3.9.23 PLCO

PLANNER MARK HUDSON RETIRES

His work leaves a legacy on the City of Plant City.

Plant City City Commission presented Executive Planner Mark Hudson with a proclamation for his dedicated service to the city. Hudson retired in February after more than 35 years of service to Plant City and Hillsborough County.

“We value everything you’ve done for this community,” said Mayor Nate Kilton.

2023 STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL PARADE!!!

Not sure what an executive planner does? Planners collaborate with others to develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth and support transportation designs. Hired by the Hillsborough County City County Planning Commission (HCCCPC) in 1987, there aren’t many projects

that he hasn’t reviewed. Some of the projects established under Hudson’s leadership include: the Interstate-4 Tech Corridor Overlay, the North Alexander Street Land Use and Marketing Study, the “Southern” Gateway District along James L. Redman Parkway and the Northeast Plant City Area Master Plan.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

STILL PLAYING

Lynyrd Skynyrd still set to perform at BerryFest23

The Florida Strawberry Festival announced March 6 that Lynyrd Skynyrd is still set to perform at the 2023 event.

The band announced Sunday night on their Facebook page that band member Gary Rossington passed away. Rossington was an original Lynyrd Skynyrd band member, skilled guitarist, and songwriter.

MICHELLE CACERES

STAFF WRITER

TURN TO PAGE 3 FOR MORE PARADE PHOTOS

HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH WELCOMES

MOBILE FOOD PANTRY

Hope Lutheran Church will once again host their mobile food pantry in the church parking lot, 2001 N. Park Rd., on Thursday, March 16. The pantry, in partnership with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lakeland, will begin distributing food to those in need beginning at 6 p.m. and will end when supplies are distributed. Anyone in need of grocery assistance is encouraged to attend as Hope Lutheran works to help eliminate food insecurities within their local community. Various goods ranging from vegetables to meats to dairy and bakery goods will all be available. The pantry, “Moving Hope,” takes place at Hope Lutheran Church on the third Thursday of each month, no identifiation is required to participate and the pantry is open to anyone in the Plant City community who may need an extra hand.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RANKS

THIRD IN STATE FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING CRASHES

Normally a third place finish ould be celebrated but not in this instance. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), of the 88,494 impaired-driving crashes (those influened by drugs, alcohol or a

combination of both) last year, 41 percent (or 36,508) occurred in March. Of those, Hillsborough County had the third largest number of impaired-driving crashes, at 2,529.

Under Florida law, driving under the influene of alcoholic beverages, chemical substances or controlled substances is one offense, proved by impairment of normal faculties or an unlawful blood alcohol or breath alcohol level of .08 or above. Penalties can include driver’s license revocation, license suspension, fins, community service and/or imprisonment. “Plan ahead this Spring Break with a designated driver or ride-share service before you take your fist drink,” said Colonel Gene S.

the tour bus will visit several farms in Plant City, including a strawberry farm, plant nursery, tropical fish arm and the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Registration is open and there are still seats left on the tour bus. Tickets cost $5 and includes lunch. For more information or to purchase tickets call 813-853-1086.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REMINDS TAXPAYERS OF DEADLINE TO PAY REAL ESTATE AND TANGIBLE TAXES

The tax man (in this case woman) cometh. Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy C. Millan’s office mailed more than 50,000 real estate and tangible combined reminder notices for the 2022 tax year. Accounts that remain unpaid as of April 1 become delinquent and are subject to interest and penalties. Payment must be postmarked by March 31 to avoid additional fees for the 2022 tax year. Taxes outstanding for two years or more are eligible for tax deed foreclosure and can result in the loss of the property to a tax deed sale. Millan encourages property owners to take advantage of online payment options and ensure payment is sent by March 31 to avoid any additional fees. For online payments and drop box locations, visit www.hillstax.org.

Beginning Electricity March 29 - May 3.

5:00-8:00. Wednesday evenings. $81

Basic Computer Skills. March 28 - May

2. 5:30-8:30. Tuesday evenings. $81

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

HOSTS “SLAM THE SCAM” DAY ON MARCH 9

For several years, Social Security impersonation scams have been one of the most common government imposter scams reported to the Federal Trade Commission. Social Security scams- where fraudsters pressure victims into making cash or gift card payments to fix alleed Social Security number problems or to avoid arrestare an ongoing goverment imposter fraud scheme.

Scammers use sophisticated tactics to trick potential victims into disclosing personal and financial inormation. Typically, they use these P’s- Pretend, Prize or Problem, Pressure and Payment. For example, scammers pretend they are from Social Security in phone calls or emails and claim there is a problem with the person’s Social Security number. The scammer’s caller ID may be spoofed to look like a legitimate government number. Scammers may also send fake documents to pressure people into complying with demands for information or money.

Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “The Florida Highway Patrol will be out protecting the public from impaired drivers, so use good judgement and never drive impaired.”

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE HOSTS 8TH ANNUAL MILITARY AGRICULTURE TOUR

On March 24, Hillsborough County Extension Service is hosting its 8th Annual Military Agriculture Tour, which gives active duty, veterans and their spouses a tour of local farms to learn about careers in the local agriculture industry, including sales professionals, UAV specialists, mechanics, managers and teachers. This year,

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR COMMUNITY EDUCATION CLASSES

Plant City Adult and Community School is offering community education classes. Registration and payment (money order only) must be made in person at the P.C.

