours, an outdoor concert series featuring fan-favorite bands and more.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FEB. 9

FEB. 10

COPS CORNER

STORAGE WARS 400 block of West Ball Street. Burglary/aggravated assault: Complainant was confronted at his storage unit by three male subjects, got into an argument and brandished a firearm. He then left the scene in his girlfriend’s vehicle, returned with his girlfriend and another male and found the three subjects burglarizing the unit. The parties got into a physical altercation. All parties signed waivers of prosecution. BEHIND ON RENT Multiple locations. Grand theft: Complainants at apartment complexes located at the 110 block of North Pearl Street and the 600 block of North Dort Street stated an unknown person stole rent payments from their respective mail lockboxes. The total amount of money stolen was over $7,500.

FEB. 11

TABLETOP TREACHERY 2420 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Criminal mischief: Complainant stated an unknown male subject jumped on an outdoor table and broke its attached umbrella. THE OL’ SWITCHEROO 1300 block of East Alabama Street. Stolen license plate: Complainant stated an unknown suspect stole his license plate and replaced it on his car with the tag from another vehicle. A check on that tag revealed it had been reported stolen out of Plant City. Complainant’s stolen tag was reported and the tag on his vehicle was recovered.

Gary E. Williams

Charles ‘Rob’ Hargis

Beverly Brunson, 84, Shelbyville, Kentucky died Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 following a long illness at Westport Care Center. A native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, she was the daughter of the late Maurice and Olive Egberts. She grew up in Kalamazoo and joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school. While in the Navy, she met and married her husband, William “Bill” Brunson. They lived in Plant City, where she was a cashier at Felton’s Grocery, for nearly 50 years. She was everyone’s favorite cashier as she never met a stranger and could talk with anyone. Following her retirement and the passing of her husband, she relocated to Shelbyville to be near her daughter. She was an avid reader, pinball wizard and enjoyed gardening and playing cards. She was Lutheran by faith. In addition to her husband and parents, two sisters, Lois Smith and Irene Barkley, preceded her in death. Survivors include her daughter, Terry Vance of Shelbyville; her grandson, Andy Spetz of Chicago, Illinois and several nieces and nephews for whom she was known as the “favorite aunt.” Cremation has been selected in accordance with her wishes. A private memorial service will be held later in Plant City. The cremated remains will be privately interred. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Hosparus of Louisville or Alzheimer's Association. Envelopes are available through the funeral home. Arrangements have been entrusted to Webb Funeral Home. Online condolences may be expressed at www.webbfuneralhome. com.

Dr. Gary E. Williams, 84, of Lakeland, born in Charleston, Illinois, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 10. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

Charles “Rob” Hargis, 71, of Bartow, Florida, formerly of Wimauma, born in Plant City on Oct. 25, 1946, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 18, 2018. He retired from Goodson Farms after 38 years. He loved NASCAR, fishing, gambling, Westerns, and putting hot sauce on everything he ate. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Virginia Hargis; children, Ginger Lambert of Bartow, Rhonda Hapgood (Dave) of Bartow, James “P-Nut” Hooks of Wimauma, and Daniel “Mikey” Hargis of Ruskin; grandchildren, Kim Mastronardi (Mike), Lydia Lambert, Trevor Edwards, Tyler Switzer, Erik Hargis, and Ethan Hargis; greatgranddaughter, Lexi Mastronardi; 8 nieces; and 11 nephews. A visitation will be held Friday, Feb. 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 S. County Road 39, Plant City. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Feb. 24 at 3:00 p.m. at Friends and Family Church, 17332 Carlton Branch Drive, Wimauma. Committal to follow at Fellowship Cemetery, Wimauma. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

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Charles William Bell Charles William Bell, 88, of Plant City, born on June 6, 1929, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 13.

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Roger Dale Fowler Roger Dale Fowler, 68, of Plant City, born on July 31, 1949, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 14. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

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Robert Johnston Robert Johnston, age 82, of Plant City, passed away on Feb. 14, 2018. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. MLK Jr. Blvd, Plant City. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

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SPORTS

High hopes against Hi-Tides The Plant City Raiders will face Miami Beach High School at 1 p.m. Saturday for the 5A boys soccer state title. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Plant City High School’s boys soccer team likes to say its members are “all-in” when it comes to the game. They’ve even got the poker chips to show for it. On game days, every Raider carries around their own personalized chip as a reminder. They’ll dig into their pockets for something else, find the chips and remember what they have to go out and do on the field. Before games, all of the chips are “turned in” to the team’s coaches as a gambler would to the dealer at a poker table. They’re betting on themselves — figuratively speaking — every time they lace up and take the soccer field.

