3.25.21 PLCO by Plant City Observer

Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 138

FREE • THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

. YO UR NEWS PAP ER . HILLSBORO BANK ANNOUNCES

MERGER WITH THE BANK OF TAMPA Plant City’s local Hillsboro Bank announced it would be merging with The Bank of Tampa last week. Though the announcement comes with changes, the CEOs of both bank promise a smooth transition.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Hillsboro Bank has announced it will merge into The Bank of Tampa and its holding company, The Tampa Bay Banking Company. The proposed merger was approved by both institutions’ boards of directors and is now in the closing process. Despite the big announcement, Mike Ward, president and CEO of Hillsboro Bank, as well as Bill West, CEO of The Bank

100

of Tampa, said not much will change at the Hillsboro branches. West said the character of both companies are quite similar and thus the pairing acts as a “perfect match.” Ward agreed and said that the local bank has been approached many times over the years by those interested in acquiring it, but none seemed like the right fit until The Bank of Tampa came along.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

TIMES AROUND THE SUN

Gladys Lefler’s family threw a big drive-through parade on Sunday afternoon to celebrate her milestone birthday.

SEE PAGE 3

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

NEWS BRIEFS

Courtesy of Plant City Parks and Recreation Department

HealthBeat fitness system installed at Cooper Park The Plant City Parks and Recreation Department announced Sunday the installation of its newest HealthBeat Outdoor Fitness System at Samuel W. Cooper Park, 900 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Cooper Park’s HealthBeat system consists of 14 workout stations including an elliptical, parallel bars, a hand cycler, a mobility ramp, balance steps, a stretching station, a cardio stepper, a squat press station, a plyometrics station, tai chi wheels, a chest/back press station, an assisted row/ push-ups station, an ab crunch/leg lifts station, and a pull up/dips station. Each station was designed to be ADA compliant and includes an added safety measure in rubber safety surfaces on the ground. According to the department, the project was funded with a $165,000 allotment from the Community Redevelopment Agency and completed under budget by Rep Services, Inc.

People age 13 and up can get a full-body workout in for free during daylight hours seven days a week. The city’s other HealthBeat Outdoor Fitness System is located at Dr. Hal & Lynn Brewer Park, 1491 Hunter St., and was completed last year.

Camp Invention returning in June After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Plant City’s biggest STEM-focused summer camp is set to come back. Camp Invention, which runs from June 7-11 in Plant City, is a national program that teaches campers persistence, creativity, problem solving and confidence through the magic of invention. They’ll design and build their own robots, vehicles, microphones and duck launchers throughout the week and will get to keep the items they build when camp ends. The program is designed for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade. Current

Courtesy of Liberty Manor for Veterans

seventh and eighth graders can register as Leadership Interns (LITs). High schoolers and college students can apply to be staff volunteers for service hours and experience. This year’s camp will be held at the Arthur Boring Civic Center at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 2406 W. Reynolds St. Each day runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and extended day hours are available for an extra fee. The cost is $255 per camper, but a pair of discounts are and will be available for parents. Camp Invention is offering to knock $40 off the price for those who register in March with the promo code “Recharge40.” Camp director Paul Coletti is offering $50 off for K-6 campers in April. Register online at invent.org/camp. Call 800-968-4332 for more information about Camp Invention or contact Coletti at pacman1988@hotmail.com for more information about the Plant City-area program. High schoolers and college students who wish to volunteer should email Coletti.

PC resident makes wreaths for vets Plant City resident Mamie Robinson was plenty busy running a booth at the Florida Strawberry Festival, but still found time to do something for local veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Robinson made patriotic wreaths for residents of Liberty Manor for Veterans, 10015 N. 9th St., Tampa, and delivered them during the festival. Liberty Manor promotes “the developmental and social needs of disabled and honorably discharged veterans who have fallen victim to homelessness, providing transitional, supported housing and establishing objectives designed to attribute to self-sufficiency,” according to a press release. Visit libertymanor.org for more information about the organization.

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PLANT CITY RESIDENT TURNS

100 WITH PARADE A line of more than 30 cars drove through Gladys Lefler’s neighborhood to wish the new centenarian a very happy birthday this weekend. FROM PAGE 1

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Yesterday was a milestone day for Plant City resident Gladys Lefler: she celebrated her 100th birthday. But the big party already happened a few days ago. Lefler’s family celebrated the big occasion Sunday by putting together a drive-thru parade. Faye Cook, her daughter, wanted her to celebrate with many of her friends and family in a way that would keep her safe after the pandemic changed plans that were made as long ago as last year. “It’s all come together pretty well,” Cook said. “I was going to rent the 1914 building. I had a reservation a year ago and then the pandemic hit. I was going to do a big pavilion, but then I just couldn’t be comfortable with thinking people would stay far enough apart. We’ve seen this (parade) and other people suggested it.” Drive-thru parades were so common in Plant City in 2020 that Lefler’s family had plenty of examples to learn from when planning this one. Everything from birthdays and high school graduations to sports team send-offs and employee retirements was celebrated that way. Though the drive-thru parade is a less common sight in 2021, this one showed that this kind of party still has an impact. Lefler, who wore a customized “100” hat, sat near the edge of her driveway and greeted more than 30 cars, as well as a few kids riding their bikes around the neighborhood, as they honked their horns and wished her well with windows rolled down. Many cars were decked out with balloons, party hats and signs. As they made their second pass by Lefler’s home to leave the neighborhood, anyone who wanted a custom, individually boxed cupcake from Wooden Bowl Cakery was given one. Lefler was born in Mayo and grew up in Lakeland, where she attended Kathleen High School. She married her husband Jim after graduating from high school and the two moved to Plant City soon afterward. She’s now spent nearly 80 of her 100 years here. “It’s a good place to be,” Lefler said. “Most of my years have been good to me. There hasn’t been a lot of trouble.” Throwing a big party was the least the family felt it could do for Lefler,

who taught them all the value of being kind to everybody they meet. “She says people have been good to her, and I said ‘Well that’s because you’ve been good to so many people,’” Cook said. Though she knew ahead of time that her family was planning the parade for her, Lefler was pleasantly surprised at the scale of the party — everything from the big turnout to the big sign in her front yard was more than she expected. “I feel fine,” Lefler said. “I think my children went through a lot of trouble to put this on and I appreciate it. I know most of the people that came by, but I didn’t expect this many people. I didn’t know what to expect. I appreciated them all coming. My children, they love me and they take care of me. They really do.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY

Observer

This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigated a stolen phone and Apple Watch, robbery at gunpoint, a stolen wallet, illegally

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

discharging a fire extinguisher and more.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Photo: iStock

Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com

MARCH 12

HIT THE JACKPOT

WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE

NAP TIME

WATCH YOURSELF

1100 block of East Alabama Street Grand theft: This complainant stated someone stole $8,000 in cash from her residence.

1200 block of Townsgate Court Misdemeanor battery: Two subjects got into a verbal altercation at RaceTrac regarding personal property and began grabbing and pushing one another. Two other subjects witnessed this and attempted to intervene, and then all four of them were pushing each other. None of them wished to press charges and they all signed waivers of prosecution, declined medical attention and left the area without incident.

