6.20.19 PLCO

Plant City Observer YO UR HOMETO WN. YO UR NEWSPAP ER .

YOUR HOMETOWN. YOUR NEWSPAPER FREE

VOLUME 6, NO. 50

DOWNTOWN’S FUTURE ANALYZED A Downtown Vision Plan will soon be created to determine the best course of action to revitalize and grow downtown Plant City.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Downtown Plant City will soon have an official revitalization plan, thanks to a partnership between Main Street and the City of Plant City.

For years, Main Street has wanted to hire a firm that specializes in Main Street design services.

The hope was the company hired would help develop a strategic plan and in-depth analysis

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

on downtown so the city will know how best to grow the area.

The group has partnered with the city to hire Community Design Solutions for $38,000, of which $19,000 will come from the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency fund.

At the end of the study, the city will have a downtown plan full of various strategies, options and possibilities to improve the amenities offered in the downtown corridor.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

A GRAND OLD FLAG

The Plant City Elks Lodge held its annual Flag Day ceremony last week to honor the evolution of the U.S. flag.

SEE PAGE 9

CITY OFFICIALS PREPARE FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF LEADERSHIP Rick Lott was voted in as mayor once again.

In fact, no changes in delegation or titles were made last week.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Courtesy of Yvonne Fry

Mayor Rick Lott took the oath of office last week while his wife Di Lott held his Bible.

City commissioners decided change isn’t always a good thing last week when they voted to keep all aspects of city leadership the same.

Rick Lott was unanimously selected to once again reign as Plant City’s mayor. Commissioner Mike Sparkman nominated Lott to once again have the spot, Vice Mayor Nate Kilton seconded the proposal and all commissioners voted in agreement.

“It’s such an honor to serve this community and to sit on this board and I am absolutely honored to be chosen to perform in this capacity,” Lott said. “I love this position, I love having the opportunity and when you give me a vote like that, it gives me the confidence to move forward and have the confi-

dence that when I do work on representing you with everything that I do, I’m doing to represent you. I think that we have something really special, that we work as a team, as a family and we debate our issues, we work toward our issues, but we always find a way to come together for the good of our city. I’ve never seen an organization work the way we do here.”

Joking that he was ready to get back to work, Lott encouraged City Manager Bill McDaniel to call him 10 times a day if needed.

Lott then turned and asked Vice Mayor Nate Kilton if he would be interested in serving in the same capacity once again. Kilton agreed and since Lott selects his vice mayor, no vote was needed.

SEE PAGE 7

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

All for Transportation tax upheld

HCSO issues cybersecurity warning

Judge Rex Barbas approved the one-cent All for Transportation sales tax on June 17 after county commissioner Stacy White moved to get clarification on the legality of the plan.

Barbas modified details of the charter amendment regarding spending allocations and restrictions, which can be reinstated with a majority vote of the Hillsborough County Commission, but ultimately decided the tax was what county residents wanted. “It is evident that the voters of Hillsborough County desire to improve transportation needs,� Barbas wrote in his decision.

Roughly 60 percent of Hillsborough County voters approved of the All for Transportation tax on their November ballots. Plant City voters and those in unincorporated Hillsborough County at large were among the areas that voted in favor of the sales tax.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister hopes to get Florida trending positively when it comes to cybersecurity.

HCSO cited a Federal Trade Commission report stating the Sunshine State leads the nation in cyber scams in its most recent call to citizens to be aware of their online activity and what could befall them if they don’t be careful. “In today’s tech-driven world, it’s just as easy to become a crime victim online as it is coming face-to-face with a criminal,� Chronister said in a video message posted to social media on Monday.

Chronister encouraged residents to think before giving out their email and computer passwords, and to create a network of strong passwords so as not to use one or two easy-to-exploit passwords online. He also said if anyone emails you claiming you’ve won a prize or owe money and the company appears legitimate, contact the company by phone or in a new email to verify. “Remember, when you’re online you are a target to hackers. It’s up to you to protect yourself and your information,�

Chronister said.

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The full public service announcement can be seen at youtube.com/ watch?v=8sl8cTBVfL4 or on the official HCSO Facebook page.

Job fair for veterans coming to Tampa in July DAV RecruitMilitary is calling out to Tampa Bay-area veterans in need of work with a free event in July.

The July 18 Tampa Veterans Job Fair runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa, and promises to get veterans and their spouses, transitioning military personnel, National Guard members and Reserve members connected with potential employers for free. Pre-register for the event online at success.recruitmilitary. com/events/tampa-veterans-job-fairjuly-18-2019.

based iced tea company, which sells 24 flavors of sweet and unsweet tea. “We are excited that we get to introduce Florida to a tea product that is unlike anything in the eastern United States, and for Lakeland to get to be the first city to experience this in the east is a really cool thing,� David Sullivan said in a press release. “I don’t think Florida knows what they are about to experience and I am excited to introduce them to it.�

HteaO Lakeland is located at 3920 S. Florida Ave., right next to the Polk Parkway, and opens Friday. A ribbon-cutting will be held at 3 p.m. Customers can take advantage of half-priced teas Friday and Saturday and can enter a contest to win free tea for a year. Gallons and halfgallons of tea can be purchased at a 50 percent discount through the end of the month.

PC residents opening state’s first HteaO Florida’s first HteaO location is all set to open its doors this week.

Plant City residents David and Susan Sullivan own this franchise of the Texas-

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

3

DOWNTOWN VISION PLAN ON ITS WAY Thanks to a partnership between Main Street and the City of Plant City, downtown will soon have an in-depth plan for its future.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

“I’m excited to see what this whole thing brings back for our hometown,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “They come in and they look at downtown and they see things we may not see. How to use open space, where do you have opportunities that maybe we didn’t see. They can look at buildings like, there’s some buildings at MLK at Palmer, the old appliance store for example, they can look at that and say, ‘Here’s what this could be.’”

McDaniel said one of the things he liked about Community Design Solutions that they did in other cities was they come up with a “really great way to rehab and freshen up buildings, to make your downtown look better and even more vibrant and attractive” while using a conservative budget. Their prior work seemed to mesh perfectly with what Plant City has to offer and he said they’re looking forward to seeing the end result.

The Downtown Vision Plan will assess the local retail market in order to ascertain what retention and recruitment strategies would work best downtown and will also feature “design vignettes for a downtown site project that will serve as a strategic redevelopment initiative,” according to a news release.

Nick Thurston, president of Main Street, said it all began back in October when the organization held a Topics on Tap meeting and invited McDaniel to come out and talk about all of the things happening throughout Plant City.

Part of his presentation focused

heavily on the changes and needs downtown, and Thurston said it encouraged the group to spring into action.

In November, they held a meeting where they broke into a variety of workgroups and identified the core things they felt downtown Plant City needed to “turn the corner.”

“We talked about a park, modification to the alcohol ordinance, the mural ordinance and adding more residential to downtown,” Thurston said. “Then we immediately started working with the city on the alcohol ordinance and I think that did a lot in proving we are passionate about getting actual change accomplished.”

As the group moved into discussions about one day having a park downtown that would act as a destination and a focal point for the community, they started to run into more questions than they had answers to. Thurston said they realized no one on the committee or in Main Street was really qualified to definitively say where the right location to have a park would be that would have enough parking, be in a relatively close location to other areas downtown and yet would be perfectly poised for whatever the future held.

So they started to do some research and came across Community Design Solutions, whose professionals have a combined experience in more than 500 Main Street communities. Originally they just consulted the company to discuss vague community ideas. The more they talked, the more they realized they were the perfect fit to finally bring the long-awaited downtown plan into existence.

