8.26.21 PLCO by Plant City Observer

Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 159

. YO UR NEWS PAP ER . COMMISH ROUNDUP: COMMISSIONERS

FREE • THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

HOLD SPECIAL MEETING TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Prior to the regularly scheduled city commission meeting, the commission held a special meeting at the John. R. Trinkle Center.

The Plant City City Commission held a special meeting at the John R. Trinkle Center on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., prior to their regularly scheduled city commission meeting. The public hearing was in reference to the application by South Florida Baptist Hospital for the designation of a nearby Brownfield area to be called the South Florida Baptist Hospital Economic Enhancement Area. The designation of the area, once completed, will facilitate the remediation of the property to residential standards by Florida Baptist Hospital.

In accordance with the Brownfields Redevelopment Act, the local governing body must conduct a minimum of two advertised public hearings on the project, one of which must be in close proximity to the subject area. The special meeting filled that requirement as the Trinkle Center lies just 1.4 miles from the Brownfield area and also served as one of the two required public hearings, the second of which will take place on Sep. 13 as part of a standard city commission meeting. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

NEWS BRIEFS

Youth flag football registration remains open Don’t miss your last chance to register for flag football as the 55th season of the Plant City Parks & Recreation Department/Optimist Youth Flag Football Program gets geared up. The P.C.P.R.D./ Optimist Youth Flag Football Program is for all area boys and girls ages four to 15, as of Nov. 1, 2021 and a birth certificate is required for registration. The program is for youths who want to play in an atmosphere of fair play and good sportsmanship. Games are on Saturday mornings for co-ed ages 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11-12, 13-14-15 at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2402 East Cherry Street. No hard pads or helmets are allowed and the league will not include practices or coaches. Teams meet each week and “instructing officials” are assigned to the teams to ensure that each player carries or catches the ball, subs are rotated evenly and assist in play calling if needed. Parks & Rec will provide basic training in football skills and rules along with positive leadership to build the character and overall citizenship of the players. All who wish to participate must register by Sep. 1 to be guaranteed a place on a team and the season will run from Sep. 18 through Nov. 6. The cost is $37 per player for the eight-game season which includes their jersey and accident insurance. Register now through Wednesday, Sep. 1 at the

Parks & Rec Department’s administrative office, 1904 South Park Road. For more information, call 813-659-4255.

Achieve Plant City receives $8,000 donation Achieve Plant City was nominated by Florida Insurance Center to receive an $8,000 donation to help adult literacy, early childhood education and parenting education as part of Westfield’s Legacy of Caring program. Each year, Westfield independent insurance agents, like Florida Insurance Center, are invited to nominate a local nonprofit for the Legacy of Caring program. The Westfield Insurance Foundation, an independent private foundation endowed by Westfield, awards the donation as an extension of the fundamental role that insurance plays every day in stabilizing families, businesses and communities in times of uncertainty. This year, the grant program, funded by Westfield Insurance Foundation, is focused on supporting nonprofits that are helping families and businesses stabilize and recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the last 15 months, nonprofits became increasingly important as the number of people in need increased while funding support simultaneously evaporated. Many agents participating in the Legacy of Caring program this year

elected to nominate their local Feeding America foodbank, Urban League or United Way because of the critical resources they provide to their communities. “As our businesses and schools reopen and ‘return to normal,’ Westfield’s Legacy of Caring program reminds us that it may take years to return to the stability and security people and businesses, including nonprofits, enjoyed before the pandemic happened,” said Dennis Brownlee, Agency Principal. The Westfield Insurance Foundation will donate more than $600,000 dollars to neighborhoods across the country. Florida Insurance Center is one of nearly 100 agencies that nominated a nonprofit, including Achieve Plant City, for the Westfield Legacy of Caring grant program. Westfield is proud to work with their independent agents in distributing over $3 million since 2015. “We value our partnerships with our independent insurance agencies,” said Ed Largent, Westfield President, CEO, and Westfield Insurance Foundation Chair. “2020 was an incredibly tough year and Westfield recognizes that families trying to achieve and maintain stability were faced with multiple barriers to success. Investing in our agents’ communities will help families realize short-term successes with long-lasting outcomes.”

Hillsborough Tax Collector, Department of Health to offer vaccination pop-ups Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s office is partnering with the Department of Health to bring COVID-19 vaccinations to their offices. One of five different locations to host the vaccination pop-ups, the event will come to Plant City on Thursday, Sep. 2 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 4706 N. Sydney Rd. One-dose Johnson & Johnson and twodose Pfizer vaccine will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. No appointments are necessary to receive a vaccine. "We serve over 1.4 million people each year and have hundreds who enter our offices on a daily basis," Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy C. Millan said, "So, of course, partnering with the Department of Health to bring vaccinations on site not only our employees but for our customers as well was an easy call to make," You must be 18 years of age to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Children 12 and up can receive the Pfizer vaccine. Please bring your government issued ID and your insurance information. You do not have to have insurance to receive the vaccine.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUAST 26, 2021

MAIN STREET MOMENTUM HELPING NEW AND EXISTING BUSINESSES

JIM FRANKOWIAK GUEST WRITER

Downtown Plant City is growing – not necessarily in size, but in the new businesses that are opening and the existing businesses that are being helped by this action. There’s also ongoing attention to the look of the area and different ways to keep this momentum moving. Much of this movement can be attributed to the partnership of Plant City Main Street, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, Plant City Economic Development Corporation and the City of Plant City and the various initiatives that have and continue to take place. Special events, program funding grants, and varied promotions are just some of the activities that have helped foster this momentum. All these organizations play a vital role in moving Plant City forward with Plant City Main Street specifically focusing on downtown. The 25-acre area of Plant City known as “downtown” is unique and key to the attractiveness to existing and new businesses and their customers. People open

businesses in the area and visit because of this attribute and fostering that going forward is important. It also helps support local businesses, the primary makeup of downtown Plant City. Perhaps the best way to look at this is through individual experiences. Cody Lenz with Three Hands Mead was drawn to the area after a Plant City Main Street event called Topics on Tap. “There was interest in having a brewery open in downtown,” he said. “But no existing brewers stepped in, so I did it with Three Hands Mead. That was a good decision. We’re having a tough time keeping up with demand for mead.” Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with various fruits, spices, grains or hops. Three Hands Mead is located at 111 South Evers Street. Across the street, Diane Mendoza recently opened The Crafted Butterfly, an independent craft and home decor store at 102 S Evers St. She was drawn to downtown Plant City by the “support shown for small businesses. That was in line with my business’s needs.” Matt Morrow with The Tipsy Bookworm (bar and used bookstore at 115 South

Evers Street) termed downtown Plant City “strong and unique with great potential for his business” as to why he made the decision. “I was familiar with the people and area as well as their encouragement and support. I could have done this at other locations in the Tampa Bay area, but picked Plant City.” Next door, Grit Rambusch with Crumbles & Cream Kaffeehaus says, “It was the right place. Different from a strip mall and ideal for me and my bakery.” Maintaining and revitalizing the historic character that attracted Mrs. Rambusch is key to the mission of organizations like Plant City Main Street and supported by programs such as the city’s Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) matching grants for small businesses. It’s not only new businesses that are feeling the excitement. Cynthia Diaz has operated The Corner Store at 121 East Reynolds Street for the past 13 years. From the Last Friday in Downtown Food Truck rally to the Downtown Dollars stimulus program that supported businesses last year during the pandemic, she has seen the momentum. “All of us need to keep working together to keep this going,” she said. “Downtown

Plant City is good for the whole family with something for everyone.” The momentum drew Mike Jemison’s attention and was part of the reason he chose to take on the largest development project in the area in decades through Solution Source. Located at the northwest corner of Wheeler and MLK Boulevard, this $12 million project will include first floor commercial and luxury condos. “We anticipate groundbreaking by the end of the year and have already received commitments for the majority of the commercial space,” he said. “I think this project has also sparked others nearby, leading to added momentum for a revitalized downtown Plant City.” The future of Downtown Plant City looks good thanks to the collaborative effort of existing and new businesses, various organizations and consumers.

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PLANT CITY

Observer

This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigate a sleeping victim, thrown flour

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

and a safe that was broken into.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com istock

AUG. 14 SLEEP DEBT 1400 block of S. Collins St. Theft: Officers met with a victim who claimed that his wallet was stolen while he was asleep outside of the local business at the location. TOO MANY COOKS 2200 block of James L. Redman Pkwy Simple assault: Officers Made contact with the victim who reported that the suspect had thrown flour in his face. The suspect was then arrested and ultimately released on their own recognizance.

