8.1.19 PLCO

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

YOUR HOMETOWN. YOUR NEWSPAPER FREE

VOLUME 6, NO. 56

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

INITIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP BRINGS THE HEAT The proposal of a change to the city’s financial policy last week led to a half hour discussion and fractured vote at a preliminary budget workshop for the upcoming fiscal year.

One sentence in the City of Plant City’s financial policies sparked a more than half-hour debate during the initial budget workshop last week when commissioners discussed the possibility of offering more power — and access to more money — to the city manager.

It all began when Mayor Rick Lott brought up an issue that he said had been on his mind toward the end of the first hour of the meeting. It wasn’t on the agenda, it wasn’t something they had planned to dive deeply into, but it was something he felt desperately needed to be addressed before they considered moving forward into the next fiscal year.

“Last year, we had a lot of large projects we had to get off the ground and this is the year they’re on the ground, we’re completing them,” Lott said. “Something

the city manager talks a lot about is the deep dive, that’s his words, that’s not my words, that’s his words, it’s the ‘deep dive.’ And if you don’t mind, we have 50 minutes, we don’t need lunch or dinner or whatever it’s called. I really think if I look at this year, and I think we’ll call this budget this year the ‘deep dive budget.’ It’s not in words in here and so forth, but this is our CEO we have here and so, in conversation with our city manager, our CEO, we talk about the deep dive, we got into our working documents and one of the working documents is our financial policies. Every year we approve our budget, we get into our financial policies and I don’t know how he’s going to be able to accomplish his deep dive with one sentence in our financial policies, I’d like to discuss with you in a minute.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

HIDDEN AMONG THE BRUSH

The community gathered Wednesday morning in honor of the discovery of a unique wetland found right here at the Plant City Commons Community Garden and Botanical Treasure Garden.

SEE PAGE 3

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

CSX beefs up some PC train speeds CSX Transportation had good news July 26 for anyone who’s ever been stuck behind a freight train in Plant City for what feels like forever.

Freight trains on CSX’s line from Sparkman Road south to Keysville Road will take advantage of an increased speed limit on Aug. 5. The trains, which currently move at 10 miles per hour on that line, will be able to cruise at a leisurely 25 miles per hour at 12:01 a.m. that day. “The speed increase will improve the efficiency of rail operations and enhance capacity along this corridor,� CSX spokesperson Sheriee Bowman said in a press release. “Track and signal improvements have been made to allow for the safe increase in train speeds in accordance with federal regulations.�

CSX cautions motorists and pedestrians to be as careful as ever at railroad

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crossings and with other signals. The “stop, look and listen� method is strongly encouraged. Questions, comments or concerns can be directed to TellCSX at csx.com/tellcsx.

$80 flat fee. Discounted delivery service options for orders of 20 items and up are available upon request. Call 813-3234013 for more information.

Frontline Community Services fundraiser coming Frontline Community Services wants to put the “fun� in “fundraiser� on Aug. 10.

The group will host its “Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer� event at the Sparkman House Luxury Bed & Breakfast, 707 N. Collins St., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that Saturday. Attendees can cool off with fresh watermelon and homemade ice cream, play lawn games, jam to live music and pig out on BBQ dinners of chicken or pulled pork. Take-out dinner options are available. Tickets cost $25 per person, but parties of four can get tickets for an

programs in 21 counties. Open positions include charter school elementary Spanish teachers, charter school first grade teachers, early childhood development teachers, information and data specialists, cooks and bus drivers.

For more information on job openings and positional requirements, visit rcma. net/about-rcma/employment-at-rcma/.

RCMA recruiting teachers, support staff Redlands Christian Migrant Association, one of Florida’s largest childcare and education providers, is looking for help.

The RCMA is currently recruiting teachers and support staff members for 66 child development centers, three charter schools and after-school care

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PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

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IT STARTS WITH A SINGLE DROP Those that discovered and traced this journey and of course, those that supported and funded the sign and installation:

MR. WILLIAM MORIARTY MS. SHARON SPIRES HCC 50 T.R.E.E. INC. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT CITY OF PLANT CITY PLANT CITY COMMONS COMMUNITY GARDEN PLANT CITY LIONS CLUB TREE WORKS LISA CLARDY

In a special dedication ceremony early Wednesday morning, the community gathered to observe a recently discovered headwater to the Tampa Bay Watershed that begins its journey right here in Plant City.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Something special can be found trickling through the trees at the Plant City Commons Community Garden and Botanical Treasure Garden.

At first glance, the small stream that hugs a bend in the trees at the end of a gravel walkway appears to be nothing more than a tranquil spot to reconnect with nature. A black snake slithers across a protruding root and birds chirp from their nests in the boughs above.

Below the ground, however, something even more miraculous is occurring.

Thanks to a combined effort from members of the garden and dedicated employees at the City of Plant City, it was recently discovered that small trickle is actually one of the many headwaters that contribute to the Tampa Bay Watershed. Sharon Spires, an employee with the City of Plant City’s Water Resource Management Department, spent hours nearly every weekend tirelessly working under the blazing summer sun to reveal the stream and carve out a serene clearing at the edge of the garden.

“Impressed by the beauty of this newly established feature,

my mind began to wonder where the water in this wetland goes and what contribution to the big picture does this wetland offer,” William Moriarty, member of the garden club and one of the spearheaders of the event, said.

“This curiosity led me to Al Miller, director of the City of Plant City’s Water Resource Management Department, who through his kind assistance, as well as Mr. Johnson, provided documentation that the water you see before you trickling eventually takes a 49-mile journey to Tampa Bay. Now I began to see the big picture this wetland plays every day. This wetland’s connection to Tampa Bay then got me thinking about the land management practices at the Botanical Treasure Gardens and all along this 49-mile journey to Tampa Bay has an effect not only locally, but regionally.”

The journey is long, but each drop of water that starts its trek in Plant City plays a key role in forming the watershed. Along the way it will flow beneath, through or into places like the East Canal, Blackwater Creek, the Hillsborough River, Lettuce Lake Park, Two Rivers Ranch and Tampa Bay. And it couldn’t have picked a more picturesque place to start.

The Plant City Commons Community Garden and Botani-

cal Treasure Garden is one of the community’s greatest hidden gems. Found right at the edge of the south side of the local Hillsborough Community College branch, 2001 E. Cherry St., the gardens are a welcome oasis to escape the hustle and bustle of the quickly changing town.

Prior to the ceremony, Moriarty led early arrivals on an elaborate tour of the garden, pointing out the purpose of every tree and revealing anecdotes of the many uses and histories of the foliage. Whether you’re an avid bird watcher, enjoy gazing at swarms of butterflies or find peace in identifying and soaking in a diverse set of wildlife, the gardens have the perfect outlet for you.

The goal has long been to preserve and restore natural Florida, a mission Community Gardens President Karen Bornstine has brought to life. Thanks to a variety of partnerships with the local community, including special projects by the 2019 Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Plant City Leadership class, the Plant City Lions Club, the Hillsborough County Soil and Water Conservation District and more, the garden continues to blossom both figuratively and literally.

As the tour came to a close, Moriarty brought the group to

the center of the garden. Blue tubs filled with plants and neatly trimmed trees fill the space. As peaceful as the gardens may be for attendees, this was where the it truly made an effort to give back.

Everywhere the attendees turned, they were surrounded by food. A banana tree, lemongrass, persimmon trees, fig trees, pomegranate trees, a variety of lowchill pear trees, a horseradish tree, a peach tree, several plum and apple trees and even tea plants were all proudly reaching their leaves toward the sun. And so much of what is collected is then given to those in need. Whether it’s the United Food Bank of Plant City or several local groups that feed the homeless and hungry, the garden gives away barrels of fresh produce every season.

