7.29.21 PLCO by Plant City Observer

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FREE • THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULED BREANNE WILLIAMS

The first budget workshop for the city’s upcoming fiscal year will be held Aug. 9 in a special meeting at City Hall.

STAFF WRITER

The public is invited out to a special meeting on Aug. 9 to see the proposed city budget for the next fiscal year and to discuss the Former Post Office Development Request For Proposal. The meeting will be held in the city commission chambers of the Nettie Berry Draughon Municipal Building (City Hall), 302 W. Reynolds St. They will discuss the post office first in one section of the meeting and then will have a budget workshop following that presentation. Each year the city holds workshops to go over the proposed budget and discuss whether or not city leaders agree with the financial agenda for

the next fiscal year, which begins in October. This will be the first of those workshops. “We have a special city commission meeting scheduled on Monday, Aug. 9 at 4 p.m. in (City Hall) for the presentation of an RFP response regarding the development of the former post office property,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “On that same day, Aug. 9, at 5 p.m. we will have our first budget workshop and of course then later that evening at 7:30 (p.m.) we also have a city commission meeting. So Monday altogether is going to be a long and busy evening.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

WHISTLE STOP MURAL CONNECTS PLANT CITY’S ROOTS TO ITS FUTURE

A crowd gathered behind Whistle Stop Cafe early Tuesday morning to take part in the unveiling of the rendering of the artwork that will replace the former “The Heart of Plant City” mural. Courtesy of the City of Plant City

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Historic Downtown Plant City is officially getting a new mural, sort of. The public came out to Whistle Stop Cafe, 102. S. Collins St., Tuesday morning to meet with artist Keith Goodson, who has been tasked with replacing the massive mural on the back of the cafe. During the presentation, the crowd listened as

Vice Mayor Mike Sparkman, who spearheaded the effort to bring the mural to life, spoke about the desire to restore a highquality piece of art to the wall. “We think this is outstanding and we have one of the best artists in the world over here, Keith Goodson… This is going to be a masterpiece and it’s going to be well worth putting it on the wall,” Sparkman said.

Sparkman thanked Sunbelt for providing them with a lift for Goodson to use for no charge and praised Greg James with A Pro’s Plastering on their stucco work that will be the base for the mural. He also emphasized he was standing there today as a citizen passionate about the project and not as a city commissioner. This is a privately initiated event with a long history in the community.

Goodson took some time to speak about his gratefulness for being welcomed into the community to create the mural. He said it should take around six to eight weeks, weather permitting, to complete. Goodson has completed several murals across Florida including some in Lake Placid and Port Charlotte. CONTINUES ON PG. 3

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

NEWS BRIEFS

PCPD captain completes law enforcement leadership academy

Courtesy of PCPD.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office continues search for Plant City man Christopher McCullogh, 88 was last seen at approximately 1 a.m. on Friday, July 23 in the Plant City area. McCullogh is overdue for his medicine and additionally suffers from dementia, Atrial Fibrillation and can only hear with the use of a hearing aid. We are doing everything we can to return Mr. McCullogh home safely to his family,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “Our Aviation Unit, Dive Team, K-9 Unit, Drone Operators and patrol deputies have been working to

Courtesy of HCSO.

Plant City Police Department Captain Alfred Van Duyne III completed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Florida Leadership Academy, Class 48 earlier in the month. The program is part of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive institute and graduates of the program serve leadership roles within their agency. All-in-all they represent 27 criminal justice

agencies throughout the state of Florida. The goal of the Florida Leadership Academy is to prepare firstline supervisors in criminal justice organizations to exemplify the character and integrity expected of criminal justice professionals and to examine the various components necessary to being an efficient leader and the graduates met for four week-long sessions at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office in Sanford, Florida where they learned the necessary skills to support the needs of both their agencies and their communities as they continuously prepare for future challenges.

find him, but we are asking if anyone in the community sees Mr. McCullogh, please contact us immediately.” Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200.

Courtesy of HCSO.

Courtesy of PCPD.

Filming in downtown Plant City to temporarily shut down traffic The production of a feature film will be underway in downtown Plant City on July 28 and 29, potentially causing the city to temporarily close roadways and stop pedestrians walking through the area. The times and locations in which filming will take place are as follows: Wednesday, July 28: McCall Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 28: Along E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 29: Along Palmer Street, between Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd and E. J. Arden Mays Blvd, from 9 to 8 p.m.

