5.20.21 PLCO by Plant City Observer

Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 146

FREE • THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2021

. YO UR NEWS PAP ER . MORE PROGRESS MADE FOR NORTH PARK ISLE It’s finally happening. North Park Isle’s Phase 1A Final Plat was approved by commissioners last week.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The wait is finally over for the start of the North Park Isle subdivision development. Commissioners approved a final plat for North Park Isle Phase 1A during last week’s commission meeting and now the developer is officially ready to start the vertical development on the initial

phase. The applicant also requested a waiver to allow dead-end streets in lieu of cul-de-sacs for areas that will connect to future phases, which commissioners also unanimously approved. North Park Isle has a long and complicated relationship with Plant City. The development was first approved by commissioners in 2006, then modified in 2016 and again in 2018. Then the applicant asked commissioners

to approve the Planned Development District as a mixed-use residential development allowing maximums of 1,100 single-family lots and 250 multi-family lots. Construction plans for Phase 1A and 1B were approved by staff in January 2020. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

EVERS STREET

Courtesy of Karen Elizabeth

HIGHLIGHTED IN BLOCK PARTY

Plant City Main Street hosted a two-hour event Tuesday night to highlight the new businesses that call Evers Street home.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

PCPD assists HCSO with local arrest of Seffner kidnapping suspect

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday the arrest of Cody Lee Jackson in Plant City after a nine-day search for the kidnapping suspect started in Seffner. The morning of May 9, HCSO said, Jackson was involved in a physical altercation with the victim at a residence in Seffner. Jackson struck the victim with a piece of wood, forced the victim into a vehicle and drove away, then stopped at one point to bind the victim’s wrists and ankles with extension cords. Jackson stopped at a gas station in Inverness and the victim was able to escape and ask for help. Jackson fled the scene when he learned the victim escaped and the vehicle was later found in Tampa at the intersection of U.S. 41 North and Sunset Lane. On May 18, Plant City Police Department said, it got a call about a vehicle that was stolen at the Circle K at 2210 N. Park Road. Police saw a vehicle matching the description at the BP Gas Station at 2009 N. Wheeler St. and initiated a traffic stop. The suspect — Jackson — matched the description PCPD was given and was seen sitting in the vehicle with the door open. Upon seeing police, Jackson closed the door and attempted to flee but was stopped by another officer, who stopped their patrol car in front of the stolen vehicle. Jackson exited the vehicle after several commands to do so and was detained without incident. The victim was able to identify the vehicle and said she did not know Jackson. An FCIC/NCIC check revealed one outstanding warrant out of Citrus County for false imprisonment and kidnapping and one out of Hillsborough for grand theft of a motor vehicle, false imprisonment and two counts of kidnapping to harm or terrorize. Jackson was also charged with grand theft of a motor ve-

hicle and resisting arrest without violence for the Plant City incident. “Thanks to the outstanding teamwork with Plant City PD, superb attention to detail and unwavering dedication to bringing this man into custody, we can say that a dangerous individual is off the streets,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a press release. “Criminals do not follow jurisdictional boundaries, so partnerships with our neighboring agencies are essential to keeping our community safe.”

Strawberry Crest teacher arrested following HCSO investigation Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested Strawberry Crest High School teacher Anthony Michael Peace on Wednesday morning following “an undercover investigation targeting individuals seeking to have sex with minors.” HCSO said in a press release that Peace, 39, who works at the school as a history teacher and was formerly on the wrestling team’s coaching staff, initiated a conversation with an undercover detective on social media on March 29. The detective was portraying a 14-year-old male. The sheriff’s office said Peace solicited nude photos from the decoy teenager and sent explicit videos of himself, giving detectives sufficient evidence to charge him with five counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device and one count of use of computer services or devices to solicit certain illegal acts. Peace was arrested at the school. “It is the ultimate betrayal of trust when mentors and leaders within our community take advantage of their position of authority over young victims,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a press release. “Parents should not have to worry about teachers preying on their children. We will not stop conducting these types of undercover operations until it is clear to everyone that

predatory behavior will not be tolerated in Hillsborough County, especially within our schools.” Anyone with additional information regarding this case is asked to call 813247-8200 as detectives keep working to determine if any other minors or students were victimized.

Optimists award scholarships to incoming college, vo-tech students One of the newest ventures of the Optimist Club of Plant City helps graduating high school seniors afford an education at the next level. The Optimists have traditionally awarded six $1,000 scholarships to local students who apply for them and have participated in Plant City Optimist Club programming. The club has now opened it up to future trade school and vo-tech students. Those students are eligible for $500 scholarships. The new scholarships are made possible with help from Plant Citybased Construction Technology Group. “We recognize that a majority of high school graduates will move directly into the workforce,” Plant City Optimist Club Scholarship Committee member Jack Holland said in a press release. “Many require additional training to achieve the certifications they need to excel at their chosen professions. These hard-working students need our support, and what better way to help them realize their employment goals than by covering some of the cost?” The following students have received these Optimist Club scholarships this year: COLLEGE Brent Coton, Plant City High School Jackson Knotts, Plant City High School Brendan Rollyson, Plant City High School Casey Ackett, Strawberry Crest High School Gavin Hessler, Strawberry Crest High School

Eryk Chazares, Brooks-DeBartolo High School VO-TECH Elijah Mateus, Plant City High School Judith Jacobo, Simmons Career Center

GFWC Woman’s Club collects children’s books Last week, the GFWC Woman’s Club of Plant City’s Education Committee helped Wilson Elementary School students get a head start on their summer reading by delivering more than 200 books. Club members collected children’s books to give to principal Kayla Forcucci on behalf of the students, who will use the books with the school’s upcoming summer reading program. Woman’s Club members also gave handwritten thank you notes to Wilson teachers and faculty for all their hard work in the 2020-21 school year.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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RVR DRAWS MASSIVE CROWDS TO GRAND OPENING

A horse rescue in Plant City received massive support from the community during its official grand opening celebration Saturday. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

An event that was over a year in the making exceeded all expectations Saturday when the community showed up in consistent waves to support RVR Horse Rescue. The rescue moved to its home on West State Road 60 in Plant City in January 2020 and was eager to get everything ready to throw a grand opening and invite the community onto its grounds. However, with the rapid arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, those plans were quickly put on the back burner. “We just really would like to thank everybody in Plant City for coming out and welcoming us to the community,” Kelly Ford, vice president of RVR, said. “We really feel welcome here and we love it. We would love to welcome some of our Plant City neighbors to volunteer with us or adopt a horse. Of course, as a 501(c)(3) all of the donations people give go to the care of the horses. We are all volunteers and none of us get paid so it’s great that the community can know that every penny they donate goes right back into caring for these rescued horses.” The overflow parking lot remained full throughout the entire event as families flocked to pet the horses, tour the property and enjoy a fun and relaxing day outdoors. This was the first Forever Home event at the Plant City location and it kicked off with quite a bang. Two days earlier, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce hosted its official ribbon cutting ceremony at the location and word quickly spread throughout the community of the upcoming event. Music wafted from the open barn where families gathered to enjoy lunch, bid on raffles, take home their very own RVR merch, pick up some desserts from 3C’s Catering’s bake sale and learn more about the organization as a whole. Classix performed some beloved country tunes that had many singing along and a few guests even made an impromptu dance floor near their tables as they swayed and cut a rug to the beat. Typically, RVR is not open to the public as there are not enough volunteers to consistently offer tours of the property. The Forever Home event