A passion for growing is in their blood and their green thumbs have transformed the property into an Eden. On the other side of a section of vineyard that grows seven varieties of grapes are rows of decorated plats of dirt, miniature gardens for anyone who wishes to rent out the space to grow whatever they’d like. Flowers, produce and almost anything else is game and the community heavily utilizes the unique offering, filling up the rows with colorful plant life.

There’s always been something special, something nearly otherworldly about the garden. To discover it holds one of the starts of a life-bringing waterway only adds to its appeal.

During his speech to dedicate a sign indicating the existence of the headwater, Moriarty took a long moment to thank every single person who had gone out of their way to make this discovery possible. Motioning toward the trickling stream beside him, he smiled, pouring out his thanks for the support of the community and city and spending a moment to look ahead to the future of the garden.

“The result is what you see before you now, and that is a view into the world of natural Florida that up until then was not possible for those teaching in the garden,” Moriarty said. “I had no idea this existed until Sharon was wonderful enough to do this incredible work here. We had obliviously walked past this natural treasure several hundred times…

In essence, Sharon opened for all of us a portal that let us know we are now standing in the middle of our own acres of diamonds.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

PLANT CITY

This week on Cops Corner:

Observer

COPS CORNER

Plant City Police investigated a stolen gun, a stolen radio, a house fire with a burglary, stolen cash, cashing a stolen check

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

and more.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez

JULY 19 LEFT UNATTENDED 1500 block of Gotham Court Vehicle burglary: This complainant told officers that sometime during the night of July 18, someone entered his unlocked vehicle and removed his 9mm CPX1 Carbon Black handgun and its black leather holster from the center console.

TOLL-FARE 100 block of North Pearl Street Vehicle burglary: During the night of July 18, someone entered this complainant’s unlocked vehicle and removed a jar of change, which was valued at $25.

The complainant requested the incident be documented and then signed a waiver of prosecution.

a delayed structure fire and met with the victim and homeowner, who reported that after the fire was extinguished, she checked the home over and realized a television and a .38 revolver were missing from the home.

CAUGHT WITH A FLAT, HOW ‘BOUT THAT? 300 block of West Grant Street Criminal mischief: This complainant reported to officers that, during an unknown time during the night of July 19, someone came up and punctured all four tires on his vehicle, causing all of them to go flat.

TRUCK ENVY 1800 block of East Calhoun Street Grand theft auto: This victim told officers their teal 1997 Ford F-150 with a Florida tag was stolen.

JULY 22 WEEKEND HEIST 1400 block of South Evers Street Business burglary: An employee of the coin laundry business at the above address reported that an unknown suspect broke down an interior door within the business between the days of July 19 and July 22. They stole a 32-inch television and fled the scene.

ROBBING THE DIAMOND 1300 block of West Dr. MLK Boulevard Grand theft: An employee at Diamond’s Farmer’s Inc. told officers that an unknown suspect entered the business and stole $1,712.50 in cash.

JULY 23

JUKEBOX HERO FOR FEAR OF ROACHES 2600 block of 1400 block of James L. Redman Parkway South Collins Street Grand theft: An unknown subject FULL OF HOT AIR Retail theft: Family Dollar emEdited byblock David 2019reported to police that on 1400 of Steinberg August 2, went into the store and removed ployees East Calhoun Street a radio and a set of speakers July 20, an unknown man stole ACROSS Set of 10 received Smooth two cans 40 Causing This victim from the shelf, which were valued 52Counterfeit: of Ant & Roach spray Moments of 1 $300. answers heatfrom the store. mischief, a $100 counterfeit bill for with a at more than They did sales transaction an (off) not pay for therevelation items and simply 53private Exacts 11 for Haul literally? airsoft pistol. The victim walked out of store.

TOOL THEFT(enter 5 the Zone revenge 12signed Namea that of theprint incident and sounds the bill like 1900 block of“up”ward) 9 Xerox 55waiver Famous was placed into evidence. a car James L. 42 Redman Parkway JULY 20 competitor maker?

Dancer’s 14 “Isn’t that 59 Lawn 13 Learn Vehicle burglary: jumpThis victim told officers six DeWalt 3x1 tool BLAZE OF GLORY something!” trimming through the 46black Opposite 1000 block15 of East Ohio Street Radio tools (Bonus grapevineboxes, which 49 contained Top of the$6,000 worth of miscellaneous tools, Burglary: Officers responded alphabet end to diagonal clue: 21 “I’m corp. ladder

Universal Crossword

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

were stolen from the inside of his van.

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JULY 25

Call (813) 704-6850

FINDING NEMO’S HOME 1000 block of Redbud Circle Theft: This victim told officers that aquarium equipment was stolen from her front doorstep the week prior to the report.

Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com

NOT SO BRILLIANT PLAN 2300 block of Thonotosassa Road Uttering forged check: Officers responded to an in-progress call.

Two subjects were attempting to cash a stolen check at Regions Bank. They were both arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail.

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

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CONTACT US

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

MCFLURRY RAGE 2600 block of Thonotosassa Road Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon: Officers rushed to the scene after receiving word a customer had pointed a gun at a McDonald’s employee.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

5

TWEAK TO CITY’S FINANCIAL POLICY LEADS TO RARE DIVIDED VOTE During the city’s budget workshop last week, Mayor Rick Lott suggested changing one sentence in the financial policy and increase a pocket of contingency funds to loosen the reigns on the city manager. FROM PAGE 1

File photos

A proposed change to the city’s financial policy led to a lengthy discussion last week during the first budget workshop.

Lott proposed they both reword page 35 in the city’s financial policy to allow City Manager Bill McDaniel to access the funds set aside for these types of issues and transfer them across departments within the general fund with ease and to increase the total funds available for his usage to $350,000. He also added the change would only be for one year, and then commissioners could reevaluate it and decide if they want to continue with the plan.

While Lott understood there are “silos” for a reason and certain funds cannot be used for unrelated issues and projects, he argued there must be a way to make the process simpler.

Every year, the city has $100,000 in its contingency fund. It’s only been touched once in four years, according to Lott, when Mike Herr was City Manager. It sits there mostly unused, but the policy in place does not allow the city manager to transfer funds from the special appropriations category. McDaniel can spend the money within that category but cannot transfer it to another fund.

“When you jump into a deep dive, you’ve got to be able to have the opportunity to make decisions, and to be able to have remedies, and to be able to have the opportunity to think out of the box a little bit because you’re div-

ing into an area that you haven’t been to yet,” Lott said. “I think all of us here every month, we sit here and we praise our city manager and so forth, but to me if he’s going to be able to deep dive I think we have to arm him with the opportunity to sit here at this time next year and say, ‘I had a deep dive and this is what we accomplished and this is what we have to do next year.’”

McDaniel attributes his passion for a “deep dive” back to his original interview for the position approximately a year and a half ago, when he told the city “quite bluntly at the time” that as great as it may be, “this is an organization that’s built for the past.” He was determined then to build an organization for the future, which he believes is best done by thoroughly examining every aspect of the city. He watched, learned, assessed and, in his mind, figured out the strengths and weaknesses in the city and set the direction he thinks it needs to go in to succeed.

This is a concept that goes down to the bare bones of the organization, from the structure the city utilizes to its day-to-day operating methods. And when he sees something that needs improvement, he wants to be able to dig in and make it as effective as it needs to be for success. To do so, there are a lot of hoops and hurdles he has to clear.

Referencing issues that were unearthed over the past few months, McDaniel briefly

explained the many steps and processes he had to go through to remedy them. Restructuring the city’s financial policies would help combat some of the issue by expediting the process.

The new wording of the sentence in question would become, “The city manger may transfer from the special appropriations category to any department within the general fund.” The contingency fund sits inside the special appropriations category, so if McDaniel is working in another department and sees a problem, he can pull from the funds and fix it.

If the issue at hand requires an RFP, procurement or any vote from commissioners, those policies must still to be followed. It just makes simple fixes something he can do at will.

