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Plant City Lions Club tees off at annual tourney.

OUR TOWN

+ P.C. battalion chief retires

After more than 27 years serving at the Plant City Fire Rescue, Battalion Chief Henry Smith retired Sept. 30. Family and friends gathered Oct. 3, to celebrate his success. Smith started his career 32 years ago as a volunteer. He was working at the mines, when he got involved in civil service. At age 30, he decided to make a career change and was hired into the department as a firefighter. Smith rose in the ranks from firefighter to driver to captain. Seven years ago, he became battalion chief. Smith’s favorite aspect about working in the industry is the constant challenge and variety. “No day is never the same,” he says. “There’s that excitement.” Smith plans to spend more time remodeling his home. He also has a lawncare business that he plans to continue operating.

IN THIS ISSUE

SPORTS

PAGE 7

PAGE 11

PlantCitymother seekscontroversial treatmentfordaughter.

PAGE 3

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This week’s winner is

Yeniffer Hidalgo See her photo on PAGE 14.

Raiders looking for revenge against Tampa Bay Tech.

done deal by Michael Eng | Editor

Canadian investment company buys 1,000 acres in Plant City Walton International Group purchased the Cone-Graham property, for $18.1 million. It plans to build an upscale community with up to 2,500 homes.

A Canadian real-estate investment and development ﬁrm closed Oct. 4, on more than 1,000 acres in north Plant City, in what is one of the largest land deals in the community’s history. Calgary-based Walton In-

ternational Group purchased the 1,008-acre Cone-Graham property, located generally at the southwest corner of Knights Grifﬁn and Charlie Taylor roads, for $18.1 million, from the Robert G. Graham Family LP and the David

J. Tozlosky Family LP. The ﬁrm plans to build an upscale, master-planned community with up to 2,500 homes. The community also will feature a mixed-use village center with multi-family housing, as well as up to 395,000 square feet of

INSPIRATION by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor

commercial and ofﬁce space. The site also has about 164 acres of wetlands and about 106 acres designated as natural preservation. Another 700,000 square feet of commercial space could be developed on nearby or adjoining parcels,

City Manager Greg Horwedel said. “Walton is excited to be part of Plant City and looks forward to working with the community to design a livable, mixedused community that includes new housing options, commercial and retail space,” said Bob Sebesta, Walton’s general

SEE SALE / PAGE 4

family affair by Michael Eng | Editor

Plant City puzzler: Corn maze set for 2013 season Fox Squirrel Corn Maze brings a plethora of fall family fun on the farm beginning this weekend.

+ Comic relief coming to P.C.

Christian entertainer Mark Lowry’s “Unplugged & Unplanned” tour rolls into the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at Plant City’s First Baptist Church, 503 N. Palmer St. Lowry will perform songs from his new album, “Unforgettable Classics,” along with pianist Stan Whitmire and Warren Barfield. Tickets are $20 for general admission; $25 for preferred seating; and $18 per person for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (855) 223-1008 or visit fbcpc.com.

FREE • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

Courtesy photo

Duane Ackerman said he wants to inspire today’s teenagers with his success story.

LOUD & CLEAR

Hillsborough County’s only corn maze returns this weekend for a second year of oldfashioned fall fun. Fox Squirrel Corn Maze opens for four consecutive weekends, beginning Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Futch family’s Single R Ranch, 3002 Charlie Taylor Road N., Plant City. In its inaugural year, the maze attracted about 7,000 puzzle-lovers. This year, with a completely revamped and larger maze, along with a plethora of new activities, the Futch family is expecting an even larger draw. In addition to the 5-acre maze, this year’s event will feature live music, pony rides, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, corn box for toddlers, cornhole games, a butterﬂy experience, face painting and a country market. Guests also can take a tour of the grounds via a hay ride, try their hand at roping a steer and watch demonstrations of Florida Cracker skills. “Our target market is families with young kids,” said Carson Futch, who, along with family members Janet and Wayne Futch, came up with the idea for the corn maze two years ago. The ranch has been in the

IF YOU GO FOX SQUIRREL CORN MAZE

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 12 through Nov. 2. The maze will be open Fridays by reservation for groups of 20 or more. WHERE: Single R Ranch, 3002 Charlie Taylor Road N., Plant City COST: $10 per adult; $9 per child ages 9 to 17; free for children under 2 WEBSITE: foxsquirrel cornmaze.com family since 1920. Ralph Futch pieced together the ranch to raise cattle and citrus. His son, Alvin, purchased in 1972, the ranch and cattle business and continues to operate a smaller portion of the ranch. With the rise of agritourism, the Futches decided the corn maze would be the perfect way to share their Plant City heritage with children and families throughout Tampa Bay.

SEE MAZE / PAGE 5

Duane Ackerman, Plant City High School’s 2013 Hall of Fame inductee, retired in 2007, as president and CEO of BellSouth Corporation.

Duane Ackerman’s career has been the stuff of dreams. He served as vice chairman, president and CEO of BellSouth, navigating the company through mergers and changes in the industry. With his lifetime of business experience and tech-savvy nature, he’s been involved in numerous startups. Ackerman also

serves on many distinguished boards, including those representing Allstate, Home Depot and UPS, as well as on the National Security Advisory Council. Because of these accomplishments, Ackerman, has been selected as the 2013 inductee into the Plant City High School Hall of Fame. But,

Ackerman, a member of the Class of 1960, didn’t accept the distinction because of his triumphs. Instead, he wants to motivate students to reach for the sky. “I’m one of the few that believes the American Dream is not dead,” Ackerman said.

SEE ACKERMAN / 4

Courtesy photo

Every member of the Futch family helps organize and run the annual Fox Squirrel Corn Maze.

INDEX Calendar.......................2

Vol.1,No.11 | Onesection Cops.............................5

Crossword...................14

Obituaries.....................9

Sports.........................11

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COMMUNITYCALENDAR THURSDAY, OCT. 10

Girl Scouts Parent Information Night — takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at 703 N. Wheeler St., Plant City. Parents of girls in grades K-5 are invited to a parent informational meeting. Learn how your daughter can be a part of an organization that builds girls of courage, confidence and character. Tonia Bascom, (813) 262-1770.

FRIDAY, OCT. 11 Faith Christian Academy Art Show & Silent Auction — takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the school, 1202 S. Collins St. (813) 4732090. Mulberry Fine Swine at the Pit — takes place from noon to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at American Legion Post 72, 1500 N. Church Ave., Mulberry. For more, visit fineswine.org. Uncork Your Weekend with Lil’ Big Show — performance from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Keel & Curley Winery, 5210 W. Thonotosassa Road, Plant City. (813) 752-9100.

SATURDAY, OCT. 12 Cover Letter Class — takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St. USF English Professor JoNette LaGamba will help participants. Please bring a flash drive. Pre-register by calling (813) 757-9215. Florida Opry — takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the 1914 PCHS Community Center, 605 N. Collins St., Plant City. Performers include The Little Girl and The Dreadful Snakes and Clogging Connection. Cost is $12; $5 for students. (813) 757-9226. FMBC Marching Band Competition — performances begin at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Durant High

School, 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City. Competition will feature eight competing bands, plus an exhibition performance by Durant High School. For more, visit durantband.com.

Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St., Plant City. Book will be “Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen. Copies of the book are available at the library prior to the discussion for checkout. (813) 757-9215.

Mt. Enon Cemetery Memorial Annual Meeting — takes place at noon Sunday, Oct. 12, at Brick Primitive Baptist Church, 3702 N. Frontage Road, Plant City. Bring a covered dish to share. Fish, grits, hush puppies, tea and water will be available. Sarah Dean, (813) 752-5061.

Ribbon Cutting: Shiloh Baptist Association — takes place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at 103 Johnson Road, Plant City. For more, visit plantcity.org.

St. Peter’s Holy Smoke BBQ — Dinners will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 302 N. Carey St. Cost is $10. (813) 752-5061. Uncork Your Weekend with Faces South Band — performance from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Keel & Curley Winery, 5210 W. Thonotosassa Road, Plant City. (813) 752-9100.

MONDAY, OCT. 14 Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center — This organization will be giving away free amplified phones to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/ blind or speech impaired. This giveaway will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St., Plant City. (863) 686-3189. Master Gardening Program — This program, titled, “Ferns,” will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St., Plant City. Members of the audience are encouraged to bring a plant for the plant exchange. (813) 757-9215.

TUESDAY, OCT. 15 Evening Book Discussion Group — meets from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at Bruton

To publicize your event in our Community Calendar, please send by mail: 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563; or by email: meng@plantcityobserver.com. Photos are welcome. Deadline is noon Thursday.

Heart Health Screenings — available from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, at South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St., Plant City. High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to enlarge and weaken over time, and the risk of coronary heart disease rises as blood cholesterol levels increase. Free.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16 Locks of Love Donation — takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Plant City High School, 1 Raider Place. Event is sponsored by Marilikes.com and the Plant City High School Cosmetology Department. Mari, (813) 4414988 or info@marilikes.com.

THURSDAY, OCT. 17 Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce October Business After Hours — takes place from 5:15 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Holiday Inn Express Plant City, 2102 N. Park Road. RSVP to the chamber, (813) 754-3707. Plant City Woman’s Club BBQ Chicken Dinner — pick-up from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Train Depot, Historic Downtown Plant City. Cost is $10. Peggy, (813) 752-7905, or Judy, (813) 754-3777.

FRIDAY, OCT. 18 AARP Driver Safety Class — takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St., Plant City. Pre-register by calling (813) 757-9215. Ribbon Cutting: Krazy Kup — takes place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at 101 East J. Arden Mays Blvd., Plant City. For more, visit plantcity.org.

St., Plant City. Players must have partners. For more information, call Walt Arnold, (813) 752-1602.

BEST BET

Romp In The Swamp — takes place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Lower Green Swamp Preserve, 5920 Bailey Road, Plant City. The 5K obstacle run benefits South Florida Baptist Hospital Foundation and the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. Sponsored by Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay. For more, visit rompintheswamp.org or mudrunfun.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 19 Gulf State Quartet — performance begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at Whitehurst Road Baptist Church, 901 N. Whitehurst Road, Plant City. A love offering will be taken. Historic Walk — begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Train Depot in Historic Downtown Plant City. Organizer Angie Davis and other hosts will be dressed in 1800s-style clothing. Free. Strawberry Classic Car Show — takes place from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at 102 N. Palmer St., Plant City. For more, visit plantcity.org. Tampa Bay’s Biertoberfest — takes place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at Keel & Curley Winery, 5210 W. Thonotosassa Road, Plant City. The event will celebrate the launch of Two Henry’s Brewery. The festival will feature a 150team cornhole tournament, kid zone, German cheer and games, live music, food vendors and large VIP area and

table seating. For more information, call (813) 752-9100.

