11.19.20 PLCO

Plant City Observer

y Observer

YO UR HOMETOW N. YO UR NEWSPAP ER .

VOLUME 6, NO. 122

YOUR HOMETOWN. YOUR NEWSPAPER FREE

•

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

YO UR NEWS PAP ER . STRAWBERRY FLORIDA

FESTIVAL MAKES BIG CHANGE FOR 2021 The Florida Strawberry Festival will not have the usual mainstage headline entertainment for the upcoming 2021 festival. It’s opted to instead put a bigger spotlight on free entertainment.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

SEE PAGE 5

EMPTY BOWLS PROJECT CELEBRATES

YEARS

The annual fundraiser for the United Food Bank of Plant City returned over the weekend with a new twist.

JUSTIN KLINE

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

SEE PAGE 11

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

NEWS BRIEFS

2

Courtesy of Wonderland of Lights

Courtesy of the City of Plant City

Photos courtesy of Today With Rae

Hungry Howie’s, Corner Store partner for Thanksgiving giveaway No one deserves to go hungry on Thanksgiving, so two local businesses are doing their part to help some families who will need it.

Hungry Howie’s, 208 N. Alexander St., and the Corner Store, 121 W. Reynolds St., are teaming up to prepare pre-cooked, family size Thanksgiving meals to donate to families. They’re currently looking for families to donate to and have asked the Plant City community to help them identify those in need. Anyone who knows of a family that could use the restaurants’ help can contact either. You can also send a direct message to the Hungry Howie’s or Corner Store Instagram accounts (@ hungryhowiespc and @thecornerstorepc, respectively).

Hungry Howie’s is also finishing up a peanut butter and jelly food drive for the United Food Bank of Plant City this week.

The restaurant has been accepting unopened jars of peanut butter or jelly since

Monday and anyone who makes a donation through this Friday will be entered into a raffle to win $100 in Howie Bucks to use at the restaurant. The raffle winner will be drawn on Saturday.

PCPD, Polk County Sheriff catch murder suspect Plant City Police Department announced last week the arrest of Javier Figueroa Adorno, who is suspected of killing Jarelle Salter in late October.

According to PCPD, Figueroa, 39, shot Salter in the parking lot of the Park Springs apartment complex the night of Oct. 28 and left town. He was tracked to the Crystal Lake area of Polk County and, with help from Polk County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested without incident. PCPD added that Figueroa was on probation for a murder he committed while living in New York.

“The Plant City Police Department would again like to thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance in capturing this violent subject and bringing

him to justice,” PCPD spokesman Sgt. Al Van Duyne said in a press release.

PCPD is still looking for additional information regarding the shooting incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Toenes at 813-707-2253.

County commissioners approve routine testing recommendation On Monday, Hillsborough County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution recommending routine COVID-19 testing for staff at certain facilities in the county.

The commissioners supported regular testing for “staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities, group homes, and homes for persons with disabilities,” citing an increase in local coronavirus cases.

“Changes in state and federal guidelines have created some gaps in staff testing in these congregate, close-contact settings, where both workers and residents are vulnerable for contracting and spreading

COVID-19,” spokesperson Michelle Van Dyke said in a press release. “In Hillsborough County, there are nearly 300 nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and approximately 160 group homes. In addition to recommending that these facilities routinely test employees, the resolution recommends that the State of Florida consider instituting statewide rules for such testing.”

Tax collector’s office moving The Hillsborough County Tax Collector office in Plant City is getting ready to move a short distance away from its current location in the Strawberry Plaza.

Effective Dec. 3, the office at 1834 James L. Redman Parkway will close as the staff transitions over to its new location at 4706 Sydney Road. The Sydney Road office is expected to open at the end of December.

Visit hillstax.org for more information.

PlantCityObserver.com

THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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Operation Paying It Forward, in partnership with Feeding Plant City and Frontline Community Services, is hosting a Thanksgiving Food Drive until Nov. 23 to collect food for families in need.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Every year, Operation Paying It Forward steps up to the plate to make sure that local families have a happy and stress-free holiday.

This year is no different and the organization is heading into the home stretch of its Thanksgiving Food Drive. Partnering with Feeding Plant City and Frontline Community Services, its goal is to help local families have food to put on their tables this Thanksgiving. The groups are collecting nonperishable food items until Nov. 23 at three different drop-off locations.

“Every year we always do a turkey or a food drive,” Michelle Valdes, president of Operation Paying It Forward, said. “Last year we turned in almost 1,200 pounds of turkey meat to the Food Bank and I believe there were close to 300 people fed. This year we wanted to give back to the community again so anything we can collect, any nonperishable food item, will really go a long way. Whatever extra food we collect, we will continue to give out until Christmas.”

While Thanksgiving-themed food items like cranberry sauce, green beans or stuffing are highly encouraged, any nonperishable food item is welcome. The group is also collecting monetary donations to buy turkeys. You can give any amount and it will go toward buying a large bulk of turkeys that will be distributed to those in need.

Valdes may have only officially started Operation Paying It Forward in 2018, but

her life’s focus on giving back to others is many years in the making. She said her life changed in 2005 when her mother died from cancer. Valdes was at her lowest and her therapist told her that she needed to focus on bringing some good into the world just like her mother always had. Thus began her passion for random acts of kindness.

It started small. she’d buy a stranger a tank of gas or cover someone’s grocery bill. Then word spread and her humble, yet virtuous lifestyle began to make ripples through the community. In 2011 she helped get a local child in a wheelchair a “power chair” so he could follow his dream of racing about with few limitations. The boy’s family broke down in tears at the surprise gesture and Valdes knew this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

A few years later the idea evolved into a 501(c)3 non-profit, and since its creation it has gone above and beyond what the community originally expected, helping others in ways few would ever think to lend a hand.

Valdes attributes it to a simple philosophy: Operation Paying It Forward helps you where you need it, not just simply where you’re at. Sometimes someone needs help with an electric bill. Sometimes they need help getting new tires for the sole family vehicle they use to get to work. Many nonprofits have tight restrictions on where they are allowed to give their money, but Operation Paying It Forward aims to cut to the heart of the current problem.