Main Street over the past year has truly blossomed. With a variety of successful fundraising events they reached all of the matching goals with the city and were well on their way to continuing to grow the program. Finally things were starting to look as though they could put their money where their mouth was and accomplishments for downtown revitalization were now merely a discussion of time, not whether they were in fact realistic.

“We felt like we could fund and do this on our own as an organization if we had to, but when we shared a presentation to McDaniel of what this company thought they could do, what they honestly felt they would be able to shed some light on for our downtown, the city really got behind us,” Thurston said. “We were coming

hoping the city would support our efforts to go forward and really buy into this plan, but then they really showed us so much support and agreed to go in with us and make this happen.”

The firm will obtain input from both Main Street and the City of Plant City as well as from downtown stakeholders and other interested members of our community.

While there will be a lot of groundwork prior to the firm ever showing up in Plant City, Thurston said they’ll be on site September 10 through 12 to finalize their plan.

During that time, there will be opportunities for interested community members to get involved in the process and voice their opinions on the future of downtown.

What’s great about this project is the community will see rather immediate results.

By the end of the company’s trip to Plant City in September, there will be a plan in the hands of the city and Main Street.

“This plan is designed to be executed in a three to five-year period,” Thurston said. “I think that’s exciting because we’re all ready to kind of see this stuff kind of come together. I think that’s relevant that the timeline is pretty tight. I think people can get excited about that.”

Breanne Williams

The City and Main Street have hoped to have a Downtown Vision Plan for years and are finally ready to begin.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

PLANT CITY

COPS CORNER

This week on Cops Corner:

Observer

Plant City Police investigated swiped wallets, abandoned strollers, stolen children’s toys,

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

fake friends and more.

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

JUNE 7

JUNE 9

STRANDED STROLLER 2000 block of Clubhouse Drive Found property: While doing a patrol and conducting routine security checks, a PCPD officer stumbled upon a high-end black stroller on the property. The stroller was fairly new so PCPD placed it into evidence for safe keeping.

BEATING THE HEAT 500 block of East Dr. MLK Boulevard Theft: This complainant told officers that at an unknown time during the evening of June 8, someone took a small window A/C unit off of her front porch.

The porch was not enclosed and the unit had not been installed.

The victim wanted to document the incident and signed a waiver.

GASSED UP 1600 block of East Alabama Street Stolen vehicle: This man told officers his vehicle was stolen at the BP gas station located on Park Road and Alsobrook Street on June 6.

TRYING THE TRUCKER 1300 block of West Dr. MLK Boulevard Robbery (arrest): Officers responded to an attempted robbery. They received word a man used a gun to attempt to rob a semi truck driver while they were in the sleeper portion of the vehicle.

on May 27. A message was left for the listed owner of the vehicle.

TAKING CANDY FROM A BABY 900 block of South Evers Street Theft: This victim told officers an unknown person stole his child’s push car toy. The toy looked like a white VW bus and had been sitting in their front yard.

GETTING THAT SHINE 900 block of East Renfro Street Theft: This victim reported that someone walked into her yard during the day and stole her vehicle cleaning products, which she always kept in a metal bucket on her porch.

FAKE FRIENDS 500 block of Lindsey Anne Court Fraud attempt: This victim was JUNE 8 sent a $49,722.74 check by an individual she met online. They IT’S 5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE asked her to deposit it and then 1700 block of send them the money so they can James L. Redman Parkway JUNE 11 invest it on her behalf. Her bank Beverage violation (ROR): PCPD stopped her from doing so after officers made contact with a man LUCKY FIND who was drinking a beer while on 300 block of East Calhoun Street they found out the check was

by David June 21,fraudulent.

2019 the RaceTrac property. The manEdited Stolen vehicleSteinberg recovery: Brewwas arrested for the beverage ington Towing Company discovMarch 18 Pageant 42 Gumbo ACROSS violation and was released with a 53ered a vehicle they towed release on his recognizance from a privateorg. business was Madness accessory vegetable Largest artery 1 own and advised6ofPipsqueak his court date. stolen. The Trailblazer 55reported Beginning 22 Sci-fi author 43 Beginning of from Seminole County 58was “I taken believe,” Frederik 11 0, for -1 summer?

Universal Crossword

JUNE 12

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

SWIPE AND DASH 1800 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft: Officers came out to Walgreens after receiving word a man attempted to steal $500 worth of gift cards. He was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail.

TO ADVERTISE Call (813) 704-6850

Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com

STEALS OVER DEALS 2000 block of North Wheeler Street Petit theft: An unknown man entered this store grabbed some beer and cigarettes and walked out without paying. The stolen items were valued at $14.18.

CONTACT US

The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 1507 S. Alexander St., Suite 103.

JUNE 13

If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

WALLET WATCHERS 2500 block of Thonotosassa Road Theft: This victim told officers that she left her black purse with a red wallet inside her shopping cart while she turned to unlock her vehicle at Publix around 2 p.m. When she turned back around, her purse and wallet were missing.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements.

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

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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5

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

THIS IS HOW WE BOWL The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s annual bowling tournament is right around the corner. Lace up your bowling shoes, grab your favorite decades themed costume and enjoy an afternoon of laughter and camaraderie.

File photos

Each year, teams compete in the lanes and with creative costumes.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Strike out June 27 from your calendars and prepare to take part in the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s annual bowling tournament.

For one night only, businesses and community members come together for the Chamber Bowling Tournament, sponsored by Jenkins Construction, at Family Bowl, 2250 U.S. 92.

“I think the reason people love the bowling tournament is it’s fun, it’s a way to get to know the community and other businesses and spend time with some of your coworkers, but in a really relaxed way,” Sophia Hyde, community relations manager, said. “To be honest, of all the Chamber events I’ve been to, the bowling event is the one I see the most laughter at.

It’s a lot of fun. People relax and it creates such an easygoing atmosphere.”

The tournament is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on June 27 and doors

open at 1 p.m. for registration and practice lanes. The competition acts as a bracket system, so as teams are eliminated the remaining will push on through the rounds.

The final awards are given out around 5:30 p.m. and there will be trophies for first and second place, best dressed, worst team score and best team score.

The theme this year is “favorite decade” and teams are encouraged to come dressed in the most elaborate apparel they can find.

You can assemble a team of four for $150 or sign up as an individual for $40. There are still a few openings available and the Chamber will accept submissions until they fill the allotted 16 lanes.

Sponsorships per lane are also still available. They are $50 if you have your own banner and $150 if the Chamber needs to create the banner.

Each year, the event draws quite a crowd as both local businesses and friends of the competitors all attend the event. It’s an afternoon of camaraderie. Sometimes teams stay all the way through regard-

less of if they’ve been eliminated, and other times they’ll bowl a few games and then head back to the office.

“The main reason we do this event is to have team building,” Hyde said. “We want our members to have a reason to get their employees out of the office and do something fun together. It’s like a member service, a team building activity we’re proud to offer.

However, they’ll sometimes bring their clients or two businesses will get together so you never know who will be paired up. We also have a few individuals sign up solo and then put on a team and those end up being a lot of fun as well.”

The teams vary from groups that have been practicing for weeks and take the competition very seriously to teams filled with members that know they’re abysmal, but enjoy having fun with their friends. Some come just to try and score the big win for the costume contest.

The Chamber will also have a liquor locker for raffle at the event. The item is filled with a

variety of booze and the money raised from the raffle goes back to the Chamber’s foundation, which provides scholarships for local students.

File photo

The Florida Strawberry Growers Association always brings the heat.

6

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

WALDEN LAKE RESIDENTS ASKED TO OFFER CRITIQUE FOR UPCOMING DEVELOPMENT A survey is officially online and open for residents to vote on their preferred development options for the recently purchased golf course.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

When Walden Lake, LLC purchased the approximately 425 acres of the Walden Lake Golf Course, the developers made a surprising announcement that they would be placing the fate of the land in the hands of the current residents.