offered the community a chance to peek behind the curtain and see all the success stories RVR has been able to provide for local horses in need. Volunteers were scattered throughout the area to meet guests and give an inside look at what the facility does. RVR was originally located in Riverview and has been in operation for more than a decade. The horse rescue focuses on rehabilitating and rehoming injured or sick horses. It prides itself on taking in “the worst cases of abuse and neglect” and then offering those horses a second chance at life. It is an accredited Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance organization and received its 501(c)3 non-profit status in 2001. “We were thrilled with everything, we were really, really thrilled,” Ford said. “We got a lot of positive feedback and everyone seemed to really enjoyed the music and the great food. If I had to guess, I would say throughout the day we had 700 or 800 people come through. What was interesting was people seemed to stay longer, which is probably because of the music. I was stationed in the big barn and saw several people come through multiple times. We had a lot of people express an interest in volunteering. I was surprised also at how many people drove from really far distances to see us in action. We had some from Jacksonville, Gainesville, Dunedin and from south Florida. People follow us on Facebook and when they saw we were having this event, they really committed to coming out and supporting us.” RVR Is located at 1710 W. State Road 60. To learn more visit rvrhorserescue. org or email contact@rvrhorserescue. org. If you missed the grand opening but still want to come out to the rescue for a fun time, RVR will host another event on June 18. It will be a concert performance, “Save a Horse, Rock a Cowboy” by Soul Circus Cowboys. Tickets are $45 and that includes admission, a meal and two drink tickets. The concert will be from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. You can also buy a table for a group. Head over to RVR Horse Rescue’s Facebook page to find more information about the event and click on the link to grab your tickets.

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY

Observer

This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigated unlocked car burglaries, stolen tools, a stolen 2.5-ton condenser

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

unit and more.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com

iStock

Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com

MAY 7

MAY 9

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU PLAYED YOURSELF

THAT CHECKS OUT

1000 block of Village College Court Vehicle burglary: This complainant stated someone entered their unlocked vehicle overnight and stole $3,000 in miscellaneous property. The complainant did not want the vehicle processed but did not want to sign a waiver of prosecution.

MAY 8 PLEASE STOP LEAVING ALL OF YOUR VEHICLES UNLOCKED 1400 block of Oakwood Lane Vehicle burglary: Officers met with this complainant, who stated an unknown subject entered her unlocked vehicle sometime between 8:30 p.m. May 7 and 6 a.m. May 8. The thief stole approximately $75 in cash from inside the vehicle. The complainant signed a waiver of prosecution.

PUMP IT UP

West Reynolds Street Multiple charges: Officers responded to a report of a suspicious subject in the area. They made contact with the male subject and found him to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and taken to Orient Road Jail without incident. IT WASN’T ME 1 Police Place Fraud: This complainant met with PCPD and stated he learned someone used his banking information to make two unauthorized transactions at a convenience store in New York.

MAY 10 REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD 1 Police Place Recovered stolen vehicle: On May 9, a silver Ford Explorer was reported stolen from the 3400 block of Spooner Drive. On May 10, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was able to recover the stolen vehicle.

Charlie Taylor Road/ South Frontage Road Theft: This complainant stated someone stole a high-output diesel fuel pump and a DEF pump with an attachment overnight from a business property. The total value of the stolen items was $3,050. ROAD RAGE Dr. MLK Boulevard/Evers Street Aggravated battery with motor vehicle: This complainant stated someone intentionally hit her vehicle with their vehicle several times.

MAY 11

MAY 12

Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com

WINDOW PAINS

Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez

1200 block of North Burton Street Criminal mischief: Officers met with this complainant, who stated someone caused $900 worth of damage to the glass windows of a vacant home on Burton Street.

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

YOU NEED TO CHILL OUT

Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com

1900 block of Johnson Pointe Drive Theft: Officers met with this complainant, who stated someone stole a 2.5-ton condenser unit sometime between My 11 and 12. The unit was valued at $1,000.

MAY 13 GOTCHA

RECKLESS RENTAL 1300 block of South Collins Street Stolen vehicle: This complainant reported the theft of a Chevrolet Trax which was supposed to have been returned to the Enterprise car lot of May 1.

4110 block of Longfellow Drive Grand theft: Officers responded to a residence after a report of stolen tools. A male subject was arrested in connection with the crime and was taken to Orient Road Jail without incident.

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THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2021

CAPITOL COFFEE ONCE AGAIN CONNECTS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO LOCAL CONSTITUENTS

Three elected officials mingled with the community last week during the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s annual Capitol Coffee event.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Constituents had the opportunity to chat with local elected officials last week during the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s annual Capitol Coffee event. The public and elected officials Lawrence McClure (R), House District 58, Mike Beltran (R), House District 57 and Danny Burgess (R), Senate District 20, mingled at the Trinkle Center early May 12. Those in attendance were able to ask their elected officials questions about the last session and share their concerns. After approximately half an hour of socializing, the group took their seats as the three representatives headed toward the stage. Mayor Rick Lott kicked things off by praising the trio that were there that morning and reflected on the help they provided Plant City during the COVID-19 pandemic. “On behalf of the city and on behalf of our citizens, I just want to start by saying thank you,” Lott said. “Thank you for your leadership this past year. It’s easy to lead and easy to make decisions and easy to progress when there’s great funding and no real issues out there. I don’t think anyone here as far as managing your business, managing your families, being an elected official could have foreseen the challenges we had last year, but I think sometimes that a city’s true character, an elected official’s true character, your business’s true character, your family’s true character shows

when your back is up against the wall and I want to tell you that this city feels honored that we had you representing us in Tallahassee. You made us feel comfortable about moving forward.” He took a moment to specifically highlight McClure and said last year when the pandemic hit, McClure was always there to answer the phone whenever Lott had questions, needed someone to fight for funding for the city or to simply have the city’s best interest at heart when helping make decisions in Tallahassee. He called McClure “a true champion for Plant City.” The representatives were asked to talk about a bill they were most proud of getting approved this last session, as well as a bill they weren’t able to get pushed through but hoped to bring back to the table soon. Beltran said he was most proud of working on a bill designed to “prevent unsolicited telemarketing calls” that passed out of both chambers and went to the governor’s desk. He said he also was proud of working on and passing a bill that attempted to “counteract the Chinese and other countries doing trade secret theft, which has been a problem for a long time.” The third bill he was most proud of that passed off the floor was one to repeal the Constitution Revision Commission. Now approved, the question is expected to appear before voters on the 2022 ballot. To approve the repeal, the voters must approve it by a 60 percent vote. He added that he wants to focus next year on bringing back a bill to focus on

baby boxes. Beltran said the bill essentially expands the newborn/infant surrender statute. It will allow for more baby boxes to be installed throughout communities so that new parents who cannot or do not wish to keep a child will have more places to surrender the child. It also expands the number of days a parent has to make that decision after the birth. This was Sen. Burgess’ first session in the Senate and he said of all the things they were able to accomplish, the one he was most proud of involved the FDVA Veterans’ Claims Examiners. Essentially the bill allows for individuals who do not have a four year bachelors degree but are otherwise “perfectly qualified” to become a Veterans’ Claims Examiner to ask the government to intercede and waive the educational requirement for them. He said the bill passed early in the session and that he hopes they will see it signed into law soon. Something he wished he could have gotten accomplished echoed the Veterans’ Claims Examiners bill. Burgess said he wants to see a similar process established with Disability Claims. He said there are so many families that have a hard time navigating disability claims and he wants a similar service in place so there is a “onestop shop” for families that need help with that process. McClure said he was most proud of working on and succeeding in getting passed a COVID liability protection bill for businesses and healthcare facilities. He said it helped “put our business community at

