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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
COUNTY COMMISSION TAKES OVER FOR HILLSBOROUGH EPG
County commissioners will now manage emergencies in Hillsborough after voting Wednesday to relieve the Emergency Policy Group of its duties.
SEE PAGE 5 BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
FLY INTO PLANT CITY Witches and Wizards hopped on their Nimbus 2000s and flew to downtown Plant City last weekend for the third annual Harry Potter celebration.
Photos by Breanne Williams
Above: Attendees dressed up for the event. Left: Honey Pot Wax Studio had a photo booth.
Once again, downtown businesses united in honor of the Boy Who Lived as the community rallied together in a Harry Potterthemed celebration. Witches and wizards — many of whom arrived in their house robes — were spotted throughout the city during the seven-hour event. A variety of businesses offered unique deals, Harry Potter-themed beverages, food and merchandise for the special event. This was the third year the celebration has been held in Plant City. This year, Plant City Main Street’s Merchant Committee took the reins and the organization reminded attendees to social distance, wear masks, stay with their parties and use hand sanitizer as frequently as possible. The event has grown each year and ,despite the pandemic, 2020 was no exception. The longer hours helped keep people from flocking to downtown all at once. Several said they traveled from all over the state with their families to participate. Main Street also added photo ops and a virtual costume contest to the lineup. At check-in, which was held at the train depot, attendees could take their photo under their house banner, with “Have You Seen This Wizard?” wanted posters and at Platform 9 3/4. The Harry Potter soundtrack played throughout the evening from the speakers in McCall Park and many stores got in on the action by having the movies or the audiobooks playing as guests shopped. Some even built photo ops of their own or had games and activities available for attendees to try. To check out the costume contest, visit Plant City Main Street on Facebook. For more photos of the event, visit plantcityobserver.com.
NEWS BRIEFS
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
Teen arrested after burglary spree in Seffner and Dover
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office determined a teenager committed a string of burglaries in June and July, and announced his arrest Tuesday. HCSO said William McDougal, 16, burglarized several businesses and properties in Seffner and Dover between June 26 and July 30. McDougal now faces misdemeanor and felony charges for the Hillsborough County burglaries and also has a warrant for his arrest out of Polk County for additional charges of burglary and grand theft. The crime spree began June 26, when HCSO said McDougal forced entry into Collier’s Mower Repair in Seffner and stole cash from the register as well as a DVR used for surveillance video, valued in total at $390. One month later, at 2 a.m. on July 27, he and an unidentified suspect entered a barn in Dover through a detached door and stole three dirt bikes and two chain saws, a total value of $4,500. The pair were caught on video. McDougal and an unidentified suspect went to Parkesdale Farms later that morning, broke a surveillance camera and stole a John Deere Gator HPX vehicle valued at $4,000. HCSO said McDougal’s last three burglaries were committed on July 29 and 30. McDougal entered a closed barn in Dover during the morning of July 29 and stole three dirt bikes, a mountain bike, lawn equipment and tools valued together at $7,850. Sometime that night, he and an unidentified suspect took a Yamaha YZF R3 motorcycle valued at $10,000 from a driveway in Seffner. On July 30, he dismantled a privacy fence surrounding a Seffner property to enter it and steal a Polaris ATV, valued at $12,000. Police said he successfully started both the Yamaha and the Polaris damaging the ignitions, using a screwdriver for the Polaris, and also damaged the ignition of another ATV on the Seffner property on July 30 but failed to start the engine.
HCSO promotes storm safety
Justin Kline
McDougal was arrested the next evening, July 31, and charged with Grand Theft Motor Vehicle (x9), Criminal Mischief $200 or Less (x4), Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure (x3), Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure while Wearing a Mask, Grand Theft Third Degree ($750-$5,000) and Grand Theft Third Degree ($5,000$10,000). HCSO deputies are looking for the unidentified suspect who accompanied McDougal in several of the burglaries. Anyone with information is asked to call 813-247-8200.
helping hand to the United Food Bank of Plant City. Elks members Tina Goodwien and Judy Wise presented a $2,000 check to the food bank on Friday afternoon. Since April, the Plant City Elks have given $7,500 in grant funds and member donations to the UFB. “Our Plant City lodge determined the best way to assist our community at this time is through the food bank,” Wise said.
PCPD identifies suspect in Bethune Drive shooting
During a normal school year, teachers have to dig into their own pockets to fill their classrooms with school supplies. Teachers are now facing a new year with new hurdles. So much is still up in the air about the next school year, but teachers can’t wait until the last minute to decide if they’re stocking their classroom or not. We want to help. Are you an educator with an Amazon wishlist for your upcoming class? Do you know a teacher that has a public shopping list? If so, visit our Facebook page, see the below listed post, comment a link to the list and state which school you teach at. Teachers can post their wishlist links and readers can then skim the comments to have a simple and clear way to lend a hand. Visit facebook.com/PlantCityObserver/ posts/3268712009859477.
