Plant City Times &
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Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade was a success.
A south P.C. home topped December transactions.
OUR TOWN
Herman and Leslie Stewart celebrated 50 years together Jan. 22.
City remembers first black detective Stacks and stacks of certificates are pulled from a box of Roosevelt “Bobby” Miller’s belongings: Completion of Crime Scene Technician Course, Crime Scene Photography, Missing Children Information Clearing. His family proudly holds onto them, unclipping each one and passing them around the room. Mr. Miller was the first black detective with the Plant City Police Department. And with all of his credentials, there wasn’t a
+ Blueberry Pageant sign ups
better person that could have been. Mr. Miller, 81, died Dec. 31, after a battle with throat cancer. His memorial service was held Jan. 10, and he was buried at Garden of Peace in Plant City. “I was so proud to have him,” daughter Capathia Sampson said. She holds up a black and white picture of him in his uniform. “He was my everything. I am
proud to call him my dad. He ruled with a stern hand and loving heart.” Mr. Miller’s children have many memories of him as police officer. He helped launch the Plant City Police Department into the future by learning to process crime scenes, fingerprinting, and to take and develop his own pictures of evidence. He started at the department in 1964, and was promoted to detective in 1975. He retired in 1998.
But his legacy still lives on. Because of his work, a 30-yearold cold case was recently solved. In 1979, Charolette Kelley was found strangled in her home. He was among the detectives that took DNA samples from the bedding and sealed them into evidence at the station. The evidence had remained there in a time freeze, until technology could help solve the case. That came in 2012, when they reopened it. “Time spent with him was knowledgeable,” son Todd
SEE MILLER / PAGE 4 Roosevelt ‘Bobby’ Miller
HONOR ROLL
EQUESTRIAN by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
The Blueberry Festival Pageant sign ups will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, and Saturday, Feb. 21, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. Girls 2 to 19 and boys 2 to 6 can register. Each age division will have only 20 contestants so don’t delay with sign ups. Paperwork is available at KeelAndCurleyWinery.com. Mail a $40 check or money order to Julie Hasting, 4309 Stanley Rd. Plant City, Florida 33565. All mailed paperwork must be postdated Feb. 21. Everyone gets a crown. The pageant will be March 21 at the winery.
by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Four local teachers chosen as finalists
When Stanley Glover, Brianna Trout, Madian Maquivar and Raul Andrade walked through the doors of the schools where they teach the morning of Friday, Jan. 9, they had no idea that a congratulatory committee would be coming to visit them later that day. Each of these educators was surprised when representa-
+ Church to host Kirkin ‘O’ Tartan
The 17th Annual Kirkin ‘O’ the Tartan will be held during the 10:45 a.m. worship service Sunday, Jan. 25, at First Presbyterian Church, 404 W. Reynolds St. This service celebrates the church’s Scottish heritage. The St. Andrews Pipes & Drums of Tampa Bay will perform a concert on the front lawn after the service, followed by a luncheon in the church’s Fellowship Hall. The history of the Kirkin dates back to the days when the Scottish Highlander Presbyterians, wore colorful plaids representing clans. English rule in 1745 made wearing the Tartan forbidden.But the royal Scots would bring a small swatch of tartan cloth into worship. Then, at a secret time during worship, the minister would offer the blessing while the Scots hid their tartans.
, 3&
This week’s winner is
Chris Black
See his photo on PAGE 15.
Dolphins squad roars for Cheer-Off win.
tribute by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor
Roosevelt ‘Bobby’ Miller was instrumental in leading the Plant City Police Department into the next wave of forensics.
+ Happy anniversary
FREE • FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2015
SEE TEACHERS / PAGE 4
ROSE BOWL
by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Jill Hardt rode Forrest Flame for a demonstration Jan. 18, at Black Dog Farm.
PRIZE-WINNING PONIES
Sinead Halpin is the only 4*-level eventing rider to ever have taught in Plant City. Two talented, awardwinning horses of the same bloodline were reunited at Black Dog Farm in Plant City last Sunday, and one of their riders has a shot at competing in the Olympics. Forrest Flame, known as Forrest, is a purebred New Forest Pony. Jill Hardt, owner of Tristan Oaks Dressage in Plant City, is Forrest’s rider. Forrest has been gelded, but frozen breeding doses are available. In 2004, he sired a mare named Forrest Nymph. Forrest Nymph, known as Farrah, is the only purebred NFP to ever have competed at the CCI** level in eventing, a sport that combines a variety of tests such as fitness and jumping. Farrah’s current rider is Sinead Halpin, an international rider who has ridden
Farrah’s future international competitions, Beth Davidson, Farrah’s owner and director of Black Dog Farm, invited Hardt and Halpin to conduct a clinic and demonstrations at Black Dog Farm Sunday, Jan. 18.
Forrest Flame
Photos by Catherine Sinclair
International rider Sinead Halpin wowed spectators at Black Dog Farm in a jumping demonstration with Forrest Nymph. her top-level horse at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France and will be considered for the summer 2016 Olympics. Halpin is a 4*-level rider, which is the highest level in event-
ing, but she rides Farrah at the 2* level. Halpin spends most of the year in New Jersey, but winters in Ocala and brings her competition horses with her. To raise money for
Forrest is 15 years old, but Hardt said he rides as though he’s about 8. “He’s always a clown,” Hardt said. “What’s unique about Forrest is that he has so much fun with his body,” Hardt said. He overcomes his size to conquer even the toughest obstacles. Hardt has ridden Forrest through Prix St. Georges, a level of dressage for the Federation Equestre Internationale.
SEE HORSES / PAGE 4
INDEX Calendar.......................2
Durant grad marches in Rose Bowl parade Taylor Mew never expected to participate in one of the nation’s most famous parades. This school year has been full of firsts for Taylor Mew, a 2012 graduate of Durant High School and current junior at Florida State University. It was her first year doing color guard in the university’s marching band and the first time she was
SEE MEW / PAGE 4
Courtesy photo
Taylor Mew, Hannah Esquenazi and the rest of FSU’s marching band watched their team compete in the Rose Bowl.
Vol.2,No.27 | Onesection Crossword...................15
Obituaries...................11
Sports.........................13
Weather......................15
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