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Reaching this milestone is a chance for us to look back at the stories, conversations, ideas, and the people who have helped shape Haven over the past decade. More than anything, we’re thankful to our readers for picking us up every month. We’re grateful to our contributors, partners, and everyone who has given us their time, trust, and support. Thank you for sharing with us. Ten years is a big moment for us, but it’s also a reminder that we’re only successful because of our community. Thank you and cheers to ten more! THANK YOU TO THESE BUSINESSES FOR SUPPORTING US SINCE DAY ONE: Bond Clinic | Bok Tower Gardens | Watson Clinic Winter Haven Hospital Foundation | Eye Specialists of Mid Florida, PA Silver Moon Drive-In | BayCare | Advent Health | AAA Vertical Blinds

For the readers long ago who embarked on the journey through Dante Alighieri’s vision of the darkest steps of Hell, they found themselves guided by the poet Virgil. For listeners in the classic Golden Age of radio, it was Raymond who led them behind the creaking door of the Inner Sanctum, and for the watchers of late-night television in the ’60s through the ’80s—in some lucky cases, even later—their trip into the dark often began and ended with their local horror host. Our trips into the dark, into the lands of monsters, B-movies, silly movies, and wacky-pack jokes were prescribed by a doctor by the name of Paul Bearer—Dr. Paul Bearer. His tenure in the Tenement Castle was longer than that of most regional television horror hosts in the country, and he is remembered as one of the most enduring horror hosts in television history, best known in Florida for hosting WTOG’s Creature Feature. That I can say this story is not over is a Halloween to hearts that celebrate all year long. Dr. Paul Bearer was created and portrayed by Ernest Richard “Dick” Bennick, who first brought the character to television in North Carolina before carrying him south to Florida. Beginning September 15, 1973, Bennick hosted WTOG’s Creature Feature, remaining associated with the station and the character until his death in 1995. The 22- year run established Dr. Paul Bearer as a fixture of Tampa Bay television, reaching viewers far beyond St. Petersburg and becoming familiar to generations of Floridians who spent their Saturday afternoons in his company. The road that brought Dr. Paul Bearer to Florida had begun years earlier, during a period when monsters that belonged to an earlier generation of moviegoers were finding new audiences on television. In 1957, Screen Gems prepared 52 Universal pictures for television syndication under the wonderfully direct name Shock! Among them were Frankenstein, Dracula, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, and other horror, mystery, and suspense pictures from Universal’s library. The surviving Screen Gems exhibitor book prepared for the package contains images, synopses, news releases, and promotional ideas for the 52 movies, supplying local stations not only with films to broadcast but with suggestions for building an event around them. Television needed programming, and Hollywood studios had decades of it. Movies produced for theatrical audiences in the 1930s and 1940s were now entering American homes, where children born long after their original releases encountered Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and the visual vocabulary of Universal horror as something simultaneously old and new. The monsters could now arrive in the living room on an ordinary afternoon or late at night, their theatrical lives beginning again on a smaller screen. The promotional material for Shock! included sections devoted to “SHOWMANSHIP,” “SALES PROMOTION to enthuse your sponsors,” and “AUDIENCE PROMOTION to excite your public.” A station preparing its premiere was encouraged to arrange a Shock party inside its own studio or, if possible, in a haunted house. “Be sure the setting enhances the appeal of the pictures themselves with every kind of ghoulish prop imaginable,” the brochure advised, before adding another practical suggestion: “If you can, borrow a coffin to add to the mood.” The monsters could leave the television studio too. Screen Gems suggested a “FIND THE SKELETON” contest in which viewers followed clues to a skeleton hidden somewhere in the community, while a mummy might “escape” from a local museum just in time to meet waiting reporters and photographers. A monster and a girl in Charles Addams-style makeup could even travel through town in a flower-covered hearse, stopping along the way to distribute membership cards for the “Monster Society of America.” Local news programs could interview a different monster each day before the premiere, making the creatures part of the television station and its community before the old movie had even begun. The arrival of Shock! coincided with one of the peculiar possibilities of local broadcasting. Stations in different cities might purchase the same films, but everything surrounding the movie could be created locally. The sets, announcers, contests, comedy, advertisements, characters, and promotions could belong entirely to the community watching them. The host became one of the most memorable parts of that arrangement, waiting outside the movie to welcome the audience in and then returning during breaks to keep them company. Bennick entered that tradition with years of radio behind him. His career began in radio, where he developed the skills of a “boss jock,” and expanded into stage magic, television, and live entertainment. In his extensive August 1991 interview with Ed Tucker, conducted at Bennick’s Winter Haven home, he remembered beginning at a Charlotte radio station in 1949 and later moving to Winston-Salem, where he became a successful disc jockey, held record hops, and ran a teenage dance club. Television brought interview programs, weather, and a teenage dance show, and Bennick developed the habit of volunteering whenever another opening appeared at the station. By the mid-1960s, he was working in television at WGHP in High Point, North Carolina, where he became involved with the station’s Shock Theatre. Bennick remembered a Saturday-night horror program whose presenter lacked a consistent character or set, sometimes dressing differently and appearing against whatever surroundings happened to be available. Having been, in his words, “a horror nut all my life,” Bennick wanted to try something more definite. “I felt if we had a definable character and a definable set there was a better chance of gaining an audience from this,” he recalled. His first experiment was Count Shockula, a skeletal figure Bennick quickly realized was