400 block of North Alexander Street DUI: Officers responded to a CVS drive-thru around 8:53 p.m. regarding a report of a female driver passed out behind the wheel while in the drive-thru lane. The driver was arrested for DUI and taken to Orient Road Jail.

2400 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft: This complainant stated an unknown subject stole her phone and Apple Watch.

MARCH 13 SNEAKERHEAD 1400 block of Neil Street Armed robbery: This complainant stated he was robbed at gunpoint for $1,500 and a pair of Jordan brand sneakers. CONVINCING FAKE 400 block of North Alexander Street Counterfeit bill: A subject passed a counterfeit $100 bill at CVS.

$85

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MARCH 17

MARCH 14

A NEW FRONTIER

COINCIDENCE? POSSIBLY NOT

400 block of West Dr. MLK Jr. Boulevard Vehicle burglary: Frontier reported that someone cut a fence and burglarized a Frontier work truck between 3:30 p.m. March 16 and 6:53 a.m. March 17.

1800 block of North Barnes Street Theft: This complainant stated someone stole her wallet from her purse while she was out shopping. She said she believed she was targeted.

MARCH 18 TELLING ON YOURSELF East Alexander Street/ James L. Redman Parkway Felony habitual traffic offender, no registration: A traffic stop was conducted on a white Ford pickup truck driving at night without headlights on. The driver was found to have no registration and was also found to be a habitual offender. He was arrested and taken to Orient Road Jail.

Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

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The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B. 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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500 block of North Woodrow Wilson Street Burglary, felony illegal discharge of a fire extinguisher: A door at Tomlin Middle School was left unsecured and an unknown subject entered the school facility, then discharged a fire extinguisher inside the room.

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813 -966 -1138 MOZARTCONSTRUCTION .COM This week’s Sudoku answers

O Plant City Observer

is locally owned by Ed Verner, Karen Berry, Nate Kilton and Felix Haynes The Plant City Observer is published by Plant City Media LLC.

This week’s Crossword answers This week’s answers Jumbles:

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THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

CITY CREATES CARES TEAM

FLORIDA STATE FAIR

A new team has been created within the City of Plant City that will aim to come up with creative ideas to solving longstanding problems around the community. BREANNE WILLIAMS

the rest of upper management has “kind of been kicked out of the room” so the The City of Plant City is putting together rest of the staff will have the freedom and a CARES team that will focus on bringing flexibility to explore their ideas withinnovative and unique solutions to issues out the pressure of having to pitch every around the city. thought and suggestion to their boss. City Manager Bill McDaniel said the Creativity and research are expected group is something he’s wanted to create to go hand-in-hand with the group and for some time. The team, whose name McDaniel said he anticipates much of stands for Creativity, Action, Research, what they bring to the table to be steeped Expertise, Solutions, will attempt to find in thorough research in similar projects answers to various quality-of-life issues across the country. Some methods of and challenges around the community. operating around the city are textbook “I’m excited about it and excited about and there’s no reason to alter them. Othgetting some out-of-the-box thinking ers could use some improvement and about addressing some of those longMcDaniel said he hopes the CARES team standing issues,” McDaniel said. “We acts as a breath of fresh air for the city and often come at these problems with a will help to find new methods of tackling ‘seat-of-your-pants solution’ and I want longstanding problems. to get creative and do some research on “It can be an issue as simple as signage other alternatives that might offer not just for our parks,” McDaniel said. “You don’t more effective results, but fresh alterwant to just put up a sign that says ‘Dog natives to methods we have employed Park.’ You need a cohesive brand. That’s before.” a quick thing we wanted to focus on and While the team itself is just getting the team decided that in instances where started, the line of thinking employed by the park wasn’t named after someone, we the group is one several in the city have would name it after the area it is located used for years. From a focus on a creative in. So the dog park will be ‘Gilchrist alternative to traditional solutions, ideas Heights Dog Park.’ They also want to focus like getting fitness equipment around on a lot of the problems we have with our walking trails at local parks were born. public restrooms. They’re being misused, This thinking also led to the creation of damaged and there’s issues with their the Downtown Strike Team, which has general management, so we need to come transformed downtown Plant City into a up with some good solutions. This is a well-cared for and pristine section in the team now that will have the time to come community in a short period of time. up with some creative, but researched, McDaniel said many involved in the ideas we can begin to implement.” CARES team had been involved in some of the city’s past success stories, like the formation of the Downtown Strike Team and the park equipment. The group has members from all corners of the city including Parks & Recreation, PCPD, Code Enforcement and other general departments. Parks & Recreation Director Jack Holland is steering the group, but McDaniel said STAFF WRITER

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FLORIDASTATEFAIR.COM Photos courtesy of the City of Plant City

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

HILLSBORO BANK TO MERGE WITH BANK OF TAMPA Plant City’s Hillsboro Bank branch announced a merger with The Bank of Tampa last week and the CEOs of both banks promise a smooth transition. FROM PAGE 1

tasting to benefit

ACHIEVE PLANT CITY

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

“One of the best things about this is they’re a community bank and we are a community bank, and there are very few of us left,” Ward said. “There have been many banks over the years that have wanted to be in this market and have wanted to buy our bank, but it never was a good fit. My directors are very concerned about the legacy of Hillsboro Bank and that was something we have always taken very seriously. We knew that whoever we merge with and partner with will need to have the same reputation we have, would need to have the same character. We don’t think we could have picked a better partner.” Hillsboro Bank was established in 1998 and has branches in Plant City, Valrico and Dade City. The Bank of Tampa has been in business for nearly 37 years and has never merged with another bank. West said this momentous occasion was an easy decision to make. The Bank of Tampa already had a loan production office in downtown Plant City and was looking to open a full-service banking office in the community. They already had a relationship with Ward and his team and when they were approached with the idea of merging, it seemed like a simple solution. Ward said the most important element of Hillsboro Bank is its focus on being “high-touch.” The staff knows its customers and enjoys seeing them faceto-face. COVID-19 brought much of that to a halt. Ward said his staff felt the loss of being able to interact one-on-one with its customers on a daily basis and they’re looking forward to fully opening their doors soon. In fact, that dedication to customer service is evident in nearly every aspect of Hillsboro Bank. When you call, you don’t get a recording — you’re talking directly to a staff member. Ward joked that may make them “oldschool,” but it was a foundation for the way they want all of their customers to interact with their business.

