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VOLUME 6, NO. 38
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
UPCOMING COMMISSION FEATURES LONG AWAITED PUBLIC HEARINGS Several items are up for public hearings next week including map amendments to property near the stadium and changing the Plant City Code’s alcohol ordinance. SEE PAGE 7
WHIMSICAL LITERACY AT BRUTON
Breanne Williams
Children participated in Dr. Seuss-themed arts and crafts at the Seussical birthday celebration at Bruton Memorial Library.
Bruton Memorial held a special Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration held in partnership with the GFWC Plant City Junior Woman’s Club for local families showing that literacy can be a thrilling experience.
FAIRY PRINCESS MAKEOVERS AHEAD For years children have flocked to the Fairy Princess Makeovers at Relay for Life in honor of Megan Carpenter. This year adds another layer to the tribute as its sponsor is the 2019 Relay Honorary Survivor.
Hordes of children donned red and white striped cat hats as they gathered around Youth Services Associate Amanda Preece who read two beloved Dr. Seuss books to the captive audience. Cheering along and occasionally asking a question or two the young attendees dove headfirst into the rhyming and
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Megan Carpenter was 11 years old when she was told she had adrenal cortical carcinoma, a cancer so rare less than one in a million people are diagnosed each year. Doctors gave her mere months to live, but Megan was able to turn that into a nearly six-year battle, using her positive attitude and faith in God to influence the lives of everyone she met. She died in 2006 and the hole she left in the heart of her community still still prevails.
SEE PAGE 3
eccentric tales as their families watched on from around the room. Several came prepared to participate in the celebration with Seuss-themed attire and nearly every small head in sight was wearing a special Cat in the Hat-inspired top hat.
SEE PAGE 8
PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
NEWS BRIEFS
2
Justin Kline
Attendance for the 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival hit a record high.
Florida Strawberry Festival attendance released The Florida Strawberry Festival announced Monday its 2019 attendance figure and it’s a record high. Nearly 563,000 people attended the 11-day event in 2019 according to festival president Paul Davis. It’s also the highest attendance figure for the festival since 560,467 visitors turned out in 2016. "This year's attendance was one for the books," Davis said. "We are so fortunate to be able to celebrate this accomplishment with our community. We attribute our success to the hundreds of volunteers and patrons who come each year to share in the harvest of what makes Plant City so special.” Belle City Amusements, Inc. reported a 12 percent increase in sales from 2018 and Davis said it was the largest-attended midway
to date. Local law enforcement agencies reported only five arrests in the 11-day span. "We work hard to bring a fresh Festival experience to our guests year after year," Davis said. "This year our preparations paid off. It was a hit.”
‘Youth Explosion’ at Ellis Park Dream Team Basketball Inc, and Exploring the Dream of our Youth will host a free “Youth Explosion” event this Saturday afternoon. The first annual event will be held at Marie B. Ellis Park, 603 E. Laura St., from 1 to 5 p.m. and is meant to celebrate Ellis’s legacy by giving kids a free afternoon of food, fun and more. There will be guest speakers, giveaways and games on hand.
WUSF seeking PC residents for project WUSF was selected as one of six public media stations in the nation to participate in the “One Small Step” project, where people from differing political backgrounds are interviewed about the roots of their beliefs. The station is looking for any Plant City residents willing to participate. “Our nation is divided,” StoryCorps founder Dave Isay said in a news release. “Much of what is driving that division is fear, and a lack of understanding and empathy for those with whom we don’t agree. We hope that One Small Step will provide a beacon of hope during these difficult and divided days.” Interviews will be recorded and stored in the Library of Congress and may be shared on multiple media platforms. WUSF is looking to record at least 25 paired interviews and is hoping to find people
with all kinds of political beliefs. Those interested in participating can visit WUSF online at www. wusf.usf.edu and click on the “One Small Step” tile for more information.
Atlas Aviation to host open house, ribbon cutting at airport Plant City Airport is getting ready to welcome Atlas Aviation on its grounds this weekend. Atlas Aviation became the airport’s new Fixed Base Operator on March 1 as part of a contract it signed with the Peter O. Knight Airport in Tampa, Atlas’s home airport. At Plant City Airport, Atlas is also implementing its flight school. The open house will let the public come out and meet the Atlas team and learn about who they are and what they do. There will be aircraft on display and free food available from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. March 23. There will also be a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event is free for anyone to attend, but Atlas requests anyone planning on coming sends an RSVP online in advance. To RSVP, visit PCMopenhouse.eventbrite. com. For more information, call 813752-4710.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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THE RIPPLES OF AN
ANGEL’S LEGACY Courtesy photos
Each year children are welcome to pariticipate in the Fairy Princess Makeovers at Relay for Life Plant City.
Courtesy photos
Megan Carpenter’s brother Chad and mother Dana.
Laurel Candelario has been hosting the Fairy Princess Makeovers at Relay for Life in honor of Megan Carpenter for 13 years. This year, Candelario is Relay’s honorary survivor. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A few years ago Megan’s mom, Dana Carpenter, swallowed her fears of public speaking and shared a moving speech at Relay for Life about the legacy her daughter left behind. “When Megan was here with us, fighting this disease, going through 11 surgeries, receiving radiation treatments and three different rounds of chemotherapy, she never asked me ‘why her?’” Dana Carpenter said in her speech. “I believe that Megan was an angel sent by God to teach and inspire all of us. And she did. Megan had such great faith, strength, courage and hope. She never felt sorry for herself. She loved life, she loved her friends, she loved cheering, she loved sunsets, she loved the small things in life like watching a butterfly, she always tried to be positive and she had such a sweet spirit about her.” In Megan’s memory Laurel Candelario, a cosmetology teacher at Plant City High School, began hosting Fairy Princess Makeovers each year at Relay to help share Megan’s passion and joy with new generations in Plant City. The makeovers are $10 and include nail polish, face painting, glitter for a treasure box of treats and crowning as a real fairy princess by the 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen Kendall Gaudens, who is also one of Candelario’s students. Parents and loved ones are able to then take photos of their fairy princess at the end of the makeover. When Megan died, her entire community felt the brunt of the loss. The very next year, Candelario set up the Fairy Princess Makeover tent for the first time. Megan loved everything pink and princess-themed and Candelario felt it was a special way to honor her memory.
“One of my favorite memories from the years of us doing this event is seeing Megan Carpenter’s mom just beaming with pride,” Candelario said. “She suffered such a great loss and she just gets to celebrate her daughter. I have two daughters and I can’t imagine a worse loss. The children that come through here, they melt your heart. They say, ‘I’m real, I’m a real fairy princess.’ This is just too cute.” Anywhere from 50 to 75 children come through the tent every year and the group has raised more than $100,000 since its inception. Candelario said it speaks volumes for how special Megan was as the community continues to rally in her honor every year. Her family and friends always show up and participate in the event to celebrate her life and the legacy she left. “The first year that I participated was only a few short months after Megan had gone to heaven and it was so overwhelming,” Dana Carpenter said. “Not with just the sadness and emptiness of Megan being gone, but the love and outreach of all of these people that either knew Megan or knew her story and showed up and donated their time and money to this event… Megan’s life continues to inspire me and her friends and that is why we need to continue to raise money to find a cure. I learned a lot about cancer. I know that cancer is not prejudice. I know it can happen to any family, to the young, the old, the rich or the poor. And I know we need to find a cure.” Each year the event grows and friends walk away as family. This time around, however, Candelario is experiencing Relay from a completely new and unexpected point of view. “This year I am the honorary survivor,” Candelario said. “I never thought I’d be the one walking that walk, but I’m very thankful. The students are super
sweet this year, lifting me up and making sure I’m surrounded by positivity. It’s a different twist.” When Candelario left the doctor’s office in October with her diagnosis she was bracing herself for what she knew would be the hardest battle of her life. Fate, however, wasn’t through. Her husband was diagnosed with cancer as well merely one month later. They had their respective major surgeries one day apart. The next few months were filled with trips to chemotherapy and the many stages of treatment. Though they were both in the trenches, they walked through it together. In a week they will walk the survivors’ lap together. Her husband Rafael is still undergoing treatment, but Candelario said he’s tough. As a retired Marine he’s using his resiliency to continue the fight and remains positive every step of the way. The support from family, friends, her school and the
exceptional healthcare they’ve been provided at the hands of their doctors has helped them through the journey. When Candelario was approached to be the honorary survivor this year she said she was surprised, that there were other people that have “gone through a whole lot more,” but that she was honored to be able to hopefully inspire others on the night of the major event. “I’m just going to be focusing on gratitude,” Candelario said. “My words will be short. I think I speak right before the Luminaria Ceremony, which is when we remember all the people we’ve lost. It’s very humbling. Why did I get to survive? I don’t know, I’m just very very thankful.” Candelario has been involved with Relay for Life for years and, up until last year when she received her diagnosis, was a team captain. Though she was undergoing treatment, when the time came to decide to host the
Fairy Princess Makeovers or not she knew immediately they had to continue the tradition. “It’s lonely to have cancer, and it’s just nice to feel the love and you definitely do there,” Candelario said. “When you lose somebody they don’t just disappear, you can’t just stop thinking about them. It’s so nice to honor those you love. I’m grateful to be able to help play a part in that. I hope people come out and they really enjoy the moments and the memories they make.”