Adult Education office, located at Plant City High School, Monday - Thursday from 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. The office will be closed for Spring Break from March 13 - 17. Park on the bus ramp and enter through the Adult Education door. Must be 16 yrs old or older to register.

Community Education class schedule:

Beginning Pottery March 28 - May 2 5:30-8:30. Tuesday evenings. $81.

Advanced Pottery March 23 - May 11 5:30-8:30. Thursday evenings. $108

Social Security will never tell you that your Social Security number is suspended, contact you to demand an immediate payment, threaten you with arrest, ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone, request gift cards or cash or promise a Social Security benefit appoval or increase in exchange for information or money.

Social Security employees do not contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefi, are already receiving payments and require an update to their record or have requested a phone call from the agency.

To report a scam attempt, go to oig.ssa. gov. For more information, visit www.ssa. gov/scam and www.ssa.gov/fraud.

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL 2023

COPS CORNER

This Week on Cops Corner, Plant City Police investigate: A suspicious driver, stolen fuel and an attempt at fraud.

CRASH LANDING

FEBRUARY 26

FIRST DRINK’S FREE

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com

Sports Writer / Taylor Jenkins tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com

StaffWriter / Michelle Caceres michelle@plantcityobserver.com

Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez

THAT’S NOT GOING TO WORK

3400 block of Bonsilva St. Warrant arrest: Officers met with an individual while patrolling an active construction site at the listed location. An FCIC/NCIC check showed an active violation of parole warrant out of Polk County. The warrant had no bond and was confirmed bfore the individual was subsequently transported to Orient Road Jail.

LIGHTS OUT

1400 block of S. Alexander St. DWLSR / warrant arrest: An offier conducted a traffictop on an individual for driving a moped with no headlight. Upon conducting the stop, an FCIC/FCIC check was conducted that showed the individual to have an active warrant out of Pinellas County. The warrant was confirmed and a separate check was performed for DWLSR with knowledge before the individual was subsequently transported to Orient Road Jail.

2800 block of James L. Redman Pkwy.

Grand theft / THI: An offer responded to the listed location in reference to a possible traffic ash with serious bodily injury, as well as a theft that had occurred at a nearby business. Florida Highway Patrol responded to take over investigation of the traffic ash. One individual was charged with retail theft of $3,000 or more and possession or use of an anti-shoplifting device before subsequently being transported to Orient Road Jail.

FEBRUARY 25

A LONG LIST

800 block of W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Armed traffickingf oxycodone / possession of a fiearm by a convicted felon / possession of marijuana with intent to sell / possession of ammo by a convicted felon / possession of cocaine: Officers conducted a check of a convenience store at the listed location where one individual was subsequently arrested on multiple charges and transported to Orient Road Jail.

PHONING IT IN

1000 block of S. Maryland Ave. Warrant arrest: An officer responded to a residence at the listed location in reference to an individual calling 911 and stating that they had a warrant out for their arrest. Upon arrival, contact was made with an individual who was learned to have two Polk County Sheriff s Office warrants out. The warrants were confirmed via a PCSO operator and the individual was subsequently arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail.

FEBRUARY 27

GAS GUZZLER

2000 block of S. County Line Rd. Gas theft: An officer responded to a business at the listed location and made contact with the general manager who reported that an unknown suspect stole 100 gallons of diesel fuel, valued at $346.

2600 block of James L. Redman Pkwy.

Shoplifting: An officer met with a loss prevention employee at a business at the listed location in reference to a theft of alcohol.

MARCH 1

CARD SHARK

1900 block of S. Alexander St.

Fraud: An officer met with a manager at a business at the listed location who reported that a card scanner was found attached to an ATM.

MARCH 2

MORE GAS GONE

2000 block of S. County Line Rd. Stolen fuel: An officer met with the victim at the listed location who stated that approximately 50 gallons of diesel fuel was stolen from a fuel tank located on the east side of the building.

CAR TROUBLES

200 block of Citrus Landing Dr. Vehicle burglary: Officers met with the victim at the listed location who stated that he discovered that his vehicle had been burglarized on Feb. 23.

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

TO ADVERTISE Call (813) 704-6850

Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com

Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com

CONTACT US

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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To contact us, send your information via: Email: Sarah Holt, SHolt@ PlantCityObserver.com.

Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B, Plant City, FL 33563

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LONGTIME PLANNER MARK HUDSON RETIRES

HUDSON LEAVES A LEGACY OF GROWTH ON PLANT CITY AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

Since much of his work supported Plant City, by 1997 he’d fallen in love with the community to such an extent he and his wife decided to move here.

In 2002, he became the Planning Commission’s liaison to the City of Plant City and in 2011, through an inter-local agreement, he also became the Director of the Plant City Planning and Zoning Division, a position he held for seven years, managing the short-range planning activities of the municipality, including overseeing Plant City’s Board of Adjustments, Historic Resources Board and Planning

Division. In 2017, working in all three roles became too much for one man so Hudson stepped down as Director of Plant City Planning and Zoning Division. He was replaced by Julie Ham, who currently serves in the role.

For Hudson, who’s been working since he was 16 years old, retirement is bittersweet. “I’ll miss working with the great people in my hometown of Plant City,” said Hudson. “It’s been a great honor to plan here.”

The only plans he’s making in the near future are to decompress and take a trip to Great Britain to visit family. “After that, I’ll consider my future plans, whether that’s other planning positions, retirement or doing volunteer work,” he said.