ease” and was really proud of the work with that. He was also proud of a Right to Farm bill he “had a lot of interaction on.” Food security was a priority in the pandemic and McClure said protecting farmers was something they all took seriously during their session. However, he added he wants to bring back a bill that focuses on working from home and deregulating some of the things that focus on Floridians’ ability to work from home. He said giving Floridians the flexibility to work from home leads to a meaningful impact on a variety of issues including using taxpayer dollars for infrastructure, as inevitably there will be a lowered need for repairs if fewer people are commuting to work. Those in attendance were given a set of “social etiquette” rules to follow throughout the event including refraining from commenting during each representative’s speech. They were, however, invited to text questions for specific representatives to a number and some of those questions were shared in a Q&A section following the initial program. All three candidates agreed to stay late to answer the questions and many lingered following the event to wrap up oneon-ones with attendees who wanted to ask specific questions away from the crowd.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2021

PHASE 1 FINAL PLAT OF NORTH PARK ISLE APPROVED

North Park Isle’s Phase 1A Final Plat was recently approved by commissioners. FROM PAGE 1 BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

In December 2020, the applicant was back asking for commissioners to approve the increase in acreage from 460.19 to 694.8 acres. The PD is currently approved as a mixed-use residential development allowing a maximum of 2,250 single-family lots and a maximum of 250 townhome lots. That long meeting in December led to one overarching theme: the desire to compromise. There were things in the PD commissioners didn’t love — case in point, the proposed lot sizes — but there was much the commission was thrilled to see. Mayor Rick Lott said the developer was listening to the city’s desires and believed they were almost at the point to take that next step. Flash forward to last week, when the applicant presented the Final Plat for Phase 1A, and it appears Lott was right. The sewer, water, roads, retention ponds and other preliminary construction were almost complete on the property at the time of the commission meeting, so the main focus of the developer will soon be bringing the homes and green

spaces to life. The development has plans to also create a pedestrian path from the property to McIntosh Park, a neighboring passive park that is expected to soon be a massive asset for the community. Phase 1A involves 363.86 acres and is approved for a 283-lot single family residential subdivision. According to the report, “The construction plans for this portion of the site show 111 acres of wooded land being preserved (which exceeds the requirement of 35 percent) and approximately 3,000 inches of required replacement on site could not be placed on this phase, but was proposed to be placed on future phases.” It’s important to note that while the decision made last Monday does give the developer the go-ahead for the construction outlined for Phase 1A, the other phases of development that are planned for the rest of the property still have to go through the same steps as Phase 1A to be approved. During last Monday’s meeting, the applicant also proposed to commissioners that they wanted to incorporate and rezone 24 acres into the existing North Park Isle Planned Development District. The plan was to rezone the sub-

ject parcels from Hillsborough County ASC-1 (Agriculture Single Family) and Hillsborough County Agricultural Rural to Planned Development District (North Park Isle PD). This change would modify the PD to add 100 units and also asked for specific approvals to permit 30 units to be 50-foot wide lots with “side yard setbacks be 5 feet, and for driveway requirements to permit spacing 5’ from property line (3’ relief), spaced 10’ edge to edge (30’ center to center, relief of 30’) and center 25’ from intersection (relief of 25’).” The PD modification would shift that initial plan of having a maximum of 2,250 singlefamily lots and a maximum of 250 townhome lots. Now it would have a maximum of 2,350 single-family lots. There would be no change to the maximum townhome lots. The change also led to an increase in overall open green space for the PD and the access to those lots would be through the already established community connecting via the already established access at Wilder Road. Commissioners also approved this North Park Isle request in an unanimous 5 - 0 vote.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW:

THREE HANDS MEAD COMPANY BRINGS UNIQUE FLAVOR TO EVERS STREET

The new meadery is trying to make the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage a hit in Plant City. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

You don’t have to try very hard to find a microbrewery within an hour of Plant City. The craft beer industry has exploded in recent years as these small breweries have become some of America’s favorite event venues, meeting locations, nighttime hotspots and daytime tour destinations. Most people do, however, have to put in some work to find a meadery. The world’s oldest alcoholic beverage hasn’t had a renaissance quite like its carbonated counterpart. But now you don’t need to go to the nearest Renaissance festival to try it. Plant City is now home to Three Hands Mead Company, a labor of love by longtime homebrewers Cody and Jamie Lenz that’s bringing something new — and something very old — to the burgeoning development of Evers Street in the Historic Downtown District. The meadery has been open for several weeks now with a limited menu and will soon roll out its own unique flavors for its May 29 grand opening party. Cody Lenz started making mead seven years ago after he and Jamie Lenz were introduced to it at the Stein & Vine in Brandon. He already had brewing experience from several years working with his father, but mead offered a new challenge as well as something both he and Jamie Lenz could enjoy together. “She loved it,” Cody Lenz said. “I was excited and I learned that night that mead is not cheap. Out of necessity, really, I got into making it. It turned out well and I kept going with it. It’s really something I can do to make for my wife to have a drink. It turned into something I would share with my friends. That turned into submitting meads to competitions and winning medals, and realizing I’m actually making good mead. The

opportunity to grow opened up in Plant City and we ran with it.” After a Topics on Tap meeting two years ago, in which he brought some bottles of his mead and shared them with positive results, Cody Lenz said he realized Plant City may have room for a meadery if not a brewery. It would fit right in with the neighboring Roots Tap Room and Wine Bar and Tipsy Bookworm — all three businesses offer a unique bar experience with vastly different menus. There’s no heated competition here, but there is a kinship between them. And that plays right into the meadery’s name. Whenever the Lenzes need to help each other out with a project, whether it’s been Cody making mead or Jamie building the meadery downtown, they’d ask each other for a “third hand.” Now that the meadery’s up and running, they’d like to be that extra helping hand for their neighbors and Plant City at large. “A goal of ours is to be the ‘third hand’ for whoever needs it,” Cody Lenz said. “If somebody on the block downtown needs help, if there’s an organization that needs help and a place to host an event, or they need donations for a backpack drive, we want to be that ‘third hand’ for the community when they need it.” The tasting room was designed and built largely by Jamie Lenz, and the work was largely done on the fly. Besides having a contractor come to frame out the bar, everything you see in the tasting room was the result of spurof-the-moment inspiration and trips to the Lowes in Plant City. “It was one of those things where none of us planned… it was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we had a honeycomb bar? Let’s do it. Wouldn’t it be cool to have bee smokers for lights? Let’s do it,’” Cody Lenz said. “We’re at Lowes and she goes, ‘Oh, those look like old bee hives, let’s get

those for lights.’ None of this was planned — we just came up with it as we went. It turned out pretty good. I’m really happy with the way the place looks. And it’s funny because I’m not a yellow person but I’m really happy with that back wall over there. I don’t know why.” Even with a limited menu of beer and mead on four taps, plus whatever’s in the fridge, Three Hands has been warmly received by the Plant City community since its soft opening. The bar was packed last month for the Improvement League’s Blues, BBQ and Berries event and was also the highlight of this week’s Topics on Tap block party event. Plant City’s introduction to mead has been swift and successful thus far — more so than the Lenzes envisioned when they first opened the place — and it should only get better from here as Three Hands’ signature offerings make their way to the taps on May 29. There will also be beers, hard seltzers, ciders and eventually non-alcoholic options available for people who aren’t trying to drink mead but still want to hang out at the meadery. Cody Lenz said Three Hands will eventually bottle and sell its mead to go out of the tasting room, then look into local distribution within a year and move to larger-scale operations after that. The meadery’s goal is to branch out and help mead get the star turn craft beer has while staying true to its Plant City roots. “There’s no better place,” Cody Lenz said. The meadery, located at 111 S. Evers St., is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays, from 1 to 11 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 9 p.m. Sundays.

