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Plant City Observer

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VOLUME 6, NO. 113

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BUDGET BREAKDOWN BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

FREE

THURSDAY, SEPT 3, 2020

The first public hearing on the proposed FY 2020-21 budget and Capital Improvement Plan will be on Sept. 14. Here’s an overview of where the city plans to spend its funds.

Commissioners are deciding which projects receive top priority during the Sept. 14 public hearing on the proposed budget for the next fiscal year. This year’s proposed total budget has overall citywide revenues and expenditures

at $94,709,093, which is comprised of all the funds including the General Fund, Water/Sewer, Solid Waste, Stormwater, Transportation Surtax, etc. This is $8,570,706 more than the 2019-20 adopted budget. The General Fund for

the upcoming fiscal year is $2,000,728 higher than last year’s. The FY 2020-21 budget, after you count revenues and expenditures, has an ending fund balance of $15,363,299.

SEE PAGE 3

KIDS GO After a week of online learning, Plant City-area kids got back into the classrooms on Monday to start the 2020-21 school year in person. Parents snapped plenty of photos and shared with the Plant City Observer on Facebook. SEE PAGE 8 Heather Wise (Facebook)


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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 Photo courtesy of Plant City Parks and Recreation

NEWS BRIEFS

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start of the new membership year. The online event has plenty of activities to keep families engaged and educated on the four pillars of the program: entrepreneurship, life skills, outdoors and STEM. GSWCF also introduced 24 new STEM-focused badges for K-12 scouts earlier this summer. Virtual meetings and activities are preferred by GSWCF right now as a means to prevent COVID-19 transmission, but the organization does permit troop leaders to host small in-person events if their families are comfortable with the idea and everyone can follow GSWCF’s COVID-19 guidelines. Children and adults can get more information and register by visiting gswcf.org/ join.

Improved pedestrian safety on East Cherry Street

Holland said the materials cost the city just under $9,000 and that installation was completed by city staff.

The Plant City Parks and Recreation Department announced last week that crossing East Cherry Street just got safer for pedestrians attending the city’s many sporting events. The walk between the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex and EllisMethvin Park is easier now that the city added a crosswalk with Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFBs) to alert traffic traveling both directions when someone is crossing the roadway. RRFBs have two rapidly and alternately flashing LED lights and are billed as a lower-cost alternative to traffic and hybrid signals. “After the need was recognized by the Parks & Recreation Department, a cooperative effort between the City’s Traffic Operations group and the Streets & Stormwater Department resulted with the enhanced safety crossing for our park users,” Parks and Recreation Director Jack Holland said in a press release.

Girl Scouts recruiting Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) has ramped up efforts for its fall recruiting season as the start of the new membership year, Oct. 1, is right around the corner. “Girl Scouts of West Central Florida’s 2020 recruitment season comes after months of unprecedented change, but one thing that has remained constant is the Girl Scout Leadership Experience,” the organization said in a press release. “These are trying times, but it’s also the time when Girl Scouts shine their brightest. Girl Scouts are known for their resilience and willingness to face new, even sometimes overwhelming, challenges with optimism and creativity. The world needs Girl Scouts now more than ever.” GSWCF is preparing for its GS Fest, to be held from Sept. 18-20, to celebrate the

Movie theater fully reopens today Plant City’s Premiere LUX Cine’, 220 W. Alexander St., is now fully reopened for guests to enjoy. The theater offered some services late last year, including the debut of its new 100 percent recliner seating, and has adapted its policies to comply with social distancing and sanitation guidelines. It also added a full-service Pizza Pub in the lobby. Face coverings are required for all staff and guests at all times, except when eating or drinking, and the theater is currently limited to 50 percent capacity. Tickets can be bought and seats selected online at pccmovies.com. Currently, guests can visit the theater to see new movies like Tenet, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The New Mutants, Sonic the Hedgehog and more.

McDonald’s offers free coffee for teachers in September McDonald’s of Central Florida restaurants are helping teachers get their daily dose of caffeine all month. Teachers can visit any of the 404 McDonald’s of Central Florida restaurants in the state and get any one small McCafe beverage for free at any time of day on Tuesdays. The promotion started this week and continues on Sept. 8, Sept. 15, Sept. 22 and Sept. 29. No purchase is necessary but teachers are limited to one drink per visit.


BUDGET BREAKDOWN PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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The City of Plant City is set to finalize its budget this month for the upcoming fiscal year. Here’s a quick breakdown of where the money is set to go.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

From the General Fund — which totals $39,822,797 — the city is proposing to allot $11,986,831 to the Plant City Police Department, $7,181,447 to Plant City Fire Rescue, $6,157,947 to Parks & Recreation, $4,317,406 to Administration, $2,929,821 to Development Services and $6,275,682 for other uses. The City of Plant City plans to add eight and a half new positions to its lineup as well. The proposal is for a building inspector, an administrative assistant for the cemetery operations, two Groundskeeper I positions and one Groundskeeper II position for Park Maintenance, a planner for Planning and Zoning, a Storm Water Operator II, a Customer Service Clerk to transition from part-time to full time under the Utility Billing and a maintenance mechanic for the Utilities Maintenance department. The city also allocates funds to outside agencies. The budget proposes that $65,000 will go to the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, $2,000 to the Black Heritage Celebration, $6,000 to the Arts Council of Plant City, $28,080 to the Economic Incentive QTI Program, $25,000 to the Railroad Museum Society, $2,000 to the Improvement League of Plant City, $2,000 to the Plant City Christmas Parade, $150,000 to the Plant City Economic Devel-