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

Chargers win wrestling district tourney Strawberry Crest’s wrestling team is a back-to-back district champ for the first time in program history. The Chargers won the 3A-District 6 championship on Saturday at George Jenkins High School, and also had five individual champions on the day: Steven Stairs (113), Jake Spray (126), Chas Waller (152), Joe Hatfield (182) and Chad Grassel (195). The Class 3A-Region 2 tournament will be held at Kissimmee-Osceola High School and is set to begin at 6 p.m. tonight. Competition will end Saturday.

No matter what happens Saturday afternoon, the last time they’ll go “all-in” this season, one thing will be certain: no Raiders soccer team has ever been as successful as the closeknit 2017-18 team is. “These guys work harder than anybody I’ve coached before,” head coach Caleb Roberts said. “They refuse to lose. They literally think they can win every game they’re part of.” Before Feb. 14, no Raiders team had ever made it out of regionals and booked a state championship series berth. Ricardo Rosales, Rex Lott and Paulino Ramirez got tired of waiting and changed that with goals in a 3-1 win over Palm Harbor University High School. Then, in the Raiders’ first state semifinal game, goals from

5A BOYS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME When: 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 Where: Spec Martin Memorial Stadium at Stetson University, 260 E. Euclid Ave., DeLand Cost: $9 per ticket in advance of event, $12 on game day. Free parking. CAN'T GO? Spectrum Sports will have a live webcast of the game online.

Eric “Peanut” Ugarte and Epifanio Castro led to a 2-1 road win over Seminole to set up Saturday’s showdown at Stetson University. The boys are now Justin Kline

SEE SOCCER PAGE 13

Eric “Peanut” Ugarte and the Raiders are ready to face Miami Beach at states.

Strawberry Crest’s softball team held a unique first pitch ceremony and a postgame candlelight vigil on Feb. 20.

HEARTFELT HOME OPENER

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Strawberry Crest’s Feb. 20 softball game against Spoto was more than just another win on the Chargers’ record. The team made it a point to honor two groups of people: those who have inspired them, and those killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Feb. 14. The ceremonies were held before and after the game, which was held at Strawberry Crest. Tuesday’s first pitch ceremony saw every member of the Chargers roster throw to someone who, according to the team, has inspired them most on the softball field. Each player’s ball was customized with a written message, often thanking their inspirations for playing important roles in their lives as parents, siblings, friends and coaches. “We just wanted to find a way to honor and give thanks to the people who helped us get to where we are today,” junior Emma Cooper said. “I think this is a really great way to do it because it’s simple, but it’s very meaningful.” Rather than have everyone throw together at once, each Charger and her inspirational person took turns pitching as the PA announcer introduced them to the crowd. The team felt it was the best way to let every individual feel as appreciated as possible. “My dad’s been with me the whole time I’ve been playing softball. He’s my biggest supporter,” senior Celia Higgins said. “My biggest pusher. Always pushing me to be the best.” After the first pitch ceremony, the Chargers beat the Spartans, 15-0, in three innings. After the game, the team held a candlelight vigil for the 17 deceased victims of the Stoneman Douglas shooting. Strawberry Crest purchased 500 candles to hand out for

PCHS hoops earns home court advantage The Plant City High School boys basketball team is back in the playoffs and, this time, it went in knowing it had a big advantage. With a 56-54 win over Tampa Bay Tech on Feb. 16, the Raiders brought the 8A-District 9 title home and also secured home-court advantage for their entire run through regionals. It was a big game for senior Triston Evans, who led the Raiders with 22 points and also grabbed 11 rebounds. Matt Simpson was second on the team with 13 points, and Jadyn Strawder finished with six points and a team-high 16 rebounds and three steals. The Raiders hosted St. Pete on Thursday night, but results from that game were not available at press time.

