Video courtesy of Stefan Ludwig

Buffalo, New York-based Total Wrecking & Environmental, one of the country’s leading industrial demolition contractors has been working at Lakeland Electric’s C.D. McIntosh Power Plant in Florida for the last six months.

Over the next year, Total Wrecking & Environmental will complete the abatement, remediation, demolition, asset recovery and removal of three large coal-fired units that have been in operation for more than 40 years.

Jan. 14 in Lakeland, Florida, community leaders and project managers will gather to witness the first implosion phase of the Lakeland power plant project as Total Wrecking & Environmental fells a 260-foot stack and a 90-foot selective catalytic reduction unit.

Because Total Wrecking & Environmental is conducting this project at an operational power facility, it is unprecedented in scope and complexity, requiring a tremendous number of resources, specialized crew members and surgical planning to ensure the demolition is performed safely and on time, the company says.

“Total Wrecking & Environmental is thrilled to clear and restore a critical area within the Lakeland McIntosh Power Plant for a newer energy facility,” companyCEO and founder Frank Bodami says. “We’re excited to apply our unparalleled demolition expertise and clear the way for Lakeland Electric’s new gas-fired reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) power plant.”

Total Wrecking & Environmental also is working hand-in-hand with the Wounded Warrior Project, which supports the empowerment and employment of wounded veterans, to provide “front row” live streaming access for the implosion. Those who would like to view the implosion live are invited to make a donation on the campaign page and receive an exclusive live-streaming link for supporting the cause.

In March 2023, Bodami will travel back to Lakeland, Florida, where he will direct Total Wrecking & Environmental's second controlled implosion of the coal-fired hung boiler units that represented the nucleus of the station at the McIntosh Power Plant for Lakeland Electric.

Related: Video: Total Wrecking & Demolition implodes Logan Generating Station | Breaking down big demo jobs

This article has been updated with the addition of a video of the demolition described.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Georgia had what Kirby Smart referred to as the “drive of the year” at the most pivotal junction in its 42-20 win over Florida on Saturday.

Senior Kenny McIntosh, who had a career-high 16 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns -- along with a pair of receptions -- helped set the tone for the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 SEC).

RELATED: Georgia flexes championship resiliency, turns back Florida

Five of the six plays on the 78-yard touchdown drive Smart referenced came on the ground as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 35-20 after the Gators had scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.

“That was probably the drive of the year so far, and they answered the bell, it was 28-20,” said Smart, who has now won five of the past six meetings against Florida.

“We’d lost momentum, we had what felt like three kickoff returns in a row. We weren’t getting field position and Kenny (McIntosh) had the fumble.”

The Gators turned McIntosh’s fumble and Stetson Bennett’s second interception of the game into 10 of their 17 third-quarter points.

Georgia, which built a 28-3 halftime lead with smothering defense and explosive plays to Brock Bowers (73 yards), Darnell Washington (25 yards) and Ladd McConkey (30 yards), turned to its ground game.

McIntosh fumbled on Georgia’s first play of the second half when the ball was stripped from behind on his 4-yard gain, and the Gators turned it into a field goal that made the score 28-13.

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken went back to McIntosh on the next drive, and the senior captain responded by tearing off runs of 13 yards and 15 yards before Bennett was picked off on an underthrown pass.

Florida made that turnover hurt, scoring three plays later on a 78-yard TD pass after freshman safety Malaki Starks blew his coverage.

RELATED: Rare blown coverage leads to tense moments in Georgia win

“Kenny came out after that fumble, and he had that eye of the Tiger look, and he wanted the ball and he was running the ball hard, and physical and getting yards after contact,” Smart said.

“That’s a lot of credit to the offensive line, but that’s a lot of credit to Kenny, as well.”

What Smart referred to as “the drive of the year” started with McIntosh bursting 11 yards up the middle and ended with a 22-yard touchdown run by Daijun Edwards that made it 35-20.

Ninety-one of the Bulldogs’ 110 yards in the third quarter came on the ground.

And McIntosh wasn’t done yet, powering through Florida defenders and moving the pile on a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that essentially put the game out of reach.

Smart went over to McIntosh on the sideline with a message.

