On a hot afternoon in May, three deputies and two Plant City Police Department officers are stiffly aligned in a field near Tampa Executive Airport. At each man’s side is a dog, panting to keep cool, and alert to the sights, scents and sounds of the other members of this outdoor classroom. “Break,” a facilitator […]
Continue ReadingWalden elected festival president
Dan Walden has lived in Plant City his whole life, and his earliest memories of the Florida Strawberry Festival conjure a mental image that is much simpler than the event that now draws more than 100,000 people annually. “I remember coming to it with my dad when I was 8, 9, 10 years old,” Walden […]
Continue ReadingDHS graduates the scientists of tomorrow
Students in the Durant High School class of 2015 will soon be all together one last time, as they get ready to take their next steps out into the real world. And at the graduation ceremony in June, they shouldn’t expect to hear a typical closing speech from their valedictorian, Ashley Womer. “Mine’s a little […]
Continue ReadingCrest High chosen as SpringBoard demo school
Though many high schools in Hillsborough County have been using SpringBoard, an advanced curriculum created by the College Board, Strawberry Crest High School has excelled among them and is now used as an example for schools around the country that are interested in the program. SpringBoard is used throughout the United States in certain math […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Walter Joseph Wright
Walter Joseph Wright, 82, died May 1, 2015, at home in Lakeland. Mr. Wright was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. His passion for land development and real estate led him to venture from Utah to Texas, continuing to Florida and working his way to the Tampa Bay area in the early 1970s. […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Frank D. Woodard
Frank D. Woodard died April 23, 2015. Mr. Woodard was born Sept. 24, 1959, in Pahokee. He graduated from Plant City High School in 1977. Shortly after graduation, he worked for the City of Plant City. In 1980, he became an employee of C.F. Industries (formerly Mosaic) and was part of the organization for over […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Kenneth Randall Watson
Kenneth Randall Watson, 66, of Plant City/Lithia, died April 22, 2015, at Tampa General Hospital. He was a longtime resident of the Plant City/Lithia area and a retired Boilermaker, Local 433. He loved his family, Keaton Beach, fishing, scalloping and hunting. He was a beloved husband, father and friend. He is survived by his wife, […]
Continue ReadingObituary: George R. Thomason
George R. Thomason, 68, of Lithia, died May 1, 2015. He was a veteran, having retired from the U.S. Navy, a volunteer security officer with McDill Air Force Base and a volunteer with the Red Cross and Meals on Wheels. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Marlene Thomason; sons, Shane Thomason (Lisa), […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Edna Lee Stutler
Edna Lee Stutler, 89, of Plant City, died April 22, 2015, at the Health Center of Plant City. Mrs. Stutler was a member of the Church of Christ and enjoyed fellowship and Bible study. She is survived by her sons, Denver J. Stutler (Jeannette) and Gary E. Stutler (Mary); sister, Eva Cain; grandchildren, Denver J. […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Melba ‘Juanita’ Norman
Melba “Juanita” Norman, known by many as “MeMa” or “Aunt Nite,” 90, of Lithia, died April 10, 2015. She was a life-long resident of Lithia and active member of Welcome Baptist Church. She is survived by daughter, Pearl Aspenwall; grandchildren, Keith Williams (Debbi) and Vickie Williams Gorney (Paul); three great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces […]
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