Three men make up the LLC and, between them, their experience has covered the development of multi-family and residential communities, hotel properties, office spaces and more. When they sat down with interested community members in April, they told them they would want in-depth feedback on how to go forward.

The survey is now officially live on waldenlake.org and all residents of Walden Lake are invited to study the proposed options and make their choice on what they hope to see for the future of the community.

Carmine Zayoun, co-partner of Walden Lake, LLC said during the April meeting they’ve dealt with sensitive communities in some of their other projects and understand they need the backing of the current residents to have a successful development. In order to do so, they’ve partnered

with the Walden Lake Community Association to present a variety of options to the public and go from there.

“I’m giving the power to the residents,” Zayoun said in the meeting. “You guys have got to help us out. We’ll do what the majority wants and you guys have to help us do what we want, but it will be a win-win for both of us.”

An announcement of the survey said the developer has discussed the possibility of 1,500 to 1,600 mixed-use, three-story residential units that will be located near the old clubhouse and driving range on Clubhouse Drive with an additional in-fill development of approximately 100 to 150 additional single-family homes throughout parts of the golf course.

There are three options floated on the survey, though the intention of the website is to represent possibilities and not set-instone plans. The options are preliminary and conceptual in nature, not necessarily the final product.

Basically, the three options come down to simple questions. Do Walden Lake residents really want a golf course? If so, are they prepared to pay for the upkeep?

While the developer will build it, they have no desire to keep it running. The company has mentioned the possibility of building 18 holes if asked and create green space for the other remaining space.

Would residents rather have green space?

If so, where do they want that green space to be? What other amenities are important to the community? What should the focus of the developers be?

File photo

Walden Lake residents are encouraged to complete a new survey online.

As for development, do they want to go with the floated plan of having it mainly around the current clubhouse and throughout the old golf course or would they be willing to discuss shuffling the WLCA land that used to hold the polo fields and now is home to the dog park, ballparks and HOA offices into the deck?

If that option is preferred, there would be reduced traffic issues since it’s located right by main roads, there would be a minimal visual impact on homeowners’ back

yards and it opens up opportunities to keep either the golf course or more green space.

They ask that residents truly study each option and all it entails before voting. Once all surveys have been completed, the LLC will take the suggestions into consideration for their next steps and begin meeting with the city for a traffic analysis and to get ecological and storm water studies completed.

For more information on the proposed options visit plantcityobserver.com.

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O: (813)567-5679 | F: (813)567-5686 1703 Thonotosassa Road, Suite A Plant City, Florida 33563 www.fmsflorida.com

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

7

CITY LEADERSHIP STAYS THE COURSE Commissioners decided on consistency for the positions in city leadership in a vote last week.

File photo

The commissioners all agreed to retain their positions on a variety of local and county boards.

FROM PAGE 1

Kilton congratulated Lott on his reappointment and shared his respect for him.

“I think that people don’t realize the amount effort that you put into the position,” Kilton said. “You treat it really as a full time job and we are very well served by the work that you do and there’s a lot that you do that you never take credit for because that’s your character. I think we all have a tremendous amount of respect for that so I’m very confident in the hands that we’re in with you so thank you for taking that on again.”

The meeting also addressed the designation of representatives to various organizational assignments. The Council of Governments, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Plant City Economic Development Corporation, Ridge League of Cities, Tampa Bay Regional Council and the Tourist Development Council all were up for potential reshuffling.

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However, Lott simply asked if anyone wanted to drop out of an assignment. No one at the dais was itching to move so they unanimously voted to remain in their current roles.

A full list of the boards and the representatives that fill each position is available online at plantcityobserver.com.

Many of the commissioners have been on the boards representing Plant City for years and have developed deep connections with their fellow representatives.

“Congratulations, you might break my record, so you’re the most served time as mayor,” Commissioner Mike Sparkman said. “As a note, as we’ve all said, you’ve just done a fantastic job. You put a lot of time and energy, it takes time to do the things, to do the jobs you’re doing. Also I’d like to congratulate the Vice Mayor that’s stepped right into your boots when it was necessary if you’re out of town or something like that. So I’m looking forward to having another great year with you guys.”

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

WISH FARMS HAS A ‘SUPERHERO SUMMER’ Wish Farms is partnering with Feeding America to help create a Superhero Summer. For every Instagram engagement the company receives on its campaign posts it will donate a meal to families in need.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

You don’t need to don a flowing cape to be a superhero this summer, thanks to the new campaign hosted by Wish Farms.

From June 12 to Aug. 12, the international grower will host a campaign for its partnership with Feeding America.

On Instagram, the company will post gifs of Wish Farms’ growers in a variety of comedic superhero poses. For every engagement on the post, whether it be a like, tag or follow, the farm promises to donate a meal to a family in need.

Through their partnership, “$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks,” the company said in a news release.

“As a grower of fresh berries, we feel a sense of responsibility to help families who are struggling with food insecurity,” Director of Marketing Amber Maloney said. “This is an exciting campaign, not only because we are raising awareness of the issue on a national level, but because it allows each person to do some good — they are making a positive impact on their community.”

The company has worked alongside Feeding America member food banks throughout Florida for quite some time.

This year, the hope is the company — which is a year-round marketer of straw-

berries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries — will be able to engage its berry loving audience in the campaign and help spread awareness of the work the food banks do for the community.

“Wish Farms has been a tremendous year-round partner to our network of 12 food banks and we are thrilled to be partnering with them for this summer campaign,” Robin Safley, executive director of Feeding Florida, a partner state association of Feeding America, said. “Our agricultural partners help us make a difference by donating wholesome produce to distribute to the 2.8 million Floridians who need it most.”

It’s a challenge that food banks and organizations across the nation are struggling to stay on top of. Nancy Curby, senior vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America, said one in eight people in America are facing hunger. That statistic includes more than 12 million children.

For more information on Wish Farms and its partnership, follow the company on Instagram or visit wishfarms.com.

DON’T HIT THE “SNOOZE” BUTTON ON SLEEP APNEA If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you may have sleep apnea.

You’ve most likely heard of sleep apnea, but do you know what it is? Sleep apnea is a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you may have sleep apnea.

Types of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: the most common form that occurs when the upper airway is partially or completely blocked.

Central Sleep Apnea: occurs when the brain does not send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.

Mixed Sleep Apnea: occurs when a person has both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Since Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common, here’s a breakdown of what it is and how it occurs. During normal breathing, air passes through the nose and past the flexible structures in the back of the throat. When a person is awake, these muscles hold the airway open. When they are asleep the muscles relax, but the airway usually stays open.

Sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway and airflow are blocked during sleep, causing the oxygen levels in both the brain and the blood to drop. This results in shallow breathing or breathing pauses.

OSA breathing interruptions may occur hundreds of times each night, and could be the result of structural abnormalities or possible brain malfunctions.

ida E.N.T. & Allergy offers an at-home option. During the home sleep study, a small recording device is attached to the patient over two nights. The physician will then analyze the results from a Board Certified Sleep Specialist and determine the best course of treatment.

According to Dr. Jon Burton, a specialist at Florida E.N.T. & Allergy, “Many patients and physicians prefer home sleep studies since the natural at-home environment facilitates a normal night’s sleep, improving the accuracy of test results.”

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.

Treatments for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea may be treated with lifestyle changes such as losing weight, cutting down on alcohol consumption and quitting smoking. Nasal training devices are also commonly used. Another treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which involves the patient wearing a pressurized mask over their nose while they sleep. The mask pumps air through the person’s airway to keep it open throughout the night.