AUG. 15 WHEN ONE DOOR’S OPEN 3300 block of Hwy. 574 W. Vehicle burglary: Officers met

with the victim who claimed that his wallet, including his commercial drivers license, credit cards and $40 In cash had been stolen from his vehicle. LOST AND FOUND 1 Police Pl Stolen vehicle/firearm: Officers met with the victim at Plant City Police Department where the victim reported that their vehicle had been stolen. The vehicle was later recovered by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

AUG, 17 A CONVENIENT STORE 2400 block of James L. Redman Pkwy Grand theft: Officers met with the victim at a local gas station who had discovered upon arrival that $933.12 in cash had been stolen from the safe at the location. POOR STORAGE

Sports Writer / Taylor Jenkins tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com

1200 block of S. Alexander St. Trailer theft: Officers met with the complainant who works for a self storage company at the location who claimed that one of the car trailers bearing an Oklahoma license plate was stolen from the property. SMOKING GUN 4100 block of Hunts Ct. Vehicle burglary: Officers met with the victim who advised them that an unknown suspect had stolen the firearm from their vehicle. HEFTY WITHDRAWAL 700 block of North Pennsylvania Ave. Fraud - arrest: Officers met with the victim at the location who told them that he believed he dropped his wallet which contained his drivers license, his birth certificate and several credit cards. He later discovered fraudulent charges on his credit card. The suspect was later arrested

Time for New Glasses?

for three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident. HIDE AND SEEK 1400 block of Granfield Ave. Warrant arrest: Plant City Poice received an attempt to contact call from Polk County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a subject that had an active warrant out for their arrest out of their agency. Officers responded to the listed location and made contact with the suspect. A check revealed that the suspect did in fact have an active warrant out of Polk County for two counts of written threats to kill or do great bodily harm, with no bond. The warrant was confirmed and the suspect was arrested for the warrant and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

COMMISH ROUNDUP: COMMISSIONERS HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON NEW LAND USE CATEGORY

In addition, the commission also approved new renovations to two fields at Ellis-Methvin Park

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Once in the regularly scheduled city commission meeting later that evening, much of the night revolved around a proposed map amendment that would change the future land use designation of a .94 acre plot of land — located in the northeast quadrant of Plant City, south of Williams Road, north of E. Sam Allen Road, along the west side of N. Wilder Road — from Residential-1 to Residential-6, matching the roughly 718 acres of property located directly to its north, west and south that are currently a part of the unified site plan for North Park Isle. This change would come with the intent of ultimately including the land in the development of North Park Isle. The land was purchased after the purchase of the initial 718 acres that lies adja-

cent, leading to this proposed amendment coming after the fact. “In the simplest terms, they were filling a hole,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “They did everything around it because they couldn’t get that particular parcel. Now they have it and they’re just plugging it into their existing development plan.” While the land would be approved for six dwelling units per acre, with a maximum of five dwelling units for this individual parcel, in the current phase of the development the effective allowance would be 2.5 units per acre although further phases will follow. The Commission also held a transmittal hearing for a text amendment that creates a Residential-16 future land use plan category for the Imagine 2040: Plant City Comprehensive Plan. Similar to an action taken in 2008 that created the category of Residential-9, bridging the wide gap between Residen-

tial-6 and Residential-12, the City of Plant City has requested that Planning Commission staff develop an additional residential future land use plan category to bridge the gap between Residential-12 and Residential-20 as a forward-thinking action, even though no plans are currently in the works to utilize the new category at this time. “Right now, developers that fall somewhere between the R-12 and the R-20 are having to seek greater entitlements than they actually need,” McDaniel said. “That is very problematic, or considered problematic, in the planning phases. R-16 gives them a middle ground where they can get entitlements that are closer to what they actually want to build. So it gives you that middle step. [Plan Hillsborough’s Executive Planner Mark Hudson] also used that term that it adds to the palette to development or zoning land use changes that we have to offer to developers. It’s basically filling the gap between 12 and 20.”

The Residential-16 category would presumably be used for higher-density dwelling areas such as townhomes or apartment complexes. The commission also approved a request to replace the turf on two fields at EllisMethvin Park, turf that is actively deteriorating due to excessive rains in past years and slow-draining soil despite efforts to revive the turf. The turf has deteriorated to a point where replacement is necessary for safety on the playing surface. The project will include eradication of existing plant material, soil testing, adding and laser-grading topsoil, adjusting irrigation heads as needed and installation of the new turf. Materials and labor for the project is planned to be purchased from World Sports Turf and Marketing LLC for a total cost of $72,029.48, with $235,307 currently available for park improvements.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

HUMBLE SUCCESS

GUEST WRITER

Leadership styles vary greatly. The measure of success in the eyes of many too often allow for a humble man to remain an unsung hero. This is not native to Plant City, nor are we innocent of the charge. We all likely know someone in our lives who fits the ideal of Plant City’s Citizen of the Year who has or will be passed over. Sometimes, when in the whirlwind of getting things done and observing our town stumbling seemingly two steps forward and one slouching backward towards Gomorrah, certain people I know and appreciate thankfully just do their thing and ‘get ur dun’. I know such a man. Arriving in Plant City in 1995, Mr. Gil Gott served as both President of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and as Executive Director of the Plant City Economic Development Council. When I first met him,

he was giving a speech to the Kiwanis Club in 1995 and wowed us with what was his passion for the beginnings of his drive to save the downtown railroad depot. Like much of downtown then, it had sat largely vacant and was suffering demolition by neglect. He eventually succeeded on that mission and the historic Union Station reopened in 1997 with many duly noted to receive credit for a job well done, except him. After leaving the Chamber, over the next two years he coordinated the world’s largest strawberry shortcake in February 1999, wrote a huge successful grant application for the City for improvements (A/C and elevator) to the 1914 Plant City High School (likely still the record holding highest grant to that building I suspect), wrote a report for the City on bringing softball to Plant City, wrote the successful proposal to bring the Women’s Pro Softball League All-Star Game to town in

July 1999 and coordinated that event. I personally witnessed and know how nearly everyone who collaborated with Mr. Gott on any of these projects enjoyed doing so, and we learned how he was always about assigning credit rather than seeking it; shouldering responsibility and dodging accolade. When the Plant City Photo Archives was founded in 2000, neither Gil nor I had much of any idea how to do what we wanted. But by then I knew enough about my friend to get out of his way, spare him as much committee BS as I could, and turn him loose. Very few decisions of mine exceed that one in success. Since working with the Photo Archives, while learning and leading us into doing what no one had done before, Gil also wrote the book Remembering Plant City; Tales from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World and coauthored with Lauren Der McNair

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The Florida Strawberry Festival; A Brief History. He also wrote over 100 articles on local history of the greater Plant City area, and articles or columns in The Courier, Plant City Observer, FOCUS magazine, In The Field magazine and the Society of Florida Archivists’ monthly newsletter. There are several key people who have collaborated with Mr. Gott at the Plant City Photo Archives, and they know I appreciate their hard work and dedication as well, but this time I want to shine a light on my friend Gil. Because I know he won’t. Join us on Thursday evening September 30 from 6-8 pm at the

Plant City Photo Archives when we will be holding a celebration in honor of Mr. Gott’s retirement as Executive Director there. We hope to have plenty of food and refreshments, and while this is a general “come one come all” celebration, it would be GREATLY appreciated by those planning the event if you would please email Ms. Dodie White of your plans to attend at dodiewhite@msn.com. It would be very difficult to overstate the impact upon Plant City made so far by Mr. Gil Gott and I’m eager to see what he will do next for us all.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

THE DEVANE FAMILY

PIONEERS OF SPRINGHEAD AND PLANT CITY

Dr. Scotty & Hsiu Huang History Center Plant City Photo Archives, Inc. October 2015; Revised and Edited August 2021

ing his pay, he returned to Shady Grove, packed everything on a wagon and, with his mother, stepfather and siblings, settled in Springhead. His farm and orange grove were amongst the finest in the county. George DeVane was also an orator and frequently delivered his oratories at political gatherings at Alderman’s Ford. He was a charter member and a deacon of the Springhead Baptist Church. He was buried at Mt. Enon in 1924. The second of Benjamin Franklin DeVane’s sons, Edward Jasper DeVane, (E.J.), worked for the Wilders in the Cork settlement. In 1882 he married Alice Collins, daughter of Enoch and Temperance Collins, and settled in the Springhead area. He moved back to Cork, living on part of the Enoch Collins homestead, then moved into Plant City proper. His business activities were vast and varied. In addition to his real estate developments and subdivisions, he and his younger brother Frank were organizers of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in 1920. E.J. DeVane was a City Commissioner in 1907, then a County Commissioner for three terms, 1907-1913. He was a member of the Booster Club that traveled north

to promote the Plant City area, a charter member of the first Board of Trade and an organizer of the East Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, later known as the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. Until he died, in 1933, E.J. was a preacher at Mt. Enon Primitive Baptist Church. Frank Elbert DeVane was the youngest son of Benjamin Franklin DeVane and at an early age taught at a school in Winston. He later worked at the phosphate mines in Bone Valley. In 1893 he married Fannie Wheeler and in 1895 bought a 160-acre homestead in the Springhead community. Frank DeVane was a successful farmer and was a member of the Booster Club, a charter member of the Board of Trade and later of the East Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. Frank DeVane donated land to the Springhead School and served as a school trustee. He was one of the founders of the Plant City Growers’ Association and was its first president in 1916. He was a deacon of the Mt. Enon Primitive Baptist Church for the remainder of his life. He died in 1943. There is much more to the DeVane family history, but it is a long and fascinating story to be told later.

