2.9.18 PCTO by Plant City Observer

PLANT CITY TIMES &

Observer

National Signing Day ceremonies.

SEE PAGE 12

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 5, NO. 32

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Tri-Wizard Trivia Insufferable know-it-alls unite for Harry Potter night of fun.

YOUR TOWN

Courtesy of Starr Anderson

Library honors dedicated volunteers Bruton Memorial Library volunteers were honored at the bi-annual appreciation breakfast last week. Certificates of appreciation were given out during breakfast. Freda Sallee received the “Outstanding Volunteer” award for her many years of working in the used book store. Dodie White received “Volunteer of the Year 2017” for directing and managing the hugely successful Mystery Dinner Theater fundraiser. The dinner is one of the largest fundraisers for the library. White has also served on the Friends of the Library Board of Directors. Those interested in helping even a few hours each week should contact Felecia Broome at 813-757-9215 or stop by the library for more information.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FARMERS GONE?

Courtesy of Erika Morua

Induction of dedicated Junior Woman’s Club members The GFWC Plant City Junior Woman’s Club held its annual installation and awards ceremony, welcoming three new members to the group. The women were moved to full-member status after volunteering their time and efforts to the annual Shoe Project, the Empty Bowls Project, Baby Parade, Little Miss Plant City contest, Pig Jam and more. The GFWC Plant City Junior Woman’s Club has immersed itself in the local community, aiding with nonprofits and civic organizations. The group also adopted the Shoe Project, which provides shoes to underprivileged children in the school district. In 2017, the club hosted its inaugural 5K Reindeer Run to raise funds for the project. At the ceremony, Alex Rae Rhoades received the “2017 Junior of the Year Award,” Nia Ramo won the “2017 President’s Award” and Jenny Caravajal received the “2017 Provisional of the Year Award.”

Daniel Figueroa IV

Dennis Carlton Jr. stands in front of strawberry fields he leases to growers. Carlton and other area farmers are hoping to ensure that as Plant City grows, it holds on to its agricultural roots.

In Plant City, a town built on agriculture, some are concerned over the future of farming in and around the growing city. DANIEL FIGUEROA IV STAFF WRITER

The land of Oak Ridge Fish Hatchery pushes up against some of Plant City’s northernmost boundaries in the city’s wooded northeast quadrant. The land there is still quiet and expansive. The density of subdivisions and industrial expansion hasn’t reached that part of the city. However, plans are already in place to change that, and farmers, like Oak Ridge’s David Drawdy, are trying to keep hold of Plant City’s agricultural identity as the city moves toward its 2040 comprehensive plan. “Twenty years ago, there were a little over 300 fish farms between Hillsborough and Polk County,” Drawdy said. “Now there are about 70. The price of land got high and some of the old-timers sold to the developers.” According to the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, tropical fish farms like Oak Ridge, along with ornamental horticulture and strawberries, are some of the largest agricultural industries throughout Hillsborough County. Abutting the Oak Ridge land is city property designated for the upcoming North Park Isles development, a planned community of more than 1,000 homes. Drawdy said he’s concerned over the density of the development. A canal that would drain water from the development runs along his property and flooding already threatens the ponds that are the lifeblood of his land, without any homes built. “Our concern is, when they put 1,000 homes in, where’s that water going to go?” he said. According to the adopted Imagine 2040: Plant City Comprehensive Plan, the goal for Plant City in the coming decades is “embracing the future while preserving our past.” The plan also states that “most lands within the municipality that are in agricultural uses are expected to transition to other uses within the planning horizon year of 2040.” Though the city was named to honor Henry Plant and its railroad routes, it grew to pride itself on being the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World,” the headquarters of Florida’s nearly $1 billion strawberry industry. SEE FARMERS PAGE 5

Library adds new programs for youth The library is rolling out the red carpet on new programs to encourage youth to become engaged in reading. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Bruton Memorial Library’s new youth centered programs aim to foster a lifelong relationship with the young readers. John Russell, youth services librarian, said the programs help ensure the library is engaging with all age groups and effectively sparks readers’ creativity. “We try to show the library is rel-

evant to them and their interests,” Russell said. “It will be there for them for the rest of their lives. We’re doing our programing for teens but we’re also engaging them in other areas they may need help in. Whether it’s something for college, a job search, resume help, these teens are just a few years away from going to college, from starting their career and we want them to know we’re here.” SEE LIBRARY PAGE 5

Courtesy of John Russell

A highly attended escape room at Bruton pitted teens against the clock.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

“The library is a place people can grow with and there is something offered here for everyone. It’s our goal to make sure there’s always a program or event or service available that taps everyone’s interest.”

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9, 2018 BY THE NUMBERS

Number of goals scored this season by Plant City Raider Luis Leos. SEE PAGE 14.

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

— John Russell, youth services librarian at Bruton Memorial Library. SEE PAGE 5.

PCPD honors civic leader

Price of tickets for Bruton’s mini golf course SEE PAGE 5.

The number of athletes that participated in National Signing Day on Wednesday. SEE PAGE 12.

Courtesy of Meredith Hurley

The PCPD awarded a local civic leader with an honorary police badge and an award.

MEETINGS

Plant City Garden Club 10:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Walden Lake East Community Center, 1304 Teakwood Drive. The general meeting will feature guest speaker Dr. Eric Gonyon, owner of “A Land of Delight Natural Farm”. He will be discussing aquaponics. For more information contact Lisa Firm at 813-404-4922 or visit plantcitygardenclub.org.

Non-profit Leadership Roundtable 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St. The event is free for members and $10 for nonmembers. For more information, call the Chamber at 813-754-3707.

lant City Police Department recognized Henry Falcon, Winn-Dixie’s Plant City store manager, for his dedication to the community. Chief Ed Duncan and a group of officers surprised Falcon and his staff Feb. 2 with the award and an honorary police

badge. Falcon not only manages the local Winn-Dixie, but he also routinely gives his time and resources to Unity in the Community. He sits on the board for the group and is essential in organizing the an-

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nual charity golf tournament. He is also involved in the United Food Bank of Plant City, Give Kids a Hug Program, Meals on Wheels, the Lions Club and the Plant City Christmas Parade. In 2015, he was named Store Manager of the Year for West Florida. Following the presentation, PCPD said on Facebook, “Henry is truly a pillar of this community and the Plant City Police appreciate our partnership with him and his staff.”

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Local teens win Rotary Speech Competition Each year, the Plant City Noon Rotary Club holds its Speech Competition, which gives local high school students the opportunity to present original speeches to that year’s theme. This year, the Rotary asked students to write a speech on “Rotary: Making a Difference.” Three junior girls from Plant City High School took home the top three awards. Katelyn Yarbrough won first place and the $100 award, Delaney Flowers won second place and a $50 award and Anna Grace Futch won third place and the $25 award. Yarbrough will move on and represent the Noon Rotary Club in the next level of the competition in March. The 2018 committee was chaired by Sophia Hyde.

