6.6.19 PLCO

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

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VOLUME 6, NO. 49

BIG DOG’S BIG MISTAKE Big Dog’s Patio threw a biker block party on May 11 without acquiring a single city permit. Now the city has been granted an injunction against the offending parties.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

When the motorcycles began to roll into town on May 11, no one batted an eye. After all, events are held every week in the heart of Plant City, so why should this be any different?

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Bright orange cones were used to block city streets, vendors set up shop in the middle of the roadway and men poured full pitchers of water on willing women during the advertised wet t-shirt contest. The fun started to gravitate away from Big Dog’s, spilling into the streets as people drank, smoked, danced and enjoyed their night on the town. In fact, photos indicated alcohol was consumed within 500 feet of the bar, including in McCall Park. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

PLANT CITY BEATS CREST FOR

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

The Raiders and Chargers battled for the 8A baseball state championship in Fort Myers on May 30.

SEE PAGE 13

CHILDREN INVITED TO CRUISE-IN BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

This month, the beloved Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is kicking off a new contest for local youth.

The monthly car show held in downtown Plant City is getting a fresh look this month with the addition of the new Kids Build Car Contest. For years the Strawberry Classic Cruise-In has drawn crowds of car enthusiasts to the heart of downtown Plant City. As owners of coveted and unique automobiles camp out along nearby streets, crowds flock to stroll the rows of refurbished vehicles and get to know some of the proud owners.

However, the attendees tend to lean toward adults only, with few families routinely making stops at the event. The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, who hosts the event, is partnering with Brick City Bricks to help change that and remind families there are loads of unique and fun opportunities waiting around every corner.

SEE PAGE 6

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NEWS BRIEFS

men’s tennis team and is a longtime USTA Pro Circuit tournament director. The award will be given to Rollyson at the Aug. 22 Strong Leader Award Dinner at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College in Plant City. Tickets to the dinner cost $75 per person and table sponsorships are available for $1,000. For event information, contact Paul Conley at 813-757-6677 or paul. conley@tampaymca.org.

Labor Day. That’s about seven deaths per day. In fact, crashes involving teen drivers are 17 percent more likely to happen per day during the 100-day period than any other time of the year. That’s why the AAA is trying to warn teens and parents to do what they can to eliminate risk factors like speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving. The AAA encourages parents to do the following: •Talk with teens early and often about abstaining from dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving. •Teach by example and minimize risky behavior when driving. •Make a parent-teen driving agreement which sets family rules for teen drivers. “Parents can do so much in setting teens up to be a safe driver, yet it’s the teens themselves who are ultimately responsible for practicing safe driving habits,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said. “AAA urges all drivers to store their phones out of reach, mind the speed limit, and stay away from impairing substances like alcohol and marijuana. This can help prevent many crashes from ever occurring.” Visit teendrivingAAA.com for more information.

Chronister issues summer safety PSA

Courtesy photo

Rhett Rollyson

Rollyson to receive Strong Leader award The Plant City Family YMCA has chosen Rhett Rollyson as the 2019 recipient of the annual Strong Leader Award, per a May 31 announcement from the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA. Rollyson is a past Plant City Family YMCA Advisory Board member, having served on the board from 2007 to 2015, and was its chair in 2011. He is a board member for the Florida Strawberry Festival, South Florida Baptist Hospital Foundation and Plant City Little League, the chairman for the Plant City High School Raider Champions Foundation and the incoming chairman of the PCHS Booster Club. He is also a volunteer assistant coach for the University of South Florida

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister issued a public service announcement to parents to help prevent and reduce summer crime by talking to their children. “It’s unfortunate, but crime goes up during the summer,” Chronister said. “Right now is the time to talk to your kids about what you expect in terms of behavior during the break.” The PSA included advice to teach children about property value, making smart decisions with friends and how being an accessory to a crime can affect them, and he also encouraged parents to consider setting curfews and keeping track of their kids’ whereabouts at all times. The PSA is watchable online at youtube.com/watch?v=pUfmI5ZwOw8&feat ure=youtu.be.

For teenage drivers, the “100 deadliest days” of the year have officially begun. According to the AAA, nearly 3,500 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers over the last five years during the 100-day period, which covers the stretch from Memorial Day through

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PLANT CITY’S SHINING STAR Dalton Vanderford, a recent graduate of Plant City High School, has a bright future ahead. He just won three Broadway Star of the Future awards and is already setting the stage for a flourishing career. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The Straz’s Broadway Star of the Future has demonstrated year after year that Tampa Bay-area high schools are creating revolutionary works and building up impeccable talent. Dalton Vanderford, who just finished his senior year at Plant City High School, proved this strawberry town is now a force to be reckoned with in the arts scene after winning Outstanding Stage Management, Outstanding Technical Design and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play. He received the most individual nominations and his reign in the spotlight is just getting started. “I’ve learned so much from theater,” Vanderford said. “It taught us to improvise, to work long hours and not give up when things suddenly change. It’s really been amazing to get to be a part of watching the program grow. I just keep thinking back to that judge at state that said we ‘Enchanted the audience.’ How do you beat that?… When they told me I was the winner at (Broadway Star of the Future) I was shocked. I got the most individual nominations of anyone there. I was just blown away.” This year’s competition featured 43 high school productions, 36 of which were musicals. There were 700 participants from the 31 invited schools. PCHS drama teacher Audrey Schmidt also won Outstanding Direction of a Musical during the event. Schmidt played a key role in encouraging Vanderford to expand his reach in theater and under her direction, the program has revolutionized, taking home national grants and countless awards. When he first got involved, he was helping out with tech and doing the makeup of the cast for the show. By his second semester he was a jack of all trades, lending a hand everywhere there was a need. He sewed, stage managed, helped with tech and essentially built up an impressive skillset he’ll be sure to use for years to come. By the time the school performed Harvey in November 2018 he was even helping build sets. Little Shop of Horrors, which the troupe per-

formed in April 2019, featured a variety of his handiwork as he got more involved in creating the elaborate and expansive set. While he shines behind the scenes and said he wants to get further involved with directing, Vanderford also has excelled on the stage. He starred in several PCHS productions and is in NYNE Productions upcoming show “Cabaret,” which opens June 14 at the Portico. He was all set to graduate a year early, but decided he wanted to get more involved in theater and his other groups so he chose to postpone receiving his diploma and continue pursuing his passions. Vanderford was one cog in the wheel of change in his theater department, but learning he held a passion for the art came as a surprise. Growing up, Vanderford was heavily involved in FFA, joining as many teams as he could and spending all of his free time preparing for competition. His work ethic was one to be envied and there was rarely a spare moment when he wasn’t practicing or working on a project. For a while, he continued his education at Durant before eventually transferring to PCHS. His new school came with a new focus. Vanderford has always had a passion for helping small groups and he began pouring everything he had into helping minority causes find a spotlight. He joined theater, the American Sign Language Club, Gay-Straight Alliance, the Democrats club and countless others. By the end of high school, Vanderford was involved in 13 groups, five of which he was president of, joined three committees, was dual enrolled and a member of three theater troupes. In fact, despite being on the prom court, he spent what is always one of the biggest nights of a senior’s life working on lighting cues for a play. His dedication and hard work is infectious and several of the groups he was a part of have tripled in size during the past few years. As society changed our local youth changed with it. Movements across the nation sprung out of the fervor of high school students and Vanderford was instrumental in making sure Plant City was on the cusp of change. He and Lexi Knotts, who also was invited to Broadway Star of the