Hudson’s successor at HCCCPC is Yeneka Mills, who will carry on Hudson’s tradition of service to Plant City. For more

Group Quit offers free, expert-led in-person or virtual sessions for all Florida residents regardless of insurance status. Upon class completion, participants are eligible for nicotine replacement therapy such as gum, patches or lozenges.**

MICHELLE

LONG-TIME PLANT CITY ATTORNEY TED TAYLOR HONORED AT MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

AFTER MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF SERVICE AS AN ATTORNEY, OPENING PLANT CITY’S FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN-OWNED LAW OFFICE, TAYLOR WAS HONORED FOR HIS CAREER IN ADDITION TO HIS CONTINUED WORK WITH MOUNT OLIVE AND HIS COMMUNITY.

Last month Mount Olive Baptist Church honored one of their most esteemed members in attorney Theodore Taylor as part of a Black History Month celebration within the church’s community.

Born in Ocala, Taylor graduated high school in 1971 before attending and graduating Magna Cum Laude from Florida A&M University in 1975. From FAMU, Taylor attended law school at the University of Florida where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in December of 1977 before immediately beginning his career in January of 1978.

After moving to Tampa, he struggled finding ork and opened his own practice out of an apartment in Lutz. And following the suggestion of a friend whose in-laws lived in the area, Taylor ultimately made a move to the eastern side of Hillsborough County in March of 1982 that would see him become the fist African American attorney to open a law office in Plant City.

Early in his career he was inspired by the illustrious career of James Redman. Redman, a Plant City High School graduate, began practicing law in 1958. Throughout his career as an attorney, Redman would serve two years in the Air Force, six years

as an associate judge in Plant City and 13 years in the Florida House of Representatives, but what Taylor always remembered about Redman was how early he would arrive to work each day.

“When I fist moved to Plant City my office was on Reynolds Street and every morning Mr. Redman would walk past my office,” Taylor said. “A couple of times when I got in early, I would notice that he would always come in early. So I said that I’d do like Mr. Redman, I’ll come in early and get my work done because the people loved him, his clients loved him. So I realized that a way to get my clients to love me too was through the inspiration of Mr. Redman. If I get to work early and do the best for the clients, the rest will all take care of itself after that. And over the years, it did. I started in Plant City in 1982 and once I got to know Mr. Redman and saw how he did things, it inspired me.”

For 42 years Taylor practiced law in Plant City, proudly thanking God for allowing him to continue serving his community for so long, noting that he never missed even a single day of work due to being sick throughout his career, missing only a few days in 2015 after breaking his ankle. And Taylor points to the final wo years of his practice as the most enjoyable because he would bring his family’s rescue dog Dream

to work with him every day— well, almost every day, because Dream doesn’t work on Fridays.

In addition to his professional work, Taylor remains a devoted member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, continually striving for perfect attendance in church as he always did with work and school. These efforts were another reason Taylor says that he liked to begin his day early, affording him the time to complete his Sunday school planning and Bible study each day in addition to his work. At Mount Olive, Taylor continues to serve as an usher, a Sunday school leader and a leader of the church’s Disciple Makers class — a class in which he leads other members to discipleship as well as developing future Sunday school leaders. Additionally, Taylor assists Pastor Antonio Wilkerson with Bible Study and is the lone living organizer from Mount Olive’s Hot Lunch Ministry, a service in which volunteer members work to feed community members in need on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week.

“I’ve only been a pastor here for six years and Brother Ted has been very influential in y life in the time that I’ve been here, as well as in the community,” Wilkerson said. “He’s instrumental in our Hot Meal Ministry and he’s very active with that, making sure that those who are

less fortunate than we are can go and get a hot meal at least twice per week. Before he was retired he would walk here from his law office just to be a part of it, he would do bible study with them and he would walk back. Rain, sleet, cold, whatever it was, he would make that sacrifie to come over here and then go back to his practice.”

Taylor was honored at Mount Olive for his long and historic law career as well as his work with Mount Olive and in the community. And while the church held several activities throughout February that shined a light on Black History Month, fellow Mount Olive member Terrie Stracham felt that Taylor was more than deserving of special recognition in the wake of his retirement for the multitude of ways he has impacted — and continues to impact — so many within the Plant City community.

“This event was in recognition of Plant City’s fist black attorney, Ted Taylor,” Stracham said. “He’s a member of our church and we just wanted to acknowledge him and all of his years of service both in our community and in our church today. Not only has he served as an attorney but he serves with our homeless mission, he’s a Sunday school teacher, he’s everything. He’s dedicated and he shows his work through that dedication.”

TAYLOR JENKINS STAFF WRITER

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL HOSTS FIRST EVER SPECIAL SMILES DAY

FESTIVAL GUESTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ENJOYED A SENSORY-CONSIDERATE FESTIVAL ENVIRONMENT.

When the Florida Strawberry Festival’s gates opened last Friday morning, gone were the flashing lighs, blaring music and announcements over the loudspeakers. Instead, the sensory-friendly environment, dubbed Special Smiles Day, was created for thousands of adults and children with special needs to enjoy a less-crowded and quieter festival experience.

Sponsored by Plant City Rotary Club, the fist annual event, which ran from 9 a.m. - noon, allowed Special Smiles VIPs and one guest free admission, a selection of free rides and two $5 Special Smiles Day food voucher coins to the fist 1,000 VIPs. A “Sensory Safe Space” was also made available if guests needed a break from the excitement of the event.