Local dog shot twice, in recovery A Labrador named Dexter was found on Feb. 3 in Plant City with two gunshot wounds to the head. The bullets hit his jaw and behind his ear. He is currently being treated for his wounds at BluePearl Emergency Hospital in Brandon. “I think it’s really luck of where the bullets hit him because it definitely could have been two inches off and hit his brain,” Brandon BluePearl’s Dr. Nancy Pesses said in a news release. The Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida is stepping in to fix the teeth at the cost of $7,500. Pesses said it will take months for Dexter to heal from his wounds. The Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida said it will find him a permanent home once he has recovered. According to the rescue, Dexter is no more than nine months old and is currently being fed via a feeding tube. Donations can be made to the rescue on its website at lrrof.org.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Gather your In-quiz-itorial Squad and head over to the Corner Store for a Harry Potter-themed trivia night that is sure to be a Rowling good time. IF YOU GO HARRY POTTER MOVIE TRIVIA When: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 17 Where: The Corner Store, 121 E. Reynolds St. Info: bit.ly/2BdwH7u

sible, so there will be victors of each individual round. As the night progresses, the rounds get consecutively harder. “I just want to make events that I would want to go to and create the things that I wish were here,” Saunders said. Saunders said she hopes to continue to grow the monthly events and anyone who has a suggestion should message her group’s Instagram or Facebook page or reach out to the Corner Store. The idea for a trivia night was pitched by a community member and Saunders chose to make the night’s topic Harry Potter to draw an engaging crowd. The Corner Store is also providing a Harry Potter-themed menu for the event with unique foods and fan favorites like Butterbeer for attendees to enjoy during the game. The normal wine, beer and sodas will also be available for sale. There will be a costume contest at the event as well with unique prizes available. Attendees should don their house robes, come up with a clever name to ensure they’re a keeper and “Slytherin” for a fun-filled evening.

MUGGLE STUDIES THINGS TO BRUSH UP ON: n HBO has all eight films online. Watch them. n Know the full names of characters, including pets and Hogwarts ghosts.

n Learn the names of the spells and potions used in the films. n Review the rules of Quidditch. n Review plots as well as details of the films. n Make sure you know what was changed between the books and the films so you don’t slip up.

Courtesy of Vicky Saunders

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to grab a seat for the event.

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uggles and wizards alike will have the opportunity to put their Harry Potter knowledge to the test at a new trivia night in Plant City. The @igersplantcity Instagram account and the Corner Store are teaming up for the group’s third event, this time transforming the local restaurant into a magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. Hundreds have already stated they are interested in coming to the event via multiple social media platforms, making it potentially the largest gathering for the duo. Vicky Saunders, co-owner of the @igersplantcity account, and Cynthia Diaz, owner of the Corner Store, decided in November 2017 to bring unique and fun events monthly to downtown Plant City. In December, they featured a craft beer and board games event, and in January they held a craft beer and coloring night. Saunders wants to continue to up the ante and said Harry Potter trivia seems like the perfect next step for the group. “I got the idea at 3 a.m. one night and texted Cynthia, and of course she was awake,” Saunders said. “I was super excited and it seems like the perfect theme for any demographic, for any age. Even if you’re not into all of those other fantasy films, everyone has seen the Harry Potter movies. This brings Plant City together for a fun and unique event that a lot of people will be able to participate in.” In order to keep the game viable for as many attendees as possible, Saunders is keeping the questions entirely based off of the films. While book knowledge may deepen one’s understanding of the wizarding world, those who have only seen the films should not be petrified. Saunders herself is new to the obsession and recently binged all eight of the films on HBO. To ensure the questions are challenging enough for the “Sirius” competition, she is calling in the help of Mad Dragon Studios, a shop in Zephyrhills that sells handmade wands and magical items like feathered quills, cosplay props and more. Mad Dragon will review and make suggestions for each question Saunders selects and has also provided prizes for the winners of each round. Saunders said she wants the competition to be as fun and fair as pos-

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

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Left: David Drawdy looks over a canal adjacent to his farm. He is concerned city development could cause the canal to flood into his fish farm.

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Below: Drawdy’s Oak Ridge Fish Hatchery has 375 ponds over 50 acres. 264320

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Some of the unique programs offered at Bruton are the teen game zone, which features classic and new games on Nintendos, Xboxes and more, board game sessions with popular games like Settlers of Catan and, recently, interactive author chats. New York Times bestselling author Jody Lynn Nye Skyped in with young readers at Bruton on Jan. 30 during the group’s first author chat. The teen book club had read her newest novel, Moon Beam, which she co-authored with Travis S. Taylor, and were able to chat about the writing process and ask questions with its creator. Nye explained to the attendees the process of effectively creating a science fiction and fantasy world. She described what you have to describe and what you need to focus on to make your vision believable. She also included advice on becoming a writer and how to work with a publisher as many of the young readers are con-

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ville, Ross Spano of Dover and Frank White of Pensacola. The only published polling, a robopoll by StPetePolls.org last month, showed a wide-open race with 69% undecided, Moody at 10%, Fant 9%, Spano 6% and White 4%. Moody has become a target for Fant and White, who are blasting her in an internet, direct mail and news release campaign as a "liberal judge," closet Democrat and anti-Trump. Spano, who didn't file until after the attacks on Moody had begun and who shares friends and allies with her in their east Hillsborough County home base, has avoided joining in. Moody is fighting back by emphasizing her own experience in law

enforcement, as a judge and prosecutor, which the other three, though all lawyers, don't have. As of the end of December, Moody, who filed in June just after Fant, had raised the most money from other contributors, about $1.5 million in her campaign, an independent committee and financial aid from the state party. White, who filed in November, has raised about $2 million including $1.5 million from himself. Fant has raised about $292,000 and loaned his campaign $750,000. Spano, the latest to file in the race, has raised about $99,000 in his campaign and independent committee.

sidering pursuing a career in the field. Several of the attended asked about her process co-authoring a book and what it was like to build a world with someone else. Taylor has a scientific background and worked on projects for NASA. His knowledge of space and the scientific field helped Nye create an accurate, while still inventive, universe. However, readers were shocked when Nye surprised them with her review and critique of some of the books the club had read throughout the past year. She had taken the time to not only study their prior reading list but also made suggestions for books to add to their future itinerary. Each month, the teens meet to discuss the book they read and then pick a new book for the upcoming month. Bruton obtains extra physical and e-book copies so anyone who wishes to join the group can get their hands on the story. The monthly event is part of the library’s Teen Tuesday, which featured stop motion animation video design, Lego robotics, 3-D printing and more.

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ries that might not be an option in the future. “Water is the golden nugget,” he said. Neither Carlton or Drawdy said they are against development. It’s inevitable and they know it can be great for the city. They just want to see it done responsibly. “You’re not going to prevent growth,” Carlton said. “It’s about maintaining the lands we have and being good stewards of the land.” In the heart of Plant City, just a few blocks from City Hall, Judi Whitson, executive director of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, sits at her desk with her back to a window facing Village Green Park. The Farm Bureau recently moved from Valrico to Plant City. Now, it’s located right across the street from Midtown, one of the most anticipated areas for development in the city. As development comes, she still believes in the resilience and necessity of Hillsborough’s farming community. “I think it’s still going to be strong. This is perfect land for strawberry growth,” Whitson said. “Any expansion in Plant City is going to bring more jobs which means more food production and more support for the agriculture industry.”

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Carlton works primarily in cattle, but has plenty of viable strawberry fields he leases to other growers. The rising density and urban expansion throughout the Bay Area and eastern parts of Hillsborough are making getting into farming more expensive, he said, but agriculture is still viable. According to the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, the average age of farmers in the county is approximately 65 years old. Carlton said cultivating younger farmers might lay in niche markets like organics and allnatural foods. In those instances, he said, a young farmer could get started with a smaller farm. “You’ve got to think outside the box,” he said. Trends in Florida show a switch to smaller farms. According to the Department of Agriculture, the number of farms in Florida has gone up by a few thousand since 2002, while the acreage of land being farmed has gone down by almost 1 million acres. Still, development issues seem to come back to water. But while Drawdy’s current concern is too much water, Carlton is worried about too little of it. As areas around farms grow, population density puts more strain on utilities like water, which are essential to any farm. Last month, freezes threatened crops in the county. Farmers relied on water flow to combat freezing crops. Carlton wor-

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In November, Bruton hosted its very own escape room, transforming the library into an interactive mystery. The teens pretended to be locked in and then had to find clues, solve riddles and escape the “evil librarian” that held them hostage in the building. Next week, Bruton is hosting its very first mini golf event. The Friends of the Library are offering a unique experience for the whole family on Feb. 17 by setting up a mini golf course inside the library. Tickets are $5 each or $8 for a family. Adam Hayward, retired linebacker from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be making a guest appearance at the event. “We’re always developing our programs based on what our members are interested in,” Russell said. “The library is a place people can grow with and there is something offered here for everyone. It’s our goal to make sure there’s always a program or event or service available that taps everyone’s interest.”