For the holidays, however, the need tends to remain consistent. Families struggle to get food on the table, to buy gifts for their children for Christmas and help embrace the magic of the seaCourtesy photo son so many of us take for granted. Several organizations around town are waging their own fights against this ever-present issue and Operation Paying It Forward hopes to lend a hand in the ongoing battle to ensure everyone in need has food on their table.

“I know what it is growing up not to have food on the table and what it means to not have a gallon of milk in the fridge or even a can of something you can open and eat,” Valdes said. “I know that the struggle is real — I came from the struggle. I think that’s part

IF YOU PARTICIPATE What: Operation Paying It Forward & Feeding Plant City Food Drive When: Ongoing until 5 p.m. Nov. 23 Drop-Off Locations: Tint Plus, 2711 Airport Road; Grace Manor, 765 W. Grant St.; and OnPoint IT Solutions, 1805 James L. Redman Pkwy.

Need: Rice, pasta, bread, canned vegetables, stuffing, canned fruits, etc. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated to purchase turkeys.

Call: 813-418-0181.

Website: operationpayingitforward.com Facebook: Operation Paying It Forward

Courtesy photo

of why I’m so determined to do this every year. It’s personal for me and, well, I don’t think I can fully explain how much it means to me that I’m at a place in my life now where I can give back.”

Usually Valdes spends every waking hour of her Thanksgiving holiday in the car delivering food to families. She’ll often be on the roads long into the night. This year, thanks to her partnership with Frontline and Feeding Plant City, she’ll be able to handle the collections while the other groups handle delivery.

And there’s already a list of families waiting to receive the special deliveries.

“There’s definitely people out there that go unseen and who are unspoken and need help, but are too prideful to ask,” Valdes said. “And I have no problem being humble and reaching out to them and letting them know that I’ve been there and starting

over is hard, but possible. If I can help I’m going to help, and if I can’t get help I will find someone who can. There is no shame in needing a little bit of assistance. I truly believe if one person every day did one good thing, the world would be a better place. I know that sounds so political, but I’ve been saying it for so long.”

There are three businesses accepting the donations: Tint Plus at 2711 Airport Road, Grace Manor at 765 W. Grant St. and OnPoint IT Solutions at 1805 James L. Redman Pkwy. You can donate any nonperishable food item you have until 5 p.m. Nov. 23. If you need to make a donation outside of business hours, Valdes said you simply need to call and they’ll find a way to get someone to meet you.

For more information, call Alice Bullard at 813-418-0181.

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COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

PLANT CITY

Observer

This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigated a damaged cash register, stolen cash, stolen fishing gear,

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

a phone scammer and more.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com

Photo: iStock

NOVEMBER 6 BROKE SUSPECT, BROKEN REGISTER 2210 block of Thonotosassa Road Trespassing: This complainant stated someone entered her business and damaged the cash register.

JACKPOT 1500 block of James L. Redman Parkway Vehicle burglary: This complainant stated someone entered his vehicle and stole $11,439 from within.

NOVEMBER 7

$266.77 worth of household items and left without paying for anything. At the 1800 block of James L. Redman Parkway, a male subject and a female subject stole $60 worth of baby formula and fled. In both instances, the store managers signed a waiver of prosecution.

NOVEMBER 8 PROBLEMATIC PAINT JOB 700 block of West Ball Street Felony criminal mischief: This complainant stated someone poured black paint all over the roof and front windshield of her vehicle.

2020 STILL STINKS 1600 block of Golfview Drive Vehicle burglary: This complainant stated someone broke into his Chevrolet work van overnight and stole various DeWalt and Ridgid power tools. The stolen tools were valued together at $2,020.

NOVEMBER 9

GREEDY GROUNDSKEEPER 1600 block of Meredith Place Burglary: This complainant stated someone broke into her utility shed and stole a lawn mower and a leaf blower.

NOVEMBER 10

FIVE-FINGER DISCOUNTS Multiple locations Theft: At the 400 block of North Alexander Street, three female subjects entered a store, grabbed

SHOPPING SPREE 1 Police Place Fraud: This complainant stated someone used his credit card information online to buy more than $600 worth of goods.

Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com

NOVEMBER 11 NO LOCK, NO PROBLEM 1500 block of East Calhoun Street Vehicle burglary: This complainant stated someone entered his unlocked Chevrolet pickup truck, which he had parked in the back yard, overnight and left it in disarray. The complainant entered the truck shortly before 9 a.m. and found his $300 Costa sunglasses missing along with $50 in change.

He signed a waiver of prosecution.

NOVEMBER 12 NICE TRY 4600 block of West Highway 574 Criminal mischief: This complainant stated someone tried to break into his home during the previous week. He noticed damage to the door knob of his second floor patio door. The complainant signed a waiver of prosecution.

GIFT CARD GRIFT 500 block of South Morgan Street Fraud: This complainant stated she contacted what she believed was a phone number for Amazon and spoke with someone she believed to be an employee. The scammer told her to purchase $1,300 worth of gift cards online and read the numbers back to them. The complainant complied and was later advised by Bancorp to file a police report. She was given a case number and signed a waiver of prosecution.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL CANCELS

MAINSTAGE HEADLINE ENTERTAINMENT FOR 2021 It’s official: the Florida Strawberry Festival is forgoing its traditional mainstage headline entertainment for the 2021 festival. Instead it will have a variety of free entertainment in its place. FROM PAGE 1

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

After months of speculation, the Florida Strawberry Festival has finally announced it will forgo booking its traditional big music acts for the 2021 event.

Festival President Paul Davis said the decision has come after months of research and conversation. Instead of selling out the grandstands for acts like Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson and Styx, the festival will offer a spotlight for local entertainment during free shows.

“We have met with all of the health officials and the Health Department, the Surgeon General for the state of Florida, we’ve really had a lot of conversations and put together our own safety and health committee,” Davis said. “We have a medical doctor on there and we really are trying to keep everyone safe. In an abundance of caution, we have decided to forgo our mainstage entertainment this year. What that means is we will utilize those grounds with some small acts.

We will go out of our way to find a lot of free entertainment so our visitors will be entertained the entire time they’re here.”

Last year, the Florida Strawberry Festival was one of the last fairs in the state able to go off without a hitch before the pandemic arrived in full force merely two weeks later. Even then, there were signs indicating people should wash their hands and sanitize as much as possible.

