8.4.22 PLCO

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VOLUME 6, NO. 208

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

MIDTOWN, WHEELER STATION PROJECTS IN THE WORKS DEVELOPMENTS ARE PROMISED TO REVITALIZE MIDTOWN, DOWNTOWN BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

MIDTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The Midtown Development Project is the agenda to create new residential and commercial buildings in the midtown region of Plant City, may still have a future as the city selected a contractor to oversee the plan at a July 20 meeting.

IDP Plant City Midtown, a collaboration between Solution Source and IDP Properties, was chosen by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board to carry

out a vision for the potential midtown attraction site. The team was one of six responders who presented ideas on how to construct the project, with the use of renderings. The responders were then narrowed down to three finalists and IDP Plant City Midtown’s proposal was most favored by the CRA. Solution Source is a general contractor company based in Plant City and IDP Properties is a real estate development firm which has formed partnerships with cities throughout Florida and Georgia.

Mike Jemison, chief operating officer at Solution Source, has been antic-

ipating the development of midtown, and said that it will also draw people to downtown.

“We’ll transform downtown into a whole new dynamic place that’s walkable, and people can really enjoy,” he said. “The quality of life is really something we’re focusing on and having restaurants and bars and shops… pet salons, and all the kinds of stuff people use on weekends where they don’t have to get in their car and go anywhere. They can walk down and have breakfast, have lunch, and later have dinner and a drink.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

NEW PLANT CITY HOSPITAL ONE BEAM CLOSER TO COMPLETION

(From left to right) Former Plant City Mayor Rick Lott, Plant City Mayor Nate Kilton, Karen Kerr, president of South Florida Baptist Hospital, and Plant City City Manager Bill McDaniel were in attendance at the topping ceremony for the new South Florida Baptist Hospital.

SOUTH FLORIDA BAPTIST HOSPITAL HELD TOPPING OUT CEREMONY CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

NEWS BRIEFS

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Plant City Optimist Club and Plant City Parks & Recreation Department to hold annual Golf Classic Fundraiser

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The Plant City Optimist Club and the Plant City Parks & Recreation Department will host their 28th Annual Golf Classic fundraiser tournament at Diamond Hill Golf & Country Club in Dover on Saturday, Oct. 1.

The shotgun-start tournament will kick off at 2 .m., followed by a putting contest and driving range access, with the event aimed at raising money for youth programs throughout Plant City. In past years, nearly 100 players have come together for an afternoon of fun and fellowship while supporting a good cause at the tournament.

The Plant City Optimist Club has been involved with local youth programs since they formed in 1962. In addition to an annual contribution to the Plant City based non-profit riends of Recreation & Parks which supports youth programs and facilities for the community, volunteer and financial a sistance is also given annually to the Parks & Recreation

Department for activities such as their youth flag ootball, basketball, and soccer programs as well as the annual CityWide Easter Egg Hunt and Trunk Or Treat events and various sports skills competitions. The club also hosts an annual Youth Appreciation dinner to recognize eight outstanding seniors from Plant City High School, along with an Oratorical Contest, a Respect for Law event for at-risk middle school students, and they provide at least $6,000 in scholarships each year for both college-bound graduates and those graduates seeking additional certifi ations or training to go directly into the workforce. Other programs such as Plant City High School athletics, the Plant City Family YMCA, and the United Food Bank of Plant City also benefit f om annual club support.

The Club’s two fundraisers to support their community programs are the annual golf tournament and the sale of Christmas trees each year in front of Plant City High School.

To obtain a 2022 Golf Classic fl er or for more information about the Plant City Optimist Club, please visit their web site at www.plantcityoptimistclub.org or contact Club President Mike Williamson by email at president@plantcityoptimistclub.org or by phone 813-299-6503.

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2

Tractor Supply unveils major remodel in Plant City

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Tractor Supply announced the completion of an exciting remodel of their entire Plant City store location last week.

The enhanced store features an improved layout for convenient and accessible shopping as well as a new Customer Service Hub with upgraded digital tools to help customers find what they need. Additionally, customers can now shop from an expanded assortment of apparel, tools, hardware, pet food, animal feed and more.

“At Tractor Supply, we constantly work to improve the customer experience, from product offerings to in-store features. These exciting upgrades have completely transformed our store, making it an even better option for customers shopping for Life Out Here,” Plant City Tractor Supply store manager David Holland said. “We are excited for customers to visit our new space that now features more products than ever before, including our new apparel department, expanded feed and food selection and broader tool assortment. We know that customers will love these upgrades as much as we do, and we hope to share them with both familiar and new faces from the Plant City community.”

Additional improvements to the Plant City location include a new Tractor Supply Pet Wash for owners and their friendly, four-legged family members. Customers can now pamper their pets with a bath in an easy and convenient washing station loaded with professional-grade equipment and high-quality products.

Pet owners will have access to elevated wash bays, grooming tables, specialty shampoos, use of brushes, combs and towels as well as a waterproof apron and professional dryer, all for just $9.99.

Tractor Supply also carries an assortment of pet accessories for customers to shop for after the bath, including toys, beds, collars, leashes and more.

In addition to the Pet Wash, Plant City Tractor Supply now offers comprehensive veterinary care through the PetVet Wellness Center located in store. Staffed with licensed veterinarians, Tractor Supply's PetVet Wellness Center offers affordable, convenient preventive veterinary care for dogs and cats, including vaccines, testing, microchips and more, with no appointment needed.

The Plant City Tractor Supply store, at 1803 Jim Redman Pkwy, keeps regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. To learn more about Tractor Supply Company, visit TractorSupply. com. For information on Tractor Supply’s Neighbor's Club loyalty program, please visit NeighborsClub.com.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

NEW PLANT CITY HOSPITAL PUSHES FORWARD WITH CEREMONY Top out event shows South Florida Baptist Hospital progress.

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

The topping-out ceremony for the new South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City occurred on Wednesday.

The ceremony is part of a tradition as the highest beam of the structure was placed Spectators gazed upward as a crane lifted the beam which had an American flag at ached to it, waving in the air.

The event also displayed the progression of the building from the ground up since its groundbreaking ceremony in October of last year.

While the structure of parts of the hospital were already standing, the interior was open, showing construction work taking place.

Those in attendance included Florida House Rep. Lawrence McClure, Plant City Mayor Nate Kilton and Vice Mayor Michael Sparkman, along with city commissioners. Also present were board members of BayCare and South Florida Baptist Hospital.

President Karen Kerr of South Florida Baptist Hospital was one of those who took to the stage.

“I’m so excited to be here today to mark the next milestone in the building and the opening of our new facility here in Plant City,” she said. “We have been on a journey over the last year.”

The current hospital opened its doors in 1953 and has gone through a series of renovations and expansions over the years. It was updated with more cardiac services and the expansion of the emergency room and the intensive care unit (ICU). Although these necessities were incorporated, over time they weren’t enough to facilitate the growing hospital.

Kerr initially considered making an addition to the existing site to provide adequate needs.

However, it would have been a seven-year construction plan and would have left limited space for the new buildings. She started to search for property that would be spacious and have a geographical advantage to Plant City residents.