The commissioners, however, had many questions about the proposed change. Commissioner Mary Mathis asked for specifics on where McDaniel actually needed the accessibility over the past year, then questioned Lott on why he thought it was necessary to increase the amount of funds in the pot for McDaniel to use.

Lott said they’ve always had that $100,000 available and while they rarely use it, the $250,000 “slush fund,” or the contingency fund, lets him use it

on a rainy day. He stressed he sees value in the change and believes wholeheartedly in “arming the city manager” so they don’t have to push all of the smaller items into the next year’s budget.

Commissioner Bill Dodson also asked for clarification.

“The question you’re really raising is, ‘Is there a need for the city manager to have access to a $350,000 value of a fund that’s within this prerogative to source on a need basis without asking of the city commission if it’s a viable use of the money?” Dodson said.

“Yet he would still report the spending of the money to whatever the amount is.”

For anything $50,000 and over, McDaniel would have to get commissioners’ approval. Anything $25,000 and over, he would have to report in a formal manner.

Dodson asked if a two-week delay — the approximate time it would take to get a topic before the city commission if McDaniel wanted to address an issue — had caused any problems in the past.

McDaniel said he never understood the comment to really be about time, but rather about having a line item that could deal with unforeseen adjustments. Referencing the unknown once again,

he said they would have no way of knowing what might come up throughout a fiscal year and that the change would merely help tackle the issue.

“If you don’t want to do this Commissioner Dodson I’m fine with it, OK?” Lott said. “I just can’t imagine myself being in the city’s manager’s shoes being asked to do a job — and I think he’s going to get it done no matter what because he’s a strong leader, an aggressive person, he’s determined, he has tenacity and I believe in him 100 percent — but my goal here was to arm him a little bit because I just believe if we gave him a little investment here, what could this guy do? OK?” After a few more minutes of discussion, the commissioners decided to vote on going forward with the alteration that night so it would be ready for upcoming budget meetings. It was approved 4-1, with Dodson being the lone dissenter.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE

GOES WEST FOR 2019 “Wrangle at Red Mountain Ranch” will be performed Aug. 16 at Bruton Memorial Library’s annual fundraiser dinner.

BRUTON MEM

ORIAL FRIEND

S OF THE LIBR

Presents a Myste

ARY

ryDinner Theater

FRIDAY, AUGU

ST 16 6:30 PM

Trinkle Center,12 06 No Park Ro ad, Plant City FL. rth 33563

COME DRESSE

D WESTERN S

Doors open at 5:4

5 pm

Plant City residents will soon get to do some detective work, old west style, thanks to this year’s Mystery Dinner Theatre play.

A lively group of locals will perform “Wrangle at Red Mountain Ranch,” written

by Nancy Bond, on Aug. 16 at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College. This year’s show is interesting as sort of a play within a play: people find themselves at a real dude ranch out west and, seeking to hash out their differences, they reenact the lives of cowboys from the old, wild west. But just when things seem to be going well, director Gail Lyons said, “several scalawags are caught lying like a rug. One pilgrim retaliates by taking out the worst scoundrel of all.” It’s up to you, the dinner guests, to solve this classic case of “Whodunnit?”

“Getting into character is fun, besides acting out on Facebook,” Michelle Valdes said. “This is the real thing. We’re doing it for real. From here, I think I’m gonna go to Broadway.”

The typical Mystery Dinner Theatre format is simple: the first half of the play is acted out, then guests eat dinner and make their predictions for the murderer and their weapon before the intermission ends and the rest of the play is performed.

Audience participation goes beyond that, though: guests are generally asked to come dressed in theme-appropriate attire, so the Friends of the Library board felt that was a part of “Wrangle at Red Mountain Ranch” residents could easily get into.

“We had a selection of four plays we could do and chose this because it’s very interactive with the audience and they liked the plot,” Lyons said. “It felt like it fit the Plant City community better than the others… everybody has blue jeans, cowboy hats and can come in country-western attire.”

This year’s cast members include Jon Poppell, Mike Floyd, Jeremy Rhoades, John Belcher, Steve Otto, Rob McClellan, Carmen Brownlee, Shanna Kennedy, Sharon Moody, Valdes and Billy Herold. Lyons is directing, Amy Nizamoff is producing and George Domedion is the production manager.

The cast has been rehearsing since early July, typically at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, and one of the hardest parts about it has been keeping a straight face while reading their parts in the gut-busting script.

75

$

TYLE!!

“It’s been fun,” Moody said. “This is my first time acting in a play. It’s been a pleasure to get into the role of being the owner and operator of the ranch.”

The fundraiser dinner is hosted annually by the Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library and was started in 1999 by Dr. Hal Brewer. It’s the biggest annual fundraising event the group has and all proceeds go to the library’s summer children’s programming, extra activities and other services available throughout the year.

“It’s always lots of fun and lots of laughs,” Tonda Morris, Bruton’s director of library services, said. “It’s amateur, but it’s fun. I’ve always enjoyed it. I’ve done it in other libraries, too, and I think it’s a great thing that really relates to what libraries are about.”

The dinner show is also meant to raise awareness about the wealth of services the library provides to the Plant City community, all accessible with just a library card.

It’s not just a place to go read or check out a book, after all. Card-holders can use the Internet and check out mobile hotspots, which the library is hoping to add more of in coming months. In a month or so, they’ll be able to take laptops from a new self-serve kiosk anywhere in the library for added privacy. Those with kids can take advantage of numerous programming options to keep them both engaged and educated, and even something as simple as story time comes with several time options to accommodate the schedules of just about any parent or guardian. There’s more, of course, but the library is planning to debut a fun video the staff made during the intermission to show people firsthand what it can do.

“A lot of people, because of e-books and digital resources, they don’t realize the library’s still going strong,” Morris said. “People come in every day. We have about 14,000 visitors a month. We still do story times. We show people how to get their e-books on our Libby app… I think it’s great for making people aware of what the library’s doing today and how services have changed.”

911 Catering is handling the cooking duties for the dinner show, which runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $75 each and can be purchased at both the library and at Regions Bank. For more information about the Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library, visit brutonfriends.org.

You’re invited to a

GROUNDBREAKING E V E N T

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 10 AM Join us as we break ground on the new Watson Clinic Urgent Care South location slated to open in January 2020!

Light refreshments will be served.

Watson Clinic South

1033 N. Parkway Frontage Rd.

www.WatsonClinic.com/UCSouth

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

CUTEST CRITTER Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are? Send your pictures to Staff Writer Breanne Williams at bwilliams@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

LEGION HONORED

FOR TOP RANKING YOUTH MEDAL PROGRAM

Plant City’s American Legion Post was just named the winner of the Best Post School Medals Program at the state national convention for the second year in a row.

Breanne Williams

Ray Cliburn with the Legion’s back-to-back awards.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

GYPSY: Gypsy, the beloved pet of Kelly Everhart, has a soul for adventure. Even though she’s no longer a tiny puppy she still loves to climb up and balance her large body on the thin arm of the couch. It’s quite an accomplishment and thus worth the battle.

ONLINE

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The American Legion’s Plant City post, the Norman McLeod Post 26, once again was honored for its dedication to local youth at the Legion’s Florida State Convention in Orlando this July.

For the second year in a row, Plant City was named the top Post in Florida for its school awards program. Though the Norman McLeod Post prides itself on pouring back into local youth, representatives said they were shocked to hear their name called once again from the podium the night the award was announced.

There are approximately 400 American Legion posts throughout the state of Florida and, while not every branch participates in the annual American Legion School Medal Award Program, a large quantity do. The program asks school administrators and staff to select two students, a boy and a girl, from that year’s graduating class who exemplify courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship and service.

They are then presented with a medal, which is the highest honor awarded by the Legion to youth. A representative from the region, usually Ray Cliburn, attends each school’s scholarship and award night and surprises the students during the ceremony. Cliburn was instrumental in bringing the program back into life at the branch in Plant City.