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In Plant City the DeVane family is known for real estate developments, banking, government, civic organizations, farming and their churches – mostly, in the early years, the Mt. Enon Primitive Baptist Church. The DeVane family settled throughout the Springhead area beginning in 1869 and spread through the area including Cork and Plant City proper. They were farmers, served on the Plant City Commission, Hillsborough County Commission, School Board and more. They were charter members of the Board of Trade and the East Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce that followed. The DeVane Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution was formed in Plant City in the name of John DeVane, a Minuteman and its charter members were all members of the DeVane family. John DeVane’s son, Benjamin DeVane, was born in North Carolina in 1795, served in the War of 1812 and later served in the Seminole Wars, for which he was granted land in Madison County, Florida, where he moved in 1848. Following the Civil War, in which all six of his sons served in

the Confederate Army, Benjamin DeVane moved first to the Seffner area, then to Springhead about 1869, homesteading on Wiggins Road. He was the first DeVane in the Plant City area. Benjamin DeVane’s son, Samuel Rowan DeVane, was born in Georgia in 1821 and he served in both the Seminole Wars and the Civil War. In 1869 Samuel moved his family to Springhead, settling near his father. That homestead was later known as the Elbert Blanton place. Benjamin DeVane’s youngest son, Benjamin Franklin DeVane, who had married Nancy Jane Blanton in 1855, died of a fever, possibly typhoid, in 1865 in Savannah while making his way back to Florida following his service in the Civil War. All three of Benjamin Franklin DeVane’s sons, George Albert DeVane, Edward Jasper DeVane, known as “E.J.”, and Frank Elbert DeVane, eventually settled in Plant City, making great contributions to the development of Springhead and the town of Plant City. The oldest of the three sons, George Albert DeVane, born in 1856, had contracted to work in the citrus groves for George Hamilton in 1874. After receiv-

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

CONTENTS

4 6 8 Durant High School Cougars

10 11 12

Major Matchups

Jim Conrow

Financial Advisor

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Plant City High School Raiders

13 14 15

Strawberry Crest High School Chargers

2020 Photos, Historic Photos Youth Football Preview Preseason Recap

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FOOTBALL PREVIEW

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

WELCOME TO THE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Get ready for the season with help from the Plant City Observer.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

We’re all ready for some football, right? After one of the more unique football seasons in recent memory last year, Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest are ready to get rolling and back under those Friday night lights for the 2021 football season. This upcoming season will likely come with a bit more normalcy in comparison to 2020, something many of us could probably use after the last year. But as the season begins we hope that all players, fans, students, coaches, parants and staff enjoy the year and finish it as happy and healthy as possible. With that said, welcome to the 2021 Football Preview! Inside we’ve got an indepth look at all three local high school teams as they get geared up for the season. This edition will also include a youth football preview for the Colts and the Dolphins, a recap of the last week’s preseason games,

what major matchups you should be looking out for this season and a chance to look back at the 2020 season and historic football memories through photos. With this being my first year having the opportunity to tell your stories and cover your local sports for the Plant City Observer, I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t full of excitement for this upcoming season as well. Follow along right here in The Observer and on social media all season long, starting with next week’s recap of Plant City’s season opener against Tampa Bay Tech tomorrow.

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

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FOOTBALL PREVIEW

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

DURANT

COUGARS A NEW ERA

For the first time in nearly two decades, Durant will have a new head coach at the helm. TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

After 18 seasons under Mike Gottman, Claybo Varnum has taken over as head coach for the Durant Cougars in 2021. While Varnum will be a new name alongside the head coach designation, his name is far from a new one around Durant’s program. Playing for Durant and graduating from the school in 2011, Varnum immediately began working with the program as a coach for their junior varsity team. Over the next decade he continued contributing, alongside joining Durant’s staff as a teacher, all leading up to his penultimate promotion this past offseason. Even Durant’s weight room bears the Varnum name, in reference to the generations before him that have left their mark on the high school. A third generation native of the Pinecrest/Plant City area, Varnum takes pride in Durant’s community. He recalled stand-

ing along the stadium’s fenceline at just eight years old, watching as Durant made their run to the State Final Four in 2003, and sees that long-time connection as a major positive for the culture that he wants to establish as he steps into his new role. “I went to school with kids from every neighborhood that comes to us,” Varnum said. “I went to school with kids from Keysville, I went to school with kids from Pinecrest, kids who are from Valrico, kids who are from Plant City. I think that one of the best things about me taking over as the football coach here is that I don’t have to get familiar with that stuff. I know these people, I grew up with these people and hopefully they know me through the influence that I’ve made here at some point in time.” Durant has avoided players transferring out in Varnum’s first

year, a point of emphasis for him, and truly believes that they will be “hard to handle” if they can overcome the often difficult task of staying healthy. Durant lost some players to graduation, as every school does, but has a significant amount of starters returning. The Cougars’ offense, if nothing else, will bring valuable experience with four returning seniors and one junior along the offensive line, starting quarterback Marcus Miguele heading into his senior season and all but one player at their skill positions coming back. “All of these guys have been a part of the program since they were young,” Varnum said about Durant’s offensive line. “And they’ve gelled together to where we’ve got one of the best offensive lines in the county. From a size standpoint, from an aggression standpoint and from a mental standpoint, these guys are

smart, they’re all 3.0 and higher (GPA) students. So the offensive line is huge.” A key difference in Varnum’s first year will be the Cougars’ offensive philosophy. The scheme has been reworked a bit alongside offensive playcaller Jackson Barwick, inching away from the rundominated system that Durant has been known for in the past. “We want to change the narrative,” Varnum said. “For years we’ve been hard-nosed, run the ball 90 percent of the time, when you come to Durant it’s going to be low scoring. Those concepts are good but we’ve got to be able to throw the football. It’s 2021, we’ve got to sling it. We want to incorporate more of our quarterback’s strengths, throwing the football, we’ve got a great group of skill guys and we’ve got to get them the football. We can’t rely on one or two running backs to

get the job done so we’ve got to be balanced and take what people give us.” Barwick added to Varnum’s statement. “One that’s balanced,” Barwick said about what Durant’s ideal offense looks like. “The hardest offenses to defend, they can throw it when they need to, they can run it when they need to, that really takes advantage of what the defense is giving you.” Across the rest of the offense, Varnum and Barwick both pointed to Miguele, wide receiver Jeremiah Gines and running back Alex Daley as guys that will likely be major cornerstones for Durant this season. “Marcus Miguele at quarterback, he’s a two-year starter for us, I’ve coached him since he was on JV all the way up,” Varnum said. “He’s got great feet, his arm’s coming around, he’s the guy that

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should lead us. On the outside, Jeremiah Gines is a guy that we’re really excited about. He came to us last year, his older brother played for us at one point in time and he’s got some big play ability. Then one of our running backs, Alex Daley, who’s out right now. We hope to have him back against Brandon (Week 3), he’s going to be a sophomore, he’s going to be a good one. He’s going to be hard to handle.” Durant’s defense has made the move from a base 4-3 to a 3-4 in recent years and will remain that way, along with their key points of emphasis. Each player playing hard, staying disciplined, staying within their assignments and tackling reliably will always be the focus. “A perfect defense is just hardnosed, perfect execution and 11 hats to the ball,” defensive coordinator Frank Lane said. “We strive to do the little things right so with that comes reading your keys, your assignment and understanding the basis behind what we’re trying to do. So we do a lot of set

reps, we do a lot of film watching, the kids watch film on their own and they’ll always communicate to their position coach. We always try to set that mentality of doing the little things right which will bring together that bigger picture.” And Varnum added which players the defensive side of the ball will likely lean on for success this season. “Jacob Reed, our starting (inside) linebacker, he’s probably one of the best that I’ve ever coached,” Varnum said. “Instinctual, fast, strong, yes sir, no sir, just does it all. Austin Bovee, another one of the inside backers is doing a great job for us. Zaevion Jordan at corner, he’s a great corner. He’s a little bit on the shorter side but he’s aggressive, strong, had a huge interception in the Tampa Bay Tech playoff game last year. And up front, Austin Lewis, he’s a junior. We’re pretty young on the defensive line but they’re tough. Austin Lewis, Greg Smith’s going to tough and then Leo Tabakovic to kind of round us off.”

SCHEDULE Note: All games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Games are broadcast live online at NFHSNetwork.com. 8/27: vs. Sumner 9/3: @ Lennard 9/10: vs. Brandon 9/17: @ Newsome 9/24: @ Sickles 10/1: vs. Riverview 10/8: @ King 10/15: vs. Plant City 10/22: vs. Middleton 10/29: @ Plant

THE DETAILS Location: 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City Established: 1995 Head Coach: Claybo Varnum (first season with team) 2020 Record: 5-5 (1-3 district)

ROSTER

(from MaxPreps.com) 1 Marcus Miguele QB Sr. 2 Zaevion Jordan RB, CB Jr. 3 Jayden Forte CB, WR So. 4 Elian Gonzalez RB, FS Jr. 5 Jeremiah Gines WR, CB Jr. 6 Jayden Cornelius CB, WR Fr. 7 Quentin Johnson RB, OLB Sr. 8 Xavier Peavy ATH, Jr. 10 Tanner VanDorn K So. 11 Jaiden Gappy SS, FS, RB, Sr. 11 Ty Merkle QB Jr. 12 Calub Connell QB, SS Jr. 14 AJ Elliott K Jr. 15 Jaylin Torres WR So. 20 Season Nichols K Sr. 21 Matthew Reynolds CB, WR Sr. 22 Derrick Gaskin OLB, FB Sr. 25 Bryson Pearce RB Plant Sr. 26 Alex Daley RB So. 27 Luther Scarlett WR, S So. 28 Tyler Wiggins DB Jr. 32 Leo Tabakovic DE Jr. 35 Jordan Fernandes OLB Sr. 36 Jacob Reed MLB, FB Jr. 40 Jerome Parham DL So. 42 Austin Lewis DE, DT, TE Jr.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