Plant City Police Department said Tuesday it has identified a suspect in the July 22 shooting on Bethune Drive. Criminal charges were filed and an arrest warrant was issued for Rodarius Recardo Young, 22, of Zephyrhills, on one count of Attempted First Degree Murder. PCPD believes Young has either left Florida or is planning to and may be with his girlfriend, Arshaneki Wright, 26, of Plant City. The department believes they may be in Wright’s 2009 black Chevrolet Impala sedan with the tag NVY Y25. That was not the vehicle described at the scene of the shooting, which was a silver Nissan sedan. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Schairer of the Plant City Police Department at 813-757-9200.
Help local teachers get supplies
Elks donate to food bank The Plant City Elks Lodge took advantage of another grant opportunity from the Elks National Foundation and lent another
Though Hurricane Isaias didn’t have a major effect on Hillsborough County, Sheriff Chad Chronister still wanted to remind residents there’s no time like the present to get ready for hurricane season. “We never know for sure where a storm or hurricane will hit, but it’s not too early to start getting ready,” Chronister said in a July 29 public service announcement. Chronister encouraged taking several steps: • Know Your Risk: Visit HillsboroughCounty.Org to determine if your home is in an evacuation zone. • Prepare for the Worst: Stock up on water, batteries, flashlights, cleaning supplies and non-perishable foods for your family. • Have A Plan: Decide in advance where your family and pets will go if severe weather hits. To view the PSAs in English or Spanish, visit the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office YouTube page.
Seniors targeted in recent scams Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is cautioning senior citizens to keep their guard up as it investigates a series of scams that has hit the area recently. HCSO said in a press release that an unknown caller is targeting seniors and telling them a relative was either arrested or involved in an accident and needs anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 to pay for bonds, bills or attorney fees. Victims are asked to put the cash in an envelope or box and give it to a courier. The sheriff’s office has been investigating at least five such cases and asks anyone who believes they’ve been targeted in this scam to call 813-247-8200. “As our detectives work to identify and catch the people behind this heartless and abusive crime, we urge others to remain alert and listen for red flags whenever they get a call from someone they don’t know,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
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CHAMBER OFFERS EASY GUIDE TO INFORMED VOTING Thanks to the 2020 Plant City Virtual Candidate Forum, voters can get an in-depth look at candidates so they are fully informed when they step into the voting booth.
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
No resident in Plant City has the excuse of showing up to the ballot box uninformed thanks to a new extension of the Plant City Candidate Forum created by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. Two years ago, the chamber pulled off a new event that changed the way the community looked at elections. The inaugural Plant City Candidate Forum brought more than 50 candidates to the Trinkle Center to meet the public and discuss their stances and plans for office. Hundreds of attendees went to the event and had the opportunity to ask the candidates about issues close to their hearts during the meetand-greet, listen to their future plans and then vote in a straw poll so candidates had an idea of where they stood in the community. The event was set to occur again when the pandemic swept the nation. Rather than cancel altogether, the chamber pivoted, determined to safely allow residents to hear from their elected officials. It unveiled a series of videos, each featuring one candidate, that allow voters to cut through the stump speeches and get to the heart of the issues for each race. “In some ways, with this candidate forum we had what we are calling a ‘COVID silver lining,’” chamber President Christine Miller said. “Before, the only people that were able to hear the message from their candidates were those who were able to attend the event. This year, when we real-
ized we couldn’t hold the forum in person, we were looking for a way to still help our voters be educated and have all the information they would need when they go to fill out their ballot. It was a lot of hard work, but we were able to pull it off and present something that honestly we are all very proud of.” More than 60 candidates agreed to interview with the chamber and the videos are organized and broken down by race. Because we are currently in the primary, only the races that will be on the primary ballot are represented on the chamber’s website right now. The rest will be rolled out after the primary but before the November election. Chamber staff, members of the Government Affairs Committee, board members and trustees all volunteered their time to make the videos and pull off the elaborate undertaking. And no candidate was lobbed a softball. Experts on each of the areas helped write a set list of questions for each candidate, which were compiled by Community Relations Manager Sophia Hyde. All the U.S. Representative candidates had the same questions and all of the Clerk of Circuit Court candidates had the same questions as the others in their individual race. Throughout the videos many of the candidates pause and compliment the thoroughness of the questions asked. The videos delve deep into the ins and outs of the offices the candidates hope to soon obtain. “Education is the foundation of a lot of the programs that the chamber puts out,” Miller said. “For example, it’s behind our AG