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In the four-way Republican primary for attorney general, the GOP is again being pulled toward the right and ideological purity. Former Circuit Judge Ashley Moody of Plant City seems to be the frontrunner with an early fundraising lead, endorsements from 33 Republican sheriffs, 10 state attorneys and outgoing Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as being the only woman in the race. She faces three Republican state House members: Jay Fant of Jackson-

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Candidate ideology challenged in Attorney General race

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

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.

Daniel Figueroa IV

Drawdy said he feels some in city leadership aren’t listening to the surrounding farmers’ concerns. According to the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission and the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the city has asked those organizations to look favorably on permit request for North Park Isles. Both organizations have requested more information from the developers before approving permits. Just to the east of the North Park Isles development, the city is also looking to enhance its east-west connectivity by extending Sam Allen Road to County Line Road in anticipation of residential growth in the area. To the south of the city, the Astin family, major purveyors of agriculture in Hillsborough County, have recently annexed more than 160 acres of land into the city and are in the process of converting its zoning and land use designations to residential. The land would still be able to be farmed under those designations, city documents state: “The purpose of the voluntary annexation is the potential for future single-family development.” “We need to try and keep as much (agriculture) as we can here,” Dennis Carlton, Jr., a rancher with land throughout Plant City, Hillsborough and five other counties, said. “Plant City is a big (agriculture) town with strawberries, but let’s be honest. We’re on the I-4 corridor between Orlando and Tampa. The real estate prices make it tough through development.” It can be quite enticing to some to sell off land, Carlton, 32, said. Drawdy, 58, said he would like to pass his fish farm, which he took over from his father, to his 34-year-old son, Dustin. But he knows developers will likely come calling to their land as well. “I don’t know if I’ll see it,” he said, “but my son will probably see it.” But selling isn't the only option.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

What is your favorite Winter Olympic sport?

“Biathlon. I like shooting, so it’s cool.”

“All of them. Probably our favorite is skating.”

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— Linda Conrad, 77

“That’s a toughie. Hockey. I’m a hockey fan and a lot of guys from my area have been on the teams in the past. My next door neighbor in Massachusetts played on the ’84 team.”

“Figure skating. It’s something I can’t do and fun to watch.”

“The long ski jumps. That’s good.” — Joe Helm, 68

— Karen Johnson, 52

— Matt McSheehy, 59

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FEB 16-19, 16-19, 2018 FEB 2018

TO ADVERTISE

FEB 16-19, 2018 FEB 16-19, 2018

Events

Share your message with festival goers from all over the state and country with an ad in the Florida Strawberry Festival Guide, proudly produced by the Plant City Times & Observer, the official newspaper of the Florida Strawberry Festival.

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Am STRAWBERRY CLUSTER ─ Temper FCAT Lure Coursing A Amer STRAWBERRY CLUSTER ALL BREED DOG SHOWS STRAWBERRY CLUSTER So Tests

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Contact

FEB 16-19, 2018

Phone 813.704.6850 Email Info@PlantCityObserver.com

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February 23 Festival Dates

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SUN N FUN COMPLEX | 8AM-5PM 4175 Medulla Rd, Lakeland, FL (863)268-0118 | LWHKC2017@gmail.com Kimberly Cardona - Show Chairman 2018

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Canine Good Citizen, Advanced and Trick Dog | Puppy Match

PLANT CITY TIMES &

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

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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We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements. To contact us, send your information via: Email: Sarah Holt, SHolt@ PlantCityObserver.com. Mail: The Plant City Times & Observer, 1507 S. Alexander St., Suite 103, Plant City, FL 33563

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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

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Food by Fabio Shawn and Renee Rasmussen. Their daughter, Zoe, is on the 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival court.

Kate and Nick Thurston check out some of the sports memorabilia up for auction.

Christine Miller, Nia Bella, Erin Brittain, Kayla Drawdy, Stephanie Eisenbach and Mackensi Beers strike a pose before dinner.

YOUR CHOICE! Cupid

abio Viviani might not have won Top Chef (twice, he'll remind you), but the fan favorite cooked his way into the annals of Plant City history during the 10th Annual Celebrity Chef Dinner. Viviani gave a live demonstration on making gnocchi the Italian way (always bake, never boil your potatoes) and there were silent and live auctions to benefit the United Food Bank of Plant City.

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History roll call St. Mary’s Community Church is shaking things up in honor of Black History Month with a historic “roll call” skit, which will feature prominent members of the community performing as historic, revolutionary African Americans. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

St. Mary’s Community Church is uniting the community in honor of Black History Month with a skit, which aims to show everyone can make a difference in their own unique way. Though the church pays tribute to the month each year, this is the first time the doors are thrown open to the community with a unifying play. Prominent leaders in Plant City, like Commissioner Mary Mathis, William Thomas Jr., president of the Improvement League of Plant City, and Sharon Moody, chair of the Plant City Black Heritage Celebration Inc., will step into the shoes of some of history’s most influential African Americans. They will participate in a “roll call” and share some lesser known facts about each person, as well as show their passion for building and reshaping their community. Every great dream begins with a dreamer and Sarah Governor, director of Education at St. Mary’s, said she hopes those who attend will walk away daring to be our nation’s next dreamer. She said the idea for the skit was guided by God from its creation. When her pastor, Rev. Timothy Knighten Sr., told Governor she would be in charge of the event she prayed for guidance. Soon she came up with the “roll call” theme and before she knew it all six historic figures were chosen. It took even less time to choose who she’d like to inhabit those roles. “I cannot state this enough, this plan was blessed from the beginning,” Governor said. “Everybody I asked said yes. Nobody turned me down. The more I got into it the better I felt about it. I wanted to choose some of the people of the past that are not talked about all of the time.” The stories of Justice Thurgood Marshall, Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, E.J. Marshall, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will all be shared. The more prominent figures, like King, will have a unique, more discreet anecdote than what is normally shared. While the actors will enter the building as the characters they represent they will each finish their portion of the skit as themselves. Governor said this will help show attendees the dreams of leaders they have living right here in their backyards and will hopefully encourage youth to give

“I cannot state this enough, this plan was blessed from the beginning. Everybody I asked said yes. Nobody turned me down.” — Sarah Governor, Director of Education

back to and get involved in their community. The skit is created in a way to educate viewers on the multifaceted aspects of each person’s character. She said it is unnerving how little younger generations know about those who paved the way to where we are today. “I was telling (my grandson) you guys enjoy the fruit of these past characters’ labor,” Governor said. “They were the ones that fought and died and stood behind water hoses and dogs and were locked up. They did that for you. You all need to show appreciation for what they did, you say that ‘we fought’ and ‘we did this for our freedom.’ No, you didn’t. These other people did it and you’re enjoying it, but show them how much you appreciate it and advance even further by standing up for what is right.” Educating oneself on the battles that have been waged throughout history is the first step in continuing the fight for progress, said Governor. The stories of King, Simone, Marshall and others show how each person used their unique personality and influence to reshape the world. Governor didn’t have to look far to find the perfect local leaders to fill their shoes. Having been a principal at Marshall Middle School for years, Governor is well-immersed in the community. Drafting her all-star cast took mere moments and everyone agreed to help out. “I grew up here in Plant City,” Governor said. “I know every one of them, I know what they stand for and I know their positions. I figured this will give them an opportunity to see what these people think, how they believe and what they believe in. When you see that often times you’re going to mimic what they’re doing or you’re going to learn something from it.” The special presentation, to be held at 3 p.m. Feb. 18, will be a very organic performance. There will also be a raffle for different baskets at the event.