not connecting with viewers. He redesigned the act, drawing upon his interests in magic, old horror movies, costuming, acting, and puns, as well as the pages of his collection of Famous Monsters of Filmland. The replacement became Dr. Paul Bearer, and Bennick later remembered the ingredients simply: “You bring all this into play and this is what comes out in Dr. Paul Bearer.” Bennick was already known on radio and wanted the character to sound separate from the disc jockey his listeners recognized. He did not consider himself particularly good with dialects, so he developed what he called a “reverse falsetto,” moving his voice downward instead of upward. The resulting gravelly sound joined the scar, center-parted hair, frock coat, spats, and makeup as parts of a character that would remain recognizable for decades. Bennick called himself “a sound effects freak” because of his radio background. He heard a doorbell effect in an old Roger Ramjet cartoon playing at the studio and immediately wanted it for the show. He constructed the sound of the coffin opening by splicing two creaks together, while the familiar scream came from a North Carolina cameraman who had recorded one especially enthusiastic attempt years before. The Three Stooges, Groucho Marx, Mad Magazine, and Charlie Chaplin all contributed something to Bennick’s approach. Inside the Tenement Castle, he could distort familiar products, talk to strange characters, take ordinary expressions literally, alter the titles of books and magazines, and produce special prerecorded segments. The world remained consistent because Dr. Paul Bearer did not behave as though any of it were strange. As Bennick explained it, “Dr. Paul Bearer’s world is very real to him; it’s everyone else who is out of step.” Bennick was a monster kid himself before generations of younger monster kids knew his face. His Famous Monsters collection helped him assemble Dr. Paul Bearer, and eventually the magazine turned its attention back toward him with an article that appeared in Famous Monsters of Filmland No. 144 in June 1978, capturing Dr. Paul Bearer while he was still relatively early in what would become his decades-long Florida run. The magazine introduced its Florida horror host with the same sort of language that filled the Tenement Castle, describing him as an “MC (Madly Crazy)” and warning readers about the extraordinary number of puns awaiting them. Dr. Paul Bearer greeted his television audience in the article with, “Good evening, fright fans… I’ve been lurking for you,” adding that Halloween was Dr. Paul Bearer’s “biggest & best horrorday,” when Bennick climbed into his 1963 Cadillac hearse to make between 25 and 30 personal appearances throughout Central Florida. The character became familiar far beyond the studio in St. Petersburg. Personal appearances, parades, promotions, telethons, and the hearse placed Dr. Paul Bearer in the physical communities receiving the television signal. For the people who grew up watching him, Dr. Paul Bearer belonged not simply to a television program but to Central Florida itself. The long run ended with Bennick’s death in 1995, but Dr. Paul Bearer remained in the memories and collections of the people who had watched him. In time, the character found another performer. Richard Koon, himself from Winter Haven, began performing a tribute version of Dr. Paul Bearer around Halloween and later continued the character with the blessing of Bennick’s widow, Patty Bennick. Koon hosted Tombstone Tales beginning in 2015, returning Dr. Paul Bearer to WTOG decades after Bennick had first brought the character to the station. More recently, Dr. Paul Bearer’s Creature Feature joined the Nostalgia Network, where the format again paired the character with movies, new sets, and the pun-heavy humor associated with the original Doctor. What had begun with one generation of monster kids was being carried forward by another. Within monster culture, there is a poignant tradition of preserving the legacy of those who created the characters we loved. The kids who grew up with them became adults who used available mediums to introduce that work to new generations. One such path leads from Forrest J. Ackerman, founding editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland, to Lon Chaney Sr.’s enduring place in film history. Ackerman devoted pages to Chaney’s extraordinary monster makeups, often with the words, “Lon Chaney shall not die.” His example helped carry Chaney’s work to new readers and eventually guided me to write a tribute to him in this very magazine. That same spirit lives in the magazines collected by Bennick, his eventual appearance in them, and in the continued portrayal of the character by Richard Koon. The preservation of our local horror host history transfigures admiration into a conversation across generations—a celebration of ingenuity and dedication drifting through the culture like a chuckle from beneath a coffin lid, reminding us that monsters and silliness still have lessons to teach us. “Preservation of the name and look was very important to me. I was afraid that someone might take the character and turn him into a foul-mouthed serial killer. I tried to be just like Dick. Mrs. Bennick and I talked quite a bit about what I was doing, and she suggested that I not mimic him and put more of myself into the character. I then changed my appearance slightly over the first two years and started to put a little slapstick into it,” Koon explained. “I loved to watch him because he would have me believe what he was saying until he tripped the pun at us. An example was when he was going to bring in a topless go-go dancer. He warned that the kids needed to be out of the room before showing her on camera. Then poof, there she was. Only her waist and legs. The top portion of her body was missing. THAT was funny. It means so much to me to continue with the character. Making people laugh and smile. That makes me want to do more.” Growing up in Winter Haven, I heard tell that this good doctor lived nearby. Without context, without a memory or even a face to put with the mention of his name, I simply noted the reverence in the voices of those talking about him. There was a local pride attached to Dr. Paul Bearer that preceded my understanding of who he was, and it was enough to make his name memorable before I understood the television program, the character, or the man underneath the makeup. Fans of Dr. Paul Bearer were people who remembered something I could not, until one day, about seven years ago, the distance between their generation and mine became considerably shorter. There was a hearse parked outside a restaurant, and dining inside was the Doctor.

When Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas became Polk State College’s sixth president on July 6, his work started with the people, not a distant vision. A Miami native, grandson of Cubans who fled communism and firstW generation college graduate raised by a hardworking single mother, he calls education the great equalizer that “opens doors, creates possibilities and empowers individuals to achieve the American Dream.” That deep-rooted belief now guides his leadership of Polk County’s largest-serving higher education and workforce training institution. He was selected after a national search of more than 100 applicants with a unanimous vote by the District Board of Trustees. Before his official first day, he spent time with students, faculty, staff and community members — and insisted they call him Stasi. He also joined interim President Dr. Anne Kerr to launch a Presidential Ambassadors Program to amplify student voices. “His immediate focus on the students signaled the culture President Kamoutsas has already deepened in his first 90 days of service,” Polk State District Board of Trustees Chair Greg Littleton said. “His vision ensures that our College puts students first, upholds service as a daily practice and commits to continuous improvement.” His first 90 days became titled Where Eagles Soar, which includes three pillars: strengthening workforce education through innovation and partnerships; ensuring students of all backgrounds can achieve greatness; and developing responsible citizens. INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIPS Strategic articulation agreements are intentional, instrumental ways to support students in moving seamlessly to universities and professional careers. Polk State and Florida Polytechnic University announced the Eagle to Phoenix Pathway on July 30, creating a transfer pathway to 10 STEM degrees including aerospace engineering, cybersecurity and physics. “Working with President Kamoutsas has been a true pleasure and a benefit for our students from both institutions,” said Dr. Devin Stephenson, President of Florida Poly. “Together, we are creating more opportunities for students to achieve their goals and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.” In August, Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue named Polk State a preferred partner for training the workforce for Advanced Air Mobility – the emerging “flying car” sector. “I was also proud to announce that FDOT is partnering with Embry Riddle and Polk State to help Florida students prepare for exciting career opportunities in the next generation of transportation,” DeSantis said. “Florida has the innovation-friendly policies, the universities and research institutions, the infrastructure and forthcoming infrastructure investments and the talent needed to become the premier location for emerging transportation technology.” Governor DeSantis subsequently announced a $2 million Florida Job Growth Grant to launch a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Program at Polk State and support national security through shipbuilding, aerospace and supply chain industries. The program will include an 80,000-square-foot driving pad to meet local demand of roughly 1,000 truckdriver openings a year. President Kamoutsas also renewed the College’s registered apprenticeship program in cybersecurity with the Florida Department of Education, providing students with paid, on-thejob training for high-demand occupations. ENSURING GREATNESS FOR ALL STUDENTS President Kamoutsas’ is committed to ensuring students from all backgrounds can achieve greatness, becoming the highly skilled workforce and leaders Florida needs. He has visited various classes and programs to collect feedback from students on how services can be enhanced. “He is here to listen, and he is here to make changes that support us,” said Christopher Jean Pierre, a Presidential Ambassador pursuing an Associate in Arts degree who serves as Vice President of the Black Student Union. “It has been an honor to work with President Stasi, and we thank him for putting students first.” Based on student feedback, President Kamoutsas is making intentional organizational changes, strengthening customer service and increasing opportunities for students. “When students walk through our doors, it is imperative that regardless of their economic backgrounds, they feel valued,” said President Kamoutsas. “By ensuring that all employees of the College are putting students at the center of every decision we make, academic success will be achieved.” In January, he will open the Polk State Haines City-Davenport Campus, where Central Florida’s first public higher education interdisciplinary simulation hospital will be housed. This will expand access to more students in the fastestgrowing region of Polk County, saving them time and money as quality higher education and workforce training will be closer to their homes. President Kamoutsas is also committed to Polk State’s Florida Collegiate Purple Star Campus designation, which recognizes the College’s dedication to supporting active-duty members, veterans and their families. “Thank you to Polk State for being a Purple Star Campus and for supporting veterans like me to better themselves and continue careers outside of the military,” shared veteran and EMT student Hunter Nix, who President Kamoutsas invited to speak at the College’s annual Convocation. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds.” DEVELOPING RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS The Presidential Ambassadors Program is comprised of 11 students ranging from 17 to 56. They carry an average GPA of 3.7 and come from collegiate high schools, workforce programs, aerospace, business, computer science, nursing and the arts. Their feedback will shape institutional initiatives. “Although President Stasi has only been at Polk State for a short time, he has made a genuine effort to get to know us as individuals, and that personal investment has made us feel seen and valued,” said Presidential Ambassador Da’Nyra Richardson, a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Administration student. On August 24, Kamoutsas put forth an institutional neutrality statement, which was unanimously adopted by the Board, maintaining a neutral position on matters unrelated to the College’s operations and core business – education – while promoting intellectual diversity, freedom of inquiry and civil discourse. On September 17, Polk State hosted Congressman Byron Donalds (R) and Florida Senator Rosalind Osgood (D) to speak at Constitution Day events on the Lakeland and Winter Haven campuses. “We believe our students benefit immensely from hearing directly from elected officials, especially for our students who represent the next generation of leaders in Florida,” Kamoutsas said. BEYOND THE 90 DAYS President Kamoutsas believes in removing barriers for students and providing the support they need to reach their goals. He has emphasized data-informed decisions and Polk State’s customer service mentality as becoming “the Publix of higher education.” As he looks ahead to the next 90 days and beyond, he commits to strengthening student services, additional innovative partnerships and expanding opportunities for students. “With an estimated 1 million residents by 2030, workforce demands continue to grow,” he said. “As Polk County’s No. 1 higher education and workforce training provider, we are committed to meeting the needs of our community. That is my promise.