West said The Bank of Tampa has a similar mindset and that was one of the first things both teams agreed on. “Putting these banks together is, it’s a big deal in many ways but it’s not a big deal in terms of what it’s going to feel like the day after, when this merger is in place,” West said. “We aren’t buying them because we want to tell them how to run a bank. They already know how to do that. We are merging because we want to add our assets to the services they can already provide… There are a lot of similarities in our business philosophy, which is why we decided after 37 years we felt this made sense, to merge our banks.” West and a few of his team members met with the staff of Hillsboro Bank last week and said while there were a few questions about the change, everyone seemed excited and on board. Ward said the biggest asset is the fact that this is not an out-of-state bank, it’s a local community bank and thus many of its operations are similar. One of those similarities lies in the banking platform both banks use. Because they use the same platform, staff at Hillsboro won’t have to go through training to learn a new system when the merger comes. Because The Bank of Tampa doesn’t have a branch in Plant City, merging shouldn’t come with much displacement. Nick Thurston, SVP, Market Director of The Bank of Tampa’s Plant City office, will move to the current Hillsboro Bank building. There aren’t tellers or staff to shift around so much of the current staff at Hillsboro will remain. West made a commitment to the staff that anyone that was displaced would be placed within The Bank of Tampa system. The transaction is expected to close later this year. Ward will remain with The Bank of Tampa as its Plant City market president once it is finished and will serve on the bank’s executive committee.

Achieve Plant City is hosting a wine tasting on April 1 to help raise funds for the group, which provides educational services to families in eastern Hillsborough County. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Promoting success through education has long been the focus of Achieve Plant City, a nonprofit that provides educational services to local families. Its programs include children’s education, adult literacy, parenting education and parent and child activities. With the COVID-19 pandemic still rippling through the country, the effects of the last disrupted school year are still felt within families across the community. Children have fallen behind and there is now a desperate rush to help them catch up for fear of them potentially facing hurdles for the rest of their educational experience. Achieve’s many classes help community members step up to the plate and positively impact the lives of children and adults alike. Angelica Ibarra, executive director of Achieve Plant City, said that COVID-19 caused families that were already struggling to face an onslaught of new hurdles. Children were having to suddenly find access to the internet and to computers and many families were having to share the equipement they were able to find among a variety of children. Without hands on learning many fell even further behind and Ibarra said she hopes the community will come together to make sure they protect the children that call this area home. In order to keep the programs up and running Achieve relies largely on the money it raises through fundraisers like the upcoming wine tasting. There will be wine provided by Roots Tap Room & Wine Bar and owner Brandon Snyder has curated an intricate wine menu from different regions for those who attend. Ibarra said Snyder will guide guests through the provided wine selections and added they are beyond thrilled to have the local business share its time and knowledge with the group. “The wine tasting we are having is a wonderful way for us to grow our programs

and just do more for the families we serve,” Ibarra said. “There are so many ways people can get involved with the group though. We are always in need of tutors, we have adult literacy programs and people can come in and volunteer, even if it’s just one day a week. The majority of the children we work with are typically at least two or more years behind their reading level. We are always looking for volunteers to come and read with the children and help them with their homework.” Hors d’oeuvres will also be available, as will music and a silent auction. The event will be at Cow Creek Farm, 6802 Five Acre Road, and it will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets start at $62.50 and sponsorships are still available for those who want to throw their support behind the event. You can receive a table at the event for up to four guests for $250 and sponsorships go up to $2,500. “We are really focusing on having just a fun environment so people can come in, it is a little semi-formal, people will come in and we will have all the tables set up, an area for the wine tasting and another area with heavy hors d’oeuvres,” Ibarra said. “A cash bar will also be available for those individuals who may not want to taste the wine.”

IF YOU GO What: Reading is Where the Magic Begins Wine Tasting event When: 5:30 p.m. April 1 Where: Cow Creek Farm, 6802 Five Acre Road Tickets: Purchase tickets online at achieveplantcity.org or by calling Ibarra at 813-752-4010. Deadline: Those who wish to attend are asked to put in their ticket requests by the end of this week. If any spaces are still available, Ibarra said they will make exceptions through next week.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

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.

LILY: This little lady is an approximately 6.5-year-old boxer. The rescued pup named Lily enjoys taking relaxing to a whole new level, which obviously requires use of the whole loveseat.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

PLANT CITY RESIDENT PARTICIPATES IN NDSS Megan McGee was one of 25 runners who participated in a relay stretching from RUN FOR 3.21 New York City down to Washington, D.C. over the weekend. Photos courtesy of Megan McGee

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Many people celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21 by wearing mismatched socks. It’s a good conversation starter, after all. Plant City resident Megan McGee, however, took it a step further when she put her running shoes on. McGee and 24 other runners from around the United States teamed up last weekend to complete the fourth-ever Run for 3.21 event, hosted yearly by the National Down Syndrome Society to fundraise and draw attention to the cause. The three-day event is a relay-style run starting in New York City and ending in Washington, D.C.

“This is such a meaningful event for everyone involved,” Kandi Pickard, President and CEO of NDSS, said in a press release. “The team’s commitment to raising funds and awareness, on top of training for the physical challenge of this relay event, is truly a testament to their dedication to the Down syndrome community.” McGee, an avid runner, has been involved with NDSS since 2017 and regularly participated in the organization’s charity racing events before the COVID-19 pandemic. “My daughter was born with Down Syndrome and she ended up having really complex medical diagnoses,” McGee said. “It was a way to help me cope with everything going on with her. I found the NDSS Athlete Ambas-

sador Program, where you could get involved in charity racing, and that was my way of helping to advocate for Sara and fundraise for a cause I feel strongly about.” Last year was tough for her and other NDSS charity racers as all of the scheduled events were canceled. This Run for 3.21 was McGee’s chance to do some fundraising and still get the inperson running experience she missed out on last year, even if this was neither a race nor a competition. Most of McGee’s teammates hailed from the east coast, but a few came from as far as Texas to participate. She said many of the runners were fully or at least partially vaccinated and those who weren’t were tested within days of the event.

This relay’s structure is pretty straightforward: runners complete a total of 71 legs in teams of two, with pairs driving to their next planned starting point after completing a leg and handing off to the next group. This year’s Run for 3.21 featured a virtual element where the nine runners who couldn’t participate in person instead contributed by running where they lived and counting the mileage toward the team goal. So, for example, if an in-person team ends a leg in a town in New York and hands off to a virtual runner, who runs a leg of 3.5 miles run in Florida, the run will resume in-person with a new team that starts 3.5 miles from where the last in-person team finished. McGee and her teammates logged more than 260 miles

and more than 48 hours total on the ground, day and night, running through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. She finished her last leg Sunday morning as every team member who ran in-person got together for the home stretch and ended at the Lincoln Memorial. “It was awesome,” she said. “Very tiring, but it was just a really inspiring experience to be able to do this with a bunch of other advocates.” Anyone interested in participating in the next Run for 3.21 event or becoming a charity racer like McGee can start at NDSS.org, keeping an eye on the Events tab.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Last State Restricted Silver Walking Liberty Bank Rolls go to FL residents