BUYING GOLD • SILVER COINS • ESTATE JEWELRY

FEBRUARY 17, 2018 7:00 P.M…. NIGHT SATURDAY 7:00 P.M….17, UNTIL WE CAN’T STAND FEBRUARY 2018 OF ANYMORE!!! UNTIL WE CAN’T STAND 7:00HIM P.M…. HIM ANYMORE!!! UNTIL WECOMEDY CAN’T STAND

1914 PCHSCC – ROYAL WISE AUDITORIUM HIMWHERE: ANYMORE!!! WHERE:605 1914 PCHSCC – ROYAL WISE AUDITORIUM SATURDAY N. COLLINS STREET, PLANT CITY WHERE: WHERE: 1914 1914 PCHSCC PCHSCC –– ROYAL ROYAL WISE WISE AUDITORIUM AUDITORIUM FEBRUARY 2018 605 N. COLLINS STREET, PLANT17, CITY TICKETS: $35.00 605 605 N. N. COLLINS COLLINS STREET, STREET, PLANT PLANT CITY CITY

7:00 P.M…. UNTIL WE CAN’T STAND AVAILABLE @ event.ehhsoc.org AVAILABLE @ HIMemail: ANYMORE!!! 813-757-9226 info@ehhsoc.org AVAILABLE @ event.ehhsoc.org event.ehhsoc.org TICKETS: $35.00 @ event.ehhsoc.org AVAILABLE TICKETS: $35.00 TICKETS: $35.00

813-757-9226 email: info@ehhsoc.org 813-757-9226 email: info@ehhsoc.org 813-757-9226 email: THIS EVENT IS A FUNDRAISER TOinfo@ehhsoc.org SUPPORT THE RESTORATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE

WHERE: 1914 PCHSCC –

ROYAL WISE AUDITORIUM HISTORIC 1914 PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL, A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SITE & THE PROGRAMS OF THE EAST HILLSBOROUGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THIS SUPPORT THE AND REUSE OF CONTRIBUTION IS DEDUCTIBLE ALLOWED THISEVENT EVENTIS ISAAFUNDRAISER FUNDRAISERTO TOYOUR SUPPORT THERESTORATION RESTORATION ANDADAPTIVE ADAPTIVEAS REUSE OFTHE THE BY LAW. HISTORIC 1914 CITY HIGH SCHOOL, AANATIONAL REGISTER OF PLACES SITE &&REUSE OF THE HISTORIC 1914 PLANT CITYNO HIGH SCHOOL, NATIONAL REGISTER OFHISTORIC HISTORIC PLACES THIS EVENT ISPLANT APROGRAMS FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT THEARE RESTORATION ADAPTIVE GOODS ORHILLSBOROUGH SERVICES RECEIVED ASAND A PART OFSITE THE TICKET PRICE. THE OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THEPLANT PROGRAMS OF THEEAST EAST HILLSBOROUGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. HISTORIC 1914 CITY HIGH SCHOOL, A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SITE & YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS AS THE PROGRAMS OF THE EAST HILLSBOROUGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. YOUR CONTRIBUTION ISDEDUCTIBLE DEDUCTIBLE ASALLOWED ALLOWEDBY BYLAW. LAW. NO OR ARE AS TICKET NOGOODS GOODS ORSERVICES SERVICES ARERECEIVED RECEIVED ASAAPART PARTOF OFTHE THE TICKETPRICE. PRICE. YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS DEDUCTIBLE AS ALLOWED BY LAW. NO GOODS OR SERVICES ARE RECEIVED AS A PART OF THE TICKET PRICE.

605 N. COLLINS STREET, PLANT CITY

TICKETS: $35.00

AVAILABLE @ event.ehhsoc.org

Plant City Realty, Inc. 208 W. Baker Street Plant City, FL 33563

813-757-9226 email: info@ehhsoc.org

THIS EVENT IS A FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT THE RESTORATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE HISTORIC 1914 PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL, A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SITE & THE PROGRAMS OF THE EAST HILLSBOROUGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS DEDUCTIBLE AS ALLOWED BY LAW. NO GOODS OR SERVICES ARE RECEIVED AS A PART OF THE TICKET PRICE.

Cell Office Fax

Pam Pomfret

813-505-3977 813-764-0840 813-764-0850

266002

Photos by Daniel Figueroa IV

Celebrity chef Fabio Viviani demonstrates the finer points of making gnocchi.

TOM TOMYour Family Jeweler CHASEWWW.YOURFAMILYJEWELER.COM (813) 752-0585 CHASE 1701 S. Alexander St., Suite 102 • Plant City NIGHT TOM NIGHT OF CHASE OF TOM CHASE NIGHT COMEDY TOM COMEDY NIGHT OF SATURDAY OF CHASE SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2018 COMEDY COMEDY

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— DANIEL FIGUEROA IV

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Mon. - Fri. 10am - 5:30pm • Sat. 10am - 1:00pm

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

0003578756-01

POPPELL INSURANCE

503 West M.L.King Blvd.

813-752-4155

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All to the Top, Inc. ALL TREE SERVICES • Tree Trimming • Stump Grinding and Removal • Landscaping • Licensed & Insured

January 2018 real estate transactions in Plant City JUSTIN KLINE

| 813.766.2074

Boar’s Head products now available at

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

CHOICE MEATS • PRODUCE • GROCERIES

Visit feltonsmarket.com for complete weekly specials! 617 N. Maryland Ave., Plant City

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NOTICE

he home at 1222 Lindsey Road sold Jan. 3, for $314,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,066 square feet of living area.

JANUARY 1-31, 2018 has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,336 square feet of living area. HILLSBOROUGH

The home at 1310 W. Alsobrook St. sold Jan. 19, for $94,900. Built in 1981, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 880 square feet of living area.

The home at 4622 Copper Lane sold Jan. 8, for $160,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,108 square feet of living area.

The home at 1603 E. Linda St. sold Jan. 9, for $129,000. Built in 1957, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,236 square feet of living area.

The home at 4740 N. Dawnmeadow Court sold Jan. 17, for $169,900. Built in 1986, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,523 square feet of living area.

The home at 3621 Moores Lake Road sold Jan. 16, for $275,000. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,425 square feet of living area.

The home at 4639 E. Eastwind Drive sold Jan. 2, for $52,000. Built in 1986, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,120 square feet of living area.

The home at 807 W. Renfro St. sold Jan. 3, for $75,700. Built in 1977, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,432 square feet of living area.

575257-1 CHERRY PARK

The home at 2603 Sam Hicks Road sold Jan. 2, for $30,000. Built in 1959, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 910 square feet of living area.

The home at 706 N. Palm Drive sold Jan. 16, for $50,000. Built in 1940, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 930 square feet of living area. The home at 902 N. Palm Drive sold Jan. 18, for $128,700. Built in 1955, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,221 square feet of living area. DEVANE

The home at 504 W. Cherry St. sold Jan. 18, for $209,900. Built in 1975, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,680 square feet of living area.

Notice is hereby given that Chantel Herlong desiring to engage in business under the name Addriam Boutique intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Tallahassee, FL and or clerk of the circuit court of Hillsborough County, FL.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

COUNTRY HILLS 262134

FREE ESTIMATES

REAL ESTATE

FOUR SEASONS

The home at 2106 Johnson Loop sold Jan. 18, for $175,000. Built in 1986, it

The home at 2007 S. Wiggins Road sold Jan. 4, for $199,900. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,014 square feet of living area.