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

ART RETURNS TO COLLINS STREET The mural technically is grandfathered in due to the prior existance of “The Heart of Plant City” artwork on this wall so the city’s ordinance restricting the creation of new artwork in historic downtown does not apply.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

“Murals play an important part in our community,” Goodson said. “Not only does it give you a sort of holographic look of what the city is all about, but it’s to bring together community and pride. And how many know we need pride today in what we do in our communities? I’m honored to be able to do this one, honored to be able to refurbish what we had before. If you need to, come up and say hi. Every day you’ll see this progress.” Arts Council President, Marsha Passmore talked about the organization’s passion for ensuring art is in the community and their partnership in bringing this mural to life. “This has been a longtime goal for a lot of us,” Passmore said. “The Arts Council would like to say that we are guilty of bringing it before the city, as well as Mr. Lofstrom, that this mural needed some work. So here we are today and it’s coming to fruition and we are very excited about that.” THE FIERY HISTORY OF MURAL PARK

The space behind Whistle Stop Cafe and Krazy Kup has been known throughout the city as the Collins Street Mural Park. Its name came after artist Paul Hetrick painted “The Heart of Plant City,” a 14 foot by 70 foot mural that took approximately 400 hours to complete, on the back wall of the cafe. The image featured 53 figures, including 25 historical people and iconic landmarks in Plant City, such as the Union Station Train Depot, 1914 Plant City High School and the Fort Milton E. Hull Armory Building at the Strawberry Festival Grounds. Now the park is called Unity in the Community Park. Soon many upgrades will be added to keep the park up-to-date for the community. “The Heart of Plant City” arrived on the scene when the 2009 Mural Committee — consisting of Sandee Parke Sytsma (Chairman), Scott Anderson, Fred Johnson, Jerry Lofstrom and artist Paul D. Hetrick — was formed by Lofstrom, owner of Whistle Stop, to come up with the unique idea for an art piece. The mural and the parking lot behind it were dedicated on Jan. 10, 2010 to celebrate the City of Plant City’s 125th birthday on one of the coldest days of the decade. But this wasn’t the first time a mural had been in the area. There was an ache in the community that Lofstrom hoped this new mural would fill. In 1974 John Briggs, a local artist, donated his time to paint a large mural as a tribute to the legendary history of the railroad in Plant City across an exterior wall of a historic, multi-businesses building on Collins Street. Then, in 2005, the building was brought to ruin after Angelica Ruth Lockett tossed an ignited cigarette onto a pile of bedding in the back of a shop that was owned by her ex-boyfriend, Mark Simpson. Said shop

was one of many businesses that were in the building located on the 100 block of South Collins Street. Briggs mural was on the back. Lockett was charged with seven counts of arson and the building was encased in flames. Detectives said that Lockett had only intended to cause damage to Simpson’s shop, but fire is a beast that is rarely contained and within moments the entire building was facing its voracious appetite. The mural suffered smoke damage from the event, but in the end that wall was the only part of the building that remained. It became a beloved piece of history and many in the community saw it as a sign of perseverance. The city, however, saw it as a safety hazard and three years later it was torn down overnight. That was when Lofstrom decided to form a mural committee to bring art back to the block. Briggs told The Observer in 2015 that he had been approached in 2009 by the committee to paint a new mural, but that he “refused to take on the project unless the wall was first prepared with stucco. Hetrick was commissioned instead. The committee fundraised to bring an epic mural to the area and many donations came in from the families of those in the community who were depicted in the mural. With its creation many felt that ache lesson that had arrived after the sudden removal of the wall bearing Briggs’ artwork. At the Collins Street Mural Park there was a sculpture called “Eternal Time,” which was designed by artist Robert G. Woods. It sits on top of a buried time capsule with memorabilia from that time period. Currently the sculpture has been removed for safekeeping as Goodson works on the new mural. The time capsule underneath is scheduled to be unearthed and opened on the city’s 200th birthday, Jan. 10, 2085. A 25-foot flag pole donated by the Plant City High School Class of 1969 is also at the park, along with a water fountain in memory of the late Mayor Sadye Gibbs Martin. It made a tranquil nook in the community. However, the brick wall didn’t agree very much with the paint and it didn’t take long for the massive artwork to show some signs of wear and tear. In 2015 Hetrick told The Observer that the peeling paint was just one part of the issue. The bricks themselves were not designed to cling to paint and according to Hetrick, the grout and bricks are deteriorating into a sandlike consistency. A NOT SO SIMPLE FIX

The timing could not have been worse. The same year “The Heart of Plant City” was painted by Hetrick the city passed an ordinance banning any new murals in the historic district. The exception being that it did not affect the maintenance of existing murals. The ban came on Oct. 12, 2009 in a vote that many locals joke is reminiscent to the strict decision in the fictional film “Footloose.” In the movie, a town council banned dancing. In Plant City a mural by Blake Emory, a rendition of Norman Rockwell’s “April Fools,” was put up on the side of a

building and shortly after someone complained that the painting had a penis in it. Well, that accusation sent the town into a flurry. Emory insisted it wasn’t intentional and immediately altered the section of the mural in question, but it was too late. City Commissioners quickly voted 4-1 to create an ordinance that would essentially restrict any new murals in the historic district in order to prevent it from happening again. Only City Commissioner Bill Dodson — who is still serving at the dais — voted against the decision stating he wanted to find a more thought out and complete ordinance rather than an outright ban. Majority ruled, the ban was put in place and it’s now been more than a decade since the ordinance passed. Existing murals can be maintained. But the cost to do so for “The Heart of Plant City” was extensive and then there were the hurdles to get the art to stay on the brick. “The Heart of Plant City” originally cost around $25,000. It would cost at least this much, if not more, to redo it. So for years it simply sat there and further degraded. There have been many however, that had never given up hope. Behind the scenes a handful of community members lobbied for support from the city to get it refurbished and fought tooth and nail to find a solution to the unique issue. After a long wait, their hard work paid off. LOOKING AHEAD

