6.23.22 PLCO by Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 202

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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS POTENTIAL POLICIES REPUBLICANS RUNNING FOR DISTRICT 15 SEAT, FOR PLANT CITY BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

Four Republican candidates running for Florida’s 15th Congressional District, each made their case before Plant City residents as to why they should be voted into office, on June 16. Laurel Lee, Kevin “Mac” McGovern, Jackie Toledo, and Kelli Stargel were four of the six contenders present at the

forum held at Grace Pointe Church and hosted by the Plant City Republican Women Federated club. Jay Collins and Demetries Grimes are the party’s other two conservatives vying for the seat for the primary election. U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin currently holds the seat that serves not only Plant City, but other regions of Hillsborough County as well as Polk County.

The primary election will take place on Aug. 23. The Republican winner will then face off with the primary winners from both the Democratic and Independent parties leading up to the Nov. 8 general election. Four Republican candidates running for the Florida 15th Congressional District seat are accompanied by several members of the Plant City Republican Women Federated organization.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

The candidates individually made a case for why he or she should be elected into office at a women’s club meeting on June 16.

WEEKEND CELEBRATION

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Offering same-day appointments! We welcome the opportunity to become the medical home for your entire family at our Plant City location, offering Primary Care, Pediatrics, and Rheumatology.

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Strawberry Crest football to hold annual Clay Shoot Fundraiser

863.284.5000

Strawberry Crest football will be holding their second annual clay shoot fundraiser on July 23 at Fishhawk Sporting Clays, 13505 Hobson Simmons Rd, in Lithia. Last year was the first installment held by the Chargers and head coach Phillip Prior, with 65 participants taking part, aimed at not only raising funds for the football program but also rallying alumni and community members around the program. “We had some alumni out there, we had community people, some of our sponsors were out there, we had parents, we had current players and then we had just some random people from the community that heard about the event and wanted to come out there,” Prior said after last year’s event. “It was great. Everybody was just like, ‘Man, this was just such a good idea, we had such a great time.’ That event is just going to continue to grow for us and it’s going to be a huge fundraiser for us to help accomplish some goals, both short-term and long-term. It was a great time.” The cost will be $100 per shooter, with raffles and 50/50 prizes to win as well. Breakfast and lunch will both be provided with your registration and the deadline for registration is Tuesday, July 19. To register for or sponsor the event, please contact Prior at phillip.prior@ hcps.net or by phone at 850-491-8659.

Durkhani Mahboob, MD

Adriana Moncayo, MD

Plant City announces changes to city’s noise ordinance

863.284.5115

• 863.284.5000 for Primary Care or Pediatrics

JAMES L REDMAN PARKWAY

• 863.284.5115 for Rheumatology

Plant City High School

ALEXANDER STREET

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511 West Alexander St

Publix

ALEXANDER STREET

Winn-Dixie

JAMES L REDMAN PARKWAY

Our Doctors: Humam Alabsi, MD Pediatrics

863.284.5000

Rheumatology

Sandra Rodriguez Fernandez, MD Internal Med. Primary Care

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Your Health. Our Promise. myLRH.org/Plant-City

At the recent City Commission meeting, changes were made to the city’s noise ordinance: • Previous provisions related to noise permitting for shooting ranges were removed from the ordinance as the regulation of firearms is preempted by state law. • The City Commission has the authority to exempt events from

the noise ordinance, such as the Florida Strawberry Festival, Black Heritage Celebration, Car Show, etc. • The exemption for construction activity was amended to allow an extension of an initial three-day permit based on the scope of the project. • The exemption for motor vehicles within the right of way was removed. Aside from the alterations outlined above, the exemptions in the code remain the same, including (but not limited to): • Reasonable activities conducted on public or private school grounds that are in accordance with the purpose of the spaces used are exempt from the Noise Ordinance (athletic events on fields, etc.) • Activities related to the Florida Strawberry Festival, Dr. Martin Luther King Festival, Strawberry Classic Car Show, and other events specifically designated by the City Commission are exempt from the Noise Ordinance between 10 a.m. and midnight. • Athletic, musical, and other events sponsored by the City/Parks & Recreation are exempt from the Noise Ordinance. • Activities already noise exempt pursuant to Subsection (6) of Rule 1-10-04 of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County remain exempt from the Noise Ordinance (this includes sounds occurring at places of religious worship and related to those religious activities.) Violators of the ordinance may receive a written warning with no monetary value attached or a civil citation with fine amounts ranging from $100.00 up to $500.00 and/or a mandatory court appearance.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

Q&A WITH MAYOR NATE KILTON THE NEWLY SELECTED MAYOR SPEAKS

ON A NUMBER OF TOPICS BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

On June 13, Commissioner Nate Kilton was officially sworn in as Plant City’s new mayor – a seat he is now holding for the first time. However, he has served as vice mayor before, next to former Mayor Rick Lott. During the commission meeting that evening, his fiancée Kathleen Hall, and his three children Ethan, Levi, and Adeline, were at his side for support as he took the oath of office. Here are several things to know about the new mayor.

1. WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE BACK IN YOUR NATIVE TOWN PLAINFIELD, VERMONT? A. It’s a small, rural town in central Vermont. The population is probably around 1,700 people. My graduating class in public high school was 25 students. It was very…rural, but had great public education and I had a very loving family. I went to school at Florida State University. 2. WHAT HIGHER EDUCATION DID YOU PURSUE? A. My accounting degree is from Florida State, but I also have a finance degree from the University of South Florida, and an MBA from the University of Tampa. 3. WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN FINANCE? A. I wanted to find something that I thought would be able to pay

the bills and take care of my family, so I started with accounting. Then I was interested in finance. So I do both with my practice. I’m a certified public accountant and a certified financial planner.

