For the Durant family, red and blue have suddenly become the colors of home. Since April 25, Buffalo Bills blue, red, and white have filled closets, phone screens, and family conversations after former Penn State standout Zane Durant heard his name called in the fifth round of the NFL Draft as the 181st overall pick […]
Continue ReadingPlant City voters pick new leaders in runoff
After months of campaigning and a closely contested runoff, Plant City voters elected two new city commissioners Tuesday night, signaling support for candidates who promised to make smart decisions about future growth while preserving the City’s character and small-town values. In the Group 3 race, Karen Kerr defeated Tony Smith, winning 52.75% of the vote […]
Continue ReadingThe Plant City Company That’s Been Keeping Florida Cool for 45 Years With a Celebration of Partnership
Some Plant City residents have never heard of Star Distribution, but if you’ve ever had your air conditioning repaired the morning after it broke down in the middle of a Florida summer, there’s a good chance Star is the reason it happened that fast. The 100-year-old family-owned logistics company, headquartered right here in Plant City, […]
Continue ReadingPlant City Bids Farewell to Commissioner Mike Sparkman with Aviation-Themed Retirement Celebration
After decades helping guide Plant City through growth and change, longtime City Commissioner Mike Sparkman received a first-class sendoff Tuesday night as friends, family, and civic leaders gathered for an aviation-themed retirement celebration that was equal parts tribute and “departure.” The flight-themed celebration, reflecting Sparkman’s longtime love of airplanes, featured aviation decor and two flight […]
Continue ReadingPlant City girls track team makes history with third-place finish at state
Less than a year after a devastating injury and reconstructive ACL surgery that ended her gymnastics career, Amari Jackson sprinted down the runway Sunday night at Hodges Stadium and launched herself into Plant City High School history. The sophomore long jumper earned a silver medal at the 2026 FHSAA Outdoor Track & Field State Championships […]
Continue ReadingDodson Tees Off Into Retirement With A Building To Bear His Name
Under a large white tent decorated in green and white, community members gathered May 1 at Ellis-Methvin Park to celebrate the retirement of Commissioner Bill Dodson with a golf-themed sendoff reflecting both his personality and almost five decades of public service. Guests mingled across the venue, where decorative putting greens and commemorative golf balls invited […]
Continue ReadingLeaders Open Direct Dialogue With Parents After Plant City High Campus Gun Incidents
In a high school cafeteria where the empty chairs vastly outnumbered the attendees, Plant City’s top officials spent Tuesday night offering something parents have been demanding: a direct, unvarnished conversation about guns in schools. The meeting, organized by Hillsborough County School Board Member Patti Rendon, was sparked by a string of recent incidents involving students […]
Continue ReadingBridging the Gap: Seniors Find Their ‘Future’ at Trinkle Center
With their final days of high school rapidly approaching, Javiel Rivera and his fellow seniors are no longer just counting down to graduation; they are counting on what comes next. Standing in a crowded convention hall at the Trinkle Center, Rivera clutched a bag filled with brochures that felt less like paper and more like […]
Continue ReadingPlant City Put Ice on Ice: Winn-Dixie Debuts Homegrown Micro-Factory
In a town known for strawberries, Plant City residents now have something else to brag about: their ice is officially homegrown. On Tuesday morning, The Winn-Dixie Company turned heads and cooled things down, with a ribbon-cutting that was anything but ordinary. Instead of satin and scissors, leaders fired up chainsaws and sliced through a 250-pound […]
Continue ReadingDual-Enrolled Dynamo: Grace Burris to Take Center Stage as Hillsborough College’s Commencement Speaker
When nearly 10,000 graduates, families, and faculty fill the Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Fri., May 1, one voice will rise above the crowd: Grace Burris. The Plant City resident has been selected as the 2026 Hillsborough College commencement speaker, an honor earned through a competitive speech contest that drew some of […]
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