Gayner throws perfect game Plant City High School didn’t get much trouble from Hillsborough in a 17-0 win Tuesday night, thanks in large part to pitcher T.J. Gayner’s perfect game. The senior retired all 18 Terriers batters he faced in the sixinning game, striking out six. The Raiders’ next opponent is Brandon, who will host Plant City at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27.

PCLL Opening Day next weekend Plant City Little League will kick off its 2018 season with Opening Day ceremonies at Mike Sansone Park at 9 a.m. Feb. 24. This year’s guest speaker is Mark Wegner, a Major League Baseball crew chief who most recently was behind home plate in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. There will be vendors, music by the Redhead Express and appearances by the new Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and her court and Plant City native Kristen Wyckoff, a professional softball player.

Justin Kline

Player-inspiration tandems were called up one at a time.

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

The case O for having more fun in amateur sports You don’t have to constantly pressure kids to get on-field results.

SEE SOFTBALL PAGE 13

JUSTIN KLINE

n Monday, fresh off of winning a team district title and five individuals, I went to Strawberry Crest’s wrestling practice to talk to coach C.J. Gittens and Chad Grassel. I found them outside on the soccer practice field, playing a game of ultimate frisbee. I’ve heard of teams calling off practices for a day after big wins like that, but seeing teams just go play outside? Can’t fault anybody for taking advantage of a beautiful day, but that was a first for me. I can’t knock them for it, either. In my opinion, teams like these have the right idea. We enjoy sports because, above all else, they’re fun to play. No five or six-year-olds introduced to the games for the first time are going to talk to you about winning championships and creating a legacy without someone whispering

in their ears — they really just want to talk about how fun it is to play and, maybe, who their favorite athlete is. While there is room for a certain level of toughness, strictness or whatever you want to call it in coaching, I think we’re seeing on a bigger scale than ever that treating games more like games works. USA Today sportswriter Dan Wolken published a column Monday about the success Norway has had in the Winter Olympics and how it relates to the country’s approach to athletics. I recommend giving the whole thing a read, but here’s what stuck out to me: nobody over there is keeping score in sports until the kids turn 13. I don’t think that idea would go so well over here — not that it wouldn’t work as intended, keeping the focus about fun and friendship rather than

constant competition, but because that’s just not how we are. Here in America, virtually everything we do is driven by competition. I hope no readers accuse me of calling to water sports down, because that’s not my intention at all — competition can be good and healthy and, at the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to go out there and win all your games. My problem lies with the people who go totally overboard and exploit the idea of competition. You’ve got some travel sports leagues that cost more than many families can afford, but they’ll say you need to put your kids in there if they want to succeed at the highest level. The same thing applies for tutors, classes prep schools and other programs in and out of sports. SEE KLINE PAGE 13

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Soccer

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

First Baptist Dover

sporting Clays

FROM PAGE 12

playing for what could be the school’s first state championship in any sport since boys basketball won in 1982. Plant City’s success in the 201718 season can’t be understated. The Raiders, ranked third in the state and 14th in the nation on MaxPreps.com, average just over four goals per game and have outscored opponents, 83-15, throughout the season. The team’s defense and goaltending has been especially solid through the playoffs, as Plant City hasn’t allowed more than one goal in any of the six games — thus giving the offense more confidence to attack and average 3.3 goals per game. Ugarte, a senior forward, leads the team with 21 goals and 53 points, and is just a tenth of a point shy from tying for the lead in assists (0.6) per game. But he’s far from the only Raider capable of putting goals on the board: only two Raiders have yet to find the back of the net, and eight Raiders — more than half of the field players — have scored at least five goals this season. Castro, a sophomore, leads the team with 13 assists, though the team itself has combined for a total of 50 on the season. Ugarte and his teammates believe they’re skilled enough physically and tough enough mentally to beat anybody. After tasting defeat against Newsome in the district finale, the group decided that wouldn’t happen

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Justin Kline

The Raiders have had 83 goals and 18 wins to celebrate this season.

