Crash Takes Life of Graduating Senior by CYNTHIA KRAHL Teachers
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Who Will Become There’s A New Main Mr. HHS 2018? Street To Cruise A3 A5 Herald-THE Advocate HARDEE COUNTY’S HOMETOWN COVERAGE 118th Year No. 21 2 Sections www.TheHeraldAdvocate.com 70¢ Plus 5¢ Sales Tax Thursday, April 19, 2018 Crash Takes Life Of Graduating Senior By CYNTHIA KRAHL teachers. He displayed a stick- Of The Herald-Advocate to-it-ness that made his teach- Hardee Senior High ers proud, and he will be School’s Class of 2018 spent missed,” she added. Prom Night grieving the loss News of the fatal crash was of one of their own. shared quickly through social Christian Martinez, 18, of media. His classmates, primp- Bowling Green, was killed ing and preparing for prom, early Saturday morning in a added a memorial to their single-vehicle crash while on checklists of corsages to coif- his way home from an evening fures. of work and then dinner out The vigil in Christian’s with friends, the Polk County memory preceded the prom at Sheriff’s Office said. 5:45 p.m., held at the “The loss of a student is al- Wauchula water tower adja- ways a difficult thing for stu- cent to Wildcat Stadium. In- dents and staff to grapple with, stead of football uniforms and and Christian’s passing just orange-and-blue T-shirts, tuxe- weeks before his graduation is dos and evening gowns graced particularly heartbreaking,” the grass. HHS principal Dr. Michele It was a solemn showing of Polk said on Monday. shared grief and prayer. “Christian was a guy with a Polk said juniors and seniors big heart; he had an infectious were excused from classes on COURTESY PHOTO smile, was friendly and well- Monday and Tuesday because Classmates gather to seek solace at a pre-prom memorial for Christian Martinez. liked by his classmates and See CRASH A3 Final Call For ‘Story Of Jesus’ By TOM STAIK By JOAN SEAMAN tions office, 3365 U.S. 17 N. in Of The Herald-Advocate Of The Herald-Advocate Bowling Green, almost across The wind was in her face as she stared into the These are the final two from the college; by mail to sun. chances to see and feel the P.O. Box 97, Wauchula, FL She paced to and fro – her attention never “The Story of Jesus” in its full 33873; or online at storyofje- wandering far from the chalk-lined triangle production. sus.com. There is an additional Friday and Saturday $1.50 service charge per online of grass nearby. evenings are the last perform- ticket. Alexis Benjamin-Graham ances of this local award-win- All scenes are interpreted walked to the edge of the ning play of the birth, life, for the deaf and hearing-im- chalk line and she took one death, resurrection and tri- paired by someone onstage. last look at the field and umphant Second Coming of “The play is the best it’s closed her eyes. the Christ. been in the 31 years we’ve A pensive calm overtook The production is at 7 each been doing it,” said the Rev. the lines of her face as she opened her eyes. night at the Hardee County Mike Graham, producer and “I think I will spin this time,” Benjamin-Graham said. Cattleman’s Arena, adjacent to director of the massive under- The senior at Hardee Senior High School had noth- the Agri-Civic Center at Sten- taking, including several ing to lose. strom and Altman roads west months to prepare the cast and of Wauchula. volunteers for the experience. Her first attempt in the discus pit last Thursday at Tickets for the three-hour Converting the arena for the Cypress Creek (Wesley Chapel) High School at the presentation are $25 for adults, passion play can only begin Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 2A $18 for children, $23 for sen- after the annual Hardee District 9 tournament was record-setting. ior citizens and groups of 25 or County Fair closes. It takes Into the wind – and the Wildcat record books – the more, and $15 for the end sec- round-the-clock efforts by a student-athlete unleashed the glimmering discus a dis- tions. handful of volunteers to tance of 34.94m. The effort broke the previous HHS They can be purchased at change the dusty arena to a record. the Power & Light Produc- 250-foot panorama of scenes Her second attempt – thrown from an almost station- of Jerusalem, the temple, ary stance – fell a hair shorter at 34.16m. palace, Bethlehem and other “There are going to be a lot of boys jealous of that,” WEATHER places with biblical accuracy which earned the play the 2011 quipped the official, a coach from Lake Wales High DATE HIGH LOW RAIN School. 