If more conservative treatments are unsuccessful in treating sleep apnea, there are other options available. Individuals who suffer from severe cases that may lead to serious medical conditions might benefit from surgery. The goal of most surgical procedures is to remove the excess tissue from the nose or throat and open upper air passages to facilitate breathing.

In order to choose the best treatment option, your physician may suggest a sleep study. Although many sleep studies are performed in testing facilities, Flor-

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.

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

9

VETERANS HONOR FLAG Each year the Plant City Elks Lodge celebrates Flag Day with a special ceremony led by veterans to commemorate the significance of the U.S. flag throughout the nation’s history.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

For years, American Elks Lodges have gathered across the nation to honor the United States’ flag on Flag Day. It’s a ceremony the Plant City branch looks forward to every year and veteran members of the organization volunteer to carry each evolution of the flag in a special ceremony at the lodge. The history of all nine flags is read from a podium as they are walked one at a time in front of the audience.

Flags that range from the Pine Tree, which was carried by Continental forces in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 to the POW flag and of course the now iconic flag featuring 50 stars were proudly displayed.

World War II veterans, Vietnam veterans and countless others participated in the ceremony and joined the large audience in singing patriotic tunes like the “Star-Spangled Banner” and pledging allegiance to the flag.

While all Elks Lodges have hosted an event each year since 1907, Flag Day is not considered an official federal holiday.

It was, however, designated as a national holiday via an Act of Congress in 1949.

The nine veterans participating in the event were: Larry Tharrington Gary Poekert Rich Glorioso Bruce Sutcliff Rodney Storts David Brewington Angel Gonzalez Lance Ham Sr. Bob Johnson

Breanne Williams

Esteemed Elks leaders and local veterans participate each year in the Flag Day ceremony.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON I’m the type of guy who wins a drawing once in a blue moon.

I am celebrating my 35th year as a Rotarian this month. All three Rotary clubs I have been a member of, including our great Plant City Noon Rotary club, have used 50-50 drawings to raise money and enhance attendance and fun. Although I now prefer to throw my money in the pot in an option called Happy Bucks, in my 35 years I have won a 50-50 drawing once in a blue moon.

Maybe I won the biggest prize in December 1966, when I was working to earn money for my college tuition at a famous area department store, Maas Brothers. There I met a fellow employee, Susan Stone, who would go on to graduate second in her high school class, be voted Most Likely to Succeed and earn

Phi Beta Kappa honors in college. Suitably impressed, I saw that blue moon in the sky and fell in love with Susan. We set the date of our marriage as Friday the 13th of June 1969, with a chuckle about going against the odds. We beat those odds, and as the first few months of 2019 spun past we were discussing how we should celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.

On April 23, I attended Plant City Main Street’s monthly Topics on Tap at The Sparkman House. Located in Plant City’s beautiful historic district at 707 N. Collins, the charming 1905 Queen Anne-style bed and breakfast inn is owned by a fascinating couple, Ken and Theresa Clinton. Although Ken runs an international petroleum business in the Far East, he gets home every few months. Theresa is a retired schoolteacher who decided she wanted to work in her other field, interior decoration, and start a B&B. Completely redecorated and boasting 12-foot ceilings, a wrap-around porch,

large gazebo, six bedrooms, a separate carriage house suite, and grand formal spaces, the home features elegant antique decor and grand furnishings. Guests are treated to a gourmet three-course breakfast daily and the shady, breezy porch is the ideal place to enjoy a morning coffee or an evening glass of wine. In addition to overnight rentals, the Clintons offer the use of the home for special events like private and family dinners, baby and bridal showers, weddings, luncheons and brunches, tea parties, family reunions and graduations.

The Main Street event featured a drawing for a night at this beautiful B&B. Maybe that rare blue moon was over the Sparkman House that night, but luck was with me again and I won the drawing. As experienced B&B patrons, Susan and I quickly decided to redeem our prize on our anniversary.

As we drove home after our excellent stay at the Sparkman House, it occurred

to me that we could represent an entirely new market for the venue. As we know, most B&B patrons come from out of town.

However, there are many area residents who could do exactly what we did, spend a restful night or a weekend nearby in an entirely new environment. Many of us go to a Gulf beach or even out of state for the same purpose, but why not get the same benefit in Plant City?

Follow our path to 707 N. Collins.

Maybe you’ll find your blue moon at the Sparkman House.

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LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC AUCTION STORAGE SALE

In accordance with the provisions of the Florida Self Storage Act (sections 83.801 83.809), there being due and unpaid charges for which the undersigned is entitled to satisfy an owner and/or manager's lien of the goods hereinafter described and stored at the Life Storage location listed below.

And, due notice having been given, to the owner of said property and all parties known to claim an interest therein, and the time specified in such notice for payment of such having expired, the goods will be sold at public auction at the below stated

Tuesday, July 9 2019 at 9:30 am at 1005 South Alexander Street, Plant City, FL 33563. location(s) to the highest bidder or otherwise disposed of on

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

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FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH: ‘I SEE YOU’ The power of feeling “heard” is a gift we can give each day and shouldn’t take for granted.

DR. DANIEL MIDDLEBROOKS

So, how many of you remember your last conversation? Who was it with? What did you talk about? How long did it last? Did you feel like a teenager going through the third degree after coming back from a first date?

Let me explain why I am asking the barrage of seemingly interrogational questions. I have learned through the seasons of time that our lives are filled with the noise of conversations. From verbal to email, Facebook to Twitter to text, on and on they go. Do we really listen to what is being said, or do we simply flow along with the river of ever-intruding words that bounce off our lives like the pebbles off the Alafia River surface?

Those pebbles go far, but never very deep.

During the month of May, many experienced a variety of great celebrations.

From Mother’s Day to Memorial Day, from

law enforcement, EMS and Armed Forces Week to school graduations, the festivities flourished. New churches, like First Call for our First Responders, had beginnings.

Churches like Hopewell and Turkey Creek Baptist Church celebrated homecomings.

Yet, in all these flowing flurries of festivities, one can still get lost in the crowd, overwhelmed by the activities and drained emotionally.

A true farmer can only take care of his crop when he stops long enough to inspect the leaves and the fruit and not just gaze on the field and trees. We can only take care of our community when we stop long enough to look in people’s eyes as we listen to the words to see the soul of someone that wants to know, “Do you really care enough to listen?” Many of those caring for our community and families have some type of hurt, need, or concern. When you get right down to it, we all have something that seems to be eating the leaves of our lives and spoiling the fruits of our joy. It is not that we will not have bugs in our life. It is just good to know that someone can come

along side and say, “Yep. I don’t like ’em, either.”

The power of feeling ‘heard’ is a gift that I am trying each day to give. I may not be able to give it to hundreds, but I can start with one, and then two and then, well, you get the idea.

The Zulu tribe in Swaziland has a great greeting. It is “Ngiyakhubona” (make sure you have a couple of cups of strong coffee to warm up the mouth so you can pronounce it). However, it is not so much the word I want you to remember as it is the meaning behind it. The greeting simply conveys a thought: “I see you.”

Today, we say things like “Hi”, “Hello” or “Whatsuuuup,” but these greetings become the comfortable pebbles we throw when we do not want to “see” someone.

Imagine what could happen to our community if everyone greeted someone with “I see you.” We say it to children who hide behind their parent’s legs. They also smile because they feel special when they have been “noticed.” Why not take the time to “see” your neighbor and ask, “How are you

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doing?” and stay long enough for them to realize you actually want to know? I believe it could produce a feeling of joy that no email or blog post could ever touch.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

FOCUS ON FITNESS: REDUCE YOUR RISK Cancer screenings can save your life, but physical activity can also help increase your odds of staying cancer-free.