Mary B. Jewett, MD Mary Jewett was born in 1858 in Mogadore, Ohio, and spent the first half of her life breaking through barriers that most women of her era never attempted. She completed her public education, graduated from the Philadelphia Presbyterian School of Medicine, taught at Buchtel College, the forerunner of the University of Akron, during the 1870s, and later joined the faculty at Merrill-VanLear College in New York. She started a medical practice in New York City at a time when female physicians were rare enough to be remarkable, built a respected reputation, and wrote a book about women in medicine at a moment when the prevailing wisdom was that women had no business being in it. She was, in other words, entirely accustomed to doing things people said couldn’t be done. In 1910, following the death of her brother-inlaw Frederick Inman, Mary moved to Winter Haven permanently to help her sister Florence. She was fifty-two years old, accomplished and unhurried, and she wasted no time. Within three years she had founded the Women’s Civic League, now the Woman’s Club, and established Winter Haven’s first public library. These were significant contributions. But they were not her most lasting ones. Mary Jewett looked at Winter Haven’s African American community and saw what others in positions of influence had chosen not to see: people who had built thriving neighborhoods, raised families, worked the groves and the railroad and the packing houses — and who had been given almost nothing in return by the institutions that surrounded them. She decided to act. Her involvement through the 1910s and 1920s was both personal and material. She donated land on the east shore of Lake Maude, creating a recreational space for African American residents, a pavilion, a putting green, a horseshoe area, and a baseball diamond. She gave her time. She gave her presence. And when she died in 1928, one of her three principal bequests directed funds held at the Snell National Bank toward the construction of a school for African American children, along with a home for the school’s teachers, with rooms available at reasonable rates to teachers and senior pupils alike. The late U.J. Johnson, whose uncle served as Dr. Jewett’s chauffeur, spoke about her legacy with a directness that no paraphrase should diminish: “She was really the first person in the city of Winter Haven, from what I’ve read and what my uncle said, to really be sympathetic to the needs of the African-Americans in the city. She provided for African-American students the very first real school and this is something you just can’t forget. That was one of the things she did. The other was that she provided a strip of land on the east shore of Lake Maude providing a pavilion, a putting green, a horse shoe area, a baseball area — she bought land and donated the area to African-Americans.” Johnson framed the significance plainly: African Americans had been moving into the Winter Haven area since the 1870s. It was not until Jewett’s work in the following decades that someone of standing chose to help. “Up to that time,” he said, “we did not have any person of stature to step up to the plate. She stepped up to the plate and did the right thing and we certainly appreciate her.” Dan Costello, whose research informs much of what we know about Jewett, put it simply: her philanthropic work crossed the boundaries of gender and race at a time when crossing either one was uncommon. She crossed both, simultaneously, without apparent hesitation. Mary Jewett came to Winter Haven to look after her sister. She stayed to look after a community. The school, the library, the recreation ground, the teacher’s home- these are the marks she left on a city that was still deciding, in those years, what kind of place it wanted to be. She had a clear opinion about the answer, and she put her money, her time, and her reputation behind it. MARY JEWETT AND EARLY FLORENCE VILLA SCHOOLS … Taken from Historical Marker Text: The Florence Villa Training School for Negroes replaced an earlier African-American school built in 1916 on the corner of 2nd and Palmetto Street. By 1922 the first school was in disrepair, and classes were held at the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. Seeing the need for a permanent campus, local white physician Dr. Mary B. Jewett in March 1924 approached the Board of Public Instruction with construction plans and an offer to donate this land. Construction began in August 1924. Funding sources were as follows: Negro donations: $2,000; White donations: $11,000; Ad Valorem Taxes: $5,000; and Julius Rosenwald School Fund: $1,500. An alternate school location was chosen farther to the north. When the five-acre campus opened on December 1, 1924, the building consisted of six large classrooms, a Domestic Science Department, and an auditorium. Enrollment peaked at 250 students. On the night of January 17, 1925, a fire destroyed the school and its furnishings. The Florence Villa Town Council offered a $500 reward for information leading to the apprehension of those responsible, to no avail. This property was returned to Dr. Jewett in May 1925, and an alternate school location was chosen farther to the north.