Future, organized the March for our Lives rally last year and Vanderford is also active in Relay for Life, SMART Ride, attends equality galas and fundraises for a variety of other causes. “Plant City taught me to get involved on every level and to try new things,” Vanderford said. “I hear plenty of people complain about how there’s not a way to get out there, but I’ve seen first hand if you put in the work and the time and get involved at the ground level you can make things happen.” While getting involved at PCHS, he found his true passion was for ASL and theater. It reshaped his entire future and now he’s an incoming freshman at the University of South Florida and planning to double major in both topics. While so much is still up in the air, Vanderford said the dream is to one day be a theater teacher for the deaf, which he admits is quite a niche job. He’d also love to buy a tiny house and freelance as an interpreter with a theater degree, traveling the country wherever there was work to help make theater accessible for everyone. “For me, the appeal is it’s able to put real world issues into essentially a small theater with crazy, absurd viewpoints to let people know these issues really exist,” Vanderford said. “If you’re successful you’re able to make the audience feel something, feel sadness, feel excitement. It’s a way to bring joy to people.” Though he has yet to even attend orientation, he’s already dipping his fingers into clubs at USF. By this time next year he’ll be reshaping the Bulls and using his optimism for life and passion for obliterating barriers to kickstart lasting change in Tampa Bay. The best piece of advice he has ever received was simply “carpe diem.” And he plans to seize each day as it comes. “I just hope when all is said and done I’ve helped in some small way make something bigger,” Vanderford said. “I definitely can’t sit idly by. If I feel something needs to be said I can’t keep it to myself. That’s gotten me in trouble a bit, but it always comes from a genuine place. I try to make sure everyone is seen, to let people know their existence matters and they are loved.”

Courtesy photos

Plant City High School’s Theatre Troupe 1449 with their awards from District 9 One Acts Festival 2018.

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STRAWBERRIES AND SUNSHINE CAT SHOW COMES TO TECO EXPO HALL New Vision Cat Club hosted its first Plant City show over the weekend.

PLANT CITY

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

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Justin Kline

Cats of all shapes and sizes were on display at the expo hall.

JUSTIN KLINE AND BREANNE WILLIAMS

Whether you wanted to check out a show, buy unique merchandise or even take home your very own fluffy kitten, the show had Edited by David The purr-fect Caturday event something for Steinberg everyone. June 7, 2019 for feline enthusiasts was held at New Vision will return to the the Florida Strawberry Festival’s61TECO Expo Hall and 22 ACROSS In excess of Sept. 24 21Delete TECO Expo1Hall. another cat show, will girl Bureaucratic 63for Basketry 25which French Kittens, premier cats, cham- feature an agility course. holdup willows 27 Did one-third pionship cats and house cats all64 Serving 8 *Insomniacs of a triathlon strutted their stuff in a show 13 *Dieters surfaces ... 28 Tree in the unlike any City has seen 14Plant Faunae or, in another birch family before. complesense, what 29 Stiffly formal New Vision Cat Club hosted ments the starred 30 Not sharp Strawberries and Sunshine on 15 By surprise clues are or flat June 1 and 2, highlighting the 16 Fight back for their 31 City in purr-tiest pets around. OBSERVER STAFF

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BIG DOG’S BUSTED FOR PARTYING WITHOUT PERMITS The City of Plant City was granted a temporary injunction against Big Dog’s owners and offending parties on June 3 after it was determined a recent motorcycle-themed event violated numerous city ordinances. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

It turns out, the elaborate event was thrown without any of the involved parties receiving a single permit from the city. After taking the issue to court on June 3, the city was granted an injunction against the offending parties to make sure it never happens again. Bar and property owners Eugene O’Steen and Maria Dugarte, along with Ron Galletti, the owner of sponsor Born to Ride Magazine, Big Dog’s Patio, which is a fictitious name registered with the Florida Secretary of State as owned by Palmer Street Liquors, Inc. and several other parties, were all summoned to court. Three reached a joint stipulation prior to the hearing on June 3. When court was in session, however, only the plaintiff bothered to show up. All of this could be have been easily avoided, attorney Martin Champagne said. There are procedures in place and if someone wishes to hold an event downtown they can follow those steps to obtain the necessary permits. When Plant City Police was called to the scene around 4 p.m. on May 11, Officer Fiol turned the corner only to find his squad car blocked by cones. A man scurried over to remove them so Fiol could pass, but with all the blockage

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resounding “no.” The court filing said the event drew more than 100 people to downtown. Photos on the Born to Ride Facebook page indicated just how festive the crowd became. Towles looked through the photos and pointed out the many violations. He explained to the court that Big Dog’s Patio was aware of the permitting process because it held a Mac & Cheese

Festival in January 2018. The Mac & Cheese Fest also had its fair share of hurdles. Originally, bar manager Dominick Sinopoli wanted to hold the event in December 2017. Commissioners denied the permit due to other events taking place the same weekend. Sinopoli told the Observer he was “disappointed by the city’s decision, but not discouraged.” He

said then the delay was partially due to him not understanding the extent of the permitting process. By December he had figured it out and the application was approved for the January event. Now, thanks to the granted injunction, the court has stopped Big Dog’s Patio from “throwing unpermitted illegal special events in the city without obtaining required permits.”

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Big Dog’s Patio held a bike festival without obtaining any city permits.

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in the street he couldn’t make it very far. He got out of his car and walked past rows of vendors selling goods on North East Drane Street, North Palmer Street and in McCall Park, saw a motorcycle parked in a handicapped space under a tent in front of the building and once again turned to see the cones back in place blocking the street. He approached a man that said he was with Born to Ride TV and Magazine. When asked if there was a permit, the man indicated Big Dog’s Patio had one and to ask them. So he did. The owner of Big Dog’s, however, told a different story. He said there was no permit, so Fiol informed him they were breaking city ordinances. The man immediately asked what to do and, as Fiol pointed out all of the problems, nearby attendees sprang into action. The vendors moved to the sidewalk and the park and the motorcycle was moved. But the party still was violating several city codes. The kicker? A flyer on the Born to Ride Facebook page advertised the event as one that would occur the “second Saturday of every month!! Next date: June 8th.” Big Dog’s was planning to host it again. When Code Enforcement Manager Tray Towles was asked in court if the city had received a request for permits from any parties listed for the advertised upcoming events, he gave a