WHAT IS MEAD?

“It’s like in the beer world when winter is stout season,” he said. “In the mead world, There’s no known alcoholic bev- winter is big, heavy fruit mead season. In the summer we’ve erage older than mead, which has been consumed all over the got lower ABV, carbonated stuff that doesn’t wear you out in the word for thousands of years. heat.” In theory, it’s pretty simple: Mead plays well with fruits honey and water fermented and spices for flavoring, but by yeast. It’s generally sweeter it does allow much room for than most drinks thanks to creativity. its base of honey, but not all “One of our most popular mead has to be cloyingly sweet. meads is ‘Not for the Faint of That’s something the Lenzes Tart,’ which is tart cherries, hope to teach people who may cranberries and pomegranbe skeptical about trying it. ates,” Cody Lenz said. “It “It’s very similar to making balances that tartness from all wine,” Cody Lenz said. “Instead those fruits with the sweetness of starting with grapes, you of the honey.” start with honey. From there Cody Lenz said one of the we decide where we want to go meadery’s goals is not only to with flavors. It’s honey, water introduce the drink to people and yeast as the base. From who don’t know about it, but there we can do fruits, spices, also to change the minds of coffee, maple syrup, hot pepanyone who swore off it after pers — it’s really only limited drinking the cheapest stuff. by our creativity. It’s all just “Not all mead is equal,” he kid of figuring out the ratios of said. “If you’ve had mead at what you want to do, throwing the ren fair… this isn’t your it in the tank and giving it some everyday Renaissance festival yeast.” mead. It’s a challenge and it’s Anyone concerned about something we enjoy at the drinking a heavy, fruity, strong same time, getting people beverage in Florida’s summer to realize this is much better heat need not worry. Carbonthan that and that they do like ated meads have become mead. They can become mead increasingly popular in the last people… the joke I tell people is, five to six years, Cody Lenz 3/25/21 ‘You’ve said, and they put a lighter, Keiser - Lakeland had Heineken but you still drink beer.’” Plant City Observer more refreshing take on the 5x6 DL drink. 3/22/21 231-1937-PCO-Lakeland-IIYS-HC-5x6

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THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

KENZIE WHEELER GOES LIVE Wheeler’s star turn on NBC’s The Voice continued as the Dover native made the show’s top nine last week and gave knockout performances this week. Wheeler made the show’s top five and will compete in next week’s live finale.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kenzie Wheeler sets one goal for himself before every episode of NBC’s The Voice: to go out there and do the best he can. It’s kept him humble throughout this season as his star has grown and his spot in the contest has stayed secure. Last week was unique in that Wheeler got to perform on the first live show of this season. He took on Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road” — though it was closer to the Cody Johnson version, Wheeler said — and hoped he’d done enough to make it into the top nine one way or another. “It was a chill performance and I had a really great time,” Wheeler said. “I don’t feel like it was really any different to me. Yeah, it is live. I just try not to think about that it’s live and act like it’s just another performance, give it my best and hope for the votes. That’s all you can really do.” That song gave the Dover native the opportunity to do more with his voice than he had in prior episodes. Viewers heard much of this at the end of the song, when Wheeler got to explore more of his vocal range than usual

and show America how he’s progressed as a singer under Kelly Clarkson’s wing. Blake Shelton commented afterward that he thinks Wheeler was likely to win the show. The next evening, America showed him some love and gave him more votes than any other Team Kelly competitor. The people’s vote secured his spot in the top nine and Wheeler said he couldn’t have been more relieved to get in this way. “They called my name and I felt really, really overwhelmed and very thankful for America believing in me,” Wheeler said. “I didn’t think that was gonna happen. Team Kelly was really strong. Gihanna (Zoe), Corey (Ward) and Zae (Romeo) were all phenomenal. I’m humbled and super thankful America believes in me that much to put me in the top nine on Kelly’s team.” He at least knew he had the full support of his hometown. Plant City and Dover residents have come together in each of the last two weeks for watch parties at Keel Farms and planned to keep going for as long as Wheeler and his soulful voice would be on TV. “Family, friends, people I haven’t talked to in a while, the mayor was there,” Wheeler said. “It’s insane, man, how

much the people back home are supporting me. I never thought all this would happen and here we are today. It’s really been a blessing. I want to thank everybody for supporting me and for all the love. It’s really unbelievable.” Wheeler got to perform twice this past Monday. First, he joined Ward and Cam Anthony for a performance of Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” which saw a resurgence in 2014 when it was featured in Marvel’s first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Then Wheeler closed out the show with his take on George Jones’s “He Stopped Loving Her Today” — which is his grandmother’s favorite song and one many in Plant City have hoped he would be able to sing. When voting concluded and the winners were announced Tuesday evening, Wheeler was once again the people’s champ of Team Kelly and advanced to next week’s live season finale. Joining him in the final round of competition are Team Legend’s Victor Solomon, Team Nick’s Rachel Mac, Team Blake’s Cam Anthony and Wildcard Instant Save winner Jordan Matthew Young, also of Team Blake. The season finale will air at 8 p.m. May 25.

Trae Patton/NBC

IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND You can also join the watch party in Plant City as it moves to Evers Street for the finale. Starting at 6:30 p.m., downtown businesses will team up to throw one big block party on the street with a 40-foot screen to watch the show on. Establishments on the street will be open for business during the watch party.

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY GIVES BACK A variety of checks were provided from the organization to groups that give back to the Plant City community.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Unity in the Community donated thousands of dollars to organizations throughout the community last Friday in a presentation at Stingray Chevrolet. The group is a non-profit charity exclusive to Plant City that raises money every year to give back to the community. Unity in the Community has been active since 1999 and supports local organizations like the United Food Bank of Plant City, the

Plant City Family YMCA and the Stuff the Bus program. Each year it also gives back to local youth via a variety of scholarships. During last week’s check presentation, Unity in the Community gave People’s Life Institute $5,000, gave Manna on Wheels $2,500, provided $7,500 to Trinity Sportsman and gave the Plant City Boys & Girls Clubs $10,000. On an earlier date, the group also presented the Plant City Family YMCA with $10,000. The group has also given donations to Metropolitan Ministries, the Improvement League of Plant City and the Plant City Colts.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

THE PARTY CONTINUES ON EVERS STREET

Plant City Main Street hosted a Tuesday night block party to showcase some of downtown’s newest businesses.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Plant City Main Street shined a spotlight on new businesses that have sprung up along Evers Street in a special Topics on Tap event. Main Street dubbed the night the “Evers Street Block Party” and shut down a section of South Evers Street from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. so the community could walk around from business to business and enjoy live music, food and drinks. The first 100 attendees received a a ticket (which had a $5 value) to use at participating

businesses for food and drinks throughout the event. DJ D2 provided music as well. The participating businesses were The Tipsy Bookworm, Crumbles and Cream, Three Hands Mead Company, My Town Barber Shop & Salon, Marzucco Real Estate, Yerb Labs, Beautiful You Salon, V.E.V Fitness & Nutrition, Plant City Photo Archives & History Center, Bourbon and Boweties, Deanna Hurley PhotographyPlant City FL, Harpro LLC and The Crafted Butterfly. Solution Source and Coulter, Aviles & Company were the food and drink sponsors for the event.

