8.31.23 PLCO

It’s been a wild ride for Arley and Vicky Smude in the eighteen months since the couple tied the knot. With a proposal that went viral after Vicky got down on one knee and used a Checkers’ Fry Burger as part of the proposal and a wedding that made the news because it included a chicken tender bouquet and a 43-foot Fry Love Express serving guests Checkers chicken tenders and their trademark seasoned fries during the ceremony (the couple really loves Checkers), how do you keep that kind of excitement alive?

PAUL DAVIS

Recognized With 2023 YMCA Strong Leader Award

Davis is the 20th recipient of the Plant City YMCA’s annual award for people who go above and beyond to make a difference in the community.

The couple will soon be plenty busy. They’re expecting their fist child, a son, whose due date is Jan. 4, 2024. If an addition to the family isn’t enough to keep them occupied, they’re also taking over the family business: Metals and Nature.

Located at 1501 W. State Road 60, its unassuming front entrance leads shoppers to a twoacre natural wonderland featuring a garden of wrought iron, statuary, yard art and garden and home decor.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

The TECO Exhibition Hall at the Florida Strawberry Festival was packed with well wishers last week as well-known local resident Paul Davis was honored as a community leader who exemplifis the YMCA’s commitment to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Davis was announced as the Y’s 2023 Strong Leader Award recipient.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER SHARING THEIR I-DO’S IN “TENDER” MOMENT WITH CHECKERS, PLANT CITY COUPLE STILL GOING STRONG

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

PLANT CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT HOSTS COMMUNITY MEETING

Almost two dozen residents showed up at Plant City Police Department headquarters for a community meeting where residents shared concerns with their staff, a representative from HCSO and city employees. Police shared information with the community about local policing efforts, including a focus on safety in school zones, a request for citizens to be alert and proactive when it comes to locking up guns and keeping them out of sight and a reminder to park vehicles in a garage (or lock them if you don’t) to avoid vehicle theft. Residents shared their concerns about speeders on local streets, including MLK, Laura, Lake Ball and Franklins streets and Maryland Ave. and the possibility of installing speed humps on these streets. “It’s a racetrack,” one citizen said. Trafficperations Manager Fred Baxter said the city, who has a longstanding policy against speed humps, said a new policy, that is under review, has speed hump verbiage in it. Police offered to install speed trailers in the troubled areas, which can detect how many cars are speeding and which times of the day are most problematic. “We’ll take what everyone has shared today and form a different plan of attack to get some more enforcement there,” police said.

NOMINATE AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG STUDENT FOR THE YEA! AWARDS

Each year, Hillsborough County recognizes the many positive contributions made by young people in the community through the Youth Excellence and Achievement Awards (YEA! Awards). Nominations for the awards are being accepted now through 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 18.

YEA! Awards nominations can be submitted for both middle and high school students in each of the following categories:

„ Leadership – demonstrating positive impact on others in an ongoing endeavor, such as sports, academics, or the arts.

„ Success Despite Difficultdds – overcoming tremendous personal difficuy to attain success and make a positive impact on others.

„ Volunteer or Community Service – allocating discretionary time to help others or complete a project that has improved the community.

Nominations will be reviewed by the Hillsborough County Commission on the Status of Women (COSW). The COSW was created to study and make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on issues pertaining to the status of women, including discrimination, employment, education, day care, and health care and is comprised of BOCC appointees and representatives from women-serving groups in Hillsborough County.

The YEA! Awards were created in 2010 to recognize Hillsborough County students for making a difference in their community. Students honored show initiative, innovation, and a commitment to themselves and others, while pursuing excellence in a leadership capacity. This can be demonstrated in academics, community service, athletics, performing arts, conservation, or other areas. The YEA! Awards will be presented by the Board of County Commissioners in June.

For additional information on the YEA! Awards or for a nomination form available for submission online, visit HCFLGov.net/YEA.

