Moriah Barnhart watched her napping daughter, Dahlia, cuddled up in a metal hospital bed. Since Barnhart was a little girl, she loved to watch people sleep. On this day, she focused in on her 2-year-old’s breathing pattern. In and out. In and out. It was a rare moment when Dahlia would fall asleep. So rare […]
Continue ReadingPlant City battalion chief retires
After more than 27 years serving at the Plant City Fire Rescue, Battalion Chief Henry Smith retired Sept. 30. Family and friends gathered Oct. 3, to celebrate his success. Smith started his career 32 years ago as a volunteer. He was working at the mines, when he got involved in civil service. At age 30, […]
Continue ReadingMeet Marshall’s Men of GQ
Brian Adams walked with purpose through the hallways, as he explained the tenants of the Gentlemen’s Quest club. Although he’s a middle-schooler, when he spoke, he had the articulation of a man. As the public relations chair of the Marshall Middle School’s Gentlemen’s Quest, Brian is used to public speaking. But his composed manner is […]
Continue ReadingNoon Rotary pledges funds for Plant City Police Department
Plant City Police Department officer Erick Sanchez thought he was making a routine traffic stop in April, when he spotted a driver and passenger not wearing their seat belts. As Sanchez wrote the ticket, a young man ran out of a nearby house. Please help my mom! Sanchez flew into action. He went to his […]
Continue ReadingSTORE AROUND THE CORNER: Bombshell Beauty Lounge
If the pink polka-dotted windows of Historic Downtown Plant City’s newest salon doesn’t tip you off to its vintage vibe, then the inside will. Bombshell Beauty Lounge’s intimate front room has a whimsical flair. One wall is striped a mod mint green. The hairstylists’ tables are bright pink. A sultry black-and-white photograph of Marilyn Monroe […]
Continue ReadingClub Hubbub 10.03.13
If your club would like to post announcements, email them to Associate Editor Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com. + Hillsborough Community College Hillsborough Community College’s Plant City campus will host a job fair from 9:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the John R. Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park Road. The event is free and open to […]
Continue ReadingRomp in the Swamp to feature wedding wave
Most couples will go out for a nice dinner or a movie to celebrate their anniversary. But, Tracy and Damion Trombley are not like most couples. Instead, the duo has opted for a more down-and-dirty option — running in the Romp in the Swamp’s wedding wave. They will renew their vows in front of their […]
Continue ReadingCareFest lends time, helping hands to area families
A single mother, a disabled elderly man, a sick husband — no matter their situation, these homeowners need help. Their properties have fallen into disrepair and soon could incur code-violation fines. And that’s exactly why CareFest exists. Locally, 75 volunteers from 10 Plant City churches and the City of Plant City spent last weekend providing […]
Continue ReadingRelay for Life selects 2014 Honorary Survivor
Joy Neely sits, smiling, in a cozy corner of Panera Bread. Her brilliant blue eyes reflect the soft gray light flooding into the window from the clouds. Her skin is warm, and her hair styled in a perky pixie. It’s hard to believe Neely just finished her radiation treatments just four months ago. “I’m a […]
Continue ReadingDrama ‘properly’ depicts Plant City life
One Plant City native has turned a rough day in middle school into an award-winning web television series. Pietro D’Alessio took inspiration from his childhood to create “Proper Manors,” a soap opera based on his experience with a middle-school bully. “I told my mom I was going to start a show about Plant City and […]
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