When the pandemic was at its worst this summer, there were conversations about whether the 2021 event could happen at all. Davis said the festival’s board was determined to provide the event as long as there was a way to do so safely. It’s a community event and Davis said it's something they are proud to be able to put on and provide every year.

He added that there is now a basic understanding of preventative measures one can take to increase safety. You can practice effective hygiene, social distance and wear a mask to help with the spread. There are also two vac-

cines being promised that he said they are closely monitoring.

When the directors realized they could be attentive to those social distancing needs and health suggestions, they decided it was safe for them to put on a fair.

“We will develop some type of guidelines and requirements closer to the fair,” Davis said.

“There’s so many unknowns right now… It’s an evolving situation changing by virtue of the numbers are up, the numbers are down. The vaccines on the horizon, is that going to effect the first quarter? Will it have an impact on us? That remains to be seen. We are monitoring all of the layers of this and are constantly keeping track of what the latest health requirements and suggestions are. We will come up with a plan to keep people safe while still creating a fun and community based environment that our guests have come to love.”

Though Florida remains in the top percentile of states with COVID-19 cases, the community was anxious to hear the festival is

going on as planned. Davis said directors were getting “inundated every time they went to a restaurant or Publix or shopping that we had to have a fair.” He said they are going to go forward with the fair, to make sure safety is the top priority by following the CDC guidelines and that it's a decision most other fairs in the state will follow in the coming months.

“We’re looking at putting a lot more money into free entertainment this year,” Davis said.

“It’s a better bang for their buck

because they can go from a show to another show, eat some great food, visit some unique vendors and really enjoy their stay. It’ll be a staycation for Central Florida and we are excited to provide it.

For less than the price of a movie, you can be entertained all day and we are excited and just proud to provide that entertainment. It may look a little different, but we will still provide a great and safe fair.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

UPCOMING COMMISSION MEETING FEATURES HEAVY HEARINGS There are several long-anticipated public hearings at the next city commission meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 23 at City Hall.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Next week’s city commission meeting will be filled with public hearings and project approvals that will inarguably draw massive public interest.

One of the most anticipated public hearings of the year will be Monday evening as commissioners finally get to hear the nitty gritty details of the upcoming North Park Isle Planned Development District.

North Park Isle is years in the making and has strong support and opposition from community members. Emotions are high regarding the district, which will feature mixed-use residential and bring a massive housing community to the northeast side of town. On Monday, the details of the planned development district will be shared and commissioners will make a decision on renaming the district and approve or reject modifications to the PD. Some of the changes that will be pitched for the district include increasing the total acreage from 460.19 acres to 694.8 acres, increasing the number of residential units, reducing lot sizes, adding access points and discussing landscape buffer details, to name a few.

It’s expected to be a lengthy presentation and the public will be invited to share their thoughts on the modifications at its conclusion.

There is also a big project on next week’s agenda. Those who are workout enthusiasts will be thrilled to know the next phase of the Cooper Park Outdoor Fitness project is slated to be discussed. If approved, it will be a rather fastmoving project with an approximate 60-day building period.

On Nov. 23, there will also be a public hearing on an ordinance to adopt the annual update of the city’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Schedule of Projects. All of the projects included in the table “either maintain or enhance the municipality’s adopted levels of service, which in turn implements the overall “vision” of the Imagine 2040: Plant City Comprehensive Plan,” according to the city.

The items on the lists include 20 potable water, wastewater, transportation, recreation and stormwater management projects with total allocations over the next five years of $59,294,534, ending in fiscal year 2024/25.

A much smaller public hearing will be held Monday night as well and will discuss the rezoning of 8.96 acres located at the northeast corner of Daniels Road and West Trapnell Road. The applicant wants to change the current zoning of the R-3 Multiplefamily Dwelling Distritc to the PD Planned Development District (Alaventa PD).

This request is to allow 32 single-family residential lots and some limited commercial uses (maximum 5,000 square feet) on the property.

There will also be a public hearing for a final plat entitled Hunters Creek Phase I. The applicant is proposing creating a two-lot subdivision within the R-2 Multiplefamily Dwelling District. Currently the property is the site of Grace Manor at Hunters Creek, a senior living facility.

There is an existing three-story building on Lot 1 and a future three-story building is planned on Lot 2. The property in question is at 765 W. Grant St. and is 5.49 acres.

The city commission meeting will be streamed on the City of Plant City’s YouTube page. However, if you wish to speak in person at any of the public hearings, go to City Hall, 302 W. Reynolds St., at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23 and wait for the corresponding agenda item.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

PCPD CHIEF CANDIDATES MEET-AND-GREET The community has the opportunity to get to know the four candidates in the running for Chief of Police for the Plant City Police Department.

A meet-and-greet will be held at the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center this evening.

MEET THE CANDIDATES:

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The public is invited to spend some time chatting with the four final candidates in the city’s search for the new PCPD Chief.

The community “Meet & Greet” session will be held at the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. tonight. This will act as part of the screening process for the four candidates. Anyone who wishes to come will have to comply with a COVID-19 screening and follow the precautions in place, including temperature checks, mask wearing, and social distancing.

Its a drop-in style event, which aims to reduce the number of people there at any point in time. To participate, simply arrive during the allotted two-hour window, go through the COVID-19 screening and then walk toward the candidate of your choice. They will be staged in separate corners of the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center gymnasium.

The City of Plant City will screen the candidates from Nov. 18-20 via a series of interviews and exercises.

Joe Halman, Jr.: Formerly Chief of Law Enforcement with Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Halman is a name most in Polk County recognize. Hired as a deputy by then-Sheriff Dan Daniels, he worked his way up the ranks from deputy to detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major and chief of law enforcement before finally becoming the professional development director for PCSO. Halman then stepped away from law enforcement and was selected to be Polk County’s deputy county manager for public safety. He was the first black PCSO major and chief, as well as the first black deputy county manager. He has a Master of Arts from Southeastern, a Bachelor of Arts from Warner Southern and an Associate of Arts from Saint Leo University.

James Bradford: Formerly a colonel with Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. A native of New Jersey, Bradford received his law enforcement certification through the Tampa Police Academy in 1989. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology. Bradford started his career in patrol and then had a variety of detective assignments in areas including burglary, robbery, homicide and intelligence.

