By Felix Haynes | Founding Publisher What’s the biggest safety risk you take when you drive a motor vehicle? Texting or talking on your cell phone while driving? Could be, especially if you’re like me. Before I bought a car with a hands-free calling feature, I used to dial and talk on my cell phone while […]
Continue ReadingPAJAMA MAMA: A Thanksgiving lesson from my 4-year-old
By Emilie Plants | Contributing Writer There’s nothing more precious to me than seeing my children sing about God. Joyful Hearts Preschool has taught both of my children about Jesus and has given them the platform to sing His praises. On the last day before Thanksgiving, it was Cooper’s turn to perform as an American […]
Continue ReadingPAST & PRESENCE: Meet early settler Wilbur Fisk Burts (Part 1)
By Gil Gott | Plant City Photo Archives & History Center To some, the name Wilbur Fisk Burts conjures up the story of The Tropical Hotel. But there is much more than that. Here is a man of many talents, who played interesting roles in the progress of the early town of Plant City.
Continue ReadingPAJAMA MAMA: What is a mother’s work worth?
By Emilie Plants | Columnist When I left teaching to become a stay-at-home mother, I did it for one reason — to be with my babies. According to Salary.com, which asked thousands of mothers to complete a detailed survey about how they spend their days managing a household and raising their children, Pajama Mamas are […]
Continue ReadingPUBLISHER’S NOTE: The walls to economic development
By Felix Haynes | Publisher Our country, and Plant City, have been mired for four years in the longest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Whether you look at economic charts or you drive around Plant City and see all the vacant buildings and storefronts, our economy is hurting. The questions on everyone’s […]
Continue ReadingPAST AND PRESENCE: We remember Raiford ‘Shorty’ Brown
By Gil Gott | Plant City Photo Archives & History Center It was a year ago in July that we lost Raiford “Shorty” Brown, a pharmacist whom everyone seemed to know. He was active in community affairs — fundraising with the Plant City Lions Club and president of the Plant City Rotary Club.
Continue ReadingPAJAMA MAMA: The Pajama Mama Hall of Fame
By Emilie Plants | Columnist I come from a long line of Pajama Mamas. My mom was one. Her mom was one. Her mom’s mom was one. You get my drift. Since I took the reins and joined the “pajamahood” in 2006, I quickly learned that being a Pajama Mama is a 24-hour-per-day, seven-day-per-week job […]
Continue ReadingPUBLISHER’S NOTE: Report to the community
On July 4, a new community newspaper was born in Plant City. Dedicated to sinking deep, local roots here, we opened with a high level of community excitement and interest. Since then, we have published nine weekly editions, and the emotional support from the community has only gotten stronger. Ninety-nine percent of opinions expressed to […]
Continue ReadingPAST AND PRESENCE: Meet Plant City’s first queen
By Gil Gott | Plant City Photo Archives & History Center There are many good stories about Plant City, its religious life, social life, civic life, business life and more. On the business side, which now has become social as well, is the honoring of the strawberry. Before the strawberry, the agricultural products included cattle, […]
Continue ReadingPAJAMA MAMA: Movies and monkey booties
By Emilie Plants I realized one profound truth in the time between my children’s last day of preschool and their first day of summer break: Teachers are grossly underpaid. This past year was the first time my children had ever left my side in four years, except for the occasional trip to Nana’s. Scarlett was […]
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