Florida Strawberry Festival President Paul Davis said the idea came from Direc-

tor Chris Sparkman. “We had more than 4,000 friends show up to participate and had more than 100 local volunteers to greet them and make sure they all had smiles on their faces,” said Davis. “Overall our fist Special Smiles Day exceeded all expectations and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

Winter Haven resident Amanda Aburto saw a post about the event on a Facebook group so decided to make the half-hour drive to the event with her seven-year-old son, Lukas Aburto. His autism diagnosis means waiting in long lines and loud noises can be difficultor him so he has headphones handy for when distractions become a problem. “He’s a sensory seeker so he takes it all in and gets louder and more distracted,” she said. “It’s so good for us to come out here when there’s not as much stimuli.”

Aburto appreciates being around other

families who’re going through similar challenges. “I don’t see shaming looks but more approving looks,” she said.

Special Smiles Day was the fist time Lithia residents John and Beth Bailey attended the festival. The couple have four children (two with special needs). Three of their children, including 22-year-old Hannah, were in school so they decided to take their 13-year-old autistic son Gabriel. “Hannah couldn’t do this because we’d get here and she wouldn’t get out of the car,” said John Bailey. “The little changes like no music don’t seem like a big deal but they really are a big deal to us.”

Plant City resident Diana McDowell brought her two-year-old son, Quentin to Special Smiles Day. Quentin’s not autistic but has a rare lymphatic malformation that creates non-malignant fluid-fille masses on his face and neck. A tracheos-

tomy helps him breathe.

“This day is really special because they really are special kids,’ said McDowell. “Going out in public can be hard because he’s the only one that stands out.”

Not at Special Smiles Day. “As soon as we walked through the gates he smiled from ear to ear,” she said.

Guests weren’t the only ones smiling. Volunteer Amanda Lagunes said “It made my heart so happy to hear about this special day for guests to come out to the Festival, be celebrated and have time just for them,” she said. “I just love my hometown of Plant City.”

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

SPORTS STRAWBERRY CREST RACES OUT TO BIG WIN OVER PLANT CITY

After jumping out in front with a huge third inning, the Chargers defeated the Raiders 15-2 in fie innings.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Strawberry Crest made their way to Plant City last Friday night on the heels of a 9-0 loss to Plant that moved them to 2-2 on the year, facing a Raiders team that had similarly just dropped to 2-2 following a 6-4 loss to Lennard. The matchup would feature one of the better high school matchups in the nation with Plant City’s junior pitcher Chase Mobley — a hard-throwing FSU commit and one of the nation’s top high school pitchers for the class of 2024 — facing off against Strawberry Crest’s Arjun Nimmala — a fellow FSU commit that was recently listed by The Athletic’s Keith Law as the number seven prospect for the 2023 MLB Draft.

“There’s a lot of energy, definitely more than in normal games,” Crest head coach Eric Beattie said about local matchups. “They know each other, there’s a lot of good ballplayers in that dugout, there’s a lot in our dugout, so it’s always a hyped matchup.”

Mobley quickly induced a ground ball to notch the first out of the first inning when Nimmala stepped into the box and immediately ripped a first pitch fastball up the middle for a single, wasting no time moving to second with his first stolen base of the night. Another ground out to third marked the second out of the first but a ground ball from Eli Vickers squeaked through the right side of the infield, scoring Nimmala from

second to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead after one. In the bottom of the first, senior Luke Richardson got the start for Crest. A leadoff single from Plant City’s Deven Gonzalez quickly got the Raiders into the hit column — stealing second to move into scoring position — but Richardson responded with three straight strikeouts to hold off the Plant City threat.

Freshman catcher Toby Highsmith led off the top of the second with an infield single for the Chargers and after a fly ball to center marked the first out of the inning, courtesy runner Reuben Vasquez stole second himself to give the Chargers another oneout scoring opportunity. Lance Highsmith worked a walk and a passed ball moved runners to second and third, still with just one out on the board, but Mobley worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a loud line out to deep center. And in the bottom of the second, Mobley wasted no time helping out his own cause with a towering home run to deep left field, knotting the game up 1-1, but that was all Richardson would allow as he added two more strikeouts throughout the second.

In the third, Crest would break the game open with a nine-run inning, starting with a strikeout of Nimmala that ultimately turned into a baserunner as the third strike made its way to the backstop letting him reach first safely. After Nimmala stole second for the second time in as many chances, junior Akhil Nimmala punched a single into left

field that left runners on first and third. A bunt single from Vickers pushed a second run across for the Chargers and a walk from Jace Raburn loaded the bases. Toby Highsmith then came up big again with his second hit of the contest, a single to center scoring one run, and the throw home skipped past the catcher and to the fence, allowing another run to score — moving the Crest lead to 4-1 — and the trail runners to advance to second and third. A pair of passed balls brought both runners home, giving the Chargers a 6-1 lead, and Lance Highsmith reached on a hit by pitch with one out to put another runner aboard for Crest. As Highsmith looked to steal second, the throw down sailed into center and the junior outfielder advanced easily to third.

A single into shallow center from freshman Raymond Llanes drove home Highsmith and a walk from senior Zach Redner once again put runners on first and second. A passed ball moved the runners to second and third and a base hit to the left side from Arjun Nimmala scored both, pushing the Chargers lead to 9-1 as he also advanced to second on the throw home. Arjun Nimmala was thrown out trying to steal third, the Raiders’ second out of the evening, but Akhil Nimmala tacked on one more run with a solo home run to left.

