Download - 02.20.15 PCTO
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Plant City Times&
Observer
OUR TOWN
INDEX
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
In youth football and cheer-
leading, as in many sports,
parents, coaches and volun-
teers often get into the game
for their children. And once
the kids age out of the pro-
gram, the parents follow suit.
Buddy Bennett was not one
of those people.
No one can accuse the
longtime Plant City Dolphins
president of sticking with the
program just for his family,
because he spent much of his
30 years with the organization
without any players hailing
from his family tree. He did it,
as hundreds of people in the
Winter Strawberry Capital of
the World said, for all the right
reasons.
It was strictly for the kids,
eld director Eric Lawson
said. He would bend over
backwards for them. He had
no other reason to be there for
so many of those years he
did it because he wanted to.
Mr. Bennett died Feb. 10 af-
ter a battle with cancer.
At the viewing and funeral
services, the family estimates
that nearly 500 people came
out to pay their respects to Mr.
Bennett: to thank the man for
all that hes done for their fam-
ilies, and for themselves.
They said that Mr. Bennett
had three loves: God, fam-
ily and football. Although the
West Virginia native spent
much of his time working
,
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Vol.2,No.30 | Onesection
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A PARTNERSHIP WITH
This weeks winner is
Nate Hoover
See his photo on
PAGE 15.
Calendar.......................2 Crossword...................15 Obituaries...................11 Sports.........................12 Weather......................15
FREE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
+ Win a Corvette
Stingray Chevrolet is
giving away a Corvette
to benefit Unity in the
Community.
Raffle tickets are
only $5. Raffle tickets
will be available until 6
p.m. Friday, March 6, at
Stingray Chevrolet, 2002
N. Frontage Road, Plant
City, and at the Florida
Strawberry Festival from
Thursday, Feb. 26, to
Sunday, March 8. Tickets
are also available online at
StingrayChevrolet.com until
6 p.m. Friday, March 6.
The winning ticket will
be drawn at 5 p.m. March
8 at the Florida Strawberry
Festival.
The goal is to double the
donations from $100,000
to $200,000. Unity in the
Community contributes to
many causes in Plant City,
including the United Food
Bank.
+ We hear
wedding bells
Joseph and Cecelia
Herrmann, of Plant City,
announce the engagement
of their daughter, Karen
Cecelia, to Jose Garza, of
Houston, Texas.
Karen is a 1995 gradu-
ate of Plant City High
School and a 1999 gradu-
ate of the University of
Florida, with a bachelors
of science in account-
ing. She currently resides
in Houston and works as
a planning and budget-
ing manager for Targa
Resources.
Jose Garza is a 1991
graduate of South Houston
High School and a 1996
graduate of the University
of Houston with a double
major in finance and
accounting. Jose cur-
rently resides in Houston
and works as a financial
marketing analyst for BHP
Billiton.
The couple will be mar-
ried June 13 in Houston.
HERITAGE
Parademarches
downMLK for
BlackHistory.
PAGE 6
FAMOUSDISH
Celebrity Chef
Dinnerwas a
delicious success.
PAGE 8
BUDDY BENNETT:
For the Love of theGame
When Buddy Bennett, the face of the Plant City Dolphins for 20 years, died
the morning of Feb. 10, he left behind a legacy that will not be forgotten.
File photo
Buddy Bennett was beloved
by several generations of Plant
City Dolphins players, coaches
and parents.
Customers and employees
are enjoying the new Jarrett-
Scott Ford body shop after the
old shop was torn down in fa-
vor of a more modern space.
The old body shop, located
on the same site as the dealer at
2000 E. Baker Street, was built
in the 1970s. It was character-
ized by a number of inconve-
niences, such as the lack of a
restroom, and by this decade,
parts of the structure had start-
ed to rust.
It was dated, and we just
needed a better facility, Carl
DeMuth, body shop manager,
said.
Jarrett-Scott replaces body shop
ribbon cutting
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
SEE BENNETT / PAGE 4
tribute
by Justin Kline |StaffWriter
The new Jarrett-Scott Ford body shop is in the same location,
but is much more comfortable for both customers and employees.
Look out, strawberry bling
shirts. This year, theres some
fashionable competition ladies
will want to wear to the Florida
Strawberry Festival. Locally
grown jewelry brand Bourbon
and Boweties is releasing a
special edition gold strawberry
bracelet to celebrate the Straw-
berry Festival.
The launch is a homage to
brand owner Carley Oschs
hometown, and the item will
only be for sale at Plant City-
B&B releases special
edition bracelet
Just in time for the festival, locally grown Bourbon
and Boweties will present a strawberry bracelet. It
can only be found at Plant Citys Fringe Boutique.
SWEETFASHION
by Amber Jurgensen |ManagingEditor
Catherine Sinclair
The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cut-
ting ceremony for the body shop Friday, Feb. 13.
SEE BRACELET / PAGE 4
Courtesy photo
The bracelet is engraved with
Plant City 2015.
Amber Jurgensen
Turkey Creek Middle School FFA students invited neighboring Robinson Elementary to join them at a U-Pick Friday, Feb. 13, at the field in front of
the middle school. Turkey Creek will host a community U-Pick to benefit Plant City Relay for Life from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5005 S.
Turkey Creek Road. For more pictures turn to page 5.
FRESHLY PICKED
2015FLORIDA
STRAWBERRY
FESTIVALguide
FEBRUARY26MARCH8
INTHIS ISSUE
SEE SHOP / PAGE 4
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COMMUNITYCALENDAR
FRIDAY, FEB. 20
Acoustic Happy Hour
live music takes
place from 5:30 to 8:30
p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at
OBriens Irish Pub and
Family Restaurant, 1701 S.
Alexander St. (813) 764-
8818.
Christian Contemporary
Music takes place from
6:33 to 8:13 p.m. Friday,
Feb. 20, at Krazy Kup,
101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.
(813) 752-1220.
Live Music
takes place from
9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 20,
at OBriens Irish
Pub and Family
Restaurant, 1701
S. Alexander
St. (813)
764-8818.
Mary
Reddick
History Event:
From Slavery
to Bliss takes
place from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, to
Sunday, Feb. 22, at Rubys
Produce & Art Gallery, 2001
Highway 60 E. Barbeque will
be served Friday. Beginning at
7:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21,
enjoy a pancake breakfast and
talk with the famous folk artist,
Ruby Williams.
Uncork Your Friday! live
music takes place from 6
to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20,
at Keel and Curley Winery,
5210 Thonotosassa Road.
(813) 752-9100.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21
The Honey Hole Market
takes place Saturday, Feb.
21, at 2201 Thonotosassa
Road. The market offers
antique picking and more.
Mia, (813) 484-1127.
Planes, Trains &
Automobiles
takes place from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 21,
at the Plant City
Airport, 4007 Airport
Road. There will
displays and
demonstrations
on planes,
helicopters,
remote control
planes, model
trains, automo-
biles, K-9 demos
and fly overs. Free
flights for kids will be
available, as well as a kids play
area, food vendors and scouting
badge opportunities. The event
is hosted by the Greater Plant
City Chamber of Commerce.
Free admission. $5 parking.
(813) 754-3707.
Relay for Life Tea Party
takes place from 11 a.m. to
1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21,
at Plant Citys First Baptist
Church, 503 N. Palmer Street.
Safe Sitter takes place from
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday,
Feb. 21, at South Florida
Baptist Hospital, 301 N.
Alexander St. Safe Sitter is a
medically accurate babysitting
training program designed for
young people, ages 11 and up.
The full-day class provides the
basic information every good
babysitter should know, includ-
ing how to handle minor to
life-threatening situations, res-
cue a choking infant or child,
communicate with Emergency
Medical Services, entertain
kids and other babysitting tips.
The cost is $55. Registration
is required. (813) 644-6720.
Uncork Your Weekend! live
music takes place from 6 to
10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at
Keel and Curley Winery, 5210
Thonotosassa Road. (813) 752-
9100.
Young Adult Nite takes
place from 7:33 to 10:33 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 21, at Krazy
Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays
Blvd. Enjoy live music from
local artists. (813) 752-1220.
SUNDAY, FEB. 22
Beginning English for
Speakers of Other Languages
takes place from 2 to 4
p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at
Bruton Memorial Library, 302
W. McClendon Street. The
new class is offered by the
Hillsborough Literacy Council
and is taught by an experi-
enced volunteer.The class size
is limited to 10 adult students.
The class is free, but each
student must purchase his or
her workbook for $5. Students
must register by calling the
Hillsborough Literacy Council
between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30
p.m. Monday through Friday at
(813) 273-3650.
Divorce Care: The Road to
Healing/Finding Help takes
place from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday,
Feb. 22, at Plant City Church
of God, 2103 Mud Lake Road.
This is the third program in the
12-week course.