again if they could help it. “Learning from that, I think we just came back harder and stronger,” Ugarte said. “It paid off in regional semifinals when we played them and showed that we didn’t want to have that feeling again.” Roberts couldn’t have asked for a better rebounding effort by the team after that game. The Raiders bounced back from the 2-1 district championship loss against Newsome with a 2-1 regional semifinal win just eight days later. “That was the game that propelled us forward, a loss. It’s hard to say that,” Roberts said. “But Newsome’s a great team. I have a lot of respect for

their team and their coach.” Facing the Miami Beach Hi-Tides will be no easy task, though. While the Raiders have a better winning percentage, as Miami Beach has lost two and tied once, the Hi-Tides offense has scored 30 more goals in 10 more games, and have outscored opponents in the playoffs by a margin of 20-4. Most recently, the Hi-Tides’ offense tore up Celebration’s defense, 7-2, in their Feb. 17 state semifinal game. With that in mind, the Raiders are ready to represent their school, their city and Hillsborough County on Florida’s biggest stage. “We’re all 100% in,” Ugarte says. “We’re all-in.”

“We just wanted to find a way to honor and give thanks to the people who helped us get to where we are today. I think this is a really great way to do it because it’s simple, but it’s very meaningful.”

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This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money.” – Abigail Van Buren

Softball

Jennifer Sherrouse

Above: Crest students hold photos of the 17 shooting victims and flash peace signs.

FROM PAGE 12

the vigil, which was an idea the team had shortly after the incident. Seventeen Crest students held photos of the shooting victims and banners showing solidarity between the two schools were displayed. “We just think it’s a terrible tragedy,” Cooper said. “There’s not much we can do about it, other than try to honor the lives that were lost. It’s kind of our way to help the families cope, and to help remember them.”

There are some folks out there who run legitimate programs, but others just care about money and will take advantage of “competitive” parents. It’s just accepted that, from an early age, your kids should crush everyone everywhere from the classroom to the playing fields. There’s merit in pushing kids to be the best they can be, and I know there are coaches and parents out there who successfully run tight ships, but we must be careful not to burn athletes out long before they should even consider quitting. It’s possible to show younger kids how much fun it is to do well at something instead of forcing it just to feed your own ego. I’ve seen plenty of talented athletes hang it up at young ages because they just didn’t want to deal with all the baggage anymore. The games they once loved became their greatest sources of bad stress, and maybe they also found new passions nobody ever bothered to shove in their faces. No one, as a parent or coach or teacher, wants to be responsible for burning a kid out, but it happens more often

This week’s Sudoku answers

Justin Kline

Left: Players wrote messages on every ball before throwing them to their chosen people.

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

Puzzle Two Solution: “Very often it’s really inconvenient -who you fall in love with. You can’t really control it.” – Jackson Browne

JUSTIN KLINE

than many folks would like to admit. There’s no real fun in being an overzealous helicopter parent for anyone involved — be it the parents themselves, teachers, coaches, the kids or even the local sportswriters they’ll occasionally talk to. We don’t need to put our youngest athletes through the fire so soon just because we want to brag about how great they are to our friends, family and social media followers. Kids need to know we care about them, win or lose, pass or fail. I’m sure it happens occasionally but, as a whole, it sure doesn’t sound like Norway’s setting its kids up for burnout. At age 13, scores are kept and the kids who want to pursue greater things in sports are given the avenues to do so as they see fit. I think that’s fine, as 13 is a pretty good age for the kids to decide whether they really want to further pursue athletics or let it go. High school is a good time to turn up the coaching intensity and show kids the fun that can be had in competition. Rag on that all you want, but check Norway’s medal count. Walking from the soccer field to Crest’s track, Gittens told me the

team will do things like plan ultimate frisbee days to both reward the wrestlers for hard work and let them know the intensity doesn’t always have to be ramped up to 110%. Taking time for fun team activities and events is what helped convince Gittens to stay on his NCAA Division 1 team at Campbell — in a way, Crest’s team took a page from the Camels’ book. The Chargers certainly enjoyed the opportunity to just go play outside and have fun together, and I’m sure they’ve also enjoyed winning two district titles in a row and sending six kids to states in 2017. One of sports’ universal truths is that you either adapt or get left behind. We don’t have to run with exactly the same ideas as Norway, but isn’t it time we at least took a hint from a country that seems to be getting ahead of the curve? Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Times & Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

This week’s Crossword answers

2018

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

FOCUS ON FITNESS

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Chad Grassel

JENNIFER E. CLOSSHEY, PH.D.

