8.22.19 PLCO

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

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VOLUME 6, NO. 59

COMMISH ROUNDUP:

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

A public hearing for annexing more than 250 acres is now set for Sept. 23. Commissioners also approved contracts on several city projects.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Commissioners made several adjustments to the city budget last week and set the stage for a massive annexation public hearing on Sept. 23. The long awaited restroom facilities that were promised for the Dr. Hal and Lynn Brewer Park are officially on their way. The park opened in March 2014 and has since become one of the busiest destinations in the city.

People flock to the facility to walk the paved half-mile trail, meet up with friends and sit by the lake to watch the wildlife. Because of the heavy usage of the park, the city decided to add restrooms to the area. The city decided the most efficient method to bring the facilities to life was to create a pre-fabricated restroom building. The city manager was approved to execute a contract with CXT Incorporated, an L.B. Foster company, for the purchase and installation of a pre-fabricated restroom building last week during the commission meeting. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

CHEVELLE HALLBACK

IS BACK!

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Chevelle Hallback’s upcoming bout against Szilvia Szabados will be her first since 2014. SEE PAGE 13 PlantCityObserver.com

CHECK OUT THE 2019

FOOTBALL GUIDE IN SECTION B

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

2020 Florida Strawberry Festival theme announced It doesn’t take much hindsight to see why the Florida Strawberry Festival has lasted so long, and their vision of the future is now a little clearer. The festival announced the theme for 2020 on Tuesday morning. “Our Perfect Vision� will define the 85th festival, which will take place from Feb. 27 through March 8, 2020. “We’re seeing 20/20,� festival president Paul Davis said in a press release. “Be on the lookout for some world-famous headline entertainment, incredible new food items and vendors at this year’s festival.� The “bright future� of next year’s festival also starts with the annual redesign of the Mr. Berry mascot, which is now decked out with “2020� sunglasses, a fedora and a Snellen chart. An average of more than 500,000 visitors flock to Plant City for the festival

every year for concerts, ag shows, midway rides, tasty fair food and much more. “We look forward to seeing our guests and hope they will enjoy all the 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival has to offer,� Davis said. “It’s sure to be eye-catching.� Visit flstrawberryfestival.com for more information and follow the #berryfest20 hashtag on social media channels for more content.

HCSO rolls out new veterans program Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has launched a Veterans Resurgence Program at the Falkenburg Road Jail to help U.S. military veterans get back on their feet. The program, which launched Tuesday morning, works by “providing them with the guidance and resources necessary to reduce and eventually eradicate recidivism,â€? HCSO said in a news release. Mental health services, medical care, education and other VA services are being offered for

incarcerated veterans, who will also have access to a new veterans’ housing unit. “We hope that this program will help our veterans get back on the right track in life,â€? Chronister said. “By housing them with other veterans like themselves who may be experiencing PTSD, or other affects from serving our country, we hope that they can learn from one another, heal and grow together.â€?

Constitution Week to be recognized in PC The next Plant City commission meeting will be special for the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mayor Rick Lott is set to issue a proclamation recognizing Constitution Week, which will be accepted by DAR-Echebucsassa Chapter Regent Ann Swinford and Vice-Regent Marie Wunderlich. “There are two documents of paramount importance to American history: the Declaration of Independence, which forged our national identity, and the United States Constitution, which set forth the framework for the federal government

that is still in use today,� the DAR said in a news release. “While Independence Day is a beloved national holiday, fewer people know about Constitution Week, an annual commemoration of the living document that upholds and protects the freedoms central to our American way of life.� The DAR successfully petitioned Congress in 1955 to dedicate Sept. 17-23 to the commemoration of Constitution Week. “The framers created a Constitution that translated into law the ideals upon which our nation was built,� DAR President General Denise Doring VanBuren said. “Their vision was so forward-thinking that their words still guide us today. No American history education can be complete without a thorough understanding of the impact the Constitution has had on the lives of American citizens past and present.� The DAR has 3,000 chapters with more than 185,000 members in the United States and even has some international reach. Its mission is “to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service, and more.� Visit dar. org for more information on the group.

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

3Ίɺ˝͎ bǸijʲΊɺ Lakeland

625 Commerce Dr Suite 104 Lakeland, FL 33813

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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SOUL SURVIVOR

SOUL SURVIVOR

The Soul Survivor sermon series kicks off at City Pointe Church, 503 N. Palmer St., on Sept. 8. McIntosh is hosting a book signing at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., from 12 to 2 p.m. Aug. 24 and copies of the book will also be available at the church and on Amazon. You can also get involved with the Soul Survivors Club on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Scott McIntosh, pastor of City Pointe Church, survived a mass shooting 20 years ago at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Now he’s creating a book, sermon series and website to help others learn “how to survive the heartaches of life without losing your soul.” BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Scott McIntosh, pastor of City Pointe Church, is releasing a book, website and sermon series to help others who have walked through tragedy find freedom and healing. It’s a subject he’s all too familiar with. Sept. 15 is a day that will forever be ingrained in McIntosh’s mind. Five months after the country came to a halt with the Columbine shooting someone decided to strike again. McIntosh was a member of Wedgwood Baptist Church in 1999 when a man walked into the sanctuary and began shooting. He remembers the confusion and the pain of losing seven people who were gathered in the sanctuary, and watching as seven more were wounded before the gunman took his own life. He remembers the way the congregation opened its arms, embracing each other and trying to find peace in the darkness. He remembers the years that followed, the hard and winding journey he walked toward genuine healing. He remembers his faith being tested, hitting rock bottom and being faced with a brutal test of what he truly believed. When he flips on the news and sees another mass shooting has wrecked the lives of his fellow Americans, he watches with an aching heart as the country and

its churches struggle to find an appropriate response to the tragedy. When the Pulse shooting took the lives of 49 people in Orlando in 2016, McIntosh finally had enough. The church didn’t seem to have an answer, so he decided to try to create something easily accessible from anywhere in the world to help people through their stages of grief. “What happens is a familiar cycle: the incident happens, counselors are provided, but in those instances people don’t want to talk to counselors. They want to talk to survivors or the people

that they walked through this tragedy with,” McIntosh said. “Relationships are the key. I’m telling my story and combining my counseling experience to walk through the shock of ‘I can’t believe that happened.’ I’m also building a website, which will be active soon, for other survivors to share their stories. Together we can create this network of survivors to offer hope, advice and guidance to those who are thrown into these horrible situations.” The stories aren’t limited to just mass shootings. He’s inviting anyone who has walked through darkness and at one point was weighed down by their experiences to log on and share their story. His story is a shooting. Someone else may have survived a bad marriage, childhood abuse, a difficult home life or some other trial. Pain is pain and he said the process of grieving, at its core, doesn’t change. While he said he hopes another mass shooting or tragedy never happens again, the reality indicates it will. If it does, they can now mail a set of books directly to a church in the area or connect local groups to the website to help churches have a tool to use to provide meaningful help. Referencing the art of Kintsugi, a Japanese technique of repairing

broken pottery by mending the cracked areas with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum, McIntosh said we can’t avoid the tragedies that life throws at us, but we can take the steps toward healing that may end up making us even stronger than we were before. “At Wedgwood we were affected as a church, but our city, our nation was affected as well,” McIntosh said. “However, we haven’t come up with a very good way to respond. I like the term ‘survivor’ over ‘victim…’ you have to go through the pain to get to the other side and that’s something that people rarely talk about.” McIntosh said they just want to make a difference where there’s a need. His book is a combination of snippets of his and other survivors’ stories as well as a devotional and study. With approximately 20 years of experience as a pastoral counselor, he weaves methods of growth and guidance into the dialogue. Each chapter starts with a quote and ends with discussion questions that help guide the reader through their grief. It’s designed for everyone to do at their preferred level. You can read it alone and answer the questions by yourself, or you can participate in a group setting. He hopes the city will rally around the cause and help take a stand and help get it off the ground. While he doesn’t believe there’s any “solving” of the issue,

he does believe there’s a chance they can make it better. Crowd sourcing stories to share with the entire country is a simple way to make a monumental impact, and he said he hopes this city responds to let people know Plant City is “a city of hope.” “As a survivor, I felt I had a responsibility to try and help others,” McIntosh said. “I want to stop seeing the same response. There’s shock, then political talk about guns, some highlighted stories and then it disappears. But for those people walking through this, it doesn’t go away. There’s nothing that fixes this, but we can remove the aloneness. There’s hope in this. People will hopefully walk away from this realizing they’re not alone.” Just as wounds come from a person, McIntosh believes healing comes from people as well. And his trust in the “faithfulness and hope of God” has urged him to create this devotional, which is full of raw moments and glimpses of divine healing. “We’re all survivors of something,” McIntosh said. “Everyone has a story to share. Are you tucking your pain away and not dealing with it or are you healing? If we can join people in the middle of their pain it changes their story, it changes their journey. I don’t know that this is the ‘best tool ever,’ but it’s the only tool I’ve ever seen.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

PLANT CITY

This week on Cops Corner:

Observer

COPS CORNER

Plant City Police investigated a stolen fanny pack, a counterfeit $100 bill, drug possession, a stolen work iPad and iPhone

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

AUG. 9 BREAKING BENJAMIN 2300 block of North Park Road Fraud: This victim reported that two unknown women attempted to purchase food at the above listed location with a counterfeit $100 bill. GRAND SWIPE 3600 block of West Baker Street Theft: This victim reported that her purse, jewelry and other miscellaneous items, which were valued at more than $1,200, were stolen. Later, PCPD was able to make an arrest for the case and the man was sent to Orient Road Jail.

