5.23.19 PLCO by Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 47

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

COMMISSIONERS SET BALL IN MOTION FOR REPAIRS Last week city commissioners agreed to begin a contract to have two of Concord Way’s inlets repaired and purchased equipment to analyze roadway depressions.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

A quick, but studious, commission meeting set several projects in motion last week as the city continues to prepare for improvements. Walden Lake’s Concord Way subdivision will soon be seeing some stormwater repairs follow-

ing the structural failing of two inlets at the location. The city had been aware of the issue for some time and the failing inlets in question ultimately led to issues with storm water draining, the surrounding roadway, curb and land features. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

MASTERS OF THE MUD

Mud Titan 11 was held in Plant City on Saturday, May 18. SEE PAGE 14

DIVING INTO

As summer crawls ever so close, it is time to finalize your children’s camp plans and get them registered for their preferred local program. SEE PAGE 8

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

coming and the bank now hopes to get more involved in the community. “We invest in the community by creating a physical presence,” Thurston said in a news release. “For more than a year, we have been working to bring The Bank of Tampa’s brand to Plant City. Now that we have a physical presence here, right in the heart of Downtown Plant City, I look forward to watching us become an integral part of the Plant City community.” The Bank of Tampa has 12 full-service banks throughout the Tampa Bay area.

NEWS BRIEFS

Durant grad accepted to Coast Guard Academy Courtesy photo

Madison Seguin and Dr. Christopher McGinn

Tax-free holiday for storm supplies Get ready for hurricane season with seven days of tax-free shopping. From May 31 through June 6, Floridians can purchase generators, gas cans and other items considered essential to help weather a storm, without having to pay sales tax. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute offers several tips for those looking to get and use a generator. When the lights go out, generators

keep your home humming with light and power. When purchasing a generator, consider the types of items you need to power. Determine how many kilowatts are needed for essential items (charging family cell phones, a refrigerator, etc.) during an emergency. Research generators before you buy. Talk with the staff at the store or go online. Discuss safety features and ask about manufacturer fueling and care instructions. Know what features you want. Circuit breaker-protected outlets will guard

Courtesy photo

Nick Thurston leads Bank of Tampa’s local office.

against generator overload. A larger fuel tank will provide extra running time. Integrated fuel gauges will help keep tabs on fuel levels and prevent power interruptions. Low tone mufflers make for quieter operation. Fold-down handles and wheels can make it easier to move your generator. If you are planning to use a generator, a carbon monoxide detector installed in your home is smart. Now is a great time to pick one up and batteries are available tax-free during the sales tax holiday. Identify the placement of the generator. Give portable generators plenty of room for ventilation. Place the generator outside and away from windows, doors, and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors. Keep generators dry. Before a storm hits, identify how to cover and vent the generator. Buy model-specific tents or generator covers online, at a home center or hardware store. Buy the right extension cords. Be sure you have on hand heavy duty extension cords suitable for outdoor weather that will easily reach your generator. Have the right fuel on hand before a storm hits in an appropriate container.

Select containers that seal well. Store fuel in a safe place, away from heat sources and out of the reach of children. Label the can with the date of purchase and the ethanol content. Check filled cans regularly and replenish them if needed. Fuel that is more than 30 days old should not be used in any outdoor power equipment. Use the type of fuel recommended by the generator manufacturer. It is illegal to use any fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol in outdoor power equipment. For more information, visit LookBeforeYouPump.com or OPEI.org.

Bank of Tampa opens loan production office in Plant City The Bank of Tampa opened a new loan production office at 120 N. Collins St. earlier this month to better serve Plant City customers. Plant City market director and local loan production office leader Nick Thurston said the process was a long time

Madison Seguin’s next step after high school will take her to the United States Coast Guard Academy. Seguin, who will graduate from Durant High School this afternoon, was officially appointed April 29 at the high school’s annual award night. The USCGA is based out of New London, Connecticut and guarantees applicants such as Seguin a Bachelor of Science degree with no post-grad debt and a position as a USCG commissioned officer in return for a five-year commitment to military service after four years of study.

Operation Paying It Forward Jeep giveaway Operation Paying It Forward is hoping to help a family in need of reliable transportation get just that. The group is giving away a Jeep Liberty to one lucky winner and is now accepting online nominations. The winner must have a valid driver’s license and insurance, and will be responsible for the tax, tag and title transfer. To nominate yourself or someone you know, visit operationpayingitforward. com/recipient-nomination-form/ by May 31.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

REST IN PEACE, SOLDIER BRAVE GEORGE HENRY NEWMAN GUEST COLUMNIST

James Clifford “J.C.” Money was laid to rest on May 15 at the East Oaklawn Cemetery in the company of family and friends. The final chapter of his long life has ended. Mr. Money, as many people called him, was 98 years old. If you weren’t his kin, that salutation seemed appropriate to me. He earned it. He was born Jan. 7, 1921, in Houston County, Alabama. He died May 9, 2019. “Daddy lived a full and active life,” his daughter Linda Mitchell, of Plant City, said. “He was a veteran of World War II, serving with Gen. Patton’s division in France, Italy, Belgium and Germany. He worked for Plant City Steel, Coronet Mines, the Boilermakers’ Lodge #433 in Tampa. He retired with them some 30 years ago.” Mr. Money completed the eighth grade at Harmon Elementary in Gordon, Alabama and went to work on the family farm. One week following his 18th birthday, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, working as a forestry firefighter in Mississippi and Oregon. After returning to the farm at the end of 1939, he eventually moved to Plant City, working as a welder in the Tampa shipyards. Money married Lettie Smallwood in 1941. They had four children, two before WWII and two after. They lived on the west side of Plant City and, following the war, built a new house on a lot nearby and rented out the other home. Money was drafted into the U.S. Army on June 7, 1944, one day after D-Day, the allied attack at Normandy, France. He did basic training at Camp Blanding, Florida and advanced training in the armored infantry. He was assigned to Patton’s Third Army, 4th armored division, 10th Infantry battalion, B Company. He was in the army for 19 months. While serving, Money earned a Purple Heart, WWII Victory, Good Conduct, European Theater and EAMETO (European-African-Middle Eastern-TheaterOperation)medals, a 4th Armored Division Infantry Combat Badge, a Distinguished Unit Badge and a Rifleman Marksmanship ribbon and, most recently, a WWII commemorative medal. I first met Mr. Money while volunteering as a driver for Meals On Wheels of Plant City. I spoke to him every Wednesday for two years and asked him about life and service, especially his Purple Heart. I recorded, with his permission, all our conversations, knowing that I would eventually write about Mr. Money for the local paper. He told me that following the Battle of the

Bulge, where his particular unit was mostly in a holding pattern south of Bastogne, France, Patton moved his troops east into Germany. “We advanced through the French city of Luxembourg and crossed over the Moselle River into Germany,” he told me. “We moved on a farmhouse with an outside well where we could get some fresh water. It was January 10, 1945, just three days after my 24th birthday. We knew there were Nazi’s dug in outside the farm. As I moved up to get a better position to take them out, a German soldier popped up to take a shot at me. My rifle jammed in the freezing weather, and before I could get down, I was struck in the chest by his bullet.” Mr. Money said that he carried his wallet, almost 3-inches thick with his papers, photographs and a lock of his son’s hair, in his uniform breast pocket. “The bullet hit that wallet deadcenter, and after passing through everything, including my heavy uniform clothing, it knocked me down but barely broke the skin,” he said. “At first I thought I was dead, but it just knocked the breath out of me. I was bruised pretty good and they made me go back to France for five days to make sure nothing was broken. I rejoined the unit and we continued our push into Germany. I guess I was pretty lucky. God was looking out for me,” he said. “There were a lot of times where it could have been me on the wrong side of things.” Mr. Money attended several churches over the years, including Gordon St. Assembly of God, Keysville Assembly of God, New Hope Worship Center, Springhead Baptist and Transforming Life Church in Turkey Creek. It was at Springhead Baptist Church when I did my first story about Mr. Money. He was celebrating his 95th birthday in the church assembly hall, which was a family reunion attended by many of his family members who came in from states throughout the southeast. It made for quite a nice little story. During the recent May 14 viewing at Transforming Life Church, Shelton Dry, a retired boilermaker, spoke with me about Mr. Money. “In 1971 we worked together in the Tampa shipyards at the 22nd Street Dry Docks,” he said. “Mr. Money was 20 years older than me. Sometimes, when he was finished with a project, he would come over to where I was working, welding or grinding on something, and he would bump me out of the way. “‘Let me do that, kid,’ he would say. ‘Go work over there. I’ll finish

