Albert “Al” Powers, 43, of Plant City, died Sept. 13, 2015. Mr. Powers was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a member of the Gun Owner’s Association of America and the South Bay Hunting Club. He loved his family, and enjoyed hunting and riding his Harley Davidson. He is survived by his wife, Rhonda […]
Continue ReadingNeighborhood
Bad to the Bone: Haunted trail coming in October
Horror lovers can be spooked by a wicked Halloween attraction that is returning to a remote property off South Frontage Road for the second year in a row. Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail will open Friday, Oct. 2, and its scare zones will be terrorizing the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World every weekend through Halloween. […]
Continue ReadingBehind the scenes at the Wonder Women photo shoot
Chattered echoed off the polished floors of Stephanie Humphrey’s Historic Downtown photography studio as I walked inside. The 2015 Wonder Women weren’t shy about getting to know each other. They were confident and curious, two traits that should belong to any of our nominees. Stephanie Humphrey had once again let us use her creative space […]
Continue ReadingJudi Whitson
Anyone who talks to Judi Whitson for more than five minutes has a good chance of hearing her elevator pitch. “I teach third graders to legislators,” Whitson says. She greets visitors at her office with a hug or sunny smile, a technique she credits with her rise to the top. Today, she is the executive […]
Continue ReadingKaren Kerr
One of the loudest sounds in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the world is the South Florida Baptist Hospital helicopter racing to and from its pad on the top of the 60-year-old building. The hospital has grown to add such advancements with superb management and continues to under the leadership of its newest president, Karen […]
Continue ReadingWhitney Miller Humphrey
Plant City residents might see Whitney Miller Humphrey in the grocery store and think nothing of it. The 28-year-old blends in with the small-town atmosphere, having been raised in an even smaller one. But checking out the cookbook section of the store and seeing her face on some of thecovers would have people doing double-takes. […]
Continue ReadingMarion Smith
These days, Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce President Marion Smith is trying to help the local business scene. She aims to bring businesses to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World and, once they’re rooted, help them grow. The idea of keeping business thriving in a small town in Florida may seem difficult to […]
Continue ReadingSharon Moody
If someone in need has ever gotten help from an event in Plant City, there’s a good chance they know Sharon Moody. That’s because Moody, a Plant City native, has spent the past 35 years giving back to the community that first gave her life. From youth sports to the Kiwanis Club, the only way […]
Continue ReadingSandee Sytsma
The one thing Sandee Sytsma knew when she was a child was that she wasn’t going to marry a farmer when she grew up. Sytsma is part of the Parke family, known for the agriculture empire it has expanded since her parents, Roy and Helen Parke, moved to Plant City in 1957. Roy was nicknamed […]
Continue ReadingDiane Sparkman
Diane Sparkman is celebrating some major milestones this year. Sparkman, who graduated from Plant City High School in 1965, just attended her 50-year class reunion last month. Her husband, City of Plant City Commissioner Mike Sparkman, was by her side. The two met in high school and, this December, they will be celebrating their 50th […]
Continue Reading