Your landscape might start to look a little stressed after a harsh Florida summer, but there are some plants that will revive the landscape going into the fall months. These plants will add some interest to your landscape with their unique characteristics. Blooms, berries, and fall-colored foliage are the key to fall landscaping in your Central Florida yard. Remember that even in Florida, there are many plants that will change color, produce berries, or flower only in the fall months. In fact, this is the best time of year for our native wildflowers and ornamental grasses. Try these plants for fall color in your central Florida yard: GOLDENROD (Solidago sp.) Goldenrod is a fall-flowering native perennial that grows tall and stands out in any perennial garden. The yellow flowers cover the plant from late summer through fall. Goldenrod will spread through the garden. It looks nice against a fence, combined with other wildflowers and perennials such as coneflower, pentas, and purple salvia. BEACH SUNFLOWER (Helianthus debilis) Beach sunflower blooms continuously from spring through the winter months, making it an attractive addition to a fall flower garden. This low-growing native plant will spread and readily re-seed itself in the garden. Combine beach sunflower with ornamental grasses such as muhly grass for a beautiful fall landscape bed. CIGAR PLANT (Cuphea ignea) The red-orange flowers of the cigar plant are perfect for a fall flower garden. The cigar plant will grow to about three feet tall and has dark green leaves. Plant this flowering perennial in a pollinator garden as it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. LION’S EAR (Leonotus leonurus) Lion’s ear is another orange flowering plant for the fall garden. It will grow quite large, up to six feet tall and three feet wide. Combine lion’s ear with ornamental grasses, salvia, evergreen shrubs, and colorful flowering plants. BEAUTYBERRY (Callicarpa americana) In the fall, the clumps of bright purple berries of the beautyberry stand out in any garden. Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub that will grow to about six feet tall. This weepy, informal shrub can be grown in sun or shade gardens, woodland gardens, natural areas, or in bird and butterfly gardens. Combine beautyberry with evergreen shrubs. MUHLY GRASS (Muhlenbergia capillaries) Muhly grass is one of the most attractive fallflowering plants in Central Florida. The native grass produces gorgeous showy purple/pink blooms that rise above the foliage. Muhly grass is droughttolerant and only grows two to three feet tall and wide. Combine muhly grass with goldenrod, beach sunflower, and other perennials. It is also attractive when combined with evergreen shrubs. OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA (Hydrangea quercifolia) This large native shrub grows as an understory shrub, so it does best in shady areas under trees. The large oak-like leaves of the oakleaf hydrangea will turn red to purple in the fall, and the large white flowers are also showy during the fall months. The blooms start out white and turn pink. This shrub will grow six to eight feet tall and wide and are beautiful when combined with evergreen shrubs such as azaleas and grown under oaks and pine trees. MEXICAN SAGE (Salvia leucantha) The purple blooms of the Mexican sage start in the early fall and will continue to cover the plant until it freezes back in the winter. This large perennial can grow three to four feet tall and wide, so give it plenty of room to grow. The purple flowering plant looks beautiful when combined with ornamental grasses, yellow-flowering perennials, and evergreen shrubs such as coontie cycads. FORSYTHIA SAGE (Salvia madrensis) Everything about the forsythia sage is big. The plant can grow up to eight feet tall, and the blooms can get up to twelve inches long. Forsythia sage will bloom from fall until frost. The plant will freeze back to the ground in the winter. The yellow flowering plant is attractive when combined with purple flowering plants, pentas, ornamental grasses, and blanket flowers. SILVER-LEAVED ASTER (Pityopsis graminifolia) The silver-leaved aster is a low-growing native perennial. The silver-green foliage is a beautiful contrast to the yellow flowers of the plants. This is a tough native plant that can be combined with other wildflowers and perennials, ornamental grasses, and native drought-tolerant shrubs. Look for these plants at your local nursery to add some fall color to your landscape. To learn more about bringing fall into your yard, listen to our conversation on Your Central Florida Yard podcast episode 27. If you have any questions about fall color in your landscape, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at 863- 519-1041 or visit us online at: sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/ polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. If you are not in Polk County, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic. Anne Yasalonis is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Program Coordinator for UF/IFAS Extension Polk County. Please contact her at anneanne@ufl.edu