“We had a lot better at bats tonight with two strikes,” Crest head coach Eric Beattie said. “We made great in-at bat adjustments

tonight that we haven’t been making. We faced an unbelievable pitcher tonight, one of the best arms in the country, so to have the offense that we did tonight was very, very promising for our guys. The base running was phenomenal all the way around.”

With a 10-1 lead in the fourth, Toby Highsmith’s third base knock of the day drove in another RBI and put the Chargers up 11-1. In the bottom of the fourth, an RBI single from Gonzalez brought the deficit to 11-2, keeping the Raiders out of 10-run rule territory for the time being, but four more runs in the top of the fifth essentially put the game away for the Chargers as Redner shut the door in the bottom half of the frame to seal the 15-2 victory.

“Luke and Zach are consistent, they work hard, they pay attention to their preparation,” Beattie said. “They’re very consistent, we know what we’re going to get from both of those guys. They came out tonight and gave us a good chance to win and our offense took advantage.”

DURANT OUTLASTS PLANT CITY IN EXTRA INNINGS

tough opponents in Lennard, Strawberry Crest and Durant.

Durant made the drive to Plant City High School on Tuesday as the Cougars moved to 4-1 on the year with a 7-2 win in extra innings.

Durant and Plant City have been trending in different directions as the Tampa Bay Area’s annual Saladino Tournament approaches. The Cougars are currently riding what is now a four-game win streak since opening the season with a 4-2 loss to Plant, a win streak in which they’ve outscored their opponents 32-5 and features big wins over Gaither and Plant City this past week.

The Raiders have alternatively struggled after opening their year with back-to-back wins over Freedom and Newsome, now falling to 2-3 with consecutive losses against

Looking for a chance to bounce back on Tuesday, senior USF commit Adan Longoria took the mound for the Raiders, and he was sharp from the first inning as he struck out two of the first three batters he faced with a soft ground out to second in between. And taking the mound to start the bottom of the frame was Durant’s Gavin Florio, looking for another strong outing after tossing a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in the Raiders win over Gaither last Thursday. With a ground out to third, a soft fly out to right and a strikeout to end the frame, both pitchers were perfect through one.

In the top half of the second, Longoria picked up where he left off in the first and cruised through the frame by striking out

the side in order. And not to be outdone, Florio struck out the first two hitters he faced in the second before inducing another ground ball to third to end the inning.

Moving to the third, the Cougars had finally appeared to break through as junior Pete Oderio notched the first hit of the ball game on a hard line drive to right field, but Durant’s first baserunner was immediately retired as a perfect throw from Chase Mobley in right gunned down Oderio at second as he attempted to stretch his base hit into a double. Unfazed, Longoria then struck out the next two batters. Florio then took the mound for the third and opened the bottom half with a three-pitch strikeout before falling behind 3-1 in the next at bat, battling back to ultimately notch a swinging strikeout for the second out of the inning. With a

groundout from Plant City’s Landon Robert in the next at bat, Florio remained perfect through three as the game moved on to the fourth, still deadlocked at 0-0 with just one hit between the two teams.

After a strikeout from Longoria opened the fourth, Durant found a little bit of luck to put some pressure on the Raiders for the first time. With senior infielder Aidan Welsh looking to stay alive in a 1-2 count, Longoria notched his eighth strikeout of the contest by drawing a check swing on a breaking ball in the dirt, but the pitch made its way to the backstop and Welsh was able to reach first safely. In the Cougars’ next at bat, junior Blaine Rowland worked a full count and continued to battle with foul ball after foul ball until he eventually drew a walk to put runners on first and second with just one

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

It took eight innings to decide a winner, but the Cougars exploded in extras to come away with the win.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

DURANT OUTLASTS PLANT CITY IN EXTRA INNINGS

out. Both runners were subsequently able to advance to second and third on a passed ball in the next at bat, but yet another swinging strikeout followed by a fly out to first ended the Durant threat. And in the bottom of the inning, Plant City looked to put together a threat of their own as senior Deven Gonzalez ripped a single to left to leadoff the inning, moving into scoring position with one out following a bunt from junior Colin Pellicer. With two outs remaining for the Raiders to drive Gonzalez in and open the scoring, Florio ended his scoreless outing by retiring the next two hitters via a strikeout and a hard line out to straight away center field.

And in the top of the fifth, Durant was finally able to take advantage of station-tostation baseball and break into the run column. To open the inning, senior Jeremy Ortiz ripped a hard ground ball that wasn’t fielded cleanly, reaching safely at first on the error. A pair of perfectly placed bunts from Oderio and fellow junior Tristan Brown loaded the bases as both hitters reached safely as well. And with the bases loaded and no outs, junior Devin Suero came up big as he looped a single into right to give Durant a 1-0 lead and keep the bases full. A passed ball in the next at bat allowed a second unearned run to come across for the Cougars, also seeing the trail runners advance to second and

third, but Longoria answered with three consecutive strikeouts to hold the deficit at 2-0.