04/10 82 67 1.48 Sumner National Award, the 04/11 80 56 0.00 highest in outdoor theater. As the wind continued, Benjamin-Graham took 04/12 84 51 0.00 “We used to have more than her place in the white sand of the ring. 04/13 86 60 0.00 50 volunteers to set up and Striking a pose that exuded classic 04/14 91 57 0.00 take down the scenery and cre- Olympian form, Benjamin-Graham paused, 04/15 88 59 0.19 ate the streets of the towns. and with the glimmering silver discus in her outstretched 04/16 70 60 0.00 Now, it’s a dedicated dozen Rainfall to 04/16/2018 - 5.41 See FOUR A2 Same period last year - 4.54 trying to do it all around their Ten Year Average - 49.17 See FINAL A2 Source: Univ. of Fla. Ona Research Center INDEX Classifieds . .B10 ‘Town Hall For Our Lives’ This Saturday Courthouse Report . .B5 Crime Blotter . .A7 By TOM STAIK Church. Youtube Headquarters in San Freeman, Pollard, and The district includes re- Hardee Living . .B2 Of The Herald-Advocate “We can choose to sit on the Bruno, Calif., last month. Sawyer are candidates in sponsibility for nine counties: Information Roundup . .B3 Politicians and candidates sidelines or we can join to- Serving as master of cere- Florida’s 17th Congressional Hardee, DeSoto, Charlotte, Obituaries . .A4 from across the state will de- gether and fight for a future monies for the event will be District. Glades, Highlands, Lee, Puzzles . .A13 scend on Bowling Green this that works for us – a fair econ- Daniel H. Sohn, a councilman Also scheduled to attend is Okeechobee, Sarasota, and Save The Date . .A2 Saturday to take part in a omy with good-paying jobs, from the town of Haverville in Catherine Price (D-Lake south Polk County. School Lunch Menus . .B4 “Town Hall For Our Lives” racial justice, and full equality Palm Beach County. Wales), a candidate seeking to “I have an assistant organ- Solunar Forecast . .A11 event. for all – and to create change “More than ever, I believe it fill Florida’s 26th Senate seat izer in every county who takes Wildcat Scratches . .A8 JaKevis Brown, who and a reformed criminal jus- is the responsibility of very being vacated by Sen. Denise the role of leader and point of headed the student-led tice system,” Brown said. leader from every level of Grimsley (R-Lake Placid). contact for that county,” said “March For Our Lives” in Beginning at 2 p.m., the government to keep out com- Brown, a senior at Hardee Brown. “They are all support- Bowling Green last month, is forum will focus on the shoot- munities safe,” Sohn said. Senior High School, serves as ive and great sidekicks.” organizing the forum, which ings at Marjory Stoneman Panelists scheduled to at- district organizer for Florida’s Grady Daniels, an assistant will be held at Greater Mace- Douglas High School in Park- tend include: April Freeman, 17th District Students De- organizer from Polk County, donia Primitive Baptist land on Feb. 14 and at the Bill Pollard, and John Sawyer. mand Action Chapter. See TOWN HALL A2 A2 The Herald-Advocate, April 19, 2018 THE Water Shortage Still In Effect erald- dvocate By JOAN SEAMAN 1.21 to 3.68 inches in April. Normal and permanent press H HARDEE COUNTY’SAHOMETOWN COVERAGE Of The Herald-Advocate Since Jan. 1, there have been wash cycles use more water, so SAVE MICHAEL R. KELLY Recent rains have not been 5.57 inches of rain in the South use the shortest wash cycle for Co-Publisher and Editor nearly enough to improve district, compared to the his- lightly soiled loads. Stains can water reserves. toric (since 1914) average of be pretreated to avoid rewash- THE JAMES R. KELLY According to a press release 10.00 inches. The January- ing. Co-Publisher from the Southwest Florida April normal range is 6.38- Any time of year, use the CYNTHIA M. KRAHL Water Management District, 13.45 inches. home’s water meter to check DATE Managing Editor April is Water Conservation The 20th year of the annual for leaks. Turn off all faucets JOAN M. SEAMAN NOEY DeSANTIAGO Month because it is usually the proclamation comes with and water-using appliances Sports Editor Emeritus Production Manager driest month of the year and ”helpful hints” on how to con- and make sure no one is using APRIL marks the peak demand season serve water. water during this test period. The first is to turn off the Go to the water meter and 19 – Financial Fitness TOM STAIK DARLENE WILLIAMS for water suppliers. The district urges residents faucet while brushing your record the current reading. Class/Hardee Help Sports Editor Assistant Production Manager to practice year-round water teeth.