Judges crowned Hillsborough Community College student Shelby St. Amant as the 2014 Blueberry Queen at the second Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival Pageant March 29, at Keel and Curley Winery. Nearly 100 Plant City-area contestants — ranging from ages 2 to 19 — took the stage for this year’s competition. Other winners include Haley Riley (teen queen), Haven […]
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Durant grad, a Marine veteran, among crash victims
Joe Vizcarrondo Sr. braced for it every day his son was overseas. He came to expect that the Marines would arrive one day bearing the news he feared most — that his son wasn’t coming home. For the five years Joe Vizcarrondo Jr. fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom, his father waited for that knock at […]
Continue ReadingFour killed in early-morning crash in Plant City
A head-on collision killed four people early Friday morning along State Road 60 in Plant City. It happened about 12:13 a.m. just east of Clarence Gordon Jr. Road. Rolando Silva, 31, of Plant City, was headed east at a high rate of speed in a 2006 BMW when he lost control of the car and […]
Continue ReadingPlant City art teacher shares memories of cancer battle
His mother pleaded with him. Just go to the other hospital. But, 17-year-old Joshua Fishbein wouldn’t budge. He already had been delivered a death sentence once. At least that’s how everyone — his family, his friends, the nurses and doctors — were treating it. What was the point? “I didn’t want to go to another […]
Continue ReadingDavid Sollenberger reprises role
It seems David Sollenberger may be experiencing a little déjà vu these days. Twelve years ago, Sollenberger came out of retirement to serve as Plant City’s city manager to replace the outgoing Phil Waldron. What was supposed to be an interim position lasting only a few months turned into eight years of service, until Sollenberger […]
Continue ReadingDurant choir hits high notes in Washington
It was 34 degrees outside, but the Durant High School choir put on the layers and warmed up their vocal cords March 7 to sing at the World War II Memorial, in Washington, D.C. While other high school students were enjoying their spring break at the sunny beach, the 39 choral students from Durant were […]
Continue ReadingSweetbay to convert to Winn-Dixie store
Sweetbay’s lone location in Plant City will close its doors for the final time this weekend. When they reopen six days later, they will reveal Plant City’s new Winn-Dixie. Starting March 29, members from Winn-Dixie’s marketing, operations and other departments will descend on the location to complete the conversion, which will be complete April 4. […]
Continue ReadingSecond Blueberry Pageant hits runway this weekend
Nearly 100 Plant City-area contestants will vie for top honors at the second Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival Pageant March 29, at Keel and Curley Winery. And although every contestant gets a crown, not all can be queen. “If they’re walking across that stage to be judged, they deserve a crown, because of their confidence,” organizer […]
Continue ReadingPoole, Stafford win oratorical contest
Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is consistently one of humanity’s greatest fears. But, there are some who were lucky enough to have been born with nerves of steel. Some of those live right here in Plant City, and now, they have something to show for it. Emma Poole and Blake Stafford were the […]
Continue ReadingPlant City’s Victoria Garren wins in ‘other’ P.C.
Plant City’s own Victoria Garren earned another pageant crown — this time in Florida’s “other” P.C. Garren was crowned Miss Palm Coast March 22, at the 2014 Miss Palm Coast, St. Augustine and Flagler County Pageant.
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