ONGOING Bereaved Parents Group — meets at 7 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month, at South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St., Plant City. For more, call Tom Sluder, (813) 659-2555. Berry Patch Quilt Guild — meets from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, at First Presbyterian Church of Plant City, 404 W. Reynolds St. Use the entrance on Thomas Street. All are welcome. Elaine Green, (813) 763-7353. Christian Ladies Zumba — meets at 11 a.m. Mondays, 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. Saturdays, at HopeWeaver Church, 2203 W. Baker St., Plant City; and 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, at Shiloh Baptist Church, 905 W. Terrace Drive. Donation only. Gina, (813) 928-9998. Duplicate Bridge — meets at 1 p.m. Fridays, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 302 Carey

Hope Al-Anon Group — meets at 7:30 p.m. Mondays, at Hull House at First Presbyterian Church, 203 Thomas St. (813) 763-3698. Plant City Civitan Club — meets at 7 a.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month, at Buddy Freddy’s Restaurant, 1101 Goldfinch Drive, Plant City. For more information, call (813) 754-4680. Plant City Federated Republican Women’s Club — meets the third Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22, at the home of Judy Wise, 2706 Pine Club Drive, Plant City. Guests are welcome. For more information, call (863) 370-8389. Plant City Sunday Scrappers — meet from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Bring your own project, plus make quilts for donations. For more information, call Linda Hill, (813) 856-6120. Republican Club of Plant City — meets at 7:15 a.m. the fourth Tuesday of the month, at Buddy Freddy’s Restaurant, 1101 Goldfinch Drive. Self-Defense/Karate Classes — available by appointment only between 2 and 6:30 p.m. at TheRoom, 110 W. Reynolds St. Led by Charles Closshey Register at whitetigerkenpokarate@gmail.com. Weight Watchers — meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays, at Plant City’s First Baptist Church, 503 N. Palmer St. For more information, call (813) 752-4104.

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new do by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor

Mom plans Locks of Love drive Plant City mother and blogger Marisol Ortiz has partnered with Plant City High’s cosmetology department to host the drive.

Marisol Ortiz has her hands full. Her house is ﬁlled with family members, including four children, one with autism. So, Ortiz decided to start a blog about two months ago to help her deal with her stresses of everyday life as a mother. Now, she is using her newfound outlet to help her community. Mari Likes, along with the cosmetology department at Plant City High School, will host a Locks of Love drive from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the high school. “The purpose is to help someone else that my be going through the same situations,” Ortiz said. “I talk

LOCKS OF LOVE DRIVE

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 WHERE: Plant City High School, 1 Raider Place, Plant City CONTACT: Marisol Ortiz, (813) 441-4988 or info@marilikes.com BLOG: marilikes.com about things people just don’t talk about. I want to help.” Ortiz ﬁrst learned about Locks of Love in June, after donating her own hair. She had two full ponytails, totaling 21 inches. Locks of Love is a public, non-proﬁt

organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21, who are suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. “I didn’t know why they needed the hair,” Ortiz said. “Then, I saw that it was for children who lost their hair, and it melted my heart.” Although Ortiz doesn’t have any family members who have had cancer, she does know friends and neighbors with breast and ovarian cancer. She decided to start planning a drive to donate even more hair to Locks of Love. Her first step was to find salons

willing to participate. That’s when she remembered Plant City High had a cosmetology department. She asked the department if they would cut and style the hair. “I thought that would be perfect,” Ortiz said. “They had donated hair before but never cut it. I thought that was really cool. They agreed.” In addition to getting a cut and style, Mary Kay consultants will be completing the look with a makeover. Ortiz is a consultant. “I thought it would be so cool to do makeovers,” Ortiz said. “Just because they gave back. It’s a thank you to them.” Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@ plantcityobserver.com.

DONATION DETAILS • Colored or permed hair t is acceptable. • Hair cut years ago is usable if it has been stored in a ponytail or braid. • Hair that has been bleached (usually this refers to highlighted hair) is not usable. If unsure, ask your stylist. • Hair that is swept off of the floor is not usable, because it is not bundled in a ponytail or braid. • Hair that is shaved off and not in a ponytail or braid is not usable. If shaving your head, first divide hair into multiple ponytails to cut off. • Layered hair is acceptable, if the longest layer is 10 inches. Layered hair may be divided into multiple ponytails. • Curly hair may be pulled straight to measure the minimum 10 inches. Source: Locks of Love

CULTURE by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor

Plant City resident shares heritage with annual flute gathering Dock Green Silverhawk started playing the ﬂute, after surviving a dangerous heart condition.

fore!

by Justin Kline Staff Writer Bo Ross, Jeff Stone and Chad Jones couldn’t resist having a little fun on the golf course.

Fun, fundraising drives Lions Club golf tourney The Plant City Lions Club hosted its annual charity golf tournament Oct. 4, at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club. The tournament is one of the club’s three major fund-

raisers. Proceeds from the event beneﬁt a number of charities and programs supported by the Lions. Seventy-two golfers competed in this year’s event.

Chuck Masek, Melody Audette, Gary Pike and Bill Dodson Left: Plant City Lions Kerrie Gafford, David Vick and Verna McKelvin

Scott Friedland, Ryan Bishop, Dr. Ray Gutierrez and Joe Magg

NEWSBRIEFS + Fugitive sex offender arrested in Plant City

A fugitive sex offender was arrested Oct. 3, in Plant City. According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reports, detective assigned to the Special Investigation Division, Tactical Intelligence Team concluded a two-week search for registered sex offender, Dennis Jamieson, 31, of Plant City. Jamieson is a suspect in a grand theft auto report within Plant City. He was also wanted in two separate fleeing to elude incidents with the Tampa Police Department and violation of probation for grand theft with the Department of

Alex Alexander, Eric Stevens, Jake Rogers and Jared Buttram

Corrections. On Sept. 16, Jamieson cut his GPS monitoring bracelet from his leg and left his registered address without permission. In the days that followed, Jamieson fled from the Tampa Police Department in a stolen vehicle on two occasions. Sheriff’s Office detectives began spot surveillance on Jamieson’s mother’s home, on Waller Street, in Plant City, and his girlfriend’s home on Nebraska Avenue, in Tampa. Following several days of spot surveillance and contact with citizen informants, detectives learned that Jamieson was at his mother’s house in Plant City. Detectives moved surveillance back to the mother’s home and observed Jamieson’s girlfriend leaving the residence. Detectives obtained consent to search the mother’s home and with the assistance of a HCSO K-9 unit; Jamieson

was located by the K-9 hiding under a pile of clothing. During Jamieson’s apprehension, he was bit in the arm by the K-9, after he failed to comply with the orders from the K-9 handler. Jamieson was medically treated for a minor dog bite to his left arm before being booked into the Orient Road Jail.

+ Missing Plant City 12-year-old found safe

A 12-year-old girl who ran away from home was found safe. According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reports, on Oct. 7, Madison Boardman disabled the window alarm on her bedroom window, cut the screen and exited via the bedroom window. The home is located in the 920 block of Cowart Road.

Eleven years ago, Plant City resident Dock Green Silverhawk the Silverhawk Native American Flute Gathering to share his Native-American heritage and love of its music. This year’s event will take place Oct. 19 and 20, at Withlacoochee River Park, in Dade City. “It’s a very laid-back and easy-going type of event,” Silverhawk said. “I’ve got everything now. It has blossomed over the years into what it is now.” Since the event’s humble beginnings in the back yard of Silverhawk’s Plant City home, the event has grown to include flute circles from throughout the state. The annual gathering attracts about 1,000 people and features a variety of entertainment, crafts, food and raffles. “I don’t make a dime off it,” Silverhawk said. “I just want to share my culture.” A childhood premonition eventually led Silverhawk to pick up the Native-American flute decades later. He was playing in the South Georgia woods one summer, fishing around a crystal clear sinkhole pond. As Silverhawk was walking back to his grandparents, he saw a young deer with its mother. He crouched down low by some bushes. Then, he saw a massive hawk approaching the deer. When he stood up, everything went white. He instantly knew something bad was going to happen in his life — but also that he would be able to help people because of it. Silverhawk lived a healthy life until his 50s, when he developed a dangerous heart condition. He spent weeks in hospitals undergoing surgeries. At one point, he was only given 48 hours to live. But he survived. During recovery, his wife suggested he get in touch with his Native-American roots. She took him to a powwow. That’s when he heard the soothing tunes of a flute. “I became obsessed,” Silverhawk said. He had played clarinet and saxophone in school and took to the flute easily. Silverhawk also performed on the saxophone for singers such as Curtis Lee and Dee Dee Sharp. But, the flute also had a therapeutic effect, and soon, he was volunteering to play for patients at Tampa General Hospital. He later became a chaplain — a post he traces back to that childhood premonition so many years ago. He played for everyone but especially loved playing for heart patients. “Having been there, I knew what they were going through,” Silverhawk said. Since then, Silverhawk has remained active in involving the community with Native-

SILVERHAWK NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE GATHERING

WHEN: Oct. 19 to 20 WHERE: Withlacoochee River Park 12449 Withlacoochee Blvd., Dade City. COST: Free; park charges $5 for parking WEBSITE: silverhawkflute gathering.com CONTACT: Dock Green Silverhawk, slvhawk@aol. com Central Florida Flute Circle meets at 6:30 p.m., the first Tuesday of the month, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St. Silverhawk’s NativeAmerican church meets at 6:30 p.m., the second and fourth Sundays of the month, at Thonotosassa Untied Methodist Church, 11905 Fort King Highway, Thonotosassa.