Moving to the bottom of the fifth, the Cougars turned to another strong arm in senior Preston Rogers, a familiar face for the Raiders as he transferred to Durant from Plant City High School this year. Senior Anthony Palestrini opened the inning with a walk, moving to second on a bunt from senior Wyatt Fordham. And after Rogers notched the second out with a strikeout — sitting just out away from escaping the frame — the entire game changed as Longoria continued his huge night as he knotted up the contest with a massive two-run home run to center field. Rogers allowed one more runner in the inning, but ended the Raiders’ half of the fifth with a ground out to third.

Longoria and Rogers worked through the sixth with ease, each allowing just one baserunner before their nights came to a close and the game moved to the seventh where Zane Wright handled the top of the seventh for Plant City and Rowland struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh for Durant. For Longoria, despite the two unearned runs, he finished his six innings of work allowing five hits, two walks and 14 strikeouts.

And moving into extras, it was the Cougars that broke through and exploded in the top of the eighth. After Rowland reached on an error to open the inning, junior Noah

Morales put Durant back on top with a huge home run of his own, ricocheting off the light pole past the left field fence to give the Cougars a 4-2 lead.

“Noah was another guy that had been battling all night,” head coach Butch Valdes said. “He hadn’t really been successful and then all of a sudden, waiting for that opportunity when someone misses a spot, he explodes on it and it opens the door.”

Senior catcher Dylan LaPointe immediately followed up the Morales home run with a double ripped into the right center gap, followed by a hard ground ball from Ortiz that once again couldn’t be fielded cleanly, allowing him to reach first safely as LaPointe’s courtesy runner Brody Lissy came all the way around to score from second. After a walk from Oderio and bunt single from Florio, a double down the left field line from junior Nick April-Gath tacked on two more runs for Durant and extended their lead to 7-2.

“That was the key, we had to outlast them,” Valdes said. “We knew that Longoria was going to start mowing people down so we tried to make some adjustments and kind of hopefully capitalize on their mistakes, which we did to get a couple of runs in, then once he was done we knew we kind of had a chance to go at it.”

Down to their last breath, Pellicer lined a double into right center in the bottom of the

eighth but three more strikeouts from Rowland shut the door on Plant City and sealed the victory for the Cougars.

“We knew that it was going to be tough, more on Preston than anything else,” Valdes said about the Cougars strong pitching performance. “He’s coming from Plant City so they were in his ear, a two-run home run from Longoria, but he kept his composure just fine. He’s a great kid and we’re blessed to have him. Florio did a heck of a job tonight and Blaine did what Blaine does, shutting the door.”

While Durant will open their Saladino Tournament schedule on Saturday against Sickles, Plant City will look to get back into the win column on Thursday against Gaither.

“This run is huge but everyone knows what they can do,” head coach Butch Valdes said. “We’ve faced some tough teams now, we’ve faced strong pitchers like Longoria and everything, so I think it brings that confidence up. We’re ready to go.”

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

It took eight innings to decide a winner, but the Cougars exploded in extras to come away with the win.

Local February 2023 sales and trend information courtesy of The Crawford Group.

“I’m not selling for that … I know what my home is worth.”

As Realtors we hear this a lot lately, when we press the seller for more information as to why, it’s always the same, so and so sold their home last year for much more than we are asking. Why is my home still on the market? The issue exists that your determination of worth, sweat equity and memories of your home do not always extrapolate into market valuation of the property in the buyer’s eyes.

Markets are ever changing and have cooled since the peak last year. There are several considerations in factoring home values, in this commentary we are basically reviewing inventory, overall sale prices, price per square foot and days on market for comparison models, but as a Realtor® listing your home we look at condition, location and time constraints as well to determine the current valuation and market its highest and best use.

As we look at the Plant City housing data, February 2023, our market area sold 63 homes for the month substantially lower than last year’s average of 82.4 per month. The housing inventory has increased slightly in months’ supply from 2.12 to 2.15, still considerably less than the 3-4 months average supply needed for a normal market time period. The ADOM, average days on market, was 48.2 but that number should decrease somewhat over the next prevailing months but will be higher than last year’s ADOM of 23 days. Sellers will need to get accustomed to longer days on market and reduced price per SF points before an executed contract agreement.

February’s average price of homes was $335,904 a decline from the previous year of $358,895 which amounts to a 6.4 percent decrease, but that figue is about

12 percent below the peak of May/Jun 2022. To put that decrease into perspective of the seller mentioned at the beginning of the article, their neighbors selling a $400,000 home the year before would mean the same property style home would be worth about $50,000 less given similar circumstances today. The average selling price per SF was $182.48 in February compared to YTD (year to date) average of $187 per square foot. Comparing the Median prices month over month data, last month finished with median sales price of $329,990, which was four percent lower than in January.

So, what about the coming year. Pricing should stabilize in the next few months, multiple offer situations will be an uncommon occurrence, sellers may start providing concessions while the inventory supply increases. Mortgage and insurance rates will limit the buyer’s purchasing power which will lead to increased days on market, (List date to contract to closing). The housing market is sound. I heard the other day from an insurance representative that over the next couple of years, statistically there will be more people retiring from the job force in recorded history, which suggests that many of them may be downsizing in home size. This may be the next real estate boom.

If you are in the market to buy or sell your home, please seek an experienced professional Realtor® to assist you in this transaction process. There are too many consequences, going it alone without proper representation. If you have any questions, want a market value analysis of your home, or see what’s available to purchase, please reach out.

M Crawford Crawford Group

SALES SNAPSHOT

The following residential properties were a sample listed as sold on the Greater Tampa Realtors Association MLS in February 2022 for the Plant City Market Area.