44 Austin Bovee ILB, FB Sr. 45 Brant Bovee OLB So. 48 Simeon Echavarria OLB, MLB Sr. 49 Connor Perkkio LS, DE Jr. 50 Josh Alderman OL So. 52 Gage Aroz DL Jr. 53 Jovan Ortiz LB So. 55 Greg Smith DT Jr. 57 Ajai Brown T, DE Jr. 58 Andy Valentine OL Sr. 63 Luke Machristie OL So. 66 Tanner Peirce OL Jr. 68 Logan Mayo OL Sr. 71 Alexander Smith OL So. 72 Nash Sollmann T Sr. 74 AJ Hancock OL So. 77 Cade McClellan OL Sr. 78 Tyler Newell OL Sr. 80 Jesse Donnell WR So. Steven Williams So. Blake Chancey T, G, DT So. Gabriel Wojciechowicz Tony Migliorini So. Hunter Smith QB Fr. Joshua Spence So. Jarelle Franklin RB, MLB Fr. Luke Bever Jr.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PLANT CITY

RAIDERS A NEW LOOK OFFENSE FOR 2021

Plant City lost a lot of impactful seniors on offense, but the Raiders look to find success behind their defense and new starters. TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Coming off of a unique 2020 season, to say the least, head coach James Booth is looking to build on last year’s short-lived playoff berth as he begins his fifth season with the Plant City Raiders. 2021 will certainly look different for Plant City, though. The Raiders lost plenty of major production on the offensive side of the ball to graduation, but no loss in the area is bigger than that of Mario Williams. Williams, who started 2020 as ESPN’s top-rated wide receiver in the class of 2021, was also an early enrollee at the University of Oklahoma. Plant City was far from solely reliant on its star wideout in 2020, however. In fact, Williams wasn’t even the Raiders’ leader in receiving yards. That honor went to Reagan Ealy (now at Arkansas State),

who totaled 850 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns to Williams’ 743 yards and eight touchdowns. Behind Ealy and Williams, Aramoni Rhone racked up 218 yards and two touchdowns and Brent Coton had 104 yards and one touchdown of his own. Booth orchestrates a forwardthinking offense by high school standards, utilizing a pass-first attack that spreads the field to take advantage of looks provided by the defense. Plant City thrives on high-percentage throws that essentially runs its offense in reverse, using the pass to set up the run. That method may not come as easily this year, however, as the four aforementioned leading receivers were all seniors in 2020, along with starting quarterback Nick Felice. All 20 of Plant City’s receiving touchdowns last year came from graduating seniors.

“Our receiving corps was our depth, really our strong point for two years, and Nick was a senior quarterback. We only had him for one year and he had a great season for us,” Booth said. “So, losing that offensive production is going to be tough to replace, but [quarterback] Clint Danzey has been with me now for two years, going on to his third season, our whole offensive line is back, our running back is back, two players that played last year at receiver are back. So as we develop offensively, that cohesion with our new receivers that are coming in, we’re young but they’ve got talent.” Raider fans can expect the Danzey-led offense to be quicker and more up-tempo in 2021, which is something that Booth has emphasized throughout the offseason. The Raiders will see their largest dose of continuity in an expe-

rienced offensive line, with two returning seniors behind them at running back in Romello Jones and Reggie Bush Jr. Last season, Bush led the unit with 488 yards and three touchdowns on 59 carries in just six games before going down with an injury, and Jones stepped up with 604 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 70 carries. But while the Raiders’ offense is young and remains in the process of growing as a unit, Booth is excited about Plant City’s defense—a group that enters 2021 with a ton of talent and experience. “Defensively, this might be the most explosive defense that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Booth said. “We’re really excited about what they can do and the potential that they have. We’ve got three NCAA Division I defensive backs on the back end and our lineback-

ing corps is extremely athletic. We’re really excited about them.” Defensive playcaller Kyle Jones is entering his second year with Plant City—now getting his first full offseason as a member of the Raiders’ staff—after formerly serving as the linebackers coach at Jesuit High School. Key players for the Raiders defense will be linebacker Rhet Conyers and linebacker/safety Cole Highsmith in front of a star-studded secondary that features Jermarian Jackson, Ian Jolly and Romello Jones, who is playing both sides of the ball. “It’s really been cool to watch them grow,” Jones said. “And we’re not where we want to be yet. I do feel that we’ve got a lot of explosive players, we’ve got some good leadership and guys of all different talent levels on our defense. The biggest thing, I think, for us is that they’re start-

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SCHEDULE ing to love each other, and on a defense that’s just so important... I think that being their coach, we have the ability to be extremely explosive. They’ve just got to do their jobs. And if they do that, we’ll be tough.” So while graduation took its toll on the Raiders’ productive offense from a year ago, they remain a talented roster that has a chance to further prove themselves as the long season grinds on. “For the last few years, offensively, we were able to score points and if the defense held, that’s great,” Booth said. “But now we’re relying on the defense, which is going to be our strong suit, to where our offense is going to play catch-

up a little bit. Once we get rolling and everything gels, hopefully earlier than later, I think we have the potential to be a really good team.”

Note: All games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Games are broadcast live online at NFHSNetwork.com. 8/27: @ Tampa Bay Tech 9/3: vs. Jefferson 9/17: @ Riverview 9/24: vs. Jesuit 10/1: @ Chamberlain 10/8: vs. Bloomingdale 10/15: @ Durant (Redman Cup) 10/22: vs. Plant 10/29: vs. Newsome 11/5: @ Lennard

THE DETAILS Location: 1 Raider Place, Plant City Established: 1914 Head Coach: James Booth (fifth season with team) 2020 Record: 5-5 (1-0 district)

ROSTER

(from MaxPreps.com) 1 Romello Jones CB/RB Sr. 2 Jermarian Jackson FS/CB Sr. 3 DJ Haynes OLB Sr. 4 Jae Sawyer WR Sr. 5 Reggie Bush Jr. RB/CB Sr. 6 Clint Danzey QB Jr. 7 Sincere Williams WR Sr. 8 Jaylen Gadson WR Sr. 9 Eden Williams CB Jr. 10 Esteban Navarrete K Jr. 11 Ian Jolly FS Sr. 13 Jaden McCants ILB/RB So. 14 Jaylen Smith WR So. 16 Kareem Wimes DE Sr. 17 Sidney Bennett RB Fr. 18 Xikiya Devoe WR Sr. 19 Zykee Joyce WR So. 20 Chase Dexter CB So. 22 Tahauji Miller OLB Jr. 24 Rayonte Turner CB Sr. 28 Cole Highsmith SS/OLB Jr. 32 Seth Hogan SS Fr. 36 CJ McClain WR So.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

36 Jordan Miley-Dingler QB Jr. 38 Judah Bendorf WR So. 40 Oscar Ordonez DE Sr. 42 Deven Cruz-Fernandez ILB/ HB So. 44 Donta Jenkins DE Fr. 45 Xavier Bowers DE Sr. 50 Matt Bollinger ILB So. 52 Dorien Lisbon DE Jr. 53 Kaden Mizell DE Sr. 54 Giovanni Alvarez DT/NG So. 55 Rhet Conyers LB So. 56 Judson Smith G/DT Jr. 58 Trevar Bradshaw DE/DT/C Jr. 60 Kaden Palmer G/T/DT Sr. 68 William Belen G So. 69 Josiah Lancaster T/DT Sr. 70 DJ Robinson C/DE Sr. 75 Javan Futch G/DT Jr. 77 Nathan Zipperer G/T Fr. 78 Jovani Torres T Sr. 99 Donte Woodard DT Sr. 56 Judson Smith G/DT Jr.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

STRAWBERRY CREST

CHARGERS LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Strawberry Crest will look to build consistency, along with a culture, in 2021. TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