IF YOU GO:
Relay for Life Plant City Fairy Princess Makeovers When: March 29 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Where: Plant City High School stadium Cost: $10 per makeover
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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The free 2019 Discovery Quest helps connect residents to service providers, offers career opportunities and will feature live entertainment and food vendors.
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involved with a large offering of STAFF WRITER groups to help make the community stronger. While people stroll the aisles Chart your course, the 2019 East they will also have the chance to Hillsborough Discovery Quest is get to know their local nonprofits, on its way. many of which serve thousands of The organization puts on the residents every year. annual event to help connect Discovery Quest was originally local residence to community created to help pop the “Plant services and programs, hous- City Bubble,” a metaphor used ing assistance, job opportuni- to describe the isolation many ties and general information on within the city and nearby areas elderly programs. The informa- feel from the rest of Tampa Bay tional experience transforms into and Hillsborough County. a party as an assortment of food A variety of services are availEdited by David March 22, 2019 vendors and live entertainment able to theSteinberg public that many don’t make their way to the event to even know exist, let alone underoffer a day filled with fun. ACROSS 49 Civic 17 Decides 37 Rainy stand how to take advantage of its There are a variety of: activities center? offerings. 1 Judaism to change 42 Handbag on site for children as French By bringing everything under kosherand :: families50 lanes, monogram well as doorIslam prizes,: which one roof Discovery Quest is able ___ will be greeting maybe 45 Election raffled off donation tickets. to offer a one-stop of ser6 from Short-lived 51 Prefix with 21shop Move sticker IFDay YOU GO: Much of the civic organizations vices while also enticing families items “binary” or across words event is free, will feature more than 70 booths and and community groups in town with a day filled with good food 14 Giraffe “conforming” 24 Ontario 47The Get a is held at Plant City High School, 1 Raider Place, from run entirely off of volunteers. and festive entertainment. cousin 52 CampaignMLB city: move 9 a.m. to 3on p.m. April 27. Attendees will have the opportu15 Look down, funding grp. Abbr. 51 ___ Scotia nity to find out how they can get
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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UPCOMING COMMISSION
FEATURES LONG-AWAITED PUBLIC HEARINGS
There will be six public hearings Monday evening ranging from map amendments near the Plant City Stadium to amending the city’s alcohol ordinance. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
City Hall is sure to be a packed house Monday night as the community gathers to observer the outcome of six public hearings. While every commission meeting deals with important and influential policy altering decisions next week could bring about some major changes to Plant City. Six public hearings ranging from map amendments to an altered alcohol ordinance are all being discussed and the public has the opportunity to share their thoughts on each of the proposed changes. Map Amendment PC/CPA 1803 and text amendment PC/ CPA 18-04
The proposed map amendment for five parcels of land adjacent to the Plant City Stadium has been in the works for quite some time. On Dec. 10 the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission reviewed the proposed amendment to alter the current status of the property to allow for potential use of a mix of residential and nonresidential, aka retail commercial and office, for the site. They found the proposed change to be in line with the Imagine 2040: Plant City Comprehensive Plan. The same week the Plant City Planning Board unanimously recommended city commissioners adopt the proposed change. Commissioners had the proposal reviewed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity who told the city it had no comment on the decision. That chain of events, packed with a variety of staff reports from the Planning Commission,
have brought the decision into the final stretch. The Plant City Stadium and its surrounding area may soon be home to a massive Sports Village if negotiations between the city and Gary Sheffield Sports Village, LLC continue to blossom smoothly. Because of the promising future of the site the city wants to be able to have the land available to support a major mixed-use activity center. With the proposed amendment it could be open to residential, retail commercial, office, research corporate park and agriculture. The strip of land is along the central transportation loop of Plant City. The city will vote on a text amendment in this one public hearing as well. If approved it simply means the city would be allowed to consider greater development intensities and densities at the location. Flexibility would increase as well if the city wishes to mix any uses to support the activity center. Approving the change would shift the current allowance of 12 dwelling units per gross acre to 24 dwelling units and increase the allowable floor ratio from .35 to .75. The allowable uses for the property would change to 35 percent minimum and 85 percent maximum residential and 15 percent minimum and 65 percent maximum commercial. Map Amendment PC/CPA 1805
This map amendment addresses approximately .28 acres south of Charlie Griffin Road at Via Siena Street. The land was voluntarily annexed and the map amendment would change the property from Hillsborough County Residential-1 to Plant
City Residential-4. Currently the property has the potential to be developed with one residential unit and it has a single-family detached home on the site. It’s part of the established Walden Pointe subdivision. It’s a minor alteration simply switching the labeling from Hillsborough County to Plant City. Rezoning .28± acres located at 3001 Via Siena Street
The above stated property also may be rezoned Monday night from Hillsborough County Agricultural Rural to R-1A, Singlefamily Dwelling District. The Property on South Wiggins Road Planning Board reviewed the site and found it consistent with the Rezoning 64.94± acres located Imagine 2040: Plant City Com- on South Wiggins Road Like the property along Via prehensive Plan. There will be no fiscal impact Siena Street, the 64.9 acres at since the property is already in South Wiggins Road also may the city limits and thus the city add a rezoning to its map amendalready provides all municipal ment. If approved it will go from Hillsborough County Agriculture services. Single-Family 1 Unit per acre to a Map Amendment PC/CPA 18Planned Development District, 06 the Wish Logistics Center PD. Similar to one of the hearThe proposed Planned Develing prior this map amendment opment District site plan has a is a result of a pending volun- maximum total square-footage of tary annexation, however, this the development to be 900,000 property is approximately 64.91 square feet. acres. If approved a portion of one If commissioners agree to the parcel and an entire other parcel map amendment in the public located at 1909 South Wiggins hearing just prior the property Road would transfer from Hill- will then be able to have its locasborough County Residential-1 tion rezoned to be consistent with to Plant City Industrial and to be Imagine 2040: Plant City Combrought into the I-4 Tech Corri- prehensive Plan. dor Overlay. Currently the property, owned Ordinance amending Chapters by G&D Farms, Inc., is an active 10 and 102, Plant City Code The most anticipated item on agriculture production site, but with the amendment and some next week’s agenda is inarguably rezoning the owner hopes to the proposed amendment to the soon develop a warehouse/dis- Plant City Code, which will tackle tribution facility like those found the issue of bona fide restaurants along County Line Road, accord- and sales of beer and wine for oning to the city. The proposed land premises consumption.
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Downtown is growing and the city staff has received a variety of requests to approve the zoning of business selling beer and/ or wine for consumption on the business’s property. Currently the only way a business could sell the alcohol is if it had a restaurant license and a floor capacity of no less than 2,500 square feet and no fewer than 100 seats. In the tightness of downtown, that quickly becomes impossible for many smaller establishments. The proposed amendment would allow for smaller restaurants or similar business to have a chance to thrive in Plant City. It would add titles to the code to clarify uses such as beer and/or wine for off-premises consumption, bona fide restaurants, bars and other similar businesses. It would then add a section to address beer and/ or wine for on-premises consumption. It would also add a title to clarify the use for those above stated establishments in the Downtown Core and the MTD Midtown District. Part of the problem in the past has been the city’s definition of “bona fide restaurants.” It’s definition would be altered and would open the door for sidewalk cafe’s to also be allowed to sell beer or wine. Last week, city commissioners approved to have public hearings on March 25 and April 8 for the amendment of chapters 10 and 102 in the Plant City code. With the normal consent agenda, public comments, reports from officers and commissioners and the multiple public hearings, it will undoubtedly be a long night. However, when all is said and done Plant City could see some impressive changes as a result of Monday night’s votes.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
AAMCO LENDS HELPING HAND The owner of Plant City’s AAMCO stepped in and did a more than two thousand dollar repair for free when a friend alerted him to the story of a local family in need.
Breanne Williams
When Doug Killian approaced Rob Sanchez, owner and operator of Plant City’s AAMCO, to help a family in need Sanchez didn’t hesitate.