He also “was on the transition team to bring child protective investigations on a contract basis from the Florida Department of Children and Families to the Sheriff’s Office,” according to HCSO.

Kevin McGinley: Chief Deputy, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

McGinley has more than 28 yeas of law enforcement experience, including four years in the United States Air Force as a Security Police Specialist. Under OCSO McGinley has worked in Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Training, Community Response, and Internal Affairs as a deputy and sergeant. When promoted to lieutenant and later captain and major, he oversaw the Special Operations Division, Criminal Investigations Division and Training Unit. He has served on the OCSO SWAT since 1996. He has a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Columbia College and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from The University of Central Florida.

Elias “Eli” Vazquez: Formerly Assistant Chief of Police, Tampa Police Department. Vazquez has has been with TPD since 1994 and has been in law enforcement since 1988. Before joining the team at TPD he was in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years and then spent six years as an officer in Garden Grove and with the Seminole Tribe of Florida Police Department. He has worked in all three districts and spent the first part of his career as an undercover officer, detective, and sergeant working in the Narcotics Bureau.

He has also served as the Special Operations Division Captain in charge of the Motor Unit, Marine Patrol, Mounted Patrol, Air Service, DUI Unit, Traffic Homicide Unit, SWAT & hostage negotiation teams and the Special Incident Management Unit. He was also the TPD Hispanic Liaison. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

FORK RAN AWAY WITH THE SPOON draws eager racers A wave of people ran through the community Saturday morning to raise money for the United Food Bank of Plant City in its annual 5K.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Runners lined up outside of Krazy Kup early Saturday morning to take part in one of the most cherished 5Ks of the year.

The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon 5K is held each fall to support the United Food Bank of Plant City. Runners get to dash, jog or even walk a scenic route through the community. Then they come darting back just in time for a quick breather before the the Empty Bowls event. This year’s event featured 39 different soups and was held at the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum.

The air was brisk Saturday morning and the racers were gathered for the start long before the clock struck 7 a.m. Some wore masks throughout the entire race — attendees were invited to wear their own, but were also provided with themed masks for the race — including the first-place runner, who wore his mask the entire time.

Many families attended the event and children ran alongside their parents and siblings for the race. Some parents even pushed their little ones in strollers while they timed themselves on the

course. A hype squad set up shop at the corner of East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and North Palmer Street to ring cow bells and cheer for every runner in sight.

Following the event, many in attendance posed for victory photos at the starting arch and then walked across the street to the Empty Bowls event, which was just about to begin.

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EMPTY BOWLS PROJECT CELEBRATES

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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Courtesy of Silvia Dodson

Courtesy of Silvia Dodson

lines, take advantage of hand sanitizer stations scattered around the depot and, if they wished, get their soups to go. The biggest new addition for 2020 was the drive-through in the adjacent parking lot on the north side of the depot. All drivers had to do was pull up, place their order and they’d be out of there in no time without having to worry about getting stuck in a big crowd.

Seven local artists, as well as the 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and Court, painted nine bowls that were auctioned off at the event.

One of the artists, Lesli Platt, also designed this year’s t-shirts. Anyone who wants to buy a shirt can pick one up for $10 at the United Food Bank, 702 E. Alsobrook St.

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YEARS

There’s never been an Empty Bowls Project event quite like number 10.

The United Food Bank of Plant City’s annual fundraiser came back downtown on Nov. 14 and did look largely like usual. Attendees could still relax at the train depot with a hot cup of soup prepared by 24 local organizations and churches, enjoy live musicby Larry Clark and Ace Jackson and the Jump Kings, place bids in the auction and take home handcrafted clay bowls made by students at 19 Hillsborough County public schools.

The sidewalk chalk art also returned and this year featured an “interactive mosaic” designed by artist Leigh Alfredson and finished by people who signed up on-site. With a donation of either $1 or one can of soup, people could get in on the action and draw in their own square surrounding Alfredson’s drawing of a child holding an empty bowl.

But this year also required people to observe social distancing guide-

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

WITH THE HOLIDAYS AROUND THE CORNER, MANY EYE RISING COVID-19 CASES WITH FEAR COVID-19 is running rampant once again and many are debating whether they should have their traditional holiday celebrations.

Many eager to do so are flocking to testing locations to ensure they won’t be spreading the virus at their gatherings Photo: iStock

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

COVID-19 cases are on the rise once again.

The state now has nearly 897,323 infections after adding 7,459 coronavirus cases Tuesday. This has led to an increase in the weekly case average. Now Florida has approximately 6,450 new cases every day.

This is back to the same level we were at around mid-August.

In Tampa Bay, there were 998 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths reported Tuesday. The breakdown of cases in Tampa Bay-area counties since the start of the pandemic is as follows: Hillsborough has 53,432 cases, Pinellas has 29,509 cases, Polk has 25,531 cases, Manatee has 15,040 cases, Pasco has 12,771 cases, Hernando has 4,312 cases and Citrus has 4,019 cases.

On Tuesday, it was also announced there were 86 new coronavirus-related deaths across the entire state, which brings the weekly death average up to around 57 people per day. Since the start of the pandemic, 17,861 people have died from COVID-19 complications in Florida.

To break that further down, county by county, Polk added the most deaths with

the announcement that six people had died from COVID-19. Pinellas was next with four deaths and Citrus and Pasco each added one death. Hillsborough, Hernando and Manatee counties did not have any new deaths reported.

To put those numbers in perspective, Florida is sporting a 9 percent weekly positivity rate, according to Johns Hopkins University. The World Health Organization recommends a rate of 5 percent or below before communities begin reopening and going along like normal. In October it appeared as if Florida was on its way toward recovery as it finally met that 5 percent mark.

Then everything began to shift and soon the positivity rate began to rapidly climb.

Now Florida has the third-highest rate of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. Yet everything so far remains open and restaurants are operating at full capacity despite the fact that governors across the country have once again began shutting communities down in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus.

For those who have attempted to get tested recently, the news that testing sites are filling up fast comes as little surprise.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner many are flocking to testing sites in hopes of finding out if they are safe to travel to visit loved ones in the next few weeks.