“I really enjoy going to the schools and presenting the award on their award night,” Cliburn said. “We have our uniform we wear and we get on the agenda and do our little speech introducing the program,

and the students don’t know until that moment that they’re chosen. This year, when I made my presentation, I made the point that the Post is 100 years old and joked that I’m not a founding member.

I’m not old enough yet, but I plan to stay involved as long as I have the health.”

Cliburn himself was a recipient of the award back in 1947 and 1950, and said receiving it was an honor he still values to this very day. In fact, the medals are still on display in his home. Because of his fond memories, when he became active with the Plant City Post and discovered the program was no longer up and running, he volunteered to help restore it to its former glory and continue the tradition of impacting the lives of local students.

Obviously the hard work of the Legion members paid off, as it’s snagged the honor of top school program in back-to-back years.

Plant City’s Legion is just getting started, Cliburn said, and as this is the 100th anniversary of the American Legion, the local branch will show off its many accomplishments and highlight some of its dedicated veteran members during a special ceremony on Veterans Day. Several highlighted veterans will speak about their experiences at the event and there will be a unique ceremony in honor of the special day.

The Legion will mail out approximately 100 letters inviting both prospective members and their inactive members to come out and see what is happening right here in Plant City.

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

STOMPING GROUND Keel and Curley Winery has invited patrons to make their own sangria for an upcoming event.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

They say you can tell a lot about a wine by looking at its legs. These days, though, Keel and Curley Winery has been interested in yours.

The winery has hosted several summer grape stomp events where patrons could pay to brave the slimy, squelchy sensations of the grape and citrus-filled buckets all afternoon. On June 1 and July 27, stompers came out in waves to kickstart the process of limited-edition wine and sangria that they’ll be able to try and buy later.

“Usually we’re pressing fruit with mechanical presses, but this gives people a chance to really get involved with our wine,” Keel Farms director of operations Jacob Stills said.

The July 27 stomp, which was all about sangria, got people into the buckets to mash up a blend of the winery’s grapes and blueberries, navel oranges and limes.

It also featured wine samples from the June 1 stomp, which was so successful the winery decided to scrap the idea of doing it once a year in favor of doing it more frequently.

“We had weeks of people asking, ‘When are you doing it again?’” Stills said.

“There’s a lot of joy. Everyone gets up there and they’re not sure at first. It’s cold. It’s slimy. When they get done, there’s just the biggest smiles.”

Many stompers, like first-timer Patrick Lucas, were excited to get in the bucket and get up close and personal with their sangria.

“It’s a little cold at first, shocking on the toes, but after a while it kind of feels like you’re stepping on a squishy little jelly ball,” Lucas said. “It’s good fun. I wanted to sample it when I was stomping on it. It looked pretty good… as long as I’m drinking mine, it’s OK.”

For other people, what Stills jokingly calls “foot-gria” is going to be an automatic hard pass just because of the initial production method. But Stills and the winery have been diligent to make sure absolutely nothing gross from the stompers’ feet actually makes it into the final product.

“So we do wash everyone’s feet with a no-rinse sanitizer, but before we do anything with the wine it gets a sulfide bath,” Stills said. “Similar to how they clean fruit before you eat it, before it gets to you. That way, it will kill off anything that wants to grow in the wine before we put in the yeast, which we want to grow. And the fermentation, that’s gonna be the predominant organism in there and it’s gonna kill off everything that wants to infect it.”

The only sickness anyone could get from it would likely involve a hangover.

The winery is making the sangria for its Aug. 24 Sangria Night, which is when the stompers will finally be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The festival will also feature an outdoor Latin market with Cuban and Mexican food, hand-rolled cigars and more.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Stills said.

To hear about upcoming events and get tickets for future grape stomps, follow the winery on Facebook at facebook.com/ KCWinery.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH: ‘NO JUNK HERE’ Just because something is labeled as “trash” or “junk” doesn’t mean it’s not salvageable.

DR. DANIEL MIDDLEBROOKS

What do you do with your trash? If you are like me, you try to just get rid of it any way you can.

Growing up, we would put it on a pile near the corner of our land and burn it.

That is, until some report came out claiming we were making holes in the ozone, so we stopped it — sort of. Now it is pushed out to landfills, recycling plants, and the like. Yet it still is just trash, and we discard it and think nothing of it.

However, I found a story about two men that were helping to give trash another chance. On the edge of Cateura, Paraquay, Favio Chavez, an environmentalist and church choir director, and Nicolas Gomez, a trash worker and skilled carpenter, are helping to turn a mountain of forgotten materials into an orchestra of music. It came from a deep desire in Chavez to start a music school to help the kids of Cateura find hope in their often hopeless situations. With the help of these men, they are turning wash tubs into bass drums and old pipes into saxophones. While other musicians are tuning up their priceless mahogany cellos, these kids are tuning up combs, wires, and paint cans to play a recycled violin.

This extraordinary group of instrumentalists was formed in the garbage-filled slums in Paraguay’s capital, Asuncion.

The Cateura district has been the home, or what we could describe as home, of the poorest in Latin America. Many of the resi-

dents, mostly children, scavenge the rows of rubbish and pull out items that they sell at pennies per pound to help earn some money to eat. Now they are making music for millions.

Since their story broke, maestros came to tutor them, organizations worked to sponsor them and people from the United States have enjoyed listening to them.

They have played with Stevie Wonder and for the Pope. They are called the “Recycled Orchestra of Cateura” or “The Landfill Harmonic.”

Others would say it is a miraculous story from trash to triumph. I would call them an incredible picture of grace. Why do I say that?

Let me ask you this question. Have you ever felt like the rubbish described in the story above — discarded, devalued, unloved, forsaken and forgotten? If so, I have one word for you: Rahab.

During the last month, I have been preaching through the book of Joshua and was reminded what grace looks like in the life of this woman. If you read her story, you will see she was a woman living in sin, a pagan walking in darkness and a Canaanite destined for destruction. Yet God reached out to her and saved her and her family from the coming wrath of Joshua and the million-plus army of Israel.

You know the place: Jericho. I bet you also remember the song from Vacation Bible School. To call Jericho a bad place would be to call Florida’s summer “tepid.”

It was filled with debauchery, child sacrifices and hundreds of other deeds that created a darkness that permeated the castle walls. Yet within the darkest of hearts there was one that had a spark of faith: Rahab.

Imagine the surprise of the two spies to hear her words when she hid them from the King’s men: “…for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below” (Joshua 2:11). Imagine finding faith in a brothel. That is what the spies found and that is what you can find in your mountain of mistakes and piles of painful decisions that checker your past.

Long before she came face-to-face with the spies, Rahab came face-to-face with God and the answer to her question, “God, am I worth saving?” God moved heaven and earth to get to Rahab. He would have done the same for the rest of those within Jericho but no one else was looking or asking. My friend, if the God of all the universe was willing to do that for Rahab the harlot, why would He not do it for you? You are not too far gone, too bad, too messed up, too… anything. Her story can be your story.

It was not just from trash to triumph, but from the house of shame to the hall of fame.

In Hebrews 11:31, she is listed in Heaven’s roll call of saints. After Jericho, she married Salmon of Israel and gave birth to a son Boaz. Boaz married Ruth and gave birth to Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse who was the father of King David. Joseph, who married Mary, was of the house and lineage of David. Mary gave birth to Jesus. Imag-

ine that. A woman with that past found in the crimson line of our Lord. That is what brings the greatest hope for us all.

Five of the eight times Rahab’s name is mentioned in the Bible, she is called “Rahab the harlot.” Her previous profession became her redemptive confession that God does not make junk, only a masterpiece in progress. The primary question is, are you willing to give God the junk in your life and let Him make it an instrument of His righteousness? If you do, you will be tutored by the greatest maestro in all the universe to play the most majestic of musical pieces: the song of salvation. Are you ready to turn your landfill life into something more?