American culture. He has started a Native-American church, which meets twice monthly, at Thonotosassa United Methodist Church’s fellowship hall. The service includes smudging, praying, dancing and even tobacco smoking. “It’s the Native-American way to carry out the ceremony,” Silverhawk said. Silverhawk also runs a ﬂute circle, Central Florida Flute Circle, which meets Tuesdays, at Bruton Memorial Library. Silverhawk is Cherokee, Creek and Scottish. He spent many summers in south Georgia with his grandparents and cousin, playing in a wooded area called Devil’s Hopper. His grandmother was full Creek. She made traditional medicines but also tried to assimilate into American culture by calling herself “Black Dutch.” Silverhawk didn’t pay much attention to his ancestry, until his health problems began to surface. Now, he is proud of his roots. “The ﬂute world has really grown,” Silverhawk said. “I never imagined it could grow this much. I’m happy to be a part of it.” Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver. com.

“

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ACKERMAN / PAGE 1 “Don’t be deﬁned by who you are today.” Ackerman’s story is a true rags-toriches saga. But, he didn’t get there without hard work and dedication. He was born in Dade City but moved at age 2 to Plant City, with his mother, Celeste, and father, Floyd, who was a welder and postal worker before settling down as a citrus planter. The family lived in a modest,wood-framed house in the country, like most residents at the time. “It never occurred to me about the economic strata or where I was in the puzzle,” Ackerman said. “We were all the same.” When Ackerman reached high school, he took an interest in math and science. His father wanted him to go to school to be an engineer. His teachers and guidance counselors urged higher education, as well. Working at the phosphate mines one summer for extra spending money, Ackerman met a man who worked two shifts, seven days a week, to support his seven kids. That’s when Ackerman knew for certain he was going to college.

SALE / PAGE 1 manager in Florida. “Walton has been researching many markets across North America for several years. Central Florida, and, in particular, the Greater Tampa and Orlando areas, is a dynamic region with lifestyle fundamentals that make it a desirable place to live, work and play.” The sale follows years of planning between local and state government agencies regarding the future growth of Plant City. Ofﬁcials from Plant City, the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission and the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization published in June 2008, the Northeast Plant City Area Master Plan, a document that outlines anticipated growth in the next 20 years in the city’s 22-square-mile northeastern quadrant and how to accommodate the potential impacts on Interstate 4. The discussion was prompted by the annexation into the city of the 1,008-acre Cone Farms property. Landowner Bob Graham then worked with the city to begin planning the development of Cone Farms. The result was the Cone Farms Community Unit District, a vision for a master-planned community similar

“

We don’t want to live in a world where we’re taken care of. We want to live in a world where we work and have respect. — Duane Ackerman, 2013 Plant City High School Hall of Fame inductee

“I realized the real world was approaching,” he said. But, it was his talents in tennis that earned him a scholarship Rollins College, in Winter Park. There were only about 10 students in his college physics class, which afforded him the opportunity to rub elbows with faculty members during discussions and research. “I was really fortunate to have good teachers,” Ackerman said. “My education was founded in Plant City. It set me up for the future.” Ackerman graduated in 1964, with a physics degree. Six years later, he had earned his master’s degree from the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business. He also had simultaneously started working for Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, as a customer service agent. Within a few years, Ackerman became a division plant manager and

to Walden Lake, FishHawk Ranch and Lakewood Ranch, in Manatee County. At the adoption of the master plan, ofﬁcials agreed to divide the costs to improve road and infrastructure among several entities, Horwedel said. The Florida Department of Transportation, through funds allocated to the MPO, will handle road improvements, such as the recently funded Sam Allen Road widening. Plant City, through its mobility fee program, will spend about $3.5 million to cover the costs of water and sewer improvements. “This is an example of government planning, proactively, the development of an area,” Horwedel said. “The Walton folks actually said our Northeast Master Plan helped make their decision easier. “This is validation of things we’ve been working on in the last several years,” he said. “We’re preparing the canvas for the next stage of growth. We took the initiative to build the template, and now, we’re hoping it resonates with the rest of the world.” Construction likely won’t begin for another two to three years. Before then, local and county ofﬁcials will work with Walton to determine how much the developer will contribute to infrastructure costs, Horwedel said. Furthermore, development of a proj-

then general personnel supervisor at Southern Bell’s headquarters, in Atlanta. He then was promoted to vice president of the plant department. Ackerman left to complete graduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After receiving his second master’s degree, Ackerman returned in 1978, to Southern Bell. His hard work and determination continued to shine. When the company created BellSouth Corporation as the result of a divestiture, Ackerman was chosen to serve as the company’s vice president for corporate planning and development. In 1985, he was elected as executive vice president for network planning and marketing for BellSouth Services Inc. Under Ackerman, BellSouth grew faster than any other regional Bell companies, by initiating widespread installations of optical ﬁbers in its local networks, among other strategies.

By 1989, Ackerman had been appointed vice chairman of finance and administration. When BellSouth Corporation consolidated in 1991, Ackerman was named vice chairman of BellSouth Corporation and president and chief operation officer of BellSouth Telecommunications. Ackerman became the company’s CEO and president in 1997. Throughout his career, Ackerman was known for his down-to-earth management style. It was a style he took from his beginnings in Plant City. He often rode in company trucks to visit employees out in the field. “Learning to respect and honor what people do is part of leadership,” Ackerman said. “Plus, I liked it. If you pursue something you like, you can do better than if you choose something you don’t like.” Despite changes in technology and increases in competition, Ackerman

Courtesy rendering

Walton currently is working on a project called Westphalia Town Center, in Maryland, outside of Washington, D.C. ect this size likely will take place over a 25-year time frame. Sebesta said Walton currently is working on more detailed plans for the property. “Each project is uniquely designed to incorporate the best qualities of a particular property and community,” he said. “We have just begun our conceptual design of the property and do not have a detailed plan at this time. “However, we intend to incorporate the natural features of the property, along with the historical and cultural features of Plant City in the design

to best serve the community and yet be compatible with the environment and natural beauty of the property,” he said. Plant City investor Ed Verner expressed interest in purchasing the land after the death of C.W. Cone, in 2003. The Verner family owns several adjoining parcels. Verner also brought into city limits most of his homestead and tree farm property to help connect the Cone Ranch parcel to the city. He said he wanted to ensure its development would be governed by the Plant City Commission,

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continued to lead his company to success until he retired in 2007. Part of Ackerman’s success was his belief that challenges weren’t signs of failure but rather opportunities to grow. “A lot of times, we don’t go beyond our self-deﬁned boundaries, because we’re uncomfortable,” Ackerman said. “But, if you’re uncomfortable, then that’s a sign of growth. “There’s a lot of forces that seem to suggest you can’t do it,” he said. “But, we don’t want to live in a world where we’re taken care of. We want to live in a world where we work and have respect.” Ackerman hopes his induction into the hall of fame will inspire other students to achieve their own version of the American Dream. He suggests students should have perseverance, a desire to success and honesty. “Im certainly honored Plant City has selected me,” Ackerman said. “I want to empower the youth to grow and stretch. The pace of change is dramatic, and I think that’s a message for our young people. It’s an exciting time. It’s a great time to be engaged. But not a good time to take it easy.” Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.

rather than Hillsborough County. And, although Verner hasn’t been involved with the property for years, he said he will keep an eye on the development’s progress. “Obviously, my family’s interest and landholdings hang huge in tandem to what they do out there,” Verner said. Verner also is an co-owner of Plant City Observer LLC, which co-owns the Plant City Times & Observer. Sebesta said Walton plans to utilize local companies during the construction process. “Walton typically employs local companies for any project work, including engineers, planners, attorneys, contractors, etc.,” he said. “Walton does not build homes, but we work closely with home builders to design communities that meet the needs of families and individuals.” Walton International’s U.S. headquarters are located in Scottsdale, Ariz. Walton currently manages thousands of acres in the Southeast, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia. In addition to the recent acquisition in Plant City, Walton currently manages Ridgewood Lakes, outside of Orlando, and Denham Village, south of Leesburg. Contact Michael Eng at meng@ plantcityobserver.com.

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COPS

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MANATEE

The following information was gathered from incident and arrest reports obtained from the Plant City Police Department.

SEPT. 23

STOLEN STEREO

1700 block of East Warren Street. Vehicle Burglary. Unknown person(s) stole a JVC stereo from the dash of an unlocked 2002 Nissan Maxima.

TOOL TROUBLE

100 block of North Warnell Street. Business Burglary. Sometime between 2 p.m. Sept. 22 and the morning of Sept. 23, unknown person(s) stole about $17,600 worth of concrete tools and generators from a shed on the property.

CAN’T TAKE A HINT

700 block of West Strickland Street. Trespass After Warning Arrest. On Aug. 29, an officer trespassed the suspect from the property. On Sept. 23, the suspect returned to the house and refused to leave. Officers arrived on scene, confirmed the valid trespass warning and arrested the suspect.

TOWED AWAY

1900 block of Industrial Park Drive. Theft of a Utility Trailer. Sometime between the evening of Sept. 20 and the morning of Sept. 23, unknown person(s) stole a 5-foot-by-10-foot black IMC utility trailer, with a rear lift gate and chrome rims.

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, PRY, PRY AGAIN

1000 block of West Washington Street. Attempted Theft. Unknown person(s) entered the vacant apartment and tried to pry a window A/C unit out of the window frame. Damage was done around the A/C unit, but the A/C was not removed.

MISSING WHEELS

800 block of West Madison Avenue. Stolen Bike. The victim stated someone stole his bicycle. He described the bike as red, with a milk crate attached to it by a yellow rope.

SEPT. 24

ALL TIED UP

CORNER SEPT. 25

AT LEAST HE WAS HONEST

1200 block of Camarosa Lane. Residential Burglary. A resident in the 1200 block of Camarosa Lane heard someone knocking on the front door. The resident was scared when she looked out and didn’t recognize the black car in the driveway, so she did not answer the door. She called 911 and reported the suspicious person and car. When officers arrived, they found the black Dodge Charger in the driveway of a home in the 1200 block of Camarosa Lane, and a black male in the back yard of the residence next door. The black male jumped the privacy fence but was stopped and detained by an officer. Officers discovered the black male had broken a rear window to the house with a tire wrench. He then entered the residence and stole a 50-inch TV and two Xbox systems. The suspect spontaneously stated he had committed the burglary. After he was arrested, the TV was found in the back seat of the suspect’s car. The Xbox systems and a pair of work gloves were found in the yard behind the victim’s house. The tire wrench was found inside the victim’s residence, next to the area where the TV was taken from. The stolen property was returned to the victim. The suspect was arrested and transported to Orient Road Jail.

open about one foot, but nothing was missing from the garage.