4. WHEN DID YOU JOIN WHAT IS NOW CALLED SEDITA KILTON? A. It was formerly Joseph E. Sedita and Company. My former business partner, he started in October 1977 and I joined him in November 2005. We do a lot of accounting work to help people do financial statement audits, tax returns for businesses and individuals, payroll, and basically anything you could imagine that somebody might need for accounting. We also do financial planning, and retirement planning. 5. WHAT INTRIGUED YOU TO MOVE TO PLANT CITY? A. I moved because of family and it would have been February of 2000. Because of where I grew up in rural Vermont, Plant City is huge in comparison. 6. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO GET INTO PUBLIC OFFICE? A. I had just wrapped up being on the board of directors for the chamber. I had been the chamber chair. I’ve been involved in helping to start the Economic Development Corporation, and was looking for the next opportunity to volunteer for the community. I really view the city commission as a volunteer position. I just felt like

it fit with what my skill sets were and what I had to offer.

7. WHAT IS IT THAT BRINGS THE UNITY AND COMRADERY AMONG THE CITY COMMISSION? A. I think it comes from our core values, that we’re going to show people the dignity and respect they deserve, even when you don’t agree because we understand where everybody is coming from. I have tremendous respect for my fellow commissioners. We’ve also worked on different projects outside of the commission in different volunteer efforts. While we’re commissioners, we also participate in our churches and in other non-profits. 8. WHERE DO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY LIKE TO FREQUENT IN TOWN? A. We love just about anything downtown. We love the food truck rallies. We like to go when Norma’s does their Friday nights and have a seat at Tipsy Bookworm or Roots and have food delivered. We’ve come to appreciate Plant City Entertainment. We love the McIntosh Preserve. We spend a lot of time running and biking through Plant City. There’s so much available in Plant City. 9. WHAT ARE PLANS FOR PLANT CITY THAT YOU WANT TO COME TO FRUITION, WHETHER LONG TERM OR SHORT TERM? A. I think the biggest thing is to maintain the small town feel that we have while we’re growing.

Courtesy of the City of Plant City

That’s kind of the tension that we’ve got. You can see that at some of the recent commission meetings. We’re really trying to be thoughtful about all the growth that has happened so quickly and how we make sure we continue to allow for us to move forward in that area. I’m looking forward to building downtown. I would love to see some of the projects that we have in the works, like the development of the post office. I’m looking forward to seeing more development in midtown. Also, making sure that we continue to take care of our infrastructure – some of the things that aren’t necessarily all that exciting to people, but it’s critically important. Also, really supporting our first responders – our police and our firefighters. They do a great job. That’s the number one priority of a small government. Plant City is a great place to raise a family and we’re really

intentional about our Parks and Rec Department, and providing a lot of opportunities for young families and making sure it’s a safe environment for people, a place that has a lot of opportunities when it comes to jobs. I don’t know that there’s a huge initiative for any change of direction that I have in mind. I think the commission has done a great job, and our city manager, our leadership team for really cultivating the vision for where we are right now and continuing on that path.

10. WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONVEY TO PLANT CITY RESIDENTS? A. We are very community and citizen focused. We try really hard to communicate the best we can. We really try to take the customer service-oriented approach to things.

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

PLANT CITY

This Week on Cops Corner: Plant City

Observer

Police investigate multiple thefts, a renter’s dispute and a wrong-way bicyclist. istock

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Sports Writer / Taylor Jenkins tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com Staff Writer / Brian Fernandes bfernandes@plantcityobserver.com

JUNE 10

hose, valued at $50, was missing from the front of her home.

JUNE 13

BOUNCED CHECK

STORE WARNING

STEALING STEEL

200 block of W. Alexander St. Fraud: An officer made contact with the victim at a business at the listed location who advised that their employment check was stolen and cashed by an unknown party.

2600 block of James L. Redman Pkwy Theft: Officers responded to a business at the listed location in reference to a theft that recently occurred.

400 block of E. Reynolds St. Theft: An officer met with the complainant at the listed location who reported the theft of a 55 gallon steel drum.

PROBLEMS AT HOME 800 block of W. Madison St. Criminal mischief: An officer responded to the residence at the listed location in reference to a criminal mischief complaint between a landlord and tenant. One individual was subsequently arrested for criminal mischief and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

JUNE 11 GETTING HOSED 2500 block of W. Moody Ave. Theft: Officers responded to a residence at the listed location and met with the victim, finding that their Sears 100-foot water

GAME TIME

JUNE 12 GOOD AS GONE 300 block of N. Alexander St. Trespass/battery LEO: An officer responded to the listed location in reference to an individual entering private property after a trespass warning was issued on June 11. The individual was subsequently arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail. SUNK COST 300 block of S. Frontage Rd. Theft: An officer made contact with the victim who advised that he was selling an infrared monocular valued at $600, but the item was stolen.

3300 block of James L. Redman Pkwy. Vehicle burglary: An officer made contact with the victim at the listed location who reported that a Nintendo Switch gaming system was stolen from their vehicle. BYECYCLE 2500 block of Thonotosassa Rd. Bicycle theft: An officer responded to a business at the listed location in reference to the report of a stolen bicycle. WRONG WAY RIDER

going against traffic in the wrong lane of travel. The individual was subsequently arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of synthetic marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were then transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

JUNE 14 GOING, GOING, GUN 1500 block of Pinedale Meadows Ct. Vehicle burglary: An officer met with the victim who stated that their vehicle was burglarized, resulting in a firearm being stolen from within it. ON YOUR GRIND 3300 block of Silverpond Dr. Fraud: An officer met with the victim who stated that they had posted ads to sell a meat grinder online, later receiving a fraudulent check for it.

N. Wheeler St. / I-4 Drug investigation: An officer made contact with an individual that was riding a bicycle and

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This week’s Sudoku answers

Plant City Observer

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

This week’s Crossword answers

This week’s answers Jumbles:

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

CONSERVATIVES SPEAK WITH LOCAL VOTERS

REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS COMPETE FOR CONGRESSIONAL SEAT

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

She said that she assisted parents in getting their kids in the right classes where they were able to thrive at their level. In regards to the second amendment, she told the crowd, “I believe that right is fundamental and is not to be abridged. Red flag laws often do that, and so that is something that, in general terms, I don’t support.”

