Plant City Times &
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INSIDE
PAGEANT PATROL
Historic house ordered to be condemned.
Find out who won the first TCMS Calendar Girls Pageant.
SPORTS
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Plant City-area teams put up fight in Superbowl.
by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer OUR TOWN bark in the park
City opens new dog park The dog park near Gilchrist Park is the only public dog park in Plant City.
+ Author to hold book signing Becky S. Knighten has published a book of poems she has been writing since 1997. “Feelings” is available on Amazon and at her book signing from from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Ken Jameson Studio, 1404 W. Granfield Ave. The book of a dozen poems explores different types of emotions and can be personalized by adding your name in it.
Plant City pet owners have a new space where they can unleash their furry friends for safe exercise and playtime. Plant City’s dog park, on the north side of East Calhoun Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Knight Street, is now open. Though some residential areas in town have private dog parks, this is the only
public space designed specifically for canine pets. The 16,000-square-foot park has separate fenced-in areas for big dogs and small dogs. Each area has a water station, picnic table and a waste bag dispenser. “There’s already been citizens and dogs using the facility, so we’re pleased to make
this announcement,” City Manager Mike Herr said about the park’s opening. Construction on the park started in May 2013, beginning with the parking area, using leftover materials from another city project. There was money remaining in the budget that was used to purchase fencing. Jack Holland, director
HISTORIC OCCASION by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
of Recreation and Parks, found ways to reuse some existing park equipment that had been held in storage, such as picnic tables and trash receptacles. “It was basically an unfunded project where we were able to scrape materials from other projects,” City Engineer Brett Gocka said. The only remaining cost is
Catherine Sinclair
The park is located on Calhoun Street.
materials and labor for the installation of a bridge that will allow pedestrian access to
SEE DOG PARK / PAGE 4
ANNIVERSARY by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Plant City Civitan Club celebrates 60th anniversary The club is dedicated to service and specifically encourages youth to give back to their community. The Plant City Civitan Club celebrated 60 years of history and service at its meeting Thursday, Nov. 20. The club’s motto is “Builders of Good Citizenship,” and it has lived up to it. In the last 60 years, the club has financially sponsored or personally served Meals On Wheels, United Food Bank of Plant City, Civitan Little League Team, Stepping Stone Farm, Florida Baptist Children’s Home and many other organizations. Although none of the club’s current members were there at that first meeting in November 1954, some of the longtime members who attended the
+ Higginbotham named vice chair Commissioner Al Higginbotham was elected as the vice chair of the Hillsborough County Commission Wednesday, Nov. 19. The Honorable Judge Anthony Black, Second District Court of Appeal, administered the oath of office. Higginbotham’s wife, Devon, was in the audience during the oath.
OUR TOWN / PAGE 4
, 3&
This week’s winner is
Kathe Moore
See her photo on PAGE 15.
The mission of Civitan worldwide is to build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs, with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities. anniversary meeting this year were James Jones, who has been in the club for 52 years, and club president, Pat Pogue.
SEE CIVITAN / PAGE 4
o’ Christmas tree by Justin Kline | Staff Writer
Businesses spruce up for annual contest
+ Raulerson to be HCDM chair Florida Rep. Dan Raulerson has been selected to act as the chair for the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation Meeting. The 2014 Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation Meeting will take place beginning at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry Campus in the Student Services
MISSION STATEMENT
Plant City High School JROTC presented the colors at the ceremony.
Catherine Sinclair
A REAL
Daughter of 1812 A rare grave marking was held at Mr. Enon Memorial Cemetery Nov. 22, declaring Nancy DeVane English as a Daughter of 1812. It was also marked in honor of the bicentennial of the War of 1812.
In a shady northern Plant City cemetery speckled with oaks, an intimate group of women gathered to bestow a special honor upon a 110-year-old grave. Even with the drizzling rain, the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 proceeded with its Nov. 22 ceremony at Mt.
Enon Memorial Cemetery, marking the stoney grave of Nancy DeVane English. The ceremony included a presentation of colors by Plant City High School’s JROTC students, reading of proclamations from the national and Florida state presidents of Daughters of 1812 and the placement
of a special marker to indicate English’s status as a Real Daughter of 1812. To be in the society, a woman must be able to show documentation proving she is a direct bloodline descendent of a soldier who fought in the
SEE ENGLISH / PAGE 4
The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce is hosting its Christmas Tree Contest. Participants have a chance to win a $200 gift card. Plant City businesses are gearing up for what may be the biggest rivalry of the year: the annual Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce Christmas Tree Contest. And although it pits different businesses against one another for the title of town’s favorite tree, the competition is a friendly one. This year’s contest will include 20 businesses, such as Dinosaur World, City Pizza, Eye Express and the P l a n t C i t y Times & Observer. All residents of the Win-
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ter Strawberry Capital are encouraged to go around to these businesses, check out the trees and cast their ballots for the contest. “Christmas is one of my favorite times of year,” said Amy Nizamoff, chamber vice president. “I like going around and looking at all the Christmas trees, and I like knowing what other people think about them.” Although some familiar faces, like the recentlyclosed Brown’s Floral Shop, won’t be participating this year, this is an opportunity for
SEE PAGE 4 Vol. 2, No. 19 | One section
Crossword...................15
Obituaries...................10
Weather ......................15
Sports.........................12
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