And it’s a tricky business.

If you pay for a rapid response test — most of which average around $140 — you can find out immediately. If you wait until the last minute to get your test before hitting the road, this is essentially the only way to quickly know where you stand. Going to locations that charge for the test, many of which don’t take insurance, means you’re almost guaranteed to get an appointment.

Most, however, don’t want to pay that hefty fee and thus turn to the free county and state testing sites, several of whom also offer rapid tests and PCR tests. Tropicana Field reached its total testing capacity just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Other sites are begging those who wish to test to get appointments first so they can better manage who is coming.

If you do a standard nasal swab it can take five days or more for results to return at current testing capacity.

There were 3,250 tests complete from Monday to Friday across Hillsborough County, which is approximately a thousand

more tests than the county had in that time period the week before. As those numbers rise, there is a chance results will start to take slightly longer to get back.

When you begin to factor in the time it will take to hear whether you are positive, it becomes clear most have to get tested this week and then self-quarantine until they know for sure if they are in the clear.

If you wish to schedule an appointment you can do so at hillsboroughcounty.org.

The only Hillsborough County site currently in operation is at Suncoast Community Health Center, 313 S. Lakewood Drive, Brandon. The state is supporting and operating testing sites at Lee Davis Community Resource Center, 3402 N. 22nd St., Tampa and Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy. However, neither of the state locations have appointments available as they operate under a first-come, firstserve basis.

You can also go to a BayCare testing site, a CVS location, MedExpress or use a home test kit option. All of those are explored in detail on the county’s website.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

CUTEST CRITTER

Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are? Send your pictures to Staff Writer Breanne Williams at bwilliams@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

TANK: Lindsay Adkinson’s “grumpy old man,” a French bulldog, is enjoying his senior years by being as lazy as possible. He loves naps, belly rubs, his mom and, most of all, snacks.

We’re MOVING Our Plant City office is moving to a new location. The current office will close on Thursday, December 3.

Visit us at our new location at the end of December.

4706 Sydney Road Plant City, FL 33566 www.hillstax.org

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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NOVEMBER 19, 2020

SPORTS

Photo: Erick Truong/MaxPreps (Courtesy of Laura Bokor)

Tyler Bokor plays football and basketball at Durant High School.

See Page 15

GAME OF THE WEEK: TAMPA BAY TECH AT DURANT The Cougars, the last remaining Plant City-area team in the playoffs, will take on the Titans this Friday in an effort to get to the regional semifinal round.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Durant’s 2020 playoff run will finally begin this Friday.

Last week, the Cougars were supposed to kick things off by hosting Leto in the teams’ playin game for a spot in tomorrow’s regional quarterfinal. But the Falcons’ postseason hopes were felled by a positive COVID-19 test at Robinson shortly after they beat the Knights to score their first win of the season. Because so many of Leto’s players were forced to quarantine due to their close proximity with that Robinson player, last Friday’s game had to be forfeit and the Cougars automatically advanced to the next round.

With their newfound bye week, all the Cougars had to do was wait and see who they would draw for tomorrow night’s game. It would be a high-scoring offense either way: both Tampa Bay Tech and Bartow spent the 2020 season running up the score on most of their opponents, and each offense has averaged more than 40 points per game through their nine games. Though Bartow had advantages on paper with an 8-1 record and a bigger points for/against differential, they simply couldn’t hang in there with the Titans and took a 39-14 loss at home.

Though the Titans were slightly more productive on the ground than usual (207 total rushing yards and one touchdown), it was a typical TBT performance. Quarterback David Wright (who had 93 of those rushing yards as well as that touchdown), threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns while completing 65 percent of his pass attempts. Greg Gaines III and Armone Harris each cleared 100 receiving yards and Gaines caught three of Wright’s five touchdown passes. Harris and Jamari Gassett each caught

one touchdown pass and Gassett finished with 90 yards on six catches. The Titans defense picked up four sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery as well.

After giving up 229 passing yards on seven completions to Bloomingdale, Durant’s defense did get better against the pass.

This was most notable in the Battle for the Redman Cup when the Cougars held Plant City’s pass-focused attack to 169 yards and no touchdowns, limited one of the most heralded receiving prospects in the nation to 31 yards on three catches and essentially forced the Raiders to try and beat them on the ground (which they did when Romello Jones caught fire and scored five touchdowns with 203 yards). A comparison of stat sheets favors Wright over Plant City’s Nick Felice, but it should be a good sign for Durant that its defense has already proven it can cover a strong receiving corps.

After freshman running back Rod Gainey, who currently has 574 rushing yards and five touchdowns, Tech’s next-most productive runner is Wright himself. He has a team-high 11 touchdowns on the ground and has totaled 210 yards on 68 carries. After Wright, no running back on Tech’s roster has more than 19 touches or 22.3 yards per game. The Titans average about 116 rushing yards per game and the lion’s share go to Gainey, so Durant likely won’t have to worry about stopping a committee of backs so much as slowing Gainey down as much as possible and limiting opportunities for Wright to sneak into the end zone.

Durant also has the benefit of playing at home, where the Cougars have put together a 3-1 record and outscored opponents 119-54. They’re also coming off of their first road win, in which they played spoiler to Wharton’s bid for an undefeated season with a 20-9 win

in Tampa. Full stats were not available for the Wharton game at press time, but the Durant defense was on fire with four sacks, four hurries and a great effort from defensive back Aashton Kirkland in particular: two interceptions with 36 return yards, a blocked field goal and five solo tackles. The Titans’ offensive line has given up four or more sacks in three games this season, so it’s realistic to expect Durant to put pressure on Wright throughout the game if the Titans aren’t throwing the ball immediately after the snap.

Looking at Tech’s three losses and its one-point win over Armwood, three of those games had one thing in common: the opposing teams had great success throwing the ball. But there is a template out there the Cougars could follow. Only Gaither failed to crack the 200-yard passing mark in its 34-14 win, but the Cowboys’ offense dominated the time of possession (Gaither ran 51 plays against Tech’s 37) and their defense stepped up to sack Wright five times. That’s much more in line with Durant’s style of play than, say, throwing the ball 20-plus times and hoping for 300 yards and a few scores that way.

