Nationwide, public libraries are changing. What started as buildings of books about many subjects — fiction and nonfiction — are morphing. In Plant City, Judge James Bruton and his wife, Quintilla Geer Bruton, partnered with the Plant City Women’s Club in the early 1950s to start the Bruton Memorial Library. Operating as a department of […]
Continue ReadingTeen Take: Graduation is first taste of the real world
From the time we are aware of our graduation date, our view on walking the stage is framed with shimmering high school gowns and the iconic, synchronized tossing of caps. In reality, cap tossing is not allowed, in fear that a corner of the sharply cut headwear will poke a graduate in the eye. And […]
Continue ReadingFriends in the Park getting help
There are some exciting changes happening with the Friends in the Park program to combat homelessness in Plant City. The Friends in the Park program will be transitioning to the Winter Visitor’s Center on Dort Street starting in June. This new facility will provide a more comfortable environment with climate control, bathrooms, and ample seating […]
Continue ReadingPCHS cosmetology students win state competition
At Plant City High School, the cosmetology department and special needs program mingle to create something that is a cut above. Aspiring beauticians style and care for the beauty — inside and out — of special needs students. It is this relationship that allowed cosmetology students Chloe Christie, Chloe Fuson and Emily Rosenbaum to snag […]
Continue ReadingMath exams won’t be counted in overall grades
By Jeffrey S. Solochek | Tampa Bay Times Florida school districts that planned not to count state end-of-course algebra and geometry exams as 30 percent of students’ grades turned out to be prescient. Department of Education K-12 Chancellor Herschel Lyons informed districts on Monday that the results won’t be available in time, anyway. In a […]
Continue ReadingRoadside Wildflowers
By Devon Higginbotham | Florida Native Plant Society Ordinarily, the drive from Plant City to Tallahassee is too long and boring to handle without substantial amounts of coffee. But this spring, I was delighted to find the roadside ablaze in wildflowers — enough to skip Starbucks. For years FDOT has mowed the right-of-ways along its […]
Continue ReadingPCHS alumna UCF’s career strikeout leader
By Joey Knight | Times Correspondent Sift through the curve and screwball. Rummage around the 65 mph heater and low-50s changeup. For good measure, look beneath the riseball and above the dropball. It’s not there, never has been. For all the variety and velocity University of Central Florida senior Mackenzie Audas regularly packs, one thing […]
Continue ReadingMy View: Helping the Homeless
Since I last wrote a column in December addressing homeless issues in Plant City, there have been many new developments. Meetings The Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative, formerly known as the Homeless Coalition, recently met in Plant City with representatives from the following organizations: Plant City Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Plant City homeless advocates, […]
Continue ReadingQueena still serving as a beacon of courage
By Ernest Hooper | Times Columnist Queena Vuong, known for surviving a brutal attack at the Bloomingdale Library, was filled with nerves as she waited in line to meet one of her idols. Her sister, Anna, said Queena didn’t know what to expect from the star. But really, she had no reason to worry. After […]
Continue ReadingOnce trusted Plant City financial advisor now accused of massive fraud
By Dan Sullivan With the nation’s economic crisis as her backdrop, Paula Albertson became a recurring face on local TV news shows, offering expert advice on what people should do with their money. The Plant City financial planner even appeared on the Fox News Channel, dishing about new credit card regulations on Your World with Neil […]
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