this up.’ He always had to be working on something. We worked all over this part of Florida, building power plants and other facilities, big and small. “Mr. Money was a kind and loving man,” Dry said. “He would help people, even total strangers, in any way that he could.” In his 98 years it’s easy to imagine Mr. Money was involved in a million stories, many of them remembered by family and friends. Shelton Dry remembered one that had a surprising ending for me. “I bought a steer to keep the pasture grass down where I lived in Turkey Creek,” Dry recalled. “It was a good-natured animal, not more than a year or two old when I got him. I turned him out that first day and the steer ambled down to the end of the pasture and jumped over the fence and started eating the grass on the side of the road. I tried everything I could think of to get that steer back on my property, but he would have nothing of it.” Dry said it was going to get dark soon and he didn’t want the steer wandering around with those long horns threatening anyone who came near. “I called Mr. Money. I figured he would know what to do,” Dry said. “He came right over and we tried like crazy to get that steer back into the pasture. It just wasn’t going to happen. We talked it over, with the sun going down, and we reached the only conclusion we could think of. Mr. Money got a shotgun out of his truck and put a slug right between that steer’s eyes. Then he dressed out the steer right where it fell. I had fresh beef that lasted quite a while. But the grass in the pasture needed my attention until I could improve the fencing and get another steer.” Mr. Money was preceded in death by his parents John Cash Money and Sarah Kirkland Money, who was three quarters Seminole Indian, Mr. Money said, eight brothers and four sisters. He is survived by two sons, James R. “Jim” Money and Jerry M. Money; two daughters, R. Faye Judah and Linda S. Mitchell; 10 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Sarah Shiver and numerous nephews and nieces. I can’t help but recall a rendition of the army bugler’s call referred to as Taps: “Day is done, gone the sun, from the hills, from the lakes, from the sky. Rest in peace, soldier brave, God is nigh.” Courtesy photos

This tapestry was presented to Linda Mitchell by her cousin, Karlene Duckworth of Dothan, Alabama.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

PLANT CITY

LEADERSHIP PC 2019 SAYS FAREWELL

Observer

The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Plant City program grows up and coming leaders into pillars of the community and helps establish lifelong connections.

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver. com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver. com

TO ADVERTISE Call (813) 704-6850

Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com

Courtesy photo

The Leadership of Plant City Class of 2019 had a graduation ceremony last week to commemorate the end of their year of service.

really was quite surprised of the great way to not only meet peo“For anyone who is aspiring depth of intelligence and com- ple, but to further your career as to do Leadership and take on the munity engagement and involve- well,” Stevens said. “It just opens different styles and hands on ment that there is and the diver- so many doors within the com- approaches that are necessary To truly get to know your com- sity that we have. I work in Plant munity. You’re going to meet an to grow as a leader, there isn’t a munity, you must learn how to City here at the hospital and have upward of 50 businesses through- better program around,” Shelserve it. been here for 12 years and I have out this whole process. It really ton said. “You grow as a leader, The Greater Plant City Cham- to say there is so much I learned gives you a cool breadth of the no matter where you are in your ber of Commerce’s Leadership about the community, the people different unseen players we have leadership, whether you’re just Plant City program has selected in it, the businesses that we have. in our community.” starting out or have been leading existing and emerging leaders Not just as a community, I learned Team-building and learning for years, you will find ways to from various backgrounds and so much about myself.” how to work well with a variety grow and evolve in this program. segments of the community and Classmate Trey Stevens, Coul- of personalities and backgrounds But it is not a commitment to take Edited by David Steinberg May 24, 2019 paired them together in an intenter Aviles & Co., echoed that senwas one of his favorite things to lightly.” sive and eye-opening class. With timent and said while he knew come out of the group. He joked Though there is a skeleton a class average of around 10 peo-45getting Landlord’s of they were schedule the group is required to ACROSS 21theCastle involved with Cham- that no 40 one Back knew what ple, each year’s Leadership group ber was a great way to meet new getting into,abut even when they meet, more often than not pardue boat 1 Intensifies, defense steps away as with further developed46people and to network, never thought41 they had bit off more ticipants are pouring hours every O. Henry’s Approach“up” 24 he Property community5leaders with bonds would thought heclaims would than they could chew, they used week into the program. It’s unre“The have Gift of ing, in poetry Happythat last a lifetime. make the connections and learn their strengths to pull the ___” 43 Calamitousthrough lentingly time consuming, espesounding 25 “___ that “I can say that it is an absohow deep the community’s love and create outstand- cially once it gets close to time to 47 Hitching 44 something Assisted at building special?!” lutely incredible experience,” for the city was by joining Lead- ing. post? support 26 Become Each year,checkout CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 Susan Musser, class member ership. the Leadership class 50 Bedtime 46 to Chop finely 10 Economist from South Florida Baptist Hos“I was born and raisedtiresome in Plant is expected complete some type drink 47 Treaty Smith learned so City 27 Wheel pital, said. “I definitely and now to be working here of community project. There’s 54 *On the 14 In ___ of turners much about the community and and to get involved, well it’s a no set type subject of project they have throne 48and Ballet moveTyrone 15 Black ___ 28 Model to choose classmate Mah-jongg (deadly biter) 57 “My bad!” CampbellShelton,49Greater Florida Insurance, said there 58 Timbuktu’s piecewere moments 16 “Forbidden” 29 Competing $ deciding that really land Zero key perfume 30 Eyeball- when 50 OFF stretched their creativity. Every59 Idiot neighbor 17 Kind of bending On any job 1000 or more when you one had51 different and differWe’re On Top of It 60 Strummed Shareideas a ___ works mention this ad. appeal ent visions, but much like a rubber instruments, 31 Dentist’s (soda slogan) 18 *Religious band, he said when they stretched for short 52 Culminating houses directive NEW ROOFS • RE-ROOFS out they always snapped back and We’re On TILE • TILE REPAIRS 61 On ___ 20 Salve point We’re On Top Top of of It It 33 What worked as a cohesive and progresHOT(without TAR/FLAT DECKS a 53 (Hey ... 22 Crows’ ghosts dosive unit. NEW ROOFS • • RE-ROOFS SHINGLES • VENTILATION NEW ROOFS RE-ROOFS contract) over here!) homes 35 ___ TILE TILE This group decided to go above TILE• •REPAIRED TILEREPAIRS REPAIRS LEAKS HOT HOTTAR/FLAT TAR/FLATDECKS DECKS 62 Knight’s ride 23 They have 55 Driver’s pressure and beyond what was expected by SHINGLES • •VENTILATION VENTILATION YTTYL ears of REPAIRED perience Exor 6325SHINGLES their pluses licenseproject for the 37 Knee-ankle doing a community RLEAKS ESLEAKS IDENTIAL & CREPAIRED OMMERCIAL TTFN and minuses and others: connectorPlant City Commons Communi252Y5eYaerasrsofofEExxppeerrieiennccee ty Garden that involved cleanup, 24 Hats, slangily DOWN Abbr. 38 “Enough!”... and then came to a & Re-Roofing Specialists – WE FIX LEAKS ONE ELSE CAN! or how to remodeling 1 NO “The Sun 26 Classified 56 Egyptian & Re-Roofing Specialists – WE FIX LEAKSNO NOONE ONE ELSE ELSE CAN! CAN! File Photo close with a boy massive Garden Walk LeakLeak & Re-Roofing Specialists – WE FIX LEAKS ___ Rises” work notice? king make sense Free Estimates • Financing Available Leadership at Garden Walk. event. Hour Emergency Service 2 Small 29 *Sun shade of each BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

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The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 1507 S. Alexander St., Suite 103. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

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This week’s Crossword PREVIOUS PUZZLEanswers ANSWER

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“When I met my wife, I was forty six. ... We fell in love ... got married, and a month later we were pregnant!” ~ Ian Ziering

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

THE LIFE OF A NoMaD

Charles Kossivi channels his infectious appreciation for life into his music and has developed a dedicated following as NoMaD, a multi-talented musician that blends alternative folk with a pop-rock flair.