FANNY PACK PIRATES 1600 block of East Warren Street Residential burglary: An intruder to this victim’s home slunk away with an unusual swipe. The suspect entered the home via an open window and stole a fanny pack from the house, which contained keys, a Florida driver’s license and miscellaneous electronics. PICK YOUR POISON Gordon Street/Baker Street Drug investigation: Officers made contact with a man who was in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine and assorted pills. He was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail.

Fraud: A complainant told officers on Aug. 2 he cashed three payroll checks, which totaled $1,234.61 from a subject in the area. The checks turned out to be fraudulent.

AUG. 13 WALLET WOES 2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway Vehicle burglary: Between noon and 1 p.m. on Aug. 13, someone entered this complainant’s unlocked car and rooted around. They took his wallet, which contained his Florida driver’s license and debit card. Then they used the card to make $600 worth of purchases at an unknown location.

HIJACKED HUFFY AUG. 11 700 block of West Ball Street Theft: A white Huffy Cranbrook STEALING STIHLS NOBODY’S HOME bicycle was swiped from this vic- 800 block of Whitehurst Road 1300 block of Edited by David Steinberg 2019 tim’s backyard during the night North Gordon Street Burglary: This victim toldAugust officers 23, of Aug. 8. Residential burglary: On Aug. 13, that on Aug. 11 between 6 p.m. 45and 2000s Lookthis atcomplainACROSS 9 Damascus’ someone36 entered 8 p.m.TV someone broke the ant’s unlockedcreepily shed on the south window hisinfront door and AUG. 10 1 First name showon set country: Abbr. the above listed entered his residence.10 Letter- west corner Baltimore 37 ofO.R. figures at Tesla TheyCommon stole two Stihl MOBILE BANK 47 On the 5 “Psycho” shaped property.40 weed eaters, which 900 block of Loganderry Lane AUG. 12 ocean swordwere in valued motel sink pipes Vehicle burglary: During the 48 Pronoun crosswords 10 Marathoner’s 11 Like the at $400. night of Aug. 9,speed someone burglar- CHECKED used forOUT 41 Heavy wood Kalahari ized this victim’s vehicle and took 2900 block of emphasis 46 Get the 14 Scottish 12 ___-Cola more than $1,000. Reynolds 50West Ohio rubberStreet13 Optometrists message island

Universal Crossword

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PILLAGING PESTS 1000 block of North Collins Street Vehicle burglary: An employee of Home Team Pest Control reported his work truck had been burglarized while parked at the above listed location. Someone entered the vehicle and took an iPad and an iPhone 8, which was valued at approximately $1,500.

AUG. 15 BICYCLE RACES ARE COMING YOUR WAY James L. Redman Parkway /East Park Road Drug investigation: A man was stopped on his bicycle for riding in the wrong lane of travel with no light on his bicycle in the dark. Upon further inspection, he was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail for a drug investigation.

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AUG. 14

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

5

GARY GRAHAM

TAKES THE HELM AT DURANT After the retirement of Pam Bowden last year, Durant turned to one of its original Cougars to take the reins. Meet Gary Graham, the new principal of Durant High School.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Gary Graham has the spirit of a cougar in his blood. As part of the original staff of Durant High School, back in 1995 he helped plant the seeds to shape the legacy of the school. Now he’s at its helm following the retirement of longtime principal Pam Bowden. Many parents of the current Durant students remember Graham as the dedicated baseball coach that was always on campus with a smile and a straightforward attitude. In fact, a stand made out of Louisville Sluggers is in his office, proudly displaying his passion for the sport to all who enter. After leaving Durant, he taught at other schools for several years but returned in 2014. He said he was proud to serve under Bowden’s leadership and to continue the traditions that were started all those years ago. “Here at Durant, we’ve always been focused on supporting

our students so they have every opportunity possible to pursue their dreams,” Graham said. “My vision this year is to inspire a passion for learning in our students. Obviously some of the kids that come in need extra opportunities, whether it’s to read more books, learn a new language or develop a skill they can carry over into a career after graduation. We also want to support those high achieving students that are looking for new ways to push and grow themselves. Our community at Durant is reflective of the Plant City community. It’s supportive, it’s full of respectful students and we have a staff that goes above and beyond for these students.” Graham said respect is a major philosophy at Durant. Administration respects the staff, staff respects the students and students respect not only each other, but those in positions of leadership at their school. Everyone is on the same level and that creates a supportive family atmosphere Graham said pushes everyone to excel.

When freshmen walk through the doors of Durant for the first time, Graham said they’re reminded of the fact that it’s time to start thinking about the future. Planning is a major key to success and while no two students will fit the same mold, Graham said, all of the teachers and faculty work hard to encourage them to find their passions and work toward their goals. “I’m the fifth principal here and I’ve known the prior four very well,” Graham said. “When the school opened we were led by a man (Ron Frost) that walked in with such a passion for this school every single day, despite the fact that he was battling cancer. He eventually succumbed to leukemia, but his legacy lives on here at Durant. He taught us all to be better people and we carry his passion with us every day.” While reflecting on the lessons he’s learned over the years, Graham shared several stories of Bowden’s infectious energy and no-nonsense attitude, the friendships he’s developed with

staff and former students, who grew up into “outstanding citizens,” and the sorrow the entire Cougar family feels when they lose a student too soon. It’s the culture at Durant, the tug-and-pull you only find in a true family, that makes it such a great place to work and learn. Over the summer, many on the faculty take part in a book club together. Motioning toward the lobby, which lays right behind a wall to his office, Graham smiled as he shared stories of the “Front Porch,” where some of the clerical staff sit in the mornings in the rocking chairs in the office and share stories about everyone they know and spread the news of what’s going on around town. “When I look at a picture of me at 22 years old with the charter staff here — I just never would have thought I’d be sitting in this chair — I have to pinch myself sometimes if I think too much about it,” Graham said. Graham’s daughter is now a student at Durant as well, and he said next year his son will walk the

halls of the campus. His family is his world and he said he enjoys nothing more than spending his free time with them. In fact, he met his wife at Durant all those yeas ago. He was walking the halls and she was picking up her niece from the daycare on campus when they first met. Graham is a bit of a traditionalist, valuing honesty and dedication above nearly all else. In the simple, he can often find the most profound. He and his son frequently watch the Andy Griffith Show and he joked that while the message may be simple, its one he strives to learn from and live by. Around campus he’s known for three things: his honesty, his dependability and, because this is a high school after all, his height. It’s a new era at Durant and Graham said he hopes to further the great work of those who came before him while sticking strong to key Cougar traditions.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

COMMISH ROUNDUP Brewer Park is finally getting restrooms and city commissioners approved several new contracts during the last commission meeting. FROM PAGE 1

STAFF WRITER

The total cost for the purchase, delivery, installation and connecting the building to utilities on the prepared foundation is $71,597.68. The new building will have two single-use restrooms with a “simulated cedar shake roof, two-tone board and batt wall finish with a Napa Valley rock wall texture, 16-gauge galvanized steel doors and frames, vitreous china plumbing fixtures, soap dispensers, Saniflow hand dryers, toilet paper holders, exhaust fans, GFI outlets, floor drains, stainless steel mirrors, ADA grab bars, ADA signs, ADA drinking fountain, motion controlled interior lights and fans, and photo cell controlled exterior security lights.” The city also extended a lease to Generations Renewed, A Community Development Inc., d.b.a Frontline Community Services to allow the organization to use the City’s Winter Visitor Cen-

ter between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. seven days a week. The group, whose address is 107 W. Ball St., is the parent organization for as many as 16 different ministries throughout the city that provide feeding and other related support services for disadvantaged individuals. The former tenant, Prayer of Salvation Learning Center, Inc. had been using the site on a similar lease, but its contract expired at the end of June. Since July 2015, the city has used the Winter Visitor Center for the feedings and related support activities and plans to continue to do so for many years to come. The new lease is for one year, ending on June 30, 2020 and can be extended if the city sees fit. All of the costs associated with the lease are covered under the Recreation and Parks Department — facilities maintenance and operation —and Police Department for security. During the meeting commissioners also approved a contract with Crawford Technologies, Inc. for $76,800 to help bring the city’s

Courtesy of the City of Plant City

Rendering of the incoming Brewer Park restroom facility.