Florida’s Former Secretary of State Laurel Lee is one of seven Republican candidates running for the Florida Congressional District 15 seat.

State Rep. Jackie Toledo is vying for the Florida Congressional District 15 seat this year.

LAUREL LEE

Lee is the former secretary of state for Florida. She was appointed to the position by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019, and served until May 16 of this year, when she resigned. She announced her candidacy for the 15th Congressional District the next day. Her father is a retired two-star general from the Air Force and her mother has served as a public-school teacher. From 2013 to 2019, Lee served as a judge for the Florida 13th Judicial Circuit Court. Prior to that, she was an assistant U.S. attorney and assistant federal public defender in the Middle District of Florida as well as a law clerk to Judge James S. Moody. In court, she prosecuted illegal immigrants charged with crimes and vowed to continue taking on the issue from Washington D.C. “It is imperative for the safety of our community and the security of our country, that we secure our borders, and that will be a key priority for me in any capacity going forward,” Lee said. In her time on the bench, she served as a family court judge. Seeing homes being torn apart taught her the importance of supporting and protecting families, she said. With being the Florida secretary of state, came the role of chief election officer. “We worked even harder to go back and find the places that we could do even more in our laws and elections process, to ensure that all of our processes were going to be accurate, transparent, open to the public, and that our voters here in Florida have confidence in the results they were seeing,” she said. “Together we worked to ensure that Florida was the standard by which other states measured their own elections. In 2020, Florida was, in fact, the leader and standard-bearer on having an election that was secure, that was accurate, timely, and reliable. Despite having over 11 million voters, we had our results on election night.” Lee mentioned her time on the board for the Pepin Academies Foundation when asked if parents should have a say in what type of school is suitable for their children. Pepin Academies are not-for-profit, tuition-free, public charter schools for children with learning disabilities.

Sen. Kelli Stargel of Florida, has thrown her hat in the

JACKIE TOLEDO

Kevin McGovern, a U.S. Navy veteran, is running for the Florida Congres-

sional District 15 seat.

KEVIN “MAC” MCGOVERN

McGovern is retired from the U.S. Navy and came from a military family as his father served in the Pacific during World War II. He joined the Navy at 17 and was based in Orlando. After his time in Japan, he returned to the states, received GI Bill benefits and graduated from Purdue University with an engineering degree. For 40 years, he has worked with NATO, in Washington D.C., and was a senior officer to Gen. David Petraeus. “We need leaders who actually have that proven leadership, integrity, and the right experience to go to D.C. and get that done,” McGovern said. “If you elect me, I’m going to take your voices to D.C.” His first priority will be to help stop the “out-of-control” spending that is being done from the executive branch and give the power back to the legislative branch, he added. He explained that he wants to uphold the 10th amendment by eliminating the Department of Education and allowomg the state of Florida and parents to make the best determinations for what’s best for students. While McGovern said he supports immigration in the U.S., it still needs to be done in a legal fashion. Addressing the economic hardship that many Americans are currently facing, will also be a priority, he said. “I want to investigate,” McGovern said. “I want the American people and the people of the district to understand why we have this inflation, why we have gas prices out of control, why are our shelves becoming empty.” Getting rid of special interests and limiting congress members to three terms is also a part of his agenda.

Toledo is currently a member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 60. Her term began on Nov. 8, 2016 and ends on Nov. 8 of this year. She was born in Lima, Peru and her mother was able to bring her to the U.S. at a young age. Toledo received an engineering degree from the University of South Florida, and is a civil engineer with a private practice – Florida Engineering and Consulting. She got into politics because of her frustration with the state of transportation and Housing, and ran for city council in Tampa. She lost the race but was able to gain a seat in the Florida House of Representatives in 2016. To put a stop to inflation, she said she will try to balance the budget and help make the U.S. more energy independent, relying less on diesel from out of the country. “We’re going to look at ways for technology to cut the cost, which we can,” Toledo said. “That is the root cause of why all of the goods are rising.” She also made a case for why she is competent enough to close the U.S. borders. “Human trafficking, fentanyl (and) opioids – that’s coming through our borders,” Toledo said. “I’ve been a champion of antihuman trafficking issues for many years, even before I got elected. I’ve had a lot of legislative success. My last year, I filed a bill to increase penalties…” She is a “staunch supporter” of the second amendment, backing the police as opposed to defunding them, and standing up for parental rights. Standing up to big corporations that don’t support parental rights, and working to audit the Federal Reserve, are issues she said need to be addressed.

KELLI STARGEL

Stargel has served as a Florida State Senator over District 22 from 2020 to 2022. She was a member of the state House of Representatives over District 64 from 2008 to 2012. She first took on the role of state senator in 2012, overseeing District 15, until 2016. She is a sixth generation Floridian, born in Tampa, raised in Lutz, and attended Tallahassee Community College.

ring as a candidate for the Florida Congressional District 15 seat.

Her husband, John K. Stargel, is a judge on the Florida Second District Court of Appeal. Prior to taking office, she was a homeschool mom who had no interest in going into politics, but it was a gradual shift. “I saw what was happening in our schools,” she said. “I saw what was happening in our communities. My husband had been in office and he was leaving to become a judge and I thought ‘I need to do something. We need to do something.’ She has spent her time in office trying to prevent abortion in any way possible by supporting the Unborn Victims of Violence Bill, the Parental Consent Bill, and the 15-Week Abortion Ban. She also made a case that she has been fiscally conservative enough to help Florida stay in a good financial position. Stargel has served as the chair for the Senate Appropriations Committee. When Florida accepted grant funds from the federal government last year, she and her committee did what she refers to as “one-and-dones,” by investing in construction and buildings, increasing the minimum wage for government employees, and helping to pay off Florida’s debt. Although, she is a firm believer in the state having its independence from the federal government. “The federal government continues to meddle within the State of Florida and that was one of the things that encouraged me to run for Congress,” Stargel said. “I’m going to take what I’ve learned and what I’ve done within the State of Florida and do that in Congress.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