Because “The Heart of Plant City” is grandfathered into the existing ordinance, Lofstrom had the opportunity to create something special at its location. Using the unique privilege, due to the prior artwork, he asked Sparkman to get the ball rolling. Goodson was present Tuesday morning as were many city commissioners and community members that had worked tirelessly to find a solution to the mural issue. Stucco has been affixed to the back of the wall and Goodson showed off a rendering of the artwork he wants to paint onto the structure. The first section of the mural was outlined on the wall as well for the attendees. Following the event he was ready to get right to work. The image features some iconic faces in Plant City including Henry B. Plant, the railroad and hotel magnate that is the namesake of Plant City, Officer Lee Can-

dis, the first African-American police officer for the City of Plant City, and E.L. Bing, a noted educator and Hillsborough County Commissioner. It will also have notable Plant City landmarks like the Florida Strawberry Festival, the Nettie Berry Draughon Municipal Building (aka City Hall), Plant City’s 1914 High School, the strawberry water tank, the historic Bing Rooming House Museum, the State Theater and more. Near the portion featuring the festival grounds there will be a shining corvette, which represents the annual raffle conducted by local charity Unity in the Community. The center of the piece will have a strawberry field in front of City Hall. Workers dressed in early 1900s attire will be in the field and a young girl will be prominently displayed that “represents not only the strawberry-loving youth of our community, but also all of the visitors who flock to Plant City for the annual Florida Strawberry Festival and a chance to enjoy our tasty crop that makes Plant City famous as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.” The girl is Sarah Lofstrom — the daughter of Jerry Lofstrom and his wife Marti — who was killed in 2015 after being struck by a car. The far right will feature an homage to some of Plant City’s longest serving mayors: Sparkman, who has served for nearly three decades as a city commissioner, mayor and vice mayor, Rick Lott, who has served for nearly two decades as a city commissioner and mayor, and Sadye Gibbs Martin, who served as a city commissioner for 15 years and as mayor for seven terms and vice mayor for four terms and was not only the first woman to become mayor of Plant City, she was the first female African-American elected mayor of a major city in Florida. The mural will also include Bill McDaniel who began a career in law enforcement, served as PCPD Chief and now is Plant City’s city manager. With the stucco the image should last. Goodson said he believes they should be able to get at least 15 years out of the mural and hoped it would have many more. The, just recently renamed, Unity in the Community Park will be receiving more than a fresh piece of art. The goal is to install a new fountain, have semi-circle benches facing the mural, new landscaping and lighting to illuminate the wall at night.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY

Observer

This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigate stolen tires, a broken porch

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

light and mysterious gunshots.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Sports Writer / Taylor Jenkins tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com istock

JULY 16

JULY 18

TOO TIRED

WINDOW SHOPPING

2100 block of James L Redman Pkwy. Theft: Officers met with the manager of a car care store where the victim reported tires that were stolen from the location.

1200 block of W. Washington St. Criminal mischief: Officers met with the victim regarding a broken window to their vehicle.

JULY 17 LIGHTS OUT Blakert Ct. Criminal mischief: Officers responded to a victim who reported a broken porch light.

Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com

in the bathroom. In speaking with the suspect, he claimed that he was armed and not leaving the bathroom and the SWAT team was activated and subsequently responded following the threat. The suspect eventually surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody. The warrant was later confirmed.

JULY 20

BEST BUDS 400 block of N. Alexander St. Theft - retail: Officers met with the manager of a retail store in reference to the theft of earbuds, however the manager completed a waiver of prosecution.

JULY 19 LOCKED IN 100 block of N. Pearl St. Warrant arrest: Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect in reference to an outstanding violation of parole warrant for felon in possession of a firearm. As officers arrived at the location, the suspect them left his vehicle and barricaded himself

TOOL TIME 1900 E. Linda St. Residential burglary: Officers met with the victim who advised them that upon checking on his rental house he discovered that the kitchen window was broken and power drills, along with a battery charger, were taken from the residence.

JULY 22

PARKED 500 block of N. Alexander St. Trespass after warning/warrant arrest: Officers made contact with a number of individuals in a park at the location and discovered an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court for possession of a controlled substance. The suspect was then placed under arrest and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident. Contact was then made with another suspect who possessed a prior trespass warning from the park and was then arrested for trespass after warning and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

SHOTS FIRED 600 block of NW Drane St. Shooting into unoccupied dwelling: Officers responded to the location and met with the victim who stated that she heard gunshots outside of her residence but did not witness any suspects. Officers conducted a search of the residence and observed three gunshot holes and damage to a shed location in the rear of the property.