website into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The city recently received a request for accommodation to review documents and thus it had to obtain the services of Crawford Technologies for remediation of the documents requisition, which included agenda items and budgets for several years. In total, the request was for an estimated 17,779 pages and Crawford will supply the con-

verted documents to the city as an audited and quality tested file. Three vendors were contacted by the city’s Information Technology department and Crawford was not only approximately half the cost of one of the other bids, but it is also the only vendor that the city says could “remediate this request in a timely manner.” An adoption public hearing was also set for the commissioners to consider annexing in 257.86 acres and contracting 4.39 acres on North Frontage Road. Recently the Planning and Zoning Division received voluntary annexation petitions for 17 parcels of land, totaling 257.86 acres. They also received a request for contraction of 4.39 acres. One request includes five parcels along the west side of North

Wilder Road, between East Sam Allen Road and Williams Road. It totals 128.28 acres. Another request is six parcels north of East Sam Allen Road. Those parcels total 107.57 acres. The next request is for six parcels along North Frontage Road, just east of North Wilder Road. The applicant said they want the 22.01 acres to be annexed due to development. The same request also had one parcel totaling 4.39 acres that the applicant wanted contraction from the corporate limits. Without that contraction, the six parcels could not be annexed. The hearing for all of the combined annexation requests will be held Sept. 23.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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STRAWBERRY CREST STUDENT NAMED

BANK OF AMERICA STUDENT LEADER Nicholas Sherwin is one of four Tampa Bay area high school students to be selected as a Bank of America Student Leader due to his active work in the community.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

When Nicholas Sherwin realized there was a need in his community for first aid kits at underserved schools, he decided to take on the responsibility of lending a helping hand himself rather than waiting for an adult to step up and carry the mantle. He and his twin brother Benjamin Sherwin, both seniors in Strawberry Crest High School’s International Baccalaureate program, created Patch Up Pediatrics, a nonprofit organization that delivers high-quality first aid kits to local schools. He said the hope is, with a little bit of hard work and some support from the community, they’ll be able to ensure every child in the school system has access to top quality healthcare resources in times of need. “I saw there was really a need in our community for health education,” Sherwin said. “We live in the (ninth) largest school district in the entire United States. Given the lack of resources that are distributed across the schools as well

as the lack of health education, I kind of combined my interests in medicine as well as business to try and find something that could actually benefit our local elementary schools and the Boys and Girls Club.” Both of Sherwin’s parents are in the health field and, using their advice and guidance, he said he and his brother began developing low-cost methods that would help as many local children as possible. Sherwin is confident the next generation of leaders are able to start reshaping their communities now and said he hopes his story will help encourage other youth to step up and start getting involved. As part of an internship with Bank of America, Sherwin began working with the Boys and Girls Club and saw firsthand the impact the organization has on the community. He said he looked at several different summer programs but felt this one was “truly oneof-a-kind” as it merged volunteering and business. He was able to work directly with the company and learn aspects of running a business as well as the ins

and outs of nonprofits. Despite his impressive resume, he said he was still shocked when Bank of America selected him as one of the honorary student leaders. “I was really excited,” Sherwin said. “I knew it was relatively hard to get into and the fact that I was going to get to go to the leadership summit in Washington D.C. really was just such an exciting moment. Aside from sightseeing, which was really fun for me, we got to attend all of these workshops that taught us skills on how to run a successful business and we were able to hear from all of these professionals that are at the top of their field.” Sherwin was one of approximately 300 students from around the country to attend the event and George Protopapadakis, account executive with RBB Communications, said it’s an experience students won’t soon forget. “Overall, the program identifies students who were making a difference in their community, students like Nick, and gives them

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the tools to further that success,” Protopapadakis said. Using the knowledge he gained this summer, Sherwin said he’s looking forward to discovering new ways to further impact the community, both with Patch Up Pediatrics and new endeavors. He said he one day hopes to merge his business interests with his passion for science to either start a business of his own or join one that matches his values. He continues to be heavily involved in a variety of groups and organizations at his school and will volunteer and give back as frequently as his schedule allows. Its something he thinks every student should take the time to do, both to ensure they leave their community a better place, as well as for personal growth. “I think its really important to be involved in the community,” Sherwin said. “You can have an impact, you can see the change firsthand. That impact really drives someone and makes them feel really fortunate for the opportunities they receive. When

you’re working with other people, giving back, you’re growing and changing. You’re not completely ignorant to ideas and beliefs that are around you. You learn so much and you’re a better person for it… Be genuine with what you want to try and do. Even if it’s something small, even if its just volunteering for a few hours, just do it. Get that experience, it could open up your eyes and change your life.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Patch Up Pediatrics: patchuppediatrics.org Bank of America Student Leaders: about.bankofamerica.com/en-us/whatguides-us/student-leaders. html#fbid=TzOGbsGYsfr

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

PLANT CITY’S SLICE OF TRANQUILITY

THE KOA YOGA STUDIO

The Koa Yoga Studio is providing the keys to unlock serenity to all who walk through its doors. With a welcoming environment and experienced instructors there’s no better place to dive into the world of yoga.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

In a world filled with so much chaos and stress, any chance to have a second of serenity is worth its weight in gold. Here in Plant City, one business hidden away at 2806 James L. Redman Parkway #205 is helping the community unlock those moments of peace. The Koa Yoga Studio has remained a hidden gem in the community for years. With a lineup of classes ranging in experience level and a plethora of special events, the studio is helping attendees learn how to practice mindfulness while also experiencing a full-body workout. “This world is just so fast-paced and it’s not getting any slower,” Katie Medina, owner and teacher at Koa Yoga, said. “When you walk through these doors you don’t have to worry about what you’re making for dinner after class or what’s going on at work. You learn to have time for yourself and you learn how to let yourself simply have a moment of peace.” Originally from New Jersey, Medina moved to Tampa 14 years ago and quickly fell in love with the many benefits of yoga. After stepping into the Plant City studio, she knew she found a home away from home and quickly began teaching at the location. The welcoming environment and strong community values were unlike anything she’d seen before, and when the opportunity arose to carry on the legacy, she couldn’t refuse. Medina purchased Koa Yoga Studio in May 2018, and under her guidance, the values that set Plant City’s studio apart only continue to blossom.

As much as she loves the mental and emotional benefits of turning off for an hour of peace on the mat, Medina is finding even more benefits as she comes to nearly full-term in her pregnancy. The aches and pains so often associated with pregnancy are minimal and she’s found the constant stretching has helped keep her energized and active. With leggings, a tank top and a smile, she welcomes everyone into the studio and can often be found on the mat bringing her body back to a restorative state. Another teacher at the studio, Coleen McGrath, has been at Koa for approximately a year. She came on board shortly after Medina purchased the studio and she echoed the belief that there’s something special hidden away here in Plant City. “There’s this sense of community that you sometimes don’t see in other studios,” McGrath said. “I think that’s very reflective of Plant City as a whole. It takes away so much of the intimidation people may feel when they first come. People are really excited to see you and there’s just this sense of camaraderie that makes it really enjoyable to attend a class.” McGrath said she first began doing yoga for its physical benefits, but it quickly transitioned into a full-fledged stress management practice. It’s a mantra they hear repeated from nearly everyone that walks through the door. People come in because they hope to push their bodies and exercise, then fall in love with the mental benefits

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Breanne Williams

Teacher Coleen McGrath and owner Katie Medina.

they didn’t expect to experience on the mat. The classes at the studio range in expertise level. If you want to attend a beginner-friendly class, the teacher will come to you, offer some corrections and guide you through it, or you can tell them before class to just let you try it out and you can do your best without any additional one-on-one instruction. It’s all about making you feel comfortable so you can get the most out of the class. Some of the other courses are for more athletically inclined or experienced yogis who want that challenge. “Yoga isn’t a scary thing. It doesn’t have to be intimidating,” Medina said. “It’s an addition for your life and I promise, once you try it, it’s something you’ll never want to give

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up. If you’re on the fence about coming, just come. It’s going to be OK. You don’t need to bring anything, we have all the props you’ll need, but you’re welcome to bring your own items if you’d like. Just wear something comfortable for bending or stretching in and bring a positive attitude, a smile and yourself.” The layout of the studio itself also lends to the tranquil environment. When you walk in the door, you’re facing a massive open space with polished wood floors, lanterns and a teal mandala painted on the wall. A small boutique is nestled in the corner for those wanting to expand their yoga collection and an intimate lounge with a tea station is in the back. Class sizes range from five to 15 attendees on average and are hosted throughout the day, so there’s always something that’s perfect for everyone. In honor of its anniversary, Koa is hosting a celebration on Aug. 24. Free yoga classes will begin at 9 a.m. with another at 10 a.m. and a final class at 11 a.m. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and there will be light refreshments to enjoy. Each class will have a drawing for a giveaway and there will be 20 percent off both five and 10 class

packs all weekend. If you can’t make that event head over to the studio’s Facebook page to get a full list of upcoming events, including Unwind and Wine events, a Labor Day Flow event and more. “We’re really opening our doors to the community so that people who may not know about us, or who maybe are wanting to learn more about what the studio offers or even what the benefits of yoga are can stop in and get a feel for the space,” Medina said. “I think a lot of people get an idea of what yoga is based off of an image on Pinterest or on the cover of a magazine where they’re doing these crazy acrobatic poses and we want people to come in and see what it’s really like. We have all age ranges, all body types, people from all walks of life come and find the perfect class for them. People with different ailments and injuries come and are able to find that peace. We highly encourage people who have anything going on in their minds or bodies to get in here.”