“As we were searching sites to build a new hospital, number one: what we needed was enough size…but looking at this part of Plant City and the growth we see to the north of here from a residential perspective, and then a business perspective all around us, this just was an ideal location to be in,” Kerr said.

Its location is three miles away from the existing hospital, and within proximity to the interstate.

Construction began after the city commission gave approval for the rezoning of land and annexation.

“When I think about what makes up a community, there’s certain institutions that we always think of that help bring people together and galvanize a city or a town,” Kilton said. “Of course, the hospital is one of those key institutions for a city. In the history that we’ve had (with) South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City, what it’s done for the patients for our community…it can’t be overstated.”

With a project cost of $326, million, the new hospital will span 420,000 square-feet in comparison to the existing one at 250,000 square-feet.

There is almost 8 million pounds of reinforced steel inside the concrete, with 151 million pounds of concrete itself, according to Matt Wood, project executive of Barton Malow, which is overseeing construction.

It will have six floo s with two, six-story towers and 146 private

rooms with the potential to add 30 more rooms for needed expansion.

It will also house 26 ICU beds and there will be a helicopter landing pad.

There will be a 85,000 squarefoot medical office equipped with a physician’s office, an outpatient laboratory, imaging, rehabilitation, wound care, infusion services, and administrative offices.

About 800 team members and more than 250 physicians will operate from the new facility.

A smooth transition of staff from the existing hospital to the next is what is being worked out, Kerr said.

“We are in the planning process right now for that,” she added.

“It’s quite an undertaking. All of our team members will be going into a totally different environment. Some of the equipment will be new, so we’ll need to make sure that they get the training they need prior to the day that we open and the day we move patients.”

Kerr still doesn’t know what will become of the current hospital site once the transition is complete.

Construction is ahead of schedule and opening the doors may be sooner than the fi st quarter of 2024 as projected.

“Our next, at least ceremonialtype of excitement will be in the fourth quarter of 2023 when we actually open the new hospital,” she said.

This is barring any lack of the supply chain or severe weather.

The new hospital is located east of the intersection of East Sam Allen Road and North Park Road.

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COPS CORNER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

PLANT CITY

This week on Cops Corner, Plant

Observer

City Police investigate missing tools, a stolen grill and an individual trespassing at a school. istock

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Sports Writer / Taylor Jenkins tjenkins@plantcityobserver.com Staff Writer / Brian Fernandes bfernandes@plantcityobserver.com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

JULY 22

JULY 24

reference to a complaint regarding a fraudulent check.

SMOKY BANDIT

PIECE BY PIECE

JULY 26

1800 block of S. County Line Rd. Theft: Officers responded to a business at the listed location in reference to the theft of a Traeger grill valued at $849.99.

1100 block of W. Ball St. Theft: An officer met with the victim at the listed location who advised that their vehicle’s battery, along with a tire, was stolen.

CLEAN GETAWAY

SOUND THE ALARM

1400 block of Tahitian Sunrise Dr. Residential burglary: Officers met with a company’s construction manager at the listed location in reference to a washer and dryer that were stolen from a home.

3100 block of James L. Redman Pkwy.

Business burglary: An officer responded to the business at the listed location in reference to an alarm and learned that the front door’s glass window was shattered, resulting in $160 taken from the cash registers at the front desk.

TOOL TIME 1300 block of Capri Coast Dr. Theft: Officers responded to an under-construction warehouse at the listed location and met with the victim who reported $6,000 worth of tools and equipment stolen from inside of their trailer.

JULY 25

NO ONE’S HOME 1200 block of N. Lime St. Residential burglary: An officer responded to a vacant residence at the listed location in reference to a possible delayed residential burglary.

DOOR JAMMED 1300 block of N. Lime St. Criminal mischief: Officers responded to the listed location in reference to damage to an exterior residence door lock and a vehicle’s for handle.

TWO STRIKES

BOUNCED CHECK 800 block of Woodrow Wilson St. Fraud: Officers responded to the Plant City Police Department in

session of marijuana with intent to sell. They were also charged with possession of a fi earm in the commission of a felony and transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

JULY 28 OFF LIMITS 300 block of W. Prosser Dr. Trespassing/L&R/resist: An officer responded to a school at the listed location in reference to a subject seen running on the property and jumping fences, believed to be armed. One individual was subsequently arrested for trespassing upon school grounds, loitering and prowling and resisting officers without violence. The individual was later transported to Orient Road Jail without incident.

TO ADVERTISE Call (813) 704-6850

Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com

CONTACT US

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

SEND US YOUR NEWS

We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements.

To contact us, send your information via: Email: Sarah Holt, SHolt@ PlantCityObserver.com.

N. Park Rd. / Village Park Rd. Drug investigation: An officer conducted a traffic top for speeding and the individual was subsequently charged with pos-

Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B, Plant City, FL 33563

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DEVELOPMENTS TO BRING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, MIDTOWN PROJECTS TO BRING MORE ACTIVITY.

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

The proposal calls for 400 residential units, 50 of which would be townhomes, and approximately 25,300 square feet of commercial space – all on 16 acres of land. The buildings would hold three floors, but there’s potential for four floors.

There are plans to have residents moving in before the development is completed, Jemison said.

Swimming pools and a dog park are several of the amenities that can be expected.

IDP Plant City Midtown plans to discuss with a nearby church, the idea of using some of its land as parking space. Helping to renovate and reconstruct the church is also on the table, Jemison said.

Having talks with CSX is being considered to make railroad-track improvements as they will be a part of the development at Evers Street and Wheeler Street.

As of the July 20 meeting, the CRA has given IDP Plant City Midtown and

Plant City City Manager Bill McDaniel 60 days to negotiate a development agreement and be approved by the board.

The process could take 30 to 45 days and once finalized it will then move into the design phase, Jemison said.

Also, holding townhall meetings is being considered to get feedback from the community.

The plan will ultimately be brought before the city commission for a vote.

“We have a plan, we have the ability to execute, and we’ll work with the city, and it will happen this time,” Jemison said.

WHEELER STREET STATION

Wheeler Street Station, which will be built at the intersection of Wheeler Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, continues to move forward as receiving permits are underway.

This development will be situated in downtown and will consist of a mixed-use building with 16,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor as well as one-bedroom apartments on the second and third

floors, and two-bedroom apartments on the fourth floor.

Solution Source is developing this project as well.

“I saw that property and actually looked at purchasing it prior to the city buying it, and the city bought the property,” Jemison said. “I had a vision for it and thought that would be a great catalyst and segue into midtown.”

The idea is to turn it into an entertainment district with shops, restaurants, and cafes that would operate during evening hours. The structure could have as many as 48 apartments, and depending on occupancy, may bring more than 100 residents into downtown, Jemison said.

He also sees an economic advantage with sales taxes and more employment opportunities.

“I would imagine that when the commercial space is filled out, it’ll employ as many as an additional 150 people downtown total.”

Proposals for the Midtown Development Project in Plant City are underway. If it is built, it will provide new residential and commercial buildings in the midtown region of Plant City.

LAWRENCE

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Paid by Lawrence McClure, Republican, for State Representative.

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FREE VOCATIONAL COURSES TO LEARN A TRADE TAMPA VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE TEACHES HANDS-ON WORK

Photo courtesy of the Tampa Vocational Institute

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

The Tampa Vocational Institute will be offering the Intro to Construction Training program in Plant City.