Courtesy photo

The soft rhythm and haunting melodies of NoMaD’s music landed him a steadily growing and deeply devoted following. Being able to write stories that resonate he said makes it all worth while. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Though he may not be a native Plant Citian, Charles Kossivi has slowly, but surely won the hearts of the community with his aweinspiring music. Kossivi, otherwise known on stage as NoMaD, has performed in town several times over the last few years and has built up a dedicated following of locals who have thrown themselves behind the young singer in support of his message. “I write about life, work, kids, wives, husbands, death, love, I try to cover the whole spectrum of life and honestly invite people to see God is in love with them,” Kossivi said. “Lots of people don’t necessarily associate my music with worship and that’s OK. It does come across as love, as a way to tap into the core of why we are here. I’m just trying to say that there is a God and He loves you.” While teaching high school math years ago, his students found out he was performing in his free time and eagerly spent an entire class coming up with the perfect name for his onstage persona. They came up with NoMaD and while they may have simply thought it was an interesting trademark, Kossivi said it truly struck home. “It fits my personality,” Kossivi said. “What they didn’t know was I always felt like a nomad. Like I could pick up and make a home wherever I was.”

Growing up in Togo, Kossivi said he never had access to a wide variety of instruments. He would improvise, make use of what he could get his hands on and when he came to the U.S. he quickly channeled his curiosity into learning every instrument he could pick up. When he took a moment to reflect on the type of music he creates, he struggled to find the perfect genre to place it in. It carries the underlying current of soft and melancholy folk tunes and blends them with the hope and upbeat rhythm found in pop. To be safe, he always labels his songs as singer-songwriter, as he said his true strength lies not in the cords, but in the words. “When I was growing up I loved the idea of music as a way of communicating,” Kossivi said. “I’m a Christian and I believe when God said let there be light, there was music. There’s an idea of music carrying God’s message across the universe in rippling waves. I think, especially in America where life is so fast-paced, people are looking for a way to slow down… I talk about very heavy things in my songs, so you have to kind of pause and slow down when you listen to them.” The response, however, is starting to take him by surprise. Though he can frequently be found throughout Tampa Bay performing his music, he said he continues to be shocked when he hears how much people seem to respond to his message. With a soft smile and a shrug he vows it must be because people are

searching for the same authenticity he is and finds relief in hearing lyrics that strike such honest cords. Kossivi is alive, he is loved by his God and he’s refusing to take a second of his existence for granted. Two days before his 28th birthday, Kossivi was diagnosed with stage IV SDH deficient GIST cancer. He said he was told there was nothing they could do and while he braced himself for a quick end to his story, his genuine devotion and love for God and his community never wavered. “My wife bought me a sign that says, ‘My life is the story of the favor of God,’” Kossivi said. “I am supposed to be dead and somehow I am still alive. There’s nothing I can do, but here I am. Last time I was at a scan the doctor asked what I was doing. I think I’m proof that God loves us. Growing up in Togo was a story in and of itself. Miracles happen and you’re just left to make sense of it. In Africa it’s impossible to not see God’s plan.” His raw appreciation for life and genuine devotion to the moments he is granted seeps out of his music. NoMaD concerts, as was evidenced in his performances at Praise in the Park and Krazy Kup, turn into full-blown worship sessions. One of his more unique offerings is his Patreon page, where Kossivi interacts with his growing following in an intimate setting. People pay anywhere from $1 to $100 a month to be a part of the group and he asks questions,

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Courtesy photo

NoMaD is performing June 15 at Bay Area Church of Christ in Seffner.

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Spotify and iTunes. You can follow him at the ListentoNoMaD handle on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Soundcloud and almost every other site. Check out his website or Facebook for a schedule of upcoming performances. His very first headlining gig in Tampa Bay is coming up at the Bay Area Church of Christ in Seffner on June 15 at 8 p.m. You can also email him at listentonomad@ gmail.com for more information.

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releases original music and will even write songs based on conversations he’s had about the lives of the members of the page. He said movies often remain lodged in our mind because of the emotions evoked by the breath catching soundtracks that accompany them. His Patreon page allows him to work on the soundtrack of other people’s lives and he said he’s honored and excited to be able to help bring to life some of the experiences his fans have lived through. You can listen to NoMaD on any music platform, including

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

BRUTON CELEBRATES A UNIVERSE OF STORIES The child and adult summer reading programs are almost here and Bruton is gearing up for a massive schedule of must-see events.

Breanne Williams

Bonnie the Therapy Dog’s birthday bash is June 26 at 4 p.m. All youth are invited to attend and join her in the festive celebration.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Summer at the library is bigger than ever thanks to the expanded adult and child summer reading programs. When school is out, kids flock to the library for the opportunity to discover new worlds and learn new skills. Florida is having “A Universe of Stories” as its children’s theme for public libraries this year and Bruton Memorial is weaving scientific learning with bouts of relaxed summer fun into its programming. The children’s event runs from June 3 to July 31. “We’re having 29 events just in the month of June,” Amanda Preece, youth services associate, said. “It’s ‘A Universe of Stories,’ so we’re having a wide variety of events and presentations this summer.” Gaining access to the library’s network of offerings has never been easier for youth. Using their lunch numbers and the standard “4321” pin, children can use HAAL Pass to check out books and audiobooks, borrow e-resources and even get help with homework and research. When children sign up for the summer reading challenge they get prizes for the number of hours

they read. Using the Beanstack app, available at hcplc.beanstack. org, they can log their reading time online to be automatically entered into the drawings. Hillsborough County is offering tickets to ZooTampa at Lowry Park, the Florida Aquarium, Tampa Bay CityPASS tickets and more in drawings. They also are sending robots, spaceships, aliens and free books to children who log enough hours. Bruton is spicing up the game with a gamut of additional local prizes. Prizes this year include a free Frosty from Wendy’s, free bowling at Family Bowl, free Sonic ice cream and a grand prize of two pairs of tickets to the Kennedy Space Center sponsored by Fred’s Market. Dinosaur World is also offering paired tickets for a parent and child during the event. Reading with the Rays, an hourly-based reading challenge that needs to be signed off by Preece, lets local youth win free tickets and merch for the Tampa Bay Rays. Some of the unique experiences headed to the library for children this summer is Science Mondays, which will feature everything from Ozo bots to crafting with Perler beads, a Wonders of Nature bird show on June 11 at 10:30 a.m., a police car visit on June 13 at

10:30 a.m., movie Fridays and a Didgeridoo concert at 3 p.m. June 15. At 3 p.m. June 4 there will be 100 drums headed to Bruton for a Drum Circle event where youth can dance, drum and learn about rhythm and their community. Story times will also be available all month with specified age groups ranging from toddlers only to entire families. Check the online calendar for more details. The summer movies also feature some of today’s biggest hits. Each Friday at 3 p.m. Bruton will have a movie night featuring box office hits like Wonder Woman, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Treasure Planet and more. Adults are also getting in on the fun with their own twist on the reading challenge. They can pop in Bruton to pick up a punch card from the front desk and for every book they read they can cross out a book on the card. When they next return to the library they can have a staff member hole punch the card for the books completed. This challenge is also open to e-books and audio books. Staff members will also punch the card for each adult library program you attend. Once the card is complete you get a free library tote. Voracious readers will also receive prizes for the second and

third completed cards and each card finished will go into a drawing for a grand prize. Bruton will be accepting completed cards until August 10. You can also earn extra candy jar guess slips for each reading log punch card completed. The adult summer reading program is sponsored by All A Bloom, Buddy Freddy’s, Carrabba’s, Fred’s Market, Johnson Barbeque, Winn-Dixie, Great Clips, Brick City Bricks, Southern Hospitality, Panera Bread, Parkesdale Market and Publix. Some of the highlights of this year’s adult “A Universe of Stories” programs includes a Craft Night Out on June 6 at 6 p.m. where attendees will be painting wine glasses — note this event comes with a $5 fee and registration is required — a Distilling Essential Oils class on June 10 at 6:30 p.m., two home organization workshops on June 13 and June 20 at 7 p.m. and a yoga-free yoga class taught by Koa Yoga Studio on June 18 at 7 p.m. Fans of healthy eating will love the “A Taste of the Earth” cooking show with local plant based chef Mara Latorre of The Funky Spork on July 8 at 6:30 p.m. The summer adult program will wrap up with the Suncoast Blues Society’s Blues in the Library

concert at 7 p.m. July 25. Walker Smith will perform legendary blues tunes for patrons of the library all night long.