MONDAY, FEB. 23
Plant City Area Democratic
Club takes place beginning
at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23,
at Bruton Memorial Library,
302 W. McLendon St. Joyce
Hamilton-Henry, director of
advocacy at the Mid-Florida
Regional office of the ACLU
will be the featured speaker.
The Florida Constitutional
Amendment for Voter Rights
Restoration petition will be
the major topic. Other current
issues the ACLU is working
on in Florida will be dis-
cussed.
TUESDAY, FEB. 24
GriefShare takes place begin-
ning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday,
Feb. 24, at Hope Lutheran
Baptist Church, 2001 N. Park
Road. Each GriefShare session
includes a video seminar and
group discussion to help cope
with the death of a loved one.
(813) 752-4622.
The Recovery for Life takes
place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the Lorena
Jaeb Rainbow House, 504 N.
Palm Drive. It is a 12-step
Bible-based program to help
free individuals from all forms
of addiction. Debbie Ray, (813)
763-1562.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25
Open Mic Night takes
place beginning at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 25, at
OBriens Irish Pub and Family
Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander
St. (813) 764-8818.
SATURDAY, FEB. 28
42nd Annual Civitan Club
Youth Parade -- takes
place beginning at 11 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 28. The parade
begins at the State Farmers
Market and goes through
town, ending at the Florida
Strawberry Festival.
Daddy Daughter Dance
takes place from 4 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 28, at the John
R. Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park
Road. The deadline to register
is Feb. 20. Registration is $30
per couple and $10 to add an
additional daughter. Register at
the Planteen Recreation Center,
301 N. Dort St. (813) 659-
4256.
SUNDAY, MARCH 1
Baby Contest takes place
beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, March 1, at the
Florida Strawberry Festival
grounds.
Regional Qualifier for
Nathans Famous July Fourth
International Hot Dog-Eating
Contest takes place begin-
ning at 6 p.m. Sunday, March
1, at the Florida Strawberry
Festival.
MONDAY, MARCH 2
Strawberry Festival Grand
Parade takes place begin-
ning at 1 p.m. Monday, March
2.
To publicize your event in our Community Calendar, please
send by mail: 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL
33563; or by email: [email protected]. Photos
are welcome. Deadline is noon Thursday.
BEST BET
Celebrating Black History
Month takes place from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Winn
Dixie, 205 W. Alexander St.
There will be free food, jump-
ers, entertainment, firetrucks
and more. Contact Sharon
Moody (813) 453-7134 or
Celebration2.homestead.com.
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After considering a switch to
a new landscaping company,
the Walden Lake Community
Association has decided that
its only affordable option is to
stay with Complete Landcare.
The board listened to a pre-
sentation from OLM Land-
scape Management at its
meeting Monday, Feb. 16.
Some board members gave
positive feedback, but they
collectively decided that
their budget could not cov-
er OLMs $6,000 landscape
maintenance bid package and
monthly $1,100 inspection fee.
They decided to stay with
Complete Landcare at least,
for now.
Maybe next year, we could
build this into the budget,
secretary Heather Updike said.
Were just not really prepared
for this right now.
One of the biggest problems
has been inefcient irrigation.
In November 2014, the com-
munity went over its city-dic-
tated limits of water for irriga-
tion and did not realize it until
almost the end of December.
Walden Lake Propery Man-
ager Linda Fernandez told Ed-
die Evans, director of opera-
tions for Complete Landcare,
that if Walden Lake went over
its water limits again, his com-
pany would have to cover the
overage expense.
Evans assigned an employee
to focus on irrigation full-time,
and last month, the commu-
nity did not exceed its water
limits.
There have also been com-
plaints about the appearance
of some of the subdivision en-
trances.
But Ray Page, of the land-
scaping committee, said that
Complete Landcare had been
successful on a project at the
entrance to the Wedgewood
subdivision, and the residents
were pleased.
If Eddie can do that, why
cant he do the other areas if
we supervise him? Page said.
The board discussed op-
tions for repairs to the shing
pier, used for recreation and
events. The pier is made of
lumber, which is supposed to
be pressure-sealed regularly
to last 15 to 20 years. It isnt 15
years old yet, but needs to be
replaced.
Two companies submitted
proposals for the pier project.
The board voted to accept the
less costly proposal from Golf
Coast Construction Inc.
If the board opts to use lum-
ber for the project, Golf Coasts
cost will be $32,000 for the
bridge, $48,630 for the pier
and $39,640 for the stage area.
There would also be routine
maintenance costs for sealing.
If the board opts to use AZEK
composite decking, there
would be an additional cost of
$24,640, but there would be no
recurring costs for sealing, and
the whole pier would be ex-
pected to last at least 30 years.
Construction will last four or
ve weeks after it has begun.
Id sure like to see that all
done before the Easter sunrise
service, Grifn said.
Contact Catherine Sinclair
at csinclair@plantcityobserver.
com.
Last weekend, the State Capi-
tol was bustling with normal
activities anyone would expect.
Delegates and senators pre-
sented their bills and debated
important issues, and even at-
tended the Governors Ball.
But what set last weekend
apart, when compared with
any other time of year, was
that those delegates, senators,
and even the governor, were
all in their teens. Students de-
scended on Tallahassee as part
of a role play program, Youth in
Government.
The student-run, national
organization, allows students
to nd out what its like to be
in the world of politics. Within
Youth in Government, they can
run for state or national ofces,
and once a year, they get to-
gether in Tallahassee to present
their very own bills and vote on
one anothers.
Thirty-four students from
the Plant City area hit the road
Wednesday, Feb. 11, and ar-
rived in the state capital that
night, joining almost 600 other
students from around the state.
The next morning, they ob-
served the pros before taking
their spots in the chambers.
We actually went and sat in a
real House committee, and (the
students) were over the moon,
even though it was about tax-
es, Michelle Hanchett, the ad-
visor for Youth in Government
at the Plant City YMCA, said.
One of the rst activities on
the agenda was campaigning.
Students who were running
for state ofces gave speeches,
and all of the students in at-
tendance then voted for their
elected ofcials.
The students also gave short
speeches to introduce bills
they have written themselves.
Throughout the weekend, they
voted on one anothers bills.
Bills can move on through rst
and second committees, both
chambers and eventually the
cabinet.
Elizabeth Watson, a sopho-
more from Plant City, intro-
duced a bill that would make
gun safety classes mandatory
for schools across the state.
Im passionate about the sit-
uation where children get hurt,
and I want to stop that,Watson
said. There are currently plac-
es where you get your license
where they have a gun safety
class, but its not mandatory for
schools to have it.
Watsons bill passed the
House and was placed 11th on
the docket.
Watson was not the only
student from Plant City who
wrote a successful bill this year.
Ten other students bills were
also placed on their respective
dockets, organized into House
and Senate, and three cham-
bers each, based on students
experience.
The Plant City club also won
two awards his year: Outstand-
ing Statesman in the middle-
level Senate, and runner-up for
the award in the middle-level
House.
The club did amazingly
well, Hanchett said.
Two highlights for many of
the students are debating and
practicing their public speaking
skills.
We had a lot of pretty inter-
esting (bills), and I always enjoy
being able to debate my per-
sonal beliefs, Chase Cushen,
another Plant City sophomore,
said. Youth in Government has
made a big impact on my life,
on my personal skills, on my
beliefs about the world around
me.
In addition to interacting
with students from around the
state in session, participants
had the chance to socialize in
a more relaxed setting, during
the Governors Ball.
Though many students par-
ticipate as delegates, another
popular role is to become
members of the press and cov-
er the sessions in Tallahassee.
Press positions require an ap-
plication.
Any middle school or high
school student can join Youth
in Government through the
YMCA in Plant City. Many of the
students are home schooled.
Some alumni even go on to
study political science in col-
lege.
To prepare for the annual
weekend in the state capital,
students learn how to write
bills, and work on their pub-
lic speaking and debate skills.
Each meeting is run by stu-
dents, with advisement from
Hanchett.
Many times, even the stu-
dents who are initially the least
enthusiastic end up wanting to
run for ofce.
Its very difcult to explain
to teenagers, Hanchett said.
But then they go up there and
... they fall in love with it.
Contact Catherine Sinclair
at csinclair@plantcityobserver.
com.
Two years ago, the Plant City
Noon Rotary Club set a goal:
to make sure all of the cars in
the Plant City Police Depart-
ments eet were equipped
with an automated external
debrillator.
They met that goal Monday,
Feb. 16, when the club pre-
sented the last of the AEDs, 20
to be exact, to the police de-
partment.
It might have seemed like
a lofty goal to many. In 2013,
only four of the police depart-
ments more than 50 cars were
equipped with portable AEDs.
These life-saving devices
cost several thousand dol-
lars each, which is why so few
PCPD cars had them.
That also meant that Rotary
would have to raise quite a
sum.