committee. The AG committee isn’t just about AG, it’s about educating our community on the impact and the effects of AG on our community and in our community. This is the same thing. The foundation is really about educating the residents of Plant City so they can be empowered and informed voters. I think that so many people have said, ‘Oh I’ve not voted’ or ‘I vote by name’ or something and I just cringe at the thought that somebody might have been elected because you picked one name over another rather than because of their stances. This was really a goal to just create informed voters in an easy format.” Though the videos have just been rolled out, the positive response from the community has flooded in. It has already
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become such a hit with the public that Miller said they aim to continue with some video element in the future, though she added they will still hold in-person elements once it is safe to congregate as nothing replaces meet-andgreets where voters can ask the candidates about issues they hold dear to their hearts. It’s an impressive feat and compiles a detailed analysis of each candidate’s stance, from their own mouths, that is not seen anywhere else in the community. Its information voters would more than likely not be able to track down on their own and speaks volumes for the growth the chamber has been able to accomplish in the last few years. Miller will have been with the chamber for four years this month. When she started, there
was no Government Affairs Committee in place. In that short time the organization has formed the committee, pulled off the inaugural Candidate Forum that drew massive crowds and compiled an in-depth virtual forum despite the ongoing pandemic. “I really do feel that our team turned out a great project for our community and I’m really proud of it,” Miller said. “Sophia really was the one that took the lead on this, but our entire team spent so much time pulling this together. It adds so much value to our community and in my mind I can’t think of it as anything other than time well spent.” The videos can be found at plantcity.org/candidate-forum or on the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page.
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COPS CORNER
PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
PLANT CITY
Observer
This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigated a hit-and-run, BB gun damage, stolen e-cigs and more.
Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com
JULY 24 ROAD RAGE 4600 block of Reece Road Vehicle burglary with battery: Officers responded in reference to a victim reporting someone opening his car door and battering them.
JULY 25 STRUCK FROM BEHIND 900 block of West Waller Street Robbery: A man reported that he was walking on the walking path at the listed location at approximately 1:30 a.m. the previous Saturday when an unknown person struck him from behind. After regaining consciousness, he observed two men who fled south from the location. He found a pack of cigarettes, his wallet and other items were stolen from his backpack. He signed a waiver of prosecution.
WHEN DID THAT GET THERE? 900 block of East Alsobrook Street Criminal mischief: Officers met with this victim who told them that sometime between July 15, 2019 and July 20, 2020, an unknown person shot his two front windows with a BB gun. He said he noticed the damage that day but it could have happened any time in the last year. No one was seen and nothing was heard. The victim signed a waiver of prosecution.
was the man’s domestic partner who corroborated his story. The woman stated she did not want to prosecute the man and signed a waiver of prosecution.
JULY 27
JULY 29
JUST TRYING TO HELP 4600 block of Lantana Place Battery: Officers met with a woman who stated a man pushed her out of lawn chair and caused a laceration on her right forearm. The man denied the allegations and stated he was only trying to keep the woman from falling backward. The only witness
VAPE ESCAPE 1700 block of James L. Redman Parkway Commercial burglary: Employees at Pipes R’ Us reported that unknown suspects gained access to the business and stole $3,000 worth of electronic cigarettes.
JULY 28 THE WORLD STOOD STIHL 1900 block of South Frontage Road Grand theft: Officers resounded to the theft of a Stihl concrete saw, which was valued at $1,339.95.
Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com
BREAKING THE SUPPLY CHAIN 1800 block of James L. Redman Parkway Theft: Employees of the Tractor Supply Co. reported the theft of a Husqvarna 455 Ranger 20-inch chainsaw worth approximately $455.
Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com
JULY 30
TO ADVERTISE Call (813) 704-6850
SHAKE IT OFF 200 block of Seminole Lake Boulevard Grand theft: Puleo Concrete reported the theft of concrete equipment to include concrete shakers and saws valued at approximately $9,000.