This four-to-six-week course will teach students the skills to obtain a trade and is free of cost. It will be held at 4503 Coronet Rd. and those interested must enroll by Aug. 12.

In class, students can learn about plumbing, electrical, carpentry work as well as how to manage forklift operations and hazardous waste.

Those in class can achieve short-term certifications through the pre-apprenticeship program, which will prepare those for apprenticeship programs in

the construction industry. Such certifications include OSHA 10, NCCER Core Curriculum, forklift operation, and HAZWOPER40.

The vocational school also partners with employers to assist with training.

Career coaching and assessment, resume writing and interview skills, time management, communication, goal setting, and other supportive services will be offered to students.

To enter the program, those interested must be at least 18 years old and a resident of Hillsborough County.

For more information or to register, visit www.TampaVocational.com, call (813) 513-7363, or email David Jones at David.Jones@CDCofTampa.org.

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YOU GROW THE WORLD’S BEST STRAWBERRIES IN THE PLANT CITY AREA KENNETH PARKER ENLISTS THE NATION’S BEST AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS TO CREATE THESE BERRIES. J. SCOTT ANGLE GUEST WRITER

You grow the world’s best strawberries in the Plant City area in part because you have the best varieties to choose from. Kenneth Parker enlists the nation’s best agricultural scientists to create these berries.

We’ve long known that the farmer-scientist alliance in Plant City is special. Recently we got to show it off as a national model.

The National Agricultural Alumni Development Association honored the Florida Strawberry Growers Association with its Corporate Partner Award for major contributions to a university.

UF/IFAS wanted more people nationally to have the names Parker, FSGA and Plant City on their lips as a reminder to put more Florida berries on their lips, too.

My team asked Parker to come to Arkansas to accept the award on FSGA’s behalf and represent Hillsborough ag on a national stage. Parker says that when the University of Florida asks something of him, it’s hard to say no. I count on that!

FSGA and UF/IFAS go back decades. Today, UF/IFAS varieties make up 90 percent of

the 11,000 acres of strawberries grown around Plant City.

Parker has been an outstanding contributor to this legacy. Parker is a Plant City High School graduate, associate director of the Florida Strawberry Festival, superintendent of the Festival’s Steer Show and Sale, former Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce board member, and a sixth-generation Floridian and lifelong resident of eastern Hillsborough County.

A major milestone in Parker’s record of support for science occurred nine years ago when FSGA provided fi e years’ salary for us to bring on a breeder with expertise in genomics to help UF/IFAS strawberry breeder Vance Whitaker. Seonghee Lee is still with us, and the two of them continue to work together to create varieties like Medallion®, which fi st appeared in Florida fields in 021.

Parker had recognized how genetics and genomics were becoming indispensable to cutting-edge agriculture the way the tractor and synthetic fertilizers previously heralded new eras of skyrocketing productivity. A third revolution, if you will.

Parker’s already working on the fourth. He has been a champion for establishing what we’re calling the

Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence, still in its drawing-board phase. It will be a place at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Balm for us to harness the immense potential of computing power to save you on labor, chemicals, water and wait times for new varieties.

For example, the center could house the development of a smart weed sprayer that delivers herbicide only where weeds appear, not on all plants. It could be the den of discovery for machine detection of disease not visible to the naked eye.

In short, it’ll be a hub to assemble the high-tech expertise Florida needs to remain globally competitive. Parker is serving as an ambassador to legislators, major agricultural producers and association leaders we need to get behind our movement to bring the benefi s of this technology to your farm.

Parker not only believes in the mission of UF/IFAS but in how we carry it out with research farms like GCREC, located away from Gainesville and in the communities they serve. As Parker puts it, our scientists who study strawberries are actually surrounded by strawberry farms.

Parker drops in so often that

we may set aside office space for him.

Parker knows that the challenges of growing strawberries will only get steeper in a world of weirder weather, pandemics and an increasingly global economy. The farmer-scientist alliance our two organizations embody has to stay strong to surmount these challenges.

When a new scientist arrives at GRREC, getting to know Hillsborough County means paying a visit to Parker. When agricultural and biological engineer Dana Choi arrived early this year, Parker set her up for local farm visits.

Choi came away with an understanding of what she can do to help growers’ bottom line—and with FSGA support to do it. Her fi st grant from the association has inspired her to work on a robot-type tool to release just the right number of mites in just the right places to attack the pests that attack strawberries.

The NAADA award is one way for us to say thank you to Parker and the FSGA. But I hope we’re consistently thanking the industry by delivering the discovery and innovation you need to continue growing the world’s best strawberries.

J. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

CUTEST CRITTER

Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are?

Send your pictures to Staff Writer Brian Fernandes at bfernandes@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

ZOEY: Gerri Shelley submitted this photo of her two year old Australian Shepherd Zoey, who loves people and will play as long as she she’s allowed!

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

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Bright Night Event to Motivate Freshmen Girls

PROGRAM PREPARES GIRLS FOR NINTH GRADE

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

All young ladies who will be going into their freshman year of high school can receive advice on how to make a smooth transition from junior high with the Bright Night 2022 event to be held on Aug. 13.

The free, inaugural function will be hosted by Gracie Garner, a soon-to-be junior at Plant City High School, who wants to offer guidance to girls who will be entering ninth grade.

“Bright Night is just a faithbased event of fun and encouragement for freshmen high school girls, and the goal is to just help young women to start their high school journey on the right foot by showing the importance of inclusiveness and decision making and building solid relationships in that fi st year of high school,” she said.

It will begin at 6 p.m. at 1001 W. Pinedale Dr., in Plant City.

Garner said that she empathizes with girls entering that

next phase in their education and that the new atmosphere can be somewhat daunting.

She was home-schooled until the end of middle school and had the desire to go to a traditional educational institution.

“Once I got to ninth grade, I decided I wanted to go to public school,” Garner said. “I wanted to do all the things. I wanted to be a cheerleader, in FFA (Future Farmers of America), an officer in every club, so I jumped right in.”

She was looking forward to “the full high school experience.”

However, making that transition was more difficult than sh thought it would be, she said.

It was a culture shock…especially making new friends.

She realized that engaging with other students on social media didn’t necessarily make them friends. Garner would post positive messages to other students online, but then they would walk past her in school without speaking.

“Things that were so foreign to me were just the norm to most people and it was really hard for me and I could tell the freshman

girls that were in my class too – they struggled with the same thing,” she said.

Her best friend who was used to attending public school was there for encouragement and support Faith in God also played a huge role in acclimating to her new environment, and she decided not to compromise her Christian values, she said.

As she entered her sophomore year, she had adjusted more but noticed that the incoming freshmen girls had difficu y finding their place in school.

She prayed for a way to make a difference and came up with the concept of Bright Night.

“It’s defini ely taken a group effort,” Garner said.

The theme of the event is entitled “You Can Sit with Us” and will have fi e speakers to motivate the freshmen girls. There will also be games and a pizza party.

Garner has gone on to become involved in school activities such as being co-captain of her varsity cheerleading team as well as a historian for the FFA program.