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CONTINUED FROM COVER

YOUTH TAKE OVER CRUISE-IN

The Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is now hosting a children’s car contest each month.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

“Last month we started promoting the event at the car show and there seemed to be a lot of interest,” Greg Williams, owner of Brick City Bricks, said. “The Chamber wants to make the car show more family-friendly, so we came up with a few ideas and thought this might work and help make the event enjoyable for attendees of all ages.” Children of all ages are invited to treat the car show like it’s their own competition. When registration opens at 3 p.m. for the adults and their classic cars, a separate registration will open for the youth at the Brick City Bricks booth. Cars are the name of the game, so children are invited to bring

their own handmade cars — whether they be LEGO, models or metal — and to enter them in a show of their own. Any built car is eligible and the more creative the submission the better. The cars will all be on display at the event, and the adult car enthusiasts that have traveled all this way to show off their own rides, will be the judge. They’ll examine each applicant and pick their favorites. Judging will begin promptly at 5 p.m., so any youth wanting to compete will need to have dropped off their creation by then. At 6 p.m., the results of the vote will be announced and the young winners will walk away with a prize. They must be present at the ceremony to win. If the event grows they’ll separate the submissions into categories to diversify the contest. For now, anything goes as long as the

kids have built it. Creativity is encouraged and all will be judged evenly at the event. “The idea kind of came to us after Michelle (McGuire), who works for the Chamber, came into the store and her son built a car out of LEGO and wanted to take it to the car show,” Williams said. “That just seemed like it would be such a hit. Parents and grandparents can bring their cars and their kids and grandkids can bring their’s. Or families that are looking for something unique to do on the weekend can make it an event they all can enjoy. They can spend the afternoon downtown doing something they can’t do anywhere else.” The Chamber and Williams have long stressed the importance of supporting downtown Plant City. There are hidden gems around every corner, whether it be Tub Treats that makes hand-

made bath products, Mr. Sebas that creates one-of-a-kind ice cream concoctions, or the Corner Store that sells organic products you can’t find anywhere else in town, as well as menu items unlike any seen in Plant City. Every business offers something unique, but if people don’t spend time downtown they won’t know they exist. Williams has seen first hand the appeal downtown has to the community. When he doesn’t recognize a face that comes through his door, he takes the time to ask where they’re from. Last Saturday alone he had visitors from St. Petersburg and St. Cloud. People travel for the businesses found in the heart of Plant City. The hope

is locals will realize how much fun is lying in wait in their own backyard. “While supporting downtown is important, it’s also important that we have something for families to do,” Williams said. “I think they’re looking for something different. They want to be able to take their families out and do something together rather than have the parents doing one thing at home and the kids sitting on the couch playing a video game. This is something for the whole family to do together and it’ll create memories they’ll have for years to come.”

IF YOU GO Kids Build Car Contest When: June 15 — 3 p.m. registration opens, 5 p.m. judging and 6 p.m. award ceremony Where: Downtown Plant City, 102 N. Palmer St. Cost: Free to attend and enter

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

AMERICAN LEGION HONORS LOCAL STUDENTS For the third year, the American Legion Post 26 has scoured local schools to honor some of Plant City’s greatest youth.

THE 2019 RECIPIENTS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 26’S SCHOOL MEDAL AWARDS ARE: Marshall Middle School Adrian Gonzalez and Julia Jones Mulrennan Middle School Elian J. Tineo and Sarah B. Newcomb Tomlin Middle School Connor C. Stone and Katherine J. Hamilton Turkey Creek Middle School Tyler Dixon and Savanah Rice Durant High School Jackson Smith and Madison Hungerford Plant City High School Davis Clay Adams and Lily Grace Batley Strawberry Crest High School Lyle Baker and Taylor Johnson Simmons Career Center Austin Simmons and Mikki Carlson

Courtesy of American Legion Post 26

Legionnaire Wayne Smith presented awards to Austin Simmons and Mikki Carlson at Simmons Career Center.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Ray Cliburn remembers the day he was told he had been selected as a recipient of the American Legion School Medal Award. He was in ninth grade when the honor was first bestowed upon him and he worked hard in high school to receive the recognition again when he was in his senior year. Though it was the 1950s when the piece of metal was first placed into his hand, he never forgot the experience and when he became involved in the Legion’s Plant City post he knew exactly where he wanted to give back. The prob-

lem was the Normal McLeod Post 26 didn’t have the award program up and running. There weren’t any members championing its cause, so Cliburn took up the mantle and began to reach out to the schools to find eligible students. “When I wanted to get involved I wanted to do something with this program,” Cliburn, chairman of the school medal program, said. “I still have my medals here in my house. They’re keepsakes. I wanted our Legion to offer that opportunity to local students. It was important to me, I think it will be important to these kids as well.” The Legion reaches out to teachers at eight eastern Hillsborough County schools: Mar-

shall Middle, Mulrennan Middle, Tomlin Middle, Turkey Creek Middle, Durant High, Plant City High, Strawberry Crest High and Simmons Career Center. From those, school administrators and staff are asked to select two students, a boy and a girl, from that year’s graduating class that exemplify courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship and service. The Legion has long supported local youth receiving the education to help them learn of the “ideals of Americanism” that will help make them “citizens of the highest caliber.” The medal the students receive is the highest honor awarded by the American Legion to youth. Right before school is released for the summer, Cliburn or another

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representative from the Legion comes to campus to present the award to the chosen youth in front of their peers. The recipients receive a framed “Certificate of Distinguished Achievement” and a bronze medal. The six varied categories mean the recipient may not be top of their class, or the greatest athlete, or have the most hours of community service. They are a well-rounded individual that excels in all aspects, something that the Legion believes shows true strength of character.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit centennial.legion.org/ florida/post26 or call 813752-8608.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

PCHS CLASS OF 2019 SAYS GOODBYE

PCHS HOSTS GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR ATHLETES, STUDENT FANS Thirteen Plant City High School seniors walked across the auditorium stage May 31 after missing Thursday’s commencement ceremony for the 8A baseball state championship game.

Plant City High School seniors received their diplomas on May 30 at the Florida State Fairgrounds. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

Plant City High School seniors had one last hurrah with their peers on May 30 during their graduation at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Parking was filled to near-capacity and the stands were full as family and friends flocked to cheer their graduates on and wish them all well as they closed this chapter in their lives. Many came more than an hour early to take photos outside of the arena with their loved ones before the sun set. The 8 p.m. graduation was the second to last for Plant City publicschools. It was a night filled with melancholy and cheer for all PCHS seniors and their family. Right before the seniors lined up

to do their march into the stadium, many were taking selfies with their favorite teachers, exchanging numbers with classmates and making plans to spend time together over the summer. Family members were giving hugs across the barrier before they hustled in to find their seats in the stands. As the graduates walked across the stage in their teal and orange apparel, several members of their class were approximately 130 miles away at the high school baseball state championship game. Those students wore their gowns and caps throughout the game as they showed support of the players during their big night.