Advertising / Richard Brame richard@plantcityobserver.com Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com
CONTACT US
The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
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POWERS OF EPG TRANSFERRED BACK TO COUNTY COMMISSION County commissioners unanimously voted to bring the power of managing emergencies in Hillsborough back to their board rather than to the Emergency Policy Group. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
The pandemic will now be managed by the seven Hillsborough County commissioners following an unanimous vote Wednesday to dissolve the county’s Emergency Policy Group and redistribute control. The vote had been in the works for weeks and the decision ultimately transferred power from the EPG to the county commissioners. During the Wednesday meeting, it was decided the commissioners will meet weekly at 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays, starting today, to discuss updates. The county commission allowed the public to comment ahead of its vote on Wednesday and there was support both for and against the county taking back the management. The now-former members of the EPG took a moment to reflect on their journey not only through this pandemic, but over the course of their years of managing hurricane and storm response during their final meeting Monday afternoon. Though they were all thankful for the often cohesive way they worked together, there were mixed feelings about the fact the fate of the EPG was to be decided later that week. “I’m not mad or angry or anything like that, but I’m a little disappointed that I feel like we’re being replaced in the fourth quarter here,” Temple Terrace Mayor Andy Ross said. Unlike the hurricane response, which the EPG had down to a science, the pandemic presented a new form of hurdles. The group
waded into uncharted waters and there was little they could rely on as “standard procedure.” Instead they turned to data and community input, and they crafted policies and procedures based on the latest medical advice and guidance from Governor Ron DeSantis. There were blunders — like the curfew that was put in place and then almost immediately revoked — and decisions the group stood behind for weeks, like the current mask mandate. When reflecting on their years of service together, several of the members, including Plant City Mayor Rick Lott and Ross, said the group gained the reputation of being able to work together despite differing backgrounds and views. Lott said that was what democracy was all about. They may not all see eye-to-eye or agree on everything, but they vote and continue to respect one another. The group had a unique makeup. Hillsborough was the only one of Florida’s 67 counties to have an emergency policy group. It was comprised of three county commissioners, the mayors from the cities of Plant City, Tampa and Temple Terrace, the Sheriff and the Chairman of the School Board. Because of this lineup, each individual city had a seat at the table and could vouch for its own citizens as well as fight for the policies each respective mayor felt would most benefit their cities and the county as a whole. On Monday, the mayors shared their hesitation and concern about no lon-
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ger having a voice if the county commission were to take over the EPG response. Castor has been the most vocal in her plea for a continued role in emergency management, but no commissioners spoke in support of her request during Wednesday’s meeting. There was a brief discussion on hopes the county and the individual cities would be able to continue to work together and not fracture under the divide, but no promises were made that any mayor would be able to influence decision making. Lott asked the county commissioners during Monday’s EPG meeting to look at all of the data before they make any decision and to try to get even more data coming in than the EPG had. “I would like to ask the county commission that if indeed you do pass and change the members of the EPG, I do hope that you do consider a little more information in making these decisions,” Lott said. “I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job, but there’s some data I wish we could have
had during our meetings that I think would have helped us, as well as maybe it would have helped our citizen group out there realize that we aren’t pushing our agenda, but we are looking at all bits of information so we are considering all facts in our community.” Some of that data Lott referred to was information concerning business bankruptcies, unemployment, economic impact data, mental health and suicide rates, as well as “other key factors.” EPG Chairman Les Miller, who also chairs the county commission, vowed they would not be left out of the conversation. “We will definitely keep you all abreast of what’s going on,” Miller said to the group. “That’s the right thing for us to do. It’s our responsibility.”
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
CITY EMBRACES NEW METHOD OF MANAGING LOCAL CEMETERIES
The city has set aside more than $75,000 to use a service called PlotBox to accurately map and manage cemetery operations.
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
One of the unique projects the city agreed to begin was the mapping of cemetery via PlotBox. The Cemetery Operations office currently maintains more than 26,000 cemetery spaces in five cemeteries. This covers more than 52 acres of land and also includes data stored on index cards that dates back to the early 1900s. The office is currently using maps that are pre-digitization, or paper copies that have been used over and over again for years. However, that system is outdated and makes accurate tracking of the spaces,
their occupants and ownership records a lofty feat. The city manages lot sales, burials and operations on an Access database and paper, and has an average of 90 interments per year. The city found a solution in PlotBox, which “uses drone technology combined with an on-site survey to create a map that is not only representative, but captures longitude and latitude.” Instead of looking at a map, the graves cemetery staff have verified can have accuracy to within three inches of their location. Once PlotBox is utilized, the current database for the five cemeteries will be uploaded to its cloud-based system, which adds extra security for the city’s records.
The paper records that are on file will be scanned and entered into the new system as well so everything is stored in one place. This service will allow the city to have a view of all the available grave inventory as well as burial obligations linked to their proper locations via a mapping unit. The staff can then view, edit and manage active records from anywhere with an Internet connection thanks to the cloud. PlotBox said its system reduces operational risks because everything is unified in one place, so there is a smaller chance the city will have double-sold plots or mislocated burials. The service will come with a method for staff to then communicate more efficiently with contractors via electronic work orders. PlotBox also comes with a mobile app that will allow the user to quickly find the space they are searching for. The service has a high-resolution interactive map and there is an option for a public portal if the city chooses once all of the information is updated. That portal comes with a way to locate burial information, view grave loca-
tions and marker images, and it also offers an opportunity for the user to “conduct genealogical research on their own.” The PlotBox purchase will cost the city $75,610. This comes with the PlotBox “Essential” package, which provides “data migration, hi-resolution drone flight and map overlay, data matching, software configuration and first year subscription.” The city said additional funds are provided in this project to allow for professional document scanning. The City of Winter Haven has utilized the service since late 2019. City employee Robert van Druten left a five-star review for the product and called the process “straightforward, painless and will help to bring a lot of efficiencies to our organization.” Commissioners unanimously agreed to purchase the service and there is an annual subscription, hosting and support fee of $6,480 that is locked in for a fiveyear initial subscription period to “ensure data protection and the most up-to-date software system.”