File photo

Getting youth involved in summer reading helps them stay sharp.

For more information visit plantcitygov.com/library or check out Bruton Memorial Library’s Facebook page.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

CAPITOL COFFEE BRINGS POLITICIANS TO THE PEOPLE

The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s annual Capitol Coffee event proved once again that intimate sessions with elected leaders help constituents better grasp how the mind of a politician works. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

City constituents had a chance to check in with their elected officials Wednesday morning at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s second annual Capitol Coffee event. The scent of hot coffee floated through the air as the community gathered to mingle with four politicians early Wednesday morning. Representative Adam Hattersley (D), House District 59, Representative Lawrence McClure (R), House District 58, Representative Mike Beltran (R), House District 57 and Senator Tom Lee (R), Senate District 20 all chatted with the mingling guests over a cup of joe and fresh muffins. For half an hour hands were shaken and topics voters held near and dear to their hearts were discussed in the lobby of the Trinkle Center before the doors opened and everyone headed into the main auditorium to take their seats. Mayor Rick Lott welcomed the officials and listed off many of the things they have done for the town, including helping to secure the new court house, funding for McIntosh Park and aiding in getting fund-

ing returned to the historic Bing Rooming House Museum. Without cooperation there is no progress and Lott said he was looking forward to hearing them discuss several key issues the state was currently facing and promised they would all continue to hear from Plant City as help was needed. “This is probably one of the most aggressive and progressive sessions we’ve had in Tallahassee in a long time,” Lott said. “I think that you’ve moved Florida forward in literally all areas, whether its water, conservation, the economy and all particular areas. All I hear is people from both sides of the aisle proud to see how everyone is working together and coming up with a bill that supports Florida and I think that makes this a better state.” Rather than follow in the traditional footsteps of similar forums where politicians spend more than half of their time at the mic explaining who they are, the Chamber had former State Representative Rich Glorioso, emcee of the event, ask the officials to introduce themselves and then

share their favorite bills that passed last year and which bills they want to revisit next session that may have failed. Beltran said he was very successful this session and had nearly every single one of his bills passed. The one he cherished the most was spurred into action after a high school student named Emily Olson, enrolled at Newsome High, wore her military uniform to her graduation and was promptly sent home for failing to abide by dress code. Lee was the sponsor of that bill and Beltran sponsored the House version. He plans to return soon with a bill regarding getting more school buses for children that are currently walking to school. He mentioned the hordes of children he passed on SR 39 when he was on his way to the event that morning and said it was crucial they keep them safe by having more buses available. Hattersley, the only democrat in the room, said he was most proud of working on a bill to fight for first responders to have better access to care for job related cancers that come after fighting flames filled

with burning chemicals and other harmful materials. He plans to continue to fight for expanding 211 community care, especially targeting expanding help for veterans and working on improving services for veteran’s mental health. Lee was proud of his work with a variety of projects, including working to find a compromise on re-regulating continued care retirement. He discussed the “glitch” with Amendment 4 and the work they’ve had to pour into it to ensure the changes didn’t leave loopholes in the legislation. He also was proud of the Attorney General Ashley Moody’s success in getting access to information crucial to her fight against the opioid epidemic via the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. “It’s a team sport in the legislature, or at least it is when it works right,” Lee said. McClure was reelected last year and said the change has gone from drinking from a water main to a fire hose. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

DIVING INTO With summer just around the corner it’s time to finalize where to send your children for camp. In Plant City alone there are countless options and we’ve rounded up just a few of the more unique ones you can find around town. Check out next week’s edition of the Observer for a sneak peek at some of the sport camp offerings coming to town for summer break.

YMCA

Though the ‘Y has held a summer camp for years, this time around it’s upping the ante with a perfect blend of STEM topics, sports, swimming, games and team building skills. This year each YMCA in the Tampa Metropolitan network is introducing “activity specialists,” which will hone in on specific areas of the curriculum so youth are given the best leadership they can while at the camps. The core YMCA values — caring, honesty, respect and accountability — will of course run as the undercurrent of every activity as the ‘Y strives to teach youth how to be not only physically fit students, but also people with exceptional character. The ‘Y is also receiving new equipment just in time for camp to start including new structures, frisbee golf, cornhole and more. Registrations are open now online for the 10-week camp and students will start flocking to the program on June 3. The base cost for members is $119 per camper and $169 per camper for non-members and the pre-camp swim lessons are available for an additional $40 per camper in both cases. For more information visit plantcityobserver.com/summer-camp-revampedat-ymca/ for an in-depth article on the program.

Brick City Bricks

Courtesy photo

LEGO is the name of the game at Brick City.

While not a traditional all-day program, Brick City Bricks offers a camp your child is sure to remember for years to come. Run-

It’s time to figure out what your children are doing for their summer vacation. Luckily, Plant City has several unique camps and programs you can enroll them in to fill their days with fun and learning.

ning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. June 3 to Aug. 9, the LEGO-themed camp is open to anyone 5 years old and up and is $25 a day or $99 a week. Owner Greg Williams said those who wish to book a month or the entire summer will receive a special discount. It’s the only place in all of Tampa Bay you’ll find nothing but LEGO all day long. Whether it’s building unique LEGO, racing LEGO cars, playing Spinjitzu, blind builds or elaborate LEGO contests, the camp will keep your young one occupied and inventing all morning. They also get to take a special prize home every day, a feature most of last year’s attendees were thrilled to discover. The youth will be given a drink and snack and Williams said he frequently finds they’re just as fascinated with the store as they are with the activities. Many will spend long moments perusing the aisle gazing at the intricate LEGO sets. “They’ve gone to school all year, it’s time to have some fun,” Williams said. “That’s what we did growing up. And really, what’s more fun than LEGO?” Each instructor is CPR certified and the group even occasionally does “field trips” around downtown Plant City. Because Brick City Bricks is right on Reynolds Street, they can walk around the corner to the depot to watch trains, to the Kandy Shoppe or to the park. You can register for the camp at brickcitybricks.com or by popping in at 107 E. Reynolds St. There is a waiver parents need to fill out before the child can attend.

Any seventh or eighth grade students can sign up for a Leadership in Training position. The camp itself is open for Kindergarten through sixth grade. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 10 to 14 and costs $245. Right now campers are offered a $50 discount, reducing the cost to $195, to fill the remaining 40 spots. To receive the discount they need to register with Paul Coletti by emailing pacman1988@hotmail.com. Otherwise you can register at campinvention.org.

Lots of Hugs

A classic, but nonetheless original offering in Plant City is the Lots of Hugs Summer Reading Camp. Hosted by Plant City Black Heritage Celebration, Inc., the camp is for any youth ages 6 to 14 years old. It’s a 10-week program that runs from June 3 to Aug. 2 and only costs $80 per child for the entire 10 weeks. The camp is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Monday through Friday at Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 N. Park Road, and the youth will receive breakfast, lunch and a snack. What’s great about Lots of Hugs is it helps mix play with learning and ensures the youth are prepared when it’s time to pick up their pencils and start the next school year. There are a variety of activities that increase children’s reading level and character development including a “Just Read” literacy program, writing, water safety and educational field trips.

Camp Invention

If you want your child to have some mental stimulation this summer, Camp Invention is the place to go. This is the sixth year it’s been held in town and it averages around 120 campers. Camp Invention prides itself on being a problem solving, hands on, minds on educational camp. It’s a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and has received national acclimation for its ability to weave STEM concepts into fun activities. The summer camps across the nation are led by local teachers and relies on teamwork and immersive, hands on problem solving to complete missions and tasks. It’s held at the Arthur Boring Civic Center, 2406 W. Reynolds St., and will explore everything from circuit boards to superheroes. Based on the “Supercharged” theme, there is a variety of activities planned for the program. More information can be found at invent.org/programs/campinvention.

File photo

Youth spend the summer playing and learning at Lots of Hugs.