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CITY PREPS FOR UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR

On Aug. 9 the community can come witness the first budget workshop regarding the upcoming fiscal year’s finances for the city. During the same afternoon commissioners will also listen to a response to a Request For Proposal regarding the former post office development.

FROM PAGE 1

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

At the first meeting the city will discuss the future of the former post office on Reynolds Street that has long been a point of interest in the community. The City of Plant City is the current owner of the building and land and while original plans were to refurbish the site, issues with mold and asbestos made the concept quite a financial commitment. Then the city began discussing tearing down the building and using the location to build something new. A RFP was sent out by the city and there was one response, which will be discussed in detail on Aug. 9. Commissioners will listen to the proposal and then see if they wish to negotiate and move forward with the plan. The budget will follow that meeting in the first workshop. Commissioners will

listen to a presentation on a breakdown of where the city’s funds could be allocated for the next year. This encompasses everything from the General Fund to Stormwater and Solid Waste and everything in-between. The city also allocates money to outside agencies each year like the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, the Railroad Museum Society, the Plant City Economic Development Corp. and Plant City Main Street. The very first workshop is a much broader scope, so the details on topics, like projects spearheaded by the city, will be featured in the second workshop. The first meeting will run through the actual numbers of the overall budget itself. The public hearing for the tentative budget will be held Sept.13 at 7:30 p.m. and the public hearing for the final budget will be held Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

FRONTLINE, CITY CUTS AND FEEDING PLANT CITY HOLD HAIRCUTS FOR THE HOMELESS EVENT The event provided haircuts, hygiene products and a hot meal for Plant City’s community in need TAYLOR JENKINS STAFF WRITER

Courtesy of Jennifer Anderson

Frontline Community Services teamed up with City Cuts Barber Shop, the Plant City Lion’s Club and Feeding Plant City this past Sunday for their first Haircuts for the Homeless event. Meeting at the Winter Visitor Center starting at 12 p.m., all those homeless or struggling were welcomed for a free haircut provided by the local barbershop. The groups also provided a number of hygiene products and then at 5 p.m., Feeding Plant City and volunteers from the Lion’s Club served a hot meal to those in need. For many involved it was just another day to see the meals handed out as Frontline donates thousands of pounds in food each month and provides a hot meal each and every evening at the visitor’s center, including Thanksgiving and Christmas, as just one of the several services that they provide to their local community. With just two paid employees and sustained by the help of volunteers and several local groups, Frontline also provides assistance to their in need community by facilitating access to rehabilitation programs. The group does a variety of other services as well like education and scholarship programs, providing assistance to victims of domestic violence, helping find housing, providing COVID vaccines and health services to rural communities, connecting individuals with mental health professionals and more.

“People think that we only have a few homeless in Plant City and that’s so far from the truth,” Jennifer Anderson, head of Frontline Community Services, said. “People go to work with homeless people every day and never know because they have a gym membership and that’s where they take their shower. People go to church and sit in church every day with homeless people and they never know. So what we try to do, we try to fill in those resources.” In just the past year alone, Frontline worked with Hillsborough County to help over 60 kids receive scholarships, but also assists adults with educational services as well. Anderson started Frontline three years ago and views the group as missionaries, looking to help those in need throughout Plant City however they can, not limited to just the city’s homeless population. And for City Cuts, the barbershop actually reached out to Frontline looking to help in any way they can. City Cuts has extended their help in the past by providing free of charge haircuts to children in foster care as well as service veterans and owner Marco Ramirez said they hadn’t yet found a way to help their local homeless community and subsequently reached out. “My family came from little to nothing,” Ramirez said. “My parents used to pick strawberries and I can remember picking strawberries with them and nobody was really there for us, to help us out. So this is just

something that I can do to give back to somebody who needs help.” Haircuts for the Homeless was just the second event in which Frontline and City Cuts have worked together, but both organizations hope that many more events will happen in the future. “It’s the message,” Ramirez said. “It’s just the message that you give out that it’s not all about profit, it’s passion. It’s not all about money at the end of the day, we all serve one God. We have to give something back and what could you do better than give someone a smile? That’s what we do it for. I talk to my guys and they’re all passionate, they’re just as passionate as I am. We’re like a family at the barbershop.” And while COVID has proved a significant financial burden on both individuals and businesses, Anderson says donations have become the biggest challenge for the organization now. As times became harder throughout the global pandemic, many of the monthly donations began to slow. “We help everybody,” Anderson said. “One thing that we do not allow at Frontline is any kind of hate or any kind of judgement, we will help anyone who comes to our doors. It doesn’t matter your financial status, you could be the poorest person in the world or you could be the richest person in the world. If you need help, if you need anybody, even if you just need prayer you can come to us.”