She’s hoping that other girls will

Gracie Garner, a student at Plant City High School, is hosting the Bright Night 2022 event on Saturday, Aug. 13. The event is geared toward girls who are transitioning into their fi st year of high school and will have speakers offering words of encouragement.

be able to adjust and be successful in high school as well.

“Lean in with kindness and make new friends,” she said.

“Don’t be shy, especially going into the ninth grade. Go out, pull up a chair…you can sit with us. Be inclusive no matter who they are, what they do. We all have differences, but our differences can pull us together and we all can

find a ommon thread between us.”

Although Bright Night 2022 is a free event, those who plan on attending are asked to R.S.V.P. at BrightNight2022.rsvpify.com.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

INSPIRE! CELEBRATES 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Plant City’s local quilting and sewing shop will celebrate a milestone anniversary over the next two weeks.

TAYLOR JENKINS STAFF WRITER

Inspire! Quilting and Sewing in Downtown Plant City began their 12-day celebration this week, honoring 10 years since the local business fi st opened its doors.

Owner Lynn Haberl and her sister started sewing when they were children, learning from their mother and often joining along on trips to the crafts store. They would sew their own clothes and it ultimately became a lifelong love of the craft.

“This was a passion project,” Haberl said. “For me, this was a dream that I’ve had since I was a little girl, I wanted a fabric store.”

After a long career as a small business owner, operating an auto body shop alongside her husband in Lakeland, Haberl retired and dove deeper into the world of quilting, learning techniques and beginning to teach the craft from her home. Three years into retirement, Haberl found the location on Collins Street and immediately said, “that’s it.” With her sister Lisa La Pointe committing to run the store alongside her – with a career in long arm sewing already under her belt – renovations began and

the business opened their doors shortly thereafter.

“I can remember the day when I stood right here, when the Chamber of Commerce came for the grand opening, I looked at them and said that the Lord had placed some expectations in my heart,” Haberl said. “One of those was that I called it a destination store from the very beginning, I put it in the description of the business. I told them that when we opened the buses would come, and they did.”

Over the years Inspire! has indeed become a destination store, attracting thousands of sewing, quilting and all-around craft enthusiasts from all over to their Plant City shop and becoming a staple in the downtown area.

To celebrate 10 years, Inspire! will hold several giveaways along with a silent auction, offering up four different high-end quilts to bid on that feature designs by international instructor Judy Niemeyer, with the proceeds benefi ing the Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City and the Raining Cats and Dogs shelter. Giveaways will include three Brother NS-80

sewing machines, three EverSewn Sparrow 25 sewing machines, three Brother ScanNCut machines and a set of sewing threads.

“We do a lot of giving back to our customers and things like that and because we’re a creative industry, we’re trying to mix some creativity along with some philanthropic endeavors here in this celebration,” said. “Because that’s what we want to be known for, our friendliness and our fun, being a happy place for people to come.”

The celebration will end on Friday, Aug. 12 as the business hosts a catered celebration where winning tickets will be drawn and the winners of the auction announced.

You can stop by the store, located at 110 N. Collins Street, and bid on the silent auctions any time during regular business hours between now and Thursday, Aug. 11.

Two raffle ti ets will be provided upon entry on Friday, along with additional tickets provided with purchases at designated amounts.

The drawings and silent auction results will also be streamed live on Facebook, so participants will not need to be in attendance to win.

REPUBLICAN

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LOCAL MAN USES TRUMPET TO SPREAD LOVE AND UNITY BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

If you hear outdoors, the national anthem being played with a trumpet, it’s likely that you are listening to a performance by Rodney Sapyta.

The Plant City resident plays patriotic songs in random areas – including those outside of town.

It was a spiritual awakening that inspired him to pick up the trumpet and amplify its sound.

“I was saved four years ago by the grace of God,” Sapyta said. “I opened up the Bible and I was reading, and I kept seeing ‘the sound of the trumpet.’”

It was through those passages, that he felt God was calling him to use the musical instrument to spread love to others.

Seeing how political views have caused a rift throughout the country, Sapyta decided to perform the trumpet in public places as a way of bringing Americans together.

“There’s so much division and so many people that want to divide all of us,” he said. “I’m against all of that. We’re all united. That’s why this is the United States of America.”

He also noted that his father was of Polish descent and his mother was of German descent, yet they were able to look past their cultural differ-

ences and find ommonalities among one another.

He initially began practicing the trumpet as a student at Monroe Middle School, in Tampa, but he eventually lost interest in playing.

His father served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and was later assigned to the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

His profound love for his country was inspired by his father’s career, he said, adding that, “I’m a civilian with a patriotic heart.”

Also, his parents named him after one of his father’s comrades who left an impression on him.

However, Sapyta did not hear his father speak about fighting in the Vietnam War, as it was a traumatic experience.

His older brother also served in the military.

He spent 40 years working for delivery companies such as UPS. Now retired, he no longer distributes packages in a service truck, but patriotic melodies in a military-style truck.

Dressed in military fatigue and accompanied by his trumpet, Sapyta drives around in his M35 “Deuce in a Half” truck – a tribute to his father. His truck has become a signature part of his performance.

He has plans to purchase a later model in honor of his brother who fl w a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III when he served.

He has played outside of Plant City’s train depot, city hall, Fred’s Market, and the Florida Strawberry Festival.

He has also performed at one of the Marriott hotels, a veterans’ site in St. Petersburg, a cemetery in Sarasota, and a veterans’ golf course in Leesburg, and has been invited to Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day events. He wants to play for the Tampa Bay Rays and other sports teams someday.

Sometimes he can be found performing at the least expected places on an ordinary day.

“I’ll stop in front of a WalMart or a Publix because they’ve got a flag tanding up in the front…and I’ll play that for whoever is in the parking lot,” Sapyta said. “There’s been quite a few people that have appreciated it.”

In the front yard of his home, he has numerous fla s, including the American flag and those recognizing fi st responders and military officers for their unwavering service to the country.

They’re there to “represent and show respect to everyone that’s paved the way for our

Four years ago, Rodney Sapyta picked up the trumpet for the fi st time since his youth after being called by God to use his skill for the good of others. He has performed patriotic songs in public as a means of uniting Americans locally.

way of life,” he said. He also mentioned the importance of educating the youth about the men and women who put their lives on the line, so they can have a prospering future.

He’s now helping to care for his mother, but still tries to find time o go out and continue his calling and unite his fellow citizens with music.

“I’m going to continue doing what I do and that’s trying to bring joy and happiness to people and try and show we’re all united,” Sapyta said. “That’s my main thing. We’re all in this together.”

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WISCONSIN: George Domedion and Gail Lyons took a copy of the Plant City Observer along with them as they visited Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the United States’ largest airshow.

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Harry Potter Birthday Bash Brings Out Masses Last Friday of the Month, also celebration of famous wizard.

BRIAN FERNANDES STAFF WRITER

Adults and children alike were dressed in costume for Harry Potter’s birthday celebration.

Kids had the opportunity to get face paintings with Harry Potter inspired art during his birthday bash.

It was a magic-filled night as sorcerers roamed downtown Plant City, for the Harry Potter birthday celebration, on July 29.

It wasn’t the typical Last Friday of the Month event as it aligned with the wizard’s special day.