SUMMER FUN WITH FARM ANIMALS A PETTING ZOO WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER BASH EVENT

JULY 4TH CELEBRATION SOON TO COME PLANT CITY STADIUM WILL HAVE MUCH EXCITEMENT TO USHER IN JULY 4TH

Courtesy of Stingray Chevrolet

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

Adults and kids will not only get to be spectators of farm animals, but will also have the chance to pet them at the Summer Bash Petting Zoo/Food Trucks/Vendor event on June 25. Photo courtesy of Christina Dawson

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

All are welcome for outdoor fun with the Summer Bash Petting Zoo/ Food Trucks/Vendor Market event, held on Saturday, June 25. It will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3102 Thonotosassa Rd., in Plant City. It is directly across from Mt. Zion Church, 3005 Thonotosassa Rd., where patrons are allowed to park. As its title implies, there will be animals on site such as mini horses, donkeys, and goats as well as food and vendors. It will be hosted by Horse Force and Small But Mighty Heroes. Admission is $10 and free of charge for children age 5 and under. Grab bags will be included with admission. Proceeds will go toward the Small But Mighty Heroes non-profit orga-

nization, which focuses on obtaining resources for pediatric cancer patients and their families. It will also provide funding for the therapeutic riding arena purchased for Horse Force, allowing them to continue offering Equine Assisted Therapy services for mental health and for substance-use disorder clients. In addition, it will grant the opportunity to begin services with medical, and first responders seeking therapy. For more information, contact Christina Dawson at (727) 287-8893. More information about the organizations, visit www.HorseForceHerd.com, email HorseForceHerd@ gmail.com or TinaDowning@SmallButMightHeroes.org.

America’s Independence Day is just around the corner and Plant City is ready with its annual Fourth of July Celebration, on July 4. It will run from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Plant City Stadium, 1810 E. Park Rd. Admission is free, but $5 will be charged for parking (cash only). Parking will not be permitted along: • Park Road from Redman Parkway to Roberts Ranch Road • Park Road from Alsobrook Street/ Coronet Road south to Jim Johnson Road • Jim Johnson Road from Alexander Street north to Park Road • Roberts Ranch Road from Park Road/ Jim Johnson Road east to Coronet Road • Gordon Food Service Drive west from Park Road to the dead end Traffic along these roads will be outbound only from the stadium once the fireworks begin and until the stadium parking lots are empty. The event will consist of various amenities for both children and adults alike, such as corn hole, balloon art, face painting, kiddie train rides, inflatables, Rock Wall, and tug-o-war. A concession stand and food vendors will be on site. Live entertainment and a 50-50 drawing will also take place.

The timeline (pending weather restrictions): • Parking lot opens at 5:30 p.m. • Stadium gates open at 6 p.m. • Concessions open at 6 p.m. and close at 8:30 p.m. • Field activities open at 6 p.m. and close at 8:30 p.m. • Stage entertainment starts at 7 p.m. • Military salute and national anthem at 8:45 p.m. • Grand Fireworks Finale at 9:15 p.m. Should it rain on July 4, the event will be pushed back to July 5 but with no activities or vendors present. Gates will also open at 8 p.m. and the fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. On city property there will be no alcoholic beverages and no loitering outside or in the parking lot. Inside the stadium, no coolers are allowed, and no outside food or beverages. Smoking in stands, concourse or restroom areas are not allowed. Also, no fireworks or sparklers or pets are permitted inside the stadium. Patrons are encouraged to have cash handy for not only parking, but to purchase from vendors as credit/debit cards cannot be used. For additional information, or to become a sponsor, email RecInfo@PlantCityGov. com or call (813) 659-4255.

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in Unisen The legacy and lifestyle that’s been created, cultivated and continued here with our $25 million transformation is one where all are included, and actively flourish together as a whole and with the greater community.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

Letter to the Editor

Most “…everybody wants to save this building. Where it goes from here, we don’t know.”

This is a frequent theme quoted from last week’s meeting and heard in various forms since. My thoughts. Firstly, I would reiterate my gratitude to the EHHS back during its beginnings and first 26 years or so for saving the building and other great work they did during those golden years. I’m unaware of most of their activities since my time on the Board other than those mentioned in their newsletters, and I have always wished them well. That said, some points to ponder are below. 1) Doing nothing and kicking the can down the road again is a mistake due to the building walls and/or roof in areas likely shipping too much water. If we do nothing, she will sink, or come down in one way or another.

2) It is impossible to excite a community about major spending on multiyear renovation projects without a vision as to what it will become. 3) But you can’t totally cast the vision unless and until you get into that building and answer several key questions, some of which can’t be known until she is sealed (really sealed) and dried out for possibly a year or more. And yes, I’ve read the report. 4) Is there enough water pressure in that area to supply a fire-sprinkler system to all three floors if such were installed? 5) In my past historic renovation work, the cooperation and reasonable flexibility between the City officials doing their hard work of protecting citizens and ensur-

ing quality building, and local contractors with actual experience with 100+ year old buildings built largely from Plant City area local materials of the day was dependable and essential to success. When you have an old building with no structural blueprints, materials that have deteriorated, methods many inspectors today have no experience with, and the myriad of other issues that go with these, mutual trust and flexibility are required as one must “in the field” engineer quickly a hundred things each week. Back then it wasn’t CYA when mistakes were found and dealt with and blame shifting to the other guy, and so too it wasn’t requiring architectural plans from out of state firms with 20 lawyers growling and every detail engineer stamped before you do anything, it was good and trusted

builders working with good and trusted City Building departments and inspectors with a “when in doubt, overbuild it back better than it ever was” attitude. Those days are gone. It is no one’s fault, but they are. So now what? If memory serves some things that will be needed to succeed are: Youth, for it can be helpfully blind to entrenched sacred cows. A trusted bold voice near and dear to the City, but not under her legal requirements to be overly careful in discussion (a recently retired commissioner comes to mind). A few get out of jail free cards from the City Building Department. One or two local contractors who have built at least one Lincoln Log home to completion and renovated at least one century old building in Plant City. Getting the County School Board to release any restrictions as to the future of that building (I suspect they would be all too glad to be rid of association with its future outcome either way). A few good official town hall meetings to glean for ideas and exhaust some unimaginative critics. And lastly, an endorsement for a committee of no more than seven to brainstorm in private and cast a vision. I know this was tried once before from within the EHHS, but alas it was too soon perhaps. And certainly, many fearsome sacred cows were pawing the pasture and snorting in ways that shut it down. Perhaps it is time for one last grand attempt.