Dr. Daniel Middlebrooks is the Senior Chaplain of First Call Church and the CEO/President of Chaplaincy Care, Inc.

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

STUFF THE CONTINUES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY

11

BUS

Each year, the Kiwanis Club holds a school supply drive that delivers thousands of supplies to local schools.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Many local students don’t need to worry about entering a school year without the proper supplies thanks to efforts from the community to “Stuff the Bus.” The Kiwanis Club’s annual drive opens its doors to the community and many local organizations step up to the plate to assist

Photos by Breanne Williams

Volunteers poured into Stingray Chevrolet to assemble the backpacks early Monday morning.

the group in acquiring the massive amounts elementary schools on their list on top of of school supplies. This year, Unity in the the variety of backpacks.

Community gave $10,000 for the project Each bag is full of items needed for a sucand Stingray Chevrolet gave $1,000 to help cessful school year including pencils, noteprovide the large quantity of items required books, crayons, journals, paper and more. to pull off the elaborate project.

The program will deliver at least 40 book This year alone, there are approximate- bags per school, and those bags will then ly 1,250 backpacks fully assembled to be be distributed to students in need via the delivered to 28 schools of all levels and theB:10”school’s guidance counselors.

Lots of Hugs summer program. This yearT:10” Early Monday morning, volunteers from the group is also delivering jackets to all 18S:10”Plant City High School’s Key Club, Little

Miss Plant City and Kiwanis gathered at Stingray Chevrolet to assemble the bags in a donated room upstairs. Massive piles of the donated items were neatly organized by school and the students quickly combed through the inventory.

The bags were delivered this morning to the schools and will be ready when students pour through the doors later this month.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019 CBC1260170 / MRSR1611

Nearly all of downtown Plant City came together to celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday yesterday, drawing festive shoppers to the heart of Plant City.

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In honor of the “Boy Who Lived,” downtown Plant City whipped up some magical treats and deals for muggles and wizards alike.

Whenever there’s a special holiday, whether it be Harry Potter’s birthday or May the Fourth Be With You, Greg Williams, owner of Brick City Bricks, loves going above and beyond to celebrate with his community.

This year, his neighboring businesses joined in the festivities. At Brick City Bricks, shoppers were invited to test their fate with individual Sorting Hat cupcakes.

Hidden beneath the red icing and chocolate cake was a core of one of four icing colors. If your cupcake held a red center you were Gryffindor, green was Slytherin, yellow was Hufflepuff and blue was Ravenclaw. The store also had a massive Harry Potter book-themed cake.

Tub Treats had colorful goat milk soaps that featured each individual house as well as the Hogwarts emblem, the Sorting Hat and the Platform 9 3/4 sign. Next door were frogs of milk and white chocolate, thankfully non-hopping, at the Kandy Shoppe and kids rushed to get their hands on the sweet critters.

Across the tracks, Krazy Kup blended up heavily sought-after butterbeer brews for the muggles with a sweet tooth.

Nearly every store downtown, ranging from Tacos Piki to Mr. Sebas and Miss Ruby’s Antiques, participated in the event with unique deals and discounts during business hours.

And the community showed its support.

Witches and wizards in Hogwarts-issued

robes darted in and out of buildings all day and wands were tight in hand in case they stumbled across any dementors and needed the aid of their trusty Patronus.

With the continued success of the themed events, Williams said he hopes to see downtown hold Halloween and Christmas-themed, block-wide celebrations as well.

Courtesy photos

Businesses went all out in honor of Harry Potter’s birthday and the community joined them in the festivities.

AUGUST 1, 2019

SPORTS

PC NATIVES TO TAKE THAILAND

BY DRAGON BOAT

Bob and Donna Hobkirk will compete in the 2019 IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships later this month.

Photos courtesy of Donna Hobkirk

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Plant City is about to be well-represented on one of the biggest stages in the world of dragon boat racing.

Bob and Donna Hobkirk, both Plant City natives and Plant City High School alumni, are competing with Team USA in Pattaya, Thailand at the 14th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships from Aug. 20-25. It’s Bob Hobkirk’s second international stint with Team USA and Donna Hobkirk’s first.

The couple has been involved with the sport since 2003, when they joined TECO’s team in that year’s International Dragon Boat Festival in Tampa. As dedicated athletes and lovers of Mother Nature, the sport was perfect for them. And as they got older, dragon boat racing proved to be something they could continue to do competitively and have a lot of fun with.

“For people our age, there’s not many other team sports,” Donna Hobkirk said.

“They do have adult softball and things like

that but since I can’t run anymore, my team sports are pretty limited.”

The couple has since relocated to Satellite Beach, just four miles from where they practice with their regular team, Heart & Soul Dragon Boat Paddlers.

Staying in shape has never been an issue for the Hobkirks. Both have always been heavily involved in sports, even from a young age. At PCHS, Bob Hobkirk played football and ran track while Donna was a member of the cheerleading team. Bob Hobkirk competed in Plant City’s “Superstars” athletic competition in his 20s and once won the event. They biked more than 1,800 miles completing the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route in 2017, and have competed in numerous running races, triathlons and Ironman events.

They currently train anywhere from 10 to 15 hours per week by land and sea and always find time for workouts at Anytime Fitness during their frequent travels. In addition, the Team USA coaching staff keeps everyone on their toes at all times.

“Our coach kept the pressure on us,” Bob Hobkirk said. “Plus, about a month ago, we

had to submit a 1,000-meter time trial. We were doing all this to stay in condition.”

Bob Hobkirk is back with the Team USA after last making the cut in 2015 for the championship series in Welland, Ontario, Canada. Donna Hobkirk planned to try out in 2017 but fell ill on the day of tryouts.

This is the first time both have tried out and made the cut in the same year, though they found out at different times: Bob Hobkirk learned in February he had made the cut, while Donna Hobkirk’s coach confirmed her spot in May. “They wanted to make sure everyone was in peak condition, so they didn’t want to tell you ahead of time,” she said. “They found that sometimes people lallygagged a little bit after they found out.”

The Hobkirks will compete in 200-meter, 500-meter, 1K and 2K races in Pattaya.

Bob Hobkirk said the US senior men’s and women’s teams have never won a gold medal in the championships, so they’re hoping they’ll be able to help change that later this month.

They’ll make the 30-hour flight from Orlando to Thailand on Aug. 14, spend a

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

Young athletes need not be afraid to make their own mental health a priority, regardless of outside opinion. SEE PAGE 15

few days taking in the sights before practices start and then start competing for real after the Aug. 20 opening ceremony.

14

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Quick Hits This weekend, Plant City will host the Youth National Championship football tournament at Ellis-Methvin Park. From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, teams from the YNC’s Southeastern Conference will duke it out for preseason glory in divisions ranging from 6U to 14U. The YNC tourney styles its top prize as an “undisputed” national championship, though numerous other leagues host national championship tournaments. For more information, visit youthnationalchampionship.com.

Next weekend, Ellis-Methvin Park and the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex will host the 2019 Florida Elite Football & Cheerleading Kickoff Classic.

Twenty of the league’s 22 teams will compete Aug. 10 and 11 with start times of 9 a.m. (6U), 10:30 a.m. (8U), 12 p.m.

(10U), 1:30 p.m. (12U) and 3:30 p.m.

(14U). The cost to attend is $10 per person for adults and $5 per child. Florida Elite Football and Cheer consists of teams from the greater Tampa and Orlando areas, as well as Ocala.

Both Global Sports Alliance Baseball’s Summer Sizzler tournament and the Plant City Dolphins’ summer jamboree were rained out last week and neither organization is planning to reschedule the event.

The GSA’s next tournament in Plant City will be the Summer Slam (Aug. 17-18) and the Dolphins will begin regular-season action at home Aug. 10 against the Seffner Seahawks.