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

PHOTO ARCHIVES LEAVES INTERN WITH A NEW VIEW OF PLANT CITY Erin Schulte grew up in Plant City, but gained a whole new perspective through her internship

STAFF WRITER

Plant City native Erin Schulte recently completed a five month Intensive Internship Program with the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center where she also received a certificate from the American Association for State and Local History for her completion of the Basics of Archives course. A graduate of Plant City High School, Schulte then attended Florida State University where she began as an English major but ultimately graduated in 2020 with a B.A., Summa Cum Laude, in Interdisciplinary Humanities. In addition to the professional experience gained through her internship with the Plant City Photo Archives, the program also opened her eyes to the important role that archives play in a community’s history. “I think that working at the Photo Archives gave me an insight to Plant City that I didn’t really have before,” Schulte said. “Growing up there and living there my whole life, there was still so much that I didn’t know about and so much of the town’s history that I had no idea even existed. Meeting some of the people that came in and hearing some of the stories that they had to tell, it was really fascinating.” The Plant City Photo Archives received its first collectoin in 2000 with the acquisition of an entire set of photos from long-time Plant City area photographer Bill Friend after his passing in 1999. Gil Gott was the founding executive director, a role he still holds until his retirement later in the year.

The archives have grown throughout the past 20 years and now serves as a valuable resource that provides a glimpse into the long and storied history of Plant City. “To really understand who you are and where you come from, you need to understand your history,” Gott said. “And there’s an opportunity (at the archives) to just walk in and learn a great deal more than you knew before. It also gives you a different perspective on who you are, where you came from and where you’re going. I think that’s all what we offer you and it’s right here.” Now done with her internship at the archives, Schulte is currently in Orlando working with the Disney College Intern program. Disney’s internship is a six month program that was originally scheduled to begin in the fall of 2020 following her graduation from FSU, only to be temporarily put on pause due to COVID-19. But despite moving on to a new challenge and a new internship, Schulte will always have the memories and knowledge gained from Gott and the Plant City Photo Archives with her. “It’s so important,” Schulte said about the archives. “A lot of people would come in and have no idea that the archives had even been there. They would come in and ask questions and look at the photos and there would be so much stuff that nobody even knew about and it’s so important to preserve that history. Because there’s so many great people and so many people that left an enormous impact on the town and many would not even know about it or remember it if not for the archives.”

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The Kiwanis Club of Plant City filled more than 1,250 book bags with school supplies Monday morning for its annual Stuff the Bus project.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Stingray Chevrolet was filled with book bags and school supplies Monday morning as the Kiwanis Club of Plant City held its annual Stuff the Bus project. Each year Kiwanis provides an abundance of book bags stocked with all the necessary school supplies to students across the community. Event Chair Sharon Moody said this year they have more than 1,250 bags to stuff. The items will be distributed to 28 schools in August. “We drop the book bags off at schools and the schools identify the students in need,” Moody said. “So if a student is starting the school year and they don’t have a backpack and pencils and paper and

all those things, they can go to the school and ask for one of these bags.” Volunteers from the National Honor Society at Plant City High School, PCHS Key Club and a few Kiwanis members got to the car dealership bright and early Monday morning to begin the long process of filling each bag and returning them to their designated school’s table. It takes approximately two hours to fill the bags and then they are bundled and sent to the individual schools before classes officially return. The Kiwanis Club of Plant City has been providing for local students for decades and each year the demand for assistance continues to grow. Moody said that there is a large need in Plant City and neighboring schools for supplies and aid for students and that no matter how much the Stuff the Bus project provides there is always room for further growth.

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The bags are filled with items like gel pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, composition books, glue sticks, ink pens and a variety of other items a student will need. Steve Hurley at Stingray Chevrolet always allows the group to use a large room at the dealership to set up a massive assembly line so that volunteers can quickly and efficiently weave through the supplies filling each bag. “Unity in the community donated $11,000 toward this great project,” Moody

said. “We appreciate them very much. They do a lot in the community and Kiwanis picked up the other part to round this off. Unity is one of our major sponsors and without them this wouldn’t be possible.” Those interested in supporting the program next year can contact the Kiwanis Club of Plant City or reach out to Moody at SharonMoody91@yahoo.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

JULY 29, 2021

SPORTS

LIGHTNING STREET TEAM VISITS PLANT CITY PARKS AND REC The Street Team provides the knowledge, equipment and opportunity for many local kids to experience hockey for the first time.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Quick Hits MIDFLORIDA FOOTBALL TO HOST 2021 JAMBOREE The Plant City Colts will head to Ellis Methvin Park in Plant City on Saturday for the MidFlorida Football and Cheer Conference’s annual jamboree to kick off the 2021 season. MFFCC is the largest independent tackle football league in the state of Florida with 52 total teams aligned with the conference. Plant City’s event will host teams from Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4, spanning across the Central Florida region, in all five of the conference’s age groups that range from their 4, 5 and 6 year old flag division to their 13 and 14 year old senior division. “It’s a bunch of us getting together at our jamboree site to have fun and enjoy ourselves as a unit on this side of the state,” MFFCC president Ross Fabian said. Tickets can be purchased at the event and games will run on six different fields at the complex from 9 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m.