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
W
hen people ask what makes Plant City special, one of the most common answers is the goodwill of its residents. Whether it’s a boutique that opened under the premise of pro-
moting random acts of kindness or a new organization in town that was created solely for the purpose of helping those in need you can always find someone looking around and extending a helping hand. Rob Sanchez, owner and operator of Plant City’s AAMCO, quietly used his skill set to change a stranger’s life last week after hearing the plight of a local family
from his good friend Doug Killian. “When Doug came to me with the story about this family I just decided to help,” Sanchez said. “I want to try and give back when I can, try to help somebody as much as I can.” Killian is a retired fire captain with Hillsborough County and during his decades on the job he became friends with a volunteer firefighter who worked for
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the county for 25 years. Since his friend is now officially retired finances are strapped and his wife was helping support the family by continuing to work and keep a steady income flowing in. Recently she went to the hospital thinking she had a severe cold. Upon being admitted the doctor quickly realized something more was at play and ordered she have an MRI. Her flu-like symptoms may have brought her to the emergency room, but she left with a completely unexpected diagnosis. She has brain cancer and the doctors estimated she was more than likely looking at a fatal diagnosis. The family involved in the situation has asked to remain anonymous as they continue treatment. Following the diagnosis they quickly began the tedious journey to undergo routine treatments when their van suddenly broke down. The husband owns a pickup
truck but it’s too high for her to get in and out of. They were stuck and frantically trying to figure out a solution to their problem with Killian decided to take matters into his own hands and see what he could do. He has known Sanchez for years and said it’s hard to find a man with a stronger character. Sanchez is honest and kind and unbeknownst to the majority of the public he has quietly been helping those in need for years. Throughout the 10 years that he’s owned the local AAMCO on James L. Redman Parkway he has kept his eyes peeled and acted as an anonymous savior whenever he stumbles upon a need. When Killian strolled into his shop and shared the story of the broken van Sanchez didn’t hesitate to simply say, “Bring it in.” “Yeah I’ve done this a few times actually and when I heard the story of what was going on with them I felt really terrible,” Sanchez said.
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Courtesy photos
Sanchez has silently performed random acts of kindess for years through his business.
“I don’t really need to reach out and tell anybody. I thought, well this isn’t really something I would do, to say, ‘Hey this is what I’ve done, come look at me.’ It’s not advertising, it’s just the right thing to do. I try to help everybody as much as I can, but this was at the top of the list for sure.” His team immediately looked the vehicle over and found the transmission was broken and would need a complete rebuild and overhaul. The transmission would no longer change into higher gears so the family was unable to safely drive it down their drive way, let alone all the way to the hospital. All in all it ended up being an approximately $2,500 repair. Sanchez covered the cost entirely and called Killian to pick it up a mere three days after it had come through his garage doors. “I guess they were going to surprise them and bring it back all fixed,” Sanchez said. “Doug’s a great guy and a great person. What I’m sure he didn’t even mention was the family had this electric wheelchair and it had fallen off the back of the truck. Doug was actually fixing that himself as part of this too. He’s been around Plant City forever and whenever he sees something, he fixes it.”
Killian said he hopes people in town really take the time to look around them and step in to intervene if they see something they can help with. No act of kindness is too small and can create a lasting impact in the life of a stranger. “This is what’s so great about Plant City,” Killian said. “People like Sanchez. You’ve got somebody who doesn’t even know these people and he’s willing to put out thousands of dollars to help out someone in need. There’s people like that all over town and you never hear about it. This family, they’re great people. They’ve been in Plant City for two or three generations. We take care of others if we can here. That’s just the way it is, the way it should be.”
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
DR. SEUSS BIRTHDAY:
WHIMSICAL LITERACY AT BRUTON Dozens of children and their families gathered at Bruton Memorial Library last week to participate in the Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration held in partnership with the GFWC Plant City Junior Woman’s Club.
Breanne Williams
The GFWC Plant City Junior Woman’s Club parntered to throw the festive event at Bruton.
Breanne Williams
Refreshments like birthday cake and apple juice were served at the party. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
After story time wrapped up, the children enjoyed a birthday cake, chips, apple juice and other refreshments and participated in themed arts and crafts and a green-screen photo-op. As the party inside came to a close, families headed outside where they lined up to take a peek at the heavens with local astronomer Craig MacDougal’s telescope. Through the clear sky attendees could peer into the scope and explore the
surface of the moon, spotting craters and mountains on its rocky terrain. Even their parents got in on the action as the tiny ladder was removed and they hunched over the extravagant telescope to catch a glimpse of the lunar surface. As both young and old alike enjoyed the zoomed in view of the moon MacDougal taught them basic astro trivia and offered advice on how to learn more about our solar system and the universe we all call home.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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FRESH FACE AT THE
PLANT CITY FAMILY YMCA Paul Conley is the new Executive Director at the Plant City Y. He comes from the greater Cleveland area and has seven years of experience with the YMCA organization.
JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
A
fter about a month of searching for the right fit, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA decided on Paul Conley to lead the Plant City Family YMCA. The Ohio native started in Plant City on March 14 and is ready to serve the community. Conley, 29, comes to Plant City after seven years working in the YMCA network in the greater Cleveland area. He was Executive Director of the Geauga Family YMCA for the last three years and came to Plant City to step into the same role after the February departure of Zach Hilferding. “His track record in delivering exceptional operating results in membership, fundraising, community engagement and program delivery makes him the perfect choice for our growing organization and the Plant City community,” the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA said in a statement. He became involved with the Y after working with Cleveland State University’s men’s basketball program, where he helped with a youth camp and realized he loved coaching kids. Conley translated that experience into roles with his local YMCA and stuck with the organization, eventually working his way up the ladder from program
director to executive director in his mid-20s. “I had the opportunity three years ago in Cleveland to be an executive director and I think at that point it was probably more motivating and more of a, ‘I’ve got to show people I know what I’m doing despite my age’ thing,” he said. “But now I think people don’t really care how old you are as long as you treat people well and have good intentions and you’re able to bring some value to the table.” With a degree in sports management from Bowling Green State University, Conley knew he wanted to keep focusing on youth sports as he ascended within the Geauga Y’s ranks. One of his proudest accomplishments, he said, was helping create the Junior Cavs basketball league with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. This program gave roughly 2,000 kids per session the opportunity to play on the court at Quicken Loans Arena and now offers league play eight months out of the year. “I love sports, so I thought this was a way for me to teach kids sports and have a lot of fun doing it,” he said. Conley helped start a program to teach local kindergarteners
water safety lessons, which ended with the kids getting certificates for free swimming lessons at the Geauga Y. While at the Geauga Y, Conley oversaw a 40 percent increase in annual giving while “expanding and re-engaging the advisory board,” according to the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA. Conley decided to leave his native Ohio for the Plant City opening because of the fit and the Tampa Y’s reputation around the country as a strong association. “I met with the staff team and the board here during the visit and I could tell there was a real sense of passion and love for the community,” Conley said. “It’s a smaller, tight-knit community which is more my style, and I’ve been really reassured by that in my short time here. I went to walk around the building here and was out there for an hour talking to people, meeting people and listening to them. It’s a very transformational place — not transactional. That’s what’s fun.” Conley is getting accustomed to his new home and said he likes the small-town feel of Plant City. You’ll soon be able to catch him watching local high school sports or playing pickup basketball when he’s not on the clock at the Plant City Y.
Conley’s first goal is to assess the needs and wants of the community to see what he and the Plant City Y can provide in the future. Though he’s thought about a few things — more uses for the plot of land behind the facility and strengthening water safety education initiatives have come to his mind — Conley isn’t setting any plans in stone until he feels he’s heard more from the community at large. “It’s unfair to the community, or to anybody, to come in and pretend like you have an idea of what you’re going to do without assessing the needs of the community first,” he said.
Conley may have come to Plant City with little, if any, knowledge about the community, but he’s as determined as anyone at the Y to serve and help locals meet their goals and needs. “Every day is a different challenge,” Conley said. “Every day, I meet somebody new that somehow, some way, the Y has changed their life. I truly believe that to work with people and develop a healthy mind, body and spirit, it’s just fun. It never stops.”
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
IT’S READ EVERYWHERE
This week on Cops Corner: Stolen Caterpillar tractors, missing Mercedes
COPS CORNER
Did you take the Observer with you on vacation? Send your pictures to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.
emblems and more.
MARCH 8
INCHING AWAY 1400 block of South County Line Road Grand theft-vehicle: This victim told officers someone stole a 2012 Caterpillar 416F TRS tractor with Lefrois Builders logos on both backhoe arms from the property during the night of March 8. THE POWER TO SURPRISE 300 block of North Thomas Street Grand theft-vehicle: During the night of March 7 someone snuck onto this victim’s property and stole her 2005 blue/gray Kia Sorento.