TRI-COUNTY FOOTBALL, CHEER SEASON BEGINS NEXT WEEK Tomorrow’s stars of the gridiron and the cheerleading mat don’t have long to wait before the Tri-County Youth Football and Cheerleading Conference regular season starts back up.

All teams will begin their 2019 campaigns on Aug. 10 and, weather permitting, will play every Saturday with the exception of Aug. 30. Kickoff times for 2019 are 9 a.m. (Mighty Mites), 10:30 a.m.

(Pee-Wees) 12 p.m. (Midgets), 2 p.m. (Junior Varsity) and 4 p.m. (Varsity). Though none of the Plant City-area teams are scheduled to host games during the first and second round of playoffs, the Plant City Dolphins are set to host the Superbowl championship games on Nov. 16 and the Turkey Creek Trojans will host the Cheer-Off championships on Oct. 26.

Visit webmaster672.wixsite.com/tcyfcc for more information.

SIGN UP FOR TOPSOCCER The Outreach Program for Soccer (TOPSoccer) is hosting sign-ups soon and Plant City-area players are welcome to join.

The Brandon-based league, which caters to special needs players age 5 and up, will begin registering players Aug. 9 at the West Florida Flames Soccer League fields, 3104 S. Kings Ave., Brandon. Athletes can sign up from 6 to 7:30 p.m. during two Friday/Saturday periods: Aug. 9 and 10, then Aug. 16 and 17. Both Friday registration sessions run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the Saturday sessions run from 9 to 11 a.m.

All players are required to have a copy of their IEP at registration. High schoolers and adults interested in volunteering are asked to attend one of the registrations.

TOPSoccer uses a “relaxed format” with no practices, scorekeeping or team standings and rankings. The program is free for families thanks to sponsors’ support. The season begins Sept. 7 and ends Nov. 16.

For more information, call Ken Muzyk at (813) 657-5271 or email Fred Englehardt at brandontops@aol.com. TOPSoccer also has a Facebook page, facebook. com/BrandonTOPSoccer, that is updated regularly.

FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE If the “spark” from working out is gone, you can still reignite it.

So, you’ve tried different gyms. Maybe you have taken a few jogs around the block, tried searching home workouts online or downloaded exercise apps to your phone, but you haven’t quite found “the one” yet.

It’s hard to put yourself out there, especially if it’s been a long time, but once you find your true love, working out won’t feel like work.

Think about what you already love to do and choose exercises that you enjoy, that you can fit into your lifestyle and that include positive people.

Do you like being outdoors? If so, walking, biking or running might be for you. Swimming is also great exercise. If you already go for walks, amp them up by walking faster, longer or adding short bursts of running to get your heart rate up. It’s a good idea to have alternatives for those days when the weather just doesn’t cooperate, such as riding a stationary bike.

Be sure to vary your routine to keep things interesting. Doing the same thing day after day can get boring and also lead to overuse injury. Maybe you need the comfort of an air-conditioned gym with lots of equipment to vary your workouts.

Does your exercise fit your lifestyle? If you are not a morning person, chances are that 5 a.m. class before work is not something you will be able to make a

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long-term commitment to. If you have children, you might choose a gym that provides childcare while you exercise. If you have a busy schedule, you might need to schedule time to fit in your workout, whether it’s during your lunch break or while the kids are at soccer practice.

Also, we all know long-distance relationships never last. Choose a gym close to where you live or work so you can keep to a regular routine.

Exercise with a friend or friends. Finding the motivation to exercise can be difficult, but including friends can make it more fun. It’s also a great way to hold each other accountable. This might mean walking in the morning with a neighbor, joining a sports team, running with a run club or making new friends in a group exercise class.

Whichever option works for you, remember that a lasting relationship takes time to build. Start slow, be patient with yourself, and once you fall in love with exercising, you won’t want to be without it.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

JUSTIN KLINE

WORK HARD, BUT DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF I can’t believe it’s already August. It seems like the graduation ceremonies happened just a week or two ago, yet now we’re only 11 days away from going back to school.

It’ll be nice to get back into the groove with school sports happening every week.

I’m sure a lot of you athletes feel the same way. As nice as summer vacation is, it’s good to have this excitement back again.

Maybe I’m a little inspired by the newfound focus on mental health the state is going for within the education system.

Regardless of how well you think it’s being implemented (which we won’t go into here), I’m glad the attitude toward mental health has progressively gotten better since I was in high school and more people than ever are recognizing their problems are not things that should be hidden away from the world at all times.

This is far from the first time I’ve decided to write an advice column, but I do have something different than usual to say to our athletes before we head into the 2019-20 school year.

Sure, this advice could apply for pretty much everyone. We all need a break sometimes and we shouldn’t be afraid to take it. I’m singling out athletes in this column, though, because their schedules are busier than that of most kids and they’re also at risk of having more people in their lives try to hammer home bad mental health habits (i.e. control freak coaches in addition to overzealous parents).

Playing fun athletic games for a living can be way harder on the mind than people realize. Then when you decide you’ve had enough, it’s not uncommon for folks to think less of you for walking away. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you have more control over your future than you may know. It’s yours to shape as you see fit.

Making the best possible future for yourself often requires putting in a lot of hard work, but it’s not possible without your effort. People can also talk all they want about your future and their expectations for it, but if you know that’s not what you’ll be happiest doing, you will have the option to get out of it. Whatever you want to do on the playing field, in practice or wherever, make sure you’re doing it only for yourself and for the people in your life who care about you.

And if you do have the desire to succeed in sports — which I hope you do, biased as my opinion as a sportswriter may be — you need to make sure you’re not going through the motions out there at a great cost to yourself. Don’t forget to make some time for yourself every so often.

I’m not here to tell you to slack off of your studies or athletic duties and get lazy, but don’t get so caught up in trying to be perfect at everything that you lose sight of what it is to be a kid and have fun.

The road you’ll travel constantly stressing yourself out working toward goals that have no real end in sight, goals that just seem more like extra objectives tacked on to your list than actual rewards you’ll get joy from, leads to a dead end. If you don’t ever let loose from time to time, you might wind yourself up so tight with other people’s expectations that you just suffocate.

It really sucks when you feel like you’ll never get out of your work cycle and start to take it to heart when people around you say you have to do it or else you’ll be a failure in life. Living in constant fear makes you more likely to resent whatever you’re doing, even if you used to love it.

And if you tell someone they’re destined for failure often enough, no matter how you choose to frame it, they’ll eventually believe it. That’s how you go from anxiety to depression in a straight line.

You have to have some kind of escape to keep you sane, whatever that may be.

If you don’t feel like you have something you can do to relieve the pressure, or if you feel like finding any downtime to even think about that is impossible, don’t be afraid to go talk to a coach, teacher, counselor or some other figure in your life whom you trust. They can help you.

You’re by far the most important person in your athletic career. Treat yourself the way you need to be treated and give yourself the best chance to win.

Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Observer.

Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

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CREST SENIORS BACK TO BASSMASTER NATIONALS “Team Chase and Chase” will represent the Chargers at the 2019 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series National Championship.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

For the second year in a row, Chases Hubble and Givens — “Team Chase and Chase” — are going for national championship gold at the high school level.

The incoming Strawberry Crest seniors are getting ready to head to Paris, Tennessee, for the 2019 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series National Championship on Lake Kentucky. This year’s tournament runs from Aug. 8-10 and, now that the boys know exactly what they’re in for, they’re hoping lessons learned from 2018 can help them land the big one.

Last year was the first time Hubble and Givens fished together. What started as a couple of buddies fishing Walden Lake together ended with a trip to Lake Kentucky to fish in deep fresh water for the first time ever. They didn’t make it to the third day of the tournament, but both anglers enjoyed the experience and made note of things they could improve upon for the future.

“We just kind of followed our Florida techniques up there because that was all we knew,” Givens said. “Pre-fishing up there and fishing last year opened our eyes to more that we don’t really have down here.”