As far as Plant City-area football goes, Strawberry Crest is the new kid on the block. After opening its doors in 2009, it’s been a rocky start to a hopeful football program, to say the least. In 12 seasons, the Chargers have totaled only two seasons with five or more wins and just as many winless seasons. In those 12 seasons, they’ve also seen six different head coaches walk through the door—the most recent being Phillip Prior. The team has lacked consistency, not not only in performance but also in leadership. Prior intends to change both. Despite heading into his third season as the head coach for the Chargers, in many ways this past

year has felt like Prior’s first. Hired just weeks before the 2019 season began, Prior was forced to adjust on the fly without any semblance of offseason work with the team. Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic took spring football and summer workouts away again. “The last two years, we’ve basically been having to install a new offense and a new defense in the first two weeks of fall practice,” Prior said. “So you just kind of hit the ground running, and you don’t ever get a chance to get some traction. And that’s been one of the things—we’ve got a foundation laid now. We’ve been pretty consistent in what our schemes are from last year to this year, that’s another thing. We’ve had some consistency in our coaching staff that’s allowed us to do that. But spring football,

that’s where you lay your foundation for the next season. That’s where you get to figure out who’s made the jump, who’s matured in the weight room, who’s matured from a mentality standpoint, who’s going to rise up and be your leaders that next year. We haven’t had the opportunity for that, so it’s been a breath of fresh air.” The Chargers finished 2020 at just 1-8, with a big win over Freedom and narrow losses to King and George Jenkins to bookend the season. But with some regularity in the staff, the players and the scheme, Prior has seen just how different this team can look heading into a season after a true full offseason of work. “It’s just been a really good offseason, it’s been a really good summer,” Prior said. “That’s really what the summer is about. Your team starts to gel and to

blend together, and those leaders start to emerge, and that’s what’s happened. And I’ve been thankful for it.” Defensively, the Chargers have looked strong throughout their preseason work, standing tall against Brandon and Lennard in scrimmages before allowing just 17 points, much of them coming in the second half with their starters off the field, in their preseason game against Palm Harbor University High School. A point of continuity for the Chargers, they will rely on a number of returning starters along the defensive line, setting the tone for a young linebacking corps and defensive backfield where many of the players have roles on both sides of the ball. With that in mind, Strawberry Crest wants to run the ball efficiently and keep the game at their

pace. But the tone will be set by a new starting quarterback in junior Dylan Peeples and a new offensive coordinator in Elijah Goodrich, joining the Chargers’ staff after previously serving as the offensive line coach at Victory Christian Academy. The Chargers’ offense wants to be multiple, with a number of different packages and personnel groups that utilize the strengths of individual playmakers. “I want to be as multiple as I possibly can, but be as simple as we possibly can, if that makes sense,” Goodrich said.” Change things up for the defense—different formations, motions, shifts— but keep our base rules and everything that we do the same. I think that’s the best way that we can kind of keep teams off balance.” Fans can expect Peeples to be a staple leading the Chargers’

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SCHEDULE

offense, but the staff fully intends to utilize wildcat formations and singlewing packages with different players at the quarterback position to gain an edge. Goodrich sees a deep running back group being the backbone of the Chargers’ offense in 2021, with Devin Blount bringing big play ability, Miles Jones getting some carries in addition to his work along the defensive line and Ryan

Weems bringing the ability to mix into the backfield and line up under center in the wildcat. “We can be as good as our players will prepare,” Goodrich. “We’ve given them the answers to the test… Now we’re going to go learn on film, if they want to learn it, but it’s going to be on them.”

Note: All games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Games are broadcast live online at NFHSNetwork.com. 8/27: vs. Alonso 9/3: vs. East Bay 9/10: @ Spoto 9/17: @ Armwood 9/24: vs. Freedom 10/1: vs. Wiregrass Ranch 10/8: @ Brandon 10/15: vs. Wharton 10/29: @ Tampa Bay Tech 11/5: @ Leto

THE DETAILS Location: 4691 Gallagher Road, Dover Established: 2009 Head Coach: Phillip Prior (third season with team) 2020 record: 1-8 (0-1 district)

ROSTER 1 Jean Henry RB, DB Fr.. 2 Devin Blunt RB, DB So. 3 Ryan Weems RB, DB Jr. 4 Marcus Springfield RB, DB So. 5 Jaylin Burden RB, DB Jr.. 6 Quincy Hart WR, DB Jr. 7 Dylan Peeples QB Jr. 8 Gage Reibsome WR, DB Fr. 9 Brady Schmidt QB Jr. 10 Brock Craig TE, DL Sr. 11 Zach Curtin WR, DB Sr. 12 Brice Schmidt TE, DB Fr. 13 Cayman Griffin FB Sr. 14 Jaden Baker WR, DB So. 15 Abe Craig LB So. 16 Brandon Baker WR, DB Sr. 17 John Baxter WR, DB Fr. 18 Coby Burger WR, LB Jr. 19 Femi Smith WR, DB Sr. 20 Quintin Walker DL, FB So.. 21 Fabian Laudet WR, DB Sr. 22 Miles Jones RB, DL Sr. 24 Josh Mukendi TE, LB Jr. 25 Carson Brown DL, FB Sr.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

30 Steel Craig TE, LB Jr. 32 Radek Shah LB Jr. 34 Deegan Fearnow LB Jr. 36 Austin Creel LB, DB Fr. 42 Dominic Bledsoe LB Jr. 44 Caden Newman LB So. 45 Grayson Haynes LB, FB Jr. 50 David Miller OL Sr. 51 Austin Perry OL Jr. 54 Tyler Oblow OL So. 55 Dylan Weaver DL Jr. 56 Ben Bradford OL So. 57 Daniel Cruz DL So. 58 Troy Eskew OL Fr. 59 Jace Eldridge OL, DL Fr. 66 Antoine Wilcox OL, DL Jr. 69 Cody Craft OL So. 70 Samuel Shiver OL Jr. 74 Elijah Johnson OL Sr. 75 Daniel O’Connor OL So. 78 Jared Jirau DL Jr. 80 Declan Herrington LB JR. 84 Kaden Jordan WR, LB Fr. 88 Landon Berg WR, LB Fr. 99 Rodney Addison DL So.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

MAJOR MATCHUPS Here we look ahead to the biggest games of the 2021 season for Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest

AUG. 27: PLANT CITY @ TAMPA BAY TECH Plant City will kick off their season with a tough matchup against Tampa Bay Tech, a game between two teams who both see themselves as very real playoff contenders heading into 2021. The Titans and Raiders will be facing similar challenges in Week 1, with both teams rolling out new starters at quarterback and across multiple offensive skill positions. Tampa Bay Tech is fresh off of a deep playoff run in 2020, falling just one game short of a State Final Four berth with a 36-33 loss against Bloomingdale in the Regional Finals.

SEP. 17: DURANT @ NEWSOME (ALAFIA RIVER RIVALRY) If you look off in the distance on a Friday night in the fall, over the trees that line the pasture behind Durant High School’s practice field, you can see the bright lights shining from Newsome High School. Any time you get a matchup between cross-town rivals it’s always a great time, but this one packs a punch. Not only did

the two schools meet to kick off the 2020 season, a game that ultimately ended in a 13-10 overtime victory for Newsome, but the connection between the two schools runs deeper than the natural geographical rivalry for Durant’s new head coach Claybo Varnum. Joe E. Newsome, the namesake for Newsome High School, was Varnum’s grandfather.

SEP. 24: PLANT CITY VS. JESUIT Jesuit regularly proves themselves as one of the better football programs in Hillsborough County and 2021 holds the same lofty expectations for the Tigers. Jesuit finished 2020 with a 14-1 record before falling to American Heritage, the eventual state champs, by a score of 16-13 in the 5A State Semifinals. To be the best you’ve got to beat the best and Jesuit will be among Plant City’s toughest tests this season.

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MAJOR MATCHUPS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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SEP. 24: STRAWBERRY CREST VS. FREEDOM Strawberry Crest struggled in 2020, finishing just 1-8 despite dropping two narrow contests against King and George Jenkins to start and end the year. The Chargers’ lone win came against Freedom in a high-scoring affair, besting the Patriots 36-33, and you can likely look forward another exciting contest when Freedom heads to Strawberry Crest in 2021.

OCT. 1: STRAWBERRY CREST VS. WIREGRASS RANCH One week after their battle with Freedom, Strawberry Crest will play host to Wiregrass Ranch in a district matchup. Both teams are looking to gain some traction following their 2020 seasons and bounce back with strong years that they can build off of in 2021. This will be a solid mid-season measuring stick game for Crest and a test for Wiregrass if they’re truly ready to return to the level of success that they’ve had over the past five years, including seven or more wins in four of the past five seasons.

OCT. 8: PLANT CITY VS. BLOOMINGDALE Bloomingdale will head to Plant City in early October after the two teams met twice in 2020, with the Bulls taking both contests. Plant City played host to Bloomingdale in the regular season, falling 37-20, before traveling to Bloomingdale for a play-in game ahead of the 2020 Class 7A Playoffs. Bloomingdale once again came out victorious in the rematch, winning 35-21 en route to a State Final Four appearance, and Plant City is surely looking for revenge this year.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

MAJOR MATCHUPS

OCT. 15: DURANT VS PLANT CITY (REDMAN CUP) The premier matchup in Plant City is the Redman Cup between Durant and Plant City. With a new head coach leading the Cougars in Claybo Varnum and both teams carrying talented rosters and high expectations into 2021 after matching 5-5 records last season, this game needs no big introduction.

OCT. 29: PLANT CITY VS. NEWSOME Plant City will face Newsome late in the season, another local matchup for Raiders’ fans. Just a few miles down State Road 39 and up Lithia Pinecrest Rd. lies Newsome High School. The Wolves finished strong with an 8-3 record last season and a run to the Regional Finals. A win over Newsome would be a statement Class 8A win for Plant City as their season nears an end.