From the train depot to McCall Park and all the way to Evers Street, patrons packed the area.

Judging by those in costume, it didn’t take long to figu e out that Harry Potter fans range from different age groups.

Plant City Main Street hosted the birthday bash and the organization’s executive director Dawn Hyatt, was present for the fun.

“It’s far exceeded what I thought would be out here,” she said. “I’m glad to see it be as successful as it is right now.”

She noted that her favorite character from the book and movie series is Hagrid.

Several other notable characters could be found hanging out around Three Hands Mead and The Crafted Butterfl .

Three Hands Mead presented its specialty for the evening, the Felix

Felicis potion – a butterscotch fl vored soda “for the wizards in training.”

The Crafted Butterfly had many Harry Potter-themed accessories including handmade merchandise, home décor, and paper-crafting supplies. What’s more, every purchase a patron made at the shop, entered him or her in a contest to win Bellatrix’s Death Eater Mask.

However, that wasn’t the only competition offered that evening.

Each visitor had the opportunity to submit up to three photos of themselves in magical attire and be named the best costume winner. All entries were accepted up until Jordan Adams of Clever Massage, was one of many peoWednesday. ple in costume for the Harry Potter birthday celebration.

“Our food trucks have to be the biggest draw,” Hyatt said of the 10 that were present.

That evening, the Kids Zone had There were 60 vendors on site – a signifi ant increase from the 28 that goodie bags, face-painting, a waterslide, the gyrosphere ride, and a would be present on a typical Last chance to hold a live snake.

Friday of the Month.

The Crafted Butterfly as helpful The newly incorporated Main in sponsoring July’s scavenger hunt.

Street Kids Zone was also a part Although it had a Harry Potter of the event. It is a new addition theme, Hyatt hopes that future Last that will now be included at Main Friday of the Month events will have Street functions so the youth will the same big turnout. have more activities catered toward them.

SPORTS

PLANT CITY MAN WINS GOLD AT 2022 MASTERS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Photos courtesy of Roger Chapman

Roger Chapman is one of the world’s top runners in his division at 60 years old, taking home his medal in the 800 meters this past weekend.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Plant City’s Roger Chapman won gold in the 800 meters last weekend at the USA Track & Field 2022 Masters Outdoor Championships at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, K.Y. At 60 years old — racing in the 60-64 year old division — he clocked in with a time of 2:19.54 to take the top spot on the podium.

Born in England, Chapman has always been a runner, ultimately leveraging that ability into a track and field scholarship at Eastern Kentucky University where he ran in the 400 meters and 800 meters, earning a degree in computer science. After his time at EKU, he attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for his masters degree before returning to the states and earning his PhD in cognitive systems engineering. With graduate work filling his time before the focus shifted to his career, running had become an afterthought for Chapman, especially at the competitive level.

Chapman spent much of his career in Pennsylvania before later

starting his own small business — Collaborative Work Systems, Inc. — and relocating to Plant City in 2008. Just running recreationally for exercise, he was re-introduced to competitive running when former friends through track and field posted photos on Facebook from USATF events. In 2016 he attended his first National Senior G ames Association meets and returned to competition through the NSG A and USATF Masters again in 2019. He slowed down in 2020 and 2021, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but decided to really take it more seriously and ramp up his training over the past year, culminating in his championship-winning performance this month.

“At this age, I’m 60 years old, for me it’s like going back in time,” Chapman said. “For me to get back on the track it’s really like going back in time. It’s something that is a bit of a comfort zone for me, it brings back memories and it brings back a lot of intangibles. I run like a lot of people, there’s a lot of people in Plant City that run, but it’s different to be on a track and

run a race. And a lot of people that used to run track in their youth are not aware of the opportunity to keep running. You can look at Disney, the races they have for longdistance runners, for 5K runners, for half marathon runners, there’s so much opportunity to do that but I think that people who maybe enjoyed track in high school, they don’t understand that you can keep going. You’re not just limited to running on the roads and those Disney-like runs. Through those organizations, the USATF Masters and the Senior Games, there are opportunities.”

The USATF Masters offers local, regional, national and international competition opportunities in track and field and long distance running for competitors 25 years or older, divided into age groups based on five-year increments.

They also offer race walking for athletes 35 years and older. The National Senior G ames Association is similar, a non-profit organization dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games movement and offering competi-

tion opportunities for athletes 50 years or older.

Chapman trains on the local tarmac roads and paths around town, using phone apps to manage his training and track his progress, but yearns for a more accessible option to train on a rubberized surface and a community of older runners that can all train together.

He suggested the possibility of a non-profit track club that could potentially gain access to Plant City High School’s new track for training once it’s completed.

In 2019, Chapman was ranked 125th in the world and 15th in the United States in his age group for the 800 meters and after increasing his training and competing and moving into a new age bracket, he’s currently ranked 10th in the world and second in the United States for the Mens 800 meters.

At 60, Chapman just wants to keep running, primarily to stay fit but adds that track meets also give him something to train for. His next goal is the World Masters Outdoor Championships, to be held in Poland in 2023, which would be another

experience and a chance to both represent and potentially medal for the USA. “Track and field changed my life in the sense that, I was a very shy kid,” Chapman said. “And like a lot of people, being good at something and having somebody pat you on the back, winning something or winning in sports, that can be very good for your confidence. It changed my life in that way but it also changed my life in coming to America, it gave me an opportunity to come, it absolutely changed my life. Now I’m a U.S. citizen. After getting my masters, I’ve spent the rest of my life in this country. It opened up opportunities to me but it also benefitted my health.”

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

PLANT CITY AREA BASEBALL PLAYERS CLAIM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORIES

As a part of the Ostingers Baseball Academy, baseball players from Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest all played a part in the team’s two national championships this summer.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

Ostingers Baseball Academy, a travel baseball team based in Lithia, has had quite the eventful summer as they recently brought home their second national championship of the year.

While based in Lithia, the team is largely composed of local prep baseball players from Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest.

Plant City is represented by pitchers Tanner Rollyson and Adan Longoria, Durant is represented by infielder Aidan Welsh, catcher Dylan LaPointe and pitcher Preston Rogers and Strawberry Crest is represented by infielder Arjun Nimmala and pitcher/outfielder Alex Philpott.

While the spring brings local rivalries and even matchups with major district title implications between the three schools, during the summer this group battles together for a common goal.

“We know each other and it makes high school a lot more fun because if you beat one of the teams that we played during our high school season, or they beat

us, there’s a little bit of competition there,” Rollyson said. “But once you put on the same uniform everything changes, you play for each other, not against each other.

That’s the biggest part.”

Their first national championship victory came in mid-July at the 2022 Perfect G ame WWBA (World Wood Bat Association) 17U National Championship in Marietta, G a. Through Perfect G ame, the world’s largest and most comprehensive provider of baseball scouting and amateur baseball events, teams composed of some of the top prep prospects in the nation come together for their national tournaments. With a field starting at 128 teams from across the country, Ostingers came away victorious with an 11-3 victory over the G eorgia Bombers, a top-10 team in the nation at the 17U level.

“The tournaments were amazing but you always go one game at a time,” Welsh said. “There’s just so many teams. In the Perfect Game tournament, 128 teams made the bracket play. So we had to win

seven games to win the championship and seven games is a lot.

