U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross has been busy as of late, as one of the most vocal opponents of the Affordable Care Act. Although working on a new bill has consumed much of his time, Ross wants to become closer to his Plant City constituents in 2014. Since taking effect Jan. 1, the Affordable Care Act […]
Continue Reading2014 FORECAST: Paul Davis, Strawberry Fests Forever
The Strawberry Festival has been a big part of Paul Davis’ life since he was very young, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who loves their job more than the festival’s jolly general manager. And, what’s in store for 2014? More music, more festivities and, of course, more fun. It’s been a long time […]
Continue Reading2014 FORECAST: Kellyanne Hurst, Miss Versatility
It seems that every time a group of high-schoolers does something notable, Kellyanne Hurst’s name pops up. Really, there isn’t much that the Plant City High School senior doesn’t do — and do well. And with the U.S. Naval Academy awaiting her arrival, she’s about to take her talents to a much bigger stage. How […]
Continue Reading2014 FORECAST: Dale McMann, Czar of Softball
After 48 years of service, Don Porter has retired from his role as president of the International Softball Federation. Dale McMann, previously the first vice president, now has big shoes to fill. When Don Porter, the longtime president of the International Softball Federation, announced his retirement in October, it was a big deal. Porter, a […]
Continue Reading2013 in Sports
What a year! We at the Plant City Times & Observer finally were able to keep track of Plant City-area sports for a full 365 days, between two sports writers, and the action didn’t disappoint. There are big things happening in this little, historic part town, and, as is our tradition, we went ahead and […]
Continue ReadingTop Five Teams of 2013
1. DURANT BASEBALL After starting the 2013 season with two consecutive ties, the Durant Cougars made a remarkable run to the Class 8A State Championship game and had its star player drafted 55th overall. Although Alonso finished with a better record in the district — by virtue of playing one more game than the Cougars did […]
Continue ReadingTop Five Players of 2013
1. TYLER DANISH If there’s one thing that Tyler Danish and “Animal House” character Bluto have in common, it’s this number: 0.0. Danish, however, wasn’t flunking out of school. The former Durant pitcher posted a perfect 0.00 ERA in his senior season and struck out 156 batters. Those are wild numbers for a high school pitcher, […]
Continue ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND: A note from the new guy
I’ll admit this right now: I knew nothing about Plant City when I first took this job — save for the fact that there was some kind of fruity festival held here every year. So, my first task I got hired was tour Plant City with former Associate Editor Matt Mauney. We covered all the […]
Continue ReadingExamining Plant City’s Rich Baseball History
Let’s say that, to get to work, you had to walk from the Wesley Centre downtown to the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds. Could you do it? That’s precisely what baseball players in Plant City had to do, many years ago. The festival grounds used to be home to Adelson Field, and the downtown church used […]
Continue ReadingPlant City 13-year-old wins U.S. Kids Golf Tour Fall Series
Andrew Lee’s golf résumé got a little more impressive Dec. 14, when he won the U.S. Kids Golf Tour Fall Series. He now has that, a Player of the Year award, a mentoring job and a hole-in-one to his name. Not bad at all, especially for someone who only has been playing golf seriously for […]
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