With a full season of team experience to draw from, the Chases said this season was noticeably different in several ways.

“It was a lot better this year,” Hubble said. “We worked a lot better this year together, but competition was tougher.

It was a lot harder to go back, but we’re going back.”

The Chases enjoyed another successful season in 2019, especially a strong showing at a Florida High School Series tournament on the St. Johns River in late February. They knew almost immediately it would be a good tournament when luck went their way within 45 minutes of getting on the water on Feb. 23. By its end, they had a second-place finish locked up.

“We pulled up (at St. John’s River) in the morning to the first spot and caught two big fish,” Hubble said. “Then we knew it was our day.”

They became one of 16 Florida teams to qualify for the 2019 national championships and haven’t wasted any effort preparing. They’ve already been back to Paris to pre-fish, test different methods and talk to the locals for any advice they could get.

Now that they know the best types of bait to use, improved their flipping and reads and have picked up some finesse for their techniques, Team Chase and Chase is ready to go and wants to make a big splash.

“I’d like to finish top 20 out of 280, 300,” Givens said. “That would be nice.

Find some solid fish and have a good time.”

Anyone interested in sponsoring Team Chase and Chase can contact Christa Hubble at christa.d.hubble@citi.com.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUT 1, 2019

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Mark Boothe “Keyzville,” 48, of Lithia, born on July 7, 1971 in Tampa, entered into eternal rest on July 23, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Van Ryan Breuggeman

Van Ryan Breuggeman, 33, of Tampa, born on Nov. 22, 1985 in Brandon, entered into eternal rest on July 24, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at Hopewell funeral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Brenda Joyce Howard Brenda Joyce Howard, 68, of Plant City, born on May 23, 1951, entered into eternal rest on July 26, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Adam Donald Stanton

Bruce Vincent Galloway

Adam Donald Stanton, 36, of Dover, was born April 3, 1983 in Tampa. He entered into Heaven to enjoy eternal life on July 14, 2019.

He graduated from Durant High School in 2001. Adam was a family man and loved his precious baby, Ruby Anne and his fiance Melissa Olson of McIntosh, FL. He loved life and helping people.

He is survived by his loving mother, Janell Surrency of Plant City, FL; father, Donald Bruce (Jake) Stanton and (Mary) of Hollywood, FL; sister, Lori A. Stanton-Short of PA.: brothers Joshua Stanton of CO, Perry Lane of Plant City, FL, Joseph Stanton of Hollywood, FL and step-brother Craig Rogers of CO. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. at Countryside Baptist Church of Dover, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to cover expenses can be mailed to J. Surrency 1808 James Redman Pkwy. #109 Plant City, FL 33563.

Mr. Bruce Vincent Galloway, 94, passed away on July 21, 2019.

He was a proud resident of Plant City for 60 years. The only son of Vincent and Iva Harmelink Galloway, he was born in Dewittville, New York on March 14, 1925.

He is pre-deceased by his wife of 64 years, Miriam MacFarland Galloway and his sons, Rodney Bruce Galloway and David Hugh Galloway.

He is survived by his daughter, Virginia Galloway McLeod, his sister, Naomi Bloomstran, his daughters-in-law, Barbara Hart Galloway and Lisa Gideon Galloway. Six grandchildren: Tara Galloway Lueck, Sarah Galloway Schibler, Robert James Galloway (Candace), Ian Stewart McLeod, Grant Cameron McLeod (Fae) and James Vincent Galloway. lorist Two nieces and eight greatgrandchildren.

The family he leaves behind and those he joins in Heaven are a testament to what a loving man he was. A member of the greatest genera287464-1

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

tion, Mr. Galloway was a veteran of World War II, serving in the European Theater of Operations. After returning from the war, he attended the University of Florida and graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering. After graduation, he started his career with the Celanese Corporation in Rome, Georgia.

In 1959, he moved his family to Plant City for a job with Coronet Industries, where he spent the balance of his career in the phosphate and mining industry. He spent the next 60 years dedicating his time to his family, community and church.

He loved to golf and fish, especially with his sons and was a member of several organizations dedicated to giving back.

He was a member of the Kiwanis and the First Presbyterian Church and was always ready to lend a hand. But perhaps his proudest achievement was serving as a Director of the Florida Strawberry Festival. You could find him on his scooter every year, traveling the grounds and surveying all the booths, rides and visitors with a smile.

He was a kind, gentle man who always had a strong

17

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

handshake and some warmth to share.

His impact on the community was subtle but far reaching. He wasn’t one to garner attention for his deeds, the fact that they were done with love and care was enough. What better tribute than to say “he will be missed”.

There will be a memorial Saturday, Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Plant City located at 404 W. Reynolds St.

OBITUARIES

Mark Boothe ‘Keyzville’

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Imogene Creamer Imogene Creamer, 87, of Williston, and formerly of Plant City, born on May 9, 1932 in Rome, GA, went to be with the Lord on July 26, 2019.

Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

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

Historic Downtown

FAMILY. COMMUNITY. COMPASSION. VALUE. FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971 HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

OBITUARIES

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Don T. ‘Tommy’ Johnson Don T. “Tommy” Johnson, 72, of Plant City, entered into eternal rest on July 25.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Jackie Alderman Jackie Alderman, 58, passed away on July 22, 2019.

Services were held July 29, 2019 at Haught Funeral Home.

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

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

Rudolph Harrison

Rudolph Harrison, a former resident of Plant City and local business owner, passed away Monday, July 22, 2019 at the age of 84 years and 11 months.

Services were held July 27, 2019 at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.

Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www. haught.care.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

THURSDAY, AUG. 1 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

YOUR CALENDAR

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BEST BET SATURDAY, AUG. 3 SGC BACK 2 SCHOOL CARNIVAL

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shekinah Glory Cathedral, 402 W. English St., is hosting its Back 2 School Carnival. All families, from parents to children, are invited to come out and be special guests. While your children play together with their peers, parents can sign up at our registration table to receive goodies for you and your family. There are no tickets for sale, however, this link can be used for preregistration: sgchurch.net.

E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its inaugural Family Game Night.

Bring your favorite game or borrow one of theirs. Play with your family or make some new friends and enjoy a sweet treat and a refreshing tea or energizing coffee.

CRAFT NIGHT OUT

7 p.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. is hosting its adult Craft Night Out. This month, they will make fish net-wrapped mason jars. This craft results in a beautiful décor piece or a wonderful gift. All supplies are provided. Registration is necessary. Please register online. Funded by the Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library. For adults 18 years old and up.

FRIDAY, AUG. 2 BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS AT KEEL FARMS

11 a.m. Don’t get the “Back to School Blues.” Celebrate the end of summer at Keel Farms. They will have back to school specials for teachers as they start planning for another successful school year weekdays Aug. 2-9.

You must have your teacher ID for the promotional offers.

Check the event’s Facebook page for more details.

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.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE

FAMILY GAME NIGHT

1 to 3 p.m. Springhead Baptist Church, 3106 S. Wiggins Road, is

5:30 to 8:13 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101

1 p.m. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 302 Carey St., is now hosting a weekly Duplicate Bridge game, the most widely used variation of contract bridge in club and tournament play.

Contact Walt Arnold at 813-7521602 for more information.

SATURDAY, AUG. 3 BACK TO SCHOOL BASH

hosting a Back to School Bash.

There will be a big water slide, games, snacks, gifts and lots of fun.

“The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, HR 763.”

This legislation puts a price on carbon-emitting fuels.

BLUEGRASS JAM

READ WITH TANNER THE THERAPY DOG

7:33 to 10:33 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting its monthly Bluegrass Jam which is held the first Saturday of every month. This is an open invitation for local bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup Loft and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy.

6:30 p.m. Tanner the Therapy Dog comes to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., every Monday to listen to children read to him on the couch. Tanner is an Australian Shepherd Reading Therapy Dog certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. For children of all ages.