SUGAR CREEK

The home at 310 Sugar Creek Drive sold Jan. 2, for $124,200. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,260 square feet of living area. TERRY PARK

The home at 1301 N. Nancy Terrace sold Jan. 12, for $99,000. Built in 1959, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 1,093 square feet of living area. WALDEN LAKE

The home at 2816 Pine Club Drive sold Jan. 12, for $296,000. Built in 1988, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,618 square feet of living area. The home at 1103 Sandalwood Drive sold Jan. 19, for $233,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,963 square feet of living area. WALDEN WOODS

The home at 826 Wiltonway Drive sold Jan. 5, for $187,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,800 square feet of living area.

SEMINOLE LAKE

The home at 3309 N. Lake Drive sold Jan. 4, for $75,500. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,096 square feet of living area. The home at 3311 N. Lake Drive sold Jan. 2, for $95,000. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,158 square feet of living area.

ONLINE

Addriam Boutique 1323 S Saint Cloud Ave. Seffner, FL 33594

265758

See more transactions at PlantCityObserver.com

Outstanding Agents. Outstanding Results. (813) 967-0168 or or (813)305-1616 (813) 549-9412 (813)967-0168

2803-4 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant City Florida 33566 Office: (813) 305-1616 | Fax: (813) 754-8099 Email: Malissa.Crawford@Gmail.com

Strawberry Classic Feature

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CRAWFORD & ASSOCIATES

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

OF THE MONTH

Strawberry Classic Cruise-in Feature Car of the Month | February 2018 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 | Holiday 2 Door Hardtop Owner- Earl Muhlbaier-Sun City Center, FL

You are looking at a very rare car! This car in the show car world is called a “survivor car”, meaning that it has never been restored. This 1957 Oldsmobile was produced in very low production numbers and very few still exist. With 62,000 original miles on the speedometer makes it even more rare. The car was originally purchased in Silva, North Carolina in 1957. It has the original Rocket 88 engine that has never been rebuilt and has only required a new fuel pump since it has left the production line in 1957. That was 61 years ago, amazing!!! The two tone paint is “Royal Glow and Alcan White” and is the original factory paint and has never been touched up or repainted. All of the beautiful chrome on this car, and there is lots of it, has never been re-chromed or replaced. The interior is also the original factory three-tone leather and fabric and has never been repaired or replaced! The only items that have been replaced are four new tires, but the spare tire in the trunk is the original from 1957!! The other amazing thing about this car is that it is not a “Trailor Queen”. Earl put 3000 miles on his Oldsmobile last year attending Car Shows and Cruise Nites from Sarasota to Plant City and Lakeland. Be sure to say “hello” to Earl when you attend the Plant City Strawberry Cruise-In on Saturday February 17, 2018! This car is “Your Father’s Oldsmobile”!!!

You will be able to view this car at the

Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In February 17, 2018 • 3:00-8:00 p.m. Facebook.com/PlantCityCarShow Union Station Depot • 102 N. Palmer Street, Plant City, FL 33563 (813) 754-3707

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

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PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

SATURDAY, FEB. 10

A SHORT DRIVE

LIONS CLUB SPORTING CLAYS CLASSIC 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Fishhawk Sporting Clays, 13505 Hobson Simmons Road, Lithia. The event will include ammo, lunch, beer and cart. Tickets are $100. There will be a gun raffle. Contact the Lions Club for more information. STRAWBERRY PICKING CHALLENGE 11 a.m. at Fancy Farms, 3536 Futch Loop. The event will benefit children at Redlands Christian Migrant Association. The event is free to the public and U-pick strawberries are $5 per quart. Fresh picked berries are also for sale. There will be a team competition, music, activities for children, a BBQ lunch and fresh strawberry shortcake. SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER 4:30 to 7 p.m. Springhead United Methodist Church, 2301 Sparkman Road, is sponsoring a fundraising spaghetti dinner for the community. The donation is $5 per person. Menu will consist of spaghetti with homemade sauce, meatballs, salad, bread, dessert and iced tea. Takeout will be available. For more information contact Donna Cotter at 315546-5917.

SUNDAY, FEB. 11

SOUTHERN GOSPEL CONCERT 6 p.m. at Harmony Baptist Church, 6008 W. Knights Griffin Road. The concert will feature Squire Parsons, a southern gospel singer. Admission is free but a love offering will be taken up during the service. For more information, call 813-986-7165.

File photo

Attorney Jeraldine Williams will speak at the Black Heritage Gala.

BEST BET FRIDAY, FEB. 9

MONDAY, FEB. 12

2018 BLACK HERITAGE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL 6:30 p.m. The Plant City Black Heritage Celebration, Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2018 Black Heritage Educational and Cultural Festival are scheduled for February 9, 10 and 11. Friday’s event is the 15th annual Black Heritage Gala at the Trinkle Center. The keynote speaker is Attorney Jeraldine Williams. Tickets are $35 per person and must be purchased in advance. For more information, call Sharon Moody at 813-453-7134.

PLANT CITY GARDEN CLUB MEETING 10:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Plant City Garden Club’s February meeting is held at the Walden Lake East Community Center 1304 Teakwood Drive. The meeting will feature guest speaker Dr. Eric Gonyon, owner of “A Land of Delight Natural Farm.” The topic for the month will be aquaponics. For more information call Lisa Firm at 813-404-4922 or visit plantcitygardenclub.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 13

ART AND ALL THAT JAZZ 6:35 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. February’s Tuesdays at the Archives theme is “Art and All That Jazz.” The night will have champagne, wine, cheese, meatballs, fruit and more. There will be paintings by the East Hillsborough Art Guild and the Paul Butcher

Jazz Trio will offer live music for the event. Admission is $25 per person and includes the food, drinks, music, art exhibit and a rose as a warm-up for Valentine’s Day. RSVP requested but, if available, walk-ins are welcome.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR 2018 11:30 a.m. at the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds. The annual Citizen of the Year award is kept a secret from the recipient and members of the community until it is announced. The recipient is chosen by a committee and the leaders of local civic clubs. The person chosen has demonstrated service above self and was nominated and voted on by the committee.

JOIN WITH A FRIEND...

SAVE

FRIDAY, FEB. 9

ST. PETE GREEK FEST 2018 11 a.m. at St. Stefanos Greek Church, 3600 76th St. N., St. Petersburg. There will be food, music and vendors. There will also be free Greek dance lessons. It is held indoors and outdoors, rain or shine.

SUNDAY, FEB. 11

WINE AND CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL 4 to 7 p.m. Ybor City’s annual Wine and Chocolate Festival is held at Ybor City Wine Bar, 1600 East 7th Ave., Tampa. Admission is $45 and includes 75 wines and a variety of gourmet chocolates, cheeses and desserts. There is also a variety of wines, baskets and holiday items on sale for 25% off in honor of Valentine’s Day. Tickets are available at the location and online at ow.ly/ KMuT30if6Aw. Call 813-9994966 for more information.

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

265109

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

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

OMG IT’S WEDNESDAY! 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

LIKE KMART WITHOUT A ROOF!

265458

WWW.PLANTCITYMARKET.COM

264308

PLENTY OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

JAN. 26

JAN. 27

CRIME ISN’T PRETTY 3210 block of Alcott Avenue. Vehicle burglary: Complainant stated unknown suspect(s) entered her unlocked vehicle overnight and stole a Michael Kors makeup bag and wallet, which contained miscellaneous cards, and a set of car keys. DETERMINED DEVIANT 1310 block of East Church Street. Vehicle burglary: Complainant stated unknown suspect(s) entered his van after cutting through its padlock on the rear door and stole a chainsaw, air compressor and nail gun sometime between Jan. 26 and 27.

JAN. 29

POWERED DOWN West King Street/North Temple Street. Theft: Complainant stated unknown suspect(s) stole batteries from construction equipment during the evening. NO TAG, NO TOKE 1900 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Drug investigation: During a traffic stop on a female subject with an expired tag, officers found her to be in possession of marijuana. Subject was arrested and taken to the Orient Road Jail.