Another major asset to the program is the fact that each child usually walks away with something to help make transitioning into the new school year a breeze. They are given a backpack, which is donated through the Kiwanis Club’s Stuff the Bus program, that is filled with school supplies. Sharon Moody and her team pull off the elaborate summer camp every year and she said the goal is to help prevent the “sum-

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mer slide” that can put students at a disadvantage when the next school year starts. “We’re looking for a great summer and we’re having some cool things this year,” Moody said. “We’re having a few new activities, like we’re taking kids that don’t know how to swim to the ‘Y for lessons. There will be a few things like that coming this year.” For more information or to register contact Moody at 813-453-7134 or email sharonmoody91@yahoo.com. The program’s open house is Saturday, May 25 at 10 a.m. at Hope Lutheran. Anyone wanting to know more about the program or sign up is welcome to attend.

Courtesy photo

The City’s camp is one of the most popular in town and quickly reaches capacity.

City of Plant City

One of, if not the, most popular summer camps in town is the one hosted by the City of Plant City. Registration usually opens the last week in March and this year by April 17 they had reached the preregistration capacity. The camp runs from June 10 to Aug. 2 and is divided into age groups. Youth will rotate through activities throughout the day including opportunities to do arts and crafts, games, sports, a STEM discovery area and have quiet time to relax or nap. Recreation Supervisor Maggie Morona said there is a waiting list, but it’s already quite extensive so the odds of getting in this year are slim. However, she does recommend parents already begin planning for next year if they decide the city’s program is the best fit for their family. One benefit of choosing to use the city’s camp is they offer payment plans for the program, which is $375 total per child for the eight weeks. Any child age 5 to 15 years old can attend as long as the five year old has completed kindergarten, you must bring a report card to prove they’ve graduated.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

LEADERSHIP PC 2019 SAYS FAREWELL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

finalize their project, however, every team member said it was worth the effort. But it’s crucial to know that you get what you give. If you’re not willing to go above and beyond with the program you more than likely won’t grow as much as your classmates. As a team, if they step up to the plate, so should you. “I would whole heartedly recommend the leadership program,” Musser said. “However I would, as a caution, say that... while, yes, building your business and networking is part of it, I think you have to have a passion to make your community better, to give back and serve. You’ll grow, it will develop and grow you no matter where you are in your life, but it definitely requires a deep commitment on your end to not only accomplish the team’s lofty goals, but also to grow and develop together.” Throughout the year members of Leadership attend a variety of retreats to learn more about team building and each other and also get to go on one-of-a-kind field trips to local businesses and corporations to see how deeply committed members of the community from all aspects are to making Plant City the best place to work, play and live. The depth of that commitment seemed to take everyone by surprise and caused the entire team to want to get more involved following their graduation last week. They’re already planning on getting lunch together soon and many are eyeing joining either future Leadership admission committees or dipping their toes into other Chamber committees and groups. They’ll serve together for years to come and they repeated the conviction that they formed bonds that will last their lifetime. Each member said they felt they were now plugged into the deep and diverse web of movers and shakers in town that were working hard to move Plant City in a direc-

tion that would benefit the community as a whole. The nomination period for next year’s class is now open. For more information contact Norm Nelson, membership director, at norm@plantcity.org or 813-74-3707. “I think Plant City is on the cusp of such great things,” Musser said. “There are so many people pouring themselves into this community and all of those pieces are working together toward a common goal. Part of it is coming to pass now, but even just five years from now it’s going to be so much more. Now is the time to get involved and be a part of that. Some of the classmates, they really are rising stars in the community. Yes there are names we all know and businesses we know, but there are so many newcomers that are wanting sink their teeth in and be a part of this change. It’s happening now.”

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

Leadership Plant City Class of 2019

Trey Stevens, Coulter Aviles & Co. Dillon Glisson, G5 Feed & Outdoor Morgan Tomlinson, Rita Staffing Morgan Williams, Maid Easy Cleaning Professionals Tyrone Shelton, Great Florida Insurance Josiah Colon, Suncoast Credit Union Susan Musser, South Florida Baptist Hospital Lilly Martinez, State Farm Insurance – Courtney Paat Agency Bree Wilson, Plant City Chamber of Commerce

Courtesy photo

This year’s group created the Garden Walk.

Steve DePianta, Stahl Insurance & Associates

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

CAT SHOW COMING TO TECO EXPO HALL

New Vision Cat Club will host a two-day show June 1 and 2 at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Cat lovers of Plant City might want to get their calendars out right “meow” and make plans for next weekend. Lakeland-based New Vision Cat Club is hosting its firstever Plant City cat show at the TECO Expo Hall at the Florida Strawberry Festival fairgrounds June 1 and 2. The “Strawberries & Sunshine” show, the first of two events planned for 2019, is expected to have at least two dozen breeds — possibly 150 to 200 cats total — strutting their stuff to impress judges grading

on Cat Fanciers Association standards. It’s not unlike the American Kennel Club and Westminster dog shows broadcast on national television every year or smaller dog shows that have even come to Plant City in the past, except it’s all with cats instead of dogs. This show, called “Strawberries & Sunshine,” will have 10 judging rings and will spread out the competitions with six on June 1 and four on June 2. Final-round events will be held on both days. There will also be three specialty rings. The June event is going to function almost like a litmus test for the future and will strictly focus on the judging competitions. New Vision will host another two-day

event at the expo hall on September 21 and 22 that will be complete with the agility contests. “This show, I wanted to sort of go with a ‘less is more’ approach to get our feet wet,” Show Manager Rich Nolte said. There will be plenty for cat owners to do, though. Nolte expects eight to 12 vendors at the show to sell treats, toys, blankets and more, a professional photographer on hand to work with the cats and several food trucks offering burgers, empanadas, baked goods, kettle corn and more. Nolte and New Vision settled on the Plant City location because it “checked all the boxes” the club was looking for: proximity to I-4 and Tampa International Airport,

Photos courtesy of Rich Nolte/New Vision Cat Club

size and familiarity. Nolte himself grew up showing rabbits at the Florida Strawberry Festival and knew from his experiences Plant City would be a good site for an animal-friendly show. “I know it’s a great town with a lot of people that love their animals, so I figured this would be the perfect place to launch it,” he said. The CFA is the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats and has been active since 1906. New Vision was founded in Lakeland in 2016 and has previously hosted shows in Atlanta, Georgia. Though based in central Florida, it has members from all over this state as well as Georgia and Kentucky. New Vision styles itself as

a Bengal breed club and Nolte said it was instrumental in getting the breed officially recognized by the CFA in 2016, but its Plant City show is friendly to all breeds officially recognized by the CFA.

IF YOU GO

The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 1 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 2. Tickets cost $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and kids, and Hillsborough County teachers get in for free with their school ID badge. For more information on the club, visit facebook.com/ groups/1509731129332314.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

CITY BEGINS WORK ON REPAIRS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Two of Concord Way’s inlets will soon be repaired and the city purchased equipement to tackle analyzing roadway depressions more efficiently. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

“These things fail slowly over time,” McDaniel said. “It was brought to our attention through a combination of resident, HOA and city staff observations and we’ve been working on that for about four months, I would say, getting all the designs, going through procurement and doing all the things we do.” The city advertised the listing for the job on March 21 and, by April 25, five bids were received for the project. The companies ranged from offering to complete the job for anywhere from $54,4665 to $98,433. The most responsible bid was also the lowest response this time and the city was asked to hire Blacktip Services, Inc. to tackle the inlets and piping repair. The job will replace two inlets and the adjoining pipe and the roadway surrounding the area in question will need to have milling and resurfacing done to complete the project. Flooding has not yet been a major issue for the area, but the city hopes the improved roadway

will help to also provide proper rain water runoff drainage to the area. “What this was actually doing, like so many of them do with time, was it was starting to buckle and cause irregularities in the pavements,” McDaniel said. Commissioners approved the hiring of Blacktip Services, Inc. in an unanimous vote on May 13. The $54,465 will come from the CIP #SW014 - Stormwater Drainage Pipe Rehabilitation funds. The city also agreed to purchase a drainage pipe CCTV inspection system and a wireless pole camera for the city’s stormwater crew. The stormwater crew handles the investigation of depressions Breanne Williams that occur throughout the city in paved streets and determines Two inlets on Concord Way in Walden Lake will soon be repaired thanks to the hiring of Blacktip Services, Inc. if the cause could require the inspection of the drainage pipes an Envirosight Rovver X CCTV mine the cause of the indention. to 16” pipe diameter and quick in the area. To do this, they use Inspection System and an Envi- The remedial work will be done disconnect wheels for drainage CCTV. Currently, the division has rosight Quickview AirHD Wire- immediately allowing the next pipe larger than 15”.” had to borrow equipment from less Pole Camera from the Envi- phases to get put in motion much The camera is controlled via the Water and Sewer Depart- ronmental Products of Florida faster. remote control and can pan, tilt ment or establish a contract with Corporation via the City of TalThe Drainage Pipe CCTV and zoom with the click of a butan outside vendor to get the job lahassee Contract. Inspection System comes with ton to easily determine any pipe done. The equipment cost the city “a controller with Vision Report problems. The wireless pole This has caused many delays $88,610.91 and came from the software, an automatic cable reel camera the city purchased comes over the years in determining city’s Stormwater Fund. with 1,000-foot cable, a wireless with a carrying case, rechargeable solutions to the various problems Once the equipment is in the remote controller, a reel-mount- batteries, charger and a tablet for that pop up, and to streamline hands of the city crews, they ing frame and an emergency stop control and viewing. the process, the commissioners can go the same day a pavement cable. The crawler comes with unanimously agreed to purchase depression is reported and deter- three sets of rubber wheels for 6”