Prevent knee osteoarthritis It is possible to save your knees before the joints begin to fail.

nee pain from joint deterioration is common in today’s society. The total number of knee replacements performed each year has doubled over the past decade. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, knee replacement surgery will rise by 643 percent to an annual rate of 3.48 million procedures in the year 2030. Will you receive one of them?

WHY DO KNEE JOINTS FAIL?

The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the human body. Knee cartilage in adults has no blood supply other than that which occurs during exercise. Yes, weight-bearing movement acts as a natural prevention technique for knee osteoarthritis. Exercise forces nutrients into the joint fluid. Without regular movement, the knee fails to get the oxygen and nutrients needed for renewal and self-healing. IS THERE A CURE?

A healthy lifestyle with diet, exercise, sleep and stress management determines your overall health as well as that of your knees. Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, plenty of sleep and weight control can prevent, relieve and manage its symptoms. According to a December 2017 Journal of the American Medical Association report, there is “no formal mechanism other than the sort of pumping action of the mechanics of the knee.” This study from Boston University’s School of Medicine reports that a sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor to the rising rate of knee replacement procedures in the United States. Knee deterioration is not a necessary part of aging. Prevention is possible.

Strawberry Crest’s wrestling team recently placed first at the FHSAA district tournament at George Jenkins High School, thanks in part to a clutch final win by senior Chad Grassel at 195 pounds. Grassel also played football for the Chargers and is in the top 15 in his graduating class with a 5.9 GPA. He’s hoping to earn a college scholarship to play sports while studying criminology. Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

GET PHYSICAL

Regular exercise is both the best prevention and the best treatment for knee osteoarthritis. According to Boston University’s David Felson, M.D., physical activity within a certain range promotes the growth and maintenance of knee cartilage, ligaments and bones. It also strengthens muscles to distribute loads appropriately across the joint. Avoid bending knees past 90 degrees when doing knee bends or squats. Keep feet flat on the floor during calf stretches and runner’s lunges to avoid twisting the knee joint. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep all joints healthy. Regular activity is also the best treatment for those suffering with osteoarthritis anywhere in the body. Try 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week to help joints stay limber and decrease pain. Remember that exercise strengthens the muscles that support and stabilize hips and knees, as well as strengthening the heart and lungs. A side benefit of exercise is a lower diabetes risk and weight control.

How did you feel after your big win? It felt pretty good. I just knew I had to win…we were really close to George Jenkins. They were in second, we were in first by, like, three points. Tell me about that first-place match. In the first period I was down, 2-0. Then he (Trent Bridges, George Jenkins High School) went down and in the second period, it was 3-0. I kept hearing my teammates say I had it, I could do it, I could take this kid. About 15 seconds left in the second period, I took him down and held him down the rest of the period. It was 3-2. Third period, I went down, got my one-point escape. It was 3-3. He went to take a shot to try and take the lead, I put him in a front headlock and circled around him to get two (points), and then held him down until the last 20 seconds and then just stalled, basically, until time ran out.

TAKE THOSE POUNDS OFF

Another major contributor to osteoarthritis is excess weight. Every extra pound adds four pounds of additional pressure on the knee joint. This unnecessary wear and tear to the connective tissue and cartilage of the knee joint breaks down the protective padding around the joint. This same extra weight adds mechanical stress on the hips by increasing the pressure on the hip joint six-fold. Fat tissue increases body inflammation as fat cells produce proteins called cytokines. Cytokines destroy CFC037149of tissue by altering the function cartilage cells. Dropping five to 10 pounds significantly reduces joint stress and inflammation.

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fail a class…you take a chance of losing your scholarship. What’s been your favorite moment as a Charger? Definitely wrestling. Two-time district champ, something the school has never done before, was never a district champ for wrestling at all until last year. I was just glad to continue it my senior year after being a part of it our first time…I think that they’re going to continue doing it and eventually become a powerhouse. What advice would you give to one of those new kids who will come in after you and try to finish building that “powerhouse?” Definitely, stick it out. Wrestling is hard. Really hard. Harder than any sport I’ve ever done in my life. It takes a lot of dedication. It really does. But it pays off in the end when you start getting wins at regionals, and you’re one of those kids that, when you walk into the (opponent’s) gym, they’re all looking at you like, “These kids are here, we have to go against Strawberry Crest.”