NOV. 5: STRAWBERRY CREST @ LETO Head coach Phillip Prior, now in his third year with Strawberry Crest, has high hopes for the improvements that the Chargers can make in 2021. This game will be a culmination of those improvements with a chance to wrap up the regular season with a big win over the Falcons.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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BEST OF THE BEST: 2020 TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

HISTORIC FOOTBALL PHOTOS

Photos courtesy of the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

YOUTH FOOTBALL PREVIEW The Colts and Dolphins are geared up for youth football again.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

The Plant City Colts’ and Plant City Dolphins’ youth football and cheer organizations are primed and ready for the 2021 season. The Plant City Colts shut down their organization last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic following a successful season in 2019, a year in which all five of the organization’s age groups reached the Mid Florida Football And Cheer Conference playoffs, so a return to the field couldn’t come quick enough for players, cheerleaders, coaches and parents. Despite fears that some players who had opted out of the season or played with other organizations in 2020 would not return, the Colts’ community proved strong as teams once again filled their rosters quickly. In July the MFFCC held their yearly jamboree and it appeared as though the Colts were ready to return to action. The following week however, as the Colts prepared to kick off their season against the Lakeland Storm, positive tests in both organizations forced their Week 1 slate of games to be rescheduled. The Colts, led by president Angelo Murray, then held an event that allowed all players, parents, family members and coaches who were eligible and willing to be tested and vaccinated. “You must always think about the kids,” Murray said. “That should be the first and foremost thought about what’s safe for them and what’s good for the kids, that was my thought process when I started trying to figure out how we get tested and be proactive.” The following week the Colts’ games were cancelled again, this time due to inclement weather. But by Week 3 their teams were finally able to get back on the field and playing against the Frostproof Dawgs, with three of their five age groups successfully playing and winning their first official contests in over a year.

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2021 proves a new horizon for the Plant City Dolphins as well. After being longtime members of the Tri County Youth Football & Cheerleading Conference, the Dolphins made the transition to Pop Warner Football. In 2020 the Dolphins opted to play, avoiding any COVID-related issues other than a late start, en route to a playoff appearance for each age group that included two undefeated Super Bowl winning runs from their tiny mite and mighty mite teams and an undefeated run that fell just short of perfection with a loss in the Super Bowl from their junior varsity team. Outside of the white lines, the Dolphins racked up multiple cheerleading championships last year as well. Buck Chapman, the equipment manager for the Dolphins’ organization, pointed to opportunities for a full schedule of games, academic scholarships for players and a higher level of competition — in both football and cheerleading — as reasons for the move to Pop Warner. “They’ve got scholarships, they provide scholarships to kids for college,” Chapman said about Pop Warner. “It’s academic. [It shows that] it’s not all about being a great athlete, it’s about being academically strong, that’s the main thing. Cheer is really, really competitive and we’re hoping that the football is more competitive. They do have a National Championship, a true National Championship, that you have to reach and play in to win.” The Dolphins played in their jamboree last weekend with their season opener this coming Saturday.

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PRESEASON RECAP TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

DURANT 49, FREEDOM 20 In Durant’s first full game of action with new head coach Claybo Varnum at the helm, even if it was only a preseason contest, the Cougars won in dominating fashion over the Freedom Patriots last Friday night. “We started a little bit shaky, getting some jitters out and trying to get some things fixed but the offense came out firing,” Varnum said. “The starting offense scored every time they touched the ball. Special teams gave up one touchdown, defense gave up the other and then the last score was in garbage time, we put our young guys in for the third and fourth quarter.” The game provided a half of experience for the starting unit, specifically the offensive line as it was their first game all together, and valuable reps for their young depth in the second half. “This is the first time for this offensive line, for all five of them to be playing together,” Varnum said. “They definitely took care of business. Even penalties and things like that couldn’t keep us out of the end zone so that was nice to see.” Varnum praised the Cougars’ effort and added that the most glaring things that needed to be addressed coming out of the game were some discipline issues, but was confident in the team’s ability to right those mistakes heading into Week 1. With starting running back Alex Daley out with injury, Durant entered the game with questions remaining at the position. Caleb Connell, a junior who also acts as one of the team’s starting safeties, stepped into the position and provided solid production out of the backfield, with a touchdown and over 50 rushing yards in one half of work.

Another surprising standout that shined bright for Durant was a newcomer to the roster, freshman Jayden Cornelius. Although he worked largely with the second unit, he showed flashes on the defensive side of the ball with two interceptions, a touchdown and a recovered onside kick. “Other than that, the guys who we expected to play well showed up and played well,” Varnum said, pointing specifically to upperclassmen Austin Lewis, Jacob Reed, Austin Bovee, Jeremiah Gines and quarterback Marcus Miguele. “Overall I think we did a good job,” Varnum said. “And I was really proud of those young guys for going in there and not letting the throttle up, continuing to score points and getting stops.” LAKE GIBSON 56, PLANT CITY 24

With a fair amount of new starters on offense, some on defense and limited depth, Plant City took advantage of their preseason game by getting the first string unit significant work, playing them into the fourth quarter against Lake Gibson. Despite the lopsided finish, head coach James Booth would argue that the game was closer than the final score would appear — taking a three-point lead into the half with a case to be made that it could have been larger if not for missed opportunities. In the second half Lake Gibson pulled away, but Booth sees that adversity as an opportunity to learn for an inexperienced group. “I thought that our kids were competing well and playing hard,” Booth said. “And then going into the second half we had certain situations where our inexperience really showed itself. Things like down and distance purposes, forcing throws, pressing on throws and not making correct reads. That kind of led to some errant turnovers and really flipped the momentum in their favor.”

Those mistakes, especially committing them against a Lake Gibson team that finished 12-2 en route to a Regional Final appearance in the Class 6A State Playoff last season, can compound quickly. But overall that’s what preseason games are for and exactly why Booth wanted to play against a high level of competition in that game. He argued that when you play against good teams it shows some things and that it exposes some things, allowing everyone to grow from those flaws and providing an opportunity to correct those issues before the regular season begins. And the case was similar on both sides of the ball for the Raiders last week, with the offense and defense both executing well for a competitive first half before inexperience and swings in momentum began to take over. “I thought that it was a good opportunity for our guys to learn situational football,” Booth said. “How to handle those stressful situations and hopefully looking at it, watching the film, using those teachable moments we can improve on and minimize those moving forward.” PALM HARBOR UNIVERSITY 17, STRAWBERRY CREST 6 Strawberry Crest’s biggest goal for their preseason kickoff classic was to make sure that all of their players were able to take advantage of the preseason game, playing a majority of their starters in the first half before getting the rest of their backups action in the second half. Following the tone that was set in their scrimmage games the week before, the Chargers’ defense once again put together a solid performance. The score was just 3-0 at the end of the first quarter and according to head coach Phillip Prior, it was just a few select lapses on that side of the ball that allowed the Hurricanes to put points on the board late.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

15A

“Our defense played phenomenal again,” Prior said. “Our defense played great. We gave up one big play and a couple of penalties that led to the score, but other than that they were pretty much shut down. They gave our offense great field position.” Offensively the Chargers were largely unable to convert their drives into points, but Prior was pleased with the process. “We did some good things on offense,” Prior said. “We had a couple of big plays, we had a couple of sustained drives, we just didn’t punch the ball into the end zone. I think we had the ball inside the red zone twice and we came away with no points so that’s something that we have to focus on this week in practice. When we do have those opportunities, we have to make the most of them.” In an effort to be multiple, not just in their alignments but in their packages as well, the Chargers will use a rotation at the quarterback position and the running back position to take advantage of strengths that different players provide. “Kind of the same thing as the quarterback position, we have a rotation back there and we’re going to get different guys in who do different plays well,” Prior said. “Ryan [Weems], the first play of the game was reminiscent of his play in the scrimmage, he broke down the sideline for about a 20-yard gain or something like that. Then Miles Jones got back there and ran the ball hard. Devin Blount ended up scoring on, I think, a 70-yard touchdown. They all played well and like I said, we’re not going to be the team that has one guy at one position, everybody does something well differently and we’ve got to showcase those guys.”

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FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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.

GEMMA: is enjoying her new life after her mom Kelly recently rescued and brought her into the family.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

DOCTOR’S NOTE: IN-OFFICE VS. AT-HOME ALLERGY TESTING In Florida, allergies last much longer than a season. We have an extended grass pollen season, which means our residents experience symptoms for longer periods of time than people in other areas of the country. In the U.S. as a whole, allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness and affect more than 50 million people each year. Common symptoms typically include sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, headaches, nasal congestion, coughing, difficulty breathing and swelling. As a result, allergy testing has become an easily accessible tool to diagnose various food and environmental allergies. With many new mail-in testing options available, it’s important to understand the limitations of testing for your allergies at home. There are many reasons in-office testing, under the supervision of a physician, remains the gold standard for diagnosing and treating allergies. If you are weighing the option of ordering an at-home allergy test kit, below are some facts to consider:

One key distinction between the two types of testing is the accuracy of identifying relevant allergies. Another distinction is the accuracy of detecting food allergies. At-home allergy testing utilizes Immunoglobulin E (IgE) to detect environmental or food allergies. At times, the IgE level in blood is not sufficient for accurate allergy diagnosis. Food allergy testing is complex and requires expert interpretation in conjunction with a detailed patient history, and often requires additional testing for confirmation. A simple IgE test for food allergy is not reliable for diagnosing food allergies or sensitivities. If you or your friends and family members suffer from allergies, contact Florida E.N.T. & Allergy. Their team

has completed extensive education and clinical training in the allergy field. Their ability to diagnose and create personalized treatment plans provides patients with the most successful outcomes. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call (813) 879-8045 or visit Florida E.N.T. & Allergy online at https://floridaentandallergy.com/contact/schedule-anappointment/. The physicians of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy have served the Tampa Bay community for over 45 years. Their board certified physicians have completed extensive education and clinical training as well as specialized training in their area(s) of expertise. From pediatric allergies to fitting hearing aids, their caring and experienced physicians specialize in ear, nose, throat and allergy care for the entire family using comprehensive, cutting edge technologies.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call 813-879-8045 or visit Florida E.N.T. & Allergy online at www.FloridaENTandAllergy.com.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