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.

DAISY: If you ever see Daisy on her morning walk, it’s safe to assume she’s on the hunt. This active pup enjoys keeping up with the many rabbits that come out to play around this time of the year, even though she doesn’t ever catch them.

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Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instagram, @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer on Facebook.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit: thekoayoga.com Social: Follow The Koa Yoga Studio on Facebook and Instagram Call: 813-323-2931 Address: 2806 James L. Redman Parkway, # 205

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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Jerry Jungle: There are enough churches in plant city that every resident can have their own. HARD PASS. Jenniffer Snead: this is going to be at Madzone.... weird that people party on the weekends but then church will be on Sunday??? Bonita J. Bays Axley: Jenniffer Snead to quote Jimmy Buffett “there’s a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning!” Proposed budget for upcoming fiscal year welcomes new city staff — As quickly as Plant City is growing, keeping up with the staffing demands has long been a struggle for the city. The proposed budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year begins to tackle that issue with the addition of several new employees. Comments: Lisa McManaway Bowe: Poor Plant City is losing it’s small town feel... It’s growing way to fast!! North Park Isle stirs up passion at commission — The potential map amendments of land near North Park Isle caused community members to voice their concerns.

Comments: Wendi DelValle: By 2040 Plant city will be as bad as Brandon. Over priced houses, too many people and ridiculous traffic. Oh wait, that’s already how it is... so sad to see this great town get ruined. And the worst part is there is still a huge lack of good restaurants and fun things to do. So not only is there tons of traffic, but people have to go to other towns for fun because PC closes down at 9. Gina Clark: Wendi DelValle this is all true but I also knew this when I moved here. It backs right up to i4. The business’s and homes are coming regardless.. so it’s smart to “fight” for the schools and roads to be done FIRST. Also the same people who don’t want growth are begging for Chick-fil-A Cheri Aumond McLean: I believe everyone feels there is so much traffic because we are all forced to shop and do business in one location of Plant City. If new house are built in Park Isle, more shops and restaurants will come out this way and we all won’t be forced to shop in that cluster area of Jim Redman. Chris Weber: Personally I like the direction we’re moving in. I’ve been here since 2006 and I’m staying! You can’t completely blame the PC commission for growth. They’re not selling off land, the farm families are, and they have that right to pursue a sale if they wish to cash in on the good market. Many farmers feel backed into a corner with regulations, etc, and look to eliminate the headache. I don’t blame them. I want my property values to grow. Who doesn’t want to see that they made a good investment?

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE Did you take the Observer with you on vacation? Send your pictures to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

MONTERREY, MEXICO: Kathryn Davis visited Monterrey, Mexico in June with several other Plant City residents to attend an international convention for Jehovah’s Witnesses. They were able to visit several parks and interact with local wildlife, including some lemurs they got to feed by hand.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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ON A STAR AT Plant City’s beloved coffee house is hosting a Disney Trivia Night next weekend. Grab your mouse ears, sprinkle on some pixie dust and fly on over for a magical event

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Krazy Kup is putting the community’s knowledge of the Happiest Place on Earth to the test next weekend with a Disney Trivia Night. The free event is open to 20 competitors, who will be broken down into teams of two, and will cover everything from park trivia to movie and television show facts to behind the scenes details. “Everything is on the table,” Kameron Athey, host of the event, said. “All the way back to the first Disney feature-length film in 1937 to the current live-action and animated movies, it’s all fair game. If you’re really familiar with the traditional shows and park knowledge, you may want to brush up on the current offerings. We’re coming up with some really diverse questions.” All ages are welcome to attend and Athey said the questions will come in three rounds with increasing difficulty. Round one essentially is a warm -up with random questions that are each worth one point. The questions aren’t categorized and set the stage for the rounds to come. Round two will have specific categories and will enter a Jeopardy! inspired format with the team leading in points getting to either pick or pass the category. These questions are worth two points, but there is a multiple choice option if you’re willing to bump the total down to one point each. Stealing is also available to up the ante. Round three is the final and most difficult round. The categories are preselected and teams no longer will have the opportunity to choose their strongest areas of interest. Each question is worth three points and Athey promised there will be many that dive deep into Disney lore and history. There will also be Disney inspired treats and drinks at the coffee house throughout the event with breaks between categories for people to have the chance to pop downstairs for refills. The event is expected to run the full two hours and operates on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you’re worried about grabbing a team slot, you

can message Krazy Kup on Facebook to reserve your spot prior to the event. There will be prizes for first, second and third place and also a prize for the winner of the costume contest. Come dressed to the nines in your favorite Disney inspired costume to enter. Athey has hosted several of Krazy Kup’s events including the Harry Potter Trivia Night, Retro Movie Nights and the Strawberry Showcase event. He said he fell in love with Krazy Kup the moment he walked in the door and enjoys being able to help bring some new and interactive experiences to life in the beloved downtown staple. Disney just seemed like an organic flow. Its everlasting popularity means it will be a hit for all ages and it’s so extensive there’s no shortage of trivia knowledge to pull from for the competition. Disney also is something Athey said will always hold a special place in his heart. “I proposed to my wife at Disney,” Athey said. “We were at Magic Kingdom under the castle and right as the fireworks started I proposed. It was definitely something we will both remember for the rest of our lives… Disney is such a big part of my life it really has made this a lot of fun.” Frank Trunzo, owner of Krazy Kup, said having unique hosts like Athey partner with the business has helped keep the coffee house constantly evolving. With many new events and experiences on the horizon he invited the public to stay up to date on all of the offerings by following the Krazy Kup social media pages. “This isn’t a coffee shop, this is a coffee house. We embrace the old world legacy and style and traditions of a traditional coffee house,” Trunzo said. “Coffee houses are where you walk in and see families enjoying a board game together in the back corner and a small group discussing religion outside in the courtyard. You see battle lines drawn and politics being debated among friends and coworkers while they enjoy a hot cup of coffee. Coffee houses are where entertainment and poetry come to life and where the beatniks met and famous people found their sea legs, where they found their microphone and found their opportunity. Anytime you want to know the motto of

Krazy Kup, just stop outside our door and read our welcome banner.” Having family friendly events is something Trunzo said the coffee house will always champion. Krazy Kup is known as much for its welcoming atmosphere as it is for its delectable brews and pastries. Over the last few years its added “event mecca” to its repertoire. The Disney-themed trivia only furthers that mission. Listening to Jiminy Cricket won’t be enough to land you the victory so be sure to brush up on your

knowledge prior to the event. After all, in the wise words of Quasimodo, “Today is a good day to try.”

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SPORTS

Seth Hogan scored a game-winning touchdown for the Plant City Dolphins last Saturday. See Page 14

GAME OF THE WEEK: DURANT AT KING

The Cougars will open the 2019 season on the road. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

With the preseason now in the rearview mirror, the Durant Cougars are ready to go to work in the regular season. Durant’s starting things off with a business trip to King High School this Friday night. The Cougars are fresh off of a 28-12 loss at Lake Gibson last Friday night and, regardless of the final score, head coach Mike Gottman was pleased with the team’s efforts at large. He especially praised the way the first-teamers performed against the Braves. “I thought we got some valuable reps in Friday night,” Gottman said. “We did some good things. Had a really good drive to start the game. Took it down and scored. On the next drive, we took it down and got stopped on downs. On the next drive, we scored right before the half. I was pretty pleased with our first offense.” It was the team’s first chance to get comfortable running the flexbone offense, which Gottman said Durant will use heav-

ily in 2019. Fullback Eli Reed, in particular, seemed to have taken to it with a 98-yard performance. The focus on the flexbone means Durant’s offense should be as runfriendly as ever and a more detailed look at it, including a highlight of the formation’s signature play, can be found in Durant’s section of the Plant City Observer’s 2019 Football Guide. The game gave the inexperienced defense and special teams units a better idea of how to do things going forward, whether that be lining up correctly, making the right reads or applying skills covered in practice to the real deal. “Defensively, we just need to do a little bit better job at getting lined up,” Gottman said. “They played pretty hard and we made some nice plays, but the lack of consistency in just getting lined up and reading our keys, we’ve got to get better at that.” The preseason experience may prove to be an edge the Cougars have over this week’s opponent. King and Riverview were supposed to play a game last Friday night but, like many Hillsborough and Pinellas

county schools, that game was called off due to an unfavorable weather forecast. After a rocky start in 2018 with losses to Middleton and at Strawberry Crest, the Lions finally turned a corner with their new head coach, Jon Thompson, and won some games for the first time in several seasons. Unfortunately for the Lions (as well as Blake High School), their 2018 season had an even rockier ending when the penultimate King-Blake game ended in an all-out brawl that forced officials to end the game in the second quarter and prompted both teams to forfeit the following week’s season finales ahead of time. King did not keep detailed stats for the 2018 season on MaxPreps.com, which is the official statistical provider for the FHSAA. Friday night’s game was originally supposed to be Durant’s home opener, but this extremely rainy August weather did the Cougars’ field no favors. A “crater” opened up in the north end of the football field in front of the scoreboard and, while it is in the process of being fixed, the field

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

THE CASE FOR MOVING FOOTBALL SEASON This unusually wet weather highlights the biggest scheduling SEE PAGE 13 problem with high school football in Florida.

wasn’t going to be ready for Friday’s game and both schools agreed to move the game to King. Durant does expect the field to be ready for next week’s scheduled home game against Riverview. King High School is located at 6815 N. 56th St., Tampa, just west of Tampa Bay Tech.