opment Corp. and $50,000 to Plant City Main Street. Additionally, the Community Development Block Grant will help out the Boys and Girls Club with $20,000 and the Community Redevelopment Agency will allot $50,000 to the 1914 Building Maintenance. Also in this budget are several new projects that will start to reshape the community. First up are upgrades to the Planteen Recreation Center, which will cost $25,000. The city is also spending $65,000 on the Oaklawn Cemetery Fence and will spend $20,000 on a walking trail lighting project at Ellis-Methvin park. The city is setting aside $52,500 for Parks and Recreation asset management in the upcoming fiscal year as well. There is a Bike/ Nature Trail that needs some TLC at Sansone Park, which will cost $12,500, and across the city there are park improvements that will come out to $40,000. The budget also allots $100,000 for the research and design of a spray park, or a splash pad/small water park. This study will determine the location of the amenity as well as have the features designed. The Tennis Center is getting some upgrades as well. An additional $350,000 is being allocated for the project to help with the restrooms and showers area as well as the administration building. On Dort Street, the basketball and tennis courts have reached the end of their lifespan. They

are “severely worn and have an unsuitable playing surface,” according to the city. The plan is to design and construct new ones to replace the courts, fencing, basketball goals, tennis nets, benches and trash receptacles. The cost is $300,000, with $165,450 coming from the Community Investment Tax and $134,550 coming from PK012. The city is also looking into the creation of a new park. Labeled the “Boy Scout Pit Park Development,” the city is setting aside $50,000 for a study for the property. The study will help the city identify potential uses and explore a waterfront park with a pier, kayak ramp and parking lot for the city-owned property on Coronet Road. Maintenance is the name of the game for the upcoming fiscal year. The largest fund in the general services asset maintenance category goes toward a roof upgrade/maintenance that will cost $280,000. City buildings’ air conditioning is going to cost $75,000 and exterior brick and window maintenance at City Hall will run $6,000, for a total of $361,000. Of course McIntosh Park, the star project for the commission, will also receive a hefty allocation of funds as the city attempts to transform the property into functional, and appealing, destination. The upcoming budget proposes $287,175 for the wetland of the park. The money will be used

to “determine stormwater storage capacity, use reclaimed water to maintain wetland hydration, expand wetlands to provide a natural habitat park and recharge the surficial and Upper Floridian aquifer.” An additional $100,000 will be set aside for the park’s Indirect Potable Reuse. This will aim to treat reclaimed water to potable standards using advanced technology, create a self supply or have water the city can then sell to regional water supplies and will have the first phase, which includes sampling for the pilot program. The Lift Station 2 Basin Project will also be included in the next year’s budget. This will run the city $625,000. As was discussed in a commission meeting in July, the city’s Lift Station 2 has reached its maximum capacity. That means the capacity has to be increased. A CWO was executed with Black & Veatch for $71,557 to evaluate the Lift Station 2 Basin back in July. Now the timeline is evolving. The consultant will have to “develop and evaluate alternatives on the most feasible way to increase the lift station’s capacity, split the basin, or a hybrid of the two.” The timeline now is for alternatives to be developed by Winter 2020. Then a preliminary design at 30 percent will be completed in Summer 2021 so that the city can get a cost estimate. The 2021-22 Fiscal Year will then have to estimate its budget based on the cost estimate that comes in.

The time has finally come for the construction to begin on the long-awaited reclaimed water recharge. The plan is to recharge water to the aquifer and provide potable-quality reclaimed water for irrigation use. A feasibility study was completed in 2019 and found that properties in the downtown area like City Hall, Bruton Memorial Library, Veterans Park and Linear Park could be retrofitted with the reclaimed water. Then the city needed to evaluate the piping and infrastructure extensions to Snowden Park and Brewer Park to meet the reclaimed water usage criteria that SWFWMD demands. On July 20, a design for the project was 60 percent complete. The upcoming fiscal year is slated to start construction and the budget allocates $900,000 toward the project. Those who work out at Cooper Park will be thrilled to know the city is spending $165,000 on fitness equipment to be installed on the trail around the pond. The first public hearing on the budget and Capital Improvement Plan will be on Sept. 14 during the CRA meeting after the commission meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. The final public hearing to adopt the budget and Capital Improvement Plan will be on Sept. 28.


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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

COPS CORNER

PLANT CITY

Observer

This week on Cops Corner: Plant City Police investigated stolen vehicles, stolen tools, shoplifting and more.

Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com

AUG. 21

AUG. 22

AUG. 24

AUG. 26

NOT WHERE I LEFT IT 1410 block of Plantation Circle Stolen/recovered vehicle: This complainant stated an unknown suspect entered her Honda Civic overnight, drove it to the 1300 block of East Alsobrook Street and left it parked along the roadway. The complainant stated she had left the car locked and that her keys weren’t inside it. The car was secured, nothing was taken from it and no damage was assessed. The complainant signed a waiver of prosecution.

FAR FROM HOME 700 block of West Dr. MLK Boulevard Recovered stolen vehicle: Officers found an abandoned Toyota Corolla and learned it had been reported stolen out of Alachua County.

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR 3100 block of Sammonds Road Stolen tag: This complainant stated her vehicle’s tag was stolen during her day shift at work. She later learned it was stolen by her neighbor, who was intoxicated at the time, and she was able to recover the tag. Complainant signed a waiver of prosecution.

NICE TRY 500 block of West Dixie Street Hit and run: Officers responded to a reported hit-and-run and found the runaway driver, who was arrested for leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and taken to Orient Road Jail without incident.

REUNITED AT LAST 1100 block of Goldfinch Drive Recovered stolen gun: Officers made contact with a suspicious vehicle and noticed a Glock 19 handgun lying on the ground. The gun was reported stolen out of Lakeland on Dec. 23, 2018.

AUG. 23 DRIVE-BY Interstate 4/Park Road Shooting from vehicle across roadway: Officers arrested a man for discharging a gun from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a person. He was taken to Orient Road Jail without incident.

Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

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AUG. 27

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THIRSTY 100 block of Carey Street Shoplifting: Officers arrested a woman for consuming one bottle of Aquafina water, valued at $1.99, inside a store and not being able to pay for it.

RENOVATION ROADBLOCK 1200 block of South Evers Street Burglary: This complainant stated several power tools and hand tools were stolen from a home he was completing renovation work on. The total value of the stolen tools was $300.

Advertising / Karen Berry kberry@plantcityobserver.com

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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DATA DUMP LEADS TO MASSIVE SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES It’s getting far more complicated to get an accurate look at COVID-19’s spread throughout the state as new information indicates lack of responsive reporting of cases. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Tracking the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state has just become a little more complicated. Those who monitor the daily pandemic numbers noticed a significant jump on Tuesday when the state recorded 7,569 cases in one day. It turns out Quest Diagnostics had a backlog of nearly 75,000 tests, state officials said, which led to the massive spike. If you take out the backlogged results, Tuesday’s numbers would have been 3,773 positive COVID-19 cases, according to the Florida Department of Health. The state has now had a total of 631,040 positive cases with 11,521 deaths. Obviously 75,000 backlogged tests threw quite a wrench in those numbers, which led to the state having to rethink its entire reporting system. Governor Ron DeSantis ordered state agencies to stop working with Quest Diagnostics due to the massive backlog of data. The governor’s office was told Monday evening the massive quantity of tests would be dumped into the system all at once. Some of the tests dated as far back as April with most being older than two weeks. A large majority of the data came from the mid-June to mid-July period, which was also when Florida reported its string of record-high cases. “The law requires all COVID-19 results to be reported to DOH in a timely manner,” DeSantis said in a statement Tuesday. “To drop this much unusable and stale data is irresponsible. I believe that Quest has abdicated their ability to perform a testing function in Florida that the people can be confident in. As such, I am directing all executive agencies to sever their COV-

ID-19 testing relationships with Quest effective immediately.” Quest has processed 1.4 million tests for Florida. Even with the backlogged data, the tested patients were notified about their results — those results just weren’t sent to the state. Quest released a statement saying the backlog was due to a technical issue and that the company remained open to working with the Florida Department of Health. The company issued this statement in regards to the data dump: “Quest Diagnostics takes seriously our responsibility to report laboratory data to public health authorities in a timely manner to aid pandemic response. Due to a technical issue, our reporting of a subset of public health COVID-19 test data to the Florida Department of Health was delayed. This subset involves nearly 75,000 of the approximately 1.4 million COVID-19 tests we had performed and reported to the state. “We apologize for this matter and regret the challenge it poses for public health authorities in Florida. The issue has since been resolved. Importantly, the issue did not affect or delay reporting of test results to providers and patients. “Quest Diagnostics has provided more COVID-19 testing on behalf of the citizens of Florida than any other laboratory and we believe we are well positioned to continue to effectively aid patient care and public health response for the state. We remain open to working with the state Department of Health to provide testing that meets the needs required for patient care and public health response.” However, Hillsborough County is not taking DeSantis’ view to heart. Quest Diagnostics will still process tests from five different county-run test sites as Hillsborough has a separate contract with the company. Because of this different contract,

they are not impacted by the governor’s order for state agencies to sever ties with the company. As for Tampa Bay, the area added 817 COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths on Tuesday. With Hillsborough schools officially opening their doors on Monday, many health officials are warning residents to brace for impact. Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Addison Davis tweeted on Monday the school district and Tampa General Hospital are partnering up to provide COVID-19 testing for all local teachers and staff. Calling it a “first-of-itskind partnership,” Davis tweeted the big announcement at 6:22 a.m. followed by a press release detailing the procedures of the expedited testing. “We have a responsibility to provide a safe back-to-school experience for our staff, while reducing the spread of this challenging virus, and this opportunity ultimately provides a step towards normalcy for the Tampa Bay area,” Davis wrote. Anyone who believes they have symptoms of COVID-19 or were exposed to the virus can schedule free testing through the school district’s COVID-19 lead. They should hear back with results in the next 24 to 72 hours. To qualify for the testing, employees must “display signs or symp-

toms consistent with COVID-19, may have recent known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 and must have Humana Insurance provided through HCPS.” As for students, they have a new reality as they head to class to get their education and much of the responsibility lies with their parents. Parents are asked to take their children’s temperature before they leave their house. If the temp is lower than 100.4 degrees, they are good to go and can come to class. If parents notice any coughing, shortness of breath or other COVID-19 symptoms, they are asked to keep the kids home. If they were exposed to someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19, they also are asked to stay away from campus. Once they get to school, students and staff are wearing masks. The only exception is for students who have a medical exemption form signed by a licensed medical professional. Water fountains have been shut off so students are expected to bring a water bottle with them, though the district added it would also provide some in schools. Bus safety, pick-up and drop-off rules have changed and there is always a chance the rules will change once again if the virus spreads through local schools.


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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

CITY EMERGENCY FUND PROPOSED During the budget workshop on Aug. 24, the idea to create an emergency fund out of a portion of the city’s reserves was floated.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Sometimes labels do, in fact, mean everything. Plant City leaders rarely pass up an opportunity to reflect on the city’s affluence. Hard decisions and quick thinking back at the start of the 2008 recession kept the city treading water without having to go into debt — a feat few other local municipalities were able to accomplish. When the economy eventually began to recover, it put the city in a good standing. To this day, commissioners and city leadership boast about the lack of debt in the annual budget. Because of its sound footing there is a reassuring amount left in reserve each year. To access that money, there are strict protocols in place. A change floated during the Aug. 24 budget workshop may make some of those funds much more readily accessible. At the end of the proposed FY2020-21 budget, the city will have $15,362,299 left