PLANT CITY MAN SENTENCED FOR ASSAULTING LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING JAN. 6 CAPITAL RIOT

Michael Perkins, 40, of Plant City was sentenced in the District of Columbia earlier this month on fie offenses, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach.

Perkins was originally arrested by FBI agents in Plant City on June 30, 2021, and found guilty on March 15, 2023, of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and civil disorder, both felony offenses. Perkins was also found guilty of offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and acts of physical violence while on the restricted Capitol grounds. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to 48 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Tampa Field Office and Washington Field Office, with assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police.

Michael Steven Perkins, 39, of Plant City, in a photo released by the FBI

Arley’s parents, Diego and Mary, started the business in 1985. Diego, who grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a city made more beautiful by its intricate and elaborate ironwork, sold art in Israel before moving to the United States to study botany. The horticulturalist, who lived in Brandon with his wife, began selling plants on the side of the road. The couple purchased the property on Hwy. 60, that included a home but as big-box retailers started popping up and eating into their plant business, the company expanded into ironwork and statuaries.

“Knowing that history is what makes this place make sense to me, it’s a combination of wrought iron and a garden of beautiful flwers and art that’s evolved over the last 40 years since he bought it,” said Arley.

Some of his earliest memories include road trips to Mexico, riding in the back of his parents’ van with carpeted walls, watching the miles go by while lounging in papasan and beanbag chairs. “We’d drive there, buy wrought iron, drive it back here and my dad would sell it,” he said.

Later, his dad learned how to make the intricate ironwork pieces himself.

His parents, now in their 70’s, started thinking about retiring and selling the business. “They talked about retiring and Vicky and my brother found the perfect house for them in downtown Plant City just two blocks from where we live and a block from the library,” said Arley.

As Arley and Vicky talked about the future, plans to sell the business faded into memory. “Vicky and I talked and she tolerated my dream,” Arley joked. “My parents created this, there’s nowhere else like it in the world.”

Vicky is just as passionate about the business as her husband. “This place is a destination and holds so many good memories for so many people, it felt like a disservice to the community for it not to be here anymore,” she said.

Arley has plans to use his management and his own ironworking skills (that he learned from his dad) coupled with Vicky’s creativity, love of

Plant City YMCA Recognizes Davis as Strong Leader

Davis receives accolades for his outstanding community leadership.

Plant City and marketing prowess to improve on his dad’s success.

“We’re the perfect team to do it, we have a lot of balls in the air right now but it’s all good stuff,” said Arley. “This has definiely brought more fulfillment to our lives.”

Metals & Nature is open Thursday through Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information, visit their Facebook or Instagram pages, Metals and Nature, or their website at metalsandnature.com.

Paul Conley, Tampa YMCA’s District Executive Director for Plant City, East Pasco, Dade City called Davis a fixtue in the Plant City community and well deserving of the award. “He has represented the Florida Strawberry Festival and this community for so long and so passionately that our committee felt he was an obvious choice to be the 20th Strong Leader of the Plant City YMCA,” Conley said. Davis has served on both the Brandon and Plant City Chamber of Commerce, and for the last three years has been on the Unity in the Community Board of Directors. He was the Christmas Parade Grand Marshal in 2022 and the Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Marshal in 2023. While at the Festival, he served on the Florida Federation of Fairs Board as its president. Under his leadership, the Florida Strawberry Festival has been the number one Festival/Fair in Florida for the last seven years and in the top 40 nationwide. During his 15 years at the festival, the group completed approximately $15 million of construction and improvements.

During his law enforcement career that spanned 32 years, he ran several state, local and federal drug task forces; he was was the Division Commander of the Homeland Security Division created after the 9/11 attacks. He was also on the Brandon Chamber Board, Plant City Chamber Board and the Hillsborough County Drug Alliance Board.

Seated in the audience were more than a dozen officers with the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office, community leaders, Florida Strawberry Festival redcoats, elected officials and avis’ family members.