— Ed Verner

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

CUTEST CRITTER

FUEL-SIPPER KIA K5 IS ATTRACTIVE INSIDE AND OUT

Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are? Send your pictures to Staff Writer Brian Fernandes at bfernandes@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

K5 (EX) Tires: 236/45R18 Wheelbase: 112.2 inches Length: 193.1 inches Width: 73.2 inches Height: 56.9 inches Suspension: MacPherson front, multilink rear NITISH S. RELE

CODY AND BAILEY: Stephanie Hrenchir sent us this photo of her pups Cody and Bailey enjoying a prime seat to watch Airfest 2022.

It is undoubtedly one of the boldestappearing midsize sedans today. After all, it replaced another sharp-looking car, Optima, that is now in the history books. The midsize K5 is not just an eye-pleaser but comes with a robust power train, solid chassis and desirable creature comforts. Bigger than its predecessor in almost every respect (except height), under the hood of the K5 sits a 1.6-liter turbo gas inline-4 cylinder engine that produces a decent 180 horsepower @ 5500 rpm and 195 poundsfeet of torque @ 4500 rpm. Power reaches the front wheels via a crisp-shifting and accurate 8-speed automatic transmission. Ensconced on the steel-unibody based car is a wide and thin front silver-metallic radiator grille that extends into its LED headlights and the hood. The cabin offers such helpful amenities as a 10-way power heated/cooled driver and 6-way manual passenger leatherette seats, 60/40 rear seat, manual tilt/telescopic steering column, panoramic sun roof, dual auto a/c with rear vents, push-button start, 4.2-inch LCD instrument display, power windows, door locks and outside mirrors. The previous 8-inch touch screen for infotainment has been replaced by a bigger 10.25-inch

Steering: rack-and-pinion power Weight: 3,228 pounds Fuel capacity: 15.8 gallons City: 27 mpg Highway: 37 mpg Base price: $28,590 Price as tested: $33,785 Web site: www.kiausa.com display. Satin chrome accents on the center console garnish, dash pad bezel and air vents convey elegance. Trunk volume is commendable at 16 cubic feet (compare that to the Camry at 15.1). Dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag, driver knee airbag, four-wheel antilock brakes, stability and traction control systems, forward and blind-spot collision avoidance assists, as well as lane-keep and lane-follow assists, rearview camera, front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, three-point front seatbelts with pretensioners, daytime running lights and tire pressure monitoring system are standard. The affordably priced K5 turbo exhibits admirable performance with lovely styling inside and out. And with gas prices hovering around $4.50 a gallon, this one’s a tremendous money saver with fuel economy at over 35 mpg in combined driving during our drive. Undoubtedly, it’s an impeccably tuned ride for the daily grind. Nitish S. Rele operates motoringtampabaycom and Khaas Baat, and was an automotive editor/columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Email him at motoringtampabay@gmail.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

OFFICIAL UNVEILING OF FINANCE OFFICE SUNCOAST WEALTH SOLUTIONS BRINGS ITS SERVICES TO PLANT CITY

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

Suncoast Wealth Solutions had an official welcome-to-town celebration with a ribbon cutting on June 14. It was hosted by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and brought out many from the community. The financial firm is located at 104 W. Reynolds St. Suite # 12, where it has operated since February. Michelle Engle, a chartered retirement planning counselor, and Jennifer Girling, a certified financial planner, are at the helm of the company that is new to Plant City. They are the only two who work at the office branch. “We’re a full service financial advisory firm,” Engle said. “We offer a multitude of things as far as wealth management, financial planning investing, college savings plans, and insurance.” It also has retirement planning services for things such as IRAs and 401Ks. Suncoast works under its broker, Lincoln Investment – based in Philadelphia, and its main office is located in Saint Petersburg. The firm also has advisors in Phoenix, AZ, and Sarasota as well. However, there’s a vision to see more spring up locally. There’s always the prospect that Suncoast could expand in the Tampa Bay area, Engle said. For the past nine years she has built up her clientele. Although, her career path had initially taken a much different turn. She received her undergraduate degree in education and then her master’s degree in education leadership with the intentions of becoming an administrator. For seven years she was a teacher in Hillsborough County.

With the encouragement of a friend, she began to familiarize herself with stocks, bonds and mutual funds – things she had no clue about as an educator. “I didn’t know the first thing,” Engle said. “I didn’t even know what type of accounts I had as a teacher. I just knew I was putting money away.” At age 29, she decided to leave education and go into the world of finance. She trained and worked at a large brokerage firm in Tampa where she trained, then worked at for five years. Over the years, she was able to obtain several licenses such as the Series 66 and 7 as well the 2-15. These credentials have allowed her to buy or sell anything on the New York Stock Exchange, become an investment advisor, and provide insurance to others. She has already taken classes to become a certified financial planner and will soon take her exam. After her five years of service at the brokerage firm, she decided to become an independent advisor, and worked remotely from home for three years. Even with the shift in her work life, she still had loyal clients who chose to remain with her. After three years at home, she decided she was ready to start working from an office again. “Lincoln has been wonderful and welcoming, and all my colleagues at Suncoast – they’re family first and clientfirst-driven,” Engle said. “It’s not about the product. It’s not about generating this revenue. It’s about doing what’s right every moment and every step of the way. I love the community. I love this place and I couldn’t ask for better people to raise my children around.” It wasn’t until after college that Girling decided to go into the world of finance. She had worked for the same brokerage