Recently, two of my oldest, dearest friends have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

One of them is a 47-year old male. Yes, men can get breast cancer, too. Both of them caught it early and because of that, both are now cancer-free.

Early detection is key to surviving cancer, but it made me think about what we could all do to reduce our risk of certain cancers.

When we have a family history of breast cancer, or any other type of cancer or illness for that matter, are we destined to get it too? Are there lifestyle changes we can make that will dramatically lower our risk?

According to the American Cancer Society, there are. Studies show one of the most important actions you can take is exercise.

Regular exercise, defined as 150 minutes of moderate intensity per week (30 minutes per day) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, can reduce your risk of 13 specific types of cancer, including breast cancer.

You don’t have to be a marathon runner or do high-intensity exercises to reap the

benefits and it’s never too late to start. In fact, there is more evidence to support a decreased risk in breast cancer in women who increase their physical activity after menopause than women who do not.

It is no secret that physical activity helps to maintain a healthy weight. By simply reducing our risk of obesity, we are at a reduced risk of cancer.

Regardless of body size, exercise has a number of other effects on the body that can be linked to the reduction of risks of certain cancers. It reduces insulin, lowers estrogen levels and strengthens the immune system. As many as one-third of cancer-related deaths can be linked to a sedentary lifestyle.

If that isn’t motivation enough to get up off the couch, I don’t know what is.

WHEN TO CHECK Regular exercise is no guarantee that we will remain cancer-free. Follow these early detection guidelines from the American Cancer Society: Colon and Rectal Cancer: People at average risk for colorectal cancer are recommended to start screening at age 45.

Cervical Cancer: Testing should begin at age 21 and not before (recommendations for Pap tests vary by age and situation).

Prostate Cancer: Starting at age 50, men should consult with a healthcare provider about testing.

Breast Cancer: Start annual breast cancer screenings at age 40.

Mobile Mammography will be at the Plant City Family YMCA from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.

July 11. Mammograms can be scheduled at www.TampabayMobileMammography.com.

Contact Wellness Director Angela Fulgieri at the Plant City Family YMCA with any questions.

Angela Fulgieri is the Wellness Experience Director at the Plant City YMCA. Contact her at observerfitness@ gmail.com.

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Presented by: City of Plant City Recreation & Parks Department Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce

Thursday, July 4, 2019

(Rainout date Friday, July 5 - 9:00 pm Fireworks only, no games or vendors, gates open 8:00 pm)

6:00 to 9:30 pm Plant City Stadium

1810 East Park Road, Plant City FL 33563

(No street parking on Park Road, Jim Johnson Road or GFS Drive)

FREE ADMISSION—$5 PER CAR PARKING PARKING OPENS AT 5:30 PM GRAND FIREWORKS FINALE AT 9:15 Climbing wall, bungee jumps, airbrushing, balloon art, bounce houses and more!

Scheduled to appear on stage: Solaris Band

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A FAMILY ORIENTED EVENT

Please follow Stadium and parking lot policy: No alcohol on the property (Sec 10-2).

No coolers or outside food or drink are to be brought into the Stadium.

No pets! No loud music or loitering outside the Stadium or in the parking lot.

For more information: www.plantcitygov.com (search July 4 Celebration) or call 813-659-4255 weekdays 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

JUNE 20, 2019

SPORTS KARATE CAMP KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR

Quick Hits

Chris Welbon Karate Clubs’ annual Ultimate Summer Camp series started last week with its Focused Karate Training Camp.

This summer’s action-packed camp series at Chris Welbon Karate Clubs began last week with Focused Karate Training Camp.

The opener for the school’s Ultimate Summer Camp series put an emphasis on training with indoor and outdoor exercises, highlighted by belt testing on June 14. As is tradition with Welbon’s camps, the kids also got to test their combat skills with a game of Battlefield Swords at Ellis-Methvin Park that Friday morning.

The next camp, Wild Water Games, begins July 8. Registration for that camp and either of the Ninja Warrior camps can be done online at chriswelbonkarate.com.

FLORIDA DAIRY FARMERS HONOR PCHS BASEBALL Florida Dairy Farmers’ statewide panel selected on June 15 two members of Plant City High School’s baseball programs for two of its top awards in the sport.

The group named pitcher and first baseman, Parker Messick, Mr. Baseball 2019. Messick, who will play for Florida State University, was just as dangerous as the Raiders’ ace as he was at the plate.

He earned six of the 17 first-place votes, more than anyone else in the field. Past winners include notable Major Leaguers Alex Rodriguez, Andrew McCutchen and Jose Fernandez, as well as Durant alum Tyler Danish.

Head coach Mike Fryrear won the Coach of the Year award in a landslide, receiving nine first-place votes and 118 points in a field where every nominee guided their team to a state championship. Fryrear, who picked up his 100th career win this season, led the team to a program-best 30-2 record on the strength of an 18-game win streak to close out the season.

RHINO MIKE” CHARGES TO BATTLE OF ATLANTA CHAMPIONSHIP

CARLSON GRACIE GRAPPLERS WIN AT NAGA JACKSONVILLE The weekend of June 8 was a good one for members of Carlson Gracie Plant City, who went to Jacksonville and cleaned up at the NAGA Jacksonville Grappling Championship tournament.

The local fighters won a total of 44 medals (12 gold, 27 silver, five bronze) in go and no-gi divisions in the adult and children age groups.

SIGN UP FOR 10K RELAY If you missed out on the Best Friends 10K around Easter, fear not: you and a running buddy can tackle another 10K at Ellis-Methvin Park later this month.

U.S. Road Running is hosting the Summer Fun 10K Relay and Lap Race, which starts at 6:30 a.m. June 22, at a cost of $50 per team ($40 for those who wish to run solo). Each member of the team runs the equivalent of a 5K at the park’s walking trail and teammates “tag” each other in after every .52 miles.

To sign up and get more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/PlantCity/ BFFJune.

From June 13 through 15, Plant City’s own “Rhino” Mike Thomas held his own at the 2019 Battle of Atlanta karate tournament, one of the biggest in the United States.

Thomas won in the 18-34 Men’s Black Belt division in the Continuous Sparring event. He also won in 2018 as a brown belt fighting in the mixed brown/black belt division.

Justin Kline

Local youth tested their combat skills with Battlefield Swords during the camp.

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Since the Plant City Raiders won a baseball state title at the end of May, two more teams have stepped up to make history.

SEE PAGE 15

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

SPONSORED BY SPORT CLIPS

Lex Strickland

Courtesy of Billy Teeden

RAIDERS 12U BASEBALL AT COOPERSTOWN The local travel ball team played in the Dreams Park Tournament last week.

The 12U Raiders just became the latest Plant City-based baseball team to spend a week in New York for the annual Cooperstown Dreams Park tournament.

This year’s Raiders team made it to the tournament’s third round last week, finishing with a 4-4 record overall. The Raiders went 3-3 in “regular season” play, winning three out of their final four games to enter tournament play with a first-round bye. Plant City beat the Davis Bulldogs of Utah, 4-3, in the tournament’s second round but were eliminated

by Upstate Baseball Academy of South Carolina, 10-4, on June 12.

Though the Raiders didn’t win the championship, it was still a fun, memorable week for the boys. It was their first time playing in the tournament (many have attended in the past as spectators when their older brothers played there), which led to a new experience. They traded pins with other teams from all over the country, toured the Baseball Hall of Fame and beat their parents, 11-7, with help from their siblings in a wiffle ball game at

One of the most impressive performances at last weekend’s Grappling Industries Tampa tournament at Strawberry Crest High School was that of Lex Strickland, who dominated the 14-15 Advanced division and moved up to the Adult 155-pound division to test his skill against tougher opponents. Strickland, who is a member of Charger Wrestling Club, placed first in his designated age group and third in the Adult division. He also trains with Gracie Pac MMA. Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at JKline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

What was it like, switching brackets during the tournament?