The winner of Friday’s game will move on to host the winner of the Lakeland-Kathleen game, for which the odds are probably pretty heavily in Lakeland’s favor. The Dreadnaughts have already played the Red Devils at Kathleen this year and ran all over them for a 37-9 win. Durant and Lakeland did play each other this year, with Lakeland getting a 35-0 win at home. The Cougars were supposed to play Kathleen as well, but COVID-19 forced the Red Devils to cancel that game and Sumner was added to Durant’s schedule to make up for it. Tech did not play either Polk County team in the regular season.

It won’t be easy for Durant to win this game, but it is possible.

FOOTBALL PLAY-IN ROUNDUP While Durant got a free bye week, Strawberry Crest and Plant City both lost last Friday.

JUSTIN KLINE

SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

For a little while, Strawberry Crest’s first-ever football playoff game looked like it might end with plans set for its second game in a week. But on the last play of the game, it ended with a heartbreaker for the home team.

George Jenkins picked up a 13-0 win over the Chargers on Nov. 13 to advance to the FHSAA regional quarterfinal. Neither team could score in the first half and only Crest got close with a 42-yard field goal try early in the second quarter. The Chargers did make things interesting later in the quarter when they forced a Jenkins fumble that Brock Craig was able to

come up with at midfield, but the Eagles were able to get the ball back with nine seconds left by punching it out of Jake Craig’s grasp at their own 27-yard line.

On Jenkins’ first drive of the second half, Crest ramped up the pressure in the offensive backfield when the Eagles got in the home team’s red zone and forced them to try a 37-yard field goal. It sailed wide left, giving Crest the ball back at its own 20-yard line. But Jamareon Bell snagged the first of his two interceptions a little more than a minute later, took it to Crest’s 30-yard line and set up what would soon become a 22-yard rushing touchdown for Joey Cheshire to open up the scoring. Bell then picked off Ryan Weems on the ensuing Chargers drive.

SEE PAGE 15

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

That led to back-to-back punts on consecutive drives. Crest just had much better fortune after its punt: after it rolled into the end zone for a touchback, a combination of offensive penalties and stifling defense backed the Eagles all the way down to their own five-yard line. They also burned through several timeouts in that drive before punting with 2:41 left to play, which gave the Chargers plenty of time to march downfield after they tipped Jenkins’ punt and got the ball back with only 25 yards between them and the paydirt.

The Chargers immediately gained momentum when Weems found Jake Craig open and Craig was able to fight his way to the Eagles’ four-yard line.

Weems got Crest within inches of the goal line on second down, but a bobbled snap then put the home team a few yards back. Crest called for a timeout with 30 seconds left, facing fourth and goal from the three-yard line. The next snap was also fumbled, but this one was recovered by Deshawn Wilson — who

then went 97 yards for a touchdown and used all of the remaining time on the clock to do it.

Because Sickles had to forfeit tonight’s scheduled game for COVID19-related reasons, Jenkins will face Armwood in Seffner in this week’s regional quarterfinal.

Meanwhile, at 1 Raider Place, Plant City got a rematch of its Oct. 2 game against Bloomingdale. The Bulls once again left Plant City with a win, this time with a 35-21 final score.

This game went slightly better for the Raiders than the previous one. The two teams went into halftime with a 7-7 tie and Plant City outscored Bloomingdale in the fourth quarter to pull within two scores. Nick Felice and Romello Jones combined for two rushing touchdowns and 74 of the team’s 114 rushing yards. Reagan Ealy had a big game with a team-high 155 yards and eight catches, one of which was a touchdown. But the Raiders turned the ball over three times and allowed 28 of Bloomingdale’s 35 points in the second half, 21 of which came in the third quarter. The Bulls will now play Pinellas Park on the road this week.

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Tyler Bokor Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at JKline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

If you need a good example of what it means to be a student-athlete, Tyler Bokor is your man. Bokor, a senior at Durant, has played football and basketball for the school for each of the last four years. In the classroom, he has a 6.2 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. Bokor had to miss two football games this season — including the team’s Senior Night — after a classmate tested positive for COVID-19, but he’s back on the field and ready for this week’s regional quarterfinal.

Strawberry Crest and Plant City were eliminated from the playoffs last week. FROM PAGE 14

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

FOOTBALL PLAY-IN ROUNDUP

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Let’s start with football. How do you feel about the way your senior season has been as a whole?

I feel pretty good about our season. We’ve had ups and downs but you can tell the growth we’ve had as a team. I just stayed prepared and made sure I was keeping up working out, watching film. There’s nothing you can do, so you have to keep a positive mindset. You have to make the most with what you’ve got.

You’ve got regionals coming up this week Tampa Bay Tech has a high-scoring offense.

What can Durant do to get the win and move on to semifinals?

I think we need to dominate the time of possession and maintain the ball as much as possible. I think our offensive and defensive lines are really important. They need to win that battle and if they do that, our skill players will make some plays on the outside. We can’t have any turnovers.

a lot of effort into that. Our pace, shooting and work on defense are our biggest strong suits.

What’s your proudest moment of the last four years playing high school sports?

There are a lot. For basketball, I think the end of last season. We went on a winning streak.

We started off not good, then got on a crazy win streak to end the season. We were on a roll. We had a buzzer-beating win and that was an exciting moment. For football, this is the furthest we’ve ever made it in the season. Even though it was aided by the COVID stuff, I’m proud of that.

You also do really well in the classroom. As someone who’s figured out how to balance school and sports and succeed at both, what’s some advice you’d give younger athletes?

It’s actually hard. There are a lot of days where I come home late from practice and do homework all night. But it’s worth it. Grades are what will matter in your future for most people. To get into a good college — and right now I’m trying to get into UF — I wouldn’t get in if I had slacked off… it’s so important and you won’t get this time back. If you have to grind after your sports practices, it’s worth it.

Read the full interview online at plantcityobserver.com.

Basketball’s on the horizon, too. What are you looking forward to about the upcoming season?

I think we have a really good team this year, maybe the best we’ve had in years. We have good young players and good talent that has transferred here. I think we can win a lot of games. I think we’re gonna get up and down the court really fast and put up a lot of points.

We have good shooting and can push the pace.