Kids from Plant City Parks and Recreation’s summer program were joined at the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center this week by the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Street team. With local excitement for hockey at an all-time high as the Bolts are fresh off of a second consecutive Stanley Cup title — their third in franchise history — their Street Team travels to schools, recreation centers and YMCAs all over the greater Tampa Bay area in an attempt to grow interest in the game among kids. The event, organized by recreation center coordinator Brandon Seal, saw each age group from both the Planteen Rec. Center and SGMCC ushered one-by-one into the rec. center’s basketball gym where they were met by the Street Team with hockey sticks, nets and a foam rink, all taking turns playing short ball hockey games. For many members of the summer program this wasn’t the first time they’ve had an opportunity to play with Tampa Bay’s Street Team however, as the group also visited Parks and Rec’s after school program and several schools throughout Plant City previously. “(The kids) were definitely excited,” recreation supervisor Julie Garretson said. “Especially the ones that haven’t played before, they enjoyed it. And the ones that have played before, they got to showcase their skills.” The game didn’t end with the final stoppage of play though, as every kid went home with their own ball and hockey stick. But those also weren’t the only gifts provided by the street team. Parks and Rec received a number of hockey sticks and balls, two nets and two full sets of goalie pads to add ball hockey to the rec center’s ever-growing list

of activities made available for the kids in their summer and after school programs. “We teach kids about the game of hockey, we teach them how to play hockey...” street team member Charles Jensen said. “We’re just trying to grow the game in all shapes and sizes, which is awesome.” In a continued attempt to grow the game of hockey in their local communities, the Lightning started their Lightning Made Girls Hockey program, a program that offers several female-only leagues that cover a number of skill levels and includes travel teams and high school leagues. And for kids looking to get their first chance at organized hockey, Tampa Bay has also spearheaded their Lightning Made Learn To Play program. Partnered with the NHL and the NHLPA, the Bolts’ Learn To Play program offers a lowcost opportunity for kids age five through 10 to experience the game for the first time at rinks all across the state of Florida. Learn To Play wraps eight instructor lessons, a customized Lightning jersey, an equipment bag and a full set of equipment, including skates, for just $220 per child. For more information, visit www.lightningmadehockey.com.

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

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

FORMER DURANT HIGH SCHOOL PITCHER SIGNS WITH YANKEES Sean Hermann has signed with the New York Yankees after being selected in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

Courtesy of Sean Hermann

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Sean Hermann’s final time taking the mound for Durant High School was ultimately a somber day, falling 1-0 to Spruce Creek in the Florida State Semi-Finals this past May. Despite the Cougars coming up just short in extra innings to mark the end of a great year, Hermann threw 7.1 scoreless innings in the contest, allowing just four hits while striking out 9 before the game’s lone and winning run would cross the plate later in the eighth inning. “It hurts to lose baseball games,” Hermann said. “But we played our hardest and sometimes you’re going to lose, you can’t win every time but we had an amazing season. Those guys were amazing and it was truly a family. I’ll never forget them, I was just at the field the other day to celebrate

with all the guys the day after I got drafted. We were just a really close team.” His flawless performance at the state’s highest level capped a stellar individual season in which he was named the Class 7A Player of the Year by the Florida Dairy Farmer’s High School Sports Awards program. Hermann finished the 2021 season with a 9-0 record, compiling a 0.36 ERA, 135 strikeouts and three saves over 78.1 innings pitched. But while his career with Durant may have come to a close, there is more baseball in store for the 18-year-old Plant City native. On July 13, Hermann was selected by the Yankees in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. “It was just a dream come true hearing your name called,” Hermann said. “I was there with my family so it was just a special moment.”

Hermann says that a major turning point came as he started to put on weight heading into his senior season, and with that added size came increased velocity. Then as the season rolled on, what was once just a dream of being drafted began to look more and more like a reality. As offers came his way Hermann quickly committed to the University of South Florida but had no hesitation in turning pro after his selection in the draft as he signed with the Yankees just a few days later. “I knew that I wanted to sign,” Hermann said. “It’s always been my dream to be a professional baseball player and it’s hard to do nowadays, everybody kind of throws 95, 96. You’ve got to take your chance. I’ve got my chance now and I’ve just got to work hard and hopefully make it one day.” Since signing his contract the life of a professional ballplayer has come quickly, reporting for medical evaluations the following day before then heading to work-

outs at the Yankees’ training facility shortly after. And fortunately for Hermann, someone who has great pride for his hometown, the Yankees’ Spring Training facility where he currently works with the organization lies less than 30 miles west of Plant City in North Tampa. “It’s a blessing,” Hermann said. “I knew as soon as I got drafted by the Yankees that I would be in my hometown. I’m a big hometown guy and that’s why I wanted to go to USF. It was an amazing opportunity when I found out that I was still going to be just 20 or 30 minutes away from home, playing professional baseball.”

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

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

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YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

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This week we asked Plant City: With Last Friday in Downtown coming up, what are some other community events that you would like to see the city hold?