It was different. I was kind of nervous because I didn’t know what to expect.

It was hard. In 14-15, I was confident and came in first. Adult, I was a little nervous because of the size, strength, taller than me. I just had to focus on my technique.

the end of the trip. It was also notable for Logan Teeden, Josh Machado and Cooper Cowan, who all hit their first home runs in Cooperstown.

“Really just being with the kids and families, spending that time together, that week of baseball was a great time to see everybody make memories together,” coach Billy Teeden said. “That’s what I’ll remember most, for sure.”

The tournament wrapped up the 12U Raiders’ season. The boys are now getting ready for all-star play at the Little League level and will represent Plant City in Haines City as tournament play begins.

What else do you train in?

Jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA at Gracie Pac MMA. And I’m also with Charger Wrestling Club.

Which style helps you the most?

None of them. It depends who you’re fighting. Some people are great on the ground and you have to stand up with them. Others have great hands, so you have to take them down.

Any advice for newcomers to grappling?

I would just say to push forward. It’s gonna turn out good. Nothing bad will happen. You might get hurt here or there but it’ll turn out good for you.

Do you play any other sports?

No, I’ve just done MMA, wrestling and jiu-jitsu my whole life.

In the Adult bracket, when did you get a confidence booster?

It was the first match. I was going with a guy and told myself I had to focus and I could get through it. I flipped him over and put him in an arm lock.

Any other tourneys coming up?

I have one July 27. It’s submissions only, there’s no time limit. It’s also at SCHS. How long have you been practicing jiu-jitsu?

About 10 years now. I was in the bathroom with my dad and he was telling me about it, he said it would be just like WWE and I would love it. I loved WWE at the time. So I tried it and on the first day, I immediately fell in love with it. I got to use my body and it made me feel good inside because I knew I could do stuff with my body and feel confidence in myself.

CAMERON

Courtesy of Will Terry

Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at JKline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

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PUBLIC NOTICE OF TESTING

The City of Plant City will conduct smoking testing on the mainline sewer system beginning July 01, 2019 through July 05, 2019 on the following streets; W. Avenue E., W. Baker Street, N. Barnes Street, N. Burton Street, Cary Street, W. Cherry Street, Chipman Street, N. Clark Street, McLendon Street, N. Collins Street, N. Daniels Street, N. Davis Street, W. Dixie Street, N. Dort Street, Drane Street, N. Evers Street, N. Ferrell Street, N. Franklin Street, W. Garden Street, W. Grandfield Avenue, W. Herring Street, W. Hillsboro Street, W. Howard Street, W. King Street, N. Lime Street, W. Mahoney Street, Morse Street, Nosleda Street, N. Orange Street, Palmer Street, W. Risk Street, W. Spencer Street, Sioux Street, N. Temple Street, N. Thomas Street, Tyner Street, Valencia Road, Whitehall Street and Woodlawn Avenue.

If you have any questions, please call Angel Soto-Diaz at 813-757-9288 ext. 4725.

NOTIFICACION PUBLICA

La ciudad de Plant City conducirá una prueba de humo en el sistema de alcantarillado principal en las calles, a partir del 01 de julio de 2019 hasta Julio 05, de 2019; W. Avenue E., W. Baker Street, N. Barnes Street, N. Burton Street, Cary Street, W. Cherry Street, Chipman Street, N. Clark Street, McLendon Street, N. Collins Street, N. Daniels Street, N. Davis Street, W. Dixie Street, N. Dort Street, Drane Street, N. Evers Street, N. Ferrell Street, N. Franklin Street, W. Garden Street, W. Grandfield Avenue, W. Herring Street, W. Hillsboro Street, W. Howard Street, W. King Street, N. Lime Street, W. Mahoney Street, Morse Street, Nosleda Street, N. Orange Street, Palmer Street, W. Risk Street, W. Spencer Street, Sioux Street, N. Temple Street, N. Thomas Street, Tyner Street, VaOr lencia Road, Whitehall Street and Woodlawn Avenue.

Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llame a Angel Soto-Diaz at 813-757-9288 ext. 4725.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

PLANT CITY FC LANCERS GIRLS MAKE PROGRAM HISTORY

Since the Plant City Raiders won a baseball state title at the end of May, two more teams have stepped up to make history.

The Plant City FC Lancers 2002 Girls Premier team won its first-ever regional championship on June 16.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say some of the big dogs in pro sports are following Plant City’s lead.

It was just a few weeks ago that Plant City and Strawberry Crest high schools made it to their first-ever baseball state championship game and the Raiders took the title. Last week, the NHL and NBA both had teams win their first-ever league championships within a span of two days.

Coincidence? Probably, but it’s a lot of fun to see this recent influx of teams winning at the highest levels of their sports.

St. Louis wasn’t the future Stanley Cup champion I wanted at the start of the playoffs (big fan of Carolina’s “Bunch of Jerks” movement, especially in the sport where personality shines the least). But I’ll root for just about anyone you put in a series against Boston, so I’m glad it finally worked out for the Blues against this particular team.

It really was a fitting ending for one of the league’s best turnaround stories, too: the Blues went from last place in January and a coach on his way out to Stanley Cup champs behind an interim head coach and a rookie goalie who suddenly got and stayed red-hot. Say what you will about the quality of officiating against the Bruins during the series, but I don’t care.

Play “Gloria” one more time.

Then the Toronto Raptors (probably) ended the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty with their NBA Finals win a couple of days later. Forget about another title for Kawhi Leonard, the closest thing we have to a real-life Terminator unit. Forget about what this might mean for the Warriors.

A near-perfect showing at the Southern Presidents Cup Tournament in Round Rock, Texas put the Plant City FC Lancers 2002 Girls Premier team into new territory for the club.

Plant City FC went through the tournament, which ran from June 12 through 16, almost totally unscathed. They outscored all five opponents by a combined 8-2 margin.

Plant City started with a 3-0 win over Texas-Frisco Fusion 02 on June 12, then followed with a 2-0 win on June 13 over Texas-Rise 02G Elite II. The Lancers ran into a spot of trouble on June 14 with a 2-0 loss to Louisiana-Dynamo 02G Elite in the final preliminary game, but it wouldn’t affect the team going forward: PCFC wouldn’t encounter Dynamo again.

PCFC bounced back with a 2-0 win over South Carolina-GPS Coastal Academy 2002 Gold on June 15 to make it to the championship round. A 1-0 win over North Carolina FC 02 on June 16 gave the

Plant City girls the regional championship, a first for the club.

From July 10 through 14, the Plant City girls will represent the Southern region in the National Presidents Cup tournament in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. That tournament will pit PCFC against the winners of the Eastern, Midwest and Far West Presidents Cup tournament winners for the national title.

Courtesy photo

The Plant City Lancers are all smiles after their big tourney win.

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My take is that this championship represents one of the most important lessons any coach worth their salt will teach you: always bet on yourself.

It’s great for guys like Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka who have toiled away for years hoping for luck to turn their way, but how about Fred VanVleet? Dude led a mid-major team to an NCAA Final Four, went undrafted, kept grinding despite almost nobody believing in him and let his years of hard work and self-confidence guide him to 2019, where he became the Finals’ most valuable player not wearing New Balance shoes. That’s what can happen to you when you work hard and never give up on yourself.

Maybe we’ll keep up this hot streak of first-time champs started by the Raiders. I think the coolest thing in the near future could have been for Florida State to win its first-ever baseball championship this year. As a baseball fan I’d love to say I saw Mike Martin get his first title, but an FSU win this year gets extra cool points because it would come with a tie to our area: Jonah Scolaro, who had an excellent high school career at Durant, is on the Seminoles’ roster. If FSU lost to Texas Tech by the time this column is published (they played Wednesday night, after press time), then next year with Scolaro and Parker Messick is on the table.