Plant City High School’s 2019 graduation ceremony started at 8 p.m. May 30 — not long after the first pitch of the 8A baseball state championship game was thrown. So with that semifinal win came a dilemma for PCHS seniors in Fort Myers but not on the team: should they stay or should they go? You could argue the ones who decided to skip their graduation ceremony to witness PCHS athletics history in person made a good call there. The school certainly isn’t fighting that decision, as it hosted a ceremony at noon May 31 for the six baseball players and seven other students who were in Fort Myers. Parents, teachers, coaches, school board members and Mayor Rick Lott were in attendance at the PCHS auditorium for the Friday ceremony, in which principal

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Susan Sullivan read a short version of her Thursday night speech to the class of 2019 and Lott conferred the 13 new graduates — the “smallest graduating class” in recent history, he joked. “I’ve known most of you your whole lives and watched you grow up, and I always knew you had greatness inside of you,” Lott said. “We all knew you had greatness inside of you… we’re just really, really proud of you.” Lott also announced the baseball team will receive a proclamation from the City of Plant City at the June 10 city commission meeting. The seniors who walked and received their diplomas May 31 were Hunter Emerine, Grant Gifford, Garrett Gould, Casey Mawhinney, Parker Messick, Cade Shissler, Madilyn Conrad, Kennedy Cullins, Kendall Gaudens, Colton Miller, Caleb Moore, Trevor Sizemore and Jake Stines.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

9

STRAWBERRY CREST WRAPS UP LOCAL 2019 GRADUATIONS

Crest was the last Plant City-area public high school to graduate, turning tassels on May 31.

Strawberry Crest’s newest graduating class might tell you the best was saved for last. Crest’s May 31 graduation was the last of the four Plant City-area public schools. The ceremony began at 4 p.m. in the expo hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

GRACE MANOR HAS OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE COMMUNITY

The grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for Grace Manor at Hunters Creek Assisted Living Community is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 11.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Grace Manor at Hunters Creek is officially open and is inviting Plant City to join its community. The assisted living community is the first premier assisted community to come to town, according Executive Director Sheryl Vitelli. With 65 private suites, it aims to create a lively and accessible community for all of its residents. “Not only do we want the seniors of our sweet little town to know we are here, we want the families to know,” Vitelli said. “We want them to know and understand that we partner with them and we want our residents to have a great quality of life and we want their families to also have a good quality of life. We’re just here to

partner and help take some of the burden off.” The apartments range anywhere from 204 to 504 square feet and come with features like granite countertops and mid-size refrigerators. As an assisted living community, they provide services like medication management and assistance with residents’ activities of daily living. Grace Manor has been open for approximately four weeks and already residents are forming lasting bonds with their neighbors. Vitelli said the community offers everything from walking and exercise clubs to arts and crafts, games and a large variety of hobbies in the activities room. There is also a massive game lounge featuring a pool table, a checkers table and a card table. If families want to reserve the private dining room for a special family meal or party, they can do so free of charge. On Sundays, the community has church services

and there is now someone coming in to lead a Bible study with interested residents. Just this week, the residents went across the street to Brewer Park and fed the ducks. One of the highlights of Grace Manor is undoubtedly the movie theater, which runs daily and shows feature films for the residents. Fresh popcorn is made prior to each show and Vitelli said it’s not uncommon to see residents round up their friends and head down to watch whatever box office hit is showing that day. Friendship is one of the underlying threads of the community and, thanks to the extensive offerings at Grace Manor, it’s something the majority of the residents so far have quickly formed with their neighbors. “We’ve had such an amazing time watching our residents truly come together like a family,” Vitelli said. “I literally get text messages on a daily basis

from family members saying, ‘Hey can you go check on mom or dad, they’re not in their suite.’ We laugh and we joke and we’ll go and snap a picture of them sitting in a circle with their friends or sitting in the dining room having a cup of coffee or sitting in the movie theatre watching Mamma Mia because they were bored that day and they just went around and got each other and went to the movies.” Frequently, Vitelli said, she has people say their family member will want to be by themselves, that they’re introverted and won’t want to spend a lot of time with groups, only to watch as that resident joins a variety of groups, is smiling and laughing with others during dinner, or is leading the charge during a card game with their new friends. The atmosphere at Grace Manor is one of camaraderie and Vitelli said she hopes the community joins them in continuing to

foster that mindset. Grace Manor is filling up fast and she said they expect to have reached capacity in the next few months. Whether people want to volunteer or partner with the community to bring events and services to the residents, or simply want to take a tour to see if Grace Manor is the right fit for their family, she encourages them to give her a call at 813-743-3701. She is normally in the office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on the weekends by appointment.

Anyone interested is invited to attend the grand opening ribbon cutting of Grace Manor on June 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Grace Manor is located at 765 W. Grant St. For more information visit gracemanorhunterscreek. com.

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

11

‘GET UP OFFA THAT THING’ Plant City has a new soulful workout group thanks to the official kickoff of Saturday Morning M.A.T.E.S. last weekend.

Breanne Williams

The early morning workout is helping community members find their teamMATES.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The summer heat didn’t stop a dedicated group of Plant City residents from taking their first step toward better health Saturday morning as they joined in the official kickoff of Saturday Morning M.A.T.E.S. The free program was created by Tony Smith and Reginald Gray to tackle refreshing the mind, body and soul of the community. It’s a two hour workout that uses lowintensity drills to slowly work every aspect of the body. And it’s set to a beat you won’t find anywhere else in town. Legendary funk and soul jams blasted through the speakers encouraging attendees to run, hula hoop and squat to the beat. As James Brown told them to “get up offa that thing,� one group used resistance bands

to prime their leg muscles while another practiced balanced squats in pairs. Though everyone was working up a sweat, there was much encouragement and laughter on the Marshall Middle School track. The fitness coaches offered inspiration through every workout and constantly passed around cold wet cloths and bottles of water to keep everyone hydrated and at the peak of their performance. Working out can be intimidating for those who aren’t prepared to operate the complicated gym machinery or who are hesitant to join high intensity groups full of experienced athletes. M.A.T.E.S. offers a different kind of journey toward a better you. They use motivation and unique activities like hula-hooping, small hand weights and even dancing to get people active and help increase their stamina on the field.

It’s more than just a workout, as having the encouragement of a team is the core of the program. Whether you’ve been working out your whole life or simply want to take that first step off the couch, the program has something for you. M.A.T.E.S. is open to anyone 12 years old and up. You can check out the group on social media or email them at abetteryou@gmail.com. For more information or to contact Smith and Gray, text or call 813-763-6156 or 813-763-0031 respectively.