JAN. 30

REPEAT OFFENDER 1100 block of West Dixie Street. Vehicle Burglary: Complainant stated unknown suspect(s) had been stealing chainsaws from his unsecured truck bed. One was stolen Jan. 2 and the other between Jan. 15 and 26.

COPS CORNER

GOOD TIMING 1860 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Vehicle burglary: Complainant stated he saw a male subject inside his vehicle while he was at a business. The subject fled the scene on foot when the complainant left the business to confront him.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Taking care of Walter R. Haynes, Taking Jr. Jim Mooney Don Snellgrove is what care ofeach other each other is what community community is all about. HOPEWELL is all about. Walter R. Haynes, Jr., 46, of Plant City, born on Jan. 9, 1972 in Tampa, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 2. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com

Jim Mooney, 88, of Plant City, passed away Jan. 30. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

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Don Snellgrove, 72, passed away on Jan. 28. Online condolences can be left for the family at haught.care.

unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial® professionals, we’re dedicated to helping families create a WE’ RE PROU D TO S ERV E our community > 100% Guarantee > National Plan Transferability unique andService meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. Julio Santana ® Bereavement Travel Assistance > The Compassion Helpline® > celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals, FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971

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Home. The family will receive friends Virginia Buser Jeffries, 81, of Plant at Wells Memorial on Feb. 10 from City, born on June 14, 1936, entered Proudly supporting2 the City for Strawberry Festival. p.m.Plant to 4 p.m. a Celebration into eternal rest on Feb. 1. Gathering. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com. WELLSMEMORIAL.COM

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Marylin E. Rivere Marylin E. Rivere, 72, of Valrico, born in Barboursville, West Virginia, entered into eternal rest on Jan. 31. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

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We invite you to this free informational session to learn more invite you to invite this free informational session to learn We invite tomore this freemore informational session to learn more ou to this We free informational you to this session free veterans informational to learnyou more session toavailable learn about the services in your community. ut the veterans services available in your community. eterans services about the available veterans inservices your community. available in your community. services available in your community.

about the veterans

Saturday, 17, 2018 • 10:30 a.m. We invite you toFebruary this free informational session to learn more urday, February 2018 •a.m. 10:30 a.m.• 10:30 a.m. February Saturday, 17, 201817, February • 10:30 17, 2018 Wells Memorial and EventSaturday, Center February 17, 2018 • 10:30 a.m. about the Center veterans services available in your community. lls Memorial and Event morial and Wells Event Memorial Center Center 1903and W. Event Reynolds Street • Plant City Wells Memorial and Event Center 03 W. Reynolds •City Plant City• Plant City eynolds 1903 Street W.•Street Reynolds Plant Street RSVP to 813-752-1111 by February 7. A. Haley Veterans’ 1903 Reynolds Street PlantHospital City James James A. Hospital Haley•Veterans’ JamesW. A. Haley VP to 813-752-1111 by February 13-752-1111 RSVP by toFebruary 813-752-1111 7.February by7.February Saturday, 17,7. 2018 • 10:30 a.m.Veterans’ Hospital

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Have your questions answered by representatives from the Wells Memorial and ve your questions answered byanswered representatives from the Center questions Have answered your questions by representatives from by representatives theEvent from the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Dignity Memorial, LifePath mes A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Dignity Memorial, LifePath We invite you to this free informational session to A. learn more Veterans Hospital, Dignity aley Veterans JamesHospital, A. Haley Dignity Veterans Memorial, Hospital, LifePath Dignity Memorial, LifePath Have your questions answered by representatives from the James Haley 1903 W. Reynolds Street • Plant City Hospice, Hillsborough County Veterans Services Office and spice, Hillsborough County Veterans Services Office and about the veterans services available in your community. llsborough Hospice, CountyHillsborough Veterans Services County Office Veterans and Services Office and Memorial, LifePath Hospice, Hillsborough County Veterans Services OfficeJames and Valor Service A. Haley Veterans’Dogs. Hospital Valor Service Dogs. Refreshments will be provided by Dignity RSVP tobe813-752-1111 by February or Service Dogs. Refreshments will be provided by Dignity ce Dogs. Valor Refreshments Service Dogs. will Refreshments provided by Dignity will be provided by Dignity7. Refreshments willand be provided by Dignity Memorial/Wells Memorial and Event Center. Memorial/Wells Memorial Event February Center. Saturday, 17, 2018 • 10:30 a.m. morial/Wells Memorial and Event Center. Wells Memorial Memorial/Wells and Event Memorial Center. and Event Center. Memorial and Event Have your questions answered Wells by representatives fromCenter the 1903 W. Reynolds Street • Plant City James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Dignity Memorial, LifePath James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital RSVP to 813-752-1111 by February 7. We invite you to this free informational session to learn more Hospice, Hillsborough County Veterans Services Office and about the veterans services available in your Have your community. questions answered by representatives from the

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FEBRUARY 9, 2018

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

Crest cheer wins fourth state title When it comes to Strawberry Crest’s cheerleading team, the graduating class of 2018 knows just one thing: winning. The Chargers won their fourth consecutive FHSAA 2A Small CoEd division state championship in Gainesville on Sunday, taking home the crown with a score of 78.50. Runner-up Winter Park kept things close, finishing with 77.80 points, and third-place Tate finished with 74.60 points. St. Cloud and George Jenkins rounded out the top five, respectively. This season’s win was a particularly big deal for Crest, given that the cheer team battled against a down year in participation. But the team managed to get back to Western Conference and win in January, then followed it up later in the month by placing first at the FHSAA regional championships. “I am very proud of the hard work and dedication this team has put into the season,” head coach Loveny Rivas said. “Despite all the odds, they have come to practice with ambition and with the will to succeed.”

Fire Fist boxers ready for March fight card William ‘Babyface’ Silva and Ricky ‘Cowboy’ Tomlinson will enter the ring March 3 in Clearwater. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

For two Plant City-based boxers, a March 3 fight card means more than just a win or a loss on the record. William “Babyface” Silva and Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson are getting ready to represent Fire Fist Boxing Promotions in Clearwater with belts and glory on the line. Silva will headline the card with his title fight against Rogelio “El Loco” Casarez, and Tomlinson will square off against Ozodbek Aripov in the undercard. Silva, 30 (24-1-0, 14 KO), signed with the Plant City-based promotion in the fall after moving on from Top Rank. The Brazil native, who got

his nickname boxing older kids as a young amateur, had a connection within the promotion in fellow Brazilian Yamaguchi Falcao, whom Silva has known for more than 10 years. The Silva-Casarez fight will have the vacant IBO Continental North American Lightweight Championship and National Boxing Association World Lightweight Championship belts on the line. Silva hopes a win over Casarez (136-0, 5 KO) will propel him into a bigger spotlight, allowing him to move up the ranks and throw his name in the hat for fights against prominent opponents Justin Kline

SEE BOXING PAGE 13

William “Babyface” Silva will fight in the main event.

THE NEXT STEP: Area athletes participate in National Signing Day

PCHS soccer advances to regionals Plant City High School’s boys and girls soccer teams couldn’t get past Newsome in their district championship games, but they still made the cut for the FHSAA regional tournaments. The girls’ 8-0 loss to the Wolves district championship game was only their third of the season, and they went into Tuesday night’s game at Lake Nona with 14 total goals scored in three of their previous four games. Lake Nona ended up winning, 1-0. The boys entered Wednesday night’s game at Winter Park with a 14-1 overall record — the 2-1 loss to Newsome being the only blemish — and had scored 14 goals in their last three games. Results from Wednesday’s game were not available at press time.

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

Justin Kline

Four Plant City High School athletes signed Wednesday morning.

Twelve Plant City-area prep athletes made college picks official Feb. 7. JUSTIN KLINE

PCLL Opening Day coming soon

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

One of the most important milestones in many high school athletic careers comes when a college scholarship offer is signed, sealed and delivered. Plant City-area athletes got to share the experience with their classmates Wednesday through National Signing Day ceremonies. Plant City High School hosted the

Plant City Little League will kick off its 2018 season with Opening Day ceremonies at Mike Sansone Park the morning of Feb. 24. This year’s guest speaker had not been named by press time.