Like March Madness, there’s a lot of chaos and that’s 64 teams, so we’re playing one more game than they even play in a March Madness tournament in college. It’s just a lot of a one-game-at-a-time mentality. Just play one game at a time and if you win, it’s on to the next.”

Later in the month, Ostingers traveled to Emerson, G a. and brought home another national championship at the 2022 Prep Baseball Report 17U National Championship.

“The big one we played, the WWBA through Perfect G ame, that’s the biggest travel baseball organization out there,” Rollyson said. “Then the second one was through PBR, Prep Baseball Report, another prestigious travel ball organization, probably the second-biggest behind Perfect G ame. So winning the biggest travel ball tournament and the second-biggest travel ball tournament, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

While Hillsborough County is full of top-end baseball talent, these travel ball tournaments allow prep players to face college and Division I commits each game, some of the nation’s best players in their age group.

“It makes us a lot better but it also shows us how teamwork wins ballgames,” Welsh said. “Playing against those teams you’re seeing a DI arm every game, a Power 5 commit every game, it makes you that much better for high school. Then you come back to high school and you don’t see those arms all the time so it just makes you a better ballplayer and time you get to play against that competition. But again, it shows how much teamwork plays a factor because we only had six DI commits and we’re facing teams with 20. We’re going up there and beating them because we practice together, we don’t just show up to tournaments together, we do all the little things together, we hang out together, all of that.”

Rollyson echoed Welsh’s comments how how much of a factor teamwork and playing together played in their victories.

“It was insane,” Rollyson said.

“We played teams with as many as 25 or 26 Division I commits, the team we faced in the Perfect Game tournament final had over 20 Division I commits, and we have a few Division I commits too but we don’t come from all over the country. These teams fly in kids and have the big-name kids that they bring in, some of the teams have personalized buses, so for a local team from Tampa and Fishhawk to win these big tournaments, it’s kind of fun. It proves that winners win. You don’t have to have the big names, the five star recruits, any of those big players.

You have to have players who know how to play with each other, that are comfortable with each other, that know each other, that’s what it takes to win.”

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FEATURED FUTURE: CALLIE SMITH Featured Future is a summer series where the Observer will highlight local student athletes who are preparing to continue their athletic and educational careers at the college level, or those who have already begun that journey.

TAYLOR JENKINS SPORTS WRITER

After four years as a member of Plant City High School’s cheerleading squad, Callie Smith will continue to cheer as a member of the University of South Florida’s all-girl cheer team.

Smith began cheering at eight years old with the Antioch Redskins in Plant City, moving on to the Plant City Dolphins for recreational cheer and All Star cheer with Fierce Athletics. Eventually she made her way to Plant City High School where she now looks back on how much she grew as a member of the Raiders’ program, remembering how nervous she was as a freshman and how the deciding factor in even making varsity that year was her smile on the final day of practice. But that moment was only the beginning of her journey with Plant City Cheer, ultimately serving as a captain her senior year.

As a senior in 2022, the Plant City cheer team became the first all-girl team in school history to win a state championship when they claimed a gold medal in the FHSAA 2A Small Non-Tumbling division at the FHSAA Competitive Cheer State Championships in February, following a co-Western Conference Championship in January and a Top 5 finish at the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships later in the month.

“We were actually the first state championship for any all-girl team in school history, so I thought that was pretty cool, but it was also getting the experience of leading the team as a captain,” Smith said.

“It was weird seeing aspects of how the coaching changed from my freshman year to my senior year, seeing how different girls coming through the program makes

a difference. There’s the work ethic and then seeing how the coaches are so willing to put in so much time and effort into making all of us better, not only as athletes but as people. I thought that was super neat. They always prioritized getting all of our schoolwork done, our HCC stuff finished, things like that. Then cheer, it would always come right after family and school.”

Now Smith will begin her journey at USF, with a Coed cheer team that boasts backto-back UCA National Championships and an All-Girl team that has consistently finished as a top five program in the nation.

“It’s definitely crazy because my AllG irl coaches actually coached my high school coaches when they were a part of the cheer program and you can see how coaches can make athletes so much better,” Smith said. “The collegiate skills that we do are mind-blowing and I never, ever thought that I would ever be able to do that kind of stuff. The confidence that it’s given me… I’m not just a high school cheerleader anymore, I’m a DI college athlete. That’s mind-boggling to me.”

But cheering at the collegiate level was not something that Smith had always necessarily aimed for, remarking that it wasn’t until she lifted a state championship trophy with Plant City that she was determined to continue competing.

“Originally, when I was applying for schools, I didn’t have any interest in cheering in college,” Smith said. “But after I won states I knew that my journey couldn’t be over. I have to go higher, I have to win nationals, I have to get a national title under my name. And I think that with the amount of skill we have on USF’s team this year, I definitely think we have the potential to do something at the national level.”

Photos courtesy of Callie Smith

Taylor Jenkins is the Sports Writer at the Plant City Observer. Email: tjenkins@ plantcityobserver.com.

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YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

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We asked Plant City: With school starting back up soon, what are some of your favorite memories from when you were in school and why?

“Getting new clothes and being so excited to see my new teacher! Now I’m the teacher!” - Linda Herman “The cafeteria always had this certain smell. It wasn’t a bad smell or a good smell, just a very distinct smell. I kind of liked it.” - Cathy Sink Nicolette

ing out of trouble, making memories and having fun!!” - Michael Manee “When we were young and innocent.

Football games, dances. Seeing friends.” - Karen Brewer “New socks, new shoes and a fresh hair cut.” - Sara Jackson Cross

“Smelling the orange blossoms as we rode the school bus to and from school.” - Melanie Cook

“I loved seeing which friends would be in my class and getting new school supplies.” - Jennifer Newman

“The snow ball fight at Plant Ci y High School in Jan. 1977. That and pushing that fine line be ween stay-

“New notebooks and paper. Pencils ready to write and begin a new year.” - Elaine Chisolm Johnson

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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Shirley DeLois Scarlott, 86, of Metter, Ga. (previously of Tampa and Plant City, Fla.) transitioned to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday July 29, 2022. Shirley was a loving person with a vivacious personality. She found joy and pleasure in being an avid gardener. She enjoyed a variety of music and loved to dance. She was also an accomplished artist and had a niche for antique research, buying and selling. After marrying her second husband and moving to Metter, she had several antique booths prior to opening her own antique store on Broad Street named “Another Bloomin Antique Shoppe,” which was a success and she and her daughter, Tami, enjoyed running until it closed.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Forrest T. Scarlott; her second husband, Norman Hirsh; her daughter, Debbie Meagher; her grandson, Joshua Brown and her brothers, Bobby Sexton and Buddy Sexton. Surviving are her daughters; Tami

Epifanio Luna Lopez

Rosa Maria Cuevas Cosme Rosa Maria Cuevas Cosme, 77, of Plant City, Fla., born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico on Feb. 9, 1945, entered into eternal rest on July 24, 2022.