over. Those reserves are typically stagnant, a “worst-case-scenario” pillow for the city to fall on in the event something unexpected arises. City Manager Bill McDaniel suggested to rename a portion of the reserves as an “emergency fund.” That doesn’t put it into use — it just puts it in a new box with a shiny new label. And that shiny label means if something unexpected does arise, McDaniel can dip into the funds with ease because they are already earmarked for that specific use. “I think that in the situation that we find ourselves in with the reserves, I think that this would be an appropriate time to designate an emergency fund within the reserves,” McDaniel said. “We live in Florida, we have hurricanes we have to deal with, we’ve been through a pandemic and this is a sound fiscal practice and policy to establish an emergency fund so you know that you have money earmarked and designated for that purpose. In looking at this, my recommendation would be that we designate $3 million of the reserves as an emergency fund. That money is in the

reserves, but we know that is basically our bank to go to in the event of some type of catastrophic emergency that befalls our city.” McDaniel explained that Plant City, and Florida as a whole, have learned the hard way that hurricanes can cause extensive damage that takes weeks, if not months, to recover from. Cities have to be prepared to start cleanup immediately and that can become an expensive endeavor. Even a tropical storm or — as we saw last year — weeks of nonstop rain combined with one too many heavy afternoon showers can lead to a costly repair bill that can have a rippling impact on the budget. “As you can see in our budgets, we don’t necessarily put aside a million and a half, two million dollars to deal with a storm each year and when we have that problem we generally float reserves or reallocation money toward that until we can be reimbursed by FEMA,” McDaniel said. “Well, that process can take several years. Having an emergency fund established is, as I said (in the budget workshop), a sound fiscal

practice and it basically creates that funding floor that, absent from other financial crisis, you always have that money in reserve to deal with that unexpected hurricane or other type of disaster. Even with the pandemic, we were very fortunate that we were able to keep our expenses low, but that’s the kind of thing that can fall under a disaster. You could have things that people don’t think about. You could have an airliner crash in the city that could create an extremely expensive management cleanup operation, and knowing that we have the funds earmarked to be able to address any of those foreseeable or unforeseeable emergencies is just good policy.” Commissions change, even if the current one has held the same serving members for years, and this relabeling will also help future sitting leaders keep emergencies in mind. If the label exists, future leaders will keep the money there rather than reallocate it toward another project. The first public hearing on the proposed budget is Sept. 14.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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DOCTOR’S NOTE:

LET’S GET FYZICAL TO DODGE BALANCE DISORDERS

The key to balance is movement — let’s fight the fall together. As COVID-19 continues to restrict physical opportunities outside of our homes, it’s no wonder it has become a challenge for us to remain active with our full range of motion. Whether you’re spending your time working from home, streaming the latest bingeworthy show or reading a book, we often don’t realize that time spent in static positions can affect our well-being. Regardless of age, practicing movement through proper physical activities plays a crucial role in maintaining energy levels and the overall well-being of your body. In addition, it prevents increased risks that come from sedentary lifestyles such as falling, elevated blood pressure and mental health issues. Although this could happen at any age, senior citizens are most likely to be at risk for the above due to balance disorders. Every day, people in the U.S. over the age of 65 fall down and cause serious injuries to themselves. With that said, the number of falls have increased by 30 percent due to decreased physical activity during COVID. As a result, physicians are advising people to seek proper physical activity and/or therapy if you start to experience difficulty balancing. The key to balance is movement, which is something that programs like FYZICAL Ther-

apy & Balance Centers offer to patients. FYZICAL relies on science-based therapies designed to evaluate and perform proper treatment for balance disorders. With Balance Awareness Week (Sept. 13-19) and Falls Prevention Day (Sept. 22) approaching, now is the perfect time for you or a loved one to keep your movement in check. Let’s “Fight the Fall” together! As a partner of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy, patients of FYZICAL are always seen by a boardcertified physician prior to receiving initial physical therapy services. Florida E.N.T. & Allergy physicians understand the challenges that individuals encounter with maintaining balance and mobility and want to implicate change to increase their independence. After an assessment from a physician, patients are able to receive a variety of specialized physical therapy services that FYZICAL offers: • Fall risk assessment • Gait assessment • Functional training • Vestibular rehabilitation • Balance retraining • Computerized dynamic posturography While most older adults develop balance disorders due to age and static positions, dizziness can also play a factor. FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers offer vestibular reha-

bilitation for patients who suffer from dizziness and balance loss due to complications in the inner ear. Those feelings could be described as: • Lightheadedness • Blurry vision • Sudden feeling that your head is spinning (Vertigo) • Lack of balance when walking • Nausea • Serious ear complications such as ringing or hear loss Symptoms can appear anytime without warning and range from mild to severe. FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers are dedicated to helping you and your loved ones safely achieve movement goals and get back to those everyday activities. FYZICAL is an affiliate partner of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy. For additional information or to schedule an appointment with a Florida E.N.T. & Allergy physician, please call (813) 879-8045 or visit Florida E.N.T & Allergy online at www.FloridaENTandAllergy.com.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS RELEASE INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD TO TRACK COVID-19 SPREAD

Hillsborough County Public Schools released an in-depth dashboard to give people an accurate snapshot of how the virus was reported in each individual school. BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Students flocked back to their classrooms Monday morning wearing masks and social distancing as much as possible as they attempted to continue their education. Parents immediately took to social media, sharing their fears and concerns as well as their praise of the steps local teachers have made to keep the children as safe as possible while in their rooms. Hillsborough County Public Schools joined the conversation on Monday and announced it released a dashboard reporting COVID-19 cases in local schools. The database went live immediately and is an interactive site for parents, teachers and students to get a snapshot of what the spread of COVID-19 looks like at that very moment. It contains information on the number of positive cases among both teachers and students and users can select a date to see which schools reported cases that day. The data goes back to July 31, which is when teachers officially reported back to work. It’s an interesting tool and one many have asked for for weeks. Currently, the Florida Department of Health does not release information regarding the COVID-19 cases in schools but rather incorporates that data into the overall daily county and statewide reporting. While the dashboard itself has a detailed breakdown of data from July 31 to today, it does have a disclaimer at the top of the chart that has a much larger number. As of

