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NEWS YMCA hires new director for camp. PAGE 3
OUR TOWN + And the winners are... The Plant City Times & Observer and Plant City Recreation & Parks asked residents what the Fourth of July means to them for a chance to win VIP tickets to the 2014 Fourth of July Celebration. We received a ton of red-hot answers but only six winners will get to sit front and center to see the fireworks show at the Plant City Stadium, 1810 E. Park Road. They are: • Glenn Long • Fernand T. Russell • Kathleen Hill • Pat Sprouse • Larry Turner • Cody Lenz Thanks to everyone who entered. The Fourth of July Celebration begins at 6 p.m. with games, a rock climbing wall, bungee jumping, balloon art, face painting and more. The 20-minute firework show will begin at 9:15 p.m. It is coordinated by the Recreation & Parks Department, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Strawberry Festival.
Courtesy photo
+ 50th wedding anniversary Billy and Doris Johnson are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Their daughters wish them well: “Mom and Dad, as you look back and cherish the past 50 years together, you have been there side by side for each other. You have shared many memories and dreams to be proud of. You have given your time and talents, touching the hearts of not only the people around you but to your daughters and family as well. We are very proud to call you our parents. Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad. We love you.”
, 3&
This week’s winner is
Debbie Gillespie See her photo on PAGE 15.
foot frenzy
SPIRIT OF AMERICA
FREE • THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2014
SPORTS Twirlers prepare for national competition PAGE 12
PHOTO ESSAY / SEE PAGES 7-8
by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor
Soccer field project needs millions more in funding
CELEBRATION by Justin Kline | Staff Writer
The commission will have to decide where to get funds for a project that will add six new soccer fields to Ellis Methvin Park off East Cherry Street. Although the World Cup is in progress, soccer dreams in Plant City have been put on hold. An ongoing project to add six new playing fields at Ellis Methvin Park has stalled because of a lack of funding. The city needs another $970,981.14 to complete the minimum requirements for the soccer fields and fourplex, and it needs $2,792,929.14 to finish all three stages of the project.
So far, the city has committed $7,742,430 and has another $918,440 available. The available funds come from county monies and grants and excess money from a roofing project for the police station. Since the project began, a little more than 42% of funding has come from county grants and four state grants. City Manager Dave Sollenberger proposed two
TO THE RESCUE
ways to pay for the project at the commission meeting last week; one was borrowing Community Investment Tax revenues. But because a large majority of CIT funds are used for street maintenance, the commission asked Sollenberger to come up with another proposal. “Surface repaving doesn’t need to be downgraded,” Vice Mayor Bill Dodson said. Annual revenue from the
File photo
THE SCORE Total cost............. $3,711,369 Available funding ....$918,440 Funding needed............... $2,792,929
CIT is $1.5 million. Of that amount, $832,000 goes to debt service on City Hall
SEE FIELDS / 4
by Justin Kline | Staff Writer
Fire Rescue holds training Looking to sharpen their skills, members of the Plant City Fire Rescue team spent the week reacting to staged crashes and treating faux victims trapped in cars. This hasn’t been a good week for some drivers traveling on Calhoun Street. A 40-year-old man, for example, was driving near Brewington’s Towing & Recovery Monday morning when he lost control. He veered off of the main road, went through the grass and slammed — sideways — into a big tree near the towing company’s main office. In shock, with a badly fractured ankle, he called for help. Plant City Fire Rescue was on the scene, easing the man’s pain with morphine and working in the hot sun to slice the car open. It was the only way to get the man out, for the driver’s side door was pinned to the ground and the roof was pinned to the tree. Once the man was safely removed from the vehicle, and placed on a stretcher, he was ready to go to the hospital. But, then:
SEE TRAINING / 4
scouts’ honor
There’s no birthday celebration quite like America’s. The sound of our national anthem pumping through speakers, the smell of freshly grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, and the sight of big, brilliant fireworks in the night sky can get anybody excited. With that in mind, Plant City’s third annual Fourth of July celebration should be a blast. Last year’s event was such a success that, for the most part, the 2014 edition will look similar from the food and fun to the musical entertainment — the Double Barrel Band, a Plant City favorite, will be back to play on the stage. After parking opens at 5:45
IF YOU GO WHEN: July 4. Gates open at 6 p.m. A 20-minute firework display begins at 9:15 p.m.
Photos by Justin Kline
Shane Garvey, Nate Miller, Jim Burdett, Capt. Vince Probst and Bill Saunders passed Monday morning’s test. Right: This gnarled sedan was what was left of Wednesday’s session.
WHERE: Plant City Stadium; 1810 E. Park Road DETAILS: Various activities will be available, along with live music and food vendors. COST: Free; $5 parking
Girl Scouts hit Washington, D.C. As part of a summer trip tradition, Troop 499 visited the nation’s capital. 908 miles to East Falls Church outside of Arlington, Va. Only one of the eight girls had been to Washinton, D.C., before. “It’s cool to do something a little bit different that they wouldn’t get to do with their families,” troop leader Kimberly Harwood said. The girls visited all the major monuments, took a tour of Congressman Dennis Ross’ office at the Capitol and also explored the White House thanks to Ross. They went
SEE GIRL SCOUTS / 5
Troop 499 saw a lot of sights in four days.
Courtesy photo
INDEX Calendar.......................2
Plant City Stadium offers up the best of Independence Day celebrations.
SEE FIREWORKS / 4
by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor
Countless monuments, the Smithsonian Museum and one double-decker bus later, the Girl Scouts in Troop 499 had seen almost all of Washington, D.C. Eight out of the 11 members took the summer trip to the nation’s capital to earn four fun badges earlier this month. “They were excited about things you wouldn’t think teenagers would like,” Kadien Harwood said about her troop. “But they were.” The troop loaded into a 12-passenger van and drove
Plant City ready for Fourth of July
SPONSORS: Florida Strawberry Festival, Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, city of Plant City, Plant City Times & Observer, Mayfair Games, Walmart, Mosaic, Stingray Chevrolet, Haught Funeral Home, Jarrett-Scott Ford, Plant City Noon Rotary, Happy Kids Inflatables, Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinics, Nick’s Pizzeria & Wings, Toufayan Bakeries, American Legion, O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill, Global Sports Alliance, Parkesdale Farms, Deese Scrubs, Miller Pro Sound, Culligan Water, Gordon Food Service, Seafood Dive Restaurant, Railroad Industrial Federal Credit Union and Brewington’s Towing Service
Vol. 1, No. 48 | One section Crossword...................15
Obituaries...................11
Sports.........................12
Weather ......................15
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