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
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COMMISSION ROUNDUP
Contract alterations and new contracts filled the consent agenda during last week’s meeting.
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
The massive consent agenda for last week’s commission meeting was comprised of a variety of project alterations as well as securing the approval for new contracts. With hurricane season now officially underway, the timing was perfect for the city to renew its stand-by contract for debris removal and management services. The current contract expired so the city needed to publish a new Request for Proposals for the services. The RFP was published on April 17 and 11 responses were received by May 21. The Evaluation/Selection committee comprised of Jill Sessions, Jack Holland, David Burnett, and Wayne Everhart met to rank the proposals on July 8 and selected Crowder-Gulf Joint Venture, Inc. as the top ranked company. Commissioners unanimously agreed to authorize the City Man-
ager to execute a contract with CrowderGulf Joint Venture, Inc. If needed, Crowder-Gulf Joint Venture, Inc. will come in and handle all of the hurricane, tornado, flood, fire or man-made disaster debris removal and management. It bills the city based off of labor, service and tools used during the cleanup. Several current projects faced minor adjustments. One positive change was in regards to the street resurfacing project. On March 23, commissioners approved the Fiscal Year 20 list of streets to be resurfaced, which totaled 10.37 miles. The Engineer’s Opinion of Probable Cost for the Street Resurfacing Program was $2,673,500. The project was advertised for bids on June 16 and four bids were received on July 2. Thanks to the savings the city has seen with the street project, it was able to add more to the list. Included in the bid were three Add Alternate Items, two of which are being recom-
mended for awards. One was the Add Alternate Item 2 Oaklawn Cemetery access road reconstruction for $10,168 and the other was the Add Alternate Item 3 Delivery of asphalt millings to City Streets Facility for $4,800. Inadvertently, West Lee Street from Crum to Walker Street was included in the bid advertisement so the city had to delete it via a deduct. It will be recommended for inclusion at a later date. Commisioners agreed to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with C.W. Roberts Contracting, Inc. in the amount of $2,093,792.60, itemized as follows:
Based Bid: $2,092,718.55 Add Alt. Item 2: $10,168.00 Add Alt. Item 3: $4,800.00 Deduct (Items 116 and 117): ($13,893.95) Total Contract Amount: $2,093,792.60
There was also a minor hiccup with a sidewalk project the city has had underway. The city entered a contract with
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BBE-Boggs Engineering for design services of the 2019 CDBG sidewalk project, for a total of $23,773. The project was going to create safe pedestrian access through new ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks at four locations throughout Plant City. However, when the crew got to West Woodlawn Avenue, there was an issue. According to the city, “due to property conflicts and existing objects in the right of way, the sidewalk route was changed from W. Woodlawn Avenue to W. Spencer Street during construction.” That meant the company had to re-design this route. The new sidewalk has 1,300 linear feet of sidewalk along West Spencer Street, 175 linear feet along North Franklin Street, installation of ADA curb ramps, pedestrian crossings, new marking and sodding. Commissioners unanimously agreed to execute the modification with the company for $4,040.
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
|
PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
FITNESS AND FUN DOWNTOWN FOR THE KIDS
Personal trainer Mike Gartz has added a new kids’ area to his Reynolds Street fitness center. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
One of the most fun workouts a kid in Plant City can get is now downtown. Mike Gartz, who owns and operates I Hate My Trainer downtown at 117 E. Reynolds St., has turned the unit that previously housed a side business — I Hate My Mattress — into a fitness center he shares with his neighbors at Carlson Gracie Plant City, who use it for their after-school activities. But a big part of this new workout space was designed with kids in mind so they can better reap the benefits of physical activity, too. In addition to the main fitness center in the unit on the right, kids who train with Gartz can now go to the new space and get a full-body workout with a rock wall and a ropes course featuring a net, rings, a rope ladder and monkey bars. “It just fits what I’m doing and it gives kids, athletes, something to do during the
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summer to keep them in shape for their sports,” Gartz said. “I train kids that take jiu-jitsu, karate, they play football, baseball, basketball, cheerleading. It conditions them to get ready for their sports and they have fun doing it.” The kids’ area is the perfect complement to Gartz’s boot camp, which gets kids fit with indoor and outdoor activities three days a week. “It’s a lot of body movements, routines that I do,” Gartz said. “I bring them in the big side of the gym and we have a lot of stuff that we do. I have weights, bands, tire jumps, a lot of running and core exercises for the kids. They get a really good workout for about an hour.” Gartz said 23 kids are currently enrolled in the camps and more are welcome to join. Camps are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call 813-786-1541 or stop by the gym for more information.