It was the perfect night for the community to get a taste of the new wave of businesses that now call Evers Street home. The historic brick buildings are finding a new life as unique businesses have flocked to the block to join the cultural movement happening in the heart of Plant City. For several in attendance, this was the first time they popped into Three Hands Mead and The Tipsy Bookworm. Others were regulars at the new watering holes, but had yet to cross the street and explore the unique offerings at the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center. Members of Main Street networked with local resi-

dents who were interested in finding out more about the organization. And some said they were beckoned to the party by the music blasting down the street as they finished up errands in downtown. The Evers Street Block Party is one of several events that have focused on highlighting the up-and-coming section of downtown, which in just a short time has already begun to pull entirely new clientele to the historic neighborhood. For more information about Plant City Main Street, visit the group’s Facebook @ PCMainStreet or visit plantcitymainstreet. com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID CAN GO QUITE THE DISTANCE SONATA HYBRID (LIMITED) Tires: 215/55R17 Wheelbase: 111.8 inches Length: 192.9 inches Height: 56.9 inches Width: 73.2 inches Weight: 3,530 pounds Web site: www.hyundaiusa.com Photo courtesy of Nitish S. Rele

NITISH S. RELE

After a major redesign last year, the Hyundai Sonata hybrid continues as-is for 2021. With a range of over 550 miles on a tank (13.2 gallons) thanks to its gas/ hybrid technology, the midsize sedan can safely and surely take you to West Palm Beach and back — or even all the way to Atlanta — before a fuel stop. The credit goes to a 2.0-liter GDI fourcylinder engine that puts out 150 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 139 pounds-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. When paired with the 39-watt kW electric motor, the Sonata hybrid peaks at 192 hp. A powerful 56 kW lithium-ion polymer battery pack contributes to improved gas mileage. Another fuel saver is an all-new solar roof which recharges the battery when the car has been turned off, thereby boosting driving range. And during regenerative braking, the battery is recharged by the captured energy as the driver brakes or slows down. At stops, the gas engine shuts down for fuel savings and zero emissions. Power reaches the front wheels through a flawless six-speed auto gear box. Keeping the car stable enough to soak bumps is an independent suspension of front MacPherson strut and multilink rear. The motor-driven power rack-and-pinion steering is accurate and steadfast. The seventh-generation Sonata hybrid conveys a four-door coupe appearance. LED headlamps and daytime running lights surround the cascading cross-hole grille adorned in a mix of liquid chrome and dark metal with active air flaps. For the driver’s convenience, an analog instrument gauge solely devoted to the hybrid display portrays charge, eco and

battery readings. With 104.4 cubic feet of passenger volume, the cabin is comparable to other passenger sedans. And trunk capacity is 16 cubic feet, beating Toyota Camry’s volume. Dual A/C, eight-way power driver and four-way front-passenger heated and cooled seats, 60/40 rear seat, leather tilt/ telescopic steering wheel with paddle shifters, 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touch screen for phone and audio capabilities come at no cost. Dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag, driver knee airbag, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, front/ rear parking sensors and crumple zones, electronic stability and traction control, blind-spot, forward and rear cross-traffic collision assists, highway driving and lane-keep assists, front seatbelt pretensioners, remote keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring system are standard. Base-priced at $35,300 (our Limited edition totaled $36,464), the Sonata hybrid is even more enticing once you factor in EPA fuel estimates of 45 mpg city, 51 highway and 47 combined. The sedan responds with agility irrespective of road/weather conditions, guaranteeing an enjoyable and relaxed ride. And, of course, there’s its daring design — an attribute missing in hybrids.

Nitish S. Rele operates motoringtampabay. com and Khaas Baat, and was an automotive editor/columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Email him at motoringtampabay@gmail.com.

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.

KIWI: Meet the legendary Kiwi. Despite the fact she has an expensive and cozy pet bed,

Kiwi has chosen to take ownership of her mom’s UGG blanket. It’s time for Kiwi’s human to buy herself a new one!

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

OPINION: SUDDENLY, SIGNS ARE POINTING UP IN PLANT CITY

FELIX HAYNES

exits. Those exits have sat for years, long planned as major linchpins of development, but they have come into the crosshairs because the city commission recently had to fight off a proposal for residential construction at the Park Road exit and keep the nearly 20-acre intersection for the commercial development for which it was always planned. After cancelling its major annual fundraising event last year, our Noon Rotary Club bit the bullet and staged the annual Wild Game Cookout last month. Community members responded with robust attendance, which appears to have set records for the proceeds. Many needy Plant City non-profit organizations and individuals will benefit over the next 12 months because the club had the courage to hold the cookout while other clubs in the county were canceling their fundraisers. Much of the impetus for these Plant City successes has come from an exciting cohort of emerging 30 and 40-something leaders. New community organizations like ASPIRE, created by the Chamber of Commerce to provide growth opportunities for young women, recently conducted a fun fundraiser with a Kentucky Derby-themed hat contest. A visitor to a Noon Rotary club meeting would see a diverse membership decades younger than its membership in 2000. This new cohort of leaders is not merely young and diverse, but also good. Honing their skills as business creators and entrepreneurs, they are ready to assume the mantle of leadership in Plant City. I was blessed to observe the last group of Plant City leaders. Having watched this new cohort for several years, I’m ready to entrust them to follow that crane and continue to push those signs up. 287682-1

With COVID-19, business closures, and unemployment, the last 15 months have been rough in Plant City. Zoom meetings and face masks have replaced face-to-face interactions and covered smiles. Much of the joy has been taken out of working with friends. The pace of business activity slowed. But somehow in Plant City, vaccinations and stiff upper lips have helped us begin to turn the corner on a frustrating year of our lives. Good signs have included new construction all along Interstate 4 and County Line Road and hiring to support business growth. New businesses, like wine bars and bookstores, have had the courage to open in downtown in the midst of a weak economy. Restaurants are full and managers are ready to hire to serve those customers. Warehousing and transportation construction for businesses like Wish Farms along I-4 and County Line Road have led the way. The large crane just to the north of I-4 seems to be pointing the way up. Led by maturing economic development organizations like the Plant City EDC and Main Street, our city commission and city manager have supported this growth with the new fire station on Park Road and a new community center. Repaving many miles of city streets has been a welcome improvement. In downtown, a visit to South Evers Street would reveal a collection of new, recently opened businesses and a plan to remake a branching alley as a focal point for the new hub. Moving from the eastern apex of Baker and Reynolds streets several decades ago, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce has moved on from the vision which propelled that move downtown and is seeking a new location which fits the organization’s needs for the next 30 years. A key component of this growth has focused on our vital interstate highway

MAY 20, 2021

SPORTS Quick Hits DURANT SOFTBALL ELIMINATED FROM FHSAA POSTSEASON IN REGIONAL FINAL

DURANT BASEBALL HEADED BACK TO FHSAA FINAL FOUR

The Cougars’ 2-1 win over Osceola on May 15 powered the team to its third-ever state semifinal appearance, which is scheduled for a 10 a.m. Friday start.