Expressions of condolance at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Cheryl ‘Sherry’ Ann Behan Cheryl “Sherry” Ann Behan, 64, of Plant City, Fla., born April 26, 1958, entered into eternal rest on July 27, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Epifanio Luna Lopez, 42, of Linda Kay Dover, Fla., born in Oaxaca, Bowers Mexico on April 7, 1980, entered into eternal rest on Linda Kay Bowers, 74, of July 16, 2022.

Dover, Fla., born in Plant City Expressions of condolence on Dec. 10, 1947, entered at HopewellFuneral.com. into eternal rest on July 28, 2022. She was the current Executive Secretary for Breakthru Beverage, and enjoyed fishing She is survived HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM by husband of 52 years, William “Bill” Neil Bowers. She was preceded in death by son, William “Scott” Bowers.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

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Thomas ‘Tom’ James Abbott

Baby Kaden Kai Roldan

3, 2022 at Haught Funeral Home Thomas “Tom” James Baby Kaden Kai Roldan, 6 Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Abbott, 70, of Tampa, Fla., month, of Dover, Fla., born Jr. Blvd., Plant City, formerly of Carthage, N.Y., in Tampa, on Jan. 13, 2022, born in Maine on Jan. 19, entered into eternal rest on FL 33563.

Online condo1952, entered into eternal July 28, 2022. rest on July 26, 2022.

Expressions of condolence lences may be left for the family at Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com. www.haughtfunerat HopewellFuneral.com. alhome.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Donald ‘Donnie’ Smith Donald “Donnie” Smith, 62, of Plant City, Fla., born in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 28, 1959, entered into eternal rest on July 30, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

OBITUARIES

Shirley DeLois Scarlott

Scarlott of Metter; Candy Scarlott of Valrico, Fla. and Kathleen Rafnel (Randy) of Tallahassee, Fla.; brothers, Fred Sexton of Temple Terrace, Fla., and Jim Sexton (Connie) of Altha, Fla.; Granchildren, Keisha White (Michael) of Dover, Fla., Jared Brown of Durant, Fla., Cameron Octigan (Gigi) of Portugal, Carissa Pople (Anwar) of Holiday, Fla., Chelsea Morrison of Valrico, Fla., Bobby Nix, of Orange Park , Fla., Michelle Dabuet (Patrick) of San Diego, Calif. and 15 greatgrandchildren.

No services are planned at this time as a private graveside service will be held at a later date by the family in Florida. Kennedy Funeral Homes, Hook Chapel, of Metter is in charge of the arrangements.

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Cecil “Alton McCall II Cecil “Alton” McCall II, 42, of Plant City, Florida, born in Tampa on September 23, 1979, entered into eternal rest on July 26, 2022.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Annette Dell Austin

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM

James Dean Marvel James Dean Marvel, 32, of Plant City passed away on July 12, 2022. The family will receive friends Aug. 5, 2022 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City. Funeral services will follow at 3 p.m.

Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.

Annette Dell Austin, 87, of Plant City, Fla., passed away on July 29, 2022. Funeral HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM services were held August

116 North Collins Street Plant City, FL 33563 ph: (813) 567-5735 allabloomtampa.com

| THURSDAY, Taking careAUGUST of 4, 2022 each other is what

PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Tam Van Duong

Barry D Baker community Barry D Baker, 66, of Plant

is all about.

City, Fla., passed away on Tam Van Duong, Monday, July 25, 2022. Barry born March 8, 1935, passed away peace- was born Nov.19, 1955. we’re dedicated to helping families create a WE’ RE PR O UD TO S ERV E our community Fondunique memories and ex-that truly fully the compassionate presence and meaningful memorial within personal, care since 1896. celebrates the life it represents.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals, pressions of sympathy may of his family on July > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability be shared www.WellsMe29, 2022.

The family Travel Assistance > Theat Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement morial.com for the Baker will receive friends R family.

Aug. 4, 2022 from 5 Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. to 8 p.m. at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563.

A Mass service will be Wells held MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy Dorothy Aug. 5, 2022, 10 a.m. at St 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com Clement Catholic Church.

Stratton Online condolences may be left for the family at Dorothy Stratton, 88, www.haught.care. of Plant City, Fla., passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Dorothy was born we’re1934. dedicated to helping families create a WE’ RE PR O UD TO S E RV E our community April 29, unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM memories and the life it represents.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals, Fondcelebrates > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan expressions ofTransferability sympathy > Bereavement Travel Assistance > The Compassion Helpline® may be shared at www.

Irene A. Dykes WellsMemorial.com for the R Proudly supportingStratton the Plant Cityfamily.

Strawberry Festival.

Irene A. Dykes, 79, of Plant City, Fla., passed away peacefully on July 31st, 2022. The family will receive friends for WELLSMEMORIAL.COM visitation on August 6,2022 at 10 a.m. followed by funeral Wells MeMorial & event Center services at 11 a.m. at Haught PlanT CiTy Funeral Home, 708 West 813-752-1111 Dr. Ethel WellsMemorial.com Marie Martin Luther King, Jr. BouleMcClelland vard, Plant City, FL. Online condolences may Ethel Marie McClelland, be left for the family at www. 88, of Live Oak, Fla., passed haughtfuneralhome.com. away on Thursday, July 28, 2022. Ethel was born May 12, 1934. we’re dedicated to helping families create a WE’ R E PR O UD TO S ERV E our community and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896.

Fondunique memories and celebrates the life it represents.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals, expressions of sympathy > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability The Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement Travel Assistance may be>shared at www.

HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM WellsMemorial.com R family. for the McClelland Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. ®

YOUR CALENDAR

OBITUARIES

18

Taking care of each other is what

community

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10/27/15 10:42 AM

BEST BET SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 CHONKY ALPHABET BOOK SIGNING

2 to 4 p.m. at 115 S. Evers St. Do you know your cat ABC’s? From “blep” to “nip cops”, “loaf” to “beets”, The Chonky Alphabet book provides cat enthusiasts (and non-cat enthusiasts) with an A to Z guide to the most vital terms of cat chat. Head down to the Tipsy Bookwork to meet Plant City’s own bestselling author Victoria Smude and get your copy of the book signed! Books and cat swag will be available for purchase and the fi st 50 people to arrive at the pet-friendly event will receive a free chonky cat bookmark. If you’d like to purchase your own copy of the book before the event, The Chonky Alphabet is available on Amazon.com.

is all about.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12

®

Taking care of each other is what

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community

NEW TEACHER COFFEE

7:30 to 9 a.m. at 2301 W. Oak Ave. Plant City Chamber of Commerce will be hosting New Teacher Coffee 2022 at the TECO Expo Hall on the Florida Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds. The event will offer a warm welcome to all new teachers and principals in Plant City. For more information, please call 813-754-2707 or send an email to info@plantcity.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 MOVIE TRIVIA NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E J. Arden Mays Blvd. Bring your friends and family to grab a cup of coffee and head up to the loft to show off our movie knowledge, or just to cheer on your loved ones, with a chance to win a prize at this month’s Movie Trivia Night. As always, the event is family-friendly and free.

10/27/15 10:42 AM

is all about.

®

Mary Shalhub-Davis

Mary Shalhub-Davis, 79, WELLSMEMORIAL.COM of Plant City, Fla., passed away on July 17, 2022.Wells Ser- MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy vices will be held privately 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com Evon Davis by the family.

