Kenneth Virgil Simmons Jr. Kenneth Virgil Simmons Jr. died March 24, 2013. Mr. Simmons was a stock associate for Walmart and worked security for the Tampa Improv Comedy Club. He graduated from Plant City High School in 1998. He was on the wrestling, track and football teams. Mr. Simmons graduated from McMurray College with a […]
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Obituary: Fred Mange Jr.
Fred Mange Jr. Fred Mange Jr., 78, of Plant City, passed away on March 26, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; daughters, Becky Rouse (Randy), Donna DesCombes (Martin); son, Dana Mange (Twalla); sisters, Delilah Bennett and Thelma Burr (Robert); nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. The funeral service was March 29, at Wells Memorial and Event […]
Continue ReadingObituary: Cecil E. Smith
Cecil E. Smith, 88, of Dover, died March 25, 2013. He was born Jan. 21, 1925, in Elba, Ala. He moved to Florida in 1950, where he met and married Fannie Miller Smith. She preceded him in death in 1996. Mr. Smith worked many jobs throughout his life, but he most enjoyed telling people about […]
Continue ReadingPhotojournalism winners announced
Three Plant City High School students took home cash prizes from winning the Photo Archive and History Center’s annual photojournalism contest. Jackson Hardee took first place for his submission about the Bing Rooming House, Robby Knox took second place for his submission about the First Baptist Church of Plant City historic building and Sydney Johnson took third place with […]
Continue ReadingGOTCHA!
Dear loyal Plant City Observer reader: Happy April Fools’ Day! Let me be clear: The story, titled “I-4 roundabout to alleviate strawberry jam,” which appeared today on our website, is an April Fools’ Day spoof. It is not true. I’ll say it one more time: It is not true. Transportation officials are NOT building a […]
Continue ReadingObituaries 03.28.13
Daniel Glenn Futch Daniel Glenn Futch, 57, of Plant City, died March 23, 2013. Born Feb. 21, 1956, in Plant City, he was the son of the late Danny and Marlene Morrison Futch. He was a great cook and a member of Shiloh Baptist Church, where he was a Sunday School teacher and was training […]
Continue ReadingTeam ToMarrow continues tradition
Walking into the first captain’s meeting of last year, Nick Rodriguez felt out of his comfort zone. Not only was it his first year heading up a Relay for Life team, but also he was also one of the youngest people there. “It was pretty intimidating going into the Relay meeting as the only teen […]
Continue ReadingObserver launches contest
Do you <3 Plant City? If so, get your cameras ready to show your love! The Plant City Observer, State Farm Insurance agent Tony Lee and The Corner Store are partnering to launch the new I <3 Plant City Photo Contest. Weekly winners will have their photo featured in the Plant City Observer and also receive […]
Continue ReadingFestival considers traffic-flow solutions
Strawberries weren’t the only draw for thousands of people filling the streets of Plant City on the last weekend of the Florida Strawberry Festival. Back-to-back headliner concerts brought in both a collective of fans — and a collective of collisions. In all, 10 minor accidents occurred during the festival. On March 10, a crash involving […]
Continue ReadingObituaries 03.21.13
Goldie Edwards Goldie Edwards, 90, of Plant City, died March 17, 2013. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Edwards. She is survived by her sons, David Edwards (Andrea), Larry Edwards (Jeannette) and David Thompson (Debbie); nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. A Celebration of Life will be held at 7 p.m. […]
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