Wednesday, 163 cases had been reported in local schools this school year. But HCPS is also looking at the larger picture. The pandemic began right as school started to wrap up last year. During that time several teachers, students and staff contacted the virus. Keeping those cases in mind, HCPS is also reporting the total number of confirmed cases from March 2020 to July 30, 2020, which aren’t in the interactive dashboard. It shows there were 284 cases from March to July. One of the best benefits of the dashboard is that parents can make the numbers make sense for their family. There are 163 total cases, but what does that mean for students in Plant City? As of the data on Wednesday morning, there was one student at Bryan Elementary who was reported to have COVID-19. At Durant, three teachers and one student were reported. Knights Elementary had one teacher reported. Marshall Middle School had one teacher. Robinson Elementary had one teacher that tested positive. Simmons Career Center had one positive teacher. Strawberry Crest had one positive teacher and two positive students. According to the HCPS, the dashboard is going to be updated automatically every two hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can view it for yourself at hillsboroughschools. org/doc/2744/school-reopeningplan/frequently-asked-questions/ coviddash/.

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

KIDS GO “Get ‘er done kids!! Be a light and flutter your eyes lol” — Summer Smith

“Paitlyn heading to her last first day of elementary and Jaida going to her first ever day of high school!” — Natasha Bonds Davis

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

“Lynken, Kynslee and Ledger’s first day at Bailey Elementary. Excited about finally seeing friends again!!” — Kaley West

Plant City-area schools opened their doors to their students this week and plenty of parents took photos to commemorate the start of a school year unlike any other. These photos were submitted to the Plant City Observer by parents on our Facebook page.

“Senior at PCHS. ‘Oh, the places she will go’” — April Farkas

“William kindergarten, Westyn VPK both Cork Elementary.” — Jordan Wilkerson

OMG IT’S WEDNESDAY! PLANT CITY FARM AND FLEA MARKET Highway 39 North at Sam Allen Road—1 mi. N. of I-4 Exit 21

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

“First grade.” — Lexie Meyer

“First day of middle school IAS” — Jody Osteen Robinson

“First day of homeschool last week!” — Oriana Hyde Dominguez

“Berkley’s first day of pre-K.” — Meribeth Neary

“Rylie 9th, Nate 8th, Eli 3rd and Addie Headstart!!” — Sara Norman Johns

“Junior at SC and first grade at Bailey” — Christina Thomas

“PCHS Junior and Walden Lake 5th grader!” — Erin Curtis Perez

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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“Homeschool/HCC DE Junior & Sophomore.” — Peggy-Scott Poe

“Back to school they go! 4th grade and Headstart #DoverDragons” — Sandra Garcia

“Trenton and Aston 5th and 4th grade ready #JacksonElementary” — Latanya Sutton

“Going to Rock Kindergarten 2020” — Diana Aguirre

Submitted by Heather Wise


SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

SPORTS

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

JUSTIN KLINE

A BIT OF ADVICE FOR ATHLETES IN THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR A little preparation now could go a long way later on, regardless of what happens during the school year with a pandemic in play.

Let’s put aside all of our opinions about COVID-19 for a second. This has been a situation where choices we’ve made mostly looked a little more like “bad or less bad” than “right or wrong,” so I don’t care right now what you think about the virus itself, how we should handle putting kids back in school and whether it’s the right time for them to play sports again. No matter how anyone feels about it, we’re back. That’s the hand we’ve been dealt and that’s the hand we’ve got to play. I don’t know how far we’re going to get in this fall season. I don’t even want to guess. My hope is that we’ll be able to get through a complete one with no major problems arising, but I would admittedly be pretty shocked if we are able to get through the next few months without COVID throwing a wrench in somebody’s plans. I’m not wishing for that at all — that’s just what’s been happening at reopening school districts all over the country. So the first thing I think all of our area athletes should have in mind is their own safety. Even if you think it’s no big deal, one thing is true: the more precautions you take off the field, the more likely you are to play longer on it. If enough people don’t

take COVID seriously, those in power who do take it seriously will make you regret it by postponing games or even canceling a whole season. Then, whether you think they reacted properly or went totally overboard, you’re on your own. Which brings me to my next point. The number one argument I saw all summer for bringing sports back right this second was to let the seniors play so they can’t miss their last fall season. It’s the best argument anyone’s made for resuming sports because even though every college sports league will have to adapt to this just like the pros and high schoolers will, a lost senior season is the one problem that doesn’t have a good solution. Nobody can just get an extra year of eligibility at this level like college athletes can, and calling off the season would also make it extremely difficult for some athletes to get into the college programs they want to play for. If that’s you — if you’re a senior still going through the recruiting process, or maybe even an underclassman looking to start putting some serious feelers out there — you need to spend more time than ever working on your brand. You might get a

few months to do this, or your might get a few weeks. There’s a real possibility the fall sports season gets canceled midway through just like the last spring season did. If that happens, you need to be ready because this is your one chance. Get that hudl profile up to date and flesh it out. Get some video together and put together whatever you can for recruiters to see. The second you get access to some film from a game this season, use it. Put yourself out there on social media and learn how to get noticed by the right people. Work hard in the classroom to get your grades up and get an attractive GPA to display on your hudl and other social media, because that’s what all coaches are going to look for as a tiebreaker when they need to choose between similar athletes for a roster spot. Don’t procrastinate on anything right now if you want to play college sports and get a scholarship for it. Winter and spring athletes may not need to worry about this as much as fall athletes do right now, but it wouldn’t hurt any of you to do some early prep work of your own just in case your seasons get affected, too. I hope they don’t get canceled or anything like that, but you never know.