AUGUST 6, 2020
SPORTS
OPTIONS ON THE TABLE FOR HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS’ RETURN
The FHSAA Board of Directors will soon decide how to handle the start of the fall sports season, which could possibly also affect winter and spring sports schedules.
WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? Which of the three proposed options for high school sports’ return makes the most sense? JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
There are two things everyone needs to remember when thinking about COVID-19’s impact on society, which we have to do quite a lot. One, this is not going to last forever. Two, we still have to get comfortable adapting to life shaped by a disease we still have much to learn about. I think we’re all comfortable with or at least optimistic about the former. The latter’s what has people getting all worked up. We’re all going through what scientists have always known about this stuff: that the path to knowledge is never a straight line that starts at point A and ends cleanly at point B. That’s why information changes so often. Like a wrestler who finds out in the moment that the game plan isn’t going to work, we all have to figure this out on the fly until we see the shots we can take to start turning the match in our favor. I wrote about the FHSAA’s three possible options for returning to sports in this week’s Observer and if you haven’t read that yet, I recommend checking that out so you get a primer for what I’m going to talk about in this column. Before I get into that, I’d like to point out that literally no one on the board has called for sports to take the year off and that no one in the media who actually covers sports for a living is rooting for the virus. Everyone’s trying to come up with solutions for a completely new problem and those of us with the pen are trying to process it all in real time and get info back to you.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Though there’s still no clear answer on when high school sports will return, there are a few ideas currently under review by the FHSAA and its advisory committees. Three plans to bring back sports have been proposed and one will likely be adopted by the board in its upcoming meeting. The FHSAA sent one document outlining each option and one three-page document strictly related to football to advisory committee members last week. Any of the options outlined in the former document could be modified before the board votes. Option 1 of the return-to-play document is simple: keep things are they currently are. Practice would still start on Aug. 24, the date the board voted on in its last meeting, and the first day of regular-season play would be Sept. 7. Everything from that date on would remain exactly the same as it was already scheduled, though schools can reschedule contests if need be and games missed because of the calendar change will be excused if schools don’t make them up. Winter and spring sports are not affected. In this option, football teams must commit to the state series by Oct. 12 if they wish to participate and classes will be redrawn after that date. Other than Class 1A Rural, every other class will be determined by population sizes. The state series would
begin with a Nov. 13 play-in and end with state finals played between Dec. 10 and 19. Teams that do not opt in to the state series can schedule games until Dec. 5. There are no district champions, no at-large bids and no RPI. Teams who opt in to the state series can qualify for a playoff spot and a blind draw replaces rankings in terms of deciding seeding. Play-in games will occur if more than 16 teams make the playoffs in classes 5A-8A, in which Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest would likely find themselves, and if more than eight teams make it in classes 2A-4A. Option 2 does not give a concrete return date for practices — “After August” is all that’s listed on the document — and the regular season would start two weeks after practices resume. The regular season would end Nov. 28 and schools can either keep their scheduled games or reschedule. Tournament play would run from Nov. 30 through Dec. 12. Any tournaments would be at the local or regional level, however, as Option 2 eliminates the state series altogether. Winter and spring sports are not affected. Option 3 would affect every sport in every season and, in some cases, move them around (golf and swimming move to the spring and tennis moves to winter). The sports calendar would run from Nov. 30 through June 26, 2021, and each regular season would last for five weeks. The next FHSAA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Aug. 14.
OPTION 3 BREAKDOWN: FALL 2020 Sports (played in Plant City area): girls volleyball, cross country, football Practices start: Nov. 30 Regular season start: Dec. 14 Regular season end: Jan. 23, 2021 WINTER 2020 Sports (played in Plant City area): basketball, cheerleading, soccer, wrestling, tennis Practices start: Feb. 15, 2021 Regular season start: Mar. 1, 2021 Regular season end: Apr. 3, 2021 SPRING 2020 Sports (played in Plant City area): baseball, softball, flag football, lacrosse, track and field Practices start: Apr. 26, 2021 Regular season start: May 10, 2021 Regular season end: June 12, 2021 This option does retain state series tournaments under the current format or with “adjustments from advisory committees/ staff.”
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?