MARCH 9
BRAND BANDITS 1700 block of West Charlotte Street Petit theft from vehicle: During the night of March 8 someone stole the Mercedes emblem from the hood of this victim’s vehicle.
SAN FRANCISCO: Carol Byers recently visited San Francisco and posed with the Ob-
server for a photo at the city’s famous Pier 39 shopping center and tourist attraction.
BLAZING SPEED North Frontage Road/ North Wheeler Street Drug investigation: Officers made contact with a man who was sitting on railroad tracks at the above locations. They found him to be in possession of a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. He was provided with a notice to appear for the offense and was then released.
MARCH 10
PEDALING PIRATES 1000 block of North Pennsylvania Street Theft: This victim told officers a green mountain bike and a black Schwinn bicycle had been stolen from his porch during the night of March 9. POACHING PURSES 700 block of Coronet Road Vehicle burglary: The victim told officers her Victoria’s Secret clutch purse, which contained a variety of identifications and cards was stolen from her vehicle. The car was broken into while she was home during the night of March 10. FAKE IT ‘TIL YOU MAKE IT 1800 block of Greenwood Valley Ranch Road RAWOV: Officers came out to the area after receiving a report of a man who was inside yards and construction sites and did not belong there. He was located, charged with resisting arrest and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.
MARCH 11
BEALLS BARGAIN 2400 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft: A woman was caught shoplifting $109 worth of clothing items from Bealls. She was stopped, met APAD criteria and was released.
MARCH 12
ACCOSTING ACCOUNTS 1 Police Place Fraud: This victim told officers an unknown subject withdrew $420 from his bank account without his authorization. UNLOCKED, UNLOADED 400 block of Eunice Avenue Vehicle burglary: Someone stumbled upon an unlocked vehicle at the above address. The car was burglarized between midnight and 5 a.m. and a $300 toolset and $400 car speakers were taken. THAT STINKS 1400 block of South Collins Street Theft petit: Officers came out to this store after someone stole seven air fresheners. FIRING FELON Aggravated assault with firearm: A man was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail and charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, felon in possession of short barreled shotgun, four counts of felon in possession of ammunition, felon in possession of other weapon, possession of a firearm with a serial number removed and resisting an officer without violence.
MARCH 13
HIGH DRIVING 1800 block of Jim Johnson Road HTO/Possession of marijuana: Officers conducted a traffic stop and made contact with driver. He was found to be in possession of marijuana and was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.
MARCH 14
GASLIGHT SPOTLIGHT 4400 block of Country Hills Boulevard Vehicle burglary: This victim told officers during the night of March 13 an unknown suspect entered his vehicle and took his brown leather wallet that contained a variety of items and a $15 flashlight. He checked his stolen gas card account and found the card had been used at three unknown locations for approximately $100.
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RHYTHM AND RHYMES PACKS HOUSE Plant City’s new open mic variety show is highlighting some of the most original and inventive talent in town. A new open mic variety show has officially hit the ground running in Plant City. Rhythm and Rhymes has packed the house at the Corner Store for each of its events in 2019. The Corner Store keeps its doors open late into the evening for the special event, which is free for the public to attend. Local poets, musicians and artists all come out to showcase their talents to the Plant City community. This month, many of the featured artists performed their personal works, rapping, strumming a guitar and singing out their own lyrics and melodies. Those in attendance clapped and snapped along and frequently gave standing ovations to some of the amazing talent lying hidden right here in Plant City. Meraki Naturals was the featured business and bought many of its all natural handmade hemp CBD infused bath and body products to the event. The company creates everything from bath bombs to body creams and CBD edibles. You can find them at @MeRaKiNaturals2018 on Instagram.
Breanne Williams
Above left and right: Meraki Naturals was the featured business Friday night. Left: Rappers and a music producer took the mics to show off their original tracks and provide one-of-a-kind entertainment for the packed house at The Corner Store. Above: This duo sang an original song and played their own melody. They received a standing ovation from the crowd as they wrapped up a harmonious set.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
IT’S (BEEN) READ EVERYWHERE Art and Mary Wood’s recent trip to Antarctica means the Plant City Observer has now been read on all seven continents.
Mary Wood at Ritz Carlton, Orlando, at the start of the 2017 trip.
JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Now that Art and Mary Wood have returned from Antarctica, the Plant City Observer’s “It’s Read Everywhere” contest name is a little more accurate. Thanks to the Woods, the Observer has now been read on every continent in the world. That wasn’t the Woods’ ultimate goal, of course, but it was a nice milestone to hit while the Plant City couple made good on its wish to hit as many “bucket list” travel destinations as possible. The bulk of the Woods’ travel came in 2017, when they acted on a National Geographic Expeditions travel package that took them around the globe by private jet in one continuous shot. They started in Orlando and flew to 13 locations including Peru, Easter Island, Australia, Tibet and Morocco before returning to Florida. “It had all of the places, a great many of them, that were on my bucket list,” Art Wood said. “It was easier to roll it up into one long, continuous trip than to make five separate trips.” That included visiting well-known landmarks such as the Taj Mahal, Macchu
Picchu and the Easter Island statues. Art Wood’s favorite experience was in Lhasa, Tibet, where the couple stood in awe of the area’s beautiful mountain landscapes and history. Mary Wood enjoyed seeing Petra and its ancient, carved-out buildings. The most breathtaking experience, Art Wood said, was flying over Easter Island in a figure-eight pattern from 1,500 feet. “Everybody could look down from every window and get a good look at the island,” he said. “A commercial airline couldn’t do that.” Because the Woods had already visited Europe several years earlier, that trip meant the Observer had been taken to six of seven continents. Not long after visiting the Galapagos Islands — and posing for an It’s Read Everywhere photo with one of the island’s famous tortoises — the travel bug bit the Woods again and they decided to check another item off of Art Wood’s list: Antarctica.They traveled to Ushuaia, Argentina in February and visited the city’s “end of the world” area at the southernmost tip of the country. Then the Woods cruised to Antarctica and learned they weren’t alone in their desire to pose for a photo with a community newspaper.
“Somebody in Antarctica told us they were doing the same thing for their hometown paper,” he said. The Woods plan to travel more later in the year. Their sights are mainly set on the Swiss Alps, which they plan to tour by train, but that won’t be their last stop. They may end up in Salt Lake City for Christmas
to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, or perhaps they’ll see the Boston Pops Fourth of July celebration. “We’ve still got a few places,” Art Wood said.
MACCHU PICCHU, PERU.
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Cairns, Australia to visit the Great Barrier Reef.
Easter Island, 2,000 miles from South America, in the Pacific Ocean.
Lhasa, Tibet, in front of the Potala Palace with its 600 steps at an altitude of 13,000 feet.
Island of Samoa in the Pacific Ocean
Angkor, Cambodia, to see the Angkor Wat.
Ushuaia, Argentina before the duo sailed to Antarctica.
Marrakesh, Morocco with “water carriers” holding the Observer.
Tanzania, Africa. at the Serengeti Plain.
Agra, India, to see the Taj Mahal.
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Petra, Jordan and its famous carved-out buildings.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
CUTEST CRITTER
Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are? Send your pictures to Staff Writer Breanne Williams at bwilliams@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.
Offerings FROM THE CITY OF PLANT CITY The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department’s summer program will help kids have fun while learning STEM principles. Plant City youth can spend eight weeks having so much fun learning STEM, they may not always realize they’re getting an education. The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department’s annual Youth Summer Program starts June 10 and runs for eight weeks through August 2. Local kids age 5 through 15 can learn about the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) field with arts and crafts, games, sports, “discovery” activities, outdoor adventures and field trips to locations like the Florida Aquarium, Legoland Florida, Fun Spot, Skate World, Plant City Family Bowl and Aquatica. The campers will also catch occasional free matinee movies at Plant City’s Premiere Cinema 8. Teenage campers will have their own Teen Focus group sepa-
rate from the younger campers so that everyone is able to participate in ageappropriate activities. The program costs $375 for eight weeks of activities and trips, adult supervision, shirts, transportation and more. The cost comes out to less than $10 per day per child, but parents can reduce the cost by $10 when they sign up during the first week of registration. The total fee must be paid in full by June 7. Payment plans are available. Registration begins the week of March 25. The program is based out of the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Youth must have at least completed kindergarten to be able to participate in the camp.
REGISTRATION FORMS AND MORE INFORMATION are available on the program web page at plantcitygov.com/parksrec/page/ summer-offerings or by e-mail at recinfo@plantcitygov.com or by telephone at 813-659-4256.