Speakers at the event, whose remarks included Davis’ accomplishments, candid stories about the man and more than a few humorous roasts, were former Mayor Rick Lott, City Commissioner Mike Sparkman, Dub McGinnes, Tim Lovett and Davis’ son Jeremy Davis, whose remarks showed a depth of love, respect and admiration a son has for his father. “When I think about my father, I think about a leader,” he said. “When you talk to a manager you get the feeing they’re important but when you talk to a leader you get the feeing you’re important and that’s something my father has a very unique ability to do.”

When Davis took the stage to accept the award, he did it with humility. “I’m so humbled, I just want to say no one is great by themselves,” he said. “My heart is overflwing.”

In true YMCA fashion, the event was not only an awards ceremony but a vehicle to assist local families. Proceeds from the event benefit childen and families in Plant City through YMCA programs and services.

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

Metals and nature crafts iron into handcrafted gates, furniture, arbors and more.

PLANT CITY COUPLE KEEPS FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE FAMILY

COMMUNITY CELEBRATES BURNEY ELEMENTARY’S

100TH ANNIVERSARY

The celebration served as a reminder the impact a school can have on its citizens and the community.

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Current and former Broncos, educators and community leaders came together to celebrate Burney Elementary School’s centennial birthday celebration last week to honor its rich history and the pivotal role it has played in shaping young minds for the last 100 years.

The anniversary celebration kicked off with a program in the school cafeteria paying tribute to the school’s namesake, Esther Dorothy Burney. Distinguished speakers included Principal Brooke Quinlan, Dr. Larry Sykes and Dr. Mary Knox.

Burney, who, with her husband Professor E.G. Burney, moved to Plant City in 1885 and were two of the city’s earliest educators, teaching students in a one-room log cabin at a cost per student of $1.50 per month. Hillsbor-

ough County Public Schools constructed the school in 1923, naming it after Burney for her exceptional local contribution to education.

“This school stands on her shoulders and she was an exceptional woman,” said Principal Brooke Quinlan. “She married later in life and never had children of her own but she was often considered the ‘mother of education in Plant City’ and while she never taught here her love for education reverberates in each and every room and each and every teacher at the school.”

Over the years, the school site has seen several transformations, from its humble beginnings in a single two-story brick building to the expanded, multi-structure school it is today. It has served as an elementary school for grades one through six, a sixth-grade center, a “strawberry school”, the temporary location of Tomlin Junior High School and an exceptional education and alternative education center.

To prepare for the ceremony, Quinlan spent months researching the school’s rich history.

“I’ve done more research for this event than I’ve done in my entire life, I have learned so many things about the school that I didn’t know before,” she said.

While the school’s history is important and part of its legacy, what the school stands for and its impact on the community today are laying the foundation for future generations.

In addition to educating students, the school’s support system includes a full-time guidance counselor, social worker and psychologist, an on-site food pantry, reading and math coaches and intervention specialists to ensure all students reach their greatest potential.

Quinlan ended the presentation with an invitation to tour the original building, where students shared additional facts about the school’s history. Student historians included Xyla Simmons, Lizmar Delgado-Figueroa, Marysarai Trujillo, Damien Quick and Maximo de la Luz.

Hillsborough County School Superintendent Van Ayres attended the celebration. “Our motto is Hillsborough Strong and building upon the strength and tradition Hillsborough County Public Scools has and I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” he said. “What makes us great is our tradition and this is what it’s about.”

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MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER

GRACE MANOR HOLDS GRAND OPENING FOR NEW INDEPENDENT LIVING FACILITY

THE NEW NORMAL

suming she probably also had no coins, I thanked her and walked out of the office.

Walking across the parking lot to my car, I thought about my transaction and how different it would have been pre-Covid. I probably would have paid the full amount with exact change, bills, and coins from my pockets.

Then I began to think about all the other changes we have experienced in our postCOVID world. This minor cash transaction was just one of many.

Major changes would include the location of work. Before Covid, going to an office or other place of work daily was the norm. The daily commute from home to work and back again was the cost.