FELIX HAYNES

Very recently I had the chance to attend the August monthly meeting of our Plant City Economic Development Corporation, a local economic development organization which has grown to 80 dues-paying members. Organized in 2015 to market East Hillsborough County as the premier business destination along central Florida’s I-4 corridor, the PCEDC wants to ensure Plant City grows in a smart, sustainable fashion while staying true to its culture and history. Many of the new commercial and industrial buildings under construction along I-4, County Line Road, and downtown Plant City have come as a result of the work of the PCEDC and its fine executive director, Jake Austin. The PCEDC represents one kind of business development organization. Another kind of economic development organization is represented by our very active Plant City Chamber of Commerce, under the able leadership of Christine Miller, and our Main Street organization, which exists to support new and existing businesses in our downtown core. But there is another kind of business support organization, which tends to operate behind the scenes in supporting and funding business expansion. Over the past two decades, I have served on the boards of directors of two such organizations, the Tampa Bay Economic Development Corporation and the Sunshine State Economic Development Corporation. Tampa Bay EDC, or TEDCO, which was organized by the City of Tampa, and Gulf Coast Business Finance, which was organized by the City of St. Petersburg, merged in 2015 and created Sunshine State EDC, SEDCO. SEDCO expanded and is a statewide certified development com-

pany with offices in Tampa, Clearwater, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami. Most of these types of financial EDC’s are nonprofits and are licensed by the U. S. Small Business Administration to underwrite, process and service various SBA-backed loans for small business, stimulating economic growth in the communities they serve. They offer low interest, long term loans to small businesses which would otherwise not be able to obtain conventional financing. SEDCO offered Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and currently offers Section 504 SBA loans, Community Advantage loans in underserved markets, ILP loans for new or small-sized businesses, and Women and Minority owned business loans. The power financial EDC’s like SEDCO bring to the marketplace can be well demonstrated by comparing its low operating costs and number of employees to the number of loans they currently manage. With less than a dozen employees and an annual budget of under $1.5 million, SEDCO currently manages almost 300 active Section 504 and Community Advantage loans totaling over $150 million. In the first and second rounds of PPP loans, which have helped small businesses during the Covid pandemic to stay in operation and keep their employees working, SEDCO funded 6,924 loans and saved over 8,000 jobs in Florida alone. The mainstay of SEDCO’s products, Section 504 loans, is an economic development tool designed to stimulate private sector investments in long term fixed assets, like real estate, buildings, equipment, and machinery. With SBA’s backing and with the requirement that a bank be part of the loan package, these loans offer very long terms and fixed rates. They require as little as 10 percent down. By licensing and partnering with financial EDC’s like SEDCO, the federal government recognizes the critical importance of small businesses as employers, tax-paying organizations, and creators of wealth in the well-being of our entire country. If you own a small business, contact SEDCO at 1-800-850-2504 if they can assist in your expansion or job creation plans.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

FL residents scramble to get last Walking Liberty Rolls FLORIDA - Once Florida residents got wind that Florida State Restricted Bank Rolls filled with Silver Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s were being handed over, there was a mad dash to get them. That’s because some of these U.S. Gov’t issued silver coins are already worth hundreds in collector value. “It’s like a run on the banks. The phones are ringing off the hook. That’s because everyone is trying to get them before they’re all gone,” according to officials at the National Mint and Treasury who say they can barely keep up with all the orders. In fact, they had to impose a strict limit of 4 Florida State Restricted Bank Rolls. So, if you get the chance to get your hands on these State Restricted Bank Rolls you better hurry because hundreds of Florida residents already have and you don’t want to miss out. You see, the U.S. Gov’t stopped minting

these Silver Walking Liberties in 1947 and there can never be any more which makes them extremely collectible. And here’s the best part. The rolls are unsearched so there’s no telling how much they could be worth in collector value. That’s why at just the $39 state minimum set by National Mint and Treasury it’s a deal too good to pass up. But you better hurry because these Florida State Restricted Bank Rolls are the only ones known to exist and Florida residents are grabbing them up as fast as they can. That’s because they make amazing gifts for children, grandchildren and loved ones. Just imagine the look on their face when you hand them one of the State Restricted Rolls — they’ll tell everyone they know what you did for them.

■ GOT ‘EM: Residents all across Florida who get their hands on these State Restricted Silver Walking Liberty Bank Rolls are definitely showing them off. That’s because they are the only ones known to exist. And here’s the best part, these Bank Rolls are loaded with U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberty coins some dating back to the early 1900’s and worth up to 100 times their face value so everyone wants them.

Last State Restricted Silver Walking Liberty Bank Rolls go to Florida residents

Florida residents get first dibs on last remaining Bank Rolls loaded with U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value for the next 2 days STATE DISTRIBUTION: A strict limit of 4 State Restricted Bank Rolls per FL resident has been imposed

FLORIDA - “It’s a miracle these State Restricted Bank Rolls even exist. That’s why Hotline Operators are bracing for the flood of calls,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Director for the National Mint and Treasury. For the next 2 days the last remaining State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties are actually being handed over to Florida residents who call the State Toll-Free Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper publication. “I recently spoke with a numismatic expert in United States of America coins and currency who said ‘In all my years as a numismatist I’ve only ever seen a handful of these rarely seen Silver Walking Liberties issued by the U.S. Gov’t back in the early 1900’s. But to actually find them sealed away in State Restricted Bank Rolls still in pristine condition is like finding buried treasure. So anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these Bank Rolls had better hold on to them,’” Lynne said. “Now that the State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls are being offered up we won’t be surprised if thousands of Florida residents claim the maximum limit allowed of 4 Bank Rolls per resident before they’re all gone,” said Lynne. “That’s because after the Bank Rolls were loaded with 15 rarely seen Silver Walking Liberties, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade of very good or above, the dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars sealed away inside the State of Florida Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. But, we do know that some of these coins date clear back to the early 1900’s and are worth up to 100 times their face value, so there is no telling what Florida residents will find until they sort through all the coins,” Lynne went on to say. And here’s the best part. If you are a resident of the state of Florida you cover only the $39 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties worth up to 100 times their face value for just $585 which is a real steal because non state residents must pay $118 per coin which totals $1,770 if any coins remain after the 2-day deadline. The only thing Florida residents need to do is call the State Toll-Free Hotlines printed in today’s newspaper publication before the 2-day order deadline ends. “Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued silver coins like these are highly sought after, but we’ve never seen anything like this before. According to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins many Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars are now worth $40 - $825 each in collector value,” Lynne said. “We’re guessing thousands of Florida residents will be taking the maximum limit of 4 Bank Rolls because they make such amazing gifts for any occasion for children, parents, grandparents, friends and loved ones,” Lynne continued. “We know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of Hotline Operators are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30 am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 2 days to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all.” Lynne said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they are a resident of the state of Florida and call the National Toll-Free Hotlines before the 2-day deadline ends midnight tomorrow. ■

SILVER: one of the last silver coins minted for circulation

VALUABLE: minted in philadelphia, denver & san francisco

ENLARGED TO SHOW DETAIL: year varies 1916-1947

RARELY SEEN: minted by the u.s. mint in the early 1900’s

FACTS:

HOW TO CLAIM THE LAST STATE RESTRICTED BANK ROLLS

Are these Silver Walking Liberties worth more than other half dollars:

Yes. These U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties were minted in the early 1900’s and will never be minted again. That makes them extremely collectible. The vast majority of half dollars minted after 1970 have no silver content at all and these Walking Liberties were one of the last silver coins minted for circulation. That’s why many of them now command hundreds in collector value so there’s no telling how much they could be worth in collector value someday.

How much are State Restricted Walking Liberty Silver Bank Rolls worth:

It’s impossible to say, but some of these U.S Gov’t issued Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s are worth up to 100 times the face value and there are 15 in each Bank Roll so you better hurry if you want to get your hands on them. Collector values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But we do know they are the only Florida State Silver Bank Rolls known to exist and Walking Liberties are highly collectible so anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these Silver Bank Rolls should hold onto them because there’s no telling how much they could be worth in collector value someday.

Why are so many Florida residents claiming them:

Because they are the only State Restricted Walking Liberty Silver Bank Rolls known to exist and everyone wants their share. Each Bank Roll contains a whopping 15 Silver Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value. Best of all Florida residents are guaranteed to get them for the state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury of just $39 per Silver Walking Liberty for the next two days.

How do I get the State Restricted Walking Liberty Silver Bank Rolls:

Florida residents are authorized to claim up to the limit of 4 State Restricted Walking Liberty Silver Bank Rolls by calling the State Toll Free Hotline at 1-800-979-3771 Ext. RWB1757 starting at precisely 8:30 am this morning. Everyone who does is getting the only State Restricted Walking Liberty Silver Bank Rolls known to exist. That’s a full Bank Roll containing 15 Silver Walking Liberties from the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value for just the state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury of just $39 per Silver Walking Liberty, which is just $585 for the full Bank Rolls and that’s a real steal because non state residents are not permitted to call before 5 pm tomorrow and must pay $1,770 for each Florida State Restricted Walking Liberty Silver Bank Roll if any remain.