Our defensive rotations are strong. We’ve put

Photo: Erick Truong/MaxPreps (Courtesy of Laura Bokor)

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

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We asked Facebook: How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

“Just like always: family and loved ones getting together to eat and give thanks.” — Jeff Tillman

“With the whole family and friends.”

— Johnny Chestnut

“At home with family and friends.” — Anita Reddick

“That’s classified.” — Brad Dennis

“With family.” — Jennifer Bookmiller

“We usually celebrate by spending time with friends in Plant City. This year, the trip from Ohio doesn’t seem the right thing to do.” — Randy Gyulay

“Might do ham instead of turkey this year.”

— Edwin Alexander Mejia “With family from in town and out of state.”

— Abby Marie “I’m flying out to St. Louis, MO to fix dinner for my siblings.” — Donna Keeler Elliott

“Camping with the family at Moonshine Acres, Ft. White… Ichetucknee Springs.” — Jerry Taylor “After the meal and pumpkin pie, dreaming about Strawberry Festival strawberries with whipped cream.”

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PlantCityObserver.com

Ronald M. Lott

Barbara Jane Christian, 71, of Valrico, born on July 17, 1949 in Syracuse, New York, entered into eternal rest on November 12, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Ronald ‘Bud’ Warren, Sr.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Ronald “Bud” Warren, Sr., 83, of Lithia, born on August 16, 1937 in Savannah, Georgia, entered into eternal rest on November 8, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Maxine Waters Maxine Waters, 86, of Plant City, born on May 30, 1934 in Meigs, Georgia, entered into eternal rest on November 10, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Iris ‘Gerri’ Geraldine Joyner Iris “Gerri” Geraldine Joyner, 72, of Plant City, born on July 26, 1948 in Bradenton, entered into eternal rest on November 10, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Samuel ‘Sam’ Mills Morrow Samuel “Sam” Mills Morrow, 71, passed away November 10, 2020 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

He was born in Plant City on April 11, 1949. He grew up in Plant City, graduated from Turkey Creek High School in 1967, served in the Marine Corps, and currently resided in Lakeland. Sam worked for the Polk County Road Dept. for 30 years as a Paving Inspector.

He was a Christian first and foremost and a Baptist by choice.

His favorite pastime was stock car racing. He literally lived and breathed the races, sprint cars in particular. Sam never met a stranger, especially at the races, where he was notorious for being a practical joker. He was a regular

fixture at all the racetracks in Central Florida. When he wasn’t racing or working on a pit crew, he was announcing races.

When Sam was calling a race, he was exceptional at getting the crowd fired up and into the action. Sam loved restoring and racing antique race cars, and this past year was awarded a trophy for his years of service by the Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association (DAARA). He will be dearly missed by family, friends and countless racing fans and associates.

He was predeceased by his mother, Bernice Morrow; father, Arthur Morrow; and sister, Juanita Henderson. He is survived by his brother, Bill Morrow (Diane); nephew, Ron Henderson (Debbie); nieces, Connie Harris (Victor) and Tonya Lawson (Eric); and nephew Chad Morrow (Kellie).

Also survived by many cousins, great-nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity in memory of Sam. Funeral services were held November 17, 2020 at Hopewell Funeral Home, 6005 South County Road 39, Plant City.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Thanh Thien Le

Vera Mae White

Thanh Thien Le, 77, of Plant City, born on October 17, 1943 in Dong Thap, Vietnam, entered into eternal rest on November 13, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Vera Mae White, 82, of Plant City, passed away on November 15, 2020. The family will receive friends Friday, November 20, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Sharon Baptist Purity Church, 3506 North Young Road, Plant City, FL 33565.

Funeral services will follow at 11:00 AM. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

OBITUARIES

Ronald M. Lott, 84, of Seffner, born on June 13, 1936 in Plant City, entered into eternal rest on November 13, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Barbara Jane Christian

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Gary Alan Parramore Gary Alan Parramore, 55, of Wesley Chapel, passed away on November 14, 2020.

The family will receive friends Thursday, November 19, 2020 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Funeral services will follow at 12:00 PM. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

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Velma Lee Boothe

Velma Lee Boothe, 95, of Plant City, passed away on November 12, 2020. A graveside service was held November 17, 2020, at Memorial Park Cemetery Plant City Florida.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

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OBITUARIES

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

Ulises SanchezBautista

Ulises Sanchez-Bautista, 21, of Seffner, passed away on November 17, 2020.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care.

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Wells MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy

James R. Grimes, 85, of 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com

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R WellsMemorial.com for the Grimes udly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. family.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

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YOUR CALENDAR

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BEST BET SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 STRAWBERRY CLASSIC CRUISE-IN

3 to 8 p.m. at 102 N. Palmer St. The Plant City Strawberry Classic Cruise-In is back this Saturday, rain or shine. Cars and trucks manufactured in or before 1995 can register for free starting at 3 p.m. Live music by DJ John Paul Gasca.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person.

Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/PlantCityToastmasters/, for meeting locations and information.

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

Plant City Recreation presents Baton Twirling Classes at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Classes are held every Thursday. Beginner classes are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Intermediate classes are from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your first class will be free. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Barbara Patrick at 813-626-4554.

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Wells MeMorial & event Center

Retro Movie Night. This month’s feature is the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie released in 1990.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6 to 9:30 p.m. Every Saturday night at Strawberry Square, 4401 Promenade Blvd., DJ Ken Miller and Plant City Social Dance are letting 50 people who pre-register hit the dance floor and get moving. Ballroom music will be played from 6 to 6:30 p.m. and the regular dance, which has country and rock music, picks up from there until 9:30 p.m. Sample playlists are viewable at djkenmiller.com and you can call 863-409-7714 to sign up.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing. If you’ve served any time in the military, retired nor non retention, and would like to review your benefits, please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific time. Masks are required and temperatures will be taken at the door.

PlanT CiTy

813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com

Joshua S. McLean, 28, of Riverview, we’re dedicated to helping families create a TO S E RVE our community passed away on Monday, Novemunique and meaningful memorial that truly mpassionate care since 1896. ber 16, 2020.

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Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. wellsmemorial.com for the McLean family.

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813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com 10/27/15 10:42 AM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 RETRO MOVIE NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. Visit Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a

mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person.

Visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/PlantCityToastmasters/, for meeting locations and information.