MASON: Mason is able to show off his adventurous side with his paw-fect owner Missy. Mason loves to go for rides in the car and on an airboat. In his free time he’s also up for flexing his modeling muscle and loves to get his picture taken.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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PC LEADERSHIP PREPS FOR GARDEN WALK
Courtesy photo
Members of Leadership Plant City got to work Saturday morning at the Plant City Commons Community Garden in preparation for the upcoming Garden Walk. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Leadership Plant City, a program organized by The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce to help prepare future community leaders for leadership roles, is inviting the public to join them in an Earth Day celebration at the Plant City Commons Community Garden. Members of the group headed over to the gardens, 2001 E. Cherry St., on March 16 to spend a few hours helping clean it up so it will be perfect for the upcoming event on April 26. Using the motto, “Cultivate your spirit, join your neighbors, play in the dirt - Everyone is welcome in the
Justin Kline
Leadership came out to the Gardens Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help get it ready for Earth Day.
garden,” Leadership is hoping to show off one of Plant City’s hidden gems to the community in a casual night at the gardens. The event will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and the group is looking for sponsors. A Sunshine Sponsor is $1,000 and will come with a commemorative plaque with the sponsor’s name on a garden bench, a one year membership to the garden and a garden plot as well as a variety of other perks. The Community Cultivator is $500 and will receive verbal recognition at the walk as well as a display table. The Green Thumb Supporter is $100 and will have verbal recognition and a banner display at the walk.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
PHOTOJOURNALISTS AND HISTORY DETECTIVES WELCOMED AT PHOTO ARCHIVES The Plant City Photo Archives & History Center is officially kicking off its Photojournalism Contest and its new “Be an Artifact Detective II” program.
Courtesy photos
The Plant City Photo Archives & History Center is hosting a photojournalism contest and a “Be an Artifcact Detective II” program next month.
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words and the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center is hoping to capture local stories in its annual Photojournalism Contest. Any resident of the greater Plant City area is welcome to apply as long as submissions are turned in by the April 18 deadline. The Archives has built up an impeccable reputation throughout town with its dedication toward preserving Plant City’s history. People have turned in their beloved family photos to preserve, had old yearbooks scanned and have
even showed up with their photos of “ghosts” around town. The key to ensuring future generations will be able to remember what Plant City and all of its rich and diverse history holds is to document the world around us. Gil Gott, executive director for the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center, frequently encourages attendees to take time to take lasting photos of the memories around them. This contest is designed to push the public to show off their skills. Entrants are to use photographs to document real life and tell a factual story all in one image. Photos that capture the essence and history of the Plant City area along
with a 400 to 800-word story about the image can be turned in in hopes of the applicant walking way with a first, second or third place prize. First place will receive $100, second place will receive $75 and third place will receive $50. The financial rewards are sponsored by Haught Funeral Home and will be presented in a ceremony following the Easter break sometime around April 25. The written portion should be in Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial and 11 to 12-point except for the heading. Entries can be dropped off or sent to the Photo Archives & History Center, 106 S. Evers St., Plant City, FL
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The Club teaches students how to become “history detectives” and has them dive into the rich history of Plant City and its surrounding communities. It’s the perfect way for local youth to learn how to study history and thus know how to preserve the present for future generations to one day look back on and examine.
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33563. Typed entries with photos attached in a JPG format can be emailed to gil@plantcityphotoarchives.org. The Archives also offer a unique program for children in the community to help encourage them to use their detective skills to learn to preserve history and derive information from a variety of artifacts. The Jr. Archivists Club is open for any student age 9 to 14 years old. The club is kicking off the “Be an Artifact Detective II” program with an open house and registration from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 2. The free four-week course will be held for one hour each week from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
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Justyn King’s third-ever track meet was a big success for the PCHS senior. See
Page 18
SPORTS
BLESSIN MAKING SENIOR SEASON COUNT
Quick Hits
Plant City softball ace Ashley Blessin leads the state in batters struck out through the team’s 10 games.
Courtesy of Misty White
Trenton White is having another great year at the billiards table.
White headed to TAP nationals
Justin Kline
Ashley Blessin’s 139 strikeouts lead all pitchers in the state.
JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
T
he Plant City Raiders have a clear defensive advantage over most teams on their schedule: there’s rarely anything to worry about when the ace is on the mound. Ashley Blessin’s got a reputation to uphold and is doing so as well as anybody in Raider Nation could have hoped. The senior strikeout artist has been as adept in 2019 as ever at making batters miss, as she entered the spring break period with 139 strikeouts through 10 games. That’s an average of roughly 2.3 whiffs or looks per inning through 61.2 innings pitched and 214 batters faced. To put those figures into perspective through MaxPreps. com, her 139 strikeouts put her at tops overall in the state in that stat. No other pitcher in any other district, region or class in Florida trails her by fewer than 24 strikeouts — Gainesville High’s Alissa Humphrey has 115 strikeouts through eight games
played and is also averaging 2.3 strikeouts per inning. On a national level, Blessin’s strikeout total is good for 14th overall as of press time. It’s also led to her seizing control of the school’s record for career strikeouts. Though she’s using spring break as an opportunity to get a little more rest than usual, Blessin is still hard at work. She’s become a dedicated CrossFitter and spends her mornings in the gym to keep her stamina up. She’s also always studying film for ways to get one up on every batter in the district. “In the district the hitters see me a lot, so you need to develop better pitches and change your approach just so they’re not seeing the same look every single time,” she said. Blessin sports a 0.34 earned run average. Opponents are only batting .078 against her and reaching base against her just over 10 percent of the time. Five of her wins have been shutouts. At the rate she’s going, there’s a very good chance she’ll walk away from high school softball
WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?
Justin Kline
Ashley Blessin stays pumped up on the mound.
this spring with yet another Hillsborough County Pitcher of the Year award — which would be her fourth — to her name. “To her credit, that’s amazing,” head coach and dad Gary Blessin said. “When she came in as a freshman nobody really knew who she was. She was against girls going to Florida, FSU, Utah… there were a lot of good pitchers back then. I think it’s amazing to stay that consistent over time.” Some of her goals for the season are to four-peat with that award, win districts and get back to states for the first time since her sophomore year. Most recently, Blessin struck out 15 of 24 Strawberry Crest batters in the Raiders’ 6-0 win over Strawberry Crest on March 14. The Chargers were able to pick up three hits against her and two batters were hit by pitches, but Blessin and the PCHS defense were able to escape all of the jams. The team starts four seniors, one junior and sophomores for the rest of the spots. Though this sophomore-heavy Raiders team
has the most wins of any team in Class 8A-District 6, its 2-1 loss to Durant in nine innings on March 7 puts PCHS in fourth place in the district standings. In addition to a Durant team that’s been playing well, Plant City will also have to contend against a pair of very good, currently undefeated (each 6-0) teams in Bloomingdale and Riverview that currently top the standings in 8A-6 play. “After about five in our batting order, we get very young… it’s a lot of pressure but it is what it is,” Gary Blessin said. “It’s the team we have. We work hard on hitting. We just need a few key players to step up and I think we’ll be good.” The Raiders will be put to the test immediately after returning from spring break next week: Riverview comes to 1 Raider Place at 7 p.m. March 26 and Bloomingdale will play at Plant City at 7 p.m. March 29. The road ahead won’t be easy for Plant City, but the Raiders can take some comfort in knowing they’ve got one of the best weapons in the nation on the pitcher’s mound.
JUSTIN KLINE
LOOKING AT TOURNAMENTS THROUGH A NEW LENS
I
How much emphasis needs to be placed on tournament play? According to the FHSAA, it’s too much.
t wouldn’t be March in Tampa Bay without the annual Saladino Tournament bringing some of the best baseball teams from the area to the University of Tampa. If you like baseball at all and have the time to head out to UT, the Saladino’s always a good look and has earned its reputation as a big-time tourney. There’s always an element of fun in tournaments like these that’s missing from normal regular-season action. That’s not to say anything else on the calendar pales in comparison to
tournament action — it’s just that the thrill of knowing the team you follow could be tested by top competition it normally would never see can really add to the mystique and appeal of a game. Even if you don’t root for any teams in a tournament, that’s still the case. I cut my journalistic teeth in Fort Myers with the City of Palms basketball tournament and it’s still one of my fondest work memories.
SEE KLINE, PAGE 18
Local amateur pool player Trenton White has qualified for another national championship tournament. White, 14, became the youngest TAP League national champion ever in 2016 and made the cut for the July tournament by winning the Billiard Education Foundation’s 14 and under state championship last weekend. It’s now the second consecutive year White has won BEF state championships in 8, 9 and 10-ball pool.