If you are a Florida State Resident read the important information below about claiming the State Silver Bank Rolls, then call the State Toll-Free Hotline at 8:30 am: 1-800-979-3771 EXT: RWB1757

NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, PO R1043R-2 BOX 35609, CANTON, OH 44735 ©2021 NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

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This week we asked Plant City:

With high school football kicking off this week for Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest, which games are you looking forward to the most this season? “I hope they all have a great season. I’m looking forward to watching all of them play. Go Raiders, Cougars & Chargers!!” - Jennifer Kennedy “As long as everyone is having fun, I’m excited for all! Go teams!” Edwin Alexander Mejia “Being a former PCHS cheerleader and classmate of the principal, Plant City of course. (But) no one to go with.” - Nancy Griffin

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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Jay M. Mertz, Sr., of Plant City, Florida, born in Kokomo, Indiana on July 18, 1950, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 15, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

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John ‘Bubba’ Thomas Willis II John “Bubba” Thomas Willis II, 31, of Plant City, Fla., born in Brandon on July 23, 1990, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 15, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

Veteran of the United States Navy, and a member of the National Rifle Association. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and working on the “yellow thing”. He is survived by wife of 66 years, Bonnie L. McCullough; children, Rebecca Ballard (Ricky) of Plant City, Christopher D. McCullough (Karen) of Spring Hill, Pamela Kelley (Andy) of Plant City, and Christie Knight of Dover; 5 grandchildren; 18 greatgrandchildren; 11 greatgreat-grandchildren; brother, Morris McCullough; and best friend, Jim Bryan. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 South County Road 39, Plant City, where the family will receive friends beginning at 2 p.m. Graveside committal to follow at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Lillian ‘Lily’ Renee Johnson Lillian “Lily” Renee Johnson, 20, of Lakeland, Fla., born on April 29, 2001, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 18, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Lendell ‘Linco’ Lewis Wasden Lendell “Linco” Lewis Wasden, 62, of Plant City, Fla., born on June 11, 1959, passed away on Aug. 16, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral. com.

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Timothy ‘Timmy’ Lee Goodson Timothy “Timmy” Lee Goodson, 53, of Dover, Fla., born in Plant City on June 21, 1968 entered into eternal T. Dale Carter rest on Aug. 19, 2021. Expressions of condolence T. Dale Carter, 90, of Lithia, at HopewellFuneral.com. Fla., born in Picnic on July 17, 1931, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 17, 2021. Expressions of condolence HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM at HopewellFuneral.com. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Christopher McCullough Christopher McCullough, 88, of Plant City, Fla., born in Lake City on Dec. 20, 1932, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 13, 2021. He was a

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

Ethel Ruth Hogue Sandra Fay Barco Ethel Ruth Hogue, 89, of Plant City, Fla., born on March 31, 1932, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 23, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Sandra Fay Barco, 74, of Plant City, Fla., born in Lakeland on Dec. 31, 1946, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 20, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Robert Joseph Piescor

Marilyn Livingston

Robert Joseph Piescor, 82, of Lithia, Fla., formerly of New Jersey, born in Albany, N.Y. on Jan. 18, 1939, entered into eternal rest on Aug. 18, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Marilyn Livingston, age 80, of Plant City, Fla. passed away on Aug. 15, 2021. Funeral services were held Aug. 21, 2021 at First Baptist Church of Plant City, 503 North Palmer Road, Plant City, FL 33563. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

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Larry Allen Mittan, Sr

Larry Allen Mittan, Sr., 62, of Mulberry, Florida, born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 4, 1958, entered into eternal rest on August 20, 2021. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Eddie Dewaine Stephens Sr.

Eddie Dewaine Stephens Sr., 78, of Plant City, Fla. passed away on Aug. 18,

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ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

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2021. Eddie was a United States Marine Corps Veteran. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

OBITUARIES

Jay M. Mertz, Sr.

Mickey Allen McGee Mickey Allen McGee, 57, of Zephyrhills, Fla. passed away on Aug. 22, 2021. The family will receive friends Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Funeral services will follow at 7 p.m. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care.

OBITUARIES

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

Emiliano Velazquez Quiles

Emiliano Velazquez Quiles, 86, of Dover, Fla. passed away on Aug. 21, 2021. The family will receive friends, Saturday, Sep. 4, 2021, from 10 to 11 a.m. at Haught Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m., 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

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Betty Dyches Betty Dyches, 91, of Lakeland, Fla. passed away on Aug. 22, 2021. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

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YOUR CALENDAR

BEST BET SATURDAY, AUG. 28 XTREME HIP HOP

1 to 2 p.m. at 16-1 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Head to the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center on Saturday to participate in an Xtreme Hip Hop fitness class, hosted by M.A.T.E.S. The creator of Xtreme Hip Hop and Xtreme Burn, Phillip Weeden, will be in attendance for the class. Tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit xtremefitness.ticketlead.com.

THURSDAY, AUG. 26

WEDNESDAY, SEP. 1

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

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

FRIDAY, AUG. 27

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

JUSTIN MASON & BLUE NIGHT

SUNSET SOUNDS

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Head to the loft at Krazy Kup for a night of live bluegrass music starring Justin Mason & Blue Night. Grab a cup of coffee and a snack and enjoy an evening filled with the sweet sounds of bluegrass.

TUESDAY, AUG. 31 TEENS TEACH TECH FOR 21STCENTURY SENIORS

Marjorie Maniscalco Marjorie Maniscalco, 89, died in her home on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Born on April 15, 1932 in Plant City. She was a retired early childhood development educator. She is survived by her 8 children, 16 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren and three brothers. She is preceded in death by father, Charles Green, mother, Lennie Mae Green, sisters MyraJean and Melbie Green and Mildred Johnson. Brother, Gerald Green, Grandson, Joseph Absher, granddaughter, Amber Floyd and great grandson, Levi Wall. Services were held on Aug. 20, 2021 at Together Church in Lakeland, Fla.

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

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

SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH ESTRANGED FAMILY Join other parents who are estranged from their adult children. PEAK (Parents of Estranged Adult Kids) group provides a safe place to listen, share and support others going through the hurt of adult family abandonment. Meetings will include group discussions, self-care and positive influenced activities to help cope with the situation. Meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 to 8 p.m., held at GracePoint Church, 1107 Charlie Griffin Rd, Plant City. For more information, visit www.peaksupportgroup.com

THURSDAY, SEP. 2 PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

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

FORECAST THURSDAY, AUGUST 26 High: 90 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 31%

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27 High: 90 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 58%

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, August 26

7:04a

7:55p

Friday, August 27

7:04a

7:54p

Saturday, August 28

7:05a

7:53p

Sunday, August 29

7:05a

7:52p

Monday, August 30

7:06a

7:51p

Tuesday, August 31

7:06a

7:50p

Wednesday, Sept 1

7:07a

7:49p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28 High: 91 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 43%

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30 High: 91 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 44%

MONDAY, AUGUST 31 Kathy Flemister took this photo of a black bat flower in Plant City.

ONLINE

High: 90 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 37%

Across 1 Supplies food 7 Lord with a namesake sports trophy 14 Showy bloom 15 “The Miser” playwright 16 Levi’s alternatives in the bargain bin? 18 Rial spenders 19 Ascended 21 Humdinger 23 Bright red semi? 27 Song heard in the film “Marley & Me” 31 Sign of success 32 Sign of success 33 Arte who co-owns MLB’s Angels

34 Prayer __ 36 Dog collar for obedience school? 41 Sported 42 Steamed cantina dish 43 I in Innsbruck 46 Mogadishu is its cap. 47 Getty of “The Golden Girls” 48 Kibbles ‘n Bits? 51 Petition 52 Relaxation 53 Smarts 57 Inept patsy on water skis? 63 Captain Marvel, for one 64 Walking on air 65 Taken in

66 Parlor pieces Down 1 Govt. agency in many 2020 headlines 2 Spa emanation 3 Title Marx Brothers setting 4 Jack of “Rio Lobo” 5 Gifford’s “Live” successor 6 Like logs 7 Huge hit 8 Passel 9 Niger neighbor: Abbr. 10 Nothing 11 Suspicious 12 E on a scoreboard 13 Private aye

17 Often-steamed serving 20 It may be inflated 21 Ceremonial display 22 “__ out?” 24 First name in daredeviltry 25 Takes the bait, say 26 Software subsidiary of IBM since 2019 28 Peace Nobelist Walesa 29 Focused, jobwise 30 Entirely without 34 Outlaw 35 To a degree 37 Villa-studded Italian lake 38 Greek city known for olives 39 Building additions 40 Strongly suggest, with “of” 43 Bar staple 44 Onomatopoeic dance 45 Quieted 47 Touch up, perhaps 49 Surgeon’s opening? 50 Dominated in competition 54 Threw off 55 Where to find a hero 56 Norse patron 58 Unruly head of hair 59 Trading place 60 Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 __ minor 61 First “Jeopardy!” guest host after Alex 62 Harris and a horse

Sep. 6 New

Sep. 13 First

Sep. 20 Full

Aug. 30 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

0.63 in.

5.09 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

AUG. AVERAGE:

36.30 in.

AVOCADO Shipping point: South Florida $11.00-$26.00

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

8.32 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PlantCityObserver.com