OTHER AREA ACTION Plant City at Jesuit, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Leto, 7:30 p.m.

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HALLBACK FINALLY BACK IN BOXING RING

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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JUSTIN KLINE

Chevelle Hallback will fight again on Sept. 21. Her bout against Szilvia Szabados will be her first since 2014. TALE OF THE TAPE CHEVELLE HALLBACK

THE CASE FOR MOVING FOOTBALL SEASON

Record: 30-8-2 (13 KO) Age: 48 (9/3/1971) Height: 5’6” Reach: 67” Stance: Orthodox Debut: 2/21/1997 Last 5: 3-2-0 (two wins by TKO, one by split decision)

Rain may not have affected Plant City area teams’ ability to start their kick-off classic games last Friday night, but a whole lot of other schools weren’t so lucky. Plenty of Hillsborough and Pinellas county schools decided to skip that Friday night, or maybe postpone until the following day. Manatee County’s athletic department went ahead and put the kibosh on everything several hours before anyone would have kicked off. Sarasota schools also spent much time mulling over game status decisions. It’s not like this hasn’t happened before, but you all know as well as I do that this year’s summer rainfall has been bonkers compared to that of the last few years. It’s not like it’s going to get any better anytime soon, either, what with hurricane season’s peak coming right up. It’s affecting games and practices alike. It’s time to reconsider August football. I mean, what good does it do anyone if everyone has to cancel or reschedule contests because it rains hard enough for half of the fields in any given county to become unplayable in a day or two? Plant City has already had enough problems with its own city-operated sports parks having to cancel all events for three of the last four weekends. I can’t imagine anyone’s high school football field is really that much better, if you could really call it better without lying, than what the City of Plant City has. And we have some of the best-kept playing fields in the whole county at our parks. I’m ready for whatever out there. I’ve gotten my Nikon camera so wet that I don’t even know how or why it still works. Rainy football photos are cool. Mike and Jess Eng, editor and graphic designer emeritus of the Plant City Observer, often encouraged me to try and get them whenever there was no lightning around to threaten the game. But there’s a difference between a lighter drizzle making your scene of a running back breaking a tackle look as cool as the ending of The Natural and a torrential downpour making it impossible to see what the heck is going on. That’s just my own selfish reason, not one that’s gonna get taken into account if my testimony’s ever used in an argument heard in front of the FHSAA board, but I might as well put it out there for an additional perspective. Any team can turn into an outfit of

SZILVIA SZABADOS Record: 18-15-0 (9 KO) Age: 29 (8/5/1990) Height: 5’7” Reach: 67” Stance: Orthodox Debut: 2/16/2014 Last 5: 1-4-0 (win by TKO) JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Today marks exactly five years since Plant City native Chevelle Hallback’s last boxing match. Luckily for Hallback, 48, she won’t have to wait much longer for the next one. After many years of training, hoping, waiting and challenging — including an open challenge for Cris “Cyborg” Justino in 2017 — someone finally stepped up to test Hallback’s famous “fists of steel” for real. Szilvia Szabados, BoxRec’s ninthranked woman in the world, has answered the call. Hallback and Szabados will fight Sept. 21 at the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Marriott. “Man, I’m so excited about it,” Hallback said. “It’s been a long time coming. Like, God dang, why did it take so long? I’m just glad I’m getting back in the ring. I’ve been waiting for it. My fans have been waiting for it.” Hallback has a 30-8-2 record in the ring and has won three of her last five fights, though that covers a span from 2010 to 2014. Her last two fights, both in 2014, ended with both opponents going down by TKO. Thirteen women have been knocked out by the “Fists of Steel” over the years. Hallback has also faced some of the top competition the sport has seen, including three fights against crossover MMA star Holly Holm and a 2014 fight against current world No. 1 Cecilia Braekhus. Szabados, 29, has knocked out almost as many opponents in her five-year career (nine knockouts in 18 wins). But the Hungarian fighter has been on something of a cold streak lately: she lost by unanimous decision against Mary McGee on April 6 and against world No. 7 Ornella Domini on March 9. In her third most recent

fight, on Oct. 18, 2018, she lost by TKO to world No. 2 Kali Reis in six rounds. Szabados’s last win was July 21, 2018, when she scored a second-round TKO against Szilvia Raffael. Hallback hasn’t seen much of Szabados — save for a 30-second clip of her fight against Claressa Shields — but that’s normal. She’s always preferred an amateur boxer’s approach: train to fight any style to be ready for anyone at any time. In a sport where fighters pulling out at the last minute is nowhere near as rare as anyone wants it to be, Hallback’s “work smarter, not harder” approach has come in handy numerous times. “Amateur fighters don’t have time to study,” she said. “They fight a different person almost every other day… I have to take that approach in case something happens, which it has. I’ve always put it in my head that I’m just gonna train for everything. I’m ready for whatever.” Hallback and Szabados are booked to go six rounds Sept. 21 and will fight in the super welterweight (154 pounds) class. Getting to Shields, the undisputed middleweight champion of the world, is Hallback’s ultimate goal. “I really would like to fight her,” Hallback said. “But of course, I really can’t make any noise after not fighting for five years. I can’t just jump from behind the curtain and say ‘I want to fight her.’ I do have a strategy. I want to try to get three to four fights under my belt… and then I can make some noise. I’m back in the rankings. I’m fighting top quality girls.” For tickets, you have two options. You can call 813-981-0059, or purchase some directly from Hallback. Contact her at chevellehallback@gmail.com or link up with her via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Hallback says the fight has nearly sold out, so act fast if you wish to see her big comeback.

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1930s leatherheads when the rain hits hard enough, which it certainly has been lately. Everyone’s just sloshing through the mud, trying not to slip and roll an ankle or get hurt even worse. All you can do is call running plays for, like, 90 percent of the game anyway. Then you have to keep an eye out for lightning more so than usual. Then you’re just sitting there wondering how soon until you’ll hear that the game has been postponed until the following day when, hopefully, both teams and the field can be ready to go when the skies look a bit better — and that, hopefully, lasts for the whole rest of the game. I’m too young to enjoy 1930s football. I would bet all or most of you are, too. To paraphrase Patrick Star, we should take the start of football and push it somewhere else. Where’s the harm in having the preseason in early September, as early as the first week or as late as the second? There might still be rainouts, sure, but the odds of you losing nothing but that one preseason game are greater than having it in mid-August like now and putting the first third to first half of your action in peak rainy season. If we finish the regular season in midNovember instead of the first week, is it a bad thing? You run into the problem of extending football deeper into December, but think of the sport we’re dealing with here. I really don’t think it matters when you play high school postseason football — as long as you are playing it, people will come. This sport is not threatened by a lack of spectators. Will we ever see the start dates pushed back? I’m not so sure. But if the powers that be ever want to do us a solid and keep everyone from traveling to games by canoe, I’ll be equal parts happy and dry.

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

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

AREA PARKS HOSTING TOURNEYS Global Sports Alliance Baseball’s Florida Gulf Coast League action is coming to Plant City for another weekend of tournament play. The GSA event will use multiple fields at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex and Mike Sansone Park this Saturday and Sunday. The tourney action has start times from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Next weekend, the GSA’s Labor Day Classic will use fields at the Randy L. Larson Four-Plex, Mike Sansone Park, Ellis-Methvin Park, the MLK Complex and Snowden Park. That tournament runs Aug. 31 through Sept. 1 and games have start times from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SUMMER FUN RUN 10K

U.S. Road Running returns to the EllisMethvin Park walking trail this weekend with the FL Summer Fun Run, a 10K relay and lap race. It begins at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and teams of two can compete by switching off laps round the .52-lap course. Runners can also tackle the course solo in 10K and 5K formats, too. Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. tonight, but you can also sign up on-site on race day from 5:30 to 6:20 a.m. Awards will be given out for top finishers and the best costumes. To sign up or get more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/ FL/PlantCity/FLBestFriends10KRelayandYinYang10KLapRaceEllisMethvinPark.

CITY FLAG FOOTBALL REGISTRATION The 53rd season of the Plant City Recreation and Parks Department/Optimist Youth Flag Football Program is nearly here and all area boys and girls age 4-15 (as of Nov. 1, 2019) can sign up now. Kids in five age groups play Saturday mornings at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2602 E. Cherry St., from Sept. 14 through Nov. 2. There are no practices, no pads and no coaches — teams have weekly meetings and “instructing officials” make sure everyone on every team has the chance to make a play with the ball. The department advertises the league as a means to “provide basic training in football skills and rules along with positive leadership to build the character and overall citizenship of the players.” The cost is $35 per player for the eightgame season and that includes accident insurance and a jersey. Register by Aug. 28 at the PCRPD’s main office, 1904 S. Park Road. Call 813-659-4255 for more information.