“That’s an interesting question because I work for the library and I handle adult programming so I try to come up with local things for us to do in the library, and we’re looking to bring back local programming in the fall so I’m thinking more in that kind of realm. Myself, I’m from Tampa so I’m not too

familiar with what the city already offers but I would say maybe music events. I think that would be intriguing to me because this is an area that I don’t often come to except for work. Maybe something like a nature tour.” Kelly Livengood

“Maybe like a sports day, or something like that at the local little league. We have the baseball and softball fields and all that so I feel like if they just hosted, then people would come out. They could have vendors. Kind of like an opening day, but not just for people who are part of the league, where

anybody could come out and play.” - Alexa Tinney “That would be nice, especially with how big sports are around here.” - Garrett Swaford

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Ruth “Nana” Louise Bridges, 76, of Plant City, Fla., born in Plant City on Aug. 19, 1944, entered into eternal rest on July 19, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

Diane Elizabeth Black

Diane Elizabeth Black, 82, of Sun City Center, Fla., born in Madera, Calif. on July 29, 1938, entered into eternal rest on July 19, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Peggy A. Inge

Peggy A. Inge, 87, of Plant City, Fla., entered into eternal rest on July 23, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

Domingo Rodriguez Chia

Domingo Rodriguez Chia, 60, of Plant City, Fla., born Aug. 4, 1960 in Guanajuato, Mexico, entered into eternal rest July 24, 2021. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

Joe Alexander Williams

Patricia Marie Markham

OBITUARIES

Ruth ‘Nana’ Louise Bridges

Patricia Marie Markham, 48, of Plant City, Fla. passed Joe Alexander away on July 13, 2021. Williams, 82, of Plant A Celebration Of Life will City, Fla., passed away be held at the family estate on Saturday, July 24, on Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. 2021. Joe was born Online condolences may April 16, 1939 in Cabe left for the family at milla, Ga. dedicated to helping W E ’ RE P RO U D TO S E RV E our community haught.care. Fondwe’re memories andfamilies create a unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. expressions oflife sympacelebrates the it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals, > 100% Service Guarantee National Transferability thy>may bePlan shared at www. > Bereavement Travel Assistance > The Compassion Helpline® WellsMemorial.com for the R family. Williams

Taking care of each other is what

community

is all about.

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Daniel Scott Bedford Daniel Scott Bedford, 55, of Lakeland, Fla., born in Tampa on March 23, 1966, entered into eternal rest on July 3, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

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Kenneth ‘Ken’ Frederick James Kenneth “Ken” Frederick James, 58, of Lithia, Fla., born in Schenectady, N.Y. on Nov. 10, 1962, entered into eternal rest on July 18, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

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Steven Bruegger

Robert Colding

Steven Bruegger, 68, of Plant City, Fla., born in Lansing, Mich. on June 16, 1953, entered into eternal rest on July 22, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Robert Colding, 79, of Culpeper, Va., born in Fort Lonesome, Fla. on Dec. 20, 1941, entered into eternal rest on July 25, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

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Troy Lee Curtis Troy Curtis, 51, of Sun City Center, Fla., born in Fort Myers on July 26, 1969, entered into eternal rest on July 17, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

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Mary Elizabeth Ford

Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

Mary Elizabeth Ford, 86, of Plant City, Fla., passed away on July 24, 2021. The family will receive friends Thursday, July 29, 2021 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Bethany Baptist Church, 3409 Cork Rd, Plant City, FL. 33565. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

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813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1

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ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

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YOUR CALENDAR

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

BEST BET FRIDAY, JULY 30 HARRY POTTER BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

5 to 9 p.m. at 110 N. Collins St. Wizards and muggles alike will be flooding downtown Plant City next weekend for the monthly Last Friday in Downtown. Costumes are encouraged and Wizarding Deals will be available at participating downtown small businesses. Themed photo opportunities will be available throughout the event. There will also be food truck rallies in downtown as well as vendors. Businesses will be having unique items like butterbeer, chocolate frogs, Harry Potter LEGO sets and more. The Last Friday in Downtown is presented by Tampa Bay Food Trucks and Plant City Main Street. If you’re planning to attend, aim to get to downtown early as this is typically one of the largest Last Friday in Downtown of the year. For more information visit Plant City Main Street on Facebook.

THURSDAY, JULY 29

ENGLISH FOR FAMILIES

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person. Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/ PlantCityToastmasters, for meeting locations and information.

FRIDAY, JULY 30 BUILDING BACKYARD HABITATS

4:30 to 5 p.m. at 302 McLendon St. Head to the Bruton Memorial Library where kids will have the opportunity to learn how to build a better world for both people and animals, starting in their own backyard. Whether you have a physical backyard or not, you will still be able to find an activity to enjoy. Take part as the event explores different crafts that you can make, and actions you can take, to help local wildlife. Register for the event and check out the suggested supply list at www.hcplc.org.