Florida residents get first dibs on last remaining Bank Rolls loaded with U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value for just the $39 minimum set for state residents - non state residents must pay $118 per coin if any remain after 2-day deadline STATE DISTRIBUTION: A strict limit of 4 State Restricted Bank Rolls per FL resident has been imposed FLORIDA - “It’s a miracle these State Restricted Bank Rolls even exist. That’s why Hotline Operators are bracing for the flood of calls,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Treasurer for the National Mint and Treasury. For the next 2 days the last remaining State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties are actually being handed over to Florida residents who call the National Toll-Free Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper publication. “I recently spoke with a retired Treasurer of the United States of America who said ‘In all my years as Treasurer I’ve only ever seen a handful of these rarely seen Silver Walking Liberties issued by the U.S. Gov’t back in the early 1900’s. But to actually find them sealed away in State Restricted Bank Rolls still in pristine condition is like finding buried treasure. So anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these Bank Rolls had better hold on to them,’” Lynne said. “Now that the State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls are being offered up we won’t be surprised if thousands of Florida residents claim the maximum limit allowed of 4 Bank Rolls per resident before they’re all gone,” said Lynne. “That’s because the dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars sealed away inside the State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. But, we do know that some of these coins date clear back to the early 1900’s and are worth up to 100 times their face value, so there is no telling what Florida residents will find until they sort through all the coins,” Lynne went on to say. And here’s the best part. If you are a resident of the state of Florida you cover only the $39 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties worth up to 100 times their face value for just $585 which is a real steal because non state residents must pay $118 per coin which totals $1,770 if any coins remain after the 2-day deadline. The only thing Florida residents need to do is call the National TollFree Hotlines printed in today’s newspaper publication before the 2-day order deadline ends. “Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued silver coins like these are highly sought after, but we’ve never seen anything like this before. According to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins many Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars are now worth $115 - $825 each in collector value,” Lynne said. “So just imagine how much these last remaining, unsearched State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls could be worth someday. Remember, these are not ordinary coins – these rarely seen coins date clear back to the early 1900’s. In fact, these coins have been forever retired by the U.S. Gov’t, and you can’t get them rolled this way anywhere because these are the only State Restricted Bank Rolls known to exist,” said Lynne. “We’re guessing thousands of Florida residents will be taking the maximum limit of 4 Bank Rolls because they make such amazing gifts for any occasion for children, parents, grandparents, friends and loved ones,” Lynne continued. “We know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of Hotline Operators are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 2 days to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Lynne said. “That’s why the National Mint and Treasury set up the National Toll-Free Hotlines in order to make sure Florida residents get the State Restricted Bank Rolls before they’re all gone,” she said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they are a resident of the state of Florida and call the National Toll-Free Hotlines before the 2-day deadline ends midnight tomorrow. ■

JACKPOT: Imagine finding the 1919-D Silver Walking Liberty shown above worth thousands of dollars in collector value in one of these unsearched Bank Rolls. There are never any guarantees, but Florida residents who get their hands on these State Restricted Bank Rolls will be the really lucky ones because even more common coins are still worth up to $115 $825 in collector value.

VALUABLE: It’s like a treasure hunt - there’s no telling what you’ll find. That’s because the dates and mint marks of the fifteen U.S. Gov’t issued coins sealed away inside these State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. All we know is some of the coins are worth up to 100 times their face value.

IMPORTANT: The dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties sealed away inside the State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. Coin values always fluctuate and they are never any guarantees, but any of the scarce coins shown below, regardless of their value that residents may find inside the sealed Bank Rolls are theirs to keep.

1916-P Mint: Philadelphia Mintage: 608,000 Collector Value: $55 $265

1919-P Mint: Philadelphia Mintage: 962,000 Collector Value: $32 $515

1921-S Mint: San Francisco Mintage: 548,000 Collector Value: $80 $800

1938-D Mint: Denver Mintage: 491,600 Collector Value: $60 $160

FLORIDA RESIDENTS: COVER JUST $39 MINIMUM PER COIN BEGIN CALLING AT 8:30 AM: 1-800-929-4439 EXT. RWL1483 if you are a resident of the state of Florida call now to claim the state limit of 4 state of Florida restricted bank rolls. all Florida residents who beat the 2-day deadline are getting the only full fifteen coin bank rolls loaded with rarely seen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value known to exist. The only thing Florida residents cover is just the $39 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars worth up to 100 times their face value for just $585 and that’s a real steal because non-Florida residents must pay $1,770 for each state of Florida restricted bank roll. just be sure to call the national toll free hotlines before the deadline ends two days from today’s publication date.

NON STATE RESIDENTS: MUST PAY $118 PER COIN - IF ANY REMAIN DO NOT CALL BEFORE 5:00 PM TOMORROW: 1-800-929-8898 RWL1483 if you are a resident living outside of the state of Florida you are required to pay $118 for each silver walking liberty for a total of $1,770 plus shipping and handling for each state of Florida restricted bank roll loaded with fifteen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars. NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, PO BOX 35609, CANTON, OH 44735 ©2021 NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY. R1018

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THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: TIME TO HONOR VIETNAM VETERANS

Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran’s age approximated to be 60 years old. March 29 is now designated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day by the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition bipartisan Act of 2017. Forty-seven years have passed since the last U.S. Troops withdrew from Vietnam. Due to the unpopularity of the Vietnam War, Veterans returning home were often met with disdain and did not receive the support or gratitude they deserved for their service to our country. It was a tragic period in our history driven by people’s perceptions of a war so far removed from their daily lives. I believe we have gotten to a place where the American people realize we should be grateful to all the men and women who proudly serve and served this great country, the United States of America. For me, the Vietnam War and its effects on my family are very personal. My nephew, Larry Sullivan, died a terrible death at the age of 63, from exposure to Agent Orange. Unfortunately our government denied Larry the service related designation of 100% service related disability. This resulted in him losing his business as he was fighting various issues including neuropathy in his hands and feet. He developed cancer and diabetes soon after the neuropathy. Larry spent four years in the Marines and one full year in Vietnam. He was classified as a helicopter gunner, but mostly he was spraying Agent Orange. In June of 2015, decades after the Vietnam War, the Department of

Veterans Affairs acknowledged that Monsanto’s Agent Orange, a dangerous herbicide and dioxin, sprayed over 4.5 million acres of Vietnam is responsible for serious health ailments and neurological damage in a group of as many as 2,100 veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs had previously denied these allegations. I suspect there are more than 2,100 veterans suffering from illnesses that can be traced to their exposure to Agent Orange. Out of the 2.7 million U.S. service members who served in Vietnam, more than 58,000 were killed and more than 304,000 were wounded. An estimate by the Smithsonian suggests that approximately 271,000 Vietnam veterans may have post-traumatic stress disorder. There is now a program called “In Memory” for veterans who served in Vietnam and later died because of injuries or illness related to their brave service during an unpopular war. Please go to vvmf.org/In-Memory-Program to find out about the program. The U.S. flag should be flown every March 29 to honor those who served in Vietnam. It is long past time we give these American heroes the respect they are due. Please proudly raise your American flag on National Vietnam War Veterans Day. UDY SULLIVAN WISE —J

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DEAN’S RIDE 9 TO HIT THE TRAILS SATURDAY

The annual fundraising ride has some changes for 2021, and it’s not too late to sign yourself up.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