Grace Manor at Hunters Creek in Plant City hosted a grand opening last week to officially veil their new Independent Living Facility.

“Today was just our way of opening up to the community and letting them know that Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek’s Independent Living Community is now open and accepting residents,” executive director Sheryl Vitelli said. “We are currently 50 percent full already so we’re excited about that, but it’s really about making a huge impact on the seniors in our community.”

Dozens of employees, residents, family members, city employees, city commissioners, chamber members and visitors made their way to Grace Manor on Thursday for the official ribbon cuttin

“On behalf of our mayor and the city commission, what a wonderful occasion,”

Plant City Commissioner Mary Mathis said. “I am so honored that you decided, after you built the assisted living facility, that you would stay in Plant City and do the independent living facility. I went online and I just want to say, the reviews are awesome. They talked about how beautiful the facilities are, how clean it is,

someone even said that you could probably eat off f the floos, they talked about the staff. And these reviews are from the family members of people that live here, they said thank you for taking care of their families, thank you for being there with them.”

Originally making their way to Plant City a decade ago, Grace Manor began with their 48 senior living apartments that made up the Hunters Creek Retirement Community. In 2019 they expanded by opening their assisted living facility and their newly-opened independent living facility is now officially open and cepting new residents, currently sitting near 50 percent of the facility’s max capacity of 96 residents across 51 apartments.

“This was all a part of the plan,” Vitelli said. “I think that’s the vision of our owners at Mainstay Senior Living. We just want to be that continuum of care throughout, starting in retirement all the way even to memory care or skilled nursing or longterm care. We now have over 40 facilities, we’re growing and strong and we’re excited about that.”

For more information on Grace Manor, visit www.gracemanorhunterscreek.com.

When was the last time you went through the old, pre-COVID procedures of getting bills from an ATM and paying for lunch or some other small purchase with cash?

You remember--reaching into your pocket or purse for your wallet and pulling cash from it. Then digging into your other pocket or change purse and pulling out coins. Remember doing the math and calculating a little more than the cost of the purchase, figuring o get change back?

Yesterday I was at my doctor’s office, getting a prescription filled After the clerk got my pills, I reached for my wallet to get a credit card out and asked how much the co-pay was.

That’s when it got interesting, because the clerk responded with a smile, “$2.22.” Marveling at my luck, I thought, “Gee, that’s so small I should pay in cash.”

So, I moved my finers off a cedit card and reached into the part of my wallet where I used to carry greenbacks. It surprised me when I found three bills there, a $20 and two $1 bills. Knowing I had absolutely no coins in my pocket to make up the 22 cents, I did the only thing I could do. I pulled the $20 bill out, handed it to her, and asked if she had change.

Saying “yes,” she gave me back a $10 bill, a $5 bill, and three ones. Doing the math quickly, I realized she was actually waiving the 22-cent part of the co-pay. As-

In the years before Covid, there were ongoing theoretical debates about how the age of computers had made it much more possible to work from home. But beyond debates and even arguments, there was little testing of this new idea.

During Covid, many employers yielded to health fears and told their employees to work from home. Workers realized how much easier it was to manage the responsibilities of life—like work, raising children, and handling home repair visits from technicians—while working from home. On a larger scale, employers were forced to think about all the empty desks and workspaces at their place of business for which they were paying utilities, maintenance, and taxes.

What began as a health necessity— beginning Monday, work from home, folks—has taken a lot longer to sort out as employers and employees thought about the impact on businesses of this location change. All businesses have still not changed back to asking employees to commute again, and some businesses have adopted a hybrid model and split the workweek between home and work. Our U. S. Congress is even considering making a four-day workweek the norm.

And society has put this work location question on the long list headed by the title: The New Normal.

TAYLOR JENKINS STAFF WRITER

The newly-opened facility can host up to 96 residents.