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SĘŠÉ?Ď‘ÍžǸ φlj Ä“ɺǸËž ΊɺǸ͎Ǹ Ů?Ǹُ͞ ÍŽË’ijʲʲ Ĺ?ʲ˝˝Ç• Ů?Ǹ͎͎Ǹʲ͎ Ĺ?Ǹƙ˝˒Ǹ Ç•ĘŠ͎Ǹij͎ǸÇ• ΊɺǸُ Ĺ?ǸÉ?ĘŠËž Ί˝ ͎ɺ͞ʊŮ?ǸʲǸÇ• Ď‘ĚŹ ij˞Ǖ ΊɺǸ ËžǸÍžŮ?ÍŽ Ĺ?ǸÉ?ĘŠËž Ί˝ Ç•ǸÉ?ǸËžǸÍžijΊǸ̞ ÍŽ ُ˝ϑ ƙij˞ ͎ǸǸ ĘŠËž sĚˆË›Ń?ĎœÉś Ń„ÇŽ ij͎ ΊɺǸ Ĺ?ʲ˝˝Ç• Ů?Ǹ͎͎Ǹʲ͎ ΊɺijΊ ͎ϑ͞͞˝ϑ˞Ǖ ΊɺǸ ËžǸÍžŮ?Ǹ͎ Ĺ?Ǹƙ˝˒Ǹ Ç•ĘŠ͎Ǹij͎ǸÇ• ΊɺǸُ ͎ɺ͞ʊŮ?Ǹʲ Ď‘ĚŹ Ů&#x;ɺʊƙɺ ƙijϑ͎Ǹ͎ ΊɺǸ ËžǸÍžŮ?Ǹ͎ Ί˝ Ëž˝Ί É?ǸΊ ΊɺǸ ˞ϑΊÍžĘŠǸËžΊ͎ ËžǸǸÇ•ǸÇ• Ί˝ ÍŽĎ‘ÍžŮ?ĘŠŮ?Ǹ̞ Ä“ɺǸËž ΊɺǸ͎Ǹ ËžǸÍžŮ?Ǹ͎ Ĺ?ǸÉ?ĘŠËž Ί˝ Í–Ç•ĘŠǸÍ– ΊɺǸُ ƙijϑ͎Ǹ ُ˝ϑ Ί˝ ɺijŮ?Ǹ Ĺ?ijʲij˞ƙǸ ̏͞˝Ĺ?ʲǸË’ÍŽÇŽ ̏ijʊ˞ǎ ˞ϑ˒Ĺ?ËžǸ͎͎ÇŽ ΊĘŠËžÉ?ʲĘŠËžÉ?ÇŽ Ĺ?ϑ͞˞ʊ˞É?ÇŽ ij˞Ǖ ˒ij˞ُ ijǕǕʊΊĘŠËťËžijʲ ÍŽŮŹË’̏Ί˝Ë’ÍŽĚž êǸ ˒ijʊ˞ ̏͞˝Ĺ?ʲǸË’ ĘŠÍŽ ΊɺijΊ ُ˝ϑ͞ Ǖ˝ƙΊ˝Íž ɺij͎ Ί˝ʲÇ• ُ˝ϑ Ί˝ ʧĎ‘͎Ί ʲĘŠŮ?Ǹ Ů&#x;ĘŠΊɺ ΊɺǸ ̏͞˝Ĺ?ʲǸË’ ˝͞ ΊÍžŮŹ ΊɺǸ Ǖ͞ϑÉ?ÍŽ Ů&#x;ɺʊƙɺ ُ˝ϑ Ǖ˝˞Í?Ί ʲĘŠʍǸ ΊijʍĘŠËžÉ? Ĺ?Ǹƙijϑ͎Ǹ ΊɺǸُ Ë’ijʍǸ ُ˝ϑ ȭǸǸʲ ϑ˞ƙ˝˒ȭ˝͞ΊijĹ?ʲǸ̞ êǸÍžǸ ij͞Ǹ ˞˝Ů&#x; ȭijƙʊʲĘŠΊĘŠǸ͎ ͞ʊÉ?ɺΊ ɺǸÍžǸ ĘŠËž Plant City ΊɺijΊ ˝ȰǸÍž ُ˝ϑ ɺ˝̏Ǹ Ů&#x;ĘŠΊɺ˝Ď‘Ί ΊijʍĘŠËžÉ? Ίɺ˝͎Ǹ Ǹ˞ǕʲǸ͎͎ Ǖ͞ϑÉ?ÍŽ Ů&#x;ĘŠΊɺ ͎Ǹ͞ʊ˝ϑ͎ ÍŽĘŠÇ•Ǹ ǸȰǸĆ™Ί͎̞

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3Ίɺ˝͎ bǸijʲΊɺ U͞˝ϑ̏ ‹˝ƙijΊĘŠËťËžÍŽÇ‰ 3Ίɺ˝͎ bǸijʲΊɺ Brandon 710 Oakfield Dr Suite 120 Brandon, FL 33511

3Ίɺ˝͎ bǸijʲΊɺ Lakeland

625 Commerce Dr Suite 104 Lakeland, FL 33813

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

FOCUS ON FITNESS

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

ANGELA FULGIERI

EXERCISE ON THE GO Remember that no matter where summer takes you, you can get your workouts in. fit in virtually anywhere. I like to run with music, but consider where you will be running and the time of day. The most important thing is safety. If you can, run with a partner. If that’s not possible, you may have to forego the tunes so that you can listen to what is going on around you. While you can explore some beautiful scenery on foot, it’s not a good idea to wander too far off the beaten path. If heading out in the evening, be sure to give yourself enough time to return before it gets dark. A great way to squeeze in a quick workout is to do some HIIT training. High-intensity

intervals can give you a good calorie burn in a short amount of time. You can do some simple body weight exercises in a space as small as a hotel room before you start your day. Try using a Tabata timer. There are plenty of timers you can download to your phone and set to different intervals of exercise alternating with periods of rest. Moves like squats, push-ups, lunges, burpees, high-knee runs and mountain climbers are sure to get your heart rate up. If you are staying at a resort with a pool, swim laps. Even if you are not a strong swimmer, you can still find ways to exercise

in the water. Go to the deep end and tread water. You can vary the workout by treading water using only your arms, then only your legs, then both. Here’s a challenge: see how long you can keep it up. You can also use a kickboard or noodle to swim laps, or stand in the pool and do side leg raises or bicep curls using water as resistance. Parks also make great places to work out. Some have monkey bars or benches that can be used for dips or step-ups. Get creative. When I go back home to visit, I go to my old high school track. I can run there, but also have use of the bleachers. I use

them to run the stairs, for triceps dips, push-ups, squats and walking lunges for a total body workout. Wherever you go this summer, remember that even if you are away from your gym, there are so many other options. Plus, change can be fun.