One of the Plant City Family YMCA’s biggest fundraising events is set to come back this weekend with a few changes for 2021. Dean’s Ride, an annual road cycling event with several routes for bicyclists age 15 and up, will be held this Saturday morning. Riders will cruise through the Plant City countryside north of Interstate 4 to raise money for the Plant City Y and its LiveSTRONG program to help cancer fighters and survivors, as well as their families. This is the ninth annual event. Though the ride is typically held in March, Dean’s Ride 8 hit a series of obstacles in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic and was postponed several times before finally making it work in mid-September. The ride has typically started at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College, but this year’s ride will start and finish at Keel Farms, 5202 Thonotosassa Road. Refreshments will be available to riders before they start biking. As

usual, Keel Farms will host the post-ride lunch event with music. Riders have four routes to choose from this year. Those looking for the greatest challenge can take on the 60-mile Metric Century route. There is also a 34-mile Half-Metric Century and a 20-mile Quarter-Metric Century available to pick from. All three aforementioned routes run far enough west to circle Lake Thonotosassa. Families can ride together in the nine-mile Family route. Maps for each route are viewable online at the registration site. In addition to bringing a helmet, riders should also make sure to bring plenty of water. Saturday is projected to be a scorcher with a high of 91 degrees and only an eight percent chance of rain. This year’s race will begin at 7:30 a.m. To register online and get more information, visit deansride.raceroster.com. If you plan to sign up online, the cost is $60 for the three longer routes and $25 for the family route. You can also register in person on-site this Saturday before 7:30 a.m., but be advised that the cost for each route increases by $5.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

MARCH 25, 2021

SPORTS

DURANT FLAG FOOTBALL OFF TO STRONG START

The Cougars are 4-0 to start the Spring 2021 season and have shut out two of their four opponents.

Quick Hits TUESDAY PREP SCORES ROUNDUP BASEBALL MAR. 23 Durant 7, Brandon 2 Plant City 13, Spoto 3 Strawberry Crest 5, Bloomingdale 4 SOFTBALL MAR. 23 Durant 20, Brandon 0 Plant City 5, Spoto 3 Strawberry Crest 7, Bloomingdale 3 FLAG FOOTBALL MAR. 23 Durant 25, Armwood 7

UPCOMING GAMES BASEBALL MAR. 25 Durant at Robinson, 7 p.m. MAR. 26 Strawberry Crest vs. Leto, 7 p.m. MAR. 29 Plant City at Tampa Bay Tech, 7 p.m. MAR. 30 Durant at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. SOFTBALL MAR. 25 Durant at Robinson, 7 p.m. MAR. 26 Durant at Plant, 7 p.m. Plant City at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. MAR. 30 Durant at Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. Plant City at Lakeland, 7 p.m. FLAG FOOTBALL MAR. 25 Durant at Sumner, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Armwood, 7:30 p.m.

Justin Kline

Durant quarterback Morgan Brill looks for an open receiver midway through Tuesday’s game against Armwood.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

After Tuesday night’s 25-7 win at home over Armwood, the Durant Cougars are riding high on the football field with a 4-0 record. The Cougars, who have now outscored their opponents by a 110-25 margin, got on the scoreboard as soon as their offense touched the ball. Shortly after the defense forced the Hawks (2-2) to punt, Morgan Brill uncorked a deep pass to Hannah Kitrell to take the 6-0 lead. Though the extra point attempt did not work out, Durant was able to take a 12-0 lead right away on its next possession when Maggie Lauber faked out the defense from under center and then broke off a big run along the visitors’ sideline into the end zone. Armwood nearly made it a one-score game late in the first half. Alexis Swantek picked Armwood off with 10 seconds left in the half and the Hawks immediately responded with a pick of their own. But what would have been a Hawks pick six was nullified on a roughing the passer penalty. Lauber nearly scored on another long ball from Brill on an untimed down but was stopped short of the goal line. The Hawks caught their first break at the end of the third quarter with their only touchdown of the game and converted the extra point attempt to pull within five points of the lead.

pick of the season Tuesday, six different Durant, however, was able to get back Cougars have recorded 14 total intercepin rhythm in the fourth quarter. A few tions. Lauber and Kash each hold the lead big catches by Casey Lane amped the with four. Cougars back up and Lauber took a pitch Durant will look to keep its hot start gointo the end zone to give the home team ing on the road at Sumner (3-2) tonight, a 19-7 lead. After the defense forced an facing a Stingrays team on a two-game Armwood turnover on downs with less win streak of its own following its 32-0 than five minutes left in the game, Emma shutout at Spoto (1-2) on Tuesday night. Harnage put Durant in scoring position with a big catch and run into the Hawks’ red zone. Wendy Delgadillo boxed out a defender just over the goal line to catch a very short forward pass from Brill for the final touchdown of the game. Brooklyn Kash iced it shortly afterward with an interception on defense. It was also a big night defensively for Ashanti Quiambao, who burned past the Hawks’ offensive line and brought her season sack total to six after entering the game with three total. The Cougars’ offense is getting it done with a strong passing attack led by Brill, who now has six touchdown passes, 553 yards and no interceptions on the season, and a consistent ground game that can get over the goal line. Durant averages just over 192 passing yards per game against 67.8 rush yards per game, though the team has scored eight rushing touchdowns against seven passing. Defensively, with help from all that pressure Quiambao creates up front, the Cougars have been consistent ball hawks. Justin Kline They average 3.5 interceptions per game Hannah Kittrell picks up a chunk of and now that Swantek recorded her first yardage after the catch.

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BROOME NEARS DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN MARCH MADNESS DEBUT

Plant City’s Johni Broome was one of Morehead State’s top contributors in the Eagles’ 84-67 loss to West Virginia last week. AWARDS, HONORS, RANKINGS AND RECORDS

Courtesy of MSU Athletics

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Though the Morehead State Eagles’ first NCAA tournament appearance in 10 years ended in the first round, there were some positives MSU could take from the 84-67 loss to West Virginia. One of those positives is that freshman forward Johni Broome, a Plant City native, continued living up to the hype he built during a stellar regular season and conference tournament. Broome had a solid all-around game on March 19, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, an assist and a steal against just one turnover in 32 minutes played. He was the team’s leader in rebounds and shots blocked that night, and his 10 points were third behind DeVon Cooper’s team-high 21 and Skyelar Potter’s 18.

• Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year • First Team All-OVC • OVC All-Newcomer Team • OVC All-Tournament Team • OVC Tournament MVP • OVC Freshman of the Week (nine times) • Lou Henson & Lute Olson National Player of the Week by College Insider Lou Henson Player of the Year Award finalist • Morehead State Men's Basketball Freshman Rebounding Record (271) • Shot .571 from the field, ranking third overall in the OVC • Averaged 9.0 rebounds per game, ranking second overall in the OVC • Led MSU in scoring at 13.8 points per game • Led OVC in blocked shots in league games with 38 (2.0 blocks per game) • Finished season with 13 doubledoubles (tied for 11th in the NCAA) The 14th-seeded Eagles had the thirdseeded Mountaineers on the ropes for much of the first half, taking the lead four times, and hung within one possession for the lead early in the second half. A combination of turnovers and an offensive awakening on WVU’s end led to the Mountaineers building what would be an insurmountable lead in the second half. Broome’s 2020-21 season resume should give the Eagles hope for the future, as the freshman showed the potential to be MSU’s next star player on the court in his 30 games (27 starts).