The home at 1808 N Franklin St sold February 21 for $150,000. Built in 1948, it has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and 1492 square feet of living area.

The home at 6313 Red Hawk Ln sold February 24 for $210,000. Built in 1972 it has 2 bedrooms, 2 bath and 1640 square feet of living area.

The home at 1101 N Park Rd sold February 13 for $235,000. Built in 1969, it has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and 1016 square feet of living area.

The home at 107 S Forest St sold February 28 for $275,000. Built in 2008, it has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath and 1558 square feet of living area.

The home at 508 W Garden St sold February 13 for $299,900. Built in 1940, it has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and 1332 square feet of living area.

The home at 3231 Alcott Ave sold February 23 for $315,000. Built in 1995, it has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and 2045 square feet of living area.

The home at 3110 Magnolia Garden Dr sold February 16 for $328,000. Built in 2007, it has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath and 1583 square feet of living area.

The home at 111 Citrus Landing Dr sold February 3 for $338,000. Built in 2005, it has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath and 1483 square feet of living area.

The home 1448 Tahitian Sunrise Dr sold February 27 for $359,900. Built in 2022, it has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bath and 2584 square feet of living area.

The home at 8712 Turkey Creek Rd sold February 16 for $375,000. Built in 1988, it has 4 bedrooms, 2 bath and 1731 square feet of living area.

The home at 3216 S Northview Rd sold February 16 for $405,000. Built in 2018, it has 5 bedrooms, 3 bath and 2674 square feet of living area.

The home at 2905 Spring Hammock Dr sold February 14 for $429,000. Built in 1999, it has 4 bedrooms, 3 bath and 2229 square feet of living area.

The home at 1002 Crocker Ln sold February 28 for $485,000. Built in 1977, it has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath and 3735 square feet of living area.

The home at 1129 Cowart Rd sold February 7 for $575,000. Built in 2003, it has 4 bedrooms, 3 bath and 2812 square feet of living area.

The home at 4906 Thonotosassa Rd sold February 24 for $755,000. Built in 1986, it has 7 bedrooms, 5 bath and 4244 square feet of living area.

Florida Strawberry Festival

“Marshall Middle Magnet School’s band.” - Jason Mesa

“The FUN our tribe had eating the best Strawberry Shortcake at the TLC Shortcake Booth from Transforming Life Church at the Entenmann’s Tent, and listening and dancing to the entertainment!”

- Donna Byrtus

“This special event they had, with the help of Plant City Rotary Club, held Friday for Special Smiles. I will forever be grateful.” - Julie Reynoso

“I really loved the Jet Ski Water Show and as always the food! And the parade was amazing!”

- Stephanie

Oliva

“So far it’s the costume contest and watching my girl with her sheep.”

- Casey Simmons Runkles

“Cotton candy.” - Ileana Boche-Lopez

“The big ferris wheel with my grandson.” - Deanna Shaw

“My daughter winning prettiest girl!” - Sarah Austin

“Peachey’s donuts.” - Amber Mercedez

“The Strawberry Grand Parade yesterday!” - Jeremy Griner

“Watch the faces on the children, what beautiful memories.” - Natalie Cruz

“Shortcake from the Transforming Life Church booth.” - Kyle Judah

“Ludacris!” -Amanda Hartnett-Knoll

“Sara Evans and Chris Young.” - Jody O’Steen

“The parade.” - Renee Mayernik

“Waffle tacos!” - Naomi Fowler

“Wish Farms strawberries.” - Vic Hamilton

“Chocolate covered bacon.” - Haley Riley

“Not going.” - Gary Hughes

Member FDIC

David ‘Gus’ Gustav Bjelke

David “Gus” Gustav Bjelke, 55, of Plant City, born on May 15, 1967, in Staten Island, New York, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 26, 2023. Expressions of condolences at www. HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Davetta Hale Meeks

Davetta Hale Meeks, 47, of Plant City, born on June 16, 1975, in Fort Worth, Texas, entered into eternal rest on March 1, 2023. Expressions of condolences at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Randy Crosby

Randy Crosby, 74, of Lithia, Fla., born on Feb. 5, 1949, in Lubbock, Texas, entered into eternal rest on March 1, 2023. Expressions of condolences at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Rosemarie ‘Rosie’ Martha Wellmann

Rosemarie “Rosie” Martha Wellmann, 82, of Plant City, born on March 3, 1941, in Germany, entered into eternal rest on March 5, 2023.

Expressions of condolences at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Heather Ann Lewis

Heather Ann Lewis, 39, of Dover, born on Aug. 22, 1983, in Lakeland, entered into eternal rest on March 4, 2023.

Expressions of condolences at www.HopewellFuneral. com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Mattie Lou Stump

Mattie Lou Stump, 98, passed away on March 05, 2023 in Plant City, Fla. Friends and family will be received March 13, 2023 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd Plant City, FL 33563. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at Haught Funeral Home.

Online condolences can be made at www.haught.care.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

Ezekiel Gomez Antunez

Ezekiel Gomez Antunez, 25, passed away on March 4, 2023. The family will be accepting friends and family March 10, 2023, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at San Juan Mission, 3238 San Jose Mission Dr., Dover, FL 33527. A funeral service will follow.