Our club found a need
within the community as it of-
ten does, and this time it was
with our own Plant City Po-
lice Department, Aaron Da-
vis, who was Rotary president
when the project began, said.
The Rotary Club announced
this project in August 2013,
and through its two biggest
annual fundraising events,
Dancing With the Locals and
the Wild Game Cookout, along
with individual donations
and corporate sponsorships,
the club has raised close to
$70,000 toward its goal.
The police department re-
ceived AEDs in installments
as the Rotary Club was able to
purchase them. Soon after the
club had delivered its initial
seven units, three of them had
already been used, and one of
those instances was a life-sav-
ing event.
Anytime a 911 call comes in,
there could be a life at risk of
sudden cardiac arrest. In some
cases, lives are lost simply be-
cause the responders did not
have the necessary equipment
to jumpstart a heart.
One of the most frustrating
things for a law enforcement
ofcer is to get on the scene of
a medical emergency and not
have the equipment he needs
to be able to sustain life, chief
of police Ed Duncan said.
AEDs have saved lives in
Hillsborough County. Now
that every PCPD car has an
AED on board, more lives are
likely to be saved in Plant City.
Without this type of sup-
port ... we would not be able
to perform the jobs that we
are asked to do every day,
Duncan said. With this de-
vice here, well be able to add
that secondary level of rst
responder care, and hopefully
save lives.
Contact Catherine Sinclair
at csinclair@plantcityobserver.
com.
After Joey Lawson, 47, a
longtime resident of Plant City,
died Nov. 16 from an unexpect-
ed heart attack, the communi-
ty pulled together to honor his
memory and help support his
surviving family. Keel and Cur-
leyWinery held a fundraiser for
Lawsons family Sunday, Feb. 8.
Joey was one of the nicest
guys. You could call him any
day of the week hed drop
what he was doing and help
you with anything you need-
ed, Ryan Keel, vice president
of operations for Keel and Cur-
ley Winery, said.
Lawson was the owner of
Lawson Hardware for 20 years.
He was skilled at working on
cars, boats and carpentry proj-
ects, and loved shing and
blueberry farming.
Lawsons brother, Johnny
Lawson, and mother, Carolyn
Lawson, worked with him at
Lawson Hardware and are con-
tinuing to operate the store.
We worked together and we
played together, Johnny said.
He was a good partner. He
was a good brother and a good
father.
Lawson was well known in
the Cork area as a friendly guy.
The Keels rst met the Lawsons
when they moved to the Cork
area in the 1980s and started
the plant nursery where their
blueberry farm is now. Keel re-
members certain nights during
berry season, when farmers in
the area had to stay up late and
prepare their crops for a freeze.
Lawson Hardware would keep
its lights on all night, providing
a place for the farmers to warm
up and sip cups of hot coffee.
Because of the close rela-
tionship that the two families
have had throughout the de-
cades, the Keels organized the
fundraiser.
It was the least we could do
for the family, really, Keel said.
There was a silent auction,
and the winery and Smokin
Aces BBQ donated 50% of its
prots that night. Blues Hall
of Fame member Skip Frye,
donated his time to provide
music.
More than 100 people at-
tended. The event raised about
$9,200 for the Lawsons to use
for meals, funeral costs and
other unexpected general ex-
penses since Joeys death.
Everything went well,
Johnny said. The community
just coming together they
did a real good job for my
brothers family.
Contact Catherine Sinclair
at csinclair@plantcityobserver.
com.
Rotary reachesAEDfundraisinggoal
The Plant City Noon Rotary Club raised
enough money to finish purchasing AEDs
for every P.C. Police Department vehicle.
HOW IT WORKS
An AED, or automated
external defibrillator, is a
battery-operated, portable
device that helps to jump-
start an unconscious per-
sons heart.
The user attaches sticky
pads with sensors to the
chest of the person who
is having sudden cardiac
arrest, and the sensors
send data to a computer to
analyze whether an electric
shock is needed. If a shock
is needed, voice prompts
from the AED guide the
user through the shock
process.
The process must be
done quickly, because every
minute of sudden car-
diac arrest leads to a 10%
reduction in the likelihood
of survival.
Information from nhlbi.nih.gov.
Catherine Sinclair
Rotary president Brian Griffin and past president Aaron Davis
presented an AED to police chief Ed Duncan.
how to save a life
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
UPDATES
Three board posi-
tions will be filled in the
annual election April 9.
Walden Lake residents who
are interested in running
should send their letters of
intent to the community
office.
Community manager
Linda Fernandez consulted
14 towing companies, but
none were certified for
booting. The board is again
revising its plan of what to
do with unauthorized vehi-
cles parked at the lake.
WLCA to focus
on landscaping
and repairs
The board hopes to nd affordable
solutions to some of the communitys
biggest aesthetic concerns.
WLCA
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
Keels host fundraiser for Lawson family
The Keels wanted to show support for the family of Joey
Lawson, who owned Lawson Hardware, but died last year.
A CAPITAL EXPERIENCE
Thirty-four students found out how government really works
during a whirlwind weekend of debates and campaigns.
Courtesy photo
The students spent most of the weekend in the House and Senate chambers.
YOUTH IN
GOVERNMENT
Any middle school or
high school student can
join YIG. Meetings are
from 7:30 to 9 p.m., on
the second and fourth
Mondays of each month,
at the Plant City YMCA.
For more information, con-
tact Michelle Hanchett at
FAITHFULFRIENDS
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
Courtesy photo
Joey Lawson was a handyman and worked on cars.
youth in government
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
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In early 2014, the old body
shop was leveled and con-
struction began on a new shop
in its place. The new shop
has been open for about four
months, but the Greater Plant
City Chamber of Commerce
held a ribbon cutting ceremo-
ny Friday, Feb. 13.
Another factor that led to
the decision to build a new
shop was that the 2015 Ford
F-150 is an all-aluminum
model. To work on this model,
Jarrett-Scott Ford needed an
isolated area.
Working on aluminum is
entirely different than work-
ing on steel, Jim Scott, gen-
eral manager, said. You cant
work on aluminum next to
steel, because it causes ero-
sion.
Now that the body shop
has an area designated for
aluminum models only, the
technicians will be certied
by Ford to work on the new
F-150.
The ofce has had huge im-
provements. The technicians
now have showers in their
locker room. And though it
used to be difcult for them to
nd somewhere to rest or eat,
the ofce has a kitchenette
and break room.
The 7.5-foot ceilings have
been replaced with those of
standard height, creating a
bright, airy atmosphere.
After being involved with
a crash, drivers are usually
not in the best of moods.
But Scott said he hopes the
friendly staff and welcoming
new body shop will help to lift
those customers spirit.
with the Dolphins, he also
made sure to take care of his
own family, his wife, Pam, and
daughters Ericka Winslow and
Kim Drawdy.
He was always there for
us, Drawdy said. He just al-
ways made sure that we had
everything we ever needed.
We were never rich, but he
made sure we were very well
taken care of with what we
needed in life.
Mr. Bennett loved to travel
and made family vacations a
priority. Oftentimes, hed take
the family out of town for a few
days twice a year, choosing to
visit beaches and mountain
towns. This is something that
he continued up until this
past January, when the family
enjoyed Martin Luther King
weekend in Biloxi, Mississippi.
He also loved his four
grandchildren, three of whom
are in the Dolphins program,
and made sure that they knew
how much he loved them ev-
ery day.
He always helped pick my
kids up from school and take
them to practice, Drawdy
said. He wasnt just a here-
and-there Papa. He was in-
volved in their sports, their
school functions, their every-
day life.
Of course, no story about
Mr. Bennett would be com-
plete without the Dolphins.
One could say that making
that organization into what
it is today has been his lifes
work, his greatest passion out-
side of his faith and family. He
got involved with the program
30 years ago, while in his 20s.
His shot at leading the orga-
nization came 10 years later.
It was then that David Brew-
ington, the previous president
and Mr. Bennetts good friend,
was looking for someone to ll
his shoes upon leaving.
Davids boys were getting
out of it, and he wanted some-
one he knew he could rely on
to take care of the Dolphins,
Drawdy said. My dad thought
it would just be a couple years
that he would help do it, and
he ended up being president
for 20 years.
Those who have worked
with him, either as coaches or
board members, said that he
was unquestionably the best
man for the job.
Buddy was the heart and
soul of the organization, for-
mer coach Richard Kuhlmeyer
said. What I remember most
about him is he was a very
steady leader. He never got
too high or too low. Buddy was
always consistent in dealing
with any problems that would
arise.
Mr. Bennett was known for
always being the rst one to
arrive and the last to leave.
On game days, hed get to the
eld at sunrise and stay there
until after sunset. The next
day, hed be back at it again to
make sure that everything was
set up for the kids as best as it
could be.