FELIX HAYNES

SPORTS DURANT COUGARS OPEN SEASON WITH HUGE WIN OVER CHAMBERLAIN

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

The Durant Cougars opened their football season before a huge home crowd on Friday night with a massive 48-6 win over the Chamberlain Storm.

With excitement around the program abundantly evident following back-to-back eight-win seasons under head coach Claybo Varnum, attendance was through the roof on Friday night as fans packed the stands for the Cougars’ first win of the year.

“I’ve told my story a lot, I’ve been here for a lot of games and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a crowd like this,” Varnum said. “The stands were packed, then having that 2003 team back and being able to honor them so I know that their families were here with a lot of Durant alum. Our student section stayed until the end, we challenged them to stay in here with us, so it was just an unbelievable atmosphere tonight… I think it took two years of us winning and two years of us proving that we’re not a fluke for people to say, OK, this thing’s for real, we’re going to show up and we’re going to watch. I think that just coming out of COVID in general, our school spirit is in a great place right now. We’ve got a great student section, the band, the cheerleaders, the ROTC, everyone involved. The energy’s high, you can feel it in the halls and we saw that tonight.”

And in addition to Friday’s contest being the first played in a new-look Ron Frost Stadium after Durant was one of several Hillsborough County schools to have a new turf field installed this past summer, around 30 former Cougars football players were in attendance as Durant honored their 2003 Regional Championship-winning football team after the game’s first quarter.

“Those are the guys that I watched when I was a 10 year old, they’re the ones that got me excited about Durant football when I didn’t know what it was,” Varnum said. “So to be able to meet a lot of them for the first time, shake their hands, look them in the eyes as we came out as a team, that meant the world to me.”

Lined up to receive the opening kickoff, Durant senior Jayden Forte fielded the short kick and gave the Cougars solid field position at midfield for their opening drive. A first down carry from senior running back Dominic Jones moved the chains up to the Chamberlain 40-yard line and quarterback Michael Ryan followed the carry up with a five-yard completion to junior receiver Damari Styles. After an incompletion on second, Jones picked up just enough for another

first with a five-yard carry to the right, putting the ball at the 30. After a false start set the Cougars up with a first-and-15, Ryan found Styles again for a five-yard gain up to the original line of scrimmage. A carry for no gain left the Cougars with a third-and-10 when Ryan dropped back, escaped the pressure and broke the pocket for a 30-yard touchdown run to open the scoring. After a missed extra point, Durant led 6-0.

After a strong return from the Storm, setting up shop at the Durant 44-yard line, a high snap over the quarterback’s head was recovered by senior linebacker Brant Bovee at the Chamberlain 40.

Durant opened their second drive with an 18-yard completion to Styles down to the 22-yard line, followed by a 10-yard run that set Durant up with a first down at the Chamberlain 12. Jones moved the ball inside the five with a carry down to the three and punched in the three-yard score one play later. A fake extra point was converted by junior Hunter Smith and just minutes removed from their opening score, the Cougars had extended their lead to 14-0.

After Durant’s kickoff sailed out of bounds, giving Chamberlain the ball at their own 35-yard line, the Storm chugged their way down the field and ultimately set themselves up with a first-and-10 at the Durant 25 before the Cougars’ defense broke through. A false start immediately pushed the Storm back to the 30 and Bovee met the Chamberlain running back in the backfield for a loss of two on the ensuing first down run. A gain of two on a quarterback keeper left Chamberlain with a third-and-15 before a sack from sophomore Caleb Waters on third and an incomplete pass on fourth turned the ball back over to Durant at their own 32-yard line.

Out of an empty backfield on first down, Ryan connected with junior Ajani Peavy for a first down to the 45, followed by a sevenyard completion across midfield on the next first down. A pass to Forte followed by a pair of completions to Peavy set the Cougars up just outside of the Chamberlain red zone before Jones broke free for a 21-yard rushing touchdown, his second score of the night, to put the Cougars up 21-0 in the second quarter.