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DOCTOR’S NOTE

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

FLORIDA E.N.T. & ALLERGY

SKIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT PREVENTION, DETECTION & TREATMENT

kin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and it will affect one in five Americans during their lifetime. May is Skin Cancer Awareness month and the specialists at Florida E.N.T. & Allergy are encouraging everyone to take steps to prevent skin cancer and detect it early, when it’s most treatable.

PREVENTION Sunscreen is one way to protect your skin from harmful UV sun exposure. Even if you consider yourself sunscreen savvy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has strict rules for sun protection that you may not know about.

UNDERSTANDING SUNSCREEN LABELS Broad spectrum sunscreens provide protection from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. There are two types of UV radiation: UVA and UVB. Broad spectrum protects against both by providing a chemical

barrier that absorbs or reflects UV radiation before it can damage the skin. Sunscreens are made in a wide range of SPFs (Sun Protection Factor) and the SPF value indicates the level of sunburn protection provided by the product. There is a popular misconception that SPF relates to time of exposure. For example, many believe that if they normally get sunburned in one hour, then an SPF of 15 allows them to stay in the sun for 15 times longer without getting sunburned. Since SPF is not directly related to time of solar exposure, but to amount of solar exposure, this is false. Be aware that no sunscreen is “waterproof.” All sunscreens eventually wash off – and sunscreens labeled “water resistant” are required to be tested, include labels that state how long the sunscreen remains effective and provide directions on reapplication. Keep in mind that sunscreens that are not broad-spectrum, or lack an SPF of at least 15, must carry the following warning: “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin

cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”

DETECTION & TREATMENT OPTIONS If your doctor determines that you have skin cancer, they may require additional tests to determine the extent, or stage, of the cancer. Treatment options for skin cancer will vary depending on the size, type, depth and location of the lesions. While lesions like basal cell carcinoma can oftentimes be removed with a minimally invasive procedure when caught early, all forms of cancer carry a risk of metastasizing to other sites. Therefore, skin exams should always include a thorough check of the entire head and neck to ensure that any abnormal changes are discovered quickly. Mohs micrographic surgery is a safe and effective treatment for skin cancer that thoroughly excises the tumor, while only mildly disturbing surrounding tissue. It is the only skin cancer treatment available

that targets just cancerous tissue through comprehensive microscopic examination of the affected area. Physicians like Florida E.N.T. & Allergy’s Dr. Castellano and Dr. Hall specialize in skin cancer removal and reconstruction of the face and neck.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call 813-879-8045 or visit Florida E.N.T. & Allergy online at www.FloridaENTandAllergy.com.

PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT Dr. Castellano and Dr. Hall are board certified by both the American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Both physicians see patients at the Florida E.N.T. & Allergy Plant City location. The physicians of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy have served the Tampa Bay community for over 40 years. Their board certified physicians have completed extensive education and clinical training as well as specialized training in their area(s) of expertise. From pediatric allergies to fitting hearing aids, their caring and experienced physicians specialize in ear, nose and throat care for the entire family using comprehensive, cutting-edge technologies.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

‘TITANS’ MASTER MUD IN PLANT CITY Mud Titan 11 brought hundreds of runners to its Prevatt Road site on May 18.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The first Mud Titan race of 2019 took Plant City’s most famous pasture by storm the morning of May 18. Hundreds flocked to the field at 1500 Prevatt Road for the obstacle-packed 5K, which throws more than 30 athletic challenges at runners in addition to them navigating the muddy path. The top over-

all male finisher was Esdras Castillo, who finished the course in 29:21.30. The top overall female finisher was Brittney Martinez, who finished in 52:43.90. Titan Runs’ next race will be Tactical Titan 5, a mud-free 5K with more than 25 obstacles hosted annually off of Sydney Washer Road in Dover. The Tactical Titan will take place the morning of August 24. Sign up online at runsignup.com/Race/ FL/Dover/TacticalTitan5.

Photos by Justin Kline

Mud Titan has plenty of obstacles to challenge any and all runners who tackle the course.

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE

COLORADO: Chelsea Hall and Dan Lauer picked a gorgeous location for their May 10 wedding: Estes Park, Colorado. Though they enjoyed the sights of the evergreen forests and the majestic Rocky Mountains, they also made sure to bring a piece of Plant City along for the trip with the previous week’s Observer.

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Did you take the Observer with you on vacation? Send your pictures to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

PLANT CITY MEETS POLITICIANS AT CHAMBER EVENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Breanne Williams

He’s served on several committees he’s proud of this year and was most pleased with his ability to get funding for local agriculture programs like 4-H and IFAS. He joked he will be fighting to keep Florida strawberries ahead against imports for as long as constituents continue to send him to Tallahassee. The most controversial topic, Senate Bill 7030, was discussed by every politician

due to a 50-50 split on stage from their votes. The bill tackled safety in schools and discussed “requiring sheriffs to establish a school guardian program or contract with another sheriff’s office that has established a program under a certain condition.” The law basically asked the question, “should we arm teachers?” Lee explained this year’s version of the bill was really the second edition and the real vote happened last session. This vote clarified who could be considered a volunteer for the program. Lee voted for this year’s edition, but said he felt like it wasn’t doing much. Beltran partially agreed, echoing that the true meat of the issue had been addressed in the last session before he was elected. To him, arming teachers seemed dangerous and he wanted to see more of a track record proving it was helpful before he threw his support behind it. In Beltran’s mind, the question should instead have been, “how much do we need to fund having trained Sheriffs Deputies at every school?” He said

OMG IT’S WEDNESDAY!

The Chamber hosted the event to help connect the public to its elected officials.

he didn’t want to see any kids get killed and was willing to get the funding to pay for the official protection. Outside of the capitol he failed to see anyone, including his constituents, who thought the bill was good idea so he chose to not support it. McClure leaned on his local roots and said in rural communities, more people were properly trained on how to use and operate a gun, so the issue was Tallahassee had to write one bill that would fit every community in Florida. He supported it, but admitted it was a difficult thing to put on paper. Hattersley voted in opposition of the bill. He explained he was the only person on the stage that had been in combat and carried two guns with him while on tour for a year in Iraq. He said his team was personally targeted by a terrorist group and he’s seen what firearms can do. Even with tens of thousands of highly trained military personnel, they still had a negligent discharge around once a week.

“I wanted to do my part to try and keep those firearms out of untrained hands around children,” Hattersley said. “When in a gunfight, confusion, adrenaline and fear rule beyond everything and without any experience you will shoot anything that moves and I don’t want that risk of having more casualties among children than possible. At Parkland, we already had the highest-trained school resource officer in the state and he failed at his task. Do you really think your 74-year-old English teacher that’s touched a firearm once is going to do any better?” The candidates then answered questions from the public about what they planned to do with the rest of their term and to explain why they made certain choices they did. They closed by discussing what had surprised them the most over the course of their term in politics and what they had learned about the institution in general.

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.

PLANT CITY FARM AND FLEA MARKET Highway 39 North at Sam Allen Road—1 mi. N. of I-4 Exit 21

WEDNESDAY FLEA MARKET OVER 40 ACRES . . . MORE THAN 500 VENDORS

OP EN

PM 7A M T O 1 708 W. SAM ALLEN RD. 1 MILE NORTH OF I-4 EXIT 21

287696-1

LIKE KMART WITHOUT A ROOF!