NICE TRY

2600 block of James L. Redman Parkway. Retail Theft/Dealing in Stolen Property. The suspect stole merchandise from the store, walked outside and later came back in the store to get fraudulent refunds.

3500 block of Walter Court. Attempted Theft of a Trailer. Unknown person(s) cut the lock which secured a trailer. A witness said he looked out his window and saw two males trying to steal the trailer. The males ﬂed when they realized the trailer had also been secured to the telephone pole.

MUST HAVE BEEN FEELING LUCKY

BLADE BURGLED

JOY RIDE

1200 block of Camarosa Court. Vehicle Burglary. Overnight, an unknown person(s) entered an unlocked Jeep Wrangler and stole a knife, valued at $70. The glove box also was pried open. No other items were taken. The victim’s knife was later recovered at a location in the 300 block of North Thomas Street. This investigation is ongoing.

VAN-SACKED

100 block of North Davis Street. Vehicle Burglary. Unknown person(s) entered an unlocked Nissan Quest van. The van was ransacked, but nothing was missing.

800 block of West Mahoney Street. Vehicle Burglary. Overnight, a Jeep and a Chrysler 500 were left unsecured in the driveway and entered without permission. A pair of sunglasses, lottery tickets and other items were taken.

SEPT. 25

Henry George Road. Recovered Stolen Vehicle. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce recovered a Jeep Cherokee reported stolen Sept. 16, to the Plant City Police Department. The vehicle had sustained water damage, the doors were stripped, the hood was repainted and no wheels or tires were found on the vehicle.

THAT BLOWS

2100 block of Mud Lake Road. Theft. The victim advised while one of his workers was cutting grass, an unknown male removed a leaf blower, worth $481.85, from the back of the truck.

SEPT. 26

DID THE CAT DO IT?

JUVENILE BEHAVIOR

MAZE / PAGE 1

“People love to come out here and see the views of the pasture,” Carson Futch said. “They just sit, drink their coffee and enjoy a peaceful time. “At last year’s event, we asked guests what they would like to see added or different,” he said. “And they all said, ‘Nothing.’ They didn’t want a bounce house or slide here. They wanted us to keep it simple, keep it country, and keep it about the farm.” Contact Michael Eng at meng@plantcityobserver.com.

1100 block of West Granﬁeld Avenue. Vehicle Burglary. Unknown person(s) entered an unlocked tan 2007 Toyota and stole a garage-door opener. The victim discovered his garage door

“We wanted to have a project for the ranch property,” Carson Futch said. “We wanted to bring awareness of agriculture to people who live in suburbs. Some people who live in town have never experienced a working farm, and they want to see what it’s all about. “Hopefully, after coming here, kids will know that not all their food comes from the grocery store,” he said. So far, the idea seems to be working.

200 block South Maryland Avenue. Battery. The juvenile victim reported the known juvenile suspect punched him and kicked him after he was dismissed from school.

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PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM

CLUB HUBBUB

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

TAKING A STAND by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor

If your club would like to post announcements, email them to Associate Editor Amber Jurgensen, ajur gensen@plantcityobserver. com.

+ Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce

The October Business After Hours will take place from 5:15 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Holiday Inn Express Plant City, 2102 N. Park Road. Since April, the hotel has gone through a complete renovation. RSVP to the chamber, (813) 754-3707.

+ Plant City Woman’s Club

The Plant City Woman’s Club will be host its annual BBQ Chicken Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 17. The dinner includes barbecue chicken, beans, slaw, roll and a brownie for $10. Pick up is from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Train Depot. Advanced sales only. Tickets are available at Beverly’s Consignment, James Irrigation, Southside Farm and Pet Supply and Tip to Toe Day Spa or through Peggy, (813) 7527905, or Judy, (813) 7543777. Proceeds will benefit the club’s scholarship fund.

+ P.C. Daybreak Rotary Club

Mark your calendar for an enjoyable evening with great food, local music, silent auction, drinks and cigars at Daybreak Rotary’s fourth annual Country Cracker Feast. The feast takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at the home of George and Cassandra Banning, 2506 Clubhouse Drive. Tickets are $75 per person. For tickets, call (813) 752-1025.

+ Empty Bowls Project

Middle- and high-school students can earn community service hours by helping the Empty Bowls committee glaze clay bowls from the schools that do not have a kiln. The glazing will take place Thursday, Oct. 17, at Florida Brick and Clay, 1708 Turkey Creek Road. The service will take about two hours to glaze the clay bowls. Roger Mitchell, FBC shipping and warehouse manager and Empty Bowls volunteer, will lead the students. Students also can earn community service hours by helping with the Empty Bowls Project Nov. 9. For more, email Silvia Dodson, azorindodson@floridabrickandclay.com.

+ P.C. Social Dance Club

The Plant City Social Dance Club picnic will host a picnic 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Alderman’s Ford Park, 9625 Canoe Launch Road, Lithia. Club members will furnish table service. Bring covered dishes, beverages and games. There is a $2-per-car entry fee. For more information, email Ken Miller, pcsocialdanceclub@yahoo.com.

Courtesy photos

Before her diagnosis, Dahlia Barnhart lived a relatively normal life.

#@GKH@ 2SQNMF

Moriah Barnhart’s 2-year-old daughter, Dahlia, has been battling a cancer for most of her life. Now, her mom is on a crusade to approve the use of medicinal marijuana in cancer patients. Moriah Barnhart watched her napping daughter, Dahlia, cuddled up in a metal hospital bed. Since Barnhart was a little girl, she loved to watch people sleep. On this day, she focused in on her 2-year-old’s breathing pattern. In and out. In and out. It was a rare moment when Dahlia would fall asleep. So rare that the doctors had left Dahlia and her mother in peace for the night, so they could take advantage of her rest. In and out. In and out. Then, Barnhart heard a gurgling noise coming from her daughter. When Barnhart moved her from one side of the bed, to prop her head up, she realized something horrifying. Dahlia had stopped breathing. Her limp body felt like a doll in Barnhart’s arms. Barnhart rushed out of the room on autopilot. She made eye contact with one of the nurses at the station. I need her, Barnhart said, pointing to her daughter’s nurse. Then, she looked at another. And you. And a doctor. I don’t think she’s breathing. Instead of a panicked mother’s cry, Barnhart remained calm and articulate. Then, she realized the extent of what had just happened. She changed her story. She’s not breathing! The rest was a whirlwind. Barnhart went back to the bed to lie with Dahlia. Doctors and nurses poured into the room. Chatter erupted in the halls. Mother and daughter were rushed down the hall in the bed together. “She was dying,” Barnhart remembers. The team of medics were able to revive Dahlia, only to have her stop breathing again. And then once more. “If you saw it in a movie, it would look so unrealistic,” Barnhart says. “It looked so sci-ﬁ. There were machines and tubes, metal clamps.” Barnhart stood in a haze, watching the doctors buzzing around Dahlia in the ICU. Blood spattered the sheets, the ﬂoor, gloved hands. She came face-to-face with one doctor. His eyes told her that

she didn’t belong there. Outside, a nurse was crying in the hall. Shocked. Dahlia was being treated at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, in Memphis, Tenn. The hospital doesn’t have an emergency room. Many of the nurses had never experienced a patient like Dahlia. Dahlia has an aggressive form of cancer, pilomyxoid astrocytoma. A brain tumor had been growing since she was just an infant, pressing against parts of the brain that control sleep and breathing. The family uprooted their lives in Plant City to move near the hospital. They spent day after day in cold hospital rooms. Barnhart was forced to ponder the life-threatening situation that had been all of Dahlia’s existence. To cope, Barnhart began writing a letter that took her hundreds of hours over a period of six weeks. How did it get to this point? And what can she do to stop it?

TINY DANCER

As far as Barnhart and doctors could tell, Dahlia was born September 2010 — a healthy baby girl. But soon, Barnhart began to notice some eccentricities about her second born. She never slept. She was sensitive to light and sound — so much so that she didn’t like to watch TV. She had a short attention span and was unusually clingy. Then, she loved to dance. Even when she was in the middle of throwing a temper tantrum, all her mom had to do was start humming a tune. She would begin to dance, despite the grimace on her face. “I though she was just the next Einstein,” Barnhart says. Then, the night tremors began. Barnhart thought they were because of low blood sugar. She vowed to keep and eye on Dahlia and take her to the ER if they hadn’t stopped by the end of the weekend. But, when Dahlia begin to vomit, Barnhart rushed her to the hospital. A scan revealed a mother’s worst fear. A mass had engulfed an area of Dahlia’s brain. She was diagnosed May 5. “Spread out over the course of several years, those once

HOW TO HELP

For more information, visit her website, dahliastrong.org, or her Facebook page, facebook.com/pages/Family-FriendsFor-Dahlia/513073448728642. To donate to Dahlia’s medical expenses visit fundrazr.com/ campaigns/4VRu9.

DAHLIA’S LAW

To sign Barnhart’s petition to allow medicinal marijuana use, visit https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/ dahlias-law-legalize-medical-marijuana-end-sufferingamericans-you-attempt-end-suffering-elsewhere/ SWlzDnSs.

seemingly unrelated symptoms suddenly became one,” Barnhart says. Dahlia also had ﬂuid buildup on the brain that required immediate surgery. The surgery could have caused her to go deaf, blind or paralyzed — if she didn’t die. But, Dahlia survived. Still, she suffered some paralysis on her right side. More seizures led Dahlia to take two anti-seizure medications, on top of a neverending list of other pills and injections. Dahlia struggled through the treatment. Barnhart spent nights listening to her daughter’s screams. She also had bizarre mood swings, ﬁts of anger in the middle of bouts of laughter. “Our lives had become this nightmare,” Barnhart says. Eleven hours before Dahlia

was to undergo chemotherapy, St. Jude contacted Barnhart. The cancer was much more aggressive than they had ﬁrst thought. The mother and daughter left to ﬁnd help in Tennessee.