Online condolences can be made at www.haught. care.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

James ‘Tommy’ Phillips

James “Tommy” Phillips, 87, passed away on March 2, 2023. A Funeral Service was held March 8, 2023 at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd Plant City, FL 33563. Online condolences can be made at www.haught. care.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

YOUR CALENDAR

BEST BET

SATURDAY, MARCH 11

PARKS & REC’S ANNUAL YOUTH FISHING DERBY

8:30 to 10:30 at 1500 S. Park Rd. Registration remains open for Parks & Rec’s annual Youth Fishing Derby. The event is open to all kids from the ages of fie to 15, with pre-registration open from now until March 10 and registration on the day of the event available from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. The event will take place at the back parking lot at Plant City Stadium and all anglers are encouraged to bring their own pole, the bait of their choice and a fie-gallon bucket to transport their fish o the weight station. Prizes will be awarded for the top catfish and ass overall, along with awards for the largest weight and most fish aught by each age group. For more information, email recinfo@ plantcitygov.com or call 813-659-4255.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 - MARCH 12

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

10 a.m. at 303 Berryfest Pl. The Florida Strawberry Festival will continue on March 2, with gates opening at 10 a.m.and the Midway opening at noon. With $2 off f the gate admission of $10 for patrons 60 years or older, the festival’s fist day will feature events like the Deep Fried Strawberry Shortcake on a Stick Relay, a senior citizens drawing and Rekindled Bits of Grass performing at the Publix Showcase Tent.

SATURDAY, MARCH 11

OPEN MIC NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.

Open Mic Night is back at Krazy Kup. Join them for a fun night where you get to be the star of the show. Come out, strut your stuff and shw everyone what you’ve got.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

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 benefis please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific tim.

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

won’t want to miss Rekindled has quickly become a staple in the Bluegrass community over more than nine years together. Their drive and timing are like a well-oiled machine and their blend of voices may even bring you to tears of joy as they deliver the message of life through song. Admission is $15 and can be purchased inhouse or through www.eventbrite.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

SATURDAY, APRIL 1

STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN

3 to 6:30 p.m. at 102 N. Palmer St. The Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is back on Saturday, March 18, rain or shine. Cars and trucks of all makes, models and years can register for free starting at 3 p.m. Live music by DJ John Paul Gasca.

MONDAY, MARCH 20

PLANT CITY GARDEN CLUB MEETING

9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 303 N. Evers St. The Plant City Garden Club will host their monthly meeting at the First United Methodist Church’s Fellowship Hall. There will be a coffee meet and greet at 9:30, followed by a general meeting at 10. March’s meeting will feature guest speakers from the Plant City Solid Waste Department, discussing recycling do's and don'ts. For more information, contact Christy Linke by email at clinke3173@aol.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

BLUEGRASS NIGHT WITH REKINDLED BITS OF GRASS

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Head to Krazy Kup for Bluegrass Night, featuring Central Florida’s own Rekindled Bits of Grass. The band features seasoned musicians performing a blend of traditional Bluegrass, country and Christian/Gospel music. This is surely a show that you

UNITED FOOD BANK SNEAK PEAK

EVENT

2 to 4 p.m. at 702 E. Alsobrook St. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the United Food Bank of Plant City’s Sneak Peak Event that was originally scheduled for Sunday, March 19 has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will feature an opportunity to get a fist look at the Food Bank’s brand new building, along with hors d’oeurvres served and public remarks at 3 p.m. RSVP is required prior to attending the event, and it can be done by calling 813-763-4660 or 813-245-2244.

FRIDAY, MARCH 31

LAST FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN

5 to 9 p.m. at 110 N. Collins St. The Last Friday in Downtown Food Truck Rally is held with a new theme each month. There will be live music, an expanded exhibitor market, a bounce house, a scavenger hunt, food trucks and more. The event is family and pet friendly and all are recommended to bring chairs and blankets. March’s Last Friday theme will be Easter!

BLUEGRASS JAM

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. This is an open invitation for local Bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup loft and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy! Krazy Kup holds their Bluegrass JAM on the fist Saturday of every month.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH ESTRANGED FAMILY

6:30 to 8 p.m. at 1107 Charlie Griffind. Join other parents who are estranged from their adult children. PEAK (Parents of Estranged Adult Kids) group provides a safe place to listen, share and support others going through the hurt of adult family abandonment. Meetings will include group discussions, self-care and positive inflenced activities to help cope with the situation. PEAK is not appropriate for abusive relationships or mental illness. Meetings are the fist Wednesday of each month at GracePoint Church. For more information, visit www.peaksupportgroup.com

photo courtesy of City of Plant City

I LOVE PLANT CITY

Send your photo submissions to staff writer Taylor Jenkins at tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

MOON PHASES

RAINFALL

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

ONLINE Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instagram, @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer on Facebook.

Charles Sides snapped this photo of a hungry duck making a quick stop at his bird feeder for a snack.

STRAWBERRY

“We provide compassionate care for you and your family.”

It’s not just an ID badge. It’s a badge of honor.

At South Florida Baptist Hospital, the team members who wear this badge give you high-quality care in a comfortable atmosphere. Our wide range of specialty services includes comprehensive orthopedic care, sports medicine services and total joint replacement procedures. We have a comprehensive gynecology program that offers a variety of women’s services, and our weight loss surgery program meets nationally recognized standards. And if surgery is required, we have surgeons who are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures, which means shorter hospital stays and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. All of this means you get outstanding, compassionate care right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptist.org