“Gosh man, (Jones) is so hard to tackle,” Varnum said. “He looks 20 pounds heavier in pads, he’s got a great north and south mentality getting down the field, he did a great job.”

Chamberlain opened their next drive at the 35-yard line but after a one-yard gain on first, yet another errant snap was recovered by Durant’s senior linebacker Lucas Bowlin and the Cougars’ took over at the Chamberlain 22. Durant nearly struck for six on first down as Ryan’s pass over the middle fell incomplete just off the fingertips of his intended receiver, but Ryan wasted no time making up for the narrow miss with a 22-yard completion to Jayden Cornelius on the next play.

After Durant’s defense forced another turnover on downs the following series, giving the Cougars the ball back at the Chamberlain 45, it took just three consecutive completions on three straight plays for Durant to strike once more as Ryan found sophomore Treon Williams deep down the left sideline for a 20-yard touchdown pass to push the Cougars’ lead up to 35-0 heading into halftime.

“There was incredible effort tonight across the board,” Varnum said, “There’s always going to be some jitters with the home opener and we looked at Chamberlain on film and knew they were going to be better — coach (Joey) Jaime’s doing a great job over there — so we just wanted to come out strong, come out consistent, because last year we didn’t. I was watching the film earlier today and we kind of fumbled out of the start so tonight we saw our guys come out and punch fast, Mike (Ryan) on all cylinders, Dominic (Jones) on all cylinders, Brant Bovee on all cylinders, Hale Sollmann, our leaders stepped up and played well and the things that we worked on in practice this week worked. It’s such a joy to practice something during the week, you see it, and then to come out and execute it and it works, It really reinforces you as a coach and not only gives you faith in yourself but faith in your players.”

With a rolling clock and a huge lead heading into the second half, the Cougars were able to deploy their second string for the entirety of the third and fourth quarters, picking up two more touchdowns by way of a punt return from Forte and a short rushing touchdown from Kendrick Jean as the Cougars opened their season 1-0 with a commanding win over the Storm.

Across town, both Plant City and Strawberry Crest opened the year with big wins of their own as the Raiders upset Newsome 20-18 and the Chargers beat king 28-7.

Offensively for the Raiders, junior quarterback Chris Denson completed 14 passes on 20 attempts for 207 yards and a pair of passing touchdowns while adding 71 rushing yards on nine carries. In the backfield, junior Tony Marshall took 10 carries for 29 rushing yards while senior Jaden McCants added one lone carry for five yards.

Out wide at receiver, junior Josh TysonGueh hauled in just two passes but both of them went for touchdowns as he finished the contest with a team-high 86 receiving yards. Behind Tyson-Gueh, Zykee Joyce totaled 80 yards on seven catches, C.J. McClain totaled 26 yards on two catches and T.J. Knighten totaled 13 yards on two catchers. In addition to his two receiving touchdowns, Tyson-Gueh also added a third touchdown on a 90-yard kickoff return.

Defensively, linebacker Dillan Sumner led the unit with five total tackles, middle linebacker Michael Bell and defensive linemen Davin Stone-Grant and Dacoby McDonald each notched one tackle for loss and StoneGrant and McDonald each had one sack.

Offensively for the Chargers, junior quarterback Zy Floyd completed eight passes on 14 attempts for 112 yards and one touchdown while adding 35 rushing yards on six carries. In the backfield, running back Devin Blunt combined for a team-high 91 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 14 carries, followed by nine yards on three carries from Steven Parkmond, seven yards on one carry from Arnulfo Castillo and six yards on one carry from Kyle Cherry. Out wide, Calvin Francis led all receivers with 64 yards and one touchdown on three receptions while Rodney Addison added 25 yards on two receptions, Thimothee Woods added 17 yards on two receptions and Hunter Hall added six yards on 11 receptions.

Defensively, linebacker Abe Craig led the unit with six total tackles while Quintin Walker, Zayveon Springfield and Billy Vaughn each notched one tackle for loss.