CONTROVERSIAL SOLUTION

On June 10, 2013, Dahlia was put on her ﬁrst round of chemo. She also was put on a cocktail of medications. Methotrexate left gaping sores in her mouth. Cisplatin and morphine turned her into a zombie. She spent groggy days not recognizing her own mother. Barnhart saw that chemotherapy and strong drugs were ripping her fragile child’s body apart. There had to be another solution. That’s when she started

researching medicinal marijuana. “I’m not against conventional medicine,” Barnhart says. “It has saved her life several times. But, I was forced to do this in handcuffs, watch my child go through this every day.” Barnhart believes certain compounds in marijuana not only can help with symptoms, such as nausea, but also that it can do much more to physically ﬁght the cancer. She’s not alone. “Combining the two most common cannabinoid compounds in cannabis may boost the effectiveness of treatments to inhibit the growth of brain cancer cells and increase the number of brain cancer cells that die off,” the Journal of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics reported. Researchers at the California Paciﬁc Medical Center Research Institute found the combination boosts the inhibitory effects on glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain tumor. Barnhart has been scouring the web for similar studies, making calls to researchers out of the United States and talked to doctors behind the scenes. She says a large majority of medical professionals to whom she’s spoken support the use of medicinal marijuana. Barnhart has started an online petition to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. She is asking friends, family and believers to sign it. “I’m not a conspiracy theorist,” Barnhart says. “I never thought I’d be in this position. But, I’m just trying to make people see.” Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.

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good times by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor

Church family fest features faithful fun It was a beautiful day for a festival when New Life Church hosted its Family Fest, Oct. 5, at the HCC Plant City John R. Trinkle Center. Attendees enjoyed a plethora

of family friendly games, dancing, bounce houses and face painting. Two food trucks from Tampa and a barbecue truck also kept event-goers happy.

Crystal Durrence

Jalynn Ballard and Nicole Cloutier Festival-goers did the ‘Electric Slide.’

Left: Children enjoyed zooming down the inflatable slides.

REAL ESTATE by Michael Eng | Editor

Walden Lake home tops monthly real-estate sales

A home in Walden Lake was the top residential real-estate transaction in September. Thehomeat2103N.Golfview Drive sold for $490,000. Built in 1983, it has three bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths, a pool and 3,861 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $126.91.

ALLEN AND SMITH ADDITION

The home at 407 E. Calhoun St. sold for $102,500 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,675 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $61.19.

COLONIAL VILLAGE

The home at 2506 Savannah Drive sold for $109,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,680 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $64.88.

COLONIAL WOODS

The home at 2716 Kala Lane sold for $155,000. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,530 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $101.31.

COUNTRY HILLS

The home at 4522 Country Hills Blvd. sold for $88,000. Built in 1999, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,000 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $88. The home at 4604 N. Country Hills Court sold for $34,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,432 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $23.74.

COUNTRY HILLS EAST

The home at 4512 Ethan Way sold for $105,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,408 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $74.57.

MONTHLY SNAPSHOT High Sale Price: $490,000 Low Sale Price: $17,200 Average Sale Price: $149,364 Median Sale Price: $136,000 Total Sales: $7,766,943 Short Sales: 4 REO/Bank Owned: 12

it has three bedrooms, oneand-one-half baths and 1,093 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $70.45.

HOLLOMAN BRANCH ESTATES

The home at 6401 Holloman Brook Court sold for $38,300 (REO/bank owned). Built in 1994, it has ﬁve bedrooms, two baths and 1,560 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $24.55.

JOE MCINTOSH ESTATES

The home at 1704 Joe McIntosh Road sold for $227,000. Built in 1999, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,266 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $100.18.

LINCOLN PARK

The home at 1907 Church St. sold for $17,200 (REO/bank owned). Built in 1954, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 1,104 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $15.58.

MCINTOSH ESTATES WEST

The home at 4026 McIntosh Estates Lane sold for $105,500 (short sale). Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, one-and-onehalf baths and 1,152 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $91.15.

OAKVIEW ESTATES

The home at 7529 S. County Line Road sold for $260,000 (REO/bank owned). Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,772 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $93.80.

The home at 2908 S. Pineway Drive sold for $46,000 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 1975, it has three bedrooms, oneand-one-half baths and 1,264 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $36.39. The home at 2015 W. Willow Drive sold for $36,500. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 1,040 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $35.10.

GLENDALE

OAKWOOD ESTATES

FASSON SOUTH

The home at 1311 Tennessee St. sold for $51.000 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,200 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $42.50.

HILLSBORO PARK

The home at 601 Tyner St. sold for $77,000. Built in 1991,

The home at 1724 Oakwood Estates Drive sold for $155,253 (short sale). Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,451 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $63.34.

ORANGE COURT

The home at 1906 N. Temple St. sold for $42,000. Built in

Plant City Times & Observer Locally Owned

The Plant City Times & Observer is published by Plant City Media LLC, a joint-venture of the Tampa Bay Times and Plant City Observer LLC.

110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A Plant City, FL 33563 (813) 704-6850 www.PlantCityObserver.com &RS\ULJKW 3ODQW &LW\ 0HGLD //& $OO 5LJKWV 5HVHUYHG

1953, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 816 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $51.47.

PINEDALE

The home at 802 W. Pinedale Drive sold for $130,000. Built in 1963, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,904 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $68.28.

PLANT CITY

The home at 3909 Kirkland Road sold for $319,000 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 2,697 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $118.28. The home at 4624 Cooper Road sold for $324,999. Built in 1985, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,912 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $169.98. The home at 4314 Strauss Road sold for $245,000. Built in 1984, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,750 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $89.09. The home at 6607 Stafford Road sold for $254,900. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,894 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $134.58. The home at 3401 W. Trapnell Road sold for $185,000. Built in 1958, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,168 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $85.33. The home at 2003 N. Gordon St. sold for $150,000 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 1920, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,586 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $58. The home at 2613 Charlie Taylor Road sold for $140,000. Built in 1945, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,468 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $95.37. The home at 801 W. Reynolds St. sold for $135,000. Built in 1903, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,952 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $45.73. The home at 3520 Medulla Road sold for $120,000 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,636 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $73.35. The home at 522 S. Wiggins Road sold for $72,500. Built in 1956, it has three bedrooms, one bath, an above-ground pool and 956 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $75.84. The home at 305 N. Howard St. sold for $67,000 (REO/

TO ADVERTISE

Call Veronica Prostko, (813) 704-6850, or Joanna Verga, (813) 310-8767.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

We want to hear from you. Let us know about your community events, celebrations and family member achievements. To contact us, send your information via: Email: Michael Eng, meng@PlantCityObserver.com. Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563

Michael Eng

The home at Walden Lake home, which has three bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths, a pool and 3,861 square feet of living area, sold for $490,000. bank owned). Built in 1921, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,002 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $33.47. The home at 6304 Fletcher Road sold for $35,500. Built in 1989, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 960 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $36.98. The home at 1023 Damascus Road sold for $35,000 (REO/ bank owned). Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,620 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $21.60.

REYNOLDS RIDGE

The home at 4303 Reynolds Oaks Place sold for $137,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,738 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $78.83.

ROBERTS SUBDIVISION

The home at 4307 Thonotosassa Road sold for $169,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,311 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $128.91.

ROYAL HILLS

The home at 4524 Country Hills Blvd. sold for $108,500. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,176 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $92.26.

SEMINOLE LAKE ESTATES

The home at 3409 N. Lake Drive sold for $89,900. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,701 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $52.85.

TERRY PARK EXTENSION

The home at 905 N. Crystal Terrace sold for $80,000. Built in 1976, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,406 square

CONTACT US The Plant City Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. It provides free home delivery to several neighborhoods in Plant City. The Plant City Times & Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our ofﬁce, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

feet of living area. The price per square foot is $56.90.

WALDEN LAKE

The home at 2905 Sutton Oaks Court sold for $330,000. Built in 1999, it has ﬁve bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,380 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $97.63. The home at 2806 Wedgewood Drive sold for $245,000. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths, a pool and 2,608 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $93.94. The home at 2906 Pine Club Drive sold for $245,000. Built in 1988, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,488 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $98.47. The home at 2913 Spring Hammock Drive sold for $240,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,300 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $104.35. The home at 3328 Silverpond Drive sold for $179,900. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,650 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $109.03. The home at 3331 Michener Place sold for $170,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,836 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $92.59. The home at 3401 Silver Glen Court sold for $175,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,852 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $94.49. The home at 3201 Concord Way sold for $168,800. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,865 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $90.08. The townhouse at 2332 S. Fairway Drive sold for $78,101

(REO/bank owned). Built in 1986, it has two bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,620 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $48.21.

WALDEN WOODS

The townhouse at 742 Ashentree Drive sold for $114,000. Built in 2009, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,805 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $63.16. The townhouse at 2044 Greenwood Valley Drive sold for $90,000 (short sale). Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,572 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $57.25.

WHISPERING WOODS

The home at 2826 Holly Bluff Court sold for $227,900. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,701 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $84.41.

WILDER OAKS

The home at 2709 Majestic Oaks Court sold for $250,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,589 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $96.56.

WINDMILL POINTE

The home at 4303 Windmill Ridge Road sold for $165,000 (short sale). Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,467 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $66.88.

YOUNG AND DOUGLAS

The home at 808 W. Reynolds St. sold for $151,900. Built in 1914, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,410 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $63.03.

Plant City Times &

Observer General Manager/Editorial / Michael Eng, meng@PlantCityObserver.com

General Manager/Advertising / Tony Del Castillo, tdelcastillo@tampabay.com Assistant Managing Editor / Jess Eng, jeng@PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / (Community) Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Justin Kline, jkline@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Executives / Veronica Prostko, vprostko@tampabay.com; Joanna Verga, jverga@tampabay.com Circulation/Ofﬁce Manager / Linda Lancaster, llancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” — Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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OBSERVEROBITUARIES

Brenda Hicks Brooks

Brenda Hicks Brooks, 54, of Plant City, died Oct. 7, 2013 from glioblastoma brain cancer. She was employed with Geico Insurance for 18 years. She is survived by her husband, Raymond Brooks; children, Krystal Grimes (Michael Snyder), April Schmitz (Erik), Matthew Glover (Nikki), Zachary Brooks and Chase Brooks; granddaughter, Abbigail Grimes; father, Billy Hicks; siblings, Tim Hicks (Claire) and Kathy Atwood (Doug); and many other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Evangeline Snyder; mother, Jewell Hicks; and sister, Debbie Hicks. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 C.R. 39 S., Plant City. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Hopewell Funeral Home. Interment to follow at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. In lieu of traditional flower arrangements, memorial contributions may be made to a brain cancer research organization of your choice, and/or potted flowers may be contributed for her butterfly garden. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wecare.io.