Seth Hogan Facing a 6-6 score in double overtime at the home of the Lakeland Hurricanes, the Plant City Dolphins needed to make a big play to pick up their first varsity win of the season. Luckily, Seth Hogan answered the call with a game-winning touchdown grab that gave Plant City the 12-6 victory. Hogan had also snagged an interception earlier in the game and played a pivotal role in the team’s defensive efforts. Tell me about that double overtime game. That was crazy, but you guys pulled through and won. How did you do it? It was a bunch of teamwork. We just fought to the very end, really. What about your touchdown to win the game? We were running our new formation, Beast, and we had Omari Mixon at quarterback. He scrambled out while getting tackled and he threw a perfect pass, on the money, to me and I just knew I had to go get it. And that interception? He rolled out to the right side. I was playing left linebacker and I saw him. One of my guys tackled him. While he was going down he tried to make an effort to throw it, so I just went to go get that ball, too. It wasn’t a perfect pass, so I had to go get that one, too. How do you feel about the way this season is playing out? Pretty good so far. We’ve only played two games and lost the first one, but I’m gonna take that as a rusty one. That second game we played, I think that really boosted our confidence a lot. What’s been your favorite moment playing with the Dolphins? That (game-winning touchdown) was one of my favorites. Actually, the coincidence was when we were at that same field last year and we went to double overtime, too. I made this big hit on a guy and it didn’t really save the game, but it was a big stop and we beat them in double overtime, too. It was really special to do it again and to be a big part of it this time. Everybody got fired up. What first got you into football? I came from the New Tampa Wildcats. My brother started over there and I didn’t play. Then we found the Dolphins and ever since then, I’ve been a Dolphin. Mighty Mites on up. What do you love about the game? I love to hit. If I need to take my anger out, this is where I can do it. What’s your favorite position to play? Middle linebacker.

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

Are there any athletes you try to play like? Ray Lewis. If you could play for any college team and any pro team, which ones would you pick? The Florida State Seminoles and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Quick Hits

SPONSORED BY SPORT CLIPS

What’s a sport you’ve never played before but would try if you could? Probably lacrosse. How do you get hyped before a game? It’s either music or I’m with the family. It definitely has to be some rap music that’s gonna get me going. What’s the funniest thing you’ve been a part of with one of these Dolphins teams? Me running the ball for the first time. I am not a running back. I’m running the ball for the first time, falling and everybody’s laughing at me. But it was fun, we were joking around and we were blowing the team out. What’s something you’ve learned out here that’s really helped you become a good football player? Coach Broome and Coach Lloyd always said “Keep on pushing.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

|

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

FOOTBALL

VOLLEYBALL

AUG. 29

AUG. 16

AUG. 15

Lake Gibson 28, Durant 12 Plant City 70, Spoto 7 Palm Harbor University 37, Strawberry Crest 0

Lake Gibson 2, Plant City 0 Bartow 2, Plant City 0 Strawberry Crest 2, Lake Gibson 0

AUG. 23

AUG. 20

Durant at King, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at Jesuit, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Leto, 7:30 p.m.

Hillsborough 3, Durant 1 Plant City 3, Bartow 0 Steinbrenner 3, Strawberry Crest 1

AUG. 30

AUG. 22

Riverview at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at Tampa Bay Tech, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at King, 7:30 p.m.

Spoto at Durant, 7 p.m. Plant City at Riverview, 6:15 p.m.

SEPT. 6 Durant at Blake, 7:30 p.m. Gaither at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. SEPT. 13 Bloomingdale at Durant, 7:30 p.m. Lakeland at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Kathleen at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m. SEPT. 20 Durant at Newsome, 7:30 p.m. Plant City at East Bay, 7:30 p.m. Riverview at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m.

AUG. 26

Durant vs. Strawberry Crest, 7 p.m. SEPT. 3 Strawberry Crest vs. East Bay vs. Bloomingdale, 7 p.m. SEPT. 4

SEPT. 14

SEPT. 11

All three schools at Seffner Christian Invite, 7 a.m.

Strawberry Crest vs. Brandon, 2 p.m.

SEPT. 19

SEPT. 12

Durant vs. Strawberry Crest vs. Brandon vs. Spoto, 6 p.m.

Durant vs. Lennard, 3:15 p.m. Plant City vs. Riverview, 2 p.m.

GOLF

Durant vs. Wharton, 7 p.m.

AUG. 22

SEPT. 5

Durant vs. Bloomingdale, 2:30 p.m. Plant City vs. Armwood, 3 p.m.

Plant City vs. Strawberry Crest vs. Spoto, 7 p.m. SEPT. 10

AUG. 26

Riverview at Durant, 7:30 p.m.

Durant vs. Plant City vs. Lennard, 6:30 p.m.

Durant vs. Freedom, 2:30 p.m. Plant City vs. Strawberry Crest 2 p.m.

AUG. 27

CROSS COUNTRY

AUG. 28

AUG. 24

Plant City vs. Alonso, 2 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Bloomingdale, 2 p.m.

Armwood at Strawberry Crest, 7:30 p.m. AUG. 28 Lakeland at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. AUG. 29 Durant at Brandon, 7:30 p.m. Kathleen at Plant City, 7:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest at Wharton, 7:30 p.m.

SWIMMING

Durant at Jim Ryun Invite at Holloway Park, 7 a.m. AUG. 31

Durant vs. King, 2:15 p.m.

Plant City at Lecanto Invite at Lecanto, 8 a.m.

SEPT. 5

SEPT. 4 Strawberry Crest at Leto Invite, 6 p.m. SEPT. 7

AUG. 27

SEPT. 3

Plant City vs. Brandon, 2:30 p.m. Strawberry Crest vs. Freedom, 2 p.m.

TCYFCC

SPORTS SCORES

SPORTS SCORES AND MORE

15

AUG. 24 Dover Patriots at North Lakeland Legends Central Florida Panthers at Plant City Dolphins Southwest Junior Saints at Turkey Creek Trojans SEPT. 7 Brandon Cowboys at Dover Patriots Plant City Dolphins at Southwest Junior Saints Turkey Creek Trojans at Brandon Broncos SEPT. 14 Dover Patriots at Turkey Creek Trojans Wesley Chapel Coyotes at Plant City Dolphins

SEPT. 9 Durant vs. East Bay, 2:30 p.m.

B:10”

Strawberry Crest vs. Hillsborough, 7 p.m.

Strawberry Crest at Pasco Steven T:10” Villareal Memorial Invite, 8 a.m. S:10”

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Offers available in CT, DE, FL, NJ, NY, and PA. Portfolio by Wells Fargo® customers are eligible to receive an additional bonus interest rate on these accounts.3 1. To qualify for the advertised APY, you must enroll your new or existing Platinum Savings account in this offer between 07/08/2019 and 08/30/2019 by speaking to a banker and requesting the special rate. Offer is subject to change at any time, without notice, and is available only to Platinum Savings customers in the following states: CT, DE, FL, NJ, NY, PA. In order to earn the Special Interest Rate of 1.98% (Special Rate), you must deposit $25,000 in new money to the enrolled savings account and maintain a minimum daily account balance of $25,000 throughout the promotional interest rate period. “New money” is money from sources outside of the customer’s current relationship with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates (which includes all deposit, brokerage and loan/credit accounts). The corresponding Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for this offer is 2.00%. The Special Rate will be applied to the enrolled savings account for a period of 12 months, starting on the date the account is enrolled in the offer. However, for any day during that 12 month period that the daily account balance is less than the $25,000, the enrolled account will not be eligible for the Special Rate and will instead earn the applicable Standard Interest Rate for a Platinum Savings account. As of 05/31/2019, the Standard Interest Rate and APY for a Platinum Savings account in CT, FL, NJ and NY with an account balance of $0.01 and above is 0.05% (0.05% APY); and for a Platinum Savings account in DE and PA with an account balance of $0.01 to $99,999.99 is 0.05% (0.05% APY) and with an account balance of $100,000 and above is 0.10% (0.10% APY). Each tier shown reflects the current minimum daily collected balance required to obtain the applicable APY. Interest is compounded daily and paid monthly. The amount of interest earned is based on the daily collected balances in the account. Upon the expiration of the 12 month promotional period, then-current Standard Interest Rates apply. Minimum to open a Platinum Savings account is $25. A monthly service fee of $12 applies in any month the account falls below a $3,500 minimum daily balance. Fees may reduce earnings. Interest rates are variable and subject to change without notice. Wells Fargo may limit the amount you deposit to a Platinum Savings account to an aggregate of $1 million. 2. Available in-branch only; you must speak with a banker to request the special rate. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is effective for accounts opened between 07/08/2019 and 08/30/2019 and requires a minimum of $25,000 in new money brought to Wells Fargo. “New money” is money from sources outside of the customer’s current relationship with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. or its affiliates (which includes deposit, brokerage and loan/credit accounts). Public Funds and Wholesale accounts are not eligible for this offer. APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Interest is compounded daily. Payment of interest on CDs is based on term: For terms less than 12 months (365 days), interest may be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or at maturity (the end of the term). For terms of 12 months or more, interest may be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. A penalty for early withdrawal will be imposed and could reduce earnings on this account. Special Rates are applicable to the initial term of the CD only. At maturity, the special rate CD will automatically renew for a term of 6 months, at the interest rate and APY in effect for CDs on renewal date not subject to a Special Rate, unless the Bank has notified you otherwise. 1., 2. Due to the new money requirement, new accounts may only be opened at your local branch and you must speak to a banker to request the special rate offers for both new and existing accounts. Wells Fargo reserves the right to modify or discontinue the offer at any time without notice. Minimum new money deposit requirement of at least $25,000 is for this offer only and cannot be transferred to another account to qualify for any other consumer deposit offer. If you wish to take advantage of another consumer deposit offer requiring a minimum new money deposit, you will be required to do so with another new money deposit as stated in the offer requirements and qualifications. Offer cannot be: • Combined with any other consumer deposit offer. • Reproduced, purchased, sold, transferred, or traded. 3. The Portfolio by Wells Fargo program has a $30 monthly service fee, which can be avoided when you have one of the following qualifying balances: $25,000 or more in qualifying linked bank deposit accounts (checking, savings, CDs, FDIC-insured IRAs) or $50,000 or more in any combination of qualifying linked banking, brokerage (available through Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC) and credit balances (including 10% of mortgage balances, certain mortgages not eligible). If the Portfolio by Wells Fargo relationship is terminated, the bonus interest rate on all eligible savings accounts, and discounts or fee waivers on other products and services, will discontinue and revert to the Bank’s then-current applicable standard interest rate or fee. For bonus interest rates on time accounts, this change will occur upon renewal. If the Portfolio by Wells Fargo relationship is terminated, the remaining unlinked Wells Fargo Portfolio Checking or Wells Fargo Prime Checking account will be converted to another checking product or closed. © 2019 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Deposit products offered by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