The Plant City community came together for the ceremonial ribbon cutting for the Suncoast Wealth Solutions, LLC financial company, on June 14.

firm as Engle, at the Miami office. She has been providing financial planning, insurance, and investment services for 26 years. In 2020, she left the firm and came aboard Suncoast. Last year, she moved from Miami to Plant City and began working alongside Engle. “I have a very solid relationship with my clients, helping them 24/7 if they need it,” Girling said. The majority of her clients are still in Miami and every so often she’ll travel down there to see them in person. And her service isn’t confined to just Florida but has branched out across the country. Girling moved to Plant City after being encouraged by Engle to explore the area. Leaving the city life in Miami and relocating to the small town was due to her wanting a more peaceful and quiet environment to raise her children, Girling said.

Her schedule at Suncoast allows her to spend quality time with her family and connect with the locals. “I’ve been here less than a year and I’ve made some really good friends, and it’s just a really close-knit community that welcomed me with open arms,” she said. Both ladies said they want to build good relationships with the Plant City residents by making their office a welcoming environment. “I also believe it’s important for the community to have a safe place to come to just to ask questions,” Engle said. “I don’t care if you’re a client or not. If you’re concerned about something, whether you work with me today or in the future, or maybe not at all, feel free to come by.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

PlantCityObserver.com

WEEKEND CELEBRATION

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE Plant City recognized the Juneteenth holiday with a weekend celebration that ran from June 17 to June 19. It marked the second year since becoming a federal holiday and is held June 19. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery when the news finally reached Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. With the theme “We’re Still Here” the Plant City celebration kicked off with a worship service at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, on June 17.

The following day, the masses came out to witness and take part in the Juneteenth Parade. Vendors, games, and tournaments were available for the spectators afterwards as well as a singing and dancing competition. June 19 also coincided with Father’s Day, and Plant City Police Capt. Al Van Duyne and Pastor Randy Humphrey from One Accord Church were both recognized during a luncheon held at the Planteen Recreation Center.

Photos Courtesy of Rev. Maurice Wilson

Did you take the Observer with you on vacation? Send your pictures to Associate Editor Taylor Jenkins at tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

Combine & Save. HAWAII: Richard and Betty Denton reading the Observer and enjoying the worlds largest maze at the Dole Pineapple Plantation, Oahu, Hawaii.

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SPORTS

FEATURED FUTURE: DJ HAYNES

Featured Future is a summer series where the Observer will highlight local student athletes who are preparing to continue their athletic and educational careers at the college level, or those who have already begun that journey.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

DJ Haynes was a dual sport athlete in high school, transferring from Corcoran High School in Syracuse to Plant City High School in the fall of his junior year and quickly becoming a standout on both the Raiders’ football team as an outside linebacker and their basketball team as a guard. In April, Haynes committed to play football at Tennessee Tech University as the Golden Eagles look to improve on a 3-8 record in 2021 under third-year head coach and TTU alumnus Dewayne Alexander. “As an athlete he became a better player with age,” Plant City’s head basketball coach Billy Teeden said. “But more so it was his personality, I think. Once he got comfortable with everybody here, that developed which inevitably made him a better player. He got comfortable, he developed friendships, I

saw that more than his playing ability just getting better. I think the personal side of it really allowed him to shine.” On the basketball court, Haynes was a major contributor that led to the Raiders’ 20-8 record and their appearance in the regional quarterfinals last season. Leading the team in nearly every statistical category, he finished the year with a team-high 17.1 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, 2.2 steals per game and did so with a 51 percent field goal percentage, the second-highest mark on the team. “He was a very good leader, Teeden said. “He was a quiet leader, he read by example, but kids respected him. He kept the pace of how things went and they looked up to him, he led by example for sure. He’s going to be missed. He led us in every category but

he did it with ease and it’ll really be hard to replace that. You could watch the game, look down at the stat sheet and see 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds and it doesn’t even look like he broke a sweat sometimes.” On the football field, Haynes was a force on the Raiders’ defense during his breakout senior season. While traditionally used as an edge rusher, he was a versatile defender who was able to move around and play multiple roles along the defensive line and in the secondary for Plant City, finishing the season with 90 tackles while leading a tough district with eight sacks and 24 tackles for loss. As a result, he garnered a first-team selection in the Western Conference’s Federal Division and a nomination for PrimeTimePreps’ Hillsborough County Defensive Player of the Year award.

“On the football side of it, I knew when he got here that he said he had played some football and he obviously had great size but I didn’t realize how good he was until I got to see him play in the spring,” Teeden said. “He moved well and with football you alway wonder how tough are they, do they really want to go make a tackle and things like that. But he puts his head in there and he’s very, very good.

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

PLANT CITY GYMNAST TAKES ON USA GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Plant City’s Amari Jackson heads to Des Moines this week as the nation’s top tumbler in her age group. TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Plant City’s Amari Jackson and her team headed to Des Moines, Iowa this week for the 2022 USA Gymnastics Championships. The competition sees gymnasts of varying age groups come together from across the country to compete among the best that the United States has to offer. At just 12 years old, Jackson competes against 13 and 14 year old competitors at the Youth Elite level in tumbling, with that competition beginning on Thursday. She’s also competing in Level 10 double mini trampoline in the 13 and 14 year old age group, holding first place through Tuesday’s initial rounds with the finals following on Wednesday. At last year’s USA Championships, Jackson qualified in Level 10 for both tumbling and mini double trampoline — with Level 10 consisting of 11 and 12 year

old competitors, the highest level of competition in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Program — and took home gold in tumbling. This year she qualified to compete at the Elite level in tumbling and challenged herself by moving up an age group while turning her focus primarily to tumbling, her most successful discipline. And while competing at the national level again this year is a massive accomplishment in and of itself, it presents an even larger opportunity. If Jackson can finish among the top three spots in Des Moines, she will earn the chance to represent the United States at the 2022 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. “She’s just focused on the tumbling portion right now,” her father Hasani Jackson said. “She stepped back from the gymnastics portion because she was doing so great as far as tumbling goes. She’ll get back on the bars and the beam when