Antonina Bilyj

Antonina Bilyj, of Dover, died Oct. 4, 2013, in Marietta, Ga. She is survived by her children, William Bilyj (RoseMary), of Brunswick, Ohio; Michael Bilyj (Rebecca), of Plainsﬁeld, Ind., Peter Bilyj, of Westlake, Ohio, and Christine Vest (Douglas Helm), of Marietta, Ga.; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 C.R. 39 S., Plant City. Interment to follow at Hopewell Memorial Gardens. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wecare.io.

Lawrence Anthony Buta

Lawrence Anthony Buta, 69 of Plant City, died Oct. 6, 2013, at Melech House, in Temple Terrace. Born September 6, 1944 in Newark, N.J., he was the son of the late Joseph and Julia Rapsis Buta. Survivor includes a sister, Eileen C. Mestas.

The family will be having private services at a later date. Online condolences may be made to the family at haughtfuneralhome.com.

Leonard Willard Chancey

Leonard Willard Chancey, 80, of Plant City, died Oct. 3, 2013. Born Feb. 27, 1933, in LaBelle, he was the son of the late Peter Alexander and Nannie Graham Chancey. Mr. Chancey loved to hunt and ﬁsh. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Delorise Leddon Chancey. Survivors also include his children, Perry James Chancey, Rachel Parkinson, Annette Stone, Shelia Kranock, Peggy (Daniel) Knowell and June (Randall James) Coggins Sr.; 16 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. Online condolences may be made to the family at haughtfuneralhome.com.

Tina Feaster

Tina Feaster, 54, of Plant City, died Oct. 5, 2013. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 C.R. 39 S., Plant City. Family will receive friends beginning at 2 p.m. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wecare.io.

Michael Medina

Michael “Pops” Medina, 74, of Plant City, died October 4, 2013. He was a Veteran of the U.S. Air Force, an aircraft mechanic and a member of the Plant City Elks Lodge No. 1727. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sharon; children, Michele (Sean), Suzanne (Chuck) and Michael Shawn (Kim); grandchildren, Leanne (Jason), Amanda (Jaryd), Hannah, Riley, Mason, Hayley and Charlotte; great-grandsons, Ryan and Austin; siblings, Bill (Evelyn), Sylvia (Norman), Richard (Carol), Lou (Sue), Martha (Joe) and Bobby (Hector); and many other loving family and friends. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 C.R. 39 S., Plant City. Family will receive friends beginning at 3 p.m. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wecare.io.

Jeffery Mitchell Southerland

Jeffery Mitchell Southerland, 47, of Dover, died Oct. 3, 2013 Born Nov. 3, 1965, in Lakeland, he was

the son of the late Richard and Minnie Mills Southerland. Mr. Southerland loved to hunt and ﬁsh. He attended the Syndey Dover Pentecostal Holiness Church. Survivors include his wife, Lisa Hartwig Southerland; children; Julien (Michael) Braga and Cassy (Josias) Morales; and sisters, Rhonda (Clint) Stephens, Tracy Southerland. If so desired, contributions may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund Tampa Bay Chapter, 9600 Koger Blvd. No. 103, St. Petersburg FL. 33702. Online condolences may be made to the family at haughtfuneralhome.com.

Herbert E. Watkins Sr.

Herbert E. Watkins Sr., 85, of Brandon, died Oct. 3, 2013 at home. Mr. Watkins will truly be missed by all that knew him. He touched so many with his gift of giving and kindness. He was a man of so many talents, accomplishments and abilities. Early in life, he was a flight engineer for PAN AM, then Saudi Arabian Airlines (TWA). Later in life, he became a licensed insurance underwriter and salesman, with Lincoln Insurance Company, from which he retired. Of all his accomplishments in life, he treasured his family the most and devoted his life to it. He was preceded in death in 1972, by his first wife, Virginia L. Watkins, and second wife, Mary Ann Watkins, in 2001. He is survived by his children, Herbert E. Watkins Jr., Stephen D. Watkins, David B. Watkins, Linda Lancaster and Jennifer Pond; his sister, Mavis Evers; daughterin-law, Deborah J. Watkins; son-in-law, Vincent Pond Jr.; grandchildren, Herbert E. Watkins III (Chet), Janice Watkins, Stephen Watkins, Jordan Watkins, Ava Watkins, Gina Watkins and Michelle Watkins; great-grandchildren, Brittany Hood, Ashley Hood, Elizabeth Watkins, Leah-Anne Pond and Christopher Faulkner Jr.; and great-great grandchild, Brodi Dorman. Funeral services were Oct. 9, Wells Memorial and Event Center, Plant City, with Dr. Ron Churchill officiating. Burial took place at Memorial Park Cemetery.

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faith by Amber Jurgensen | Associate Editor

St. Peter’s Episcopal hosts 2013 Blessing of the Animals Pet owners and animal-lovers celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with the annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony Oct. 6, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. About 10 dogs and cats were escorted to the lawn of the church to join in a special church service. Owners sang hymns, listened to readings and walked in a procession by a cross to bless their four-legged family members.

PERMACULTURE LIVING

Observation is the key to design In permaculture property design, there are 12 principles that a property designer uses for guidance when creating a site plan. The 12 principles overlap each other, honoring the relationships that exist among the natural and manmade elements that influence the site. Each element has some impact and, ideally, should be identified and then worked with in fashioning a new thriving landscape. The permaculture approach uses whole-systems thinking, supporting and constraining each element to achieve balance in the environment. Remember: Permaculture was derived from “permanent” plus “agriculture.” Design principle No. 1 is to observe and interact. Observing is foundational to coming up with a functional design. To create a design, the designer needs to look at the property with fresh eyes and note down what he or she sees, hears and smells while looking out over the plot. What trees, grasses, water features, permanent structures, bushes, animals, weeds, garden beds, erosion, fencing, insects, birds, family members, guests and more use this property? Because our yards are products of our own personal and cultural design preferences, it is a good idea to find a spot, perhaps a nature park (such as HCC’s English Creek facility, out east on State Road 60), where man is allowing nature to be nature. Walk around and sit and observe for a while. You may be inspired to include some of what you see, hear and smell. Observing nature helps the designer (you) to achieve a different perspective. There is a vibrant, multilayered interaction occurring among the elements, some of which you may have now or would enjoy having at your own homesite. All the present elements, natural and manmade, interact with each other. It is often an

awakening to become consciously aware of the myriad relationships on the land and how they interact. Each season is different, and the interactions among elements will change from season to season. Nature is self-correcting — always moving toward balance. Take some time to observe the sun and how it shines on the homesite throughout the year. By observing, we identify the interaction of the sun with the ground and all that is growing. Sunshine can even be stored on site and utilized with various techniques. Some plants love sun, while others prefer more shade. It also is important to observe and note how water and wind flow across our landscape. This instructs where and how other elements can be positioned. The goal is to capture as much as possible, by directing it and storing it so it can be used when needed. A homesite is full of complex relationships. Permaculture is a way of thinking about these relationships and creating order. The more we understand the relationships that occur in nature and the better we become at mimicking natural processes, the better we become at creating a healthy, abundant, growing environment. The process begins with observation. Problems are identified, corrective options are assessed and a remedy is chosen. Next the remedy is put into action. Then, review and adjust as needed. As we move through this process and implement design corrections, taking cues from natural processes, our land system becomes more efficient. No need to do too much at one time. Bob Abbenzeller is a certified permaculture designer and volunteer at the Plant City Commons Community Garden. For more, email to pcpermaculture@gmail.com or call (813) 489-5520.

Sports

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Freshman Jacob Penny shining on the golf course for Durant. 13 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM

SIDELINES VOLLEYBALL

+ Durant unstoppable at Lakeland invite

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The ladies of Durant volleyball have won again. This time, they went to Lakeland for a two-day tournament and swept the whole thing. The Lakeland Invitational, held Oct. 5 and 6, also featured district rival Plant City, which led to an interesting scenario. After dispatching Haines City, the Lady Cougars beat the Lady Raiders 25-21, 25-19 in an early match. On the final day, Durant beat tournament host Lakeland to advance to the championship, leading to a rematch with Plant City. Durant was stronger this time, winning 25-13, 25-17. But, that’s not where the story ends. The district rivals will meet once again at 7 p.m. Oct. 10, at Plant City.

leaving a legacy by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

After vote, ISF focuses on Tokyo, Plant City Baseball and softball got booted out of the 2016 Olympics. What does this mean for the future of Plant City’s own International Softball Federation?

Fans of wrestling can rest assured that the Olympics’ oldest sport is back in the mix for the future games. Conversely, fans of baseball and softball don’t have the same assurance. But those advocating for those sports have a message: The dream isn’t dead yet. “[The Olympic bid] hasn’t fallen through completely,” said Don Porter, president of the Plant City-based International Softball Federation.

Even though wrestling won the vote with 49 votes, the large majority, the baseball/ softball bid ﬁnished in second place, with 24. It’s still on the minds of Olympic ofﬁcials, as well as the World Baseball Softball Confederation, but both sides seem to be thinking of one ideal date: 2020.

PIECING THE PUZZLE

It’s no secret that Japan is in love with the games of

baseball and softball. Tokyo, which will host the 2020 Olympics, has all of the resources needed to host baseball and softball events, and a fan base that will pack the house every night. Hosting such events in Rio de Janeiro three years from now simply wouldn’t be the same. The country just doesn’t have the same passion for baseball and softball. The Brazilians will stop everything when the men’s

Jeff Fay/HollowTreeImages.com

The International Softball Federation will try to host more events and possibly add a Hall of Fame to its Plant City headquarters. or women’s national soccer team is playing, but baseball and softball don’t have that kind of draw. With that in mind, the WBSC is gearing up to make

GAME OF THE WEEK TAMPA BAY TECH AT PLANT CITY | 7:30 P.M. OCT. 1 by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

FOOTBALL

+ P.C. Dolphins take four in rivalry

Last week’s Strawberry Crest-Durant matchup wasn’t the only rivalry game in town. Just ask the Plant City Dolphins. They hosted the Turkey Creek Trojans Oct. 5, winning in four out of five divisions. The Mighty Mites game was the closest of the five, with Plant City holding on to win, 26-25. The Pee Wee Dolphins got a solid 18-7 win, and the Midget Dolphins were a little more effective in a 30-18 victory. But, the Trojans weren’t ready to quit right there. They bested the Junior Varsity Dolphins 26-0. In Varsity play, however, the Dolphins followed up with a 48-0 blowout. Plant City will be back in action Oct. 12, when the Dolphins travel to Gibsonton to take on the East Bay Buccaneers.