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Enroll in a branch by August 30, 2019.

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Annual Percentage Yield for a 7-month term with new money deposits of at least $25,0002

16

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

289704-1

We asked: What was your favorite pet?

“I have two German rottweilers. Luna is 5 and Baloo is her son... when I want both of them, I call ‘Baloona’ and they come.” — Jan Howard, 60

“I think of my apricot poodle, Peaches. I taught him how to clean up his toys and put them back in his bed.” assett, 67

“Her name is Nelly and she is a retriever and redhound mix. We got her from Susan Sullivan. She’s a sweetheart. She likes to lay around and give hugs.” — Emmy Shouse, 17

“My cat, Sarge.” — Amanda Rockefeller, 20

“I used to have a pet raccoon when I was younger. We rescued him. His name was CJ and he was so cute.” — Dana Oshall, 19

Taking care of each other is what

community

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Agueda Virgen Berrios, 83, of Tampa, born on Feb. 4, 1936 in Cayey, P.R, entered into eternal rest on Aug.13, 2019. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Billy Joe Varnadore Billy Joe Varnadore, 79, of Webster, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Aug. 15. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Judy P. Lawson Judy P. Lawson, 72, of Plant City, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 19. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Bobbie Lou Russell

Bobbie Lou Russell, 89, of Plant City, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 17. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Robert ‘Bob’ Walter Jolly Mr. Robert “Bob” Walter Jolly, 75 of Douglasville, Georgia passed away Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. He was born March 5, 1944 in Tampa, the son of the late Mr. Walter Lowell Jolly and the late Mrs. Emma Kemp Jolly. Mr. Jolly sold cars at Hardy Ford for several years. He enjoyed working in the yard and was a NASCAR fan. He loved his grandchildren and family very much. Mr. Jolly was a retired Air Force veteran. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by brothers and sisters-in-law, Elbert and Mildred McMillian of South Carolina, Russell McMillian of Virginia, Ronald McMillian of Florida, Johnny and Loretta Jolly of Florida, and David Jolly of Florida; sister, Patricia Simmons of Florida. Mr. Jolly is survived by his wife of 40 years, Linda Gilbert Jolly; daughter, Tonia Parker of North Augusta, South Carolina; sons and daughter-in-law, Robert Fairburn of St. Petersburg, Florida; John and Melissa Roberts of Dallas, Georgia; sisters and brothers-in-law, Iris and Elliott Johnson of Old Fort, Tennessee, Nadine and Dan Jackson of Plant City, Florida, Shirley Stephens of Gainesville, Florida; brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Gail Jolly of Durham, North Carolina;

sisters-in-law, Betty McMillian and Carol McMillian three grandchildren, Townsend Fairburn of St. Petersburg, Florida, Logan and Reagan Roberts of Dallas, Georgia; several nieces and nephews also survive. Memorial services will be conducted Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. from Grace Presbyterian Church, 5000 Stewart Mill Road, Douglas, GA 30135. In lieu of flowers, please donate to one of the following charities: DAV, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Shriners Hospital, or American Legion. Messages of condolences may be sent to the family at www. jones-wynn.com. Jones-Wynn Funeral Home of Douglasville is in charge of the arrangements. 770942-2311.

Wayne is Henry all about. Ausburn

Miriam Almand Krell

17

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

OBITUARIES

Agueda Virgen Berrios

|

Miriam Almand Krell, 92, of Lutz, Henry Wayne Ausburn, 67, entered into eternal rest on Aug. passed away ondedicated Friday, Aug. 16, families create a we’re to helping WE’R E P RO UD TO S E RV E our community 16, 2019. Expressions of condo2019 after a long battle with unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. lenceAsatyour HopewellFuneral.com. cancer andcelebrates heart disease. the life itHe represents. Dignity Memorial professionals, was born Dec.18, 1951 in Tupelo, > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability Mississippi.> The Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement Travel Assistance A memorial service was held on August 20, 2019 at Plant City Church of Christ. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. Condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial.com. ®

Taking care of R each other is what

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Alice Brown Sikes

is all about.

Alice Brown Sikes, 86, of Plant City, passed away on Aug. 20, WELLSMEMORIAL.COM 2019. The family will receive friends Norman L. Hovanus Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019 from dedicated to helping families create a WE’R E P RO UD TO S EWells RV E our community MeMorial & we’re event Center 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at care since Norman L.unique Hovanus, 87, passedmemorial that truly and meaningful with personal, compassionate 1896. PlanT CiTy Haught Funeral 708professionals, W. away on Aug. 14, 2019. Heitwas celebrates the life represents. As your DignityHome, Memorial 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., City, FL born May 7, 1932 Plan in Lansing, > 100%Plant Service Guarantee > National Transferability 33563. Funeral services will fol- Assistance New York. > The Compassion Helpline® Travel > Bereavement M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1 10/27/15 low at 11:00 a.m. Funeral services were held on Online condolences may Aug. 20, 2019 at Wells Memorial be left for the family at www. Funeral Home. Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. haught.care. Condolences may be offered at www.wellsmemorial.com. ®

Baby Heaven Lee Ketcham

R

Baby Heaven Lee Ketcham, of Lithia, entered into eternal rest on August 13. 2019. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

YOUR CALENDAR

BEST BET

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

SATURDAY, AUG. 24 BEE HABITAT INSTALLATION AND WORKSHOP

9 a.m. Celebrate with Kaitlin Witte at the Plant City Commons Community Garden and Botanical Treasure Gardens, 2001 E. Cherry St., while she installs a new native bee habitat at the Garden. The planning, researching, construction and then the installation will earn Kaitlin her Girl Scout GOLD Award. Following, at 10 a.m., she will present a Make Your Own Bee Habitat work shop. You must bring your own coffee mug for the work shop. The best type for this project should have sides that a 90 degree angle to the base (straight up and down, not angled out). This is a free event.

THURSDAY, AUG. 22 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS OPEN HOUSE

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. This month features the group’s Open House. Come out to learn more about the group. A light breakfast and coffee will be provided. For more information email pctm4051@gmail.com.

back, relax and head back in time to your favorite classic movies. Make it a date night, family night, a night out with friends, or even a night away from the rest of the world. Watch for fun themes, sweet movie treats and can’t-miss showings every fourth Thursday.

SBDC PRESENTS FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come on out to Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., for a special financing workshop. Are you looking for money for your business? Are you considering a SBA loan? This seminar will help you zero in on the right funding choices for your business and avoid money scams. Learn how to ask for a loan, get prepared for the bank and where to find money. Registration necessary. Please visit http://bit.ly/FloridaSBDCHC or call 813-204-9267 to reserve your seat.

BEST BET RETRO MOVIE NIGHT: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Second Chance Friends, Inc. will be at Tractor Supply Co., 1803 James L. Redman Parkway, with hot dogs, burgers and friendly dogs. You might just meet your new best friend, so swing on by and get to know the organization better.