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

Plant City Recreation presents Baton Twirling Classes at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Classes are held every Thursday. Beginner classes are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Intermediate classes are from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your first class will be free. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Barbara Patrick at 813-626-4554.

THE WONDERLAND OF LIGHTS & SANTA’S VILLAGE OPENING NIGHT

The fifth annual Wonderland of Lights event opens Nov. 26 and will offer attendees a non-contact, drive-through experience every week until Dec. 27. The light show is the main attraction from Monday through Wednesday. From Thursday through Sunday, attendees can also hang out at Santa’s Village to see Santa Claus himself. Also on the schedule are several family-friendly acts like Rulito’s Musical Comedy Extravaganza (Nov. 26), Nerdy Noah’s Comedy Show (Dec. 10-13) and the duo of Dennis Lee and Stephanie Ann (Dec. 24-27). Tickets are $15 per car Monday through Wednesday and $25 per car Thursday through Sunday. For more information about the event, visit thewonderlandoflights.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27 BORN LONESOME

7 to 8:30 p.m. Visit the loft at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for an evening of bluegrass with Born Lonesome.

Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased online at eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 SEED LIBRARY OPEN AT PCC COMMUNITY GARDEN

9 a.m. Choose or donate heirloom seeds at the Seed Library in the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. This helps keep diversity in the local food system. The library is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Call (813) 435-8111 for more information.

PLANT CITY SOCIAL DANCE

6 to 9:30 p.m. Every Saturday night at Strawberry Square, 4401 Promenade Blvd., DJ Ken Miller and Plant City Social Dance are letting 50 people who pre-register hit the dance floor and get moving. Ballroom music will be played from 6 to 6:30 p.m. and the regular dance, which has country and rock music, picks up from there until 9:30 p.m. Sample playlists are viewable at djkenmiller.com and you can call 863-409-7714 to sign up.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

Send your photo submissions to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

THURSDAY, NOV. 19 High: 79 Low: 62 Chance of rain: 10%

FRIDAY, NOV. 20 High: 81 Low: 63 Chance of rain: 20%

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Nov. 19

6:53a

5:34p

Friday, Nov. 20

6:54a

5:33p

Saturday, Nov. 21

6:55a

5:33p

Sunday, Nov. 22

6:56a

5:33p

Monday, Nov. 23

6:57a

5:33p

Tuesday, Nov. 24

6:57a

5:32p

Wednesday, Nov. 25

6:58a

5:32p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, NOV. 21 High: 80 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 10%

SUNDAY, NOV. 22 High: 82 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 20% This is of the “Queen of Walden Lake,” as David Croxton calls her. “When you enter Walden Lake West and as you pass the lake on the left, if you look to the right you will most often see her standing majestically,” Croxton wrote. “You will often see her surrounded by her subjects (ducks) and sometimes they seem to be lined up as if she were speaking to them. Maybe she’s holding a rally or a town hall.”

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(C) 2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

ACROSS 1 Seminary book 6 E-cigarette output 11 Media-monitoring org.

14 __-proof: easy to operate 15 How the cheese stands, in a kids’ song 16 “__ be in touch!”

17 *Fruity ice cream treat 19 Be litigious 20 Grandstand group 21 Cough syrup, e.g.

23 Chad or Rob of movies 26 Practical joke 28 Lacking a downside 29 Immobile 31 Chafing result

33 Smart set member 35 “Great Leap Forward” Chinese leader 36 Storybook fiend 39 Upside-down sleeper 40 Fixed, like the ends of the answers to starred clues 43 Put a jinx on 44 Messy roomie 46 Nourished 47 House speaker Nancy 49 Luggage tie-on 52 Shops with slicers 53 Gondolier, e.g.

55 Deviate from a course, at sea

57 MASH shelter 58 Declares to be true 60 Carpentry wedge 62 Nautical pronoun 63 *Knock one out of the park 68 Afternoon social 69 Chopin piece 70 Marble mineral 71 Write “mispell,” say 72 “Jurassic Park” critters, briefly 73 Well-known DOWN 1 Highchair wear 2 Wash. neighbor

3 TSA checkpoint container 4 Shoes sans laces 5 Sicilian volcano 6 Seven Sisters college 7 Tyrolean peak 8 C-SPAN figures, informally 9 French crockful with a cheesy crust 10 Captured back 11 *Place for rural anglers 12 Crossword hints 13 Checkout worker 18 “Life of Pi” director Lee 22 Common jazz combo 23 Tree branches 24 Shaq of NBA fame 25 *Won 10 in a row, say 27 2/2/20, for Super Bowl LIV 30 Many coll. lab instructors 32 Roll of bills 34 Egyptian queen in Tut’s time 37 Amber, for one 38 Be 41 Like fresh nail polish 42 __ XING: crosswalk sign 45 Restrain, as one’s breath 48 Captive’s plea 50 Worked together perfectly 51 Serious cuts 53 Keep moist, as turkey 54 [none of the above] 56 Grinch victim 59 Zap with a Taser 61 Somali-born model 64 Pointless bother 65 Squeal on the mob 66 Rugged vehicle, for short 67 “Game of Thrones” patriarch Stark

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Dec. 13 New

Nov. 19 First

Nov. 29 Full

Dec. 10 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Nov. 9

0.56

Tuesday, Nov. 10 0.15 Wednesday, Nov. 11

3.64

Thursday, Nov. 12 1.84 Friday, Nov. 13

0.00

Saturday, Nov. 14 0.00 Sunday, Nov. 15

0.00

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2020 57.79 in.

2020 6.49 in.

2019 39.63 in.

2019 0.45 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020

when treating a heart attack or stroke, time is of the essence. even during these times.

Don’t hesitate when it comes to getting emergency treatment.

Even during a pandemic, you still need to be treated immediately if you have an emergency.

Debating whether or not to risk going to an emergency room during a heart attack, stroke or other health emergency—waiting even a few extra minutes—could be harmful. That’s why in

20-1213541-0920

all BayCare hospital emergency rooms, patients who have symptoms of COVID-19 are screened and treated in a separate area. This helps keep emergency room patients and our team members safe. So if it’s an emergency, don’t wait. For more information: BayCareEmergencyCare.org