Just one night before the Durant baseball team punched its ticket back to the FHSAA state championships, the school’s softball team’s great run of 2021 came to an end in the Class 6A-Region 2 finals. Armed with one of the brightest green lights in softball, the free-swinging Viera Hawks put up a fight against the Cougars’ pitching staff and left the high school on May 14 with a 5-0 win and a championship trophy to show for it. Viera batters got six hits and all five runs (four earned) off of pitcher Haleigh Thomas in her 5.1 innings of work. Viera broke open the scoring with two runs in the top of the fourth inning and added all the insurance it needed with three more runs in the top of the sixth. Thomas entered the game having just thrown 105 pitches in the Cougars’ 2-1 win over Bartow three nights earlier and finished with a count of 97 before Allie Hughes entered the game in relief. She did strike out eight Hawks and didn’t give up any walks, but Viera’s ability to make contact paid off for the road team down the stretch. In one of the most unusual events of the game, Viera’s Jayce Jackson hit 17 foul balls in a 20-pitch at-bat in the top of the fourth inning. Durant picked up a total of three hits (Shelby Allen, Emily Smith and Amy Bak) and two walks (Kenzington Marsh) throughout the game. The offense came close to finding its usual spark in the bottom of the third inning, when Allen hit a two-out single to get on base and then stole second just before Marsh was intentionally walked. Rylee Trice nearly reached base when a play in center field to catch her fly ball ended in a collision between outfielders, but the ball was still caught to end the inning. With the loss, Durant finished the spring 2021 season with an 18-3 (4-0 district) record and a strong 214-54 scoring differential. The underclassman-heavy unit hit .402 as a team, smacked 15 home runs, swiped 57 bases and hit a whopping 50 doubles. Thomas ended an extremely productive junior season with a 2.01 ERA and 105 strikeouts against just 11 walks through 69.2 innings of work, picking up eight of the team’s 18 wins. Cougar fans should be excited for next season, as this team will only lose five seniors to graduation and should keep much of its core intact for 2022.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

If Dylan LaPointe finishes his high school career with just one home run to his name, he can at least claim that dinger was the stuff of Durant legend. The sophomore catcher’s solo shot over the fence at right-center — the first of his high school career — was the difference-maker in the Cougars’ 2-1 win over Osceola in the May 15 Class 7A-Region 2 championship game. It was enough for Durant to hold its lead through the rest of the game and enough to get the Cougars back to the state semifinals for the first time since 2015. Durant never trailed Osceola that night. Dean Hotz’s sacrifice fly drove Thomas Allen home in the bottom of the first inning and gave the Cougars the 1-0 lead, and LaPointe’s fourth-inning homer provided all the insurance his team needed. The Kowboys did come up with an answer for LaPointe’s homer in the fifth inning, but the most they could get off of starter Alex Canney and reliever Sean Hermann was Sebastian Burgos’s score on a wild pitch. Canney started the game and gave up two hits and two walks while striking out five batters in 2.2 innings of work. The senior righty has now struck out 10 batters in his last two appearances — five total innings between the May 12 win over Riverview Sarasota and the May 15 win over Osceola. Hermann struck out six batters, gave up four hits and allowed one walk in the remaining 4.1 innings. Durant is now the third baseball team from the Plant City area to make it to the FHSAA’s state Final Four in the past three postseasons. Before COVID-19 canceled what would have been the 2020 tournament, Plant City and Strawberry Crest faced each other in the 2019 finale and the Chargers made it to the semifinal round in 2018. In 2013, Durant reached the state championship game after allowing just two runs in six prior postseason games. After scoring a 6-1 win over Hialeah-

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

JUSTIN KLINE

SOME PERSONAL NEWS I’m not the first sports writer the Observer has had, but I’ve enjoyed being the one who got to build on the foundation Matt Mauney and the rest of the original crew started. For those keeping score at home, I’ve been here a bit more than seven years and am glad I’ve gotten to stick around for as long as I have. Living and working in Plant City sometimes feels

American in the state semifinal round, the team couldn’t recapture its mojo on offense in an 8-3 loss to Lake Brantley. In 2015, Durant got to the state semifinal after a series of hard-fought, one to two-run victories in the regional tournament (including a win over Osceola in the championship game, coincidentally). But eventual state champion Oviedo brought its A-game to the state semifinal and cruised to a 12-0 win over Durant. It’s safe to say the Cougars are hoping the third time’s the charm when it comes to the Final Four. The Cougars’ next opponent will be Spruce Creek (22-8), which is coming off of a 5-1 win over Lake Brantley in the 7A-Region 1 championship game. Though the Hawks have outscored their last three opponents 12-2, you could call them slow starters. Their regional quarterfinal game at Bartram Trail went eight innings before SCHS’s Sebastian Iguaran hit a sac RBI to score Chase Dunlap and give the Hawks a 1-0 win. Facing Lake Mary in the following semifinal, the Hawks and Rams couldn’t get any runs on the board until SCHS broke the 0-0 tie with a run in the sixth inning and then outscored Lake Mary, 5-1, in the seventh inning. Spruce Creek was finally able to start strong against Lake Brantley, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning and putting on two more runs in the fourth inning en route to a 5-1 win. If there’s one thing the Cougars and the Tampa Bay Lightning have in common, it’s getting a solid player back from injury just in time for the playoffs. Canney may not know how to snipe as well as Nikita Kucherov, but the senior righty now has the freshest arm in Durant’s staff after missing the entire regular season and coming back in time for the end of the district tournament. Canney’s first game back on the mound was the 10-0 loss to Riverview Sarasota in the district finale, but he got out of that one relatively unscathed with one hit allowed, two strikeouts and two walks

like getting let in on a well-kept secret and I’ve often been the one who gets to tell the world (of eastern Hillsborough County) when cool things happen here. The last few years have especially been fun to be here for as people who care about the city have been putting it in position to flourish.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

in two innings. He pitched one inning in Durant’s 8-3 regional quarterfinal win over Wharton, striking out and walking two batters with no hits allowed. His 2.1 innings of work in the Cougars’ rematch against RSHS — in which Durant completely flipped the script and won, 7-0 — were solid as he struck out five of the 10 batters he faced and gave up three hits with no walks. With Canney regaining his confidence every time he gets back on the mound, plugging him into an already solid Durant staff should be a huge help at the point of the season where good pitching is more important than ever. The spring 2021 season (thus far) couldn’t have been more special for the Cougars, who went undefeated at home, helped head coach Butch Valdes reach his milestone 200th win with the program, had an all-time great bounce-back game in the Riverview Sarasota rematch and got to the state semifinal on a home run that this squad and these fans will remember for a very long time. And if you’re willing to hit Interstate 75 bright and early Friday morning to cheer your Cougars on, you need to get your tickets now. Visit gofan.co/app/school/FHSAA to buy your tickets for the game, which will start at 10 a.m. All of the FHSAA baseball state Final Fours will be held at the CenturyLink Sports Complex - Hammond Stadium, 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers. Parking is $10 per car and only cash will be accepted. If you’re unable to make it but want to watch the game wherever you are, you will be able to catch a live stream at nfhsnetwork.com/ associations/fhsaa with a subscription. Should the Cougars beat the Hawks on Friday, they will face the winner of the Stoneman Douglas-Columbus game at 4 p.m. Saturday for all the marbles.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