MONDAY, AUG. 5

TUESDAY, AUG. 6

PLANT CITY DAYBREAK ROTARY CLUB

NEW TEACHER COFFEE

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 in for a free breakfast.

PLANT CITY NETWORKING MEETING

7:45 to 9 a.m. Come on out to OnPoint CoWork Solutions, 1805 James L. Redman Parkway, for a unique networking opportunity. Join like-minded business professionals to build lasting relationships. The meeting begins promptly at 8 a.m. Bring plenty of business cards. Breakfast will be served.

PLANT CITY AREA DEMOCRATIC CLUB

6 p.m. The Plant City Area Democratic Club will meet at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St. All Democrats and interested progressives are welcome. Caroline Liberti, from the Tampa Citizens Climate Lobby, will be the speaker. She will discuss the legislation called

7:30 to 9 a.m. The annual event is hosted by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce to welcome teachers who are new to Plant City and eastern Hillsborough County. This is an invitation-only event and teachers are welcomed with breakfast and goodie bags from the community and local businesses to help them kick off the new year.

The event is held at the Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds TECO Expo Hall.

STORY TIME (TODDLER TIME)

10:30 a.m. Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., is hosting its weekly Story Time (Toddler Time) event. Stories and interactive activities make up this engaging 45-minute program that highlights early literacy skills and encourages reading readiness and social interaction. For children ages 2 to 3 years and their caregivers.

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 Drive. For more

information on membership, call 813-924-3829.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7 ASPIRE PC POWER HOUR

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join Aspire Plant City at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. Evers St., for its Power Hour event. This month features guest speaker J. Lenora Bressler, leadership and relationship speaker, author, and coach for Crystallizing Moments - Ensuring You Are Perceived the Way You Want.

Tickets are available online at aspireplantcity.org

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. Join Bonnie on the couch in the children’s section and read to her some of your favorite stories.

THURSDAY, AUG. 8 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.

IMPROV NIGHT

7:13 p.m. If you’re looking for unique entertainment, come on out to Improv Night at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.

Every night is a world premiere and the free event is open for attendees of all ages in the Krazy Kup Loft. Join some of the area’s finest improv artists as they use audience suggestions to create scenes and play improv games.

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I LOVE PLANT CITY

FORECAST THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 High: 89 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 50%

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 High: 85 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 50%

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

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SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, August 1

6:50a

8:18p

Friday, August 2

6:51a

8:17p

Saturday, August 3

6:52a

8:16p

Sunday, August 4

6:52a

8:16p

Monday, August 5

6:53a

8:15p

Tuesday, August 6

6:53a

8:14p

Wednesday, August 7

6:54a

8:13p

WEATHER

46 Shakespear9 Part of a 39 Verbal ACROSS ean play rural skyline explosions 1 Symbol in about silhouette 42 Hindu an Amazon a lover’s 10 Dawber of honcho review demise?

“Mork & 44 City known 5 It might be 50 2020 Mindy” for po’boys, Sendbridged your photo submissions to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com candidate 11 Sailor’s informally 8 They’re vile or hashtag onBiden Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature. 47 Screen star “Help!” on the#iloveplantcity Nile 51 “Always Be 13 Young Girl Sophia 12 Lamp type My Maybe” Scout 48 Jack of with blobs star Wong 14 Just picked “Some Like 13 To the point 52 Detritus at 20 Sock fillers It Hot” 15 Gabriella’s the bottom 21 Barely gets 49 Unwanted goodbye of the toy by, with “out” garage 16 Fives, in box?

24 Suppress growth old slang 59 Test score 25 Join together 52 Very dry 17 Less for a cheater, 26 Vegas venue, 53 Spot for a common if caught briefly ring or stud 18 Shade 61 Host a roast 27 Fire, to Maria 54 Pinnacle trees 62 A ___ in the 28 Computer 55 Ice-free, at 19 Sure sign bucket with Photos the bar that you’ve 63 X or Y, on 29 On your own 56 Big name in gained a graph 30 Popular Art Deco weight 64 Spanish for search 57 “Billy” since last “Enough!” engine follower summer?

65 Louisiana, 31 Skunk smell 58 Gets off the 22 Moo e.g., in Lyon 32 Excellent, in fence 23 Look for 66 Do some the ’90s 59 Actor Efron answers programming 36 Foul arbiter, 60 Skeleton 24 Winner of a 67 It might come for short head? condimentbetween 38 U.K. flyers spreading Venus and contest?

Serena 32 “Crepes of PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER 68 Uses a Wrath,” e.g.

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33 InFlemister ___ (as snapped a photo sprayer found) DOWN us on social media: @PCObserver on Instgram, 1 Beef quantity 34 Introductory ON L I N E Follow @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer 2 “Forbidden” course? on Facebook. fragrance 35 Top 3 Say with musical?

37 Film critic conviction with a 4 Fight in the famous backwoods s ear thumb 5 Tennis legend 32 y s s e 40 Salmon Steffi usin variety 6 Runs on In B 41 Daisy HBO, say look-alike 7 View through 43 Profit a knothole 45 Neither 8 Scored 7/31 © 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal partner 100% on www.upuzzles.com

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 High: 86 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 50%

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 High: 87 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 50%

BLUEBERRIES Shipping point: Central Florida $13-$16

Aug. 1 New

Aug. 15 Full

Aug. 5 First

Aug. 25 Last

RAINFALL Monday, July 22

0.19

Tuesday, July 23 0.17 Wednesday, July 24

0.52

Thursday, July 25 1.63 Friday, July 26

0.20

Saturday, July 27 0.00 Sunday, July 28

0.01

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2019 18.29 in.

2019 0.00 in.

2018 17.77 in.

2018 0.04 in.

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ACROSS 1 Symbol in an Amazon review 5 It might be bridged 8 They’re vile on the Nile 12 Lamp type with blobs 13 To the point 15 Gabriella’s goodbye 16 Fives, in old slang 17 Less common 18 Shade trees 19 Sure sign that you’ve gained weight since last summer?

22 Moo 23 Look for answers 24 Winner of a condimentspreading contest?

32 “Crepes of Wrath,” e.g.

33 In ___ (as found) 34 Introductory course?

35 Top musical?

37 Film critic with a famous thumb 40 Salmon variety 41 Daisy look-alike 43 Profit 45 Neither partner 46 Shakespearean play about a lover’s demise?

50 2020 candidate Biden 51 “Always Be My Maybe” star Wong 52 Detritus at the bottom of the toy box?

59 Test score for a cheater,

if caught 61 Host a roast 62 A ___ in the bucket 63 X or Y, on a graph 64 Spanish for “Enough!”

65 Louisiana, e.g., in Lyon 66 Do some programming 67 It might come between Venus and Serena 68 Uses a sprayer DOWN 1 Beef quantity 2 “Forbidden” fragrance 3 Say with conviction 4 Fight in the backwoods 5 Tennis legend Steffi 6 Runs on HBO, say 7 View through a knothole

8 Scored 100% on 9 Part of a rural skyline silhouette 10 Dawber of “Mork & Mindy” 11 Sailor’s “Help!”

13 Young Girl Scout 14 Just picked 20 Sock fillers 21 Barely gets by, with “out” 24 Suppress 25 Join together 26 Vegas venue, briefly 27 Fire, to Maria 28 Computer with Photos 29 On your own 30 Popular search engine 31 Skunk smell 32 Excellent, in the ’90s 36 Foul arbiter, for short 38 U.K. flyers 39 Verbal explosions 42 Hindu honcho 44 City known for po’boys, informally 47 Screen star Sophia 48 Jack of “Some Like It Hot” 49 Unwanted garage growth 52 Very dry 53 Spot for a ring or stud 54 Pinnacle 55 Ice-free, at the bar 56 Big name in Art Deco 57 “Billy” follower 58 Gets off the fence 59 Actor Efron 60 Skeleton head?

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

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