Courtesy of Mike Fryrear
The Raiders volunteered March 19.
PCHS baseball volunteers at food bank The Plant City Raiders have been busy with the Saladino Tournament this week, but the team has also been able to find the time to do good off the field. The team visited the United Food Bank of Plant City early Tuesday morning to volunteer its time and help the UFB help the Plant City community.
Sign up for YMCA summer camp The Plant City Family YMCA is accepting registrations for its new and improved summer camp program. All Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA locations have undergone changes to their summer camp programs, bringing more fun and educational activities to the table and offering before-care and after-care activities. Activities include swimming, science, outdoor education, nature encounters, visual arts and more. Hillsborough County Public Schools will provide free breakfast and lunch as part of the Summer Food Program. The program runs from June 3 – August 2 and is open to all kids in the community ages 18 and under, including Y campers. To register, visit tampaymca.org/letscamp.
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Justyn King
WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?
Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at JKline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.
Justyn King has only competed in three track and field meets in his high school career but made the third one — last week’s Jack Rice Invite — count. King won in the triple and long jump events and placed second in the high jump to score 28 of Plant City’s meet-leading 191 points. King is perhaps best known for his time on the Raiders’ basketball court as the team’s top forward and will go on to play college hoops at BethuneCookman University after graduating from high school this year. You did really well at Jack Rice. How were you feeling before the meet? I got a little carsick so I wasn’t really feeling it, so I took some medicine, got myself focused and got ready to jump. That was your third track meet ever as a high school athlete. Do you get nervous at all before going out there in a sport that’s still fairly new to you? Literally my third meet. I get a little bit nervous. What made you want to go out for track and field this year? Just to stay in shape and get ready for Bethune-Cookman in June. When I go in everything will be easier if I stay in shape. What’s your favorite event to compete in? Now that I know what I’m doing it’s triple jump. I’m trying to go to states like my brothers did, both of them. Have your older brothers (Corey and Xavier King) given you advice? Yeah, I told them I think about what I’m doing too much and they tell me not to think about it, just do it. Just jump.
JUSTIN KLINE
LOOKING AT TOURNAMENTS THROUGH A NEW LENS FROM KLINE, PAGE 17
What are you hoping to accomplish out there by the time track season ends? I’m trying to go to states, keep working out and keep myself in shape. What are you looking to major in at Bethune-Cookman? I’m gonna major in sports management. What’s been your favorite moment as a Raider so far? All of the people at the school, administration and all them showing a lot of love. It’s just fun going around school and saying good morning and all that stuff. They all respect me as an athlete and show a lot of love. That’s one of the best things about being a Raider. What are you going to miss most about high school when it’s all over? Nothing. Honestly, just basketball. Hanging with my teammates, we were all real close. It was just a lot of fun.
But keeping up with our teams as they’ve gone through their Saladino brackets reminded me of a conversation I had last month that made me see things differently. Back in soccer season, right after Plant City’s district championship win over Newsome, Tampa Bay Times reporter Scott Purks and I stuck around to talk to coach Caleb Roberts about the win and the season and expectations going forward. The conversation turned at one point to team rankings and tournament play and Roberts said something that got us both thinking. The reason you’ll never see one of his PCHS soccer teams in a tournament is to preserve the players’ health. This obviously isn’t a bad idea given how well the Raiders have performed since he took over, but in an area where many of the best teams are booking themselves for holiday tournaments year in and year out, that makes Plant City an outlier. And because PCHS is missing out on this (voluntary) action against good competition, it can affect the team’s ranking. That doesn’t mean much now, but when the FHSAA transitions to a MaxPreps. com-based power ranking system that does determine playoff seeding beginning next year, it will before you know it. Along with soccer, other sports that will use MaxPreps rankings to determine playoff seeding are baseball, softball, basketball and volleyball. Tournament play is extremely common among all of these sports and that’s totally fine by me. Where I get lost is when I ask myself a question inspired by another thing Roberts told us that night. At pretty much every level of soccer above high
school, teams will play one game per week as with football. They’re doing that because soccer, while not quite as bone-crunching as football can be, is a much more physically demanding sport than most and its players need the rest. Playing more than one game per week can really drain players’ energy and increase injury risk. There’s a reason you don’t see football teams play twice in one week. Why bother punishing teams for opting not to play in tournaments? That’s exactly what’s going to happen to PCHS if they continue to leave tournaments off the schedule and I for one support Roberts’ decision to put player safety over MaxPreps clout. You can’t govern so many different sports by one set of rules. You can play baseball and basketball and volleyball several times a week because they all put much less stress on the body. I’m just hoping at the end of the two-year MaxPreps playoff period, the FHSAA decides to scrap the rule and give more leeway to the programs that choose not to compete in tournaments. Let’s treat them more like preseason exhibitions. It’s still a fun setup with intriguing matchups that can be a real test for the players, with games that can answer questions we have in ways the regular schedule can’t.
3/07 Keiser – Lakeland 231-1794-LL-PCO-Difference-CJ Justin Kline is Plant City Observer the Sports Editor 5x6 at the Plant City AB Observer. 2/26/19
Email: jkline@ plantcityobserver. com.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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BASEBALL
Mar. 22
Apr. 2
Mar. 13
Durant vs. Admiral Farragut, 7 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Palm Harbor University, 7 p.m.
Durant, Plant City, Crest: at Vernon Kohrn County Championships, 1 p.m.
Mar. 26
Durant, Plant City, Crest: at District championships, 9 a.m.
Riverview at Durant, 7 p.m. Mar. 14 Strawberry Crest at Plant City, 7 p.m. Mar. 16 Sickles 7, Durant 6 Plant City 7, Plant 3 Strawberry Crest 11, Chamberlain 1 Mar. 18 Durant 4, Armwood 3 Plant City 16, Blake 1 Strawberry Crest 6, Bloomingdale 1
Durant at Bloomingdale, 7 p.m. Plant City at Riverview, 7 p.m. Plant at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 28 East Bay at Durant, 7 p.m. Wharton at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 29 Bloomingdale at Plant City, 7 p.m.
Mar. 20 Jefferson vs. Durant, 7 p.m. Plant City vs. Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate, 4 p.m. Brandon vs. Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 26 Durant at Bloomingdale, 7 p.m. Plant City at Riverview, 7 p.m. Plant at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 28 East Bay at Durant, 7 p.m. Wharton at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Mar. 29 Bloomingdale at Plant City, 7 p.m.
Mar. 26 Freedom at Durant, 5/7 p.m. Mar. 29 Durant at Newsome, 5/7 p.m.
Durant at Alonso, 10 a.m. SOFTBALL Mar. 13 Riverview 3, Durant 2 (8 innings) Mar. 14 Plant City 6, Strawberry Crest 0
Durant at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at Riverview, 7:30 p.m. Mar. 28 Justin Kline
Durant at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at East Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Riverview at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at Newsome, 7:30 p.m. Tampa Bay Tech at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m. Apr. 4
Apr. 5
Apr. 8
Sickles at Durant, 5/7 p.m.
Armwood at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Apr. 11
Mar. 28
Plant City at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 1 Mar. 30
Mar. 26
Bloomingdale at Durant, 5/7 p.m.
Durant vs. Plant City, 3 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Lennard, 3 p.m.
Durant vs. Spoto, 3 p.m. Plant City vs. Brandon, 3 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Freedom, 3 p.m. TRACK AND FIELD Mar. 27 Durant, Plant City, Crest: at Western Conference, 1 p.m.
The annual prep baseball tourney kicked off March 16.