JUSTIN KLINE

SOME PERSONAL NEWS

And, of course, there have been plenty of great sports stories for me to tell. There always have been, but I think Plant City has become more well-known in that arena in the last few years than it was when I got here. In 2019, when Plant City and Strawberry Crest faced off for the state baseball championship, not one other reporter in the press box at Hammond Stadium asked where Plant City is. Dover, of course, was a different story — but I’m confident the Chargers will pin Dover on a map sooner than later so reporters like 813Preps’ Jarrett Guthrie and I won’t have to do it for others in the middle of a highstakes playoff game. So, yeah, the Plant City area’s profile is growing. Writing so many stories in the last seven-plus years about miraculous championship runs, underdogs overcoming huge odds, cool people doing incredible things and the history of those who paved the way for today’s young athletes has been awesome. There have been plenty of moments in my tenure where I’ve thought I have the coolest job in the world. And now I’ve decided it’s time for someone else to have that job. Like a veteran athlete contemplating their future during the middle of a season,

FROM PAGE 14

I just knew when it was time to make a move. But this isn’t like Aaron Rodgers trying to get as far away from Green Bay as possible. I’m still going to live and play in Plant City. Besides, I have a lot of obligations to fulfill now that I’m not keeping weird journalism hours. Heck, I’ve been planning to get Indian food with some of you since before anyone knew what COVID-19 was, and now there’s no evening assignment to make me settle for eating Taco Bell on the way back to filing copy at night. P.S.: I love you, Taco Bell. That was not meant to hurt you. It’s been a pleasure getting to know many of you in the community and I’m always grateful for the opportunities you’ve given me to tell your stories. I’m hopeful my successor will take the reins and run with this job. There’s a lot of potential here for anyone to find and tell incredible stories. I just hope they earn your trust sooner than later. We couldn’t do what we do without you. Thank you all for trusting me with your stories when you didn’t have to. I’ve worked with some incredible talents here in the newsroom. We’ve been

very fortunate to have several writers who either won awards for their reporting or easily could have. Don’t get me wrong: if it doesn’t say “Pulitzer,” it’s worthless to a lot of us in the field. But several of my editorial teammates over the years have helped me grow professionally and personally, even if they weren’t here for very long in the grand scheme of things. Our jobs would have been markedly more difficult without each other, especially in the last few years when we’ve operated with just two full-time reporters, a small group of regular columnists and the readers who send in photos for our weekly contests. I’ll miss our editorial and design team terribly. And there are the dogs. So many dogs. I believe every workplace without a fullblown restaurant needs at least one dog or even a cat on the payroll. We have at least four here but I’m especially going to miss Karah, the world’s most photogenic pit bull. Soon you’ll meet Taylor Jenkins, whom some of you may know from his work covering the Bucs with Pewter Report. Taylor has also written for the Observer in the past as a stringer for special sections and now he’s got our Sports section to

shape as he sees fit. I’m very excited to see what he does with the section going forward and I know he’s glad he gets to be in Plant City more often. You’ll likely see my byline in next week’s paper — my last hurrah will be a trip to Fort Myers to cover Durant’s state semifinal baseball game — but this is the last issue for which I’m a part of the Observer team. Tomorrow is my last day in the newsroom and then I’m off to start a new opportunity. Importantly, I’m also going to fix my sleep schedule. It’s been a wilder ride in Plant City than I expected when I first took this job in 2013, but I’m glad I bought the ticket.

Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

PlantCityObserver.com

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

289704-1

We asked Plant City:

How do you feel about the new automated Cart-to-Curb waste collection program coming to Plant City this year? “Plant City needs to make up its mind. I believe we had this a few years ago in Walden Lake! I’m sure this has got to cost a great deal of money to keep changing things! The large trash cans take up a lot of space inside your garage so some people store them outdoors, creating an eyesore. Then on trash days, they put the cans out and some don’t bother bringing them back in off the street. Not to mention, sometimes the trucks or wind knock them down and some land in the street and remain there until the homeowner gets home at the end of the day! Not a good look for a neighborhood! Our guys, that we have now, are very personable and helpful and do a great job!” — Tania Summers “It’s terrible outside of city limits. You’ll find you have more trash on the ground

than you’ve ever had before. Sometimes they won’t even dump the can.” — Ben Smith “Definitely not a bad idea but my heart goes out to the folks that will lose their job or will the city be transferring them to other departments that’s my only concern, you might save some money but the loss of jobs in our town is not needed.” — Jessey Bradshaw “Well if you live on certain streets where no cares about anything; it will be more uniform in how the garbage will look and help somewhat the appearance HOWEVER A HUGE SHOUT to our current men who go above and beyond to pick up things they should not and return cans appropriately and show such respect! I will miss saying hello each morning!” — Tina Carman

“Looking forward to it, I didn’t like seeing the guys working like that in 90 degree weather and smelling the rotten garbage, I don’t like anyone losing a job though, we had it in Illinois and it worked fine, I felt like Florida was behind when we moved here 9 years ago” — Barbara Skaggs Ward “We have had this before, cans were very large and hard to move, ended up in Road, no personal service by a human, also job loss to some degree. Just a thought but I wonder if a uniform type trashcan would help with appearances but still be picked up by people, maybe we can have the best of both worlds, that would take extra thought but worth it.” — Jack Myers “I am not thrilled about this but I am most concerned about the increase of our bill.

My husband and I are in a fixed Social Security income.” — Cindy Snyder Bonnett “All good as long as they still come twice a week!” — Joey Tomasina “Eh. I don’t think that there was anything wrong with the current system. Now you will have to haul a can back and forth even if you only have a single bag to put out. Seems like a waste of resources to me… no pun intended lol” — Alicia May “Not happy about additional cost” — Ryan Hughes “Don’t mind the change and the uniformity. But will miss the interaction with my current professionals” — Jerry Bear Harrold

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Virginia Mary Curran

Isaura Hernandez, 19, of Plant City, born January 25, 2002, entered into eternal rest May 12, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

Tampa, passed away on May 17, 2021. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

Kenneth Raymond Walter Virginia Mary Curran, 86,Taking of Robertson care of

each other whatWalter Kennethis Raymond

Robertson, 82, of Plant City, community passed away on Tuesday,

is May all 11, about. 2021. Kenneth was

born July 24, 1938 in Wilmington, Delaware. we’re dedicated to helping families create a W E ’ R E P R O U D TO S E RV E our community Fondunique memories and and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals, expressions of sympathy > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability may be >shared at www. The Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement Travel Assistance HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM WellsMemorial.com for the R family. Robertson ®

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Richard W. Gaylord

Richard W. Gaylord, 64, of Plant City, born March 23, 1957 in Ridgeland, South Carolina, entered into eternal rest May 15, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Aaron Kyle White

WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Aaron Kyle White, 31, of Valrico, born in TampaWells on MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy November 1, 1989, entered into eternal rest May 17, 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com. M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1

