Billy Royce Johnson, 71, of Dover, died Monday, Nov. 9, 2015. Mr. Johnson was a native of Turkey Creek. He was the only son of Henry and Sible Henderson Johnson. He was a physician’s assistant and O.R. Tech at South Florida Baptist Hospital for over 30 years and was a member of Faith Lighthouse Church. […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Deborah Modlin Snider
Deborah Modlin Snider, 68, of Plant City, and formerly of Indianapolis, Indiana, died Nov. 8, 2015. Mrs. Snider was a retired English department head at New Palestine High School in Indiana, where she earned Teacher of the Year honors. She was a graduate of Indiana Central College, where she was a cheerleader and honor student. […]
Continue ReadingPlant City’s Fancy Farms sued by Honduran workers who say recruiter exploited them
By Tampa Bay Times Staff Plant City’s Fancy Farms Inc. was sued in federal court on Tuesday by 51 Honduran laborers who accused the family-owned farm and its recruiter of forcing them to pay more than $4,000 each in “exorbitant recruitment and hiring fees” to pick strawberries during the 2013-14 harvest season. According to the […]
Continue ReadingChristmas Lane announces holiday lineup
Christmas Lane has announced its holiday lineup for the 2015 season. Christmas Lane will be open from Friday, Nov. 27 to Sunday, Jan. 3, at the Florida Strawberry Festival fairgrounds, 2508 W. Oak Ave. in Plant City. LINEUP: Opening Night Nov 27 – Sunni Baerwalde 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30pm Nov 28 – NRG 6:30, […]
Continue ReadingDurant High School to host first annual mock interview day
Durant High School will be hosting its first annual mock interview day for local companies and national corporations on Wednesday, Nov. 18. About 80 speech students will implement their newly acquired skills. The Nov. 18 event is the culminating event in a three-week unit on the interviewing process. The unit included multiple speeches and activities […]
Continue ReadingPlant City chapter of Florida Youth in Government to support Wreaths Across America
The youth-run, youth-led program Florida Youth in Government will be participating in the financial and volunteering aspects of the national non-profit, Wreaths Across America. The Plant City chapter of the YIG has also decided to participate. Wreaths Across America is working to lay wreaths on the graves of every United States military veteran in Arlington […]
Continue ReadingMayor Rick Lott expresses support for Gov. Scott’s proposal for Florida Enterprise Fund
On Friday, Nov. 13, Plant City Mayor Rick Lott released a letter expressing his support of Florida Governor Rick Scott’s (R) proposal to create the Florida Enterprise Fund. The goal of the Florida Enterprise Fund is to improve the economic development process at Florida Enterprise. “Enterprise Florida has been integral to creating jobs in our […]
Continue ReadingPlant City EDC hosts first meeting
Local city leaders and business owners have joined forces to associate Plant City growth with more than strawberries. On Monday, Nov. 9, Plant City’s Economic Development Corp. hosted its first meeting at Highland Packaging Solutions. The EDC formed in June and passed its bylaws in September. To date, the organization has nine members on its […]
Continue ReadingCommunity rallies around Tomlin teacher
At 5:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, Veronica Cruz was still sleeping soundly in her Tampa apartment. A few minutes later, her home was engulfed in flames. As the fire started, the Tomlin Middle School teacher was awakened by a neighbor banging loudly on the door of her apartment. In a blur, Cruz grabbed her keys, […]
Continue ReadingChugging to the rescue
In the last month, Robert Woods has spent countless hours in his workshop. When he gets home from his day job as the owner of Southeast Caulking & Sealant Services, he works around the clock on a half-scale, fully functioning model of a 1910 steam engine — one he built from the ground up. Woods, […]
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