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

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eady or not, summer is here. In the midst of work, keeping the kids entertained at home, out-of-town guests and travel plans, we somehow need to fit our workouts in. Keep to your regular routine as much as possible. It will be so much harder to get back to it once the summer is over. Before you go anywhere, make sure you pack active clothes and proper footwear. You can’t go for a run without a sports bra or running sneakers, so plan ahead. If you pack it, you are also more likely to make sure you get a workout in. If you are runner, this is the easiest workout to

JUNE 6, 2019

SPORTS THE CHAMPS ARE HERE Jacob Heath’s pitching in the 8A state series helped Strawberry Crest get to the championship game. See Page 15

THE RAIDERS PICKED UP A 3-1 WIN ON MAY 30 TO GET THE FIRST STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN PROGRAM HISTORY. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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ou could tell by the looks in their eyes, by the way they carried themselves on the field and in the dugout, that both Plant City and Strawberry Crest came to the state championship series determined to win two ballgames. The Raiders pulled it off Thursday night with a 3-1 win over Crest in a game far more emotional than the norm for a state championship, and it showed on the field.

“Crest gave us all we could handle,” Raiders coach Mike Fryrear said. “They put pressure on us. They had the scouting reports. They were more prepared than any team we’ve ever played. I mean, they put us to shame at the plate. They held our bats. They got four hits against (Jarod) Wingo, but that was amazing.” With the two schools just more than nine miles apart from each other, there’s some overlap. This was a game of friends versus friends, of teammates versus teammates, that promised much for the fans and delivered on all counts. It came down

to two teams that proved to everyone they belonged in any conversation about legit championship contenders, and it just happened to be Plant City that played the better game on the night when the ultimate prize in Florida high school baseball was up for grabs. It started when Cole Cothren singled in the bottom of the first inning with two outs to get the first hit of the game. Parker Messick walked after Cothren took second base on a passed ball, and Hunter Emerine was hit by an Eli Garner pitch to load the bases. Tyler Dowdy stepped up to the plate and

smacked a two-RBI single to plate Cothren and Messick and give PCHS the 2-0 lead. Crest got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning after Tanner Kelley reached second base on an error at first base, advanced on a Manderscheid sacrifice fly and scored on Ben Pues’s subsequent flyout to cut the Raiders’ lead to 2-1. Crest was able to get Jacob Heath to second base and Joey Parrillo to first base on backto-back singles, but Wingo caught Alex Marshall looking to end the inning. The Chargers got a confidence booster in the bottom of the fifth inning when Heath,

SEE PAGE 14

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

PLANT CITY BEATS CREST FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP The Raiders picked up a 3-1 win Thursday night to win the first state baseball championship in program history.

JUSTIN KLINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

who had come in to relieve Garner in the third inning, found his rhythm and dared the heart of Plant City’s order — Messick, Emerine and Dowdy — to get a hit off of him. Messick grounded out; Emerine and Dowdy went down swinging. “He threw the ball as well as I’ve ever seen him throw the ball,” Crest head coach Eric Beattie said of Heath. “He left it all on the field and did everything he could to help this team win.” But Jarod Wingo and the Raiders kept Crest from doing any more damage in the top of the sixth, save for Kelley again reaching on a single and advancing to second on a Manderscheid sac fly. Then the Raiders managed to score again in the bottom of the sixth when Jace Stines took advantage of a throwing error to score from third base. Parrillo, Marshall and Ryan Dell went up and down in the top of the seventh and the Plant City side erupted. “I feel pretty great,” Wingo said. “This is the best game I’ve ever pitched in my whole high school career. I don’t think I can ever beat it. Even moving on to college baseball, I can’t beat this moment right here. State championship. It blows my mind that we just did this.” Winning this championship, for PCHS, was like seeing so many years of hard work building a culture from the ground up finally pay off. All those long seasons and offseasons spent building skill and chemistry, forging an identity, getting the team

and school and community to buy in and have faith — all of that hard work paid off. The ultimate goal, the one with the biggest box at the top of the to-do list, finally gets its checkmark. That it came against a school less than 10 miles away made it even better. Maybe the Raiders knew it was coming all along, or maybe everyone was more shocked to have pulled it off Thursday night than anyone in uniform would admit. Maybe they’ll start talking about next year right now and get back to the “one game at a time” mentality that’s been such a huge part of their collective work ethic. Maybe they’ll spend the next couple of weeks living it up instead. No matter what, though, they’re going down in the history books as champions and they couldn’t be happier to finally grab the brass ring. “It’s crazy to think that when I had my first team, I told them a long time ago, ‘We will be ranked in the state. We will win a state title and you will be a part of this,’ Fryrear said. “We did it.”

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

Photos by Justin Kline

Plant City and Strawberry Crest played a thriller of an 8A title game on May 30.

Volunteer Office Staff positions open. Clipping, ling, organizing abilities required. Send resume to or apply at: Plant City Photo Archives & History Center 106 S. Evers St. Plant City, FL 33563-5412 Info@plantcityphotoarchives.org

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

SPONSORED BY SPORT CLIPS

Jacob Heath Strawberry Crest’s pitching depth was one of the baseball team’s strengths in the 2019 season: five of its six arms with at least 10 appearances finished with an ERA below 2.00. That depth was on display in the state championship tournament when reliever Jacob Heath came in during both games. The senior pitched the final inning of the semifinal game against George Jenkins and helped prevent an Eagles comeback win, then went in for four innings in the next night’s finale and gave up just one hit while striking out five.. What are your thoughts about the state championship game, even though it didn’t end exactly how you all wanted it to? Well, we went in there pretty much with nothing to lose. We were just gonna leave it all out on the field as a team. It was just an overall great game. It wasn’t the outcome we had hoped for, but a very well-played game by both teams. I feel like we represented our hometown well out there and put us on the map a little bit, showing how good of a baseball town we are. Since Little League and All-Stars, I’ve played Plant City and they were even good back then… we’ve known each other or known about each other for a long time. A lot of people are friends on both sides, so it was a very competitive game. Both teams wanted it more than anything, but Plant City came out on top that time. They were a really good team this year. There’s a lot of people who could be up for Athlete of the Week. Parker Messick, he had a heck of a tournament. Tyler Dowdy, he hit the crap out of the ball in both games and came up with the clutch hit that wound up being the game-winner for them. On our side, we had Tanner Kelley, Alex Marshall, Ben Pues, Kade (Manderscheid) threw the heck out of the ball for us and we wouldn’t be where we were without him this season, that’s for sure. And you had a great outing in that game. When you got the ball during the biggest game of your baseball career, what was going through your head? I knew Plant City had been scoring runs like crazy in the tournament and postseason, so I knew I’d have to go out there and give them my best stuff. With adrenaline pumping, I went in there and pretty much just gave it everything I got with every pitch. Tried to hit my spots. Whatever was called, I was throwing it. I didn’t really think too much about what was happening, I just took it one pitch at a time.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

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

Up in the press box, a few of us were talking about how focused you looked in the fifth inning in particular. With Messick, (Hunter) Emerine, Dowdy up — heart of an order that just went nuts on McArthur the night before — you straight up challenged them to get a hit off of you and you won. Your team looked really pumped by that. What was going through your mind in that inning? I was pretty much up for the challenge. I just wanted to prove to myself and everybody else that I was the right man for that spot and just test myself against good hitters like them. I just wanted to see what would happen and it turned out pretty good in our favor. What’s some of the best advice your coaches have given you? Our last practice, I hadn’t been producing as much as I like to. Coach (Eric) Beattie came up to me after practice and said, “It doesn’t matter what’s happened throughout these past 10 games, but no one’s gonna think about that if you just go up and do your thing… you can have a fresh start for these next two games and just leave it all out on the field.” It was refreshing to hear, having that confidence behind me and that motivation. It gave me an extra boost.