He especially loved see-
ing the Dolphins make the
playoffs, and put in plenty of
12-hour days whenever the
United Youth Football League
National Championship tour-
nament was in town. In fact,
Mr. Bennett was wearing his
two national championship
rings when he was buried.
Most notable about Mr.
Bennett, besides his love for
working with kids, was that
his dedication to the program
wasnt slowed down by his
cancer diagnosis. When he
learned he had colon cancer
in 2013, he made the choice to
stay with the team and ended
up missing just one day.
You wouldnt know by look-
ing at him that he was going
through what he was, that he
was ghting that ght, Law-
son said. He never wanted
anything in return.
Mr. Bennett never once
complained about his treat-
ments, or how sick he was
feeling. He wanted to make
sure that everything was run-
ning as normally as it would
if he were cancer-free, and it
did.
Plant City residents have
many good things to remem-
ber Mr. Bennett by, and his
impact on the community will
ever be forgotten.
From a personal view, I
have lost someone I will al-
ways have a great deal of re-
spect for, Kuhlmeyer said.
However, more importantly,
Plant City has lost one of its
nest. A man who should be
recognized as Citizen of the
Year. Who else has given more
to this community than Bud-
dy Bennett?
Survivors include his wife
of 36 years, Pam Bennett;
daughters, Ericka (Ryan)
Bennett Winslow and Kim-
berly (Jesse) Morgan Drawdy;
grandchildren, Colten, Wy-
att and Kyndell Drawdy, and
Liam Winslow; brother, Don
Bennett; and sisters, Pauline
Pishner, Jean Halstead and
Patty Jean Barnett.
He was preceded in death
by his mother, Hazel Bennett;
father-in-law, Gene Chap-
man; and grandmother, Susie
Martin.
In lieu of owers, donations
may be made to Plant City
Dolphins, P.O. Box 993, Plant
City, FL, 33563, in Buddys
honor. Online condolences
may be made at WellsMemo-
rial.com.
Contact Justin Kline at
BENNETT / PAGE 1SHOP / PAGE 1
based Fringe Boutique.
We have a unique rela-
tionship with Bourbon and
Boweties being that we are
from the same town, Morgan
Feaster McGimsey, co-owner
of Fringe Boutique, said. We
cant thank Carley and her
team enough for remem-
bering her roots and staying
loyal to what is local and what
makes small business what it
is.
Oschs line has had success
since the Durant High gradu-
ate launched it several years
ago. Broadcast journalist Ka-
tie Couric and Bachlorette
Desiree Hartsock are just two
celebrities caught with a sig-
nature Bourbon and Boweties
bracelet around their wrists.
But it will be harder for
Bourbon and Boweties mass
clientele to get their hands
on one of the limited edition
strawberry bracelets. The
only way to guarantee a pur-
chase is to pre-order before
Wednesday, Feb. 25.
On Feb. 25, Fringe Boutique
will hold a Strawberry Release
party with a mini trunk show,
so shoppers can pair their
strawberry stack with new ac-
cessories.
The bracelets will come in
two wrist sizes. There will also
be two different sizes for the
actual gold strawberry: small,
about the size of a quarter,
and large, about the size of a
half dollar. The small is $38
and the large is $40.
A childs bracelet will also
be made and priced at $28 in
the smaller-sized strawberry.
The bracelet is truly clas-
sic, McGimsey said. Its gold
nish is gorgeous, and its en-
graved with Plant City 2015.
It represents Plant City with
taste and will be nearly im-
possible to duplicate.
Indeed, the bracelet has
been designed with Plant City
in mind.
Last year before the 2014
festival we had brainstormed
with Bourbon and Boweties
and knew we wanted some-
thing, but not just anything,
McGimsey said. Carley
looked at every gem show,
and every buying trip she
went on to nd something
that we couldnt live without.
This year Carley took matters
into her own hands and Bour-
bon and Boweties designed
the strawberry themselves.
FUTURE PLANS
Because the Plant
City Dolphins Board of
Directors had already
elected its officers for
the year, Buddy Bennett
will still be considered
the president of the
organization until next
year. All decisions will
come down to a board
vote, as they always
have, and a new presi-
dent will be installed in
2016.
That was his wish, for
everything to continue
to operate the way it
has, board member Eric
Lawson said. Everyones
(going to) have to step
up and chip in to do the
day-to-day operations.
According to Lawson,
the team is working on
a way to pay tribute to
Mr. Bennett on the field.
One thing that is set in
stone is to honor him
this year with a bronze
plaque on the team
fieldhouse. It will have
his picture and a list of
his accomplishments
with the team.
INFORMATION
JARRETT-SCOTT FORD
BODY SHOP
Address: 2000 E. Baker
Street
Phone: (888) 690-1633
Website:
JarrettScottFord.com/
BodyShop
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday
PICK YOURS UP
To represent Plant City
with a limited edition
Bourbon and Boweties
bracelet, place a preorder
with Fringe Boutique before
Wednesday, Feb. 25. You
can pick up your bracelet
and enjoy special activities
at the Strawberry Release
from 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 25,
at the boutique.
If you forget to pre-order,
you may come to the bou-
tique for the Strawberry
Release, but bracelets will
only be sold as supplies
last.
FRINGE BOUTIQUE
(813) 754-4438
601 E. Alexander St.
BRACELET / PAGE 1
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CUTESTCRITTER
A
ngela Streits
6-month-old
kitty, Nemo
likes sleeping in clean
clothes.
Turkey Creek Animal
Hospital and Animal
Wellness Center have
partnered to present a
monthly Cutest Critter
Contest. Entering is
simple: Just submit a
high-resolution photo
(200 dpi or better)
and a sentence or two
about why your pet
is the cutest. Include
your name and contact
information. Photos
will be showcased in
the Plant City Times &
Observer.
Submit your entries
to Managing Editor
Amber Jurgensen at
ajurgensen@plantci-
tyobserver.com; sub-
ject line: Cutest Critter
Contest. Good luck!
The sounds of laughter
could be heard from the sun-
ny strawberry eld in front of
Turkey Creek Middle School
Friday, Feb. 13.
Students from Robinson
Elementary next door went
on a eld trip to learn more
about Plant Citys cash crop.
The middle school stu-
dents taught the young
ones how to select the ripest
strawberries and pack them
into clamshells.
Of course, there was lots
of berry snacking in between
collecting.
INSEASON
by Amber Jurgensen |ManagingEditor
Kamille Long showed her partner how to pulled the
strawberries from the stem.
There were plenty of ripe berries to be
picked.
Students packed the clam-
shells full.
Right: The students worked
in teams.
Strawberry season growing
at Turkey Creek Middle
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General Manager/Executive Editor / Michael Eng, [email protected]
General Manager/Advertising / Stacey Hudson, [email protected]
Managing Editor / Amber Jurgensen, [email protected]
Assistant Managing Editor / Jess Eng, [email protected]
Staff Writers / Justin Kline, [email protected]; Catherine Sinclair,
Advertising Executives / Veronica Prostko, [email protected];
Joanna Verga, [email protected]
Circulation/Ofce Manager / Linda Lancaster, [email protected]
110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A
Plant City, FL 33563
(813) 704-6850
www.PlantCityObserver.com
Plant City
Times & Observer
Locally Owned by Ed Verner,
Nate Kilton and Felix Haynes
The Plant City Times & Observer is published by
Plant City Media LLC, a joint-venture of the Tampa
Bay Times and Plant City Observer LLC.
&RS\ULJKW 3ODQW &LW\ 0HGLD //&
$OO 5LJKWV 5HVHUYHG
Plant City Times&
Observer
TO ADVERTISE
Call Veronica Prostko,
(813) 716-0007, or
Joanna Verga, (813) 451-6489.
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: Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@
PlantCityObserver.com.
Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds
St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563
CONTACT US
The Plant City Times &
Observer is published
once weekly, on Fridays.
It provides free home delivery to
several neighborhoods in Plant City.
The Plant City Times & Observer also
can be found in many commercial
locations throughout Plant City and at
our ofce, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite
100-A.
If you wish to discontinue home
delivery or if you wish to suspend
home delivery temporarily, call Linda
Lancaster at 704-6850.
If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy. Friedrich Hayek, Road to Serfdom, 1944
The sounds of several
marching bands, roaring cars
and more lled the streets
near downtown Plant City on
Valentines Day, as the Black
Heritage Parade made its way
down Martin Luther King
Boulevard.
The parade was a part of
the citys three-day celebra-
tion of Black History Month,
which included an awards
banquet and a youth summit.
The sidewalks along Martin
Luther King Boulevard were
lled with spectators catching
beads and recording the ac-
tion on their smartphones.
City celebrates Black Heritage Month
PARADEROUTE
by Justin Kline |StaffWriter
Mary Thomas Mathis greeted
spectators from near the front
of the parade.
Right: Marshall Middle
Schools Gentlemans Quest
students were happy to walk
in the procession.