Any college plans? I have a couple different schools looking at me. I have Lawrence University in Wisconsin, as well as Carthage and I actually like Concordia as well because it has wrestling. Would you play both sports? I don’t know what I want to do. I’ve been doing wrestling and football together for the last four years and it’s been a really busy schedule. I know that going to college, it’s paid for and you don’t get it back if you

Jennifer Closshey is a doctor of integrative health and a Plant City YMCA yoga instructor. JenniferClosshey@ gmail.com.

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MARCH 17, APRIL 21, MAY 19 AND JUNE 16 FREE with general admission. The Family Togetherness Program is underwritten by: Michael & Marcy Klein

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

I LOVE PLANT CITY

FORECAST

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 23, 2018

SUNRISE / SUNSET

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

High: 87 Low: 63 Chance of rain: 20%

Friday, Feb. 23

6:59a

6:25p

Saturday, Feb. 24

6:58a

6:25p

Sunday, Feb. 25

6:57a

6:26p

Monday, Feb. 26

6:56a

6:27p

Tuesday, Feb. 27

6:55a

6:27p

Wednesday, Feb. 28

6:54a

6:28p

Thursday, Mar. 1

6:53a

6:29p

SATURDAY, FEB. 24 High: 88 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 20%

Sunrise Sunset

MOON PHASES

SUNDAY, FEB. 25 High: 89 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 10%

Mar. 17 New

Mar. 12 Last

Mar. 22 First

Mar. 1 Full

MONDAY, FEB. 26 High: 88 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 10%

RAINFALL

STRAWBERRIES Shipping point: Orlando $6.90 to $8.90

Kathy Flemister stopped on Cowart Road to check out azaleas as they begin to bloom. Flemister wins this week’s I Love Plant City photo contest.

ONLINE

Courtesy of the United States

Department of Agriculture

Twitter and Plant City Times & Observer on Facebook.

GOT PESTS?

264455

264739

Criminal Defense Attorneys for Plant City • Seal and Expunge • DUI • DV Injunction

• VOP • Drug Possession • All Misdemeanor and Felony Cases

Sammis Law Firm, P.A., 1005 N. Marion Street, Tampa, Florida 33602

(p) 813-250-0500 (f) 813-276-1600 criminaldefenseattorneytampa.com

29 “Carmen” solo 30 On the double, briefly 1 Attachments to back31 Reads over quickly boards 32 Film partner of Louise 5 Motherboard pt. 8 Fourth qtr. month11 “I 34 What atheists insist on being ___ afraid of that!” 36 Place to get steamed 14 Motored movers 38 Lah-di-___ 18 Far from land19 39 Pretentious poseur Word to a dentist 20 Producer of molasses 40 Org. of dentists 43 Branch angle 22 Chipping option 46 Alliance since 1949 23 Fail to persist 48 Some believers 26 “___ Zapata!” 27 Thou-shalt-not things 52 Catch unawares 28 Waterway serving Orsk 54 Chinese cooking vessel

0.00

Saturday, Feb. 17

0.00

Sunday, Feb. 18

0.00

Monday, Feb. 19

0.00

Tuesday, Feb. 20

0.00

YEAR TO DATE:

FEB. TO DATE:

2018 6.11 in.

2018 2.45 in.

2017 2.65 in.

2017

1.59 in.

fastest 113 Some ground-floor opportunities 114 Come into prominence 115 Visored military cap 116 Be cautious, in a way 119 “Zounds!” kin 120 Free Wi-Fi, e.g. 121 Work a hand shuttle 122 “I’ll second that” 123 Test another’s courage 124 Permit 125 ___ favor

56 Farming tool 57 Moistens a turkey 58 Band box 60 Small striped fish 64 Move on all fours 65 Terser 67 Syrian city 68 Under siege 71 Strip of planking on a ship 72 Glaziers’ stick’ems 73 Blood of the Greek gods 76 Firmly established 78 Hill big shot, briefly 79 Turkey part?