PATE GETS PROCLAMATION Maggie Pate was given a proclamation from the City of Plant City during the May 27 commission meeting for her achievements in tennis. Pate, who just graduated from Durant, went undefeated in regular-season play, won high school district singles titles and qualified for the state championship series in each of her four years at Durant. She will play at the college level at Furman University. “She’s a homegrown product we’re very proud of,” Mayor Rick Lott said. “She just has been one of the most dominant tennis players that we’ve ever seen out of Hillsborough County… she’s a product of Plant City Tennis Center and her very first coach was Shane Johnson.”

BASEBALL TOURNEYS ON DECK Florida USSSA Baseball’s Summer Kick-Off tournament will use multiple fields at Plant City Stadium, Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex, Mike Sansone Park, Ellis-Methvin Park and the MLK Complex Saturday and Sunday. The tourney runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Global Sports Alliance Baseball’s Sunshine Classic will primarily be based out of Winter Haven, but next weekend’s tournament will also use the three largest ball fields at Mike Sansone Park for its 13U and 14U divisions. The Sunshine Classic runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 15 and 16.

SUMMER TENNIS OFFERINGS The Plant City Tennis Center will have plenty to offer in the coming summer months. Sessions of youth tennis lessons for all skill levels will start June 24 and July 19. Tots (age 4-7) meet at 8:15 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays while beginners through advanced students (age 8-12) meet at 9 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Tots lessons cost $30 per session and the others cost $60 per session. On the second Friday of each month, the tennis center will host its Monthly Mixed Mixer at 6 p.m. Pass holders can attend for $5 and non-members for $15. Registration forms can be found online at plantcitygov.com/parksrec/page/ plant-city-tennis-center-activities. For more information call 813-707-7485 or email C. Shane Johnson at sjohnson@ plantcitygov.com.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

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We asked: What’s the most important thing to you in life?

“Family.” — Melissa Garrison, 41

“I feel like it’s friendship. I “My family.” could have all the money in the — Cao Tran, 34 world, a big house, but if I was alone I would be miserable.”

“Jesus Christ.” — Havilah Stebbins, 20

“I would have to say my family.” — Dallas Baker, 17

— Devin Kane, 17

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

W.K. McClendon Oil

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

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Sandy Putnal, 77, of Plant City, born on Jan. 14, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, entered into eternal rest on May 27, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Steven Michael Grady

Barbara Spears

Thomas P. Kramer

Barbara Spears, 74, of Plant City, born on Dec. 10, 1944 in Winter Haven, entered into eternal rest on May 29, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Thomas P. Kramer, 63, of Plant City, born on July 15, 1955 in Detroit, Michigan, entered into eternal rest on May 7, 2019. Tom will be buried with his parents at the Garden of Memories cemetery in Tampa. Survived by: His children: Brandon Kramer & Amber Kramer. His siblings: Karen McElroy, Daniel Kramer, Beverly May Blair & his dog Sparky. Proceeded in death by: his grandson: Ezra Charles Norman.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Mary Colson Simmons

Harold Jones Jr.

Mary Colson Simmons, 92, of Plant City, born in Jacksonville on Jan.3, 1927, entered into eternal rest on May 29, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Harold Jones Jr., 74, of Valrico, passed away on May 26, 2019. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught. care.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Steven Michael Grady, 47, a loving and beloved husband, son, step-father, brother, uncle and drummer, passed away suddenly on May 27, 2019. He was born and raised in Plant City, Florida. He loved music — rock and 80’s hair bands — his many pets, and helping anyone who was in need. He was a good mechanic who kept many family member’s cars, lawn mowers, and appliances in working order. He especially loved his family and would do anything for them. Steven was preceded in death by his father, Marvin Grady. He is survived by a large loving family; – his wife Lora Grady, mother Joyce Grady, mother-inlaw Angie Grooms;

stepchildren – Michael Randolph (Meghan) , Andrew Randolph, and Megan Randolph; his brother Jody Grady (Tami); his sisters, Joy Davis (Christopher), Marcy Mack (Rich), and Denise Del Valle (Carter); nephews Bryon Mack, Justin Mack, Christopher Grady (Katilin), Lee Davis, and Tommy Del Valle; nieces Brittany Gibson, Kaitlyn Del Valle, and Emily Grady; and his great nephews Colt Grady and Hunter May. A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, June 9, at 2:00 p.m. at the Elks Club, 1501 N. Alexander St., Plant City, FL 33563. Casual dress, especially concert/rock shirts and Seminoles/Seattle Seahawks shirts are encouraged as these were Steven’s favorites. The family requests that donations to SPCA be made in lieu of flowers.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Jeronimo Baltazar

Jeronimo Baltazar, 85, of Plant City, born on Sept. 30, 1933 in Tiringueo, Guerrero, Mexico, entered into eternal rest on May 31, 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

OBITUARIES

Sandy Putnal

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Marilena Greer Marilena Greer, a beautiful person, beloved wife and mother, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2019 at the age of 89. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

Florist

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

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

Historic Downtown 287464-1

YOUR COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOME AND CEMETERY. FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971 HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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YOUR CALENDAR

OBITUARIES Evelyn Crosby Martin

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Evelyn Crosby Martin, 85, of Lake Panasoffkee, formerly of Plant City, born on July 6, 1933 in Plant City, entered into eternal rest on June 2, 2019. She was the owner of Evelyn’s Beauty Shop for 50-plus years. She was a longtime member of Plant City Church of God and she enjoyed traveling. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and a good Christian lady. She was preceded in death by her son Perry Lenn Goff; brother, Edward Crosby; and parents S.A. and Vera Crosby. She is survived by her son Steve Goff (Evelyn); daughter-in-law, Lori Goff; siblings, Lorraine Speer, Joan Stinson (Craig), Troy Crosby (Manila), and Ronnie Crosby; 6 grandchildren, Ginger, Tina, Sonya, Kristina, Joshua, and Clay; 8 greatgrandchildren; and many loving extended family and friends. A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 7 at 11:00 a.m. at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 S County Rd. 39, Plant City, where the family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 a.m. Committal to follow at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. Expressions of condolence at hopewelluneral. com.

BEST BET TUESDAY, JUNE 11 MAKE PLANT CITY

7 to 9 p.m. MAKE Plant City is hosting its monthly event at Keel & Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. This month’s keynote speaker is Clay Keel of Keel & Curley Winery. MAKE Plant City is a group of creatives and makers in our community. Whether it’s art, woodwork, food, beer or robots, this is a place to connect with other local creative makers of all types.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

SUMMER FEST

7:30 to 9 a.m. Plant City Toastmasters is held every Thursday. Guests are always welcome to come join the free meeting at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St.

SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB

10:30 a.m. Come on out to the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., each Thursday to find out more about a new Shuffleboard Club. Topics being discussed are days of the week, times, skill levels and anything else you may want to know. The club is hosted by Anita Balch and she can be contacted at 808-722-5821 for more information.

HAVE A HEALTHY PREGNANCY CLASS

6 to 8 p.m. South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St., is hosting its Have a Healthy Pregnancy class in the ICU Conference Room, 2-South. The class will discuss highlights of each trimester, proper nutrition, how to decrease risk, safety concerns and more. Participants may bring one guest to class and are asked to bring a notepad. Snacks will be provided. Registration is free, but required. Call 1-855-269-4777 for more information.

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 LIVING LIFE WITH CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

6 to 7:30 p.m. Springhead Baptist Church, 3106 S. Wiggins Rd., is hosting a Living Life with Cancer Support Group in its fellowship hall. Come and learn and share what you can do to live your life more fully. There will be teaching as well as sharing. There will also be a class at 6 p.m. June 21.

PLANT CITY FAMILY YMCA 1507 YMCA Pl., Plant City 813.757.6677

1 to 4 p.m. Shekinah Glory Cathedral, 402 W. English St., is hosting a free Summer Fest. There will be health screenings, family games, face painting, puppet show and live performances. Community and service agencies will be on site. There will be free food available for attendees. Contact 813-9560185 for more information.

PC COMMUNITY CHORALE

7:30 p.m. See Plant City Community Chorale’s patriotic summer concert, “From Sea to Shining Sea,” at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center, 605 N. Collins St. Tickets are available on-line at www. pccchorale.org; from any Chorale member or by calling 813732-1691. Advanced tickets are $10.00. Tickets at the door are $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for children under 12 and any student with a student ID.

OPEN MIC NIGHT

8:33 to 10:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its monthly Open Mic Night. The free event is open to everyone. Sign ups for Open Mic happen the night of, around 8 p.m., so just come on by and rock the mic.

MONDAY, JUNE 10 PLANT CITY DAYBREAK ROTARY CLUB

7 to 8 a.m. The Plant City Daybreak Rotary Club holds a meeting every Monday in the conference room next to the cafeteria at South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St. Guests are welcome to come and join us for a free breakfast.

DISTILLING WITH AROMATIC HARMONY

6:30 p.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting a distilling class. No

registration is necessary. The workshop lasts approximately two hours and will teach attendees how to use several types of distillation methods to distill herbs and oil.

TUESDAY, JUNE 11 WONDERS OF NATURE

10:30 a.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting Wonders of Nature, a show featuring birds that perform the behaviors they use in the wild to survive. Hawks and owls will fly over the audience, a parrot will mimic many species of birds, a toucan will show how it feeds on fruit. The event is outside of the library on the open lot.

PLANT CITY LIONS CLUB

12 to 1 p.m. The Plant City Lions Club holds a meeting every Tuesday at Buddy Freddy’s, 1101 Goldfinch Dr. For more information on membership call 813924-3829.

THE PEACH TRUCK TOUR

2 to 3 p.m. The Peach Truck Tour is coming to town. To see the full schedule, go to thepeachtruck. com/tour. This week the truck is stopping at Tractor Supply Co., 1803 James L. Redman Pkwy. A 25 lb. box of peaches will be $42, a bag of pecans (10 oz. shelled and halved) will be $10 and The Peach Truck Cookbook will be available for $25! Make sure and ask the team about The Peach Truck Special.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 WFTS METEOROLOGIST GREG DEE

12:30 p.m. Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 N. Park Rd., is having WFTS Meteorologist Greg Dee for a special hurricane preparation discussion. Dee will help the audience understand just what they need to know for hurricane season. He will also answer questions as a part of his presentation. For additional

information, contact Hope Lutheran Church at 813-752-4622.

READ WITH BONNIE THE THERAPY DOG

4 to 5 p.m. Bonnie the Therapy Dog comes to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., every week for children to have the opportunity to share a book and some soft pats on the head. You can find her on the couch in the children’s area. Reading with Bonnie can help children improve reading, communication skills and build confidence.

PLEASANT GROVE CHURCH VBS

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Pleasant Grove Church, 7051 Turkey Creek Rd., is hosting its “To Mars and Beyond” Vacation Bible School. The VBS is open to K-6th grade. Galaxy voyagers journey from their galactic outpost on special missions to collect power sources. Along the way, they’ll learn how God walked with heroes of the Bible and that God is always with them, too. Everyone enjoys the amazing space theme, fantastic VBS music, scripture verses, games, puppets and lots of fun.

THURSDAY, JUNE 13 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS 7:30 to 9 a.m. Plant City Toastmasters is held every Thursday. Guests are always welcome to come join the free meeting at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St.

SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB

10:30 a.m. Come on out to the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., each Thursday to find out more about a new Shuffleboard Club. Topics being discussed are days of the week, times, skill levels and anything else you may want to know. The club is hosted by Anita Balch and she can be contacted at 808-722-5821 for more information.

tampaymca.org/LetsCamp

Universal Crossword

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Edited by David Steinberg June 6, 2019

FORECAST THURSDAY, JUNE 6

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, June 6

6:31a

8:22p

High: 91 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 50%

Friday, June 7

6:31a

8:23p

Saturday, June 8

6:31a

8:23p

Sunday, June 9

6:31a

8:24p

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

Monday, June 10

6:31a

8:24p

Tuesday, June 11

6:31a

8:24p

Wednesday, June 12

6:31a

8:25p

High: 91 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 80%

19

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

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|

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, JUNE 8 High: 91 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 60%

SUNDAY, JUNE 9 High: 90 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 80%

BLUEBERRIES Shipping point: Central Florida $13-$16

July 2 New

June 7 First

June 15 Full

June 28 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Apr. 13

0.00

Tuesday, Apr. 14 0.00 Wednesday, May 15

0.00

Thursday, May 16 0.00 Friday, May 17

0.00

Saturday, May 18 0.00 Sunday, May 19

0.00

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2019 5.38 in.

2019 0.00 in.

2018 11.48 in.

2018 0.53 in.

GOLD & SILVER

Diamonds & Precious Gems,

6/6

285826 287516-1

813.754.2360 | 1705 Jim Redman Pkwy. Plant City, 33563

Vertical Drop by Pancho Harrison

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26 Chili ___ carne 27 Southernmost Great Lake 29 Center 33 On behalf of 34 Mix smoothly 35 Hawaiian word of welcome 36 Speed reader? 38 Otto ___ Bismarck 39 Beachgoer’s need 40 Cheri once on 51-Across 41 Undermine 43 Once named 44 Tornado warning 45 Word with “fixed” or

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20

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

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