Many of the youngest parade participants rode
in the backs of trucks and cars.
Right: Tampa Bay Tech made the trek out to
Plant City to join the parade.
THISWEEKS CROSSWORDANSWERS
THISWEEKS CRYPTOQUIZ ANSWERS
1) Blue Moon Cafe 2) Anthropology 3) LAgYa 4) Stormy
Weather 5) Shango. Katherine Dunham
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Plant Citys Historic Down-
town is known as a hub for
antique dealers. But a new
18,000-square-foot store is the
largest one in the neighbor-
hood.
The owners and manager of
Plant City Mercantile describe
the store as curated boutique
marketplace, meaning it is
lled with various booths, but
vendors must submit pho-
tos and an application if they
want to sell their pieces there.
Then we look and see if it
would be a good t for us, and
how it would be displayed,
co-owner Patricia Schultz
said.
One vendor, Repurpose
Revolution, upcycles old
items into new creations, such
as satchels made from coffee
bean sacks and a table made
from an old window. Another
vendor, Burlap and Bling, of-
fers shabby-chic, handcrafted
accessories.
Other items currently avail-
able at Plant City Mercantile
include a large model ship,
strawberry-themed art, cow
hide rugs and wicker furni-
ture. There are also plenty of
ne antiques. Schultz said the
stores goal is to offer pieces for
shoppers of any age and with
nearly any taste.
Were not just an antique
shop with dusty, old an-
tiques, Schultz said. Many of
our vendors are quite creative.
... Every vendor has a different
taste, so its quite a nice vari-
ety.
Plant City Mercantile also
has classroom space and has
been offering chalk painting
classes. The owners plan to
develop additional types of
classes over time.
And theyre hoping to even
build a coffee bistro in the
front of the store, so patrons
can recharge during mara-
thon sessions of browsing, or
have something to sip during
a class.
The owners hope all of these
features will encourage shop-
pers from out of town to bring
their business to Plant City.
We felt that Plant City
needed a destination shop,
Schultz said.
Schultz and her husband,
David, have a long history
with antiques. In 1986, they
opened an antique market
called Brimeld Barn in Brim-
eld, Massachusetts one
of the nations meccas for an-
tiques and handcrafted items.
Brimeld Barn was so suc-
cessful it was even featured in
Country Living.
But the Schultzes moved
to Florida in the early 2000s,
to be closer to family. They
opened a shop in Plant City
called Patricias, but when the
Kilgore Seed Building went up
for sale, it was an opportunity
too good to miss.
The Kilgore Seed Building,
which now houses Plant City
Mercantile, was built in 1916
and is on the National Register
of Historic Places. It is unusual
for Florida, Schultz said, be-
cause of its high beamed ceil-
ings and exposed brick. There
are also large windows that let
in a lot of natural light.
You dont get a lot of this old
mill look in Florida, Schultz
said. We worked on preserv-
ing the look of the building,
but bringing it up to a modern
gallery.
The owners, along with
manager David Gnage, used
polished palette boards to
decorate some of the walls
and other places in the store.
It kind of goes after the look
we want modern, but rus-
tic, Gnage said. We do want
to be a step above.
Plant City Mercantiles soft
opening was Jan. 2. All of the
space on the rst oor has
been rented out, but some
vendors are still in the process
of moving in. The grand open-
ing and Greater Plant City
Chamber of Commerce rib-
bon cutting ceremony will be
at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Contact Catherine Sinclair
at csinclair@plantcityobserver.
com.
Celebrity Chef Dinner
draws delicious crowd
Those who came hungry to
the Hillsborough Community
Colleges Trinkle Center Sat-
urday, Feb. 7, were not disap-
pointed.
The United Food Bank of
Plant City held its seventh
annual Celebrity Chef Din-
ner, this time bringing in
Top Chef fan favorite Fa-
bio Viviani for the occasion.
In addition to Vivianis din-
ner and dessert offerings, an
appetizer-based throwdown
challenge was held between
the Plant City Times & Ob-
server and FOCUS Magazine.
The Plant City Times & Ob-
server took the win for its olive
tapenade recipe. There were
also book signings and a silent
auction.
The Plant City Times & Observers olive-based appetiz-
ers won chef Fabio Viviani over.
United Food Bank director Brian West
spoke of the United Food Banks work
before dinner was served.
Right: Charli Jervis, Tommy
Pollock and Doug Roberts
Upper right: Whitney
Miller Humphrey and Ryan
Humphrey
FEEDINGTHESOUL
by Justin Kline |StaffWriter
Rich Glorioso, Tina Pike and State Rep. Dan
Raulerson
Mary Wood and Liz Pfeffer and Rev. Dean
Pfeffer
PLANT CITY
MERCANTILE
Address: 208 S. Collins
Street, Plant City
Phone: (813) 659-9700
Website:
PlantCityMercantile.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/
PlantCityMercantile
Hours: Monday to
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6
p.m.
Destination marketplace
opens downtown
The Plant City Mercantile is unique in town as a
shop that offers different vendors, as well as classes.
treasure trove
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
Cathrine Sinclair
Plant City Mercantile is operated by husband and wife David
and Patricia Schultz, and their son-in-law, David Gnage.
What in Carnation?
The Plant City Garden
Club hosted its annual ow-
er show Thursday, Feb. 5, at
the Walden Lake clubhouse.
Twelve judges assessed each
piece and awarded ribbons
for their favorite designs. En-
trants who won blue ribbons
for the rst time also received
a novice prize of a container
or other useful gardening
item. Some displays were
simple potted plants, oth-
ers were less traditional, and
others were a tribute to Plant
Citys agricultural history,
matching the nights theme:
Riding the Rails.
FANTASTIC FLORA
by Catherine Sinclair |StaffWriter
Carolyn Conde and Mary Ellen Sampson browsed the displays of
succulents.
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Luis Miguel Belmontes
Luis Miguel Belmontes,
26, of Plant City, died Feb. 14,
2015, at UF Health Shands
Hospital.
Born July 30, 1988, in Mi-
choacan, Mexico, he was the
son of Rojelio Sr. and Espe-
renza Contreras Belmontes;
they survive.
Also surviving are broth-
ers, Gonzalo, Arturo, Rojelio
Jr. and Jaime Belmontes; sis-
ters, Alicia Melgoza, Maurilia
Hernandez, Gabriela Rosales,
Cristina Belmontes and Irene
Belmontes; and maternal
grandmother, Maurilia Con-
treras.
A funeral service will be
at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at
Haught Funeral Home Cha-
pel. Graveside service will be
at 12 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23,
at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Online condolences may
be made at HaughtFuneral-
Home.com.
Timothy Allen
Tim Brock Junior
Timothy Allen Tim Brock
Junior, 53, of Plant City, died
Feb. 14, 2015.
He is survived by his chil-
dren, Timothy Curtis Brock
and Diane Nicole Brock;
grandson, Christian Aquino;
parents, Elizabeth Midge
and Rev. Floyd Yarbrough;
and siblings, Michael (An-
drea) Ray Brock and Charlene
Elizabeth (Ray) Zugay.
A celebration of life will
be held at 11 a.m. Saturday,
Feb. 21, at Hopewell Funeral
Home. Private interment at
Mt. Enon Cemetery. In lieu
of owers, memorial contri-
butions may be made to the
Pleasant Grove AG Building
Fund, 7051 S. Turkey Creek
Road, Plant City, 33567. On-
line condolences may be
made at HopewellFuneral.
com.
Paul Edward Crouse Sr.
Paul Edward Crouse Sr., 84,
of Longwood,
and formerly of
Plant City, died
Feb. 13, 2015, at Florida Hos-
pital Altamonte.
Born Oct. 14, 1930, in Cane-
brake, West Virginia, he was
the son of the late Lewis Sr.
and Ola Wade Crouse. He was
the husband of Betty Jean
Dillon Crouse; she survives.
He was a veteran of the U.S.
Army, and owned and oper-
ated the Old Dixie Chicken
Restaurant in the Pinecastle/
Orlando area for more than
30 years, even until his death.
Also surviving are son, Paul
Crouse Jr.; daughters, Pa-
mela (Mark) Mawdsley and
Vicki (Tony) Lupo; broth-
ers, Ray, Lewis Jr., Benny and
Dale Crouse; sister, Eunice
Moore; grandchildren, Paul
Crouse III, Shawn and Mi-
chael Mawdsley, and April
and Angela Lupo. He was
predeceased by brother, Allen
Crouse.
A graveside service was
held Wednesday, Feb. 18, at
Mt. Enon Cemetery. If so de-
sired, donations may be made
in Mr. Crouses memory to
the American Cancer Soci-
ety. Online condolences may
be made at HaughtFuneral-
Home.com.
James Jimmy Clayton Fite
James Jimmy Clayton
Fite, 32, of Smyrna, Tennessee
died Feb. 10, 2015. He was a
native of Plant City.
