Plant City Observer
y Observer
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VOLUME 6, NO. 117
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020
YO UR NEWS PAP ER . PROPOSED GAS STATION LEADS TO STRONG COMMUNITY FEEDBACK Commissioners held a public hearing regarding the rezoning of a piece of land on East Alsobrook Street. The initial community feedback led to a near hour-long conversation about the property.
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
A rezoning request led to quite a stir during last week’s city commission meeting when the community expressed concerns over a proposed gas station on East Alsobrook Street. The applicant came before the commissioners asking to rezone 11.87 acres at 1909 E. Alsobrook St. from an R-1 A Single-family Dwelling District to a C-1 General Commercial District.
Commissioners learned the developer plans to build a convenience store with gas pumps and a climate controlled self-storage facility on the property. The Planning Board unanimously found the rezoning to be consistent with the Plant City Code on Aug. 26, so it was forwarded to city commissioners for approval. Commissioners were discussing the rezoning last week when the public comments began to roll in. Allin-all it took nearly an hour to wrap the topic up.
SEE PAGE 5
#BOWDENSTRONG
Plant City residents gathered downtown Tuesday evening to pray for Lindsey Bowden, who was hospitalized after a serious accident.
JUSTIN KLINE
SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lindsey Bowden needs all the support she can get right now. Bowden, who graduated from Plant City High School in 2018, was seriously injured in a longboarding accident on Sept. 16. While she’s fighting to get back on her feet again, her communities have done what they can to let her know they’re in her corner. Lees-McRae College, where she plays soccer, held a prayer vigil for her on Sept. 20. Plant City residents did the same on Tuesday evening at the Palmer Street train depot. More than 60 people — friends, family members and more — came to pour the energy of their thoughts and prayers to Bowden and her family as they tackle one of the toughest times in their lives. “We’re here tonight to show support, say prayers, take donations and do what we can to help the family,” Traci Walding, one of the family friends who helped organize the vigil, said. Leecy Bowden, Lindsey’s mom, has given several updates on her daughter’s condition via Facebook over the past few weeks. In a Sept. 23 post, she went into detail about the acci-
dent itself. While longboarding down a hill on her college campus, Lindsey was unable to control her momentum and hit a car. The impact from the collision sent Lindsey backward and broke her skull. Her brain was bleeding and swelling, and she was immediately hospitalized. “When we found out, we left immediately in the middle of the night and we had to drive through Hurricane Sally to get up there,” Charlie Bowden, Lindsey’s father, said. “We stayed up there for two and a half weeks. It’s been unbelievable. It’s been something that no parent needs to go through. A parent’s nightmare. We were on the road and they asked if they could do a procedure while we were driving.” Two surgeries later, Lindsey’s brain pressure was stabilized and her condition improved to stable. After she woke up from a coma, she regained some movement and was able to react. A piece of her skull was removed and that, Charlie said, was crucial to Lindsey’s condition improving.
SEE PAGE 3
Justin Kline
Charlie Bowden gives an update on Lindsey Bowden’s condition during Tuesday night’s prayer vigil downtown.