Photo by: UF/IFAS If you’ve driven through Florida and noticed bright yellow flowers waving along the turnpike or local highways, you may have spotted one of Florida’s most recognizable wildflowers: coreopsis. The name “coreopsis” comes from the Greek words koris, meaning “bug,” and opsis, meaning “view.” The name refers to the buglike appearance of the plant’s fruit, whose tiny seeds have pincer-like structures that can grab onto clothing or fur. The common name for coreopsis is “tickseed” which is also used across many species in the Southeast and Florida. WHAT DOES COREOPSIS LOOK LIKE? Coreopsis plants typically have bright green laves and tall, mostly leafless flower stems that can reach one to three feet. This wispy appearance can make a field of them appear almost as if the tiny, happy flowers are just floating in the wind. The flowers are usually yellow, although some species will have combinations of yellow, red, and orange. Swamp coreopsis (Coreopsis nudata) has beautiful pink petals, but it is only found in north Florida and Georgia. Individual flowers generally range from about half an inch to two inches across, and flowering can occur yearround. Flowering can vary with the weather, though; rainfall patterns, frost, and heat all play a role. COREOPSIS AS FLORIDA’S STATE WILDFLOWER In 1991, the Florida Legislature designated the genus Coreopsis as Florida’s official state wildflower. The designation followed decades of use of colorful wildflowers in roadside plantings and highway beautification efforts. Florida’s relationship with roadside wildflowers goes back to the early 1960s. The Florida Department of Transportation began receiving calls about abundant red flowers growing along State Road 19/U.S. Highway 27 south of Tallahassee. When the Roadside Development Office investigated, staff discovered that the flowers were crimson clover (non-native) growing from sod purchased from a nearby cattle operation. The farmer had planted the clover as winter forage and to enrich the soil. FDOT eventually began purchasing crimson clover seed and planting it along roadsides. In 1963, the department established its first statewide Wildflower Program. The goals included improving roadside aesthetics, increasing driver safety, and reducing maintenance costs. Today, the program has evolved beyond simply planting flowers. FDOT increasingly recognizes the value of preserving naturally occurring stands of wildflowers and remnants of native plant communities along the more than 12,000 miles of roads it maintains. When managed appropriately, these roadsides can function as biological corridors, providing habitat for pollinators and other wildlife while reducing the need for frequent mowing. That is particularly important in a rapidly developing county like Polk. Roadsides may not look like traditional conservation areas, but the plants growing along them can provide valuable habitat between larger natural areas. As Florida continues to experience habitat fragmentation, opportunities to pair habitat enhancement with infrastructure programs can become increasingly important for local species. WHERE CAN I FIND COREOPSIS? Florida is home to approximately 15 species of Coreopsis, including around 12 natives and three that are non-native. Many of the species occur primarily in North Florida and the Panhandle, but several can be found throughout Central Florida. One of the most widespread is Leavenworth’s tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii). It occurs throughout much of the state and is almost entirely endemic to Florida, with its only known occurrences outside the state being in two Alabama counties. Florida tickseed (Coreopsis floridana) and coastalplain tickseed (Coreopsis gladiata) are among the other native species found in Central Florida. The plants occupy a variety of habitats. Many native coreopsis species are associated with wet environments such as flatwoods, bogs, ditches, and the edges of wetlands. Others occur in drier habitats such as sandhills. Some species are quick to establish in disturbed areas, which helps explain why they can be found along roadsides and other altered landscapes. Their flowers also provide food and habitat for wildlife. Coreopsis flowers attract pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, and other insects. Research has found that coreopsis was particularly attractive to small- and medium-sized native bees, including sweat bees and leafcutter bees. HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED For Polk County residents, growing coreopsis can be a simple way to add native habitat to a yard or garden. And October is a great time to sow some seeds or plant the ones you’ve purchased from a local native nursery. Seeds can be sown from October through January in a sunny location. They should be planted shallowly; no more than about one-eighth of an inch deep. Once established, Leavenworth’s coreopsis is drought tolerant and may reseed itself and spread if conditions are right. If you have a formal garden, keep in mind that coreopsis may reseed and spread when conditions are right. That can be a benefit if your goal is to create more habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, but it may not fit everyone’s preferred garden aesthetic. If you want a more contained planting, consider growing it in a pot. Apartment and condo residents can also enjoy coreopsis in containers, giving those without a yard an opportunity to add native plants and habitat to their outdoor spaces. Be sure to check whether the species you’re putting in a pot is a wetland species or a sandhill species before settling on a watering schedule. There is also another way residents can support Florida’s wildflowers that doesn’t involve a green thumb! The Florida wildflower specialty license plate helps fund wildflower education, research and planting throughout the state. Each sale or renewal includes a $15 donation supporting this work. Perhaps the next time you see a patch of yellow flowers along a Polk County roadside, you’ll look at it a little differently. Florida designated coreopsis as its state wildflower because of its beauty and its connection to the state’s roadsides. But its value goes beyond appearances. By planting native wildflowers, supporting thoughtful roadside management and making room for pollinators in our communities, we can help ensure that Florida’s sunshine-colored flowers remain part of the landscape for generations to come. For more information about native wildflowers and the role they play in our ecosystems, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County in Bartow or visit my webpage at go.ufl.edu/HAVENLKLD.