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10/27/15 10:42 AM

OBITUARIES

She was preceded in death by her parents, Myrtle and James Tanner; and her nephew, James Vernon. She leaves behind a sister, Betty Jo Vernon; nephew, Chris Vernon (Tami, Grace and Katie); niece, Bett Vernon (James Vernon, deceased); Brittany Vernon (Ryan Dodge); Laura Middleton (David); and great-nieces and nephews, William, Charlotte and Benjamin Dodge-Vernon and Kayleigh Middleton. at Oaklawn Doris Mae Tanner Interment Cemetery, Plant City. Memorial donations can be Doris Mae Tanner, 90, of made to the Bruton MemoPlant City, passed away peacefully May 13 with family rial Library, 302 McLendon Street Plant City, 33563. by her bedside. Expressions of condoShe was born on Octolence at HopewellFuneral. ber, 25, 1930, and raised in com. Plant City. She graduated from Florida Southern College in 1948 with a degree in Childhood Education. After graduation, she taught HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM second grade for 43 years at Springhead Elementary and Cork Elementary. She enjoyed teaching and still Jazmin shared her love to inspire Castizo-Reyes children even into her later years, with family and friends Jazmin Castizo-Reyes, 15, with young children. of Plant City, born August She was an avid card 11, 2005 in Tampa, entered player and belonged to two into eternal rest May 15, bridge groups. She also loved 2021. to travel and read. But her Expressions of condogreatest love and hobby was lence at HopewellFuneral. her beautiful gardens and com. home.

Isaura Hernandez

YOUR CALENDAR

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

BEST BET FRIDAY, MAY 21 RETRO MOVIE NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. Head up to the loft at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. on every third Friday each month for Retro Movie Night. Bring the family, grab a treat from downstairs, relax and watch a new movie selection each month. This month’s feature is Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (1961).

THURSDAY, MAY 20

SATURDAY, MAY 22

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

KACI ANDERSON & CO.

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 813-626-4554.

MOBILE VACCINATION DAY

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 604 W. Ball St., is hosting on-site vaccinations all day for those who still need to get one. Children age 12 to 18 must be accompanied by a parent. Call 813-754-3834 for more information.

ART INSTALLATION AT KRAZY KUP

5 to 6 p.m. Come out to Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., and meet the young artists who created the latest courtyard art wall installation with Winthrop Mobile Arts Factory. The current installation in honoring the city’s legacy and the depth of musical talent that got their start at Krazy Kup. Inspired by the monthly Bluegrass Jam at Krazy Kup, the young artists created their own music-themed artwork to display in the coffeehouse’s alley.

7 to 8:30 p.m. Join Kaci Anderson & Co in the loft at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for an evening of live music. A love offering will be collected.

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 May 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 no longer limited. Visit djkenmiller.com to look at sample playlists and get more information.

TUESDAY, MAY 25 TEENS TEACH TECH FOR 21STCENTURY SENIORS

4 to 5 p.m. Who knows the latest technology better than teenagers? All seniors looking to learn how to navigate the Internet and keep up with an ever-changing digital world can learn from the best every Tuesday afternoon at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Call 813-659-4256 for more information.

FAMILY BOREDOM BUSTERS WEEK 4: ‘MONSTER TRUCKS’

Bruton Memorial library will offer takehome activity kits for families to enjoy together. This week’s theme will be “Monster Trucks” and will include puzzles, literacy activities, crafts and more. Kits will be available while supplies last.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 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. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific time. Masks are required and temperatures will be taken at the door.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY WEBINAR: M-POWER SKIN CANCER AWARENESS

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Your skin is your largest organ, so protect it! Join Bruton Memorial Library for this vital live webinar with Q&A, presented by Moffitt Cancer Center. This series teaches you how to be your own health advocate, addressing the topics of cancer and basic health. For registration, contact Kelly: KLibengood@PlantCityGov. com.

THURSDAY, MAY 27

ing 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 813-626-4554.

FRIDAY, MAY 28 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.

BLUEGRASS NIGHT WITH SAWGRASS

7 to 8:30 p.m. Head up to the loft at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Bvd., and enjoy the sweet sounds of bluegrass as Sawgrass makes its Krazy Kup debut. Tickets are $15 and available in-store now and at the door on event night.

SATURDAY, MAY 29 PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

Plant City Recreation presents Baton Twirl-

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

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, MAY 20 High: 89 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 9%

FRIDAY, MAY 21 High: 90 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 3%

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, May 20

6:36a

8:14p

Friday, May 21

6:35a

8:14p

Saturday, May 22

6:35a

8:15p

Sunday, May 23

6:34a

8:15p

Monday, May 24

6:34a

8:16p

Tuesday, May 25

6:34a

8:17p

Wednesday, May 26

6:33a

8:17p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, MAY 22 High: 88 Low: 63 Chance of rain: 4%

SUNDAY, MAY 23 High: 92 Low: 64 Chance of rain: 6%

MONDAY, MAY 24 This white heron is a “frequent visitor” in Cheryl Biernat’s back yard.

ONLINE

High: 95 Low: 68 Chance of rain: 5%

Across 1 Soft end of the Mohs scale 5 Old Toyota models 10 Order to go 14 Squiggly lines in the funnies, maybe 15 Hot day refuge 16 “Him __?”: love triangle ultimatum 17 First anniversary gift for a zookeeper? 19 Like eyes “you can’t hide,” in an Eagles song 20 Ring loudly 21 It can spice things up 23 Prescription specs 26 2000 Gere title role

28 Gere, for one 29 Super Mario Galaxy consoles 30 Japanese ice cream flavor 32 “It’s __ good” 33 Livid 34 Lots and lots 37 Race in place 38 10th anniversary gift for a musician? 40 Wire-concealing garment, perhaps 41 Least encumbered 43 Musical work 44 “A lie that makes us realize truth,” per Picasso 45 Adds insult to injury

47 Hair gel squirt 48 Bow ties, e.g. 50 The Spartans of the NCAA 51 “Well, I’ll be!” 52 Totally jazzed 54 Like many 45 records 56 Jordanian queen dowager 57 50th anniversary gift for a fast-food worker? 62 Stop discussing 63 Hail 64 Passion 65 __ pool 66 __ pool 67 Biblical spot

Down 1 Cover 2 Nicole’s “Cold Mountain” role 3 Hack 4 Brunch choice 5 “¿Cómo __?” 6 Kids 7 “Macbeth” role 8 “Swan Lake” princess 9 Blood fluids 10 Comforted 11 15th anniversary gift for a golfer? 12 Palermo pal 13 Barbershop part 18 In medias __ 22 Relay sticks 23 Middle-earth figure 24 Gulf ship 25 25th anniversary gift for a chef? 27 Fiery candies 30 South side? 31 Like a shutout 33 “I’m not gonna sugarcoat this” 35 Screen legend Flynn 36 Failed to act 39 Long-outlawed smoking establishment 42 Greek Muse of music 46 Oil, for many 47 Look-up aid 48 Herbal Essences maker, for short 49 64-Across, at La Scala 51 Serengeti herbivore 53 Fleece-lined footwear brand 55 Not duped by 58 Two-time Emmy-winning actress __ Grant 59 OMG part 60 67-Across outcast 61 Number of Canadian provinces

June 10 New

June 15 First

May 26 Full

June 5 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

0.00 in.

0.01 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

MAY AVERAGE:

06.41 in.

SQUASH Shipping point: Central Florida $4.35-$6.85

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

3.38 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021

PlantCityObserver.com