GET READY

FOR THE GRIDIRON The Plant City Observer’s 2020 Football Preview hits the streets next week! Read all about Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest’s teams before they go out and give it their all under the Friday night lights. The preview will come with next week’s paper and you’ll also be able to read online at plantcityobserver.com.

I think all college programs will have to reckon with the fact there will likely be a shortage of game film this year due to seasons getting shortened, paused temporarily or outright canceled. There’s nothing they can really do to stop it, so my guess is they’ll learn to deal with it and work with the kids with what they do have on hand, no matter how much less that is to work with than in a normal year. Like I said, everyone will have to adapt to this. I hope you all stay healthy and well this school year, and I wish you all good luck on the field. I’ll see you out there.

Justin Kline is the Sports Editor at the Plant City Observer. Email: jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

PREVIE W

2020


PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FIRST CALL HOSTS BANQUET OF HEROES EVENT

The Aug. 29. first responder appreciation banquet combined virtual and in-person elements to give first responders and their supporters a night of love and appreciation.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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DEAN’S RIDE

STILL TAKING SIGN-UPS File photo

Photos from Chaplaincy Care Inc. (Facebook)

The night of Aug. 29 was a big celebration of first responders’ service, led online and inperson by First Call and Chaplaincy Care Inc. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

O

ne thing Dr. Daniel Middlebrooks of First Call often says is that there’s never a bad time for the community to thank first responders for their service. On Aug. 29, that feeling went both ways as the church and Chaplaincy Care Inc. hosted its Banquet of Heroes event. At the heart of the banquet, held from 6 to 8 p.m., was a virtual presentation hosted by Middlebrooks featuring spoken testimony from members of police and fire departments, EMS, the military and more, as well as from families, friends and supporters of first responders who thanked them for their service and shared their own testimonies as well. The featured speaker was John “Tig” Tiegen, a former United States Marine Sergeant who was involved in the Sept. 11, 2012 Benghazi incident and was portrayed by Dominic Fumusa in the 2016 movie 13 Hours. The

presentation also featured a performance by the singing group The New Floridians, which is comprised of first responders. The banquet was catered by Outback Steakhouse Plant City and diners could choose to either eat in the church’s banquet hall or take their food to go. The entire presentation is hosted on Chaplaincy Care’s YouTube page and is viewable at youtu.be/Jz6tvv2k2n4.

It’s not too late to sign up for the Plant City Family YMCA’s annual fundraising bike ride, this time scheduled for Sept. 12. JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

After many months of uncertainty thanks to COVID-19, the eighth annual Dean’s Ride event is finally set to happen next week. As long as the weather holds up, riders will hop on their bicycles and hit the road with staggered starts beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 12, once again starting from and finishing at the Trinkle Center at Hillsborough Community College, 1206 N. Park Road. Riders can arrive at 6:30 a.m. to sign in, eat a light breakfast and get their packets. The four routes of 19, 39, 46 and 62 miles have been changed to give riders a tour of the Plant City countryside and strawberry fields. After the ride, participants can wind down with lunch, craft beer and music.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Plant City Family YMCA’s LiveSTRONG program, which offers free wellness services for people fighting cancer, those who have beaten it and their families. The event was created in 2013 by Dean Snyder, who fought esophageal cancer and sought a way to help others in the fight against cancer through road biking, a passion of his. Snyder himself participated in the inaugural event and it has continued since then as a way to both honor his memory and continue to accomplish his goal. If you register now, the cost is $60 per rider and anyone participating must be age 14 or older. Visit caamevents.com or mail your registration form and entrance fee to the Plant City Family YMCA, 1507 YMCA Place, Plant City, FL 33563, to get signed up. Registration forms are available at the Plant City Y. Email Paul Conley at paul.conley@TampaYMCA.org for more information.

Nitish S. Rele operates motoringtampabay.com and Khaas Baat, and was an automotive editor/columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Email him at motoringtampabay@gmail.com.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR AROUND TOWN

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Plant City residents weighed in on the city’s decision to demolish the historic Reynolds Street post office building on the Plant City Observer Facebook page, sharing comments and memories. “Is have to agree with others that stated that there are far too many vacant lots and buildings downtown. If I were a developer, I would not want to spend my money here. The downtown area is an eye sore.” — Christine Wynne

“I wish it made financial sense for someone to restore the post office. It’s got great character and is one of the few buildings in downtown with on site parking.” — Cody Lenz “I remember finally being old enough to walk there by myself from my mom’s beauty shop. One day we’ll blink and we won’t recognize downtown.” — Sherry Pedone “I remember finally being tall enough to reach the little silver latch to open our P.O. Box. I wasn’t allowed to turn the dial for the combination, but I was thrilled to open the box. I too would love to purchase that box.” — Patrick Flewellen “Why destroy it? Ughhh! Why not rebuild it? We need another post office In downtown! Even if it’s small… how sad!!” — Maria A. Rubio

“My grandfather, father and Uncle worked in that post office. Too bad the city did not decide to renovate years ago instead of allowing the building to just sit there deteriorating. Very sad! I feel as if they should ask all the people who live here in Plant City, especially longtime residents, their opinion as this is the people’s city, right?” — Peggy Gardner Adams “When I was in high school, I took art class for several years. I remember one Christmas, in Mrs. Alexandroff’s class, we went up there and painted the windows. A sweet memory for me.” — Cheryl Thompson

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“I hate to see it go, but it is time.” — Dave Buyens “Sounds like the prudent thing to do with the high cost of renovation.” — Bret Uspsa “I would love to take a tour of this important piece of Plant City history. I’ve heard that there is a basement. True, I don’t know? I think that the space should be saved and utilized in a way that respects its history in our community.” — Cheryl Sheri Wakefield Wagner “Honestly, it’s just sitting there. I have seen little to no upkeep on it.” — Erica Reynoso

