PLANT CITY TIMES &
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 3, NO. 51
Robert Paxia is the new head of Raiders football. PAGE 16 FREE
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FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016
THE AMERICAN DREAM
EMILY TOPPER STAFF WRITER
J
oin us as we celebrate the Fourth of July with our annual Spirit of America photo essay. Each year we explore the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World to find the things that unite us as Americans. SPIRIT OF AMERICA, PAGES 10-11 Photo by Emily Topper
Mayor Rick Lott with his wife, Di, and their children, Rex, Trent, Ericka and Chase
YOUR TOWN Certified
Land of the Free PLANT CITY REMEMBERS
Two employees from the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center received certificates after taking a month-long special course on archiving. Gil Gott, executive director, and Kimberly Hamilton, administrative assistant, took the sixpart course with the American Association for State and Local History. The online course is designed to give individuals a firm foundation in the core aspects of managing and protecting historical records.
Boxes of blessings
Hopewell Baptist Church delivered care packages to every student and staff member at Jackson Elementary School in June. Each student and staff member received a small tumbler filled with candy, and students received a positive note. Throughout the year, Hopewell delivers Hope Bags to Jackson students in need. The church feeds 140 children weekly. The Boxes of Blessings were the church's way to give something to every child. Over 600 boxes were given away. There were also 80 boxes given to Pinecrest Elementary staff. Pinecrest, as well as Walden Lake Elementary, received hundreds of summer fun finance kits for their fifth-graders.
In one week, Plant City lost former mayor Terry Ballard and Jean Hehn, a woman who gave hope to cancer patients with her popular Facebook page. PAGE 3
Break out the red, white and blue — Plant City’s Fourth of July Celebration is around the corner. EMILY TOPPER STAFF WRITER
On Monday, July 4, thousands will gather at Plant City Stadium for the annual Fourth of July Celebration. There will be food, fireworks and a whole lot of fun. “It first started in 2002,” Tim Hanlon, the assistant program manager with the City of Plant City’s Recreation and Parks department, said. “It was annual through 2007. After the recession, it took a big hit, and we lost a huge part of event budgets for our department.” In 2012, the event roared back to life. It has occurred every year since. “We rely on business sponsors for the event,” Hanlon said. This year, the family-friendly event
will have kids’ games and activities in addition to a gaga pit. Kids can hop in the pit and participate in a form of dodgeball, which uses one ball to peg players in a hexagonal or octagonal pit. “The rest is the same format,” Hanlon said. “There will be bounce houses, a balloon artist and a rock climbing wall.” While kids play, parents can mingle through the stadium and check out concession stands and local business vendors. Music aficionados can look forward to performances by the classic rock group Double Barrel Band and country band Daniel Sprouse Band. The latter is new this year. Following a performance of the National Anthem, a 20-minute fireSEE JULY FOURTH PAGE 6
File Photo
Above: Kayla Benincasa and Emmy Morris at the 2015 celebration
Mad Scientists
Kids create at Camp Invention. PAGE 7