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

first event of the day at 8 a.m. as students packed the school’s auditorium to watch Dylan Robinson, Austin Eldridge, Jordan Wiggins, Lindsey Bowden and Holly Eddins sign their letters of intent. The school also had five athletes sign in November and expects more to come for a similar signing event scheduled for April. Strawberry Crest students went to the cafeteria shortly after 2 p.m. to watch Derek Barone, Damien Torres,

Luz Cruz, Abigale DeVane, Celismar Guzman, Taylor Finney and Celia Higgins get ready for their next chapter. Durant High School does not host National Signing Day events, but six Cougars have signed with colleges during the 2017-18 school year.

SEE SIGNING PAGE 13

JUSTIN KLINE

Bring wrestling events to the festival One of Plant City’s past attractions could spice things up in future Florida Strawberry Festivals.

went to visit Plant City legend Al Berry late last week to talk about the Florida Strawberry Festival’s past and heard some great stories. I wasn’t expecting to hear much about athletic ventures there, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear stories about professional wrestling. Anyone who’s been reading this

column for a while knows how much I love wrestling, even though match results are often predetermined and people think it’s fake and whatever. I don’t care about any of that — for me, it’s the perfect mix of athletics and entertainment. It sounds like that was the case for Plant Citians back in the day, too, based on what Al told me. When I left, a thought popped into my head: “Wouldn’t it be great to see some matches at the festival?” For those of you who don’t know, Plant City used to host cards back in the “Wild West” days of wrestling territories. The Plant City Armory

was something of a hotspot around here. Legendary announcer Gordon Solie — an acquaintance of Al’s — used to call the matches on the WPLA radio station. Al also told me the festival used to host matches back in the day, and that people around here loved to go watch the good guys take on the bad guys. I think the nature of wrestling would make it a perfect addition to the festival these days, even if the landscape of the sport has changed. I don’t think we’d see crowds get as riled up as they used to in the 1970s and 80s, when less was known about the business as a whole and the bad

guys would often find themselves physically threatened by angry fans after winning dirty. But that’s fine — the more family-friendly it is, the more it fits with the festival. I’ve long said one of the most fun assignments I’ve ever had was covering a Gentlemen’s Questsponsored card several years ago at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College. The matches were solid and the crowd, heavily made up of Marshall Middle School families, was into it. Some people might go in thinking it’s going to be lame, but I believe anybody can get hooked when a match is flowing well

and the performers are charismatic enough. Between the surfing pets, magic shows and everything else you can find on a stroll around the grounds, there’s something there for pretty much everyone. I can’t think of a better addition to that than pro wrestling. Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Times & Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

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DURANT

FOOTBALL Justin Cooks — Florida A&M University Cameron Myers — University of Central Arkansas David Tabakovic — Quincy University Kalyb Vazquez — Jacksonville University LACROSSE Taylor Doiron — North Greenville University SWIMMING Katie Vasiloff — University of Tennessee

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Signing FROM PAGE 12

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NOVEMBER SIGNINGS BASEBALL Jonathan Simpson — Toccoa Falls College BASKETBALL Mackenzie Steele — Florida Southern College GOLF Taylor Dedmen — Austin Peay State University SOFTBALL Alexis Moore — Florida Southwestern State College Rebekah Schulte — Florida Southern College

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Winter Wellness Wisdom Tips Several readers have winter-related health questions for Dr. Jennifer Closshey.

DRY, ITCHY SKIN

Rachel wrote in: “My skin is so dry and itchy this winter. It is especially uncomfortable when I come home from the gym. Why, and what can I do?” Winter-dry skin can be so miserable that you just want to take a vacation to escape it. In Florida, we are about as south as you can get, so let’s look to other options. Flaking, dry skin is very common when the weather cools. The cooler air is usually drier than in our warmer and more humid Florida summer. This dry air immediately affects the skin. On top of the low humidity usually associated with winter, experts recommend more frequent hand-washing to avoid cold germs and flu bugs typically present in the winter. Washing more frequently dries our skin. Being outside in cool weather, we tend to forget the sunscreen making a cold weather sunburn or wind burn, more skin-drying circumstances, more common. Cooler weather means the blood vessels actually withdraw from the skin surface, meaning less blood supply to the skin itself. Less blood means less immediate healing and drier skin. Help yourself by exfoliating. Clear-

ing away dead skin cells promotes new skin growth. Additionally, the clearer the skin, the better chance moisturizer will penetrate. Use commercial products to exfoliate or try apple cider vinegar applied once a day at full strength. Use it on hands, arms, legs or even the face. Apply and rinse off after five minutes. Going home from the gym? Be careful not to step out into the cool air with sweaty body parts exposed. Shower at home and immediately apply moisturizer before patting your skin dry. Remember to use warm water only. No long, hot baths or showers, as hot water removes natural body oils and further dries our skin. SLEEP OR EXERCISE?

Ray asked: “Which is better: more sleep or more exercise?” There is no such thing as a bad question. But this is like asking, “Which is better — food or water?” The answer is, the body needs both food and water. The body also needs both sleep and exercise. Short tempers, brain fog and fatigue set in with a lack of sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation results in obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Regular moderate exercise reduces stress and the negative body chemistry that leads to obesity, heart disease and diabetes, and it also reduces blood pressure. A good night’s sleep coupled with consistent exercise is a winning combination.

Boxing FROM PAGE 13

Silva prides himself on being “humble in and out of the ring,” but is confident he will handle his business in Clearwater and put both his name and Fire Fist’s on the map. “I am ready mentally and physically,” Silva said. “I hope my opponent is ready, too…I’m coming to fight.” Tomlinson, 23 (3-3-0, 1 KO), is relatively new to the professional ranks compared to Silva but has been in the sport since age 11, took amateur fights as early as age 12 and turned pro right out of high school. “I got my butt beat up the first time (as an amateur). I ain’t gonna lie,” Tomlinson said. “It happens. After that, it made me say ‘I want to be better.’ I want to be the one that’s always winning.”

Justin Kline

Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson said he’s worked harder than ever since joining Fire Fist.

Catch up on your sleep first and then work out regularly. BACK OFF AND GET A MASSAGE

Jane asked: “I get so sore from working out. What can I do to help get over this miserable feeling?” First, pace workouts more evenly. The goal is to feel a “good” kind of sore the day following exercise. If the discomfort does not start until the second day or is too intense, lower the repetitions and/or weight used. Build up to a more comfortable level of muscle recovery. A monthly massage is not a luxury, but an added boost to your workout program. Massages ease sore muscles and aching joints, reduce blood pressure and stress while enhancing the immune system. Licensed by the state as a touch therapy, professional massage not only relaxes but provides many therapeutic benefits for conditions such as muscle strains, osteoarthritis and back aches. Massage has been proven to increase blood circulation and boost levels of endorphins, the feelgood hormone.

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This week’s Sudoku answers

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

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The Thonotosassa native and Strawberry Crest High School alumnus is here to prove he belongs on the scene. He’s set to fight Fort Myersbased boxer Ozodbek Aripov (1-0-0, 1 KO), a Russia native who has participated in several amateur showcases at Plant City Boxing Gym. With a March 3 win and Fire Fist in his corner, Tomlinson hopes his latest opportunity will take him where he’s dreamed of going since he was a kid.

“I got my butt beat up the first time (as an amateur). I ain’t gonna lie. It happens. After that, it made me say ‘I want to be better.’ I want to be the one that’s always winning.” — Ricky Tomlinson

2018

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eaders dealing with winter in Florida recently asked me some specific questions about the season, which I’ll answer this week.