Mr. Fite is survived by his
wife, Tabitha Fite of Smyrna;
sons, James Clayton Fite Jr.
and Logan Alexander Fite,
both of Smyrna; parents, Da-
ryl Gene and Judy Swanson
Fite, of Plant City; sister, Lau-
ra Nicole Fite, of Plant City;
paternal grandfather, Daryl
Elroy Fite, of Live Oak; and
maternal grandfathers, Wil-
bert Raymond Swanson Sr., of
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Online condolences may
be made at WoodFinChapel.
com.
Betty Lou Fletcher
Betty Lou Fletcher, 72, of
Plant City, died Feb. 10, 2015.
Born May 18, 1942, in McAl-
pin, she was the daughter
of the late Pete and Lou Bry-
ant Lee. Mrs. Fletcher was
a teachers aide at Cork El-
ementary School for 25 years,
retiring in 2000, and was a
member of Plant City Church
of God, where she was a Sun-
day school teacher. She re-
joiced in her family and loved
to travel.
Surviving are her beloved
husband, M.D. Fletcher;
daughters, Daphne Lynn
Blanton and Michele (Jeff)
Abraham; brother, Ray (Ma-
rie) Lee; sister, Glenda (Har-
old) Warner; grandchildren,
Matthew D. Storey, David
(Kaitlin) Storey, and Tyler and
Logan Abraham; and great-
grandson, Emmitt Storey.
A funeral service was held
Saturday, Feb. 14, at Plant
City Church of God. Online
condolences may be made at
HaughtFuneralHome.com.
Jeane A. Gilson
Jeane A. Gilson, 91, of Plant
City, died Feb. 14, 2015, at
Melech Hospice
House.
Born March 28,
1923 in Minot, North Dako-
ta, he was the son of the late
George and Myrtle Tucker
Gilson. He was the husband
of Leona Deuel Gilson; she
survives. Jeane was a veteran
of the U.S. Air Force, was re-
tired from Post Cereal and en-
joyed working in his shed.
Also surviving are son,
Wayne (Wanita) Gilson;
daughters, Kathryn (David)
DeVault and Judy Johns; six
grandchildren; and many
great-grandchildren. There
are no local services planned.
Online condolences may
be made at HaughtFuneral-
Home.com.
James Randall Hart
James Randall Hart, 81, of
Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2015.
Born Aug. 26, 1933 in Pavo,
Georgia, he was the son of
the late Aubrey Vivian and
Lois Sherrod Hart. He was the
husband of the late Frances
Wheeler Hart. Mr. Hart loved
to sh, crab and boat. He was
also a football fan, a mem-
ber of Cedar Grove Baptist
Church and attended Coun-
tryside Baptist Church. He
was a millwright by trade, but
was also owner of Planter Flo-
rist in Plant City.
Surviving are grandchil-
dren, Justin and Kensie Hart;
brothers, Bob Hart, Allen Hart
and Louis Hart; and sister,
Vivian Hart. He was also pre-
ceded in death by his grand-
son, Gage Hart.
Funeral services were Mon-
day, Feb. 16, at Haught Fu-
neral Home Chapel. Online
condolences at haughtfuner-
alhome.com.
Fredric Leon Henderson
Fredric Leon Henderson,
78, of Plant City, died Feb. 15,
2015.
He was born in
Turkey Creek and
was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
He is survived by his wife of
38 years, Joy Henderson; chil-
dren, Ray Henderson, Donna
Jones, Joe Hartley, Jimmy
Henderson, Ron (Cammie)
Anderson, Jennifer (William)
Farmer and Cody Henderson;
sisters, Velma (Red) Weaver
and Diane (Hance) Harvey;
11 grandchildren; and two
great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life was
held Wednesday, Feb. 18, at
Hopewell Funeral Home. In-
terment at Pleasant Grove
Cemetery, Plant City. Online
condolences may be made at
HopewellFuneral.com.
Marguerite Hutto
Marguerite Hutto, 91, died
Feb. 14, 2015, in Palm Beach
Gardens.
She was a lifelong resident
of Plant City and a graduate of
Plant City High School. Loving
family who survive are son,
Ira Sonny (Tammi) Hutto;
daughter, Linda Plourde;
grandchildren, Jill Hrabovsky,
Michael Llauget, Alex Llauget
and Travis Hutto; and great-
grandchildren, Lilliana Nuzzi
and Alyssa Davis. She is pre-
deceased by husband of 52
years, Grant Hutto; daughter,
Nancy Llauget; and brother,
Jesse Wiggins.
A visitation will be at 10
p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Wells
Memorial, followed by a fu-
neral service at 11 a.m. Burial
will take place at Mt. Enon
Cemetery. Online condolenc-
es may be made at WellsMe-
morial.com.
Grover Glenn Pace
Grover Glenn Pace, 67, of
Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2015
after a heroic battle with can-
cer and prolonged illness at
South Florida Baptist Hospi-
tal (SFBH).
He served six
years in the U.S.
Air Force at Offutt AFB in Ne-
braska, achieving the rank of
S.SGT. He retired from Gen-
eral Electric in Henderson-
ville, North Carolina, in 2004.
He and his wife, Miriam,
moved to Florida in 2006. He
attended Dover Pentecos-
tal Holiness Church, where
he served as a guitarist, was
director of the Golden Heirs
Seniors Program and served
as Chairman of the Escort
Committee at SFBH. He was
a compassionate and loyal
caregiver to his wifes par-
ents, Rev. James and Ethe-
lene Stuart, until their pass-
ing in 2013. He had a passion
for southern gospel and
bluegrass music, enjoyed his
home recording studio and
shing, and was a certied
Amateur Radio Operator.
He is survived by his be-
loved wife, Miriam C. Pace;
son, Greg Pace; daugh-
ter, Peggy Tittle; and seven
grandchildren. He was pre-
ceded in death by his adop-
tive parents, Willis and Alma
Pace of Hendersonville,
North Carolina.
A memorial service will be
held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday,
Feb. 21, at Dover Pentecostal
Holiness Church. Fellowship
with the family and friends
with lunch immediately fol-
lowing. Interment will be held
at a later date in Henderson-
ville. Online condolences
may be made at WellsMemo-
rial.com.
Thomas J. Tom Sluder III
Thomas J. Tom Sluder
III, 54, of Dover, died Feb. 9,
2015.
He was a member of
First Presbyterian Church
of Plant City. He is survived
by his parents, Tom and Judy
Sluder; nieces and nephews,
Brandy Stocksdale, Brandon
Stocksdale, Miranda Slud-
er, Keith Sluder and Israel
Sluder-Anderson; and many
great-nieces and nephews,
aunts, family and friends.
He was preceded in death by
his siblings, Kathryn Sluder,
Keith Sluder and Theresa
Sluder.
A celebration of life will
be held at 2 p.m. Saturday,
March 14, at First Presbyteri-
an Church. In lieu of owers,
memorial contributions may
be made to the First Pres-
byterian Church stained
glass window fund. Online
condolences may be made
at HopewellFuneral.com.
Gladys Mae Layton Walton
Gladys Mae Layton Walton,
91, of Plant City, died Feb. 13,
2015.
She was a member of
Berea Baptist Church (Park-
way), Plant City. She is sur-
vived by her son, Kenny
(Peggy) Walton; siblings, Ce-
cil Layton, Ida Bledsoe and
Charles Layton; grandchil-
dren, Ashley, Adam, Benji,
Shaun, Micki and Matt; and
17 great-grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by
her husband, Echo Walton
Sr.; and son, Echo EJ Wal-
ton Jr.
A celebration of life will
be held at 3 p.m. Saturday,
Feb. 21, at Hopewell Funeral
Home, where the family will
receive friends beginning at
2 p.m. Interment to follow at
Springhead Cemetery, Lake-
land. Memorial contributions
may be made to LifePath
Hospice, Development Dept.,
12470 Telecom Drive, Suite
300, Temple Terrace, Florida,
33637. Online condolences
may be made at HopewellFu-
neral.com.
OBITUARIES
OBSERVER
-
Y O U T H | H I G H S C H O O L | G O L F | C O M M U N I T Y
Sports
Do you have a good
sports scoop for us?
Contact Justin Kline at
jkline@plantcityobserver.
com.
SOFTBALL
+ Slow start for
area teams
Many of the Plant City-
area prep softball teams
have had to deal with los-
ing several key players to
graduation, and it appears
those losses are being felt
early in the season.
From the Feb. 10 season
openers until press time,
area teams have a com-
bined 1-8 record with
Plant City picking up the
lone win, 4-3, over the
Plant Lady Panthers. In
the Feb. 13 game, the
Lady Raiders used a late
rally to snag a comeback
win at home, thanks in
part to sophomore Edmilly
Molinas three RBI and one
home run.