JUSTIN KLINE
OF FHSAA’S OPTIONS, ONE STANDS OUT
FROM PAGE 11
Option 1, which was endorsed 9-0 by the FHSAA’s football advisory committee, basically says “let’s get back out there ASAP.” That means practices come back Aug. 24 and then the regular season two weeks later. Option 2 is pretty similar, but without a set return date or a state series. Option 3 makes tweaks to all three sports seasons to make up for so much lost time (under this proposal, fall sports won’t be back until November). I understand why people want Option 1. Everybody who likes high school sports misses them right now and would love for the kids to be able to play again. I don’t understand why anyone would bring up gates discussing this. Ticket sales are going to be way down from last year for virtually everyone. It still happens, though. Whatever. The actual issue I have with this option is that it doesn’t give schools much time to analyze post-reopening COVID-19 data from around the state and country, so it’s likely that jumping right in without seeing how schools are handling virus control could lead to a big problem: shutting things down again before we even get to a state series. Whether you think the virus is overblown or believe it’s a major threat, it’s happened before and it could easily happen again if enough of the right people get concerned. Option 2 is a little better with me if only because it’s got the built-in waiting period of, well, no one knows how long we’ll be out. We know when fall season would end, though. Option 2 does give everyone more time to analyze data and gives the FHSAA more time to make guidelines that the schools want. But having an end date in mind without a start date isn’t a good look,
in my opinion. What happens if there’s a big outbreak in the schools and even an early October start looks unrealistic? The FHSAA could look at the end date and say “Well, guess there’s no point in even trying for a fall season.” I don’t see enough of a safeguard for fall sports in the event things do go wrong soon. So I’m of the opinion that Option 3 is the best way to go here. It would be extremely weird for all sports, but these are extremely weird times and I think everyone involved who truly cares about high school sports would rather get five weeks and a state series with a late start than nothing at all. Setting the sports calendar’s return date for November makes a ton of time for data, sets up an insurance policy in case something happens in September or even October that forces distance learning for a month or two and accounts for the chance that there may be more realistic treatment options available by then. I believe this gives fall athletes the best chance to play a full (if shorter) season with meaningful postseason action. I believe it gives football and volleyball the best possible chance of not having to move to a different season, which is something that has been alluded to in the FHSAA board meetings. And I believe that point specifically helps winter and spring sports teams keep their own multi-sport athletes, because if football and volleyball were to move to a different season after either of the first two options don’t work, other teams in other sports are going to get hurt from losing those players. Maybe Option 3 would get wrecked by COVID, too, but it’s a much better strategy on paper. We’ll see what happens next week.
PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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14
PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
Donna ‘DJ’ Simmons
Donna “DJ” Simmons, 68, of Plant City, born in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 22, 1952, entered into eternal rest on July 22,2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com
Virgil W. Oglesby
Ruth Hernandez
Virgil W. Oglesby, 90, of Brandon, born on Nov. 8, 1929 in Lewisburg, Kentucky, entered into eternal rest on July 29, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.
Ruth Hernandez, 82, of Lakeland, passed away on July 29, 2020. Services were held Aug. 3, 2020 at Calvary Freewill Baptist Church, 3539 Trapnell Road, Plant City, FL 33566. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care.
HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM
Martin ‘Alan’ Milton Martin “Alan” Milton, 67, of HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Valrico, born on March 5, 1953 in Tampa, entered into eternal rest Ollie Mae on July 31, 2020. ‘Sis’ McCowan Expressions of condolence at Ollie Mae “Sis” McCowan, 77, of Plant HopewellFuneral.com. City, born on Aug. 30, 1942 in Florence, Alabama, entered into eternal rest on July 27, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM HopewellFuneral.com.
Donald L. Wise
Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. Masks will be required to attend services. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.
HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM
JoAnne C. Smith
JoAnne C. Smith, 89, of Plant HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM City, passed away on July 29, 2020. In lieu of services, the family Normand Joseph has requested flowers to be Gervais Jr. planted in honor of JoAnne. Online condolences may Normand Joseph Gervais Jr., 76, be left for the family at www. of Plant City, passed away on haught.care. July 29, 2020. Services will be held privately. Online condolences may be left for the family at www. haught.care. HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM
Dr. William ‘Bill’ Midyette
Dr. William “Bill” Midyette, 94, of Plant City, passed away naturally and peacefully in his home on July 24, 2020. Bill was a WWII Merchant Marine Veteran. A Funeral Service will take place Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Plant City, 404 W. Reynolds St., Plant City, FL 33563. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.