Eubanks Online condolences may be left for the family at Evon Davis Eubanks, 86, of www.haught.care.

Plant City, Fla., passed away on July 22, 2022. Evon was born April 10, 1936. we’re dedicated to helping families create a WE’ RE PR O UD TO S ERV E our community and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896.

Fondunique memories and excelebrates the life it represents.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals, HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM pressions of sympathy may > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability > Theat Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement Travel Assistance be shared www.WellsMemorial.com R for the Eubanks Virginia Hiott Proudly supportingfamily. the Plant City Strawberry Festival.

Virginia Hiott, 97, of Plant City, Fla., passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Virginia was born WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Oct. 31,we’re 1924. dedicated to helping families create a E RVE our community unique and meaningful memorial that truly assionate care since 1896. memories andWells MeMorial & event Center the life it represents. orial professionals, Fondcelebrates PlanT CiTy expressions of Transferability sympathy813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com rvice Guarantee > National Plan ment Travel Assistance > The Compassion Helpline® may be shared at www.

WellsMemorial.com for the R udly supportingHiott the Plantfamily.

City Strawberry Festival.

Taking care of each other is what

community

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is all about.

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Taking care of each other is what

community

is all about.

®

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 YOUTH FISHING DERBY

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 fi st Saturday of every month.

10/27/15 10:42 AM

PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6 to 9:30 p.m. at 4401 Promenade Blvd. DJ Ken will be hosting the Plant City Social Dance every Saturday throughout the month of August at the Strawberry Square Dance Center. Cups and water will be available and the event’s cost is $7 per person. For more information or a chance to look at sample playlists, visit www. djkenmiller.com.

8:30 to 10:30 at 1900 S. Park Rd. The Plant City Parks & Recreation Department will host a free Youth Fishing Derby later this month. The event willl take place at the Plant City Stadium’s back parking lot and all kids age fi e through 15 are welcome to come out and participate. The competition will be catch and release and all participants must bring their own pole, choice of bait and a fi e-pound bucket. Registration is required and all participants can pre-register until Aug. 11, with additional registration permitted the day of the event from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Pre-register at www.plantcitygov.com/parksrec and for more information, call 813-659-4255 or email recinfo@ plantcitygov.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

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 sh w everyone what you’ve got.

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person. Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/PlantCityToastmasters, for meeting locations and information.

10/27/15 10:42 AM

STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN

7 to 8:30 p.m. at 101 E J. Arden Mays Blvd. Bring your friends and family to grab a cup of coffee and head up to the loft to show off our movie knowledge, or just to cheer on your loved ones, with a chance to win a prize at this month’s Jurassic Park-themed Movie Trivia Night. As always, the event is family-friendly and free.

WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Wells MeMorial & event Center

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PlanT CiTy

813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com 10/27/15 10:42 AM

TILE & GROUT STEAM CLEANED 50 cents per Sq.Ft.

  

Carpet Repairs Carpet Restoration & Dyeing Minimum Service job $70.00

Emergency

24-Hour

WATER REMOVAL

Storm Water, A/C Leaks, Broken Pipes, Toilet Overflow

CARPETS

STEAM CLEANED

3 ROOMS $90

Includes Hallway cleaned Free

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4 High: 94 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 24%

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 57%

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

SUNRISE/SUNSET Sunrise Sunset Thursday, August 4

6:52a

8:15p

Friday, August 5

6:53a

8:15p

Saturday, August 6

6:53a

8:14p

Sunday, August 7

6:54a

8:13p

Monday, August 8

6:54a

8:12p

Tuesday, August 9

6:55a

8:11p

Wednesday, August 10

6:55a

8:11p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 57%

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

Jason Parrillo snapped this photo of the morning sun peaking through the trees at Walden Lake.

ONLINE

Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instagram, @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer on Facebook.

30 Iberian dance for two 33 Summer on the Seine 34 Danes of “Homeland” 36 Kept the party hopping, briefl 37 Scenic road, maybe 39 Albuquerque sch.

40 Dahl who wrote “Fantastic Mr Fox” 41 Ready for business 42 Present from birth 44 Zen opening?

45 Pointy fla s 47 Sports coat 49 Full of chutzpah 50 States 51 What a voter fills ou 53 Golf scorecard word

54 Soybean product 58 Gershwin brother 59 “The Hunger Games” trilogy, e.g.

62 Light brown 63 Upright 64 “Divine Comedy” poet 65 Unlike the starts of this puzzle’s four longest answers 66 Site for handmade gifts 67 Little ones Down 1 Inseparable pals, briefl 2 Seldom spotted 3 Half-baked thought, perhaps

Aug. 5 First

Aug. 11 Full

Aug. 19 Last

RAINFALL LAST WEEK:

MONTH TO DATE:

High: 92 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 40%

0.29 in.

YEAR TO DATE:

AUG. AVERAGE:

32.50 in.

8.85 in.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8

OKRA

(C) 2022 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

Across 1 Water fil er brand 6 Voice below baritone 10 Major Web portal 13 Grows faint 14 Informal okay 16 “Now I get it!”

17 Wind of 19-24 mph, on the Beaufort scale 19 Reservoir structure 20 Swimmer that may be furry 21 Inlet, vis-à-vis the sea 22 Classic Lanvin scent 24 In addition 26 Big name in bouillon cubes 27 Japanese living art form

Aug. 27 New

2.05 in.

High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 48%

4 Popular electric cars 5 Shade of gray 6 Grand Canyon pack animal 7 “May I say something?”

8 The Beatles’ “__ Loves You” 9 Somers who played Chrissy on “Three’s Company” 10 Genre for a John Lewis quartet 11 Layered hairstyle 12 Bering Sea port 15 King in “Jesus Christ Superstar” 18 Thai cuisine herb 23 Madrid museum 25 Like some bridal dresses 26 Destiny 27 Early form of 10-Down 28 Common blood group 29 Patriots’ home 30 Helsinki natives 31 Hair salon application 32 More unusual 35 Mommy’s sis 38 Invalidate 40 Depend (on) 42 About to happen 43 Vintage ski lifts 46 Make amends 48 Off the right ath 50 Like sea water 51 __-Honey: candy bar 52 Depleted Eurasian sea 53 Push-up targets 55 Sow sound 56 Big celebration 57 Puts in the lineup 60 Racetrack doc 61 D.C. summer hrs.

19

Shipping point: South Florida $14.35-$14.85 Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022

Great health care is closer than you think.

South Florida Baptist Hospital is more than just a small community hospital. We’ve got a wide array of specialty care and surgical services that you don’t have to travel far to get. Our surgeons are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures that provide lots of benefits, including shorter hospital stays, decreased blood loss and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. Plus, faster recovery times that mean you can get back to your normal activities sooner. You’ll find comprehensive orthopedic care—whether you’re an athlete who needs sports medicine services or you’re someone who needs a total joint replacement. Our all-inclusive gynecology program offers high-quality care to the women and mothers in our community with a variety of women’s care services. We’ve even been designated as a Center of Excellence for our weight loss surgery program, meeting nationally recognized standards and providing outstanding care to our patients. And all of this extraordinary care exists right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptistSurgery.org

21-1493769-0521

PlantCityObserver.com