Fortunately for area fans,
none of these games were
district contests. The long
road to the district tourna-
ment began this week, and
all of the teams will play a
big block of 7A-7 games
between now and spring
break.
All teams will play at 7
p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. Plant
City will travel to Tampa
Bay Tech, Strawberry Crest
will be at East Bay and
Durant will host Brandon.
BASEBALL
+ Clobberin time for
Cougars, Chargers
As a whole, the area prep
baseball scene has seen
some more positive results
on the diamond.
Much of this is from a
pair of blowout wins for
Durant and Strawberry
Crest last week. It could
be seen as just a pair of
tune-up games, but there
are few better confidence-
boosters out there than
picking up a double-digit
win.
On Tuesday, Feb. 10,
Strawberry Crest traveled
to Chamberlain and picked
up a 10-0 win over five
innings. Senior ace Mark
Moclair was nearly flaw-
less through four innings,
striking out eight in a
no-hitter brought down
by two walks, and seniors
Augustin Ontiveros and
Tyler Chancey combined
for four of the teams nine
hits, six RBI and three runs
scored.
On Friday, Feb. 13,
Durant picked up a 15-0
win at Middleton. The team
combined for 14 hits, and
Travis Riley, Zach Barfield,
Cade Kelley and Cesar Caro
combined for eight RBI and
five runs scored. Six other
players picked up RBI, as
well, and Chelsea Baker got
the win with three innings
pitched, one hit allowed,
three strikeouts and no
walks.
Durant, Plant City and
Strawberry Crest will all
play tonight at the same
time and location as their
softball counterparts.
+ PCLL holding
sign-ups
Plant City Little League
is bringing back Senior and
Big League Baseball for
boys age 15-18.
Anyone who wishes to
play must be registered by
Saturday, March 7. Contact
Jeffrey Jacobsen for regis-
tration information at (813)
468-9362 or email jakes-
SIDELINES
ATHLETEOF
THEWEEK
BayleeCauwels
is an all-around
player. 14
SPONSORED BY COURTNEY PAAT | STATE FARM
PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
football
by Justin Kline |StaffWriter
Being a high school athlete
isnt easy even for the elite.
With the responsibility to keep
good grades in addition to
performing well for the team,
these kids face a lot of pressure
throughout the school year.
So when a group of kids can
balance it all, they get reward-
ed. Just ask the Strawberry
Crest boys swim team, which
added a scholastic award to its
trophy cabinet last month.
After recording the highest
GPA of all Hillsborough Coun-
ty boys swim teams, the Char-
gers accepted an award for
their achievements at a Tampa
ceremony Thursday, Jan. 29.
One of the main focuses of
the school here is to put aca-
demics rst, head coach Paul
Bonanno says. We support the
teams very much, but grades
are more important.
As with many teams, Crest
At the Plant City High School
National Signing Day ceremo-
ny, football head coach Wayne
Ward was there to speak highly
of his senior class. When he
was done, he walked off the
stage to a round of applause
and left the Raider fans in good
spirits.
So when he announced his
resignation just a few days lat-
er, no one in Raider Nation saw
it coming.
Ward, the teams head coach
for the past six years, rst an-
nounced his decision with a
Facebook post the afternoon
of Monday, Feb. 9.
Having had the ability to
positively help change the lives
of so many young men through
the game of football has been
such a tremendous blessing
and opportunity I do not take
for granted, Ward wrote. I
have taken this program as far
as I could take it and I look for-
ward to the next chapter of my
life. I thank the Plant City com-
munity and parents for show-
ing your support over the last
six years. It has been an amaz-
ing journey.
The post, which racked up
nearly 100 likes, was met
with dozens of positive com-
ments from past players and
their families. The next day,
Feb. 10, athletic director Traci
Durrance conrmed that Ward
Ward resigns fromposition atPCHS
To the surprise of many, Plant City High football coach Wayne
Ward announced his resignation from the position Feb. 9.
Wayne Ward spoke at
Plant City Highs National
Signing Day ceremony,
honoring his graduating
seniors.
Bill Minahans inuence
did not end when his life did.
The spirit of the legendary
Hillsborough County football
coach, who died a little more
than a year ago, was palpable
at the Columbia Restaurant
last month. Five county foot-
ball players, all with inspiring
qualications, were honored
as nalists for the inaugural
Bill Minahan Award. Plant
City junior Markese Hargrove
was selected the winner, and
Strawberry Crests DariusWil-
liams was one of the nalists.
But all of the nalists
and really, everyone in atten-
dance came away victors.
The athletes stories of per-
severance, selessness and
leadership moved in many
ways, and each received a
$1,500 scholarship.
Two nalists, Stein-
brenners Phillip Smith and
Williams, have been home-
less. Jeffersons Ernest Mills
was burned over 95% of his
body as a baby and has had
more than 100 surgeries.
Robinson quarterback An-
drew Moss started a 7-on-7
tournament in which all the
proceeds go to the Childrens
Home.
But Hargrove has a story all
his own.
Hargroves father landed in
prison before he was born.
His mother, Kenyatta Shaw,
P.C. football
player wins Bill
Minahan Award
Plant City Highs Markese Hargrove was
selected as the winner, and Strawberry
Crests Darius Williams was a nalist.
spotlight
by Darek Sharp |TampaBayTimes
Crest swimmers
float the grade
The Strawberry Crest High boys swim team was
honored with an award for having the highest GPA
of all boys swim teams in Hillsborough County.
WHAT IS IB?
The International
Baccalaureate organi-
zation is recognized
worldwide as a leading
name in education.
The organization offers
educational programs
for students 3 to 19,
though not all American
public schools are IB
schools.
The programs are
rigorous, yet reward-
ing. Many high school
IB students graduate
with college credits.
Strawberry Crest High
does offer the IB pro-
gram for its students.
For more information
about IB, visit ibo.org.
For information about
Strawberry Crest, call
the school at (813)
707-7522.
STRONG START
Durant lacrosse may be the only high
school program of its kind in the area,
but these boys and girls know how to
put on a show that all fans can enjoy.
In the Friday, Feb. 13, home opener,
the boys gave a huge, all-around scor-
ing effort to pick up a 20-0 win over
Tampa Bay Tech. Even the goalie, fresh-
man Alex Cordero, put one in the back
of the Titans net to add to the total.
Including stats from the teams sea-
son-opening 9-6 win at Freedom on
Feb. 11, seniors Jordan Jolly (7), Cecil
Caldwaller, Mitchell Tyler and Rob-
ert Seguin (4) are leading the team
in goals scored. Seguin also leads the
team with 18 ground balls and 14 take-
aways.
The Cougars will host Freedom 7
p.m. Friday, Feb. 20.
swimming
by Justin Kline |StaffWriter
SEE HARGROVE / PAGE 13
Tampa Bay Times
Markese Hargrove enjoyed a
breakout year in 2014.
SEE CREST / PAGE 13
SEE WARD / PAGE 14
Justin Kline
Durant celebrates its big win in the huddle.
Jordan Jolly brings the ball up the middle.
LACROSSE
by Justin Kline |StaffWriter
Justin Kline
-
3ODQW&LW\2EVHUYHUFRP
&2)$!9 &%"25!29
0,!.4 #)49 4)-%3 /"3%26%2
Theres no doubt that Plant
City lost a great man last
week, when Buddy Bennett
died.
Many who spoke of Ben-
nett, whether on the phone,
in email or on the Internet,
found dozens of ways to say
the same thing about the
longtime Plant City Dolphins
presidents commitment to
the program: He was in it for
the good of the kids.
Ive only
been here
since Septem-
ber 2013, so
I didnt know
Bennett as
well as many
of you read-
ers did. But
if theres one
thing that I do
know, its that
Bennett was a living, breath-
ing representation of what
youth sports, not just foot-
ball, should be about.
Sure, not everyone who will
become involved with the
TCYFCC football and cheer-
leading teams, the Plant City
Little League and every other
youth sports organization
will have Bennetts level of
commitment. To nd some-
one with that level of dedica-
tion is exceedingly rare these
days.
But I would hope that every
coach, board member and
parent who comes through
a youth sports league shares
Bennetts morals. These are
sports meant for kids, played
by kids, and they should be
just that not means for the
adults in charge to seek out
glory for themselves.
Perhaps youve read the
news recently and saw that
the Jackie Robinson West
Little League team was
stripped of its 2014 United
States championship last
week after it was revealed
that the adults illegally used
players from out of the teams
pre-determined district. And
now, the kids are paying for
something that they couldnt
possibly have stopped. Its
not nearly as bad as the Dan-
ny Almonte scandal of the
past, but still a clear violation
of the rules.
Almonte was a 14-year-old
pitching phenom from the
Dominican Republic who
was playing in, and dominat-
ing, the 12-year-olds game in
2001. It was revealed that his
parents falsied documents
a year earlier in order to give
Almonte the advantage.