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Lee Birthel Totherow
Lee Birthel Totherow, 88, of Plant Donald L. Wise, 82, of Lithia, born Francisco Cervantes City, passed away on July 26, 2020. on May 3, 1938 in Fitzgerald, HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Services were held July 31, Georgia, entered into eternal rest HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM Francisco Cervantes, 43, of Plant 2020 at Haught Funeral Home, on July 31, 2020. City, passed away on July 29, 2020. Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Expressions of condolence at Jessica Jazmin Funeral Services were held Aug. 5, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Plant Lorraine Clark HopewellFuneral.com. 2020 at United Pentecostal Church, City, FL 33563. Martinez Online condolences may be left 1202 S. Collins Street, Plant City, FL Cynthia “Cindy” Lorraine Clark, 72, of Lumbreras for the family at www.haught.care. 33563. Valrico, born on Aug. 16, 1947 in Sodus, Online condolences may be left New York, entered into eternal rest on Jessica Jazmin Martinez LumJuly 25, 2020. breras, 29, of Palmetto, passed for the family at www.haught.care. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Expressions of condolence at away on Aug. 2, 2020. HopewellFuneral.com. The family will receive friends Gary M. Higgins Aug. 7, 2020 from 9:30 a.m. to HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM Gary M. Higgins, 80 of Plant City, 11:00 a.m. at Haught Funeral HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM entered into eternal rest on Aug. 1, 2020. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM Expressions of condolence at Frances Jean Clark HopewellFuneral.com. Frances Jean Clark, 72, of Lake Alfred, born on May 1, 1948 in Plant City, passed away on July 28, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM
FAMILY. COMMUNITY. COMPASSION. VALUE. FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971 HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM
Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg August 12, 2020 PLANT CITY OBSERVER
PlantCityObserver.com
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FORECAST THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 High: 90 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 60%
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 High: 91 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 60%
22 Film-evaluating grp. renamed in 2019 23 Missing galoshes may turn up here 26 A in some teachers’ records? 29 Like an awesome party 30 Preschool snooze 31 Tribute poem 33 Kind of oil in Sichuan cold noodles 36 Seasonal use for an old pillowcase 40 Go along with? 41 Dated 42 Queens airport code 43 Green prefix 44 Postponed
47 It might list many meetings 52 “Hey, sailor!” 53 Ready to pick 54 Crush, as a garlic clove 58 Greenwich Village sch. 59 Soda fountain bonuses ... and what 17-, 23-, 36-and 47-Across get? 61 Tater ___ 62 Symphony hall section 63 Underground Railroad icon Harriet 64 Respond litigiously 65 Has to pay 66 Jewelry fasteners DOWN 1 Aware of
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
High: 91 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 60%
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9 High: 91 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 60%
OKRA
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2 Church seats 3 Grand-scale 4 Christmas, in Rome 5 Villain in a 2015 “Avengers” movie 6 “Easy” dessert 7 “The Metamorphosis” author 8 Trap during winter 9 Gather heat online 10 “Ideas worth spreading” nonprofit 11 Not necessarily 12 Like ducks and geese 13 “Sorry about that!” 18 Suitable for mature viewers 22 Damp 24 Skedaddle 25 Circus jumper? 26 Pay for a poker hand 27 UPC code features 28 Seasoning trade path 32 SAT company 33 Worked with a needle 34 Sorceress, for one 35 Old-style “Holy smokes!” 37 Like a humblebragger 38 Ray of fast-food fame 39 Innovative comic Gilda 45 Toddler or toy dog, say 46 Excited Spanish cry 47 Needs’ relatives 48 “Such a tease!” 49 Common cursor shape 50 Renaissance Faire lord 51 Olympic swords 55 National Mall trees 56 Hit, as a bass 57 Tax IDs 59 Progressive spokesperson 60 “And so on” letters
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SUNRISE/SUNSET
Sunrise Sunset
Thursday, August 6
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Friday, August 7
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Saturday, August 8
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Sunday, August 9
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Wednesday, August 12
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MOON PHASES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Bottomless by Steve Mossberg
ACROSS 1 Start sharing your feelings 7 Catwoman portrayer Eartha 11 Hydroelectric power source 14 Himalayan language 15 Unit in a tract 16 Alexandra who writes the “Guardians of Eternity” series 17 One often contains an “In case you missed it” heading 19 Sis, maybe 20 Award for Laura Dern 21 Related
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Aug. 19 New
Aug. 25 First
Sept. 1 Full
Aug. 15 Last
RAINFALL Monday, July 27
1.83
Tuesday, July 28 0.84 Wednesday, July 29
0.99
Thursday, July 30 0.00 Friday, July 31
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Saturday, Aug. 1 0.00 Sunday, Aug. 2
0.03
YEAR TO DATE:
MONTH TO DATE:
2020 27.73 in.
2020 0.03 in.
2019 21.43 in.
2019 2.99 in.
WEATHER
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PLANT CITY OBSERVER
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PlantCityObserver.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020
AN EMERGENCY IS STILL AN EMERGENCY. EVEN DURING THIS EMERGENCY.
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
20-1126895-0520
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