“I told him he’s a bad MF’r, he’s tough, he’s physical and that’s what I talk about,” Smart said. “You have an opportunity to show resiliency, which is one of our four DNA characteristics, and I promise you every NFL scout and every Georgia fan watching will remember the way he responded.

“Kenny ran the ball with a vicious attitude, a contact-seeking running back … he ran pissed off.”

A pioneer in Sickle Cell research, Dr Charles McIntosh a graduate of Old Stanton High School became the first African American pediatrician in Jacksonville.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A love of science, the love of his life and the support of community are the reasons why Dr. Charles McIntosh says he has been able to continuously break down barriers in his profession.

“I have a whole lot of firsts," said McIntosh as he pointed to walls filled with accolades.

"The first African American to sit on the Florida Board of Medical Examiners," the 94-year-old humbly bragged. "Gov. Askew appointed me the first time and Bob Graham the second four years."

The first African American pediatrician in Jacksonville continues to help young people realize and bring to life their dreams. His legacy goes far beyond family.

"This is Charles McIntosh I," McIntosh said while holding a photo of his grandfather. "He's number one. I'm number three. I'm quite sure he'd be proud. These people had virtually no education at all. They were slaves."

McIntosh III has achieved what his ancestors, who were blinded by enslavement, couldn't see.

He graduated among the class of 1948 from Florida A & M University and went on to get a master’s degree in biology from New York University and an M.D. at Meharry Medical College. He accomplished all of this in spite of the racial oppression seen and felt at the time.

"We all understood that we were in a segregated situation, and we accepted that," McIntosh said. "Fortunately, we had good teachers. They made sure to identify those students who had that potential and ignited that will to overcome. And we did."

He grew up in Jacksonville at a time when "separate but equal" was the order of the day.

"When you're denied privileges, when you're denied access, when you're constantly being led to believe that you are less of a person, when you wake up each day knowing that I am Black and I am going to be treated as such is a burden ... too much," McIntosh said as he shook his head.

The burdens he withstood didn't deter the pioneer in sickle cell research. McIntosh would go on to open his private practice in pediatrics in Jacksonville in 1958. He served on the Florida Ethics Commission and helped found the Florida Sickle Cell Foundation in 1973. In December of 2005, the UF Health Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Center was named in his honor.

He has received numerous awards over the years but says The Silver Beaver from the Boy Scouts means the most to him. It's the highest volunteer award that you can receive on a local level.

There's a community center set to be built as a tribute to him on Moncrief Road called the "Dr. Charles B. McIntosh Community Achievement Center." It's a collaborative effort between the Kappa Alpha Psi Jacksonville Foundation and Wolfson Children's Hospital.

"None of this could have been possible without Anne," McIntosh said.

He credits his wife's support for his achievements.

"This is the third year of her passing," McIntosh said with his head briefly held down. "On Valentine's Day. This was my Valentine's Day present. Sitting at the breakfast table during a conversation, I noticed that she was not responding. And after a while it became obvious that she was not here. Now that was an experience and what I have to look forward to every Valentine’s Day."

Weeks from his 95th birthday McIntosh is able to smile through loss, reflect with a clear mind and forge forward with purpose.

"I'm just hoping what I do and how I do it is inspiring to young folks in particular," McIntosh said. "I'm really interested in helping youth find themselves and find a place for themselves to become good citizens."

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Posted at 6:19 AM, Aug 12, 2021

and last updated 10:59 AM, Aug 13, 2021

Many of us are looking for ways to remain active while also staying a safe distance away from others. That's why Sarah Phinney started a ‘Walking Club’ to highlight some hidden, and some not so hidden, trails and parks across Tampa Bay.

There’s a beautiful new preserve to explore in the Plant City area. McIntosh Preserveopened in June and is already getting rave reviews from visitors. Consider checking it out this weekend!

Where is it?

McIntosh Preserve is north of I-4, east of Paul Buchman Highway. The address is:

775 East Knights Griffin RoadPlant City, FL 33565

There are 20 parking spaces near the trail head, in addition to an overflow lot.

There are no restrooms or any other amenities at the preserve so plan accordingly.

What’s there?

McIntosh Preserve stretches 363 acres. Fifty acres have been developed so far, with plans for more in the coming years.

