VSI will return home to Plant City Stadium this weekend against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds before hosting rival Orlando City Sunday, Aug. 4. Kickoff for Friday is 7:30 p.m. while Sunday is set for 7 p.m. VSI Tampa Bay FC picked up four points last weekend on the road after beating the Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 and […]
Continue ReadingCity entering negotiations with Big League Dreams, Inc.
During Richard “Rick” Odekirk’s playing days as a professional baseball pitcher, he heard constant criticisms from fans in the crowd. “When I was having a bad outing, I would hear people tell me how lousy I was,” Odekirk said. “They would say how they could do a better job if they had the opportunity.” After […]
Continue ReadingPlant City newspaper brings hometown memories to Big Apple
Kenya Sykes felt disconnected from her hometown. Her childhood growing up in Plant City was a distant memory, overshadowed by her busy adult life as the owner of an accounting firm in New York City. But that all changed when she read a Plant City Observer Facebook post shared by one of her Facebook friends. […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Pro soccer short-lived in Plant City
Longtime Plant City residents will never forget the decade when the Cincinnati Reds called Plant City home during the spring. Few, however, will remember the time when the facility hosted a professional soccer franchise. It seems VisionPro Sports Institute’s time in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World will be short-lived. After two request for […]
Continue ReadingJourney to Williamsport ends early for Majors
The Plant City Little League Majors entered this season with high expectations, unknowing of the bitter taste of defeat. That’s because they rarely experienced the feeling. The team entered this season having only lost one game in the previous two seasons. Seasons that saw them go as far as possible and win the district, sectional, […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Dean Collins
Plant City resident Dean Collins has been playing baseball for most his life. The 13-year-old Shiloh Middle School student recently wrapped up an All-Star season with the South Lakeland All-Stars in the Babe Ruth league, where the catcher had the opportunity to try out his arm from behind the plate. How long have you been […]
Continue ReadingPlant City girls to hit gridiron for summer tourney
Since flag football became an official sport under the FHSAA in 2006, Plant City High has been one of the winningest programs in the state. For the past three years, head coach Larry Langston has held a summer tournament for high school teams to tune up and stay in shape before the school year begins. […]
Continue ReadingDylan Varn to compete in National Motocross Championship
Dylan Varn isn’t your typical 10-year-old. At just 4 years old, the Plant City resident learned how to ride a bicycle, a typical feat for a young boy. But two years earlier, he began riding a more powerful bike — and he hasn’t stopped since. “He learned how to ride his motorcycle before his regular […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Big League Dreams has potential
Fifteen years after the Cincinnati Reds left the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, a major league ballpark may soon call Plant City home. OK, so technically, it’s not an actual major league park, but it will look like one — albeit a smaller version. After it received two request for proposals for a sale […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Crystal Johnson
Don’t be fooled by her size. Crystal Johnson, a rising junior at Plant City High, is a talented multi-sport athlete. Johnson is a varsity cheerleader and flag football player at PCHS. She also excels in the classroom and currently is dual-enrolled at Hillsborough County Community College this summer. How long have you been cheering? I […]
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