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

SALADINO WRAP-UP: FINAL DAY ACTION

Durant made it to the 2021 Saladino Tournament’s Gold Division championship game, but Jesuit had the upper hand on March 17. Strawberry Crest also battled for third place in the division that evening. Plant City was the only area school to pick up a win that evening. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Durant and Strawberry Crest made it to the final day of the 2021 Saladino Tournament with high hopes for winning first and third-place honors, respectively, but their opponents’ offenses couldn’t be stopped once they got going. In the March 17 championship game, Jesuit scored all 10 of its runs in the first three innings — starting with six in the bottom of the first — and kept a generally successful Cougars offense mostly silent on the day. Javy Quintana and Dylan LaPointe ended the Tigers’ shutout bid by driving in two runs in the top of the fourth inning, but the visiting team couldn’t solve the puzzle presented by the Tigers’ pitching staff. In that night’s third-place game, the Chargers faced the Wharton Wildcats and took a 15-3 loss. Though Crest didn’t have too much trouble making contact, as the team finished with eight total hits (all against starter Evan Chrest, who went the distance), the Chargers didn’t have as much luck driving in their teammates who were on base. Colby Fanning (two runs) and Arjun Nimmala (one run) each scored for Crest and Ethan Pues finished with two RBI. In Plant City’s final game, the Raiders snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over Alonso. After the Ravens took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning and kept Plant City from scoring in the bottom, the Raiders caught the break they needed with two runs to tie in the fourth inning. Plant City added two more in the fifth to take the lead for good and two innings of one-hit ball from Tanner Rollyson (who

earned the save) sealed the deal. Anthony Grasso, Colin Shultz, Kelein Johnson and Landen Robert each scored a run for the Raiders. Grasso (one RBI) and Jack Brosky (two RBI) drove their baserunners in. Two local players were named to the official All-Tournament Team afterward. Fanning, who contributed in the infield and on the mound, was selected as an all-tournament infielder. Durant pitcher Sean Hermann, who notably struck out 15 batters in the Cougars’ tourney opener against Steinbrenner, was selected for the all-tournament pitching staff. Also getting recognition was Crest’s Alex Mussenden, who won the 813Preps Iron Man Award. For more 2021 Saladino Tournament coverage, visit official tournament partner 813Preps. com. Durant, Plant City and Crest all resumed regular-season play this week. The Cougars hosted Brandon on Tuesday night and won, 7-2. Durant tore it up on the basepaths as Aidan Welsh, Sean Pikulski, Austin Sewell, Carlos Morales and Javy Quintana combined for nine stolen bases and five of the team’s seven runs. The Raiders hosted Spoto on Tuesday and won, 13-3, in five innings. Griffin West went the distance for PCHS with eight strikeouts and no earned runs against five hits. The Chargers hosted Bloomingdale on Tuesday and won, 5-4. The Bulls flipped the script on Crest in the fifth inning to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 3-3 tie, then scored one in the fourth to go ahead. But Crest put two runners in scoring position with one out in the seventh inning and Cristian Bolt secured the walk-off win sending Ray Allen and Eddy Cruz home.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

PlantCityObserver.com

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

289704-1

We asked Facebook:

City commissioners discussed a project to mill and resurface East Young Street, North Center Street, North Wills Street, Powell Street, Ramsey Street, Ray Street and Frances Avenue. Which other streets in Plant City would you like to see fixed in the near future? “Lone Oak. It’s ridiculous. We thought it would be resurfaced when the two subdivisions went in, but it’s just gotten worse.” — Karen Young

“Wheeler St (39) and I-4 under the overpass” — Adrian Brown

“N Gordon St, they poorly patch the places where they dig it up for working on water/sewer lines and it is horrible.” — Andy Hamilton

“Park Road next to stadium!” — Julie Henry Carroll

“Cason Road, Nesmith Road near Sparkman, and Tom Brewer Lane” — Tara Sumner

“Park Road next to the Plant City Stadium” — Ruben Conde Jr.

“James Redman going under i4.” — Sarah Heitz Kraus

“The brick roads” — Betty Butcher

“Wilder Road down by Sam Allen” — Nikki Pozeznik

“Renfro Street” — Yolonda Adams White “Cason Road” — Tasha Valdez “North Gordon Street is a war zone” — Brian Smith “Park Road” — Paul Sumner “Gordon Street” — Bud Olliff

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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Mulberry, born in Turkey Creek on May 2, 1928, entered into eternal rest on March 15, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Caleb Thurman Caleb Thurman, 19, of Lithia, formerly of Corinth, Mississippi, born in Corinth on September 11, 2001, entered into eternal rest on March 16, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Melba Johnson Williams, 82, of Plant City, born on December 9, 1938, entered into eternal rest on March 20, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Johnny ‘Bubba’ Luther Levengood, Della Lee Shuman Kimbel Jr. Johnny “Bubba” Luther Levengood, Jr., 53, of Plant City, born in Miami on January 19, 1968, entered into eternal rest on March 18, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

John Crawford Shupard

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM John Crawford Shupard, 76, of Plant City, born in Lancaster, Voncille Lofton Pennsylvania on February 14, Calhoun 1945, entered into eternal rest on March 16, 2021. Voncille Lofton Calhoun, 92, of Expressions of condolence Plant City, born in Brookhaven, at HopewellFuneral.com. Mississippi on March 17, 1929, entered into eternal rest on March 20, 2021. Expressions of condolence HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM at HopewellFuneral.com.

Brenda Irene Styron Brenda Irene Styron, 73, of Lakeland, born in Berea, Kentucky on May 26, 1947, entered into eternal rest on March 16, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Della Lee Shuman Kimbel, of Plant City, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on March 18, 2021. The fifth of ten children, she was born December 22, 1928. Her parents were pioneer strawberry farmers in the Springhead area. Lee attended Springhead Elementary School, and graduated with honors from Plant City High School in 1947. In that year she was crowned “Miss Plant City.” During her working years, she served as executive secretary for Tampa Electric where she retired, and also served as secretary for The East Hillsborough Law Enforcement Association. She was an active member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Plant City, and enjoyed serving on a voluntary basis as church secretary. She was preceded in death by her hus-

band John Kenneth Kimbel, Jr.; daughter, Lynn Kimbel Palmer; parents, Foy and Keturah Shuman; and siblings, Charles G. Shuman, R.W. Shuman, F.A. Shuman, Jr., Raleigh Shuman and Louise Simmons. She is survived by sons, John K. Kimbel III (Kelly), and Mark Lee Kimbel (Susie); six grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; siblings, Elyse Harvill, Bettye Holly, Ruth Brown, and Devon Shuman; plus many nieces, nephews, family and friends. A private family service will be held at Springhead Cemetery, Lakeland. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to charities that were important to her daughter Lynn, The AdventHealth Diabetes Institute www.adventhealthdiabetesinstitute.com and/or the Joslin Diabetes Center at www. joslin.org. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Elbert Sterling Mills Elbert Sterling Mills, 92, of Plant City, passed away March 20, 2021. Elbert was a Korean War-era veteran of the U.S. Army. Services were held March 24, 2021, Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Plant City. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

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YOUR COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOME AND CEMETERY. FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

Sabrina Kroeger Sabrina Kroeger, 42, of Plant City, died unexpectedly on March 18, 2021. Family and friends will be received March 25, 2021 from 6 to 7 PM at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Funeral services will follow at 7 PM. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

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ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

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THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021

OBITUARIES

Evelyn Crow Harris Melba Johnson Williams Evelyn Crow Harris, 92, of

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OBITUARIES

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THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

Erthel Hill Jr.