BREAKFAST AND A BUILD

10 a.m. Brick City Bricks, 107 E. Reynolds St., is hosting a Breakfast and a Build event. All Pokémon fans are invited for the Pikachu build. Everyone gets a doughnut, a drink and an awesome Pikachu build to take home all for just $10.

SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB

10:30 a.m. Come on out to the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., each Thursday to find out more about a new Shuffleboard Club. Topics being discussed are days of the week, times, skill levels and anything else you may want to know. The club is hosted by Anita Balch and she can be contacted at 808-7225821 for more information.

BURGERS AND DOGS ADOPTION EVENT

4-H OPEN HOUSE

FRIDAY, AUG. 23 DUPLICATE BRIDGE

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. 24 ANNUAL KOA YOGA STUDIO OPEN HOUSE ANNIVERSARY

9 a.m. Come join Plant City’s very own yoga studio as it celebrate its anniversary. There are free classes and giveaways. There will be three 45-minute classes at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. This is a perfect way to try a teacher you haven’t practiced with before, or maybe you would like to bring a friend.

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., is hosting a free Retro Movie Night. Kick

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come on out to the Florida State Fairgrounds Special Events Center to learn more about the 4-H program in Hillsborough County. They will have most of the 4-H clubs represented and will be offering hands on activities. The clubs have various interests including dog training, STEM, livestock, shooting sports, small animals, photography and more. 4-H is over 100 years old, is the nation’s largest youth development program and open to youth age 5 to 18. Parking is free.

SANGRIA NIGHT

4 to 10 p.m. Keel & Curley WInery, 5210 Thonotosassa Rd., is bringing Latin vibes to the farm. Join them for a night full of all things sangria. They will have live Latin entertainment from DJ D2 on the patio deck, Latin inspired vendors, sangria and more. Parking and admission to this event are free for everyone.

PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Strawberry Square MHP, 4401 Promenade Blvd. The cost is $6 and will include slow dances, waltzes, line dances, cha-cha and more.

DARK HORSE BAND-A-RAMA

8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Join Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., in the loft for a showcase of several local bands. $5 suggested donation. This will be a night of music and fun for the entire family.

MONDAY, AUG. 26 PLANT CITY DAYBREAK ROTARY CLUB

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

READ WITH TANNER THE THERAPY DOG

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.

TUESDAY, AUG. 27 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 age 2 to 3 and their caregivers.

1101 Goldfinch Drive. For more information on membership call 813-924-3829.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28 KIWANIS CLUB OF PLANT CITY 12 to 1 p.m. The Kiwanis Club of Plant City meets Wednesdays at Buddy Freddy’s Restaurant, 1101 Goldfinch Drive (off Thonotosassa Road). For club information, call 813-417-7559.

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. 29 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

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

SHUFFLEBOARD CLUB

10:30 a.m. Come on out to the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., each Thursday to find out more about a new Shuffleboard Club. Topics being discussed are days of the week, times, skill levels and anything else you may want to know. The club is hosted by Anita Balch and she can be contacted at 808722-5821 for more information.

PLANT CITY LIONS CLUB

12 to 1 p.m. The Plant City Lions Club holds a meeting every Tuesday at Buddy Freddy’s,

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Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg August 22, 2019 PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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I LOVE PLANT CITY

8/22

FORECAST THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 High: 90 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 20%

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 High: 88 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 30%

28 Breakfast joint 31 End zone marker 32 Dashboard pressure indicator 34 Pull along 36 Dressing ingredient, to Rachael Ray 37 He said “I pity the fool” 38 Bostonian’s suggestion on how to find Red Sox stats? 42 In the style of 43 Inner self 44 Mile’s 1,760: Abbr. 45 French bread 47 2010’s dance craze with a dental name 51 Common Swedish boy’s

name 52 French bread? 54 Kind of bond 55 Piece of Greek architecture? 57 Fleur-de-___ 59 Summer, to Suzette 60 Excited Baltimore newspaper subscriber’s morning cry? 65 Worry 66 Teen follower? 67 Ready for picking 68 Food and water, for humans 69 Small equine 70 Mysterious loch

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

High: 87 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 40%

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 High: 86 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 60%

AVOCADOS

Shipping point: Central Florida $6.50-$8.50

DOWN 1 It’s a circus in there 2 Just manages 3 Clean a car thoroughly 4 Dated 5 Wonder Woman’s best friend 6 First prime minister of India 7 Even so 8 Kool waste 9 Buck, for a doe 10 Clarke of “Game of Thrones” 11 Tiny folktale character 12 Violets-blue connector 13 ___ Schwab 18 “I give up!” 19 Environmental field 24 Dog role that reportedly paid more than a Munchkin 26 Funny Amy 27 Belly flop, e.g. 29 Not a nice giant 30 24-Down, to Dorothy 33 Crackers that are vegetarian, despite their name 35 Sent a letter, say 38 Belarusian, for one 39 How some chickens are raised 40 Ballet class wear 41 Norway’s capital 42 Core muscles 46 Like an email that just arrived 48 Baby shower gift 49 Core-building exercises 50 Play parts 53 TV twins’ surname 56 Play parts 58 “Just doing my best” 60 QVC competitor 61 Dolly the sheep, e.g. 62 Mall guide 63 Narcissist’s trait 64 West end?

19

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, August 22

7:02a

8:00p

Friday, August 23

7:02a

7:59p

Saturday, August 24

7:03a

7:58p

Sunday, August 25

7:03a

7:57p

Monday, August 26

7:04a

7:56p

Tuesday, August 27

7:04a

7:55p

Wednesday, August 28 7:05a

7:54p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

Term Papers by Wren Schultz

ACROSS 1 Pillows’ places 5 Ireland’s best-selling solo artist 9 Sometimes-heavy music genre 14 Furniture store that sells Swedish meatballs 15 Middle letters in “letter” 16 Love, in Venice 17 New York paper pusher’s slogan? 20 Org. with body scanners 21 Fossil-preserving gunk 22 Brit’s ancestor 23 News items that honor lives, briefly 25 Beehive, for one

|

Aug. 30 New

Sept. 3 First

Sept. 13 Full

Aug. 25 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Aug. 12

0.82

Tuesday, Aug. 13 0.01 Wednesday, Aug. 14

3.68

Thursday, Aug. 15 0.54 Friday, Aug. 16

0.28

Saturday, Aug. 17 0.22 Sunday, Aug. 18

0.00

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2019 33.39 in.

2019 12.73 in.

2018 20.01 in.

2018 1.86 in.

WEATHER

43 Inner self 10 Clarke of 39 How some ACROSS 44 Mile’s 1,760: “Game of chickens are 1 Pillows’ Abbr. Thrones” raised places 45 French bread 11 Tiny folktale 40 Ballet class 5 Ireland’s 47 2010’s dance character wear best-selling with a Editor12 Violets-blue 41 Norway’s Sendsolo yourartist photo submissionscraze to Associate Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com dental name connector capital 9 Sometimesor hashtag Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature. 42 Core 51onCommon 13 ___ Schwab heavy#iloveplantcity music Swedish 18 “I give up!” muscles genre boy’s name 19 Environmental 46 Like an email 14 Furniture 52 French field store that that just bread? 24 Dog role that sells Swedish arrived 54 Kind of bond reportedly meatballs 48 Baby shower 55 Piece of paid more 15 Middle letters gift Greek than a in “letter” 49 Core-building architecture? Munchkin 16 Love, in exercises 57 Fleur-de-___ 26 Funny Amy Venice 50 Play parts 59 Summer, 27 Belly flop, 17 New York 53 TV twins’ to Suzette e.g. paper surname 60 Excited 29 Not a pusher’s 56 Play parts Baltimore nice giant slogan? 58 “Just doing newspaper 30 24-Down, 20 Org. with my best” subscriber’s to Dorothy body 60 QVC morning cry? 33 Crackers scanners competitor 65 Worry that are 21 Fossil61 Dolly the 66 Teen vegetarian, preserving sheep, e.g. follower? despite their gunk 62 Mall guide 67 Ready for name 22 Brit’s 63 Narcissist’s picking 35 Sent a letter, ancestor trait 68 Food and say 23 News items 64 West end? water, for 38 Belarusian, that honor humans for one lives, briefly 69 Small equine 25 Beehive, for 70 Mysterious one PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER ToddBreakfast and Kelly Flemister’s peanut loch cactus has a whole lot of personality, which is apparent to 28 anyone who visits their home on Thonotosassa Road. DOWN joint 1 It’s a circus 31 End zone Follow on social media: @PCObserver on Instgram, in us there marker O N L I N E @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer 2 Just 32 Dashboard on Facebook. manages pressure 3 Clean a car indicator thoroughly 34 Pull along 4 Dated 36 Dressing 5 Wonder ingredient, to Woman’s Rachael Ray best friend 37 He said “I 6 First prime pity the fool” minister of 38 Bostonian’s India suggestion 7 Even so on how to 8 Kool waste find Red Sox 8/21 © 2019 Andrews McMeel Universal 9 Buck, for stats? www.upuzzles.com 42 In the style of a doe

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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