“It’s prime downtown space in a limited downtown. Please do not waste it.” — Allen Berrebbi

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“Wow!!! Another slab of concrete to add to our city. Why don’t you spend our tax (dollars) on busting out all these slabs of concrete, restore the ground and plant trees. Offer beauty. Our ‘midtown’ looks like a bomb blew away the buildings. There is very little eye catching beauty as you come into our town, from any direction.” — Jana Kirkland Butler

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

Beverly “Joan” Smith, 79, of Plant City, born on December 26, 1940, entered into eternal rest on August 24, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Graciela Torres De Torres

community

Jones Jr. Kenneth Don Adkins, 87, of Plant Robert Zakrewski, of Wesley City, passed away on August 28, Chapel, passed away on Saturday, Anthony Lawrence Jones Jr., 32, 2020. August 1, 2020. of Plant City, entered into eternal Graciela Torres De Torres, 76, of Kenneth was a retired United Visitation with family and rest on August 23, 2020. He was Plant City, born on June 7, 1944 in friends will be 1Wpm to 2:30 pm on born on December 14,families 1987 ina San Antonio, Tamaulipas, Mexico, States Air Force E-6 Technical we’re dedicated to helping create E ’ RE P RO U D TO S E RV E our community unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. City. Sergeant. September 12, As 2020. A memorial Plant entered into eternal rest on Aucelebrates the life it represents. your Dignity Memorial professionals, Services will be held privately. service with military >honors will visit gust 26, 2020. 100% Service Guarantee Please > National Plan www.wellsmemoTransferability Bereavement Travel Assistance Online condolences may be begin at 2:30 pm at>Wells Memorial.com> The forCompassion serviceHelpline® details and to Expressions of condolence left for the family rial Funeral Home. leave condolence messages for at HopewellFuneral.com. we’re dedicated to helping families create a W E at ’ R E Pwww.haught. R O U D TO S E RV E our community R unique and meaningful memorial that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. care. may be offered Jones family.Festival. Proudly supportingthe the Plant City Strawberry celebrates the life it represents. As your Dignity Memorial professionals,Condolences at www.wellsmemorial.com. > 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability

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Georgiana “Georgie” Casella, 84, of Brandon, born on December 8, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, entered into Heaven on August 30, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Gloria Martinez De Lopez, 59, of Plant City, born on April 29, 1961 in Alaquines, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, entered into eternal rest on August 26, 2020. Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

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Tellurs Shaw Jr. Mr. Tellurs Shaw Jr., 73, went to his Heavenly Father August 26, 2020 in St. Petersburg. Visitation Friday, September 4, 2020 from 5pm-7pm. Private Services, Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 11am. Burial: Garden of Peace Cemetery. Charlow Funeral Home

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

OBITUARIES

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YOUR CALENDAR

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

BEST BET SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 YOGA IN THE PARK

10 a.m. De-stress after a long work week with Yoga in the Park at McCall Park, 100 N. Collins St. Plant City Main Street has partnered with the KOA Yoga Studio for a special, free monthly yoga series. All skill levels are welcome. Registration is required. Please bring your own yoga mat, towel and water bottle. Social distancing will be practiced. Register online at eventbrite.com/e/yogain-the-park-presented-by-plant-city-main-streettickets-85203149915?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 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.

ENTREPRENEUR/SMALL BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Want to grow or expand your small business? Want to improve operations of your small business? Need financing or marketing assistance for your small business? The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, assists existing and emerging businesses in Hillsborough county, through no-cost confidential business consulting, information and low-cost training. Contact the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County to schedule a confidential appointment at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 S. Evers St., with business consultant Robert Pierce. Email Pierce at Piercer@HCFLGOV.net.

be on hand to speak with you face-to-face on available positions from entry level to professional. Bring plenty of resumes. A free resume review service will also be onsite. The event is free and open to the general public. Register online at eventbrite.com/e/job-fair-lakeland-centralflorida-tickets-103182742360.

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.

ENTREPRENEUR/SMALL BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES

7 p.m. Visit Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for a night of worship with UnChained. A love offering will be collected.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Want to grow or expand your small business? Want to improve operations of your small business? Need financing or marketing assistance for your small business? The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, assists existing and emerging businesses in Hillsborough county, through no-cost confidential business consulting, information and low-cost training. Contact the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County to schedule a confidential appointment at the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, 106 S. Evers St., with business consultant Robert Pierce. Email Pierce at Piercer@HCFLGOV.net.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 5

FRIDAY, SEPT. 11

BLUEGRASS JAM

PIXAR TRIVIA NIGHT

FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 WORSHIP NIGHT WITH UNCHAINED

6:30 to 9 p.m. This is an open invitation for local bluegrass musicians and fans to come to the Krazy Kup Loft, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., and jam, clap hands, stomp feet and enjoy. They have a Bluegrass JAM the first Saturday of every month.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 JOB FAIR AT SEU

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Southeastern University, 1000 Longfellow Blvd., Lakeland, is hosting a Job and Career Fair on campus with COMPASS, Tampa Free Press and South Shore Events. A variety of businesses will

MONDAY, SEPT. 14 PLANT CITY GARDEN CLUB GENERAL MEETING 10 a.m. at the 1914 High School Community Center, 605 N. Collins St. The Plant City Garden Club would like to welcome everyone back to its first club meeting of the 2020-21 year. There will be a meetand-greet for all to find out what exciting speakers are on the schedule for the upcoming year. The meeting is free and open to the public. Call Sally Murphy at 813-758-5154 or visit plantcitygardenclub. org for more information.