Maybe even my Buffalo Bills and Sabres will finally break through this year and… oh, who am I kidding?

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

We asked: Who was your favorite teacher in school?

“My eighth grade AVID teacher, Ms. Humphrey, at Marshall Middle. She believed in me when I really didn’t want to keep going and always wanted the best for me.” — Franco Donadelli, 18

“My fifth grade teacher, Ms. Walker. She was very encouraging and inspired all of her students.”

— Payton Talavera, 14

“Mr. Cooper because he has this ‘I hate the world’ vibe.”

— Zelinnette Santos, 15

287682-1

AROUND TOWN

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“Mr. Cooper because he’s very chill and he builds personal relationships with the students in a humorous way. It’s like a friendship.”

— Amber Oliver, 16

“Mr. Katzmayr. He’s really funny. He gets everybody interested.”

— Sidney Langford, 17

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Edna Josephine “Jo” Tindel, 91, of Plant City, born on Jan. 1, 1928 in Plant City, entered into eternal rest on June 11, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Essie Lorene Freeman West, 99, of Antioch, entered into eternal rest on June 2, 2019. She was born in Moultrie, Georgia on Aug. 1, 1919.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Kenneth Edward Baxter Jr. Kenneth Edward Baxter Jr., 46, of Dover, passed away on June 6, 2019.

Kenneth was born Aug. 1, 1972 in Tampa.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Nancy Louise Johnson Nancy Louise Johnson, 79, of Valrico, passed away on June 3, 2019.

She was born in Alexandria, VA on June 30, 1939.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

‘Jackie’ King

“Jackie” King, 91, a lifetime resident of Plant City, passed away on May 30, 2019.

She was born in Valrico, on Sept.3, 1927.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Omar C. Mitchell Jr. Rickie C. Stanley Omar C. Mitchell Jr., 71, of Lakeland, passed away on May 26, 2019 from complications of a wrong way drunk driving accident on March 3, 2019.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Louise Settanni

Wilma Geraldine ‘Geri’ Carroll Howell Wilma Geraldine “Geri” Carroll Howell, 88, passed away on May 25, 2019.

Geri was born in LaGrange, Georgia on May 11, 1931.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Louise Settanni, 96, passed away on June 4, 2019.

Louise was born in Manhattan, NY on Oct. 31, 1922.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Ellen M. Nason

Anne White Conley Anne White Conley, 86, passed away on May 14, 2019.

Anne was born on Nov. 30, 1932 in Pittsburgh, PA. Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Marjorie Ann Kenyon

Marjorie Ann Kenyon, 81, of Plant City, born on Feb. 19, 1938 in East Lyme, CT, entered into eternal rest on June 10, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Ellen M. Nason, 76, of Poland, Maine, entered into eternal rest on June 7, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

William Oscar Apgar

William Oscar Apgar, 83, of Dover, passed away on May 19, 2019.

William was born Sept.15, 1935 in High Bridge, New Jersey.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

Rickie C. Stanley, 66, passed away on May 21, 2019.

Rickie was born in Tampa, on Dec. 19, 1952.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial. com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

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17

OBITUARIES

Edna Josephine ‘Jo’ Essie Lorene Freeman West Tindel

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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John Thomas ‘Tommy’ Howard Sr. John Thomas “Tommy” Howard Sr., 68, of Lakeland, born in Tampa on July 23, 1950, entered into eternal rest on June 12, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Maude Elizabeth Ament Maude Elizabeth Ament, 98, of Plant City, passed away June 15, 2019.

Services were held Tuesday, June 18, 2019, Plant City Church of God, 2103 Mud Lake Rd., Plant City.

She will be interred in West Oaklawn Cemetery next to her husband.

Online condolences may be left for the family at haught. care.

Darren Edward Baxley Darren Edward Baxley, 50, of Fairview, TN, passed away on Sunday, June 9, 2019, at TriStar Natchez Medical Center of Dickson, TN. He was born on April 18, 1969,

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

YOUR CALENDAR

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

BLUEGRASS NIGHT

6:33 to 8:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its monthly Bluegrass Night. This month features Canada Brothers Family Band.

Tickets are $10 in-house and on Eventbrite. Seating is limited.

The third Thursday of every month Krazy Kup hosts a new local area Bluegrass artist in its music loft.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21 MOVIE FRIDAY: WONDER

3 p.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting an afternoon showing of the movie “Wonder.” Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library. Rated PG. All are welcome.

in Plant City, to the late Mr. Edward Baxley and Mrs. Bessie Baxley of Plant City, .

Along with his mother, he is also survived by his wife Karen K. Baxley, son Logan Edward Baxley both of Fairview, TN, daughters Jessica Erin (Eric) Presnell of Plant City, FL and Lauren Amber (Sam) Temple of Olive Branch, MS, brother J.B. (Michelle) of Lakeland, FL, and sister Jennie “Vicki” (Harry) Baxley-Boll of Lakeland.

Mr. Baxley proudly served our country in the United States Army from 1991-1994.

Services were held Thursday, June 13, 2019 from our Fairview Chapel. At the request of the deceased and his family, Mr. Baxley will be cremated following his services.

Arrangements made by Dickson Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be left at www.dicksonfuneralhome.com.

Stephen Lee ‘Steve’ Warner Stephen Lee “Steve” Warner, 64, of Plant City, born in Knox, Indiana on April 9, 1955, joined his Heavenly Father and earthly father on Sunday June 16, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

SPECIAL NIGHT OUT

6 to 7:30 p.m. The Plant City Family YMCA, 1507 YMCA Place, is hosting A Special Night Out. This is a free monthly event for persons with intellectual disabilities and their parents or caretakers to enjoy new experiences, meet new people and have fun. This event’s theme is swimming.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23 GRACEPOINT VBS

6 to 8:30 p.m. GracePoint Plant City, 1107 Charlie Griffin Road, is hosting its Power Up Vacation Bible School. This year’s VCS will be focusing on reviewing the power God’s children have through him. To participate your child must be at least four years old by August 2018 and fully potty trained. When registering please indicate the grade your

Brownie Colkmire Brownie Colkmire, 88, passed away June 17, 2019 from complications of dementia.

Brownie was born in Taylor County in 1930. He was a longtime resident of Plant City, having moved there when he was 16. He graduated from Plant City High School in 1948.

In March 1951 he married the love of his life, Joy Bryd. He was well known as the manager of McCrory’s, owner of the Plaza Snack Shop and salesman at Badcocks Home Furniture.

As a member of the Plant City Church of God, Brownie poured his heart and soul into the mission of the church. A friend to all he never met a stranger. If you needed help you could always call on him and he would be there.

Brownie is preceded in death by his father, Abram G. Colkmire, his mother Eunice Colkmire, two brothers, Abram G. Colkmire, Jr., and Elvoy Colkmire.

He is survived by his wife, Joy Colkmire of Sarasota, three sons and daughters-in-law, Jef and Cindy of Tampa, Noland and Anita of Sarasota, Maurice and Cindy of Lakeland. He had five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.

The family will receive friends and loved ones at the Plant City Church of God, 2103 Mud Lake Rd., Plant City, Saturday, June 22, 2019 from two until four o’clock.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that contributions be made to World Missions – Haiti Medical Program through the Plant City Church of God website. (plantcitycog.com)

child just completed. Any questions, please contact Children’s Ministry Director Kerry Bergman 813-759-9383 or kbergman@gracepointpc.org. The VBS will run June 23 to 27.

Bryce Wetherington Bryce Wetherington, age 63, of Plant City, passed away on June 18, 2019. A memorial gathering will be held for Bryce Monday June 24th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.