Looking ahead to this week’s contests, Durant will hit the road as they take on 0-1 Middleton, Plant City will host 0-1 Wharton and Strawberry Crest will head to Riverview as they take on 0-1 Spoto.

The Cougars start their year at 1-0 with a 48-6 victory over the Storm

PLANT CITY AREA SWIM TEAMS COMPETE IN

FIRST STRAWBERRY

SWIM

CLASSIC 2023 marks the inaugural event for Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest.

Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest all opened their swim season last week, competing in the first Strawberry Swim Classic.

“We were at a scheduling meeting and we were trying to figure out who we were going to swim and I said, ‘why don’t we all swim together for the first meet?’” Strawberry Crest head coach Cassie Mattison said. “They said we’d never done that before so I said well, we need to do it and we need to make it a tradition so we’ve been talking about that. We did it this year and we want to do it again for our first meet next year as well. Plant City is full of traditions so we want this to be one for swim as well.”

Hosted at the High5 in Brandon, the event was a double duel meet where both the boys and girls teams from each school earn points based on the place that each team finishs in each event.

Coming off of a strong two years where Strawberry Crest’s girls won their first

district title in school history in 2021, followed by a 2022 season in which the girls won their second consecutive district title while the boys team won their first district title in school history themselves, the Chargers were able to come away victorious over Durant and Plant City in both the boys and girls divisions while Durant won both of their respective matchups against Plant City High5 has served as a great opportunity for Plant City area swim teams to improve through offseason swim and conditioning programs, not only helping high school swimmers continue to grow stronger outside of the high school season, but also helping newer swim team members who have only recently begun swimming for their schools become more competitive. And in familiar fashion, something that is typically the case whenever Plant City area teams are able to compete against eachother, the turnout for the 2023 Strawberry Swim Classic was overwhelming – with parents and supporters filling High5’s outdoor area to cheer on all three teams – and all coaches involved spoke highly of the event

and of their excitement for the event to continue in the future.

“We were really fortunate because once our team moms heard that we were doing this they decided to run with it,” Mattison said. “They made a graphic to put online, they made favors for everybody with candies on it, they wanted to call it the 2023 Strawberry Swim Classic and keep that as the name going forward and keep doing this.”

SCORES FOR A DOUBLE DUEL MEET ARE PRESENTED IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:

Girls

• Crest: 133

• Durant: 37

• Crest: 130

• Plant City: 36

• Durant: 79

• Plant City: 73

Boys

• Crest: 112 Durant: 46

• Crest: 129 Plant City 29

• Durant: 83 Plant City: 52

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

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“Chick-Fil-A.” - Angela Williams

Paula Kay Mohler Russell

Paula Mohler Russell

Monroe, N. C., died Aug. 23, 2023, after an extended illness. Mrs. Russell born Dec. 27, 1946, in Plant City to Harry Arthur and Pauline Murrell Mohler. attended local schools graduating from Plant City High School in 1963. Following high school she moved to Atlanta to study interior design. Returning to Plant City, she married Emmett Russell in 1967. They enjoyed 56 years together.

Paula was a stay-at-home mom for their two sons only entering the work force when they were in high school. She was employed by Barnett Bank for many years. In 1998 when there were no family left in Plant City, they chose to live in Monroe, N.C. They made many new friends there. She loved the seasonal changes and different plants she could grow there. Her yard, garden and crafts gave her many happy retirement hours. Paula was a 5th generation Methodist and always active in her church serving in many capacities. She traveled extensively with Emmett. spent many happy hours fishing on a lae with her dad or on salt water with Mike and Harriet Crum. A devoted daughter, sister, aunt, friend, wife, mother then grandmother, she will be missed by many.