Mildred May Lee

Erthel Hill Jr., 87, of Taking care of Seffner, passed away is whatMarch 18, on Thursday, Mildred May Lee,each 93, of other

community

Plant City, passed away 2021. Erthel was born September on March 18, 2021. is all about. 24, 1933 in Logan County, West Services will be held Virginia. privately. we’re dedicated to helping families create a our community and Online uniquememories and meaningful memorial that truly with condolences personal, compassionate care since 1896.Fond celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals, expressions of symmay be left >for the fam100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement Travel Assistance pathy> The may be shared ily at haught.care. at www.WellsMemorial. R Proudly supporting thecom for Plant City Strawberry Festival. the Hill family. WE’RE PROUD TO SERVE ®

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Wells MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy

Taking care ofJ. Raymond Martel each other is Jr. what

813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com

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Raymond J. Martel Jr., 64, community of Dover, passed away on

is Wednesday, all about. March 10, 2021.

Raymond was born November 19, 1956we’re indedicated Manchester, New to helping families create a S E RV E our community unique and meaningful memorial that truly assionate care since 1896. Hampshire. celebrates the life it represents. morial professionals, Fond memories and expresrvice Guarantee > National Plan Transferability sions of be ment Travel Assistance >sympathy The Compassionmay Helpline® shared at www.WellsMemorial. R com for the Martel family udly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival.

FRIDAY, MARCH 26 LAST FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN

5 to 9 p.m. at McCall Park, 100 N. Collins St. The Last Friday In Downtown Food Truck Rally with a new theme each month. There will be live music, market vendors and food trucks. The event is family and pet-friendly. All are recommended to bring chairs and blankets. This month, bring the family out for the Easter Market and get your photo taken with the Easter Bunny on the west side of McCall Park from 6 to 8 p.m. Visit https://plantcitymainstreet. com/ for more information.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25

person and available either in-store or on Eventbrite. Seating is limited.

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BEST BET

Constance (Connie) Herrington

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person. Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/PlantCityToastmasters/, for meeting locations and information.

Constance (Connie) Herrington, a wife, Wells MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy mother, grandmother Johnny Arthur 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com and great-grandmother, Ceto passed into eternal life on March 11, 2021 after Johnny Arthur Ceto, 83, of 91 years on earth. Turkey Creek, entered into BATON She was predeceased TWIRLING CLASSES eternal rest on Friday, March 12, 2021. Johnny was born on by her husband Eddie Plant City Recreation presJ. Herrington Sr.; her September 17, 1937 in Norents Baton Twirling Classes we’re dedicated to helping families create a S E RV E our community life partner Robert walk, Connecticut. at the Planteen Recreation unique and meaningful memorial that truly assionate care since 1896. the life it represents. morial professionals,Fond celebrates memories and expres- Malloy; her three sons Center, 301 Dort St. Classes rvice Guarantee > National Plan Transferability Eddie Jr, Slate and sions of>sympathy be are held every Thursday. ment Travel Assistance The Compassionmay Helpline® shared at www.WellsMemorial. Paul Herrington; and Beginner classes are from Rthe Ceto family. grandson Jason Hercom for 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Interudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. rington. She is survived mediate classes are from by her granddaughters 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your first Angela Lassen (Bob), class will be free. If you have Kristin Davis (Trevor), any questions or would like WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Kista Gagliano (Vicky), more information, contact Robin Hansen and Barbara Patrick at 813-626Wells MeMorial & event Center Tiffany Fleishman PlanT CiTy Rayburn Eugene (David); grandson Keith 4554. 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com Hendrix Herrington (Leyda); DRINK ’N’ DOODLE WITH Rayburn Eugene Hendrix, 80, daughter-in-law Vickie MAKE PLANT CITY Herrington; greatof Plant City, passed away 7 to 9 p.m. at Keel Farms, on Saturday, March 13, 2021. grandchildren Aaron 5202 Thonotosassa Road. Rayburn was born March Let your creativity flow we’re dedicated to helping families22, create a Lungmus (Chelsea), E RVE our community unique and meaningful memorial that truly assionate care since 1896. Jordan Lungmus (Em1940 incelebrates Boaz,theAlabama. every fourth Thursday at life it represents. orial professionals, memories and expres- ily), Lennon Dodson, Drink ’n’ Doodle, a casual rvice GuaranteeFond > National Plan Transferability ment Travel Assistance > The Compassion Helpline® Ethan Fleishman, Molly sions of sympathy may be art event where you can shared leave your cares behind Rat www.WellsMemorial. Shelton, Damian Herrington, Blayn Herthe Hendrix family. with other local creatives. udly supportingcom for the Plant City Strawberry Festival. rington (Kristin), Carter Whether you’re an industry and Cash Gagliano; and professional, stick figure art great-great grandextraordinaire or creative daughter Olivia Lungadmirer, all are welcome WELLSMEMORIAL.COM mus. and invited to create with Wells MeMorial & event Center She was a lifelong zero judgments. This is not Robert Louis PlanT CiTy resident of Plant City, a class and there is no fee. 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com Alderman FL, and business owner MAKE Plant City will post of Herrington’s Shoe a new prompt for each Robert Louis Alderman, Repair. She was a month on its Facebook page 88, of Plant City, passed daughter of the Eastern and group. Bring whatever away peacefully on Tuesday, Star and enjoyed her materials you want to work March 16, 2021, in Bradenonto her Pens and paper will ton. He was Julyour8,communityretirement we’re dedicated helpingfarm. families create with. a WE’ R Eborn PR O UD on TO S ERVE unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. Her services will be also be provided. 1932 in Plant City. celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals, we’re dedicated to helping families create a E RVE our community March 2021 and meaningful memorial that truly held assionate care since 1896. Fondunique memories ex> 100% and Service Guarantee > National Plan 27, Transferability celebrates the life it represents. orial professionals, Travel Assistance > TheMemorial Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement at Wells and pressions of sympathy may FRIDAY, MARCH 26 rvice Guarantee > National Plan Transferability Event Center in Plant be shared at www.WellsMement Travel Assistance > The Compassion Helpline® R FLStrawberry at 11 a.m. Alderman morial.com for theProudly BLUEGRASS NIGHT supporting theCity, Plant City Festival. R family. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Krazy Kup, udly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., will host its monthly BlueWELLSMEMORIAL.COM grass Night event featuring The Sandy Back Porch WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Wells MeMorial & event Center Band. Tickets are $10 per

Taking care of each other is what

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10/27/15 10:42 AM

community

is all about.