Plant City, FL. If so desired, contributions can be made to your local S.P.C.A. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20 ZEN YOUR SPACE

7 p.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting a Zen Your Space — Organizing Your Home event.

Using principles from Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and Julie Morgenstern’s book “Organizing from the Inside Out,” this presentation will guide you with photos and discussion on how to improve your personal spaces.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25 TEEN GREEN SCREEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 CELEBRATE BONNIE’S BIRTHDAY

4 to 5 p.m. Bonnie the Therapy Dog comes to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., ev-

William C. Mock ll, age 72, of Plant City, passed away on June 11, 2019. A native of Rumford, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late William and Adelaid Mock. Survived by a loving family. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care.

BEST BET

ery week for children to have the opportunity to share a book and some soft pats on the head. This week the community is invited to join her and Youth Services Associate Amanda Preece in a dual birthday celebration. Fun refreshments will be provided.

5 p.m. Teens are invited to bring their favorite book to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., to share during a book talk. They will be having a green screen to host the book discussion in exciting settings. For teens in grades 6 to 12.

William C. Mock II

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

YOUR CALENDAR

OBITUARIES

18

COLOR EXPRESS: T(W)EEN PAINTING CLASS

3 p.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting a Color Express Tween Painting Class. Come on out and paint a celestial masterpiece. All supplies are included. The event is open for any child ages 10 years old to 17 years old. There is a class limit of 20 students.

RETRO MOVIE NIGHT: TOY STORY

6:33 to 8:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101

E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its monthly Retro Movie Night.

This month the free event will feature “Toy Story.” Kick back, relax, and head back in time to your favorite classic movies.

Watch for fun themes, sweet movie treats and can’t-miss showings every fourth Thursday.

10 STEPS TO BECOMING FINANCIALLY FIT

7 p.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting a 10 Steps to Becoming Financially Fit class. Physical fitness is important, but so is financial fitness. Join presenter Michelle Christie from GTE and receive tips on getting your financial fitness back on track. No registration necessary.

PlantCityObserver.com

Universal Crossword

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Edited by David Steinberg June 20, 2019

6/20

Support Group by MaryEllen Uthlaut

ACROSS 1 Community rec center 5 __ Perignon 8“Ships of the desert” 14 Headset part 16 Unstable societal condition 17 Swimsuit option 18 Smaller clone of oneself 19 Nondisclosure enthusiast?

21 Org. that has your number 22 Submissive 23 Upper limit enthusiast?

28 Recedes 32 LBJ’s successor

33 Sweet and ___ soup 34 Archery missile 35 Word after “first” or “foreign” 36 Woodsy smell enthusiast?

39 She’s sheepish 40 Staircase parts 42 Drying kiln 43 ___ carte 44 Prefix meaning “six” 45 Party policy enthusiast?

48 Goatee spot 50 “___ the ramparts ...”

51 Houston basketball player enthusiast?

58 Meditation directive

59 He delivers news 62 Introducer of a radioactivity counter 63 Triple digits?

64 Fluttery poplars 65 Acid 66 Former partners DOWN 1 So far 2 Gaping mouth 3 Note of referral?

4 It might be universal 5 Active sort 6 ___ in a lifetime 7 Come upon 8 New Jersey city on the

FORECAST THURSDAY, JUNE 20 High: 90 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 20%

FRIDAY, JUNE 21 High: 92 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 20%

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, June 20

6:32a

8:27p

Friday, June 21

6:32a

8:27p

Saturday, June 22

6:32a

8:27p

Sunday, June 23

6:33a

8:28p

Monday, June 24

6:33a

8:28p

Tuesday, June 25

6:33a

8:28p

Wednesday, June 26

6:33a

8:28p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, JUNE 22 High: 92 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 20%

SUNDAY, JUNE 23 High: 92 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 20%

BLUEBERRIES Shipping point: Central Florida $13-$16

Delaware 9 Japanese cartoon genre 10 Nickname 11 Arab chieftain 12 Fruit with a Key variety 13 Prophet 15 Flashin’ Fruit Punch maker 20 Physicians’ org.

21 Israeli or Arab 23 1929 stock market event 24 Companies with connections, for short 25 “There’s ___ in team” 26 Staple dispenser 27 Certain refrigerant 29 Home electrical panel 30 Derby hat 31 Take an oath 34 “___ boy!”

37 Scot’s denial 38 PC port 41 Thing to track 45 Soda bottle units 46 Bach’s “Mass ___ Minor” 47 Force to confess, say 49 Lady of Troy 51 Baltic capital 52 Snake eyes 53 Poker unit 54 Colorchanging gem 55 Rowers, informally 56 Raced 57 Drink often served with scones 60 “To Autumn,” e.g.

61 “Without a doubt!”

19

July 2 New

July 15 Full

July 7 First

June 28 Last

RAINFALL Monday, June 10

0.47

Tuesday, June 11 0.00 Wednesday, June 12

0.01

Thursday, June 13 0.22 0.07

Friday, June 14

Saturday, June 15 0.04 0.20

Sunday, June 16 YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2019 8.48 in.

2019 3.10 in.

2018 12.46 in.

2018

1.51 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

20 Physicians’ 45 Soda bottle ACROSS 48 Goatee spot org.

1 Community units 50 “___ the rec center 46 Bach’s ramparts ...” 21 Israeli or Kline Arabat jkline@PlantCityObserver.com 5 ___ “Mass ___ 51 Houston Send yourPerignon photo submissions to Associate Editor Justin 23 1929 stock 8 “Ships of Minor” basketball or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature. market the desert” 47 Force to player event 14 Headset part confess, enthusiast?

24 Companies 16 Unstable say 58 Meditation with consocietal 49 Lady of directive nections, condition Troy 59 He delivers for short 17 Swimsuit 51 Baltic news 25 “There’s ___ option capital 62 Introducer in team” 18 Smaller 52 Snake eyes of a 26 Staple clone of 53 Poker unit radioactivity dispenser oneself 54 Colorcounter 19 Nondischanging 63 Triple digits? 27 Certain refrigerant closure gem 64 Fluttery 29 Home enthusiast?

55 Rowers, poplars electrical 21 Org. that informally 65 Acid panel has your 56 Raced 66 Former 30 Derby hat number 57 Drink often partners 31 Take an 22 Submissive served with DOWN oath 23 Upper limit scones 1 So far 34 “___ boy!” enthusiast?

60 “To 2 Gaping 37 Scot’s 28 Recedes Autumn,” mouth denial 32 LBJ’s e.g.

3 Note of 38 PC port successor 61 “Without referral?

41 Thing 33 Sweet and a doubt!”

It might Jim Flemister spotted this4barred owl onbe Cowart Road early in to June and got close enough to snap soup this ___ photo.

Flemister wins thisuniversal week’s I Love Plant Citytrack photo contest.

34 Archery 5 Active sort missile 6 ___ in a ANSWER Follow us on social media:PREVIOUS @PCObserverPUZZLE on Instgram, 35 Word after lifetime O N L I N E @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer “first” or 7 Come upon on Facebook. “foreign” 8 New Jersey 36 Woodsy city on the smell Delaware enthusiast?

9 Japanese 39 She’s cartoon sheepish genre 40 Staircase 10 Nickname parts 11 Arab 42 Drying kiln chieftain 43 ___ carte 12 Fruit with a 44 Prefix Key variety meaning 13 Prophet “six” 15 Flashin’ 45 Party policy Fruit Punch 6/19 © 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal enthusiast? maker www.upuzzles.com

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 20 2019

When you’re pregnant, there are so many questions.

WHERE TO HAVE YOUR BABY shouldn’t be one of them.

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