PLENTY OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

SEBASTIAN AND CHANNELLE: These Maltese siblings constantly seek out their next big adventure. Sebastian and Channelle love to swim in the pool and then go for a golf cart ride to dry off. Sebastian, 3 years old, insists on driving.

ONLINE

WWW.PLANTCITYMARKET.COM

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FOCUS ON FITNESS

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

ANGELA FULGIERI

A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF Franco Donadelli has worked hard to lose 70 pounds and get in the best shape of his life.

any people who struggle with their weight know they need to get healthier to reduce their risk of many diseases. Franco Donadelli was one of those people. At his heaviest, he weighed 230 pounds. Now, at age 18, he said he is down to a healthy 160 to 165 pounds “depending on the day.” There were many reasons he wanted to make a change: appearance, sports performance, health reasons and, yes, to get the attention of a girl. But Donadelli learned so much about himself through his weight loss journey and encourages others to find their own motivation to better themselves. Donadelli was surprised at all the life lessons he learned throughout his journey. He lost the weight. He’s happy with how he looks and he feels great, but it took determination and commitment to get there. He learned not to do things for other people, but for himself. “To really want change, you have to completely drop everything that you are doing and start from zero,” Donadelli said. Donadelli fought obesity throughout his childhood, but it wasn’t until he was pre-diabetic and began having knee problems that he knew he needed to do something about it. ”I was a kid and I just wanted to eat what

I wanted.” He jokes about the period from 6th until 10th grade when he would tell his friends, “This summer, I am going to get fit. When I come back to school next year, y’all aren’t even going to recognize me.” Then he would return to school the following year and his friends would ask what happened. He just didn’t find the motivation he needed. When he was 14, Donadelli began playing basketball at the Plant City Family YMCA. His basketball coach could see he had potential to play much better if he could lose some weight. “He could see that I would get exhausted running up the court, so he was the one to introduce me to the weight room,” Donadelli said. Donadelli worked out when he was with his coach, but wasn’t consistent. A year later, a girl he really liked would not date him because of his size. That impacted his confidence. “I didn’t like looking at myself. I hated taking pictures or videos of myself,” Donadelli said. “I was self-conscious but I wasn’t depressed. I wanted to wear nice outfits and I wanted people to think I was attractive, but also to be healthier for myself. In sports, I wanted to be at the same level as my friends or be better than them.”

That summer, Donadelli started to work out at the Plant City Y. Most people start with a diet, but he started in the weight room. He reached out to his Y volunteer coach who was happy to help. First, the coach worked with him on the selectorized equipment and next with free weights. “He helped me for about five months. I fell in love with it, so I started watching videos on YouTube about exercise and nutrition,” Donadelli said. “I researched different diets, and took pieces I felt would work for me.” He eliminated sodas, cookies and sweets. His diet consisted of chicken, fish and lots of vegetables. Donadelli really wanted to focus on losing weight and wanted to follow a low-carb diet he could maintain. “A lot of people try to do these crazy diets and after a week or two, they just give up,” Donadelli said. “I was in it for the long haul. The first 20 pounds came off easily. It took me about three months but I was in the gym every day, twice a day, for the whole summer.” When he returned to school, people noticed his progress. He wasn’t done yet, but he had hit a plateau and could not get past the 185-pound mark.

“I kept working harder, tweaking my diet,” he said. He fell into a routine of working out and stopped loving it. He began to question whether he wanted to continue, but didn’t want to lose everything he worked so hard for. It was then that the same girl who hurt his feelings before gave him the boost he needed to continue: she noticed. Although she gave him the motivation he needed to keep going, he was now doing it for himself. “My confidence went up,” Donadelli said. “When you love yourself, whatever people say will not really affect you because you know your worth. There’s no shortcut to working out. Every day that you are here (the YMCA), you get stronger, faster than the day before. I want to be a better version than I was the day before.” It’s only natural that he now gives back to the same Y that changed his life. “I’ve been here 10 years. The Y has seen me grow up and I want to be a part of something as great as the YMCA because I have seen what’s its done for me,” Donadelli said. “Here in the YMCA, I see people who haven’t had the best day. The weight room is the best therapy. I tell them to work out their inner demons. “

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In addition to working in wellness, youth sports and childcare, Donadelli also volunteers as a Y basketball coach. “I might one day find a kid that needs a little bit of guidance and I want to be a mentor,” Donadelli said. “Some kids may not have the best relationships with their parents and I will do anything in my power to help because these kids are our future. I want these kids to have a great life and see the positive in everything. I’m only 18, but I see the good in everything.” Donadelli now likes looking at himself, but says there is always room for improvement. “Working out is a journey,” he said. “Even in life, every day you have to want to be a better version than you were the day before. I learned that from working out.”

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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

COPS CORNER

This week on Cops Corner Plant City Police investigated broken handles, missing desert roses, a sugared up gas tank, fraudelent salesemen and more.

MAY 10

handgun, iPhone and iPad were missing.

HARD TO HANDLE 200 block of Park Springs Circle Criminal mischief: This complainant reported to police that sometime over the past 24 hours, someone broke the driver side door handle to her vehicle. She said she didn’t see or hear anyone near the vehicle and just discovered the damage. A waiver report was completed for the incident. SHOTS IN THE WIND 4600 block of Reese Road Accidental shooting: PCPD officers made contact with a 22-year-old man who was in the possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia. He was also charged with reckless discharge of a firearm across a public roadway and violation of CCW. RANSACKED AND RAKED CLEAN 400 block of Waller Street Residential burglary: Officers met with this victim, who said she returned home to find the house had been ransacked. Eventually she was able to determine an SCCY 9mm

this victim who said as he was exiting his vehicle at his apartment complex, he was bitten on his right arm by a white pit bull. The dog’s owner got the dog off and drove the victim to the hospital. He gave his phone number to the victim, but was unable to be contacted by the victim or police. Hillsborough County Animal Control was contacted.

MAY 11 LAWN HEIST 2400 block of Airport Road Burglary vehicle: Sometime between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. someone removed miscellaneous lawn and hand tools from an open flatbed lawn trailer without the owner’s permission. The incident was documented and a waiver of prosecution was signed.

MAY 13 A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME 700 block of Bay Drive Theft: This complainant told officers someone had stolen a “Desert Rose” plant off of their front porch. The plant was in a green pot and was valued at $200.

AN IMPROPER GUEST 800 block of West Madison Street Theft: Officers came out to the residence, a rooming house, and spoke to the complainant. He told them he had stepped out of his room, leaving his guest alone, and when he returned both his cell phone and the guest were gone.

FAULTY GAMBLE 1 Police Place Fraud: Officers talked to this victim, who told them she had purchased a phone from a man over the weekend. For a few hours it worked fine and then, all of a sudden, it stopped. She took it to a professional to look at and they found the phone was fake and without a valid IMIE number.

MAY 12 BITTEN AND DITCHED 800 block of South Morgan Street Information report: PCPD officers responded and met with

JACKING THE JAGUAR 1500 block of Neil Street Motor vehicle theft: This victim told officers his 2009 black Jaguar FX sedan, which had a Florida Tampa Bay Buccaneers tag, had been stolen from the above location between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. LEAFY ARREST 1100 block of North Alexander Street Marijuana possession: Officers stopped a man during a traffic stop and found he was in possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana as well as drug paraphernalia. He was placed under arrest and released with a court date.

MAY 14 CRAVING CORONA 2700 block of Thonotosassa Road Theft: Officers met with a store manager who told them on May 14 at 1:34 a.m., a man grabbed a 24-pack of Corona Extra and left the store without paying.

LIFTING LEDS 1 Raider Place Theft: Officers spoke to an employee for a paving crew that said unknown subjects took LED lights off their paving equipment. The company signed a waiver of prosecution. SUGARED UP 700 block of West Ball Street Criminal mischief: This victim told officers that an unknown person poured sugar into the fuel tank of her 2005 Ford Focus.

MAY 15 TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 2900 block of Spring Hammock Drive Fraud: This complainant reported that she received a call from an unknown man that told her she had won a car. In order to claim the vehicle she was told she would need to send $750 in cash to an out-of-state address for the vehicle taxes and paperwork. She sent the money and then found out it was a scam.