the next seasons starts but she really just has tunnel vision on reaching Bulgaria in tumbling. So that’s where she’s at now.” To reach this year’s USA Championships, Jackson had to compete at the district, state and regional level. She took the gold at each event, most recently in April at the 2022 Elite Challenge in Irving, Texas with a tumbling score of 43.834. In fact, her score at a previous event in Dallas qualified her for the USA Championships without needing to compete in Irving, but she attended anyway and once again ended the weekend atop the podium. With lofty goals in mind, Jackson already undergoes rigorous training as she trains in Lakeland five days per week for 11 months out of the year while being homeschooled to accommodate the schedule that comes along with this level of competition. And while not competing until later in the week, Jackson departed early with her team on Sunday

to continue to train throughout the week. In December, the Jackson family will have another big decision to make as she has the opportunity to turn pro and even begin Olympic training when she turns 13, but her father says that’s a decision to make when the time comes. “That’s the thing, because she wants to go to the University of Florida or, I think, she mentioned UCLA. She wants to one of those schools,” Hasani Jackson said. “So she definitely wants to pursue this dream of hers but that’s a long shot away. She’s 12 so we try to just let her enjoy being a 12 year old. But it’s tough, it’s very tough for her age, and I don’t think that she really has her future planned out right now. Just like any other 12 year old she has goals and dreams that she wants to accomplish and we’re just here to support her any way that we can.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

PlantCityObserver.com

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

289704-1

We asked Plant City: What’s your favorite movie or movies ever and why? “Double Indemnity. Fabulous film noir and its cohort in noir, Laura. No other genre comes close.” - Stacy Sydenham

“Tommy Boy - I guess part of me identifies with a big lovable doofus.” - Rob Morrison

“Phantoms starring Ben Affleck.” James Moore

“Urban Cowboy and Grease.” - Bud Olliff

“Lonesome Dove. Your character as a person was formed in a time where you had to have drive, basic human intelligence, and integrity to make it through.” - Jesse Galindo

“Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Extended Edition. Why? The best retelling of Tolkien’s classic tale and the extended editions add richness to the story that makes up for the parts of the book that had to be left out.” - Stephen Galindo

“The first Rocky. A perfect movie that started a whole genre, and my favorite love story ever.” - Allen Berrebbi

“Back to the Future.” - Edwin Alexander Mejia

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Rosella ‘Rosie’ Sue Nail

Naomi Ruth Butler Owens

Willis E. Calloway

Tyler Joseph Rogers

Malcolm “Mike” J.C. Shelley, 89, of Dover, Fla., born in Ozark, Ala. on July 6, 1932, entered into eternal rest on June 9, 2022. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Rosella “Rosie” Sue Nail, 81, of Plant City, Florida, born in Centerville, Iowa on August 26, 1940, entered into eternal rest on June 14, 2022. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Naomi Ruth Butler Owens, 88, of Plant City, Fla., born in Durant on November 3, 1933, entered into eternal rest on June 17, 2022. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Willis E. Calloway, age 82, of Lithia, Fla., passed away on June 14, 2022. Funeral services were held June 20, 2022 at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

Tyler Joseph Rogers, age 28, of Seffner, Fla., passed away on June 20, 2022. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

OBITUARIES

Malcolm ‘Mike’ J.C. Shelley

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

Maria L. Perez De Garnelo Maria L. Perez De Garnelo, 85, of Plant City, Fla., born on Sept. 28, 1936 in Tetecalita, Emiliano Zapata, Morelos, Mexico entered into eternal rest on June 19, 2022. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

116 North Collins Street Plant City, FL 33563 ph: (813) 567-5735 allabloomtampa.com

YOUR CALENDAR

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

BEST BET FRIDAY, JUNE 24 LAST FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN 5 to 9 p.m. at McCall Park, 100 N. Collins St. The Last Friday in Downtown Food Truck Rally is held with a new theme each month. There will be live music, market vendors and food trucks. The event is family and pet friendly and all are recommended to bring chairs and blankets. This month’s theme will be Sweet on Summer.

SATURDAY. JUNE 25 SUMMER BASH 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3102 Thonotosassa Rd. Horse Force and Small But Mighty Heroes will host a start of summer bash right here in Plant City, with vendors, food trucks and a petting zoo. The event will benefit the non-profit organization Small But Mighty Heroes that focuses on resources for pediatric cancer patients and their families and will provide funding for the therapeutic riding arena purchased for Horse Force, which will allow them to continue providing Equine Assisted Therapy services for mental health and substance use disorder clients as well as the opportunity to begin services with medical and first responders seeking therapy. Admission will cost $10 and free for children five and under, with grab bags included with the admission price. For more information, contact Christina Dawson at 727-2878893. BLUEGRASS NIGHT 7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Head to Krazy Kup for Bluegrass Night, featuring central Florida’s own Rekindled Bits of Grass. The band features seasoned musicians performing a blend of traditional Bluegrass, country and Christian/Gospel music. This is surely a show that you won’t want to miss Rekindled has quickly become a staple in the Bluegrass community over more than nine years together. Their drive and timing are like a well-oiled machine and their blend of voices may even bring you to tears of joy as they deliver the message of life through song. Admission is $15 and can be purchased in-house or through www.eventbrite.com.

with fireworks this July 4th. The celebration will take place on Monday, July 4 at Plant City Stadium, 1810 E. Park Rd. Parking lots will open at 5:30 p.m. and the gates will open at 6 p.m., with several activities available on the stadiums turf. Family-friendly activities offered will include inflatables, face painting, Corn Hole, tug-o-war and more, in addition to stadium concession stands and various venders inside the stadium and along the perimeter of the field. At 9:15 p.m., a spectacular 20-minute Zambelli fireworks display will begin. Admission to the event is free with a parking cost of $5 per car. As it is a cash event, all are advised to bring cash for parking and vendors as no ATMs are available on-site.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 SATURDAY, JULY 16

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH ESTRANGED FAMILIES 6:30 to 8 p.m. at GracePoint Church, 1107 Charlie Griffin Rd. Join other parents who are estranged from their adult children. PEAK (Parents of Estranged Adult Kids) group provides a safe place to listen, share and support others going through the hurt of adult family abandonment. Meetings will include group discussions, self-care and positively-influenced activities to help cope with the situation. Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month. For more information, visit www.peaksupportgroup.com.