Paula is preceded in death by her parents, her brother in law John Michael

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

BEST BET

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

BLUEGRASS JAM

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. This is an open invitation for local Bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup loft and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy! Krazy Kup holds their Bluegrass JAM on the fist Saturday of every month.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH ESTRANGED FAMILY

6:30 to 8 p.m. at 1107 Charlie Griffi Rd. Join other parents who are estranged from their adult children. PEAK (Parents of Estranged Adult Kids) group provides a safe place to listen, share and support others going through the hurt of adult family abandonment. Meetings will include group discussions, self-care and positive inflence activities to help cope with the situation. PEAK is not appropriate for abusive relationships or mental illness. Meetings take place on the fist Wednesday of each month at GracePoint Church. For more information, visit www.peaksupportgroup. com.

FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing. If you’ve served any time in the military, retired or non-retention, and would like to review your benefis please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific tim.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

ACHIEVE PLANT CITY OPEN HOUSE

8 to 10 a.m. at 202 W Reynolds St. Sept. 8 is International Literacy Day and Achieve Plant City will be celebrating not just the holiday, but their 12th Anniversary in Plant City. It’s an exciting time for Achieve and they would love for everyone to be a part of it and join them at their open house. The open house will include tours of the new third-floor Lieracy Room and all guests

are encouraged to bring a new or gentlyused book to stock the shelves. Achieve Plant City is a non-profit chariy organization that helps break the cycle of illiteracy and poverty by offering services to local families in the Plant City community. For more information, visit www.achieveplantcity.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

16TH ANNUAL PATRIOT DAY OBSERVANCE AND REMEMBRANCE RIDE

12 to 5 p.m. at 5521 E. SR 60. AMVETS

Post 44 will host their 16th Annual Patriot Day Observance fundraiser benefitting local fist responder charities and other veteran programs in the Plant City Community. The event begins at noon and will end at roughly 4 p.m., with food, refreshments, live music from the Double Barrel Band, merchandise vendors, raffles, an auction, a 50/50 raffle and tee grand prize giveaways. Entry into the Patriot Day Remembrance Event is free and all are welcome, but tickets must be purchased for drawings, food and for beverages. If you aren’t able to attend but would like to support AMVETS Post 44 through a donation, you can do so at www.amvetspost44. org/donate.

OPEN MIC NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Open Mic Night is back at Krazy Kup. Join them for a fun night where you get to be the star of the show. Come out, strut your stuff and shw everyone what you’ve got.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

LIFE RECOVERY - ADDICTION

RECOVERY GROUP

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 2103 Mud Lake Rd. The Plant City Church of God hosts Life Recovery on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, a free, Christ centered, 12-step group addiction recovery program for all those in need. Family is welcome to join alongside attendees and for more information, call or text Debbie at 813-763-1562 or Laverne at 813-763-1530.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

NOT SO NEWLYWED GAME

6 p.m. at 1501 N Alexander St. The Plant City Ladies of the Elks will be hosting a night of fun and laughs as eight brave married couples will find out if thy know each other as well as they think they do through the Not So Newlywed Game. Admission will cost $25 per person and include heavy appetizers, an evening of fun and fundraising through a silent auction and chance auction. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Els Lodge’s scholarship fund. For more information, contact Gail Lyons at 813-967-6366.

STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN

3 to 6:30 p.m. at 102 N. Palmer St. The Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is back on Saturday, August 19, rain or shine. Cars and trucks of all makes, models and years can register for free starting at 3 p.m. Live music by DJ John Paul Gasca.

To have your event included in our calendar, visit the calendar section of our website at www.PlantCityObserver.com

I LOVE PLANT CITY

Send your photo submissions to staff writer Taylor Jenkins at tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

FORECAST

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31

High: 88

Low: 78

Chance of rain: 67%

FRIDAY, SEPT. 1

High: 88

Low: 75 Chance of rain: 78%

SATURDAY, SEPT. 2

High: 89 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 44%

SUNDAY, SEPT. 3

High: 90 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 14%

MONDAY, SEPT. 4

High: 91

75

SUNRISE/SUNSET

MOON PHASES

20%

RAINFALL

AVOCADO

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

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JeffWalden took this photo of the sun setting over First Baptist Church Plant City.

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