PLANT CITY
PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018
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YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 6, NO. 8
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018
Salute to Ag The annual Salute to Agriculture Luncheon recognized key players in the local industry. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Breanne Williams
Theresa Clinton, owner of the Sparkman House Luxury Bed & Breakfast.
YOUR TOWN
Each year the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce recognizes agriculture honorees at a spe-
Photo courtesy of Gil Gott
The Plant City Photo Archives and History Center bid its summer interns farewell last week in a special goodbye ceremony. Anisa J. Brown, a journalism major at the University of Tampa, completed 230 hours over 11 weeks. She researched and completed the writing of a monograph, “Growing Up Black in Plant City, Florida, During the Time of Segregation and Inequality.”
Mystery Dinner Theatre The Trinkle Center was filled with 50s-themed chaos Friday evening as hundreds of guests poured into Mike’s Diner. Throughout the evening they danced the hand jive, enjoyed hotdogs, hamburgers and sundaes and placed bets on who the mysterious murderer in the annual performance was. The cast of the show gave the attendees a run for their money and one table that guessed the killer and motive correctly walked away with special surprises. The annual show is the largest fundraiser for the Bruton Memorial Library.
ily’s farm and became involved in 4-H and FFA before earning his bachelors and master’s degrees and coming back to teach in the town he loves. He impacted countless lives in the classroom and set many on the path of becoming influential leaders in agriculture themselves. Though his influence in the classroom is legendary, his wit in the ring at the Florida Strawberry SEE AGRICULTURE, PAGE 6
Candidate forum ‘home run’ More than 50 candidates came to the Trinkle Center to meet the public Tuesday night.
Bidding interns farewell
cial ceremony held at the Grimes Family Agricultural Center. Hundreds come out to enjoy a catered lunch, meet and congratulate the selected honorees and celebrate in the work they have done for the local ag community. This year, Ray Clark, Jake Raburn, Lee Gilman and Dixie Gilman, Everglades Equipment Group and Thomas Sturgis were all presented special plaques. Clark was born and raised in Plant City. He grew up on his fam-
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Hundreds flocked to the Trinkle Center Tuesday evening to take part in the Candidate Forum, hosted by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. More than 50 candidates were on site to mingle with the attendees, discuss their stances and get to know their potential constituents before they went on stage and discussed their plans for office in a two-minute speech. The candidates had one hour
prior to the speeches to take photos, hand out signs and convince the citizens in attendance to give them their vote in the upcoming election. The hall was packed and many attendees carried around a blank straw ballot. Hunter Frost, an intern for Ross Spano and a Student Government Association treasurer for Brandon, said he was able to go around the room and meet every single person there that evening. “It seems like everyone was able to get to meet the candidates on a personal level and I know Ross was able to really get to have meaningful conversations with those that stopped by his booth,” Frost said. “This was a great way for people to meet these candidates in a professional and still Breanne Williams
SEE CANDIDATE, PAGE 3
The candidates had two minutes for their speech at the forum.
May the best house win Positive behavior is currency in Jackson Elementary’s latest school-wide program. SEE PAGE 4 Breanne Williams
Jackson Elementary is starting off the new year with a new incentive program that is sure to help positive behavior thrive on campus.