GARDEN CLUB CLASSES 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 303 N. Every St. The Plant City Garden Club will be holding a series of six Floral Design Classes at First United Methodist Church this summer, beginning on Wednesday, July 13 and running through Wednesday, August 17. The classes will be instructed by Flower Show Judges and are open to the public. Materials will be provided for the first three classes, with those in attendance needing to bring their own supplies to the final three classes. Additionally, the Garden Club encourages all to bring scissors and lunch to each class. While the classes are open to the public, registration is required and will cost $25 per individual class or $100 for all six classes. For more information or to obtain a registration form for the classes, please contact Jan Griffin by phone at 813-716-6691 or by email at billjangriffin@gmail.com.

STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN 3 to 6:30 p.m. at 102 N. Palmer St. The Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is back on Saturday, July 17 , rain or shine. Cars and trucks manufactured in or before 1996 can register for free starting at 3 p.m. Live music by DJ John Paul Gasca.

SATURDAY, JULY 2 BLUEGRASS JAM! 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. This is an open invitation for local Bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup loft and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy! Krazy Kup holds their Bluegrass JAM on the first Saturday of every month. MONDAY, JULY 4 JULY 4TH CELEBRATION Coordinated by the Plant City Recreation & Parks Department and the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, the skies above Plant City will once again fill

TILE & GROUT STEAM CLEANED 50 cents per Sq.Ft.

  

Carpet Repairs Carpet Restoration & Dyeing Minimum Service job $70.00

Emergency

24-Hour

WATER REMOVAL

Storm Water, A/C Leaks, Broken Pipes, Toilet Overflow

CARPETS

STEAM CLEANED

3 ROOMS $90

Includes Hallway cleaned Free

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 High: 95 Low: 78 Chance of rain: 22%

FRIDAY, JUNE 24 High: 95 Low: 77 Chance of rain: 51%

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

SUNRISE/SUNSET Sunrise Sunset Thursday, June 23

6:32a

8:28p

Friday, June 24

6:33a

8:28p

Saturday, June 25

6:33a

8:28p

Sunday, June 26

6:33a

8:28p

Monday, June 27

6:34a

8:28p

Tuesday, June 28

6:34a

8:28p

Wednesday, June 29

6:34a

8:28p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 High: 91 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 58%

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 High: 89 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 58%

MONDAY, JUNE 27 April Sullivent caught this photo of a stunning sunset over Dover.

ONLINE

High: 89 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 58%

Across 1 Two-mile-high city 6 Numbskulls 11 Ate 14 Sister of Euterpe 15 Satellite’s path 16 “I __ you one!” 17 V 19 Carried the day 20 Brainstorm 21 Spanish pronoun 22 Understated way to put it 24 Old PC display 26 City west of Hong Kong 27 V 33 Scribble (down) 34 Read (over) closely

35 Wind into rings 36 Look into closely 38 Egg: Pref. 39 Suspends operations, with “down” 40 European erupter 41 Low card 43 Female antelope 44 V 48 La Scala locale 49 Word with rolling or bowling 50 Slanted, in a way 52 Diamonds, slangily 54 Bar requests 58 A.L. East team 59 V 62 It may need a boost

63 Revered ones 64 Official Wimbledon timekeeper 65 Summer shade 66 Article of faith 67 Title feeling “beyond power of speech,” in an “Into the Woods” song Down 1 Son of Jacob 2 Dry as a bone 3 Go back and forth 4 Include with an email 5 Wild place 6 Clothing store department 7 Estimate phrase

8 Kimono closer 9 Classic fast-food sandwich since 1967 10 Gift bearer, informally 11 Polite greeting 12 MP’s quarry 13 Disallow 18 Old-school 23 Door securer 25 Ready to pluck 26 Soda order 27 Rich dessert cake 28 Building artisan 29 Trampled 30 Emphatic refusal 31 Mountaineer’s tool 32 “Is there something __?” 33 Photoshop image acronym 37 Culinary herb 39 Org. seeking far-out life 42 Playful prank 45 Summon up 46 False appearance 47 Dazed 50 “Yeah, sure!” 51 __ party 52 “Lost” setting 53 Word before votes or shadows 55 Stitch’s movie pal 56 Fifty-fifty 57 Hot 60 Long division? 61 Mexican Mrs.

June 28 New

July 6 First

July 13 Full

July 20 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

1.14in.

6.68 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

JUNE AVERAGE:

23.26 in.

9.71 in.

BLUEBERRIES Shipping point: Central & North Florida $14.00-$26.00 Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

Great health care is closer than you think. South Florida Baptist Hospital is more than just a small community hospital. We’ve got a wide array of specialty care and surgical services that you don’t have to travel far to get. Our surgeons are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures that provide lots of benefits, including shorter hospital stays, decreased blood loss and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. Plus, faster recovery times that mean you can get back to your normal activities sooner. You’ll find comprehensive orthopedic care—whether you’re an athlete who needs sports medicine services or you’re someone who needs a total joint replacement. Our all-inclusive gynecology program offers high-quality care to the women and mothers in our community with a variety of women’s care services. We’ve even been designated as a Center of Excellence for our weight loss surgery program, meeting nationally recognized standards and providing outstanding care to our patients. And all of this extraordinary care exists right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptistSurgery.org

21-1493769-0521

PlantCityObserver.com