FLAG FOOTBALL
Durant at Tampa Bay Tech, 7:30 p.m. Bloomingdale at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Newsome, 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 2
BASEBALL TEAMS ENTER SALADINO TOURNAMENT
Apr. 8
Apr. 1 LACROSSE
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
SPORTS
SCORES AND MORE
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Plant City’s offense has been hot in the regular season. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest’s baseball teams have spent their spring break hard at work in the annual Tony Saladino Tournament. Both Plant City and Crest got off to hot starts in the tournament, outscoring opponents by a combined total of 23-4 and 17-2, respectively. Durant put up a 1-1 record in pool play through Wednesday, starting with a Saturday loss and bouncing back for a Monday win. The Raiders got their Saladino days started with a 7-3 win over Plant on March 16, led by Hunter Emerine’s two hits, three RBI and a run scored at the plate. Plant City scored four runs in the first inning and held a 5-3 lead going into the top of the seventh, when the Raiders managed to put two more runs on the board. Plant City followed up with a 16-1 win over Blake that ended after four innings by mercy rule, mostly thanks to a 13-run explosion of offense in the second inning. It was a chance for the Raiders bench to get some game action while the starters rested. Eight Raiders finished with at least one hit and seven with at least one RBI. Crest started hot with an 11-1 win over Chamberlain that saw a steady stream of offense from the “home” team. Crest scored four runs in the first and third innings, one in the fourth and two in the sixth, and compiled a total of 11 hits while also reaching base on five Chamberlain errors. The Chargers weren’t able to keep that same energy against Bloomingdale for much of their March 18 game, trailing 1-0 to the Bulls until the sixth inning. That’s when Crest’s offense woke up and put all six of the team’s runs on the board and the Chargers defense was able to keep Bloomingdale’s batters on lockdown for the next two innings to secure the 6-1 win. Durant gave Sickles a run for its money in a 7-6 loss that saw the Cougars nearly complete a mid-game rally. The Cougars held a 3-1 lead on the Gryphons after the first inning, but a six-run second inning gave Sickles all the runs it would need throughout the rest of the game. Durant did put three runs on the board during the fourth and fifth innings to make things interesting, but Sickles’ pitching and defense got the better of the Cougars in the sixth and seventh frames. Against Armwood March 18, the Cougars’ luck turned around and led to a 4-3 win. The
Hawks held a 1-0 lead through five innings of play, but Durant pulled ahead in the top of the sixth. After Armwood answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth, Durant came through with two runs in the top of the seventh to pull ahead and pitched well enough in the bottom of the inning to get the win. All of Tuesday’s tournament games were pushed back to Wednesday due to the weather. Wednesday’s results were not available at press time. The Saladino Tournament will continue all day today and wrap up after Friday’s 7 p.m. championship game. Wednesday’s games will continue to be split between Lennard, Brandon and Jefferson high schools and the University of Tampa. All of the Thursday and Friday games will take place at Brandon High School.
SALADINO SCORES Mar. 16 Sickles 7, Durant 6 Plant City 7, Plant 3 Strawberry Crest 11, Chamberlain 1 Mar. 18 Durant 4, Armwood 3 Plant City 16, Blake 1 Strawberry Crest 6, Bloomingdale 1 Mar. 20 Brooks DeBartolo vs. Plant City Jefferson vs. Durant Strawberry Crest vs. Brandon
Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Observer. Email: jkline@ plantcityobserver. com.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN
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Betty Ruth Dawson Haskew “Mamaw”, 91, of Tampa, born on Oct. 22, 1927 in Bramwell, West Virginia, entered into eternal rest on March 10, 2019. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.
Gerald L. Hathcock
Sharon Kay Blanton
Gerald L. Hathcock, 58, of Valrico, passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2019. Sharon Kay Blanton, 62, of He was born on March 16, Plant City, passed away on 1960 in Plant City. A 1978 graduMarch 12, 2019. ate of Plant City High School, he Funeral services were held served in the Marine Corps from Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 11 1978-1982. a.m. at Haught Funeral Home. He is survived by his mother, Online condolences maybe Carolyn Roberts of Valrico; his left for the family at www. sister, Pamela Britt, her husband haught.care. Rob and their children Adam (Tiffany) and Dakota (Blair) of Danny Leon Morris Birmingham AL; his brother Matthew Roberts, his wife Vickie and Danny Leon Morris, 57, formerly their children Amber, Tyler and of Plant City passed away SunHAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM Cassidy of Clayton AL; his son day, March 10, 2019. Anthony Leighton of Lakeland; He was the loving father of two his daughter Shauna Drawdy of children. He served as a lineman Betty we’rehis dedicated to helping create a W E ’ REHaney PRO UD TO SERVE our community Okeechobee; grandson Lukefamilies in the United States Air Force for unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. Sparkman and his granddaughter Shyla; as four years. He was employed at celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals, well as numerous aunts, uncles Belfor Fire and Water Damage Betty Haney Sparkman, 85, of > 100% Service1933 Guarantee > National Plan Transferability and cousins. Restoration Company for over Plant City, born on Dec.17, Bereavement Travel Assistance > TheofCompassion Helpline® > A celebration life was held 20 years. in Plant City, entered into eterMarch 15, 2019 at Wells MemoHe was survived by his son Janal rest on March 12, 2019. rial in Plant City. cob Morris, 27, of Bradenton FL, Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com. Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. his daughter Megan Morris, 25, of New Port Richey, the mother of their children Kelly Morris Dill of Lakeland, his parents Leon and Rachel Morris of Lake City, a brother Randy Morris of Evans WELLSMEMORIAL.COM GA, and sisters Raenette Cooper of Plant City and Rebecca O’Bryan of Evans, GA. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Wells MeMorial & event Center
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Katherine Ann Graves Katherine Ann Graves, 78, of Plant City, born in Oil City, Louisiana on Oct. 8, 1940, entered into eternal rest on March 11, 2019. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.
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He was preceded by his paternal grandmother, a brother Timmy Morris, and a sister Jenny Morris. There will be a memorial service on March 30, 2019 at Shiloh Baptist Church 905 W. Terrace Dr. Plant City FL in the original church building at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers please send a donation to Heartland Hospice in Evans GA for donation info you may see family or call Heartland at 706-860-7374.
OBITUARIES
Betty Ruth Dawson Haskew ‘Mamaw’
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
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Phillip Douglas ‘Phil’ Roberts Phillip Douglas “Phil” Roberts, 65, of Plant City, born on May 6, 1953 in Plant City, entered into eternal rest on March 18, 2019. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.
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YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, MARCH 21
ned free
9 a.m. The monthly Library Board Meeting is held at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. The library meetings are open to the public and anyone interested is welcome to attend.
SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB
10:30 a.m. Come on out to the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., each Thursday to find out more about a new Shuffleboard Club. Topics being discussed are days of the week, times, skill levels and anything else you may want to know. The club is hosted by Anita Balch and she can be contacted at 808-722-5821 for more information.
BLUEGRASS NIGHT
6:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its monthly Bluegrass Night. This month will feature Rekindled Grass. Tickets are $10 and there is limited seating. You can pick up your ticket in-house or on Eventbrite.
7 p.m. Come to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., for a night of relaxation. Just because we grow up doesn’t
7:30 to 9 p.m. Rapid Ballroom is hosting date night swing dance classes. Come learn West Coast Swing, Hustle, Single Swing and Jive. Classes run through March and are $15 per lesson. Contact them today at 218-256-1873 for more information.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 29th annual Model Train Show sponsored by the H.B. Plant Railroad Historical Society will be held at the Trinkle Building, 1206 N. Park. Vendors will be selling Model Railroad items and there will be operational displays of morse code on demonstration by the Florida Chapter of Morse Code Operators. Food is available at the dining car area. Admission is $7 for adults and free for children. For more information visit hbplantrr.org.
BING HOUSE MUSEUM’S VISUAL ART UNVEILING
SUNDAY, MARCH 24
7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Come on out to the Bing Rooming House Museum’s Visual Art unveiling, 205 Allen St., to discuss how artists featured in the show use artistic expression as a vehicle for encouraging social change and raising consciousness. Art such as murals can be an effective form of social commentary or political criticism and is a means to interpret history, Civil Rights and other social movements.
SATURDAY, MARCH 23 WISH FARMS ANNUAL CHARITY STRAWBERRY U-PICK
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wish Farms is hosting a strawberry u-pick to benefit the Redlands Christian Migrant Association at 37381 State Road 62, Duette. Berries are $2 per quart. Food banks may pick for free if containers are supplied.
DIANE OSBORNE AT FIRST CHURCH OF GOD
6 p.m. Diane Osborne, a worldrenowned recording artist and concert pianist, will perform at the First Church of God of Plant City, 601 N. Gordon St.
work session to gather vital community input on the types of shops, restaurants and businesses our historic downtown should have.
CHRISTIAN SONGWRITERS WORKSHOP
12 to 1 p.m. The Plant City Lions Club holds a meeting every Tuesday at Buddy Freddy’s, 1101 Goldfinch Drive. For more information on membership call 813-924-3829.
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its Christian Songwriters Workshop in the music loft. This month features worship leader Nathan Drawdy. This is a workshop series, not a live music/entertainment event. The event is free to any interested in growing and developing their skill.