TUESDAY, AUG. 3 TEENS TEACH TECH FOR 21STCENTURY SENIORS

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

6 to 7 p.m. at 302 McLendon St. Head to the Bruton Memorial Library for their Family Literacy Program, a program that allows families an opportunity to practice reading with their children and to learn English vocabulary for everyday use. The free class meets twice each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 12 and is recommended for all ages.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 4 FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing. If you’ve served any time in the military, retired or non-retention, and would like to review your benefits please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific time.

SUNSET SOUNDS

6 to 8 p.m. at 5202 Thonotosassa Rd. Sunset Sounds is a summer music series featuring acoustic music from local artists. Head over to Keel & Curley Winery every Wednesday evening to enjoy music, food, drinks and sunshine on their patio.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH ESTRANGED FAMILY

6:30 to 8 p.m. at 1107 Charlie Griffin Rd. PEAK (Parents of Estranged Adult Kids) is providing the opportunity to join other parents who are estranged from their adult children a safe place to listen, share and support others through the hurt of adult

Dr. Jeremy H. Gaffney O.D. Dr. Barry M. Gaffney, O.D. PA Dr. Daniel G. Gaffney O.D. The struggle between fashion and function is officially declared a tie! Never before have eyeglass frames been offered in so many stylish choices. Yet, you’ll be amazed at how many options are at your fingertips to help you see well and protect your vision!

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813.754.3593 2002 S. Alexander St. Plant City, FL 33563

THURSDAY, AUG. 5 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

ENGLISH FOR FAMILIES

TUESDAY, AUG. 10 TEENS TEACH TECH FOR 21STCENTURY SENIORS

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 11 FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

SUNSET SOUNDS

Time for New Glasses?

www.drgaffney.com

family abandonment. Meetings will include group discussions, self-care and positivelyinfluenced activities to help cope with the situation. Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at GracePoint Church. For more information, visit www. peaksupportgroup.com.

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FORECAST

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

THURSDAY, JULY 29 High: 90 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 56%

FRIDAY, JULY 30 High: 91 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 41%

THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, July 29

6:49a

8:19p

Friday, July 30

6:50a

8:19p

Saturday, July 31

6:50a

8:18p

Sunday, August 1

6:51a

8:17p

Monday, August 2

6:51a

8:17p

Tuesday, August 3

6:52a

8:16p

Wednesday, August 4

6:52a

8:15p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, JULY 31 High: 92 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 42%

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1 High: 91 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 36%

MONDAY, AUGUST 2 Jeff Tomlinson took this photo of a Plant City sunset last week.

ONLINE

High: 91 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 37%

Across 1 Hang out in alleys 5 Sporty sunroofs 10 Job jar item 14 Cuatro y cuatro 15 Sprightly movement 16 Lamb pen name 17 Source of damaging rumors 20 Vietnam holiday 21 “What the Constitution Means to Me” award 22 Like Boo Boo and Baloo 23 Lead source 24 Novelist Deighton 25 Wile E. Coyote’s supplier 26 Buzz among local gossips

32 Takes short cuts? 34 Part of S&L 35 FDR 34-Across org. 36 One of 1,225 in the first published edition of “War and Peace” 37 They have their pride 39 Put a halt to 40 Is for a few 41 Carson forerunner 42 Hostess snack cakes 43 Nickname of two Six Flags roller coasters 47 Tavern orders 48 Apollo vehicle, briefly 49 Many miles 52 Entertained 55 Vegas rival

56 Hot Dijon season 57 Question asked with a raised voice, as demonstrated in three long puzzle answers 60 Verdi opera 61 Pants style 62 Retin-A target 63 Altar words 64 Stall for Time? 65 Clarinet need Down 1 Greet formally, as at the start of a sumo match 2 Earth tone 3 Mutant big cat 4 __ Gatos, California

5 Late game show host with seven Emmys 6 “Gran __”: 2008 Eastwood film 7 __ in a blue moon 8 Kissing on the kiss cam, for short 9 Even 10 Her Majesty’s service? 11 Others, in old Rome 12 Put one’s name on the line? 13 Immortal “Citizen” 18 Opinion surveys 19 Image creators, for short 25 Loads 27 Monkey relative 28 Biota growth 29 Undecided 30 Owl’s call 31 Catches some z’s 32 Places for hot waxes 33 One pulling in pushers 37 Outgoing officeholder 38 Perfect Portions pet food brand 39 Abel, to Adam 41 Throwback diet 42 Handmade stadium sign 44 Gut courses 45 Becomes less overcast 46 Playwright Ibsen 50 Even things 51 Said 63-Across a second time 52 Antioxidant-rich berry 53 Downton Abbey’s Daisy, for one 54 Go back, on a PC 55 Default result 58 “Bali __” 59 AirPod spot

Aug. 8 New

Aug. 15 First

Aug. 22 Full

July 31 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

0.48 in.

8.94 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

JULY AVERAGE:

28.64 in.

OKRA

Shipping point: South Florida $12.35-$12.85

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

7.60 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

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THURSDAY, JULY 29 2021

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