SBA & SCORE WEBINAR: PUTTING IT TOGETHER IN AN ACTIONABLE PLAN 12 to 1 p.m. This webinar series will guide you through an easy to follow four-step process and give you the tools you need to determine how you will meet the small business challenge today. Register online at score.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ c66x3nHuTEyE_UHMpM74KQ.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 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.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18

7 p.m. Test your PIXAR knowledge at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., with a free game of trivia that’s fun for all ages.

RETRO MOVIE NIGHT

SATURDAY, SEPT. 12

7 to 8:30 p.m. Join Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., for Retro Movie Night featuring Mulan (1998). Bring the family and enjoy a fun night with free admission.

OPEN MIC NIGHT

MONDAY, SEPT. 21

7 to 8:30 p.m. Open Mic Night is back at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. You get to be the show in this “krazy” fun night. To sign up, visit https://forms.gle/ tYPLqRiyYBmNTtCP9.

SBA & SCORE WEBINAR: THE INBUSINESS GUIDE TO TOUGH TIMES – MARKETING ON A DIME 12 to 1 p.m. This webinar series will guide you through an easy to follow four-step process and give you the tools you need to determine how you will meet the small

business challenge today. Register online at score.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ c66x3nHuTEyE_UHMpM74KQ.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 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.

DIAMONDS AND DENIM 2020 WITH A TWIST!

5 to 9 p.m. A virtual fundraising event to support local hospital heroes. This year’s event will be a combination of a fabulous “Dinner Drive-Thru” followed by a Facebook Live event which will include three drawings: Diamond Ring, 50/50 and Grand Prize. There will also be an online auction beginning on event day. Registration required. To register, learn more or view sponsorship details, visit SFBHFoundation.org.

MONDAY, SEPT. 28 SBA & SCORE WEBINAR: THE SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CHALLENGES IN THE AGE OF COVID-19 12 to 1 p.m. This webinar series will guide you through an easy to follow four-step process and give you the tools you need to determine how you will meet the small business challenge today. Register online at score.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ c66x3nHuTEyE_UHMpM74KQ.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 31 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.

HERE TO BUILD

A STRONGER

YOU

WHEN YOU’RE READY, WE’RE HERE.

SIGN UP FEE WAIVED through Sept. 30th!

PLANT CITY FAMILY YMCA 1507 YMCA Pl., Plant City | 813 757 6677 | tampaymca.org


PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

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

FORECAST THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 20%

FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 20%

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Sept. 3

7:08a

7:46p

Friday, Sept. 4

7:09a

7:45p

Saturday, Sept. 5

7:09a

7:44p

Sunday, Sept. 6

7:10a

7:43p

Monday, Sept. 7

7:10a

7:42p

Tuesday, Sept. 8

7:10a

7:41p

Wednesday, Sept. 9

7:11a

7:40p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 20%

SUNDAY, SEPT. 6 High: 92 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 20%

OKRA It was a beautiful day for some football when Adam Snyder snapped this photo of the Plant City Dolphins’ first practice of the 2020 season.

ONLINE

Shipping point: Central Florida $12.35-$14.85

Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instgram, @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer on Facebook.

ACROSS 1 Rene of “Ransom” (1996) 6 Not as expensive 10 A bit loopy 14 Part of “the works” on a burger 15 Old man, in German 16 Needle case 17 1950 Gloria Swanson film 20 Peanut butter choice 21 Like wax fruit 22 Note from one who’s shy? 24 Laser pointer chaser 25 1979 Jim Henson film 33 Get out of bed

34 Jazz instruments 35 Peruvian singer Sumac 36 Squirrel’s hoard 37 Credited in an endnote 38 Place to tie up a boat 39 24-hr. cash source 40 Equestrian 41 “That’s __!”: “Piece of cake!” 42 1988 Demi Moore film 45 News initials 46 __ bunt: productive MLB out 47 Looks at closely 52 “John Wick” star Keanu 57 2002 Woody Allen film ... or what each of the

last words of 17-, 25- and 42-Across can be 59 “Garfield” dog 60 Baseball family name 61 Dalai Lama’s land 62 Have a craving for 63 Appraise 64 Clairvoyants DOWN 1 PBS painter Bob 2 E pluribus __ 3 Chinese: Pref. 4 Fair-to-middling 5 Previous 6 Chem class 7 Fair-haired Wells race 8 Flabbergast

9 Chose 10 Actor Danny who appears in M&M’s commercials 11 Run __: drink on credit 12 Roll and bind, as a sail 13 Laundry soap brand 18 Commandment pronoun 19 Red-wrapped cheeses 23 Positive aspect 25 “The __ is out there”: “The X-Files” catchphrase 26 Blackjack request 27 Handy Scrabble tile 28 Eucharistic plate 29 Applies, as pressure 30 Competing (for) 31 “Know what __?” 32 Wyatt of the Old West 33 Future MD’s class 37 1860s North-South conflict 38 Letter before omega 40 Settle, as a debt 41 Climbs 43 Rental from a renter 44 Tortoise racer 47 Website with step-bystep instructions 48 “Star Wars” sentence inverter 49 Tiger Woods’ ex 50 1970 Kinks hit 51 Chimney residue 53 Actress Falco 54 Vague feeling 55 The “E” in DOE: Abbr. 56 Some NCOs 58 Deserving

15

Sept. 16 New

Sept. 21 First

Oct. 2 Full

Sept. 12 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Aug. 24

0.21

Tuesday, Aug. 25 0.17 Wednesday, Aug. 26

0.13

Thursday, Aug. 27 0.04 Friday, Aug. 28

0.00

Saturday, Aug. 29 0.24 Sunday, Aug. 30

2.87

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2020 37.41 in.

2020 0.00 in.

2019 32.66 in.

2019 13.34 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

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16

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

PlantCityObserver.com


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