TOPICS ON TAP
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27
TUESDAY, MARCH 26 PLANT CITY LIONS CLUB
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Join Plant City Main Street for Topics on Tap at A Peace of Plant City, 120 N. Collins St. The Main Street Children’s Park Committee will share updates on its ongoing efforts and hold an exploratory discussion with attendees. There will then be a special
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THURSDAY, MARCH 28 AN EVENING OF PICTURE PERFECT MEMORIES
6:30 p.m. The Plant City Photo Archives & History Center, 106 S. Evers St., is hosting its 17th annual “An Evening of Picture Perfect Memories.” There will be a champagne reception, complimentary wine and beer, live music, a historic photo exhibit and elegant hors d’oeuvres. The program features a photo trivia quiz and a historic presentation. Reservations are $50. Call 813-754-1578 for more information.
RETRO MOVIE NIGHT: DUMBO
6:33 to 8:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., hosts a special retro movie night on the fourth Thursday of every month. This month come on over to enjoy the family classic, “Dumbo.” Watch for fun themes and sweet movie treats each month.
READ WITH BONNIE THE THERAPY DOG
4 to 5 p.m. Bonnie the Therapy Dog comes to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., every week for children to have the opportunity to share a book and some soft pats on the head.
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DATE NIGHT SWING DANCE CLASS
SATURDAY, MARCH 23 29TH ANNUAL MODEL TRAIN SHOW
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LIBRARY BOARD MEETING
FRIDAY, MARCH 22
You can find her on the couch in the children’s area. Reading with Bonnie can help children improve reading, communication skills and build confidence.
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7:30 to 9 a.m. Plant City Toastmasters is held every Thursday. Guest are always welcome to come join the free meeting at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St.
mean we no longer enjoy coloring. All the supplies are provided and no registration is necessary.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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STRAWBERRIES Shipping point: Central Florida $8.90-$12.90
28 Boston summer hrs. 29 “What ___ I tell you?” 30 “Vice” star Christian 31 Couric or Holmes 33 Chewy candy 35 *Christopher Robin’s bear pal 38 One may end with “or else!” 39 Needing a scrubbing 40 Achy 41 Teeth expert’s deg. 42 Gymnast’s landing pad 45 Omega preceder 46 *Elwood P. Dowd’s rabbit pal
50 Huge: Prefix 51 ___-weenie 53 Like Cheerios 54 Any of the starred answers, some say 58 Word before “bike” or “boat” 59 Game for little sluggers 60 Horatian poem 61 Black cats, to some 62 Test, as ore 63 Hit in a bumper car DOWN 1 Take down a peg 2 Inbox status
3 Margarita specification 4 Old Spice alternative 5 (That punch hurt!) 6 Personal ad abbr. 7 One of Moses’ spies 8 16 oz. 9 ___ lazuli 10 Actor Rickman 11 American Samoa’s capital 12 Ostrich relative 13 ___ Angeles 18 Code-breaking org. 19 A, in Arles 23 Bandleader’s “Let’s go!” 24 “Garfield” pooch 26 Humdrum 27 “Jumbo” flier 29 “SNL” alumnus Carvey 30 Gull’s floating perch 31 ___-slapper (funny joke) 32 Flight takeoff stat. 33 Hardly hip 34 Chooses 35 “___ there?” 36 Vex 37 Stay out of sight 38 Honey meas. 42 Crater maker 43 List of things to discuss 44 Bicycle type for two 46 Will figures 47 Advice columnist Landers 48 Cowboy’s lasso 49 “Rock” and “roll,” for two 50 “Boo’d Up” singer Ella 52 Dr. Spengler of “Ghostbusters” 53 Air France airport 54 “I think,” in an email 55 Carol Brady, to the Bunch 56 “___ queen!” 57 Cape Canaveral’s locale: Abbr.
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SUNRISE/SUNSET
Sunrise Sunset
Thursday, March 21
7:31a
7:40p
Friday, March 22
7:30a
7:41p
Saturday, March 23
7:29a
7:41p
Sunday, March 24
7:28a
7:42p
Monday, March 25
7:27a
7:42p
Tuesday, March 26
7:26a
7:43p
Wednesday, March 27
7:24a
7:43p
MOON PHASES
SATURDAY, MARCH 23
“Believe It or Not” by Andrea Carla Michaels
ACROSS 1 Subject of Attila 4 Chocolate syrup brand 9 Flag pin spot 14 Game with Skip cards 15 Martin’s “Laugh-In” partner 16 “Remember the ___!” 17 *Big Bird’s mammothlike pal 20 Beauty’s love 21 Cause of weird weather 22 ___ land (dreamy state) 23 *Calvin’s tiger pal 25 Sandwich with two spreads, briefly
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
Apr. 5 New
Apr. 18 Full
Apr. 9 First
Mar. 31 Last
RAINFALL Monday, Mar.11
0.00
Tuesday, Mar. 12 0.00 Wednesday, Mar. 13
0.00
Thursday, Mar. 14 0.00 Friday, Mar. 15
0.00
Saturday, Mar. 16 0.01 Sunday, Mar. 17
0.01
YEAR TO DATE:
MONTH TO DATE:
2019 3.02 in.
2019 0.46 in.
2018 3.82 in.
2018 1.22 in.
WEATHER
I LOVE PLANT CITY
ACROSS 42 Gymnast’s 18 Code44 Bicycle type 1 Subject of for two landing pad breaking org. Attila 46 Will figures 45 Omega 19 A, in Arles 47 Advice 4 Chocolate Bandleader’s Send your photo submissionspreceder to Associate Editor23 Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com columnist syrup brand 46 *Elwood “Let’s go!” or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature. 9 Flag pin Landers P. Dowd’s 24 “Garfield” spot 48 Cowboy’s rabbit pal pooch 14 Game with lasso 50 Huge: Prefix 26 Humdrum Skip cards 49 “Rock” and 51 ___-weenie 27 “Jumbo” “roll,” for 15 Martin’s 53 Like flier two “Laugh-In” Cheerios 29 “SNL” 50 “Boo’d Up” partner 54 Any of the alumnus 16 “Remember singer Ella starred Carvey the ___!” answers, 30 Gull’s floating 52 Dr. Spengler 17 *Big Bird’s of “Ghostsome say perch mammothbusters” 58 Word before 31 ___-slapper like pal 53 Air France “bike” or (funny joke) 20 Beauty’s love airport “boat” 32 Flight 21 Cause 54 “I think,” in 59 Game for takeoff stat. of weird an email little sluggers 33 Hardly hip weather 55 Carol Brady, 60 Horatian 34 Chooses to the Bunch 22 ___ land poem 35 “___ there?” 56 “___ queen!” (dreamy 61 Black cats, 36 Vex 57 Cape state) to some 37 Stay out of Canaveral’s 23 *Calvin’s 62 Test, as ore sight locale: Abbr. tiger pal 63 Hit in a 38 Honey meas. 25 Sandwich bumper car 42 Crater with two DOWN maker spreads, 1 Take down 43 List of things briefly a peg to discuss Local teacher Jenise Freeland doesn’t take working at a strawberry school for granted. She 28 Boston 2 Inbox status recently spent a Sunday morning picking a flat full of tasty berries and documented her haul with summer hrs. 3 Margarita the #iloveplantcity hashtag. Jenise Freeland wins thisPREVIOUS week’s I Love PUZZLE Plant City photo contest. ANSWER 29 “What ___ I specification tell you?” 4 Old Spice Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instgram, 30 “Vice” star alternative ON L I N E @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer Christian 5 (That punch on Facebook. 31 Couric or hurt!) Holmes 6 Personal ad 33 Chewy abbr. candy 7 One of 35 *Christopher Moses’ spies Robin’s bear 8 16 oz. pal 9 ___ lazuli 38 One may 10 Actor end with “or Rickman else!” 11 American 39 Needing a Samoa’s scrubbing capital 40 Achy 12 Ostrich 3/20 © 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal 41 Teeth relative www.upuzzles.com expert’s deg. 13 ___ Angeles
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019
When you’re pregnant, there are so many questions. WHERE TO HAVE YOUR BABY shouldn’t be one of them.
Which car seat? What stroller? And oh, the discussions
extraordinary level of care during labor and delivery,
about the name. With so many questions surrounding
in a comfortable, spacious room. If you’re expecting,
a new baby, we want to give you one definitive and
or thinking about having a baby, come in and see for
easy answer. The hospital you choose. At BayCare’s
yourself. Take a tour of South Florida Baptist Hospital
South Florida Baptist Hospital, we have exceptional
and sign up for one of our free prenatal classes.
doctors and nurses to give you and your new baby an
Visit SouthFloridaBaptistMaternity.org to register.
OUR MATERNITY CENTERS:
Mease Countryside Hospital • Morton Plant Hospital • St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital • St. Joseph’s Hospital-North St. Joseph’s Hospital-South • South Florida Baptist Hospital • Winter Haven Women’s Hospital SOUTHFLORIDABAPTISTMATERNITY.ORG 18-589030-1118