HARVEST DAYS Saturdays and Sundays at Keel Farms beginning Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Celebrate fall on the farm with the family. Enjoy hay rides, a visit to the pumpkin patch, a kid zone, shopping, and more! Plus, you’ve got to have some wine & cider! Visit keelfarms.com for more info. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Football is back! Watch the Bucs play twice at home in October. They play the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. Then they play the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 18 at 1 p.m. Games are played at Raymond James Stadium. Purchase tickets and find stadium and parking information at buccaneers.com. HOWL-O-WEEN 5K Oct. 4, 9 a.m. at Gadsen Park. Run or walk with your dog in this “Run for the Dogs 5K!” Proceeds benefit the Mission of Florida Giant Dog Rescue. They help to rescue, re-home, and reduce the number of gentle giant dogs in need with commitment and compassion. Sign up at runsignup.com. BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB Oct. 6 – 11 at the Straz Center. Singer Omara Portuondo, once known as the “Queen of Feeling,” was celebrated throughout Cuba until she vanished from the spotlight. When a young record producer brings her an opportunity, the elusive diva must finally deal with her past. strazcenter.org NURSE JOHN Oct. 9 & 10 at Duke Energy Center for the Arts. Stand-up comedian Nurse John comes back with all-new material, offering fans an even deeper look into the comedy and camaraderie of healthcare life in his show, “Against Medical Advice.” Nurse John has over 17 million fans, thanks to his viral sketches of the unfiltered realities of being a nurse. themahaffey.com FALL PLANT FESTIVAL Oct. 10 & 11 at the USF Botanical Gardens. This is a two-day celebration of all things plants. Shop from over 50 local growers, rare and native plants, artisan goods, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. Both experienced and new gardeners will find something they love, plus the expert advice needed for success. usf.edu SPOOKTACULAR SCIENCE Oct. 17, 6 – 9 p.m. at MOSI. Begin with a spooky cosmic journey in the Saunders Planetarium. Next, visit creepy candy stations, frightfully fun entertainment, create your own slime in the Potions Lab, take control of a drone during a Phantom Flight, and enjoy food and drinks available for purchase. Family-friendly, buy tickets at mosi.org. TAMPA PIG JIG Oct. 17 at Julian B. Lane Park. Choose from some of the best competition BBQ around and then listen to live music, all for a great cause. The lineup includes Thomas Rhett, Midland, Kameron Marlowe, Sister Hazel, and Cassidy Daniels. Purchase tickets in advance at tampapigjig.com. ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW TOUR Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. at the Straz Center. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show Spooktacular Tour” brings Patricia Quinn, who played Magenta in both the stage and film versions, for the screening of a newly restored 4K version of the film. Plus, a live shadow cast and plenty of audience participation. strazcenter.org GOLDEN GIRLS Oct. 24, 7 p.m. at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Find Sophia out on bail after being busted by the DEA for running a drug ring for retirees. Blanche and Rose have founded CreakN, a thriving sex app for seniors, and Dorothy is trying to hold it all together with help from a younger lover. rutheckerdhall.com

EPCOT FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Through Nov. 21 at EPCOT. Travel “the world” and taste food and wine from six continents. The Eat to the Beat concert series includes Smash Mouth, Tiffany, and Starship. Included with park admission, food and wine purchased separately. Find the full schedule at disneyworld.disney.go.com. MILK MART SPOOKY SOIREE Oct. 4, noon – 6 p.m. along Bumby Ave. Shop from over 300 local artists, makers, chefs, and small businesses from The Nook on Robinson to Otto’s High Dive, and everywhere in between! Costumes are highly encouraged. milkmartorlando.com EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL Oct. 2 – 4 at Dr. Phillips Center. Yes, you read that right. Evil Dead the Musical. Expect demons, chainsaws, iconic music, laughs, nostalgia, rock music energy, and over-the-top theatrics just in time for spooky season. Ages 17+ only. Purchase tickets at drphillipscenter.org. MOVIE IN THE PARK Watch “Monster House” (2006), Rated PG, for free in Central Park in Winter Park on Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. This is an animated adventure with Halloween thrills for the whole family. Produced by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. Bring a blanket to sit on and snacks! enzian.org GATORS, GHOSTS, AND GOBLINS Select nights beginning Oct. 10 at Gatorland. This is a family-friendly daytime event. Guests will have animal meet-andgreets, photo ops, a children’s costume parade, and more! Meet Gatorland’s own Florida Bigfoot, the Skunk Ape and his cousin, Eddie the Yeti. gatorland.com ORLANDO MAGIC The NBA is back in October! The Magic will play two preseason games: Oct. 13 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers and Oct. 16 vs. Miami Heat. The first home game of the regular season is Oct. 21 vs. Atlanta Hawks. They play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 23. All games begin at 7 p.m. at the Kia Center. nba.com/magic THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Oct. 15 – 18 at Dr. Phillips Center. Performed by the Orlando Ballet with live music from the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Prince Florimund journeys through an enchanted forest to find his love. With a kiss, he breaks the spell, awakens Aurora, and restores life to the kingdom. drphillipscenter.org ART NIGHT OUT Oct. 14 at the Orlando Museum of Art. Guests will celebrate Day of the Dead - Dia de los Muertos with Florida artist, Gabriela Hernandez. Learn the art of skull painting! Learn about this celebration of life and decorate a ceramic calavera to take home. Register in advance. omart.org COME OUT WITH PRIDE Oct. 17, noon at Lake Eola Park. Experience the most colorful parade, shop the local vendors at the marketplace, enjoy live performances, and finish the day with the most epic fireworks finale. This day celebrates the full diversity of Florida’s LGBTQIA+ community. comeoutwithpride.org DOG DAY Oct. 31, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Leu Gardens. Bring your dog and explore the 50+ acres of gardens. Plus, participate in one of three Hall–O–Ween canine costume parades where your pup could win a prize! Bring the entire family and celebrate Halloween outside. Find more info and a schedule at leugardens.org.