In Plant City, Ive gotten
concerned emails when
some of our local youth
sports teams have won big
games and tournaments,
happening as recently as
Christmas. I spent about
half of the week investigat-
ing some allegations. (They
turned out to be a false
alarm, and I havent heard
anything about it since just
after Christmas Day.)
Its sad that, in todays
youth sports scene, there are
so many cheating scandals
and allegations that theres
a shadow cast over every
good accomplishment, every
trophy raised or game won.
I wish it werent that way,
because these sports are sup-
posed to be all about the kids
having fun. This is supposed
to be about kids growing as
both athletes and people,
making great memories on
and off the eld and friends
for life. But nothings that
simple anymore.
And the kids cant do any-
thing about it.
Crooked coaches and par-
ents seek to manipulate kids
to prop themselves up but, in
the end, its the people who
always do the right thing that
will be remembered fondly
for decades. Thats why, when
we all forget about the next
youth sports scandal that
makes the news, were still
going to remember what
great things men like Buddy
Bennett have done for our
community.
WHATS ON
KLINES MIND?
JUSTIN
KLINE
Lets do
youth
sports the
right way
holds a study hall for its
swimmers before practices.
On Mondays, which are early
release days, the swimmers
will hole up in study hall
from just after 2 p.m. un-
til 3:30 p.m., when practice
starts. Attendance is manda-
tory, unless someone really
doesnt want to swim.
What makes it tricky for
this group is that almost all
of the swimmers are enrolled
in the schools International
Baccalaureate program.
CREAM OF THE CROP
Theres the Advanced
Placement program, which
puts plenty of smart kids
in college-level classes
throughout their high school
careers. The IB program, on
the other hand, takes that to
the next level.
Often considered one of
the highest standards of
public education, if not the
highest, the IB program has
students enrolled in a col-
lege-style scheduling block
and essentially sends the
graduates off to college with
an associates degree in hand.
Their schedule, its ri-
diculous, Bonanno says.
They do block scheduling,
so theyre in classes for two
hours as opposed to a tradi-
tional 50 minutes.
Bonanno says that about
80% of his swimmers are in
the IB program. The girls
program, he says, has around
60% IB enrollment. So, it
makes sense that a Crest
swim team would eventually
win some kind of scholastic
award.
They also do well in the
water. Bonannos second
year as head coach was full
of positives.
We had two swimmers go
to states, which is a huge ac-
complishment, he says. We
had 10 boys go to regionals
and Western Conference -
nals. Our relay team made it
to regionals, which is huge.
Our freshman class is amaz-
ing. We had a freshman go to
states, which is almost un-
heard of.
Junior Hunter Dennis is
a captain for the boys team
and an IB student. He says
that the balancing act of IB
studies and swimming is a
tough one to keep up, but
doable with some motiva-
tion.
It takes a lot of organiza-
tion, Dennis says. You re-
ally have to plan out your
time, assignments, every-
thing youre going to do.
During season, I go straight
from school from practice.
When I get home, I do home-
work until dinner. Then, I do
homework again until its
time to go to sleep.
Dennis has his sights set
on attending the University
of Central Florida, where he
plans to study architecture.
He says that the IB program
should help him save money
while attending college by
allowing him to get college
credit in high school.
This award is a resume
builder for him and his team-
mates, even if they werent
expecting it.
I was kind of surprised,
Dennis says. But, happy
that we won. There are a lot
of kids who work hard on this
team.
Contact Justin Kline at
Courtesy photo
Athletic director Jasmine Tramel, Kevin John, Hunter Dennis, Alonzo Biala, Kasen Van
Fossen, Zane Richardson and coach Paul Bonanno.
raised Hargrove along with two
siblings, all the while taking in
transitional foster children.
Hargrove was honored to be
selected the winner.
I guess it shows that what
Im doing is appreciated, he
said.
Hargrove, a junior running
back, has a 4.3 grade-point av-
erage. His coach, Wayne Ward,
said Hargrove is the rst to ar-
rive at practice and the last to
leave. Often he leaves with oth-
ers, offering up rides to team-
mates who need them.
And he also tutors them.
With Hargroves help, the team
GPA has shot up 40%.
The grades started get-
ting better, slowly and then
boom, they exploded, Ward
said. And he came to me with
that whole idea of tutoring. He
said Coach, I got this; I can
help. And I said, Yes, go do it.
Please!
Shaw said his mentor-
ing skills denitely started at
home. And Hargrove said older
brother, former Raider star
running back Dazmond Pat-
terson, has encouraged him
even more along those lines.
Hargroves mentorship
echoes Minahans. After serv-
ing in the Korean War, he
played quarterback at the Uni-
versity of Tampa before settling
in as local coach, leading Jesuit
High School to a state title in
1968. His credentials certainly
would have served him as a fa-
ther gure to a player like Har-
grove.
Outside of my own father,
Coach Minahan was the most
important man in my life. And
I can guarantee you there are
hundreds more who would tell
you the same thing, said Skip-
per Peek, who won the Guy
Toph Award under Minahans
leadership in 1975.
Peek said many of Minahans
players went on to become
successful in life, using a lot of
the traits Minahan instilled.
And Peek forecasted that
athletes, like the ones honored,
would continue the effect.
Minahan knew something
about perseverance. He re-
ceived a kidney transplant in
1986, one that was expected to
last maybe ve years and in-
stead held out for nearly 28.
He would have been proud
to be your coach, Richard
Gonzmart, who played for Mi-
nahan at Jesuit, said.
He and other former play-
ers, along with Minahans wid-
ow, Martha, shared memories
of Minahans enthusiasm, pas-
sion, legendary speeches and
most of all his willingness
to do anything for his players.
After reading the stories of
the submitted nominees, the
panel in charge of picking its
rst winner realized it needed
a bigger event. The festivities
were originally going to be a
small luncheon affair, but end-
ed up with 64 guests.
Courtesy photo
Plant City running back and inaugrual Minahan Award winner
Markese Hargrove (center) poses with his grandmother, Constance
Thomas, mother, Kenyatta Shaw, former Raiders coach Wayne
Ward and Plant City High athletic director Traci Durrance.
CREST / PAGE 12
HARGROVE / PAGE 12
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was stepping down.
He has since spoken about
his decision to leave the team,
and cites a need to be with his
family as the main reason be-
hind it.
There are some things, fam-
ily reasons, that I need to focus
on, Ward says. I love these
boys tremendously. This is one
of the hardest decisions Ive
ever had to make.
Ward, who played running
back for the Raiders in his high
school days, joined the team as
an assistant coach in 2002. In
2010, he replaced Jason Strunk
as head coach and immediate-
ly took the team to a 7-4 record
and a playoff appearance with
future star quarterback Bennie
Coney.
In 2013, with Landon Gallo-
way under center, Ward guid-
ed the team to an 8-3 record
and another playoff appear-
ance, following a three-way
district tiebreaker, and helped
bring the spotlight to play-
ers such as Montel McBride
(Alabama), Sedrick King (Ne-
braska) and T.J. Chase (trans-
ferred to IMG Academy). Last
season, the Raiders posted
a 4-6-1 record but made the
playoffs by nishing second in
the district.
He leaves the team with a
30-22-1 career record and will
continue to teach at the high
school.
Ward says that he isnt sure
what his future in football will
hold, but he isnt ruling out a
return to the game.
At some point, Ill coach
again, Ward says. Im not sure
if I want to be a head coach
right now. I would prefer an as-
sistant role over a head role.
PlantCityhasbeeninterview-
ing potential candidates and, as
of press time, has not yet made
a hire. For all of the schools
sports, Durrance prefers to hire
coaches that also teach at the
school, which makes it possible
that associate head coach Greg
Meyer, who teaches television
production classes, could land
the job.
Meyer, who has conrmed
his interest in taking the head
job, was previously the head
coach of Jacksonville-Wolfson
High, posting a 4-17 record in
two seasons, and was an as-
sistant coach at Plant High
School, when the Panthers
completed a run for the 2008
state championship. He joined
the Raiders two seasons ago as
the defensive coordinator and
has also served as the teams
college recruiting liaison since
his promotion last season.
Until Durrance makes a hire,
which should happen fairly
soon, Raider fans will be wait-
ing with bated breath to see
who will take over the team
and if they can improve on
Wards successes. The former
coach also has high hopes for
the boys.
You will go on to do mag-
nicent things and represent
this city proudly, Ward wrote.
Now, its time to go win a state
title. I look forward to an amaz-
ing year from you guys.
BAYLEE CAUWELS
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY COURTNEY PAAT | STATE FARM
In the first home game of the 2015 season, the Durant Lady Cougars picked up a solid win,
17-2, over Tampa Bay Tech. One of the teams driving forces is senior Baylee Cauwels, who
has helped keep the entire Durant machine working. Shes an all-around athlete,