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MAY 23, 2019

James Gray helped the 12U Raiders make the GSA Stars and Stripes Slugfest VI championship last weekend. See Page 18

SPORTS

RAIDERS, CHARGERS WIN REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

Quick Hits BLESSIN NAMED THOMPSON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Plant City’s dramatic comeback and Strawberry Crest’s successful wire-to-wire win put the teams in May 22 championship games.

PCHS Softball/Twitter Ashley Blessin received one of the top softball awards in Hillsborough County on May 16. Blessin won the 2019 Jack and Barbara Thompson Hillsborough Softball Player of the Year award for another outstanding season on the mound for Plant City High School. The senior won 20 games (22 complete games, 15 shutouts, four no-hitters, one perfect game) and posted an ERA of 0.12 with 379 strikeouts in 179.1 innings of work. She broke the 1,000 career strikeout mark this postseason and finished with 1,059 to her name.

BASEBALL TOURNEYS ON DECK

Justin Kline

The Plant City Raiders celebrate after pulling off a seventh-inning comeback to beat Plant on May 18.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

aturday night was alright for baseball in the Plant City area, as evidenced by a pair of May 18 wins from PCHS and Strawberry Crest in FHSAA regional semifinal action. The Plant City Raiders picked up a walk-off 3-2 win over Plant at home while Strawberry Crest got out to an early 1-0 lead over

Wiregrass Ranch and held steady for the remaining six innings to lock up the win in Dover. In Plant City, the Raiders started and ended things with district championship hero Hunter Emerine. PCHS’s senior catcher put the Raiders ahead, 1-0, with an RBI single in the second inning to start off the scoring. The Panthers put a pair of runs on the board in the top of the fourth with RBI singles from J.D. Urso and Jac Caglione and

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

took a 2-1 lead they managed to hold on to despite the Raiders putting runners in scoring position several times in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. Jarod Wingo retired Plant’s side in the top of the seventh to set up a bottom half-inning that the home fans watched with bated breath. After Mario Williams grounded out, Cade Shissler managed to reach first base on a single to right that took a favorable drop

in front of Plant’s defense, then took second base on a passed ball during Chris Rodriguez’s at-bat. Rodriguez struck out swinging, but Cole Cothren singled to drive in Shissler for the tying run. Parker Messick singled to move Cothren to third with Emerine up to bat. Despite the gravity of the moment, Emerine kept a cool head and knew he had the walkoff RBI almost as soon as the ball came off his bat for a single.

SEE PAGE 18

JUSTIN KLINE

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE LOSE WEIGHT WITH NEXT TO NO EFFORT Franco Donadelli’s weight loss journey is further proof that one of the best ways to help someone stay motivated is to use your eyes.

hope you’ve all gotten a chance to read Angela Fulgieri’s Focus on Fitness column about Franco Donadelli’s weight loss journey. I always love hearing about people who have been able to hit their weight loss goals because doing that is much easier said than done. Sticking to a diet is not easy. Sticking to an exercise routine is not easy. Staying patient throughout the process is not easy. People who have never struggled with it (those of you with the metabolism everyone’s jealous of) don’t always understand and that can make it even harder for someone trying to slim down to stay motivated.

It can be hard even when someone’s got a goal in mind, which is almost always the case. Donadelli wanted to improve the quality of his life. Two people I’ve written about in the past, Walt Thompson and Aaliyah Battle, wanted not only to be healthy, but also had specific athletic goals (Thompson wanted to finish an Ironman race and Battle wanted to play flag football and throw shot put for Plant City High School). I’ve written about my own weight loss before and my goal was simply to get back down to a weight I could be comfortable with. We all knew what we wanted when we gave it a shot, but none of us could do it totally alone. SEE PAGE 18

Florida USSSA Baseball’s Ultimate Florida Championship III tournament will use multiple fields at Plant City Stadium, Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex, Mike Sansone Park, Ellis-Methvin Park and the MLK Complex this Saturday and Sunday. The tourney runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Global Sports Alliance’s High Heater Classic tournament will come to Plant City next weekend. The tourney runs from June 1 through June 2 at Ellis-Methvin Park, Mike Sansone Park, Snowden Park, Plant City Stadium, the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex and the MLK complex. Games run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

SUMMER TENNIS OFFERINGS The Plant City Tennis Center will have plenty to offer this summer. Youth lessons for all skill levels will start June 3, June 24 and July 19. Tots (age 4-7) meet at 8:15 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays while beginners through advanced students (age 8-12) meet at 9 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Tots lessons cost $30 per session and the others cost $60 per session.The Ladies Summer Doubles Tennis League runs from June 5 through July 31 and will have matches at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays. Twelve teams will be able to register and pass holders at the tennis center can sign up for $20. Nonmember teams can join the league for $60. On the second Friday of each month, the tennis center will host its Monthly Mixed Mixer at 6 p.m. Pass holders can attend for $5 and non-members for $15. Registration forms are online at plantcitygov.com/parksrec/page/ plant-city-tennis-center-activities. For more information call 813-7077485 or email C. Shane Johnson at sjohnson@plantcitygov.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

RAIDERS, CHARGERS WIN REGIONAL SEMIFINALS

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

YOUR VOICE MATTERS FOR SOMEONE’S WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY

Plant City’s dramatic comeback and Strawberry Crest’s successful wire-to-wire win put the teams in May 22 championship games.

Losing weight is a difficult task made easier with support from friends, family and coworkers, among others.

Justin Kline

Plant City and Plant players await a call from the third base umpire.

JUSTIN KLINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Meanwhile, in Dover, Crest and Wiregrass Ranch met for the fourth and final time this year and the Chargers completed the season sweep with a 1-0 win. Offense typically hadn’t been hard for the Chargers to come by during the series (Crest had outscored the Bulls, 17-6, heading into Saturday), but the visiting team put forth a solid effort in a win-or-go-home game. After Ben Pues hit an RBI single to right field in the first inning to put Crest ahead, 1-0, the game quickly turned into a defensive battle. Alex Marshall kept Wiregrass Ranch in check through the fifth inning, when Kade Manderscheid relieved him and continued to stifle the Bulls’ offense through the end of the game. Plant City fans had to make a drive to Seminole to see the Raiders play on

Wednesday, as the Raiders were forced to travel for the first time in the 2019 postseason. Seminole High School pulled out a 2-1 win over East Lake on May 18 to secure hosting privileges for the 8A-Region 2 championship game. Crest fans didn’t have to worry about travel plans that evening, as SCHS hosted Chiles in the 8A-Region 1 championship at 7 p.m. Chiles and Atlantic Coast played an action-packed regional semifinal May 18 that ended with a 10-6 win for the Timberwolves of Tallahassee. Results from both Wednesday night games were not available for press time.

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JUSTIN KLINE

I’ve never been one to live in front of a mirror (haven’t had the abs for that and probably never will), but I can’t count how many times I’ve looked at my reflection and wondered if my eyes deceived me, if I was really seeing changes or if I was going through all that trouble for nothing. There were some days where I thought I noticed a difference — usually when I hadn’t eaten a lot — and there were days when I’d look and feel kind of gross. The mirror would tell me one thing and a camera would tell me another. Even when I noticed the clothes I’d bought for my dad bod at its peak started getting loose, one look at the mirror could make me ask myself if it was legit or if I was just imagining things. Don’t get me wrong: I still have those days where I look at myself in the mirror before work and wonder if I really look like that guy. I’m now just way more certain I do because I’ve heard plenty about that guy from others in my life. What finally helped me realize I was, in fact, shedding the pounds like I wanted, was when people noticed and said something. That’s when I started trusting the mirror more. That’s when folks like myself and Donadelli and Thompson and Battle,

to name a few, trust ourselves more and find extra motivation to keep going. Have you ever helped a friend who went through a breakup get back in good spirits, maybe even get confident enough to try dating again? It’s pretty much the same thing. Even the most introverted among us can only do so much for ourselves, by ourselves. If you’re not their trainer or dietician, the very best thing you can do for someone you care about who’s trying to lose weight is to notice them. If you see good changes, point them out and be encouraging. Stay positive. It’s the simplest thing ever, but it’s so important for people trying to lose weight to have that validation and positive reinforcement from the outside. It’s fuel for the fire.

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

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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