The sky was gray and the air heavy with humidity as the words came out of Mel Ardelean’s mouth. More than 200 had gathered for a candlelight vigil June 4, at the Train Depot in Historic Downtown Plant City, to offer prayers and support for Ardelean’s stepdaughter, Misti Whitfield, 35, who has been missing since […]
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Family, friends plan vigil for missing woman
Family members and friends of missing woman Misti Whitfield will hold a candlelight prayer vigil beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at McCall Park, Historic Downtown Plant City. Whitfield, daughter of Cuzzins Bar owner Sharon Ardelean, has been missing since May 1. Whitfield, 35, was last seen at about midnight May 1, at or near […]
Continue ReadingBREAKING NEWS: Uncle Mike’s coming to Plant City
Plant City soon will have another barbecue restaurant. Brandon-based Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill announced today plans to expand into the Strawberry Capital of the World. The new restaurant will open Aug. 8, at 106 S.R. 60 E., the location of the former Cowboys Steakhouse and Saloon. The restaurant will celebrate the opening with performances by […]
Continue ReadingPHOTO GALLERY: Bealsville banquet
Families of Bealsville gathered to dine and celebrate the end of an academic school year during the annual Bealsville Banquet Saturday, June 1. The fundraising event took place at the Bealsville Recreation Center off Nesmith Road. Proceeds from the banquet are split among all the current year graduating seniors to assist with collegiate expenses. The tradition […]
Continue ReadingPlant City woman charged with animal cruelty
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives charged a Plant City woman with one felony county of animal cruelty. According to Sheriff’s Office reports, detectives were notified in April, of an abused horse that was previously acquired from Lynda Jo Vilches, of Plant City. Detectives initiated an investigation and verified that a 25-year-old thoroughbred named Rusty had […]
Continue ReadingTomlin honors teachers with signs
Tomlin Middle School honored two teachers who passed away recently from cancer by naming the halls outside of their former classrooms after them. Principal Susan Sullivan led the sign ceremony for Bethanne Pearce and Marilyn Westfall. “We want to remember the great things they did for Tomlin,” Sullivan said. “We are so grateful of the legacy […]
Continue ReadingLove of a Lifetime
Thalia Ordaz and Alexis De La Garza have been happily engaged for more than a year. But, the couple doesn’t remember the first time they met. It’s not because of a fit of amnesia. Or that their first encounter wasn’t memorable. In fact, their story is so memorable, that it endured the test of time. […]
Continue ReadingResident spearheads supply drive for Oklahoma
Employees from Southside Farm and Pet Supply filed out of the store May 24, carrying boxes overflowing with clothes, food and supplies. Sweat dripped down their foreheads, as they stuffed the incredible amount of donations into a borrowed trailer. The goods were for those in Oklahoma devastated by a monstrous EF5 tornado. The day before, […]
Continue ReadingPlant City resident passes blood-donation milestone
Omer Elwer knows how precious life can be, and he has dedicated his to helping give life to others. To date, Elwer has donated more than 70 gallons of blood between Florida and his home in Defiance, Ohio. Elwer hit the 70-gallon mark in March, at Florida Blood Services, 2909 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant […]
Continue ReadingTaiwanese GSE team visits Plant City
A table at O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill, in Plant City, was filled with chatter May 24. If a nearby diner picked up on some of the conversation, he or she might have thought it sounded foreign. It was. Six career professionals from Taiwan were visiting Florida as part of a Rotary program called the […]
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