GARAGE DOOR REPAIR & As SERVICE a1bo0kuut sa %

Discoun t

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52 Telly network 53 Parts of rivers 55 Russian alcoholic beverage 59 ___ as a peacock 60 Stadia are filled with them 61 Manning under center 62 It represents financial loss 63 Covered with small dots 65 Primitive chuckee 66 Big bang maker 69 Little strummed instrument DOWN 70 Slow, to a maestro 1 Inflatable floaters 71 Like the Mojave 2 Newton of science 74 Like some exams 3 Toast variety 75 Unit of sunlight 4 ‘Do place 76 Little bit of goo 5 Caribbean getaways 77 Known to very few 6 Bit of butter 79 Assistant 7 “Yeah, I hear ya” 83 Yard tool 8 Jack Ruby’s victim 85 Penalty for crossing the 9 Non-PC miner line? 10 Take a crack at 86 Pigskin prop 11 Maytag rival 87 As if in a dream 12 Videos’ counterparts 89 Shouts of pain 13 Applied jam 90 Soundly beat 14 Composer Antonio 94 “Oh, my!” 15 Pop up into view 16 Some old Chevy models 96 Light wind 98 Charades or Monopoly, 17 Loses it 21 Gov’t. property overseer e.g. 99 Dried, like mud 24 Office VIP 100 Letter furthest from 25 Before, to or fro alpha 32 Yellow transporter 80 Airport terminal abbr. 101 Stock without face 33 “So there it is!” 81 Fishy delicacy value 35 Collectible 82 Work-stoppage com37 Be an excellent student 103 “The Spectacles” pensation author 40 Controversial apple 84 Stupefies with drink 104 Sibilant sounds that spray 88 Fall into a chair 41 Calamities or catastro- summon 91 Adult tadpole 106 Did some ushering phes 92 Marina ___ Rey, Calif. 42 Flemish city in Belgium 107 Tough-to-remove dirt 93 Family-vs.-family beefs 108 City near Salt Lake City 44 Potato variety 95 Slangy “used to be” 109 Frigid temperature 45 Twist in a bar? 97 Beer container 112 Ages galore 47 With the most coils or 99 Honored one 114 Little newts curls 102 Forestless tract 117 Tiny shot 49 Ready to set sail 105 Shop talk, i.e. 50 Busy one’s list heading 118 Some batteries 110 Famous ___ of cookies 51 Equal a poker bet 111 Determine who is the

SIDE SHOW by Timothy B. Parker

ACROSS

Friday, Feb. 16

Tony 813.404.7819

264565

Free consultation

Family Owned & Operated Since 2006 • 19 Years Experience

CROSSWORD

0.00

CELEBRITY CIPHER

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“PJ NVK FGAH NVKX UWPYOXBA HV HKXA VKH FBYY, CRBAO HFPUB GC LKUW HPLB FPHW HWBL, GAO WGYJ GC LKUW LVABN.” – GTPEGPY MGA TKXBA “FNLS DRZNI GZ’B LNJPPS GIMDIFNIGNIZ -- HKD SDY RJPP GI PDFN HGZK. SDY MJI’Z LNJPPS MDIZLDP GZ.”

– VJMXBDI ELDHIN

Puzzle Two Clue: X equals K

Lic. # JB 138531

Attorneys on call 24/7

813.757.6752 Cell: 813.716.0623 www.homeprotectionpc.com Hours: 8am-5pm M-F • Sat by appt.

Thursday, Feb. 15

Puzzle One Clue: X equals R

Steve Paul, Owner

0.00

SAMMIS LAW FIRM

The only bug you should have in your home or business is the one in our logo! • Roach & Ant Control • German Roaches • Bees • Ground Hornets • Fleas & Ticks • Rodent Control • Quarterly & • Spiders Semi-Annual Service • Silverfish HOME PROTECTION PEST CONTROL

Wednesday, Feb. 14

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

2-22-18

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018

s e i r o m e M

Monday, March 5 | 11am–1pm otosa

ssa R oad

Oak Ave.

Plant Ave.

W. Palmetto Ave.

Alexander St.

Main Parking

Cancer Resource Center

★ South Florida Baptist Hospital

W. Reynolds (Highway 574)

Join us on Reynolds Street, next to the hospital for music, snacks and fun. Stop by and stay to watch the Strawberry Festival Grand Parade. Hospital parking is reserved for patients and BayCare team members. Parking for this event is available in the nearby designated Strawberry Festival parking lots. 18-315088_0218

267671

Thon