Taking care of each other is what

community

is all about.

.indd 1

10/27/15 10:42 AM

Taking care of each other is what

indd 1

Taking care of each other is what

community 10/27/15 10:42 AM

community

is all about.

PlanT CiTy

Wells MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy

813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd

10/27/15 10:42 AM

STATE FARM® AGENT

Tony Lee CLU, CHFC 813.752.7202

1702 S. Alexander, Plant City, FL 33563

288231-1

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813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 27 DEAN’S RIDE 9

7 a.m. Dean’s Ride is an annual bicycle fundraising event. All proceeds go to the Plant City YMCA to support rehabilitation for cancer survivors. This is a family route of eight miles, plus longer routes of 20, 34 and 60 miles. This year’s event will start and finish at Keel Farms, 5202 Thonotosassa Road. Register online at https://deansride.raceroster.com/.

SEED LIBRARY OPEN AT PCC COMMUNITY GARDEN

9 a.m. Choose or donate heirloom seeds at the Seed Library in the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. This helps keep diversity in the local food system. The library is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Call (813) 4358111 for more information.

YOGA LOVES GARDENS FRESH AIR FLOW

10:30 a.m. Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. Plant City Yoga shares this morning yoga session in this special plant energized space to learn and expand your yoga practice. Please bring your own yoga mat. Suggested $10 donation.

RILEY STRONG GOLF TOURNAMENT

1 p.m. at Summerfield Crossings Golf Course, 13050 Summerfield Blvd., Riverview. This all-ages fourman scramble tournament will also feature awards, oncourse contests for hitting shots closest to the pin or the line, team prizes, individual prize drawings, a silent auction, raffles, vendors and food trucks, kid-friendly activities and more. Attendees are required to maintain six feet of social distancing and wear a face mask. The cost to play is $125 per individual

or $400 for a team of four. The deadline to register is March 19. To get a registration form or more information, call Anthony Morejon at 813-956-8394 or Heather Cropper at 813-625-1507, or email rileystronggolftournament@gmail.com.

KOMEDY NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. Head to the loft at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for an evening of side-splitting comedy with Michael Murillo and Donnie Stopa, hosted by Roger Hughes with special guest Tim Boyd. Tickets are $10 per person and available either in-store or on Eventbrite. Seating is limited.

PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6 to 9:30 p.m. at Strawberry Square Dance Center, 4401 Promenade Blvd. Plant City Social Dance will have dances every Saturday night in the month of March at the Strawberry Square Dance Center. From 6 to 6:30 p.m., there will be ballroom music for ballroom dancers. The regular dance goes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cost to dance is $7 per person and attendance is limited to 50 people with reservations. Call DJ Ken Miller at 863-409-7714 to reserve your spot and visit djkenmiller.com to look at sample playlists and get more information.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31 FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing. If you’ve served any time in the military, retired or non-retention, and would like to review your benefits, please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walkins welcomed or call 813704-5800 to set a specific time. Masks are required and temperatures will be taken at the door.

THURSDAY, APRIL 1 Plant City Toastmasters 7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person. Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/PlantCityToastmasters/, for meeting locations and information.

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

Plant City Recreation presents Baton Twirling Classes at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Classes are held every Thursday. Beginner classes are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Intermediate classes are from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your first class will be free. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Barbara Patrick at 813-6264554.

FRIDAY, APRIL 2 HANDCRAFTS: D’EGG-COR

Join Kelly with this virtual tutorial, hosted by Bruton Memorial Library, to learn how you can bring artistry to your eggs this spring.

SATURDAY, APRIL 3 PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6 to 9:30 p.m. at Strawberry Square Dance Center, 4401 Promenade Blvd. Plant City Social Dance will have dances every Saturday night in the month of April at the Strawberry Square Dance Center. From 6 to 6:30 p.m., there will be ballroom music for ballroom dancers. The regular dance goes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cost to dance is $7 per person and attendance is limited to 50 people with reservations. Call DJ Ken Miller at 863-409-7714 to reserve your spot and visit djkenmiller.com to look at sample playlists and get more information.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

Send your photo submissions to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25 High: 91 Low: 67 Chance of rain: 11%

FRIDAY, MARCH 26 High: 92 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 13%

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, March 25

7:26a

7:43p

Friday, March 26

7:25a

7:43p

Saturday, March 27

7:24a

7:44p

Sunday, March 28

7:23a

7:44p

Monday, March 29

7:22a

7:45p

Tuesday, March 30

7:20a

7:45p

Wednesday, March 31

7:19a

7:46p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, MARCH 27 High: 92 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 8%

SUNDAY, MARCH 28 High: 89 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 8%

MONDAY, MARCH 29 Brenda Miller sent in this photo of one of her rain lilies in bloom.

ONLINE

High: 87 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 12%

Across 1 Novelist __ Carol Oates 6 Frittata ingredients 10 “__ baby!” 14 They might be common 15 Christmas purchase 16 El Misti’s land 17 *Necessary road trip stop 19 Thrice dos 20 Part of CPU 21 Honey, in slang 22 Where to see sites 24 Court great Andre 26 *Place for a sleeper hit, maybe 28 “Losing My Religion” band

29 And so on: Abbr. 31 Young __: kids, in dialect 32 Palme __: Cannes award 33 Frat house greeting 35 Top-notch 36 *Wild West impresario 39 Bog buildup 41 Bagel choice 42 Olive __ 43 Tramcar filler 45 “How Easy Is That?” cookbook writer Garten 46 National econ. stat 49 *”Once and Again” actress 52 Key with one flat 54 Robin’s family 55 Here, on Métro maps

57 Grandkid spoiler, often 58 Word before ring or swing 59 Crossroads concern, and where you might find the answers to starred clues’ ending words 62 H.G. Wells race 63 The Bosporus borders it 64 Infuriated 65 Pixar clownfish 66 Hägar the Horrible’s daughter 67 “Ciao!” Down 1 Automaker with a feline logo

2 Marmalade fruit 3 Positive reply 4 Finds players for 5 Toronto winter hrs. 6 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee James 7 “Good __!” 8 1990s Chevrolet subdivision 9 Submitted 10 Areas for religious statues 11 Young star 12 Tested for size 13 Forbidding 18 Minimal 23 Officejet Pro printers 25 Feudal drudge 27 Horror legend Bela 30 Beer after bourbon, say 33 Save 34 Suffix meaning “little” 35 Smithwick’s product 36 Dance venue 37 Western baddie 38 Mosque holy man 39 Male carriers? 40 Hotel door feature 43 Pained sounds 44 Gung-ho 46 Bother incessantly 47 Campaign website button 48 Grace, e.g. 50 Transcriber’s source material 51 “Let’s eat!” 53 Red head? 56 Cardamom-infused tea 60 Classified ad shorthand for “seeking” 61 Olive __

Apr. 11 New

Apr. 16 First

Apr. 25 Full

Apr. 7 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

0.06 in.

0.54 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

MAR. AVERAGE:

05.00 in.

SQUASH Shipping point: Central Florida $10.35-$12.85

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

3.57 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

PlantCityObserver.com