CLASH WITH THE

TITANS

Plant City High School is on pace for what could be its best season in recent memory. Perennial power Tampa Bay Tech also is having a great season. The Raiders hope to avenge a tough, season-ending loss to the Titans. Last week, the biggest question going into Friday night was pretty straight-forward: Who is the best team on the Plant City outskirts? This week, it’s a little different: Where can the Plant City Raiders go from here? Wayne Ward has been the Raiders’ head coach for the past four seasons, picking up seven wins and one postseason appearance in his ﬁrst two. But, the 2012 season was a little different — four

wins, partly because of a nasty four-game losing streak. Ward wanted to turn the program back around in 2013. And, so far, he and the rest of his program have done a better job than many people expected.

THE BEST OFFENSE ...

All of the Raiders’ wins this season have been variations on a theme — the age-old saying, “Defense wins championships.”

Chargers looking good

Make no mistake: It’s always good to have an offense that brings blowout potential on any given Friday, and Plant City has that, too. The Raiders have scored 25 points or more in three of the team’s four wins, with a season-high 40 in a stunning upset over the Bloomingdale Bulls. But, the unit to watch here is the defense, and Ward will back that up. “The whole defense — those guys just keep putting us in position to win the game,” he said.

In last week’s Game of the Week review, I posed the question: Have the tables turned in the outskirts of Plant City? After Friday night’s action at Durant High School, I’d say they have. Strawberry Crest (5-2) came into this one wanting to prove that it belonged in the conversation with any team, and the Chargers made good progress, with an 11-10 win. And, this one was just about as intense as I expected it to be. It was by no means a pretty game, JUSTIN but someKLINE times, these grinders are the most memorable games of anybody’s season. The Cougars (1-5) really did look like a new team — or at least a rejuvenated one. They came out of the tunnel with chips on their shoulders and plenty of swagger, and they played hard. They knew they had something to prove, and they almost did. Although the offense wasn’t really clicking as well as Durant coach Mike Gottman would have liked, hats off to the defense for keeping things interesting. Crest has the tools to beat Durant in a number of ways, especially on the ground, but the Cougars kept the game within reach all night and, for the most part, prevented the big play. I speciﬁcally kept an eye on Gabe Brown for much of the night. He was a total ballhawk out there, picking off Crest’s Austin Carswell more than once. It was like he turned his

SEE GOTW / PAGE 13

SEE KLINE / PAGE 12

+ Raiders win big against Chamberlain

Plant City ended its 2012 season with a tough 28-13 loss against Tampa Bay Tech.

SEE ISF / PAGE 13

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

GOLF

It hasn’t exactly been a banner year for the Plant City boys golf team, but maybe it just needed a big win to get things going. They got the win against Chamberlain Oct. 3, at Walden Lake, putting up a 160-202 effort. William George led the Raiders, as well as all golfers, with a 38. Nick Stare was right behind him with a 39, matching the Chiefs’ low man, and Jordan Genevie and Jarrod Driskell rounded out the top four with a 41 and a 42, respectively. Other than that 39, the Chiefs had a rough outing. The rest of their top four scorers shot a 49, a 51 and a 63. The win improved the Raiders’ record to 3-8 overall.

its pitch for Tokyo. “We think there’s still a possibility that Tokyo might ask to have baseball and softball

File photos

Plant City hopes its defense can control the game Friday.

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it’s good! by Josh Siegel | Staff Writer

Kids score big at annual competition Eighty-six kids in ﬁve different age groups competed in the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competition Sept. 28, at Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex. The Optimist Club hosted the free event for the 20th season and opened it up to both its ﬂag football players and any child

present at the complex. Boys and girls ages 6 to 15 were allowed to compete, but younger children were allowed to participate in the drills for fun. The ﬁrst-place winners from each age group will compete in an NFL PP&K event at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.

Although too young to compete, Gianna Stanley ran through the drills for fun.

Jared Arnold was in the zone.

Alexander Vela attempted to kick the ball off a tee. Right: Members of the Optimist Club explained the rules to every competitor before they could begin.

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER by Justin Kline | Staff Writer Although they couldn’t compete, older anglers brought their rods and bait and fished just for fun.

Area anglers cast lines at Youth Fishing Derby Young anglers got up early to compete in Plant City’s 2013 Youth Fishing Derby Sept. 28, behind Plant City Stadium. The event was open to children ages 5 to 15. Competitors attempted to catch the biggest bass and catﬁsh they could hook, but the most important thing was to have fun doing it. An estimated 120 anglers, along with their parents, were lined around the lake, baiting hooks and hoping for bites.

Justice Hysong and Bryden Merrill

Karen and Reece Rodriguez

Left: Thomas Black

Kevin Harper and Amanda Hedrick

KLINE / PAGE 11 awareness up to 11 for this one, especially after grabbing a leaping interception along the sideline and using great footwork to stay in bounds. But, this was the Chargers’ night. Crest’s defense also played well, with the only major ﬂaw coming in the form of an 82-yard touchdown run by John Hendricks in the third quarter that made the home crowd explode with delight. Things got a little heated between the two teams in the third quarter, as tempers ﬂared, words were said, and Chris Perez got ejected. I can’t fault the kids for getting so passionate about this game. It was pretty important — especially for Durant, given the postseason implications. But,

temper control is undoubtedly something Kelly and Gottman have been working on in the practices since then, and Crest will need to keep this from happening again if they play in the postseason. The win means the Chargers are still on pace to post their best record ever, needing two more wins to surpass their 6-5 2010 season. With four games left on the schedule, two of which are district games, the Chargers will need to stay as focused as possible to make the postseason. They’re in good shape right now, as one of the two undefeated teams in district play, but a matchup with East Bay is just two weeks into the future. We’ll have more — much more — on that matchup next week.

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OTHER AREA ACTION RIVERVIEW AT STRAWBERRY CREST

LAST WEEK: Strawberry Crest clipped Durant, 11-10, while Riverview got punished by Plant, 47-14. NOTES: The Chargers have certainly played better games, but a win is a win, no matter how you look at it. Crest is riding a threegame win streak into this matchup, which they’ll be hosting. On another note, we’re not sure what was going on with Plant, but they definitely took it out on Riverview. If you go by trends, then the Sharks are due to win this game — they’ve gone win-lose-win-lose all season. But, if you go by skill level, then it’s not a stretch to see the Chargers keeping the win streak alive after this one.

DURANT AT NEWSOME

LAST WEEK: Strawberry Crest bested Durant, 11-10. NOTES: Durant may have just lost to Strawberry Crest, but that’s not to say that the Cougars had a bad game. They gave it a good effort, and a similarly good effort should help them get past a reeling Newsome squad coming off of two consecutive losses. The Wolves can boast about being the only team to take down Tampa Bay Tech this season, but they haven’t looked like world-beaters since then.

GOTW / PAGE 11 We made note of how stacked this team is defensively in our 2013 Football Preview, and D-I schools have been noticing, as well. Defensive end Sedrick King will play for the University of Central Florida, along with quarterback Landon Galloway. Montel McBride, who is planning to play on Alabama’s oft-fearsome offensive line, was told by Bama coaches that he’s more than welcome to try his hand at switching to the defensive line. John Broome and Jyquis Thomas have garnered recent attention from D-I programs, such as Youngstown State and Wofford College. In the

ISF / PAGE 11 in the program,” Porter said. “That’s something that’s going to play out here in the next several months.” The baseball/softball confederation has launched its own marketing campaign, titled “Play Ball 2020,” in its quest to secure the backing of fans all around the world. It has its own website, Twitter feed, Facebook page and physical literature. And it’s deﬁnitely gotten some backing. Since launching in March, the Twitter feed has more than 10,700 followers. The Facebook page has 10 times as many followers, at about 107,000. “We want to continue to grow internationally,” Porter said. “Softball is played in 130 countries.” And, since news of the vote broke in September, Porter has heard from fans and players all over the world. “There are lots of disappointed athletes — young girls all over the world,” Porter said. “I get the kickback from the young girls and their parents. I’ve gotten hundreds of emails. We think it’s important to bring the dreams back.”

near future, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear of standouts, such as sophomore Tavares Chase, receiving offers, now that Plant City seems to be on scouts’ maps. One of the strengths of this defense is its size. They’ve got some big kids all over the place, but the secondary is where it’ i especially notable. Many of the team’s starting defensive backs are at least 6 feet tall, and Chase is the tallest at 6-foot-2. He might even hit a growth spurt at some point, a scary prospect you’re a quarterback on the other side of the ball. The trend of tall corners and safeties has been skyrocketing since 2012, when the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks created the biggest secondary unit in the league and turned in a defensive performance for the ages — led by the 6-foot-2 Richard Sherman, whose historic season made him arguably the best cornerback in the NFL, and the hard-hitting Brandon Browner, who, at 6-foot-4, is one of the tallest corners in football. The Raiders have been playing lights-out defense for most of the season, giving up a total of just 23 points in all four of their wins. That includes two shutouts against Wharton and Bloomingdale — two offenses that have a similar ability to hang with anyone on a good evening.

SPEED BUMP

The team already has matched its win total from 2012 and looks like a playoff contender. But, the one knock on this otherwise great season has been district play. These district games have been the only nights where Plant City has looked beatable, although they’ve only dropped one of the two. They managed to grind out a 14-13 win over Durant on Sept. 20, thanks in part to the defense coming up with clutch plays in the fourth quarter, but last Friday was a different story: The Raiders fell in overtime, 19-13, to East Bay. It had little to do with the pass defense. Indians quarterback Chris Carpentier only notched three completions and threw a goal-line interception on fourth down that sent the game into overtime. One of the completions was the gamewinning touchdown pass to Anton

IN PLANT CITY

How will the defeat for the 2016 games affect ISF in Plant City? It may seem like a missed opportunity for the ISF to generate revenue in town — which could have deﬁnitely helped the city pay off debts associated with the buildings — but Porter said it’s not as bad as it seems. “I’m not sure it will change that much,” he said. “We host several international events here each year.” The ISF has hosted at least one World Cup event in nine out of the last 13 years, not to mention hosting numerous training camps, meetings and ofﬁcial visits. Its next move will be hosting the Easton Foundations Youth World Cup, in August 2014. “We enjoy being here,” Porter said. “We think we have a good relationship with the city. Bringing these events would help the city, because (it) still (has) debt from the facilities.”