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Luis Leos

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The Plant City Raiders advanced to the Feb. 2 district championship game with an 8-0 win over Durant, thanks in part to a two-goal, oneassist performance by junior Luis Leos. Leos, a midfielder, is second on the team with 11 goals this season and hopes to earn a college scholarship to keep playing after high school. Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

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The team played pretty well against Durant. You had a couple of goals against them. How was the team feeling, going into that one? I felt like we had a lot of energy in that game and we came out with our best. We should have done that against Newsome.

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What would you say makes this team so good? We’re like a family. How long have you been with the team? Three years.

Where do you hope to take your soccer career? I hope to take it to the college level, if I can. Do you know where you want to go? No, not yet. Do you know what you’d want to study? Engineering. What advice would you give to a newcomer to this team? Just get comfortable and don’t be nervous about anything. Play how you play and you’ll be good. What’s the best advice a coach has given you? Never give up. What’s an obstacle you’ve had to overcome during a game, or during a season? My groin was hurting and I pulled through it. That was last season. It was most of the season. What’s your favorite subject in school? I like math. What’s your favorite soccer team? Barcelona.

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

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

SUNRISE / SUNSET

FRIDAY, FEB. 9

High: 84 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 10%

Friday, Feb. 9

7:10a

6:15p

Saturday, Feb. 10

7:09a

6:16p

Sunday, Feb. 11

7:09a

6:16p

Monday, Feb. 12

7:08a

6:17p

Tuesday, Feb. 13

7:07a

6:18p

Wednesday, Feb. 14

7:06a

6:19p

Thursday, Feb. 15

7:05a

6:19p

SATURDAY, FEB. 10 High: 88 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 40%

Sunrise Sunset

MOON PHASES

SUNDAY, FEB. 11 High: 84 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 50%

Feb. 16 New

Feb. 11 Last

Feb. 20 First

Mar. 1 Full

MONDAY, FEB. 12 High: 83 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 80%

STRAWBERRIES Shipping point: Orlando $12.90 “I was sitting on my front porch this past Sunday (Jan. 21) morning, enjoying my coffee and morning newspaper,” Stephanie Hrenchir wrote. “I looked up in the sky and saw these beautiful hot air balloons floating by in the early morning light.” Hrenchir wins this week’s I Love Plant City photo contest.

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91 Nimble 92 Hangs in the breeze 93 It’s upfront in poker 95 Neck section 96 Dele reversal 97 Makes watertight, in a way 100 Smooth ride? (Pt. 3) 107 Egg producer 108 Raines or Fitzgerald 109 Way to go 110 Top-rated 111 Dig deeply (into) 112 Cracked edibles 113 Trimming tool 114 Cold winter blanket? 115 Villainous look 116 Lab procedure 117 No layabouts, they 118 Contents of a black pit

1 Scratch up 4 Quashes 9 Type of pear 13 Wave variety 18 Container for scoops 19 Prefix with phobia 20 Suzanne Vega’s classic hit 21 Instruct spiritually 22 Ear-related 23 Israeli politics name 24 Working away 25 UNCF’s N 26 Smooth ride? (Pt. 1) 30 Flea market transac-

tion 31 Word with pigeon or three 32 Love god 33 Santa’s sackful 34 Frequent flyer 35 Small, singing 34-Across 36 Horrific Tolkien beast 39 Muscle twitch 42 Pedal pusher 43 Like a long shot’s chances 44 The hunted 45 Danson of TV 46 Does branding in

multiple countries 51 Cool relative? 52 Moves like mud or slime 53 Hautboy instrument 54 Like a balloon with helium 55 Be someone else 56 Headlight setting 57 Low paper bills 58 Grp. meeting after school 59 Smooth ride? (Pt. 2) 68 U-turn from WSW 69 “Whatcha ___?” 70 Anger

Saturday, Feb. 3

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Sunday, Feb. 4

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Monday, Feb. 5

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Tuesday, Feb. 6

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YEAR TO DATE:

FEB. TO DATE:

2018 5.38 in.

2018

71 Bit in a horse’s mouth 72 Madcap silly trick 75 Bothersome commotions 76 Earthly tremor 79 Rock to pick 80 A disposition to be 90-Across 84 Jamaican music style 85 Trudge along 86 Decides 87 Enthralled 88 Powerful construction piece 90 U-turn from straightforward

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Lic. # JB 138531

Family Owned & Operated Since 2006 • 19 Years Experience

42 Hat with a tassel 43 Lhasa’s land 44 Rice dish with meat 47 Bad thing to have in the library 48 “Lara Croft: ___ Raider” 49 Romiti or Braxton 50 Wood shaper 56 Mambo, for one 57 Be a proprietor 58 Tiny body openings 60 Beyond strange 61 Unusual thing 62 Things that tangle underground 63 Not yet final, in law 64 Greek goddess of victory 65 Alaskan beast 66 Arctic coat 67 Cook, as crabs DOWN 72 Some venomous snakes 1 Engine 73 Partner of void 2 Cartoon art form of 74 Helen of ___ Japan 75 Currently 3 Replaces stars? 76 Divided like NFL games 4 Barely 77 Org. that delivers the 5 Spiritual love feasts goods 6 Wolf out west 78 Little scurrier 7 Excursion 81 Momma’s partner 8 Formal approvals 82 Bay window 9 Pointed fingers at 10 Exposed one’s secrets 83 Ab exercise 11 Big name in power tools 89 City of Northern Ireland 91 Literary Tom 12 Zeta-Jones of film 92 After much delay 13 Sinew 93 More incisive 14 Creative mind set? 94 New parents, at some 15 Sarcastic remarks point 16 Bushy coif 95 Moxie 17 Capital of Rhone 96 Treats a frozen walkway 18 It may follow a dot 98 Swedish money 27 Ruth’s in-law 28 It comes from the heart 99 Mr. way down south 100 Lays down the lawn 29 MSG, for one 101 It takes the cake 34 Party deflator 35 Wind or bobsled sound 102 In sound shape 103 Hint 36 Soup pasta 104 Long-extinct avian 37 Coral formation 105 Bigger than big 38 Skin problem 106 Wood used for archers’ 39 Scarecrow stuffing bows 40 Juicy fruit 41 Expand, as a collection

ACROSS

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264739

CROSSWORD

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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.

“DU’A F LYPFC’A LYJAU CDBRUPFJG ... LRGJG ZYX MGODGHG AYPGYCG PYJG VYLGJSXO RFA EYCUJYO YHGJ ZYXJ ODSG.” – UFPJYC RFOO “AC ZCCX GP OGDZX GPBCGTCV AJGT DII PE GTC SJWGJKO (PE OCNLDI TDVDOOKCZG) DZX KDHC OLVC GTCF DVC ZPG OJICZWCX.” – BVCGWTCZ WDVIOPZ Puzzle Two Clue: H equals K

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

Friday, Feb. 2

Puzzle One Clue: B equals G

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

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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

Free consultation • VOP • Drug Possession • All Misdemeanor and Felony Cases

Thursday, Feb. 1

GOT PESTS?

Attorneys on call 24/7

• Seal and Expunge • DUI • DV Injunction

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2017

SAMMIS LAW FIRM

Criminal Defense Attorneys for Plant City

Wednesday, Jan. 31

264453

ONLINE

RAINFALL

SUDOKU

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

2-8-18

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2018

PlantCityObserver.com

Ladies Night Out

You’re Invited Thursday, February 22 | 6pm South Florida Baptist Hospital 2 North Administrative Conference Room 301 N. Alexander St., Plant City

Learn How to Cook Heart Healthy Part of our Ladies Night Out series. Learn heart-healthy cooking tips from our dietitian and enjoy a cooking demonstration by our executive chef. A light dinner and dessert will be provided.

Space is limited. Register today: (855) 314-8352 | BayCareEvents.org

18-300483–0118

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