There are currently 2.2 miles worth of trails. All are color coded on this map.

The blue trail leads to a 30 foot observation tower, which is the highlight of the park.

If you’re unable to climb the tower, there are video monitors at the bottom so everyone can appreciate the views. There’s also a small playground nearby.

“If you have your youngsters with you and they get a little bit bored, they’ve got something to do while you’re up in the tower,” said Jack Holland, Director of Parks & Recreation for City of Plant City.

Holland says you could see a variety of Florida wildlife, including alligators, snakes, birds, bobcat and even possibly Florida panther.

“We think we’ve got one in here, but we haven’t been able to photographically prove it yet,” he said.

Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed and cleaned up after.

When should I visit?

McIntosh Preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

While city officials have seen a good amount of visitors, they’re expecting even more once the weather cools down.

“We want people to come out and thoroughly enjoy this property,” said Holland. “It’s unique and it shows Florida as it was and hopefully we’ll keep it that way for the future.”

Join Walking Club!

Post photos of your adventures, ask questions and learn about upcoming Walking Club stories in Sarah’s Walking Club group on Facebook!

You can also keep up with Sarah on Instagram and Twitter

Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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cmedina@starbanner.com

From the top of the hill on U.S. 441, just south of McIntosh, you can look east and almost see forever.

The green pasture, dotted with palm trees and stands of native oaks, slides down to Orange Lake. The vista is a favorite to watch the sunrise.

That view, along with the familiar old windmill and vacant orange shop off of U.S. 441, will remain intact for decades to come thanks to the efforts of residents and an area conservation organization.

On Friday, the Alachua Conservation Trust bought the “Orange Lake Overlook” property for more than $1.3 million from the Huff family.

“The community didn’t really want to see that property developed. We didn’t want to see houses on it. This is a really important spot,” said Heather Obara, ACT spokeswoman.

The property offers a glimpse of what Florida once looked like. The group will eventually open the property to the public as a nature park. Little will change, other than repairs to the orange shop, which will serve as a welcome center, and the addition of trails.

Still, it will take about a year before the park comes online.

The purchase was possible through a $1 million loan from The Conservation Fund and more than 450 individual donations.

“First thing we’ve got to do is pay that loan back. We will be continuing to fundraise to pay that back. Once we do that, we will start to make some improvements to the property,” Obara said.

But for now, the group is celebrating.

“It’s a big victory for our community. This is our largest number of people that have ever donated to a project. It’s a real diverse group. They included artists, bass fishermen, cyclists, those with a spiritual connection and those in the agriculture and the citrus industry,” said Tom Kay, ACT executive director.

The 71-acre property was once part of the vast citrus holdings of O.D. “Buddy” Huff. At one time, the hill was home to hundreds of orange trees. The Huffs operated the orange shop, where travelers could stop and get a free sample of orange juice.

But after a series of successive freezes in the area, the citrus industry collapsed in the 1980s. The family took a bulldozer to all the dead trees and replaced them with cattle. And for more than 30 years, that’s how the property remained, largely unspoiled and undeveloped.

In 2005, Sean Dowie opened an art gallery in the old shop. A freelance and nature photographer, Dowie fell in love with the view on his first visit.

“I grew up in South Florida. I didn’t know anything about this part of Florida until I came to visit my sister in law school at (the University of Florida), and I never left,” said Dowie, who lives in McIntosh.

The Windmill Gallery operated for about 10 years until a hurricane damaged the roof.

“One of my favorite things was walking out of the building and seeing the vista. It was just beautiful,” Dowie said. “I think it’s really amazing that they were able to save that.”

Beyond its part in Marion County’s history, the property has sentimental importance to many people, including Ollie Huff, O.D. Huff’s widow.

In a 2006 Star-Banner story on McIntosh, Ollie Huff said O.D. proposed to her at the top of the hill.

Through the years, many others followed suit.

“Through this process, we have heard all the unique and special stories this place holds. From marriage proposals to first dates, to memories of grandparents taking them to get orange juice after church. We’ve been capturing those stories and hope to find a way to share them in the future,” Kay said.

— Contact Carlos E. Medina at 867-4157 or cmedina@starbanner.com