ON THE BACK BURNER

Make no mistake — getting to Tokyo is still high on the WBSC’s list of priorities. But, before those talks begin, both

Crutcher, but that wouldn’t have happened if the Raiders could have contained the run game in the second half. “East Bay played a pretty good game,” Ward said. “We made too many mistakes, and they actually capitalized on them. In overtime, we had an opportunity to go up and, you know, we fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line. And they made a play.” Ward and the Raiders know this team’s capabilities when everyone is focused, so they’ve been working to get back into the same form they were in at Bloomingdale two games ago. They didn’t have a bad game against East Bay, so the goal of this week’s practices was simple: minimize mistakes. “Offensively, Hassan [Bailey] and Landon [Galloway] have been doing a really good job,” Ward said. “So, despite that we’re a little banged-up up front, we still came out and produced, and did a pretty good job of moving the ball.” Galloway, despite throwing two picks, played well in the ﬁrst half, with 74 rushing yards and a touchdown. His fumble in overtime cost Plant City the game, further driving home the need to work on ball security this week.

A TEST FROM THE WEST

Generally speaking, Tampa Bay Tech ﬁelds a good team year in and year out. This year, though, they’re in a similar situation to Plant City: They’ve been playing mostly out of their minds. A 23-12 home loss to Newsome in the season opener is the only blemish on Tech’s record, but it just proves anything can happen early in the season. Since then, Tech is 4-0 and has only scored fewer than 31 points once — in a 14-7 win over Plant — in that span. The defense hasn’t been quite as effective as Plant City’s, recording one shutout and allowing 45 points in the wins, but the Plant game shows that the Titans’ defense is capable of playing well in important games. “You’ve got to be disciplined to play a team like this,” Ward said. “They’re very athletic. We’ve got to make sure we read our keys and focus on the small things.” Contact Justin Kline at jkline@ plantcityobserver.com.

of the governing bodies that constitute the baseball/softball confederation will use time to work on their respective sports. “We’re now recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the representative for Olympic and international competition,” Porter said. “But, the ISF and WBF will continue to be separate entities, except for international competition. I also think that the ISF would like to work with the city to bring other events here.” Porter cites the Women’s College World Series, NAIA and JuCo tournaments, the International World Games and the World Masters Games as potentials in the next several years. The ISF also wants to pursue the construction of a Hall of Fame museum in the space behind the headquarters. “Right now, we want to try to concentrate on these other things that we think will not only be good for our sport but also good for the city, the community and the county,” he said. Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobser ver. com.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

JACOB PENNY Golf’s a funny game. Some people get it, others don’t. Jacob Penny belongs to the former group. He’s averaging a 37 for Durant High School this season, keeping a pace that makes him look like a lock to make it to states, with the other half of Durant’s dynamic duo, senior Chase Levesque. Oh, and guess what? He’s also a freshman. At 14, he’s better than many golfers who are two, three, or even four times his age. How long have you been playing golf? I first picked up a little plastic club when I was 2. What’s your favorite thing about playing golf? I don’t know, I just love playing it. I always have, since I first started. Who are your favorite golfers? Phil Mickelson. I can’t really say Tiger Woods. Rickie Fowler. Those are my two favorites, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler. Not big on Tiger? No. I just don’t really like the way he acts on the course. I mean, I admire the way he plays, but, not really as a person. What are your favorite things to do besides golf? Any hobbies? I also play club soccer for Basil, out there in Brandon. How long have you been playing soccer? I started when I was 6, so eight years. What position do you play? Center-midfield What’s your favorite movie? “The Avengers.” Any favorite books? I’m not a big reader. What are you hoping to accomplish this golf season? Try to get my average back down to par — that’s my main goal — 36. Are you hoping to go to states, too? That’s my goal! I hope so.

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PLANT CITY

RAIN

(INCHES)

WEATHER

WED.

Oct. 2

0.00

THURS.

TEMPERATURES

Oct. 3

0.00

FRI.

Oct. 4

0.00

SAT.

Oct. 5

0.00

SUN.

Oct. 6

0.00

MON.

Oct. 7

0.54

TUES. Oct. 8

0.11

OCT.

TO DATE

0.65 (2012: 3.4)

YEAR

TO DATE 36.93 (2012: 40.72)

HIGH 89 88 88 88 87 87 88

Thurs., Oct. 10 Fri., Oct. 11 Sat., Oct. 12 Sun., Oct. 13 Mon., Oct. 14 Tues., Oct. 15 Wed., Oct. 16

SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES Thurs., Oct. 10 Fri., Oct. 11 Sat., Oct. 12 Sun., Oct. 13 Mon., Oct. 14 Tues., Oct. 15 Wed., Oct. 16

SUNRISE 7:26 a.m. 7:27 a.m. 7:27 a.m. 7:28 a.m. 7:28 a.m. 7:29 a.m. 7:29 a.m.

PRODUCE PRICES UNAVAILABLE

SUNSET 7:05 p.m. 7:04 p.m. 7:03 p.m. 7:02 p.m. 7:01 p.m. 7 p.m. 6:59 p.m.

LOW 65 65 65 65 65 67 67

MOON PHASES

Oct. 11

Oct. 18

Because of the federal government shutdown, the United States Department of Agriculture’s website has been disabled. Therefore, the Plant City Times & Observer does not have access to shipping point prices for produce. This feature will return as soon as possible.

Oct. 26

Oct. 5

, 3&

Yeniffer Hidalgo sent us this breathtaking shot she took at Dr. Hal and Lynn Brewer Park. The Plant City Times & Observer, State Farm Insurance agent Tony Lee and The Corner Store have partnered to host the I Love Plant City Photo Contest. Winners will have their photo featured and receive a $10 gift certificate to The Corner Store! To enter, email your photo, along with a caption, to Editor Michael Eng, meng@plantcityobserver.com; subject line: I Love Plant City. Be sure to include your name.

FAR FROM OPEN By Jerry Berns | Edited by Timothy E. Parker

ACROSS 1 Inscribe 8 Dividing membranes, as in noses 13 South Korea’s secondlargest city 18 Spooky quality 20 Mountainside homes 21 Castle the dancer 22 One way to avoid a collision 24 Flying annoyances 25 Tenderfoot 26 Reunion member 27 Announcement from a cockpit, for short 28 Key in the sea 29 Aussie trotter 31 Lovingly, in music 33 Less assertive 35 Superman’s insignia 36 Sharp-witted 38 Tack on 40 Abdicated a seat 42 “Do ___ others ...” 43 “Get the message?” 44 Roddy McDowall portrayal of 1968 47 Naked 50 Base neutralizer 51 Mattel doll 52 ___ up (made secure) 54 Bathroom floor piece 55 Tell an untruth 56 Fuel of a sort 57 Workable or viable 59 Word with “sea” or “season” 60 Part of an English exam, often 62 Ink stain 63 ___ Butterworth’s 64 In tears, perhaps 65 Disregard or ignore 69 Monastery head 72 Opposite of “in the future”

73 74 77 78 80 81 83 84 85 86 87 89 90 91 92 94 97 98 100 103 105 106 108 109 110 112 113 118 119 120 121 122 123

Casino game with a dealing box Got wet up to the ankles Fight with a knight Cowboys step in them “Not a chance!” Handled, as a challenge “That was ___ of fun!” Breakfast fare Wine vessel Work to make one’s rights better? Go one way or the other Banned insecticide letters Greed, for one “The Bell of ___” (Longfellow poem) Wails in lamentation Pass, time-wise Enter, as data Cinereous stuff Poetic rhythm Environmental subgroup Birth name indicator, for women Remove dust bunnies Absorbed, as financial losses Ancient portico Treater’s words Sewing junctions Tries to ignore, in a way Murphy or Izzard Not as knotty Calamity Easily angered Villain’s facial expression TV’s Carrington saga

DOWN 1 Some MIT alumni 2 “___ blu, dipinto...” (“Volare” lyrics) 3 Tips

SUDOKU PACIFIC Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 23 29 30 32 34 37 39 41 45 46 48 49 51 52 53 56 57 58 61 62

Covered with ice particles Cold-weather coat Dangerous snake’s weapon Letters on a cornerstone Part of a church service A quality start can lower it ___ Peak, Colo. Canines or bicuspids Ore appraisals Blast furnace output Caterer’s liquid containers They don’t sink ships Primes the poker pot Places for some newborns Hone, as skills Ill treatment Wed without warning How all men are created City northeast of Indianapolis Desert watering holes Challenge in a piano lesson Cape sighted from the Mayflower Guest of honor’s place Eight-legged creature Base coats It develops into a fetus Away from the wind Auto defect Put on the canvas Of great consequence “What ___ can I say?” John of “Atlas Shrugged” Bowled over One billion years Certain terrier, informally Encompass or surround

64 66 67 68 69 70 71 75 76 78 79 80

Home of the Jazz Fill completely with food Vermont harvest Hit, as a fly Just ___ (tiny amount) Digestive fluid Numskulls College-years phenomena, for parents Term of affection Public commotion Ad sales rep’s quote Mr. ___ (“Green Acres” character)

82 85 86 88 90 93 95 96 97 98 99

Group of three Affording a beautiful view Enclosure with a manuscript, for short Boxing champ Jack Piece of tableware Conditions of equilibrium Like the preferred evil? Oscar contender Like Barack Obama’s father Beauty or brains, e.g. Stockholm native

101 ___ Hunt (Tom Cruise’s “Mission Impossible” role) 102 Find a new purpose for 104 Rhythmic verse 107 Send forth, as lava 111 Costa ___, Calif. 114 Ascot, essentially 115 “Ice Age” sloth 116 Asian new year celebration 117 Suffix with “access”

C RY P T O G R A M S 1 . I L G R X Z O B L I G X B C R R Z O R K G E T B I C X H T K H T R P O Q T B X RO D N G S Z A L O N X C R E AW T P L B X , C W W B L G Q G C R O B X O Q Q W T G S X ’ X B Z K H X KWTDNGE! 2 . N L M U Q S B M S J T H Q R I M Q F : F I T J R I T B T S Z Q J T H W RU Z T Q R S J C T R F T T J U A N Q J V Q JA R I T B W Q Z Z T J LT B , R I Q R Z T Q R F S M M C T A G G N W S T V C U Z A H TA J T F I A G A N M V N Z T R FA Z T Q R Z .

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