FIRST FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES Oct. 2 in Downtown Winter Haven. First Friday in Winter Haven just got louder with a monthly concert series on Central Ave between 3rd and 4th St. The street will be closed, the stage will be up, and Ripperduski will play live from 6 - 9! Bring a chair, grab a bite and a drink from a restaurant nearby (open container during FF), and enjoy! FB @whfirstfriday. RAINBOW ROOTS Oct. 4, noon at Lake Mirror Auditorium in Lakeland. Hosted by the Rose Dynasty Foundation, the Rainbow Roots Festival is a safe and inclusive space that uplifts LGBTQ+ voices through history, art, music, local vendors, and more. More info on FB @rosedynastyfoundation. ROOTSTOCK Oct. 3, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Bok Tower Gardens. Shop from the top plant vendors, take a hayride through the Pine Ridge Reserve, and enjoy live music throughout the day. October marks the start of the Florida gardening season, and there is no better way to celebrate than a day in the Gardens. boktowergardens.org WILLY WONKA Oct. 8 – Nov. 1 at Theatre Winter Haven. Step into a world of pure imagination with Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka.” This scrumptious musical adventure follows young Charlie Bucket hoping to find a coveted Golden Ticket. theatrewinterhaven.com OKTOBERFEST Oct. 9, 6 – 9 p.m. at Central Park in Winter Haven. This is Main Street Winter Haven’s 19th annual celebration! They will have over 30 beers to sample, German food, live polka & classic music, and the famous wiener dog race! For more info or to register your wiener dog for the race, visit mainstreetwinterhaven.com. POLK STATE FALLFEST Oct. 10, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Polk State Winter Haven. For nearly four decades, FallFest has provided local families with a fun-filled Saturday. The event is free and open to the public. FallFest features more than 100 booths from local vendors, businesses, and college clubs. polk.edu WICKED WINE WALK Oct. 16, 5 p.m. in Downtown Lake Wales. Come dressed to impress for the adult costume contest, take on the Haunted Scavenger Hunt, and enjoy plenty of wicked surprises along the way. Your ticket includes wine tastings, appetizers, a commemorative Wicked shot glass & swag bag, and a dance party! centralfloridatix.com BIENVENIDO A BSP Oct. 10, 3 – 9 p.m. at Bonnet Springs Park. Celebrate the flavors, colors, and rhythms of Hispanic and Latino cultures with live bands, an artisan market, a live DJ, food trucks, and so much more! Admission is free, and open to all ages. Find the schedule and pre-purchase parking at bonnetspringspark.com. THE LONESOME COWBOY STRANGERS Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. at The Ritz. Dwight Icenhower presents this tribute to the golden era of country music, celebrating the authentic honky-tonk sound. Hear songs by George Jones, Buck Owens, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Faron Young, and Johnny Paycheck. theatrewinterhaven.com ZOMBIE TAKEOVER! Oct. 30, 6 p.m. Dress like a zombie and takeover Bowen Yard! Instead of eating brains, choose from delicious food specials, themed cocktails, and mocktails! Bully for You will play all night. Participate in the Zombie Walkoff and costume contest! All ages, but it might be scary for some. FB @bowenyardwh

ROOTSTOCK Oct. 3, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Bok Tower Gardens. Shop from the top plant vendors, take a hayride through the Pine Ridge Reserve, and enjoy live music throughout the day. October marks the start of the Florida gardening season, and there is no better way to celebrate than a day in the Gardens. boktowergardens.org RAINBOW ROOTS Oct. 4, noon at Lake Mirror Auditorium in Lakeland. Hosted by the Rose Dynasty Foundation, the Rainbow Roots Festival is a safe and inclusive space that uplifts LGBTQ+ voices through history, art, music, local vendors, and more. More info on FB @rosedynastyfoundation. FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL Oct. 3, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at The AGB. This free event is designed for visitors of all ages, with fun activities throughout the Museum. Enjoy games, art activities, facepainting, balloon-bending, magic shows, music, and scavenger hunts to explore the galleries! agbmuseum.org HALL OF FAME GALA Oct. 6, 6 p.m. at Lake Eva Event Center. The Polk Arts and Cultural Alliance will honor seven Hall of Fame inductees, celebrate recipients of six Arts & Culture Awards, experience the “Best of Polk” Visual Art Exhibition, and enjoy a plated dinner among community leaders, artists, and supporters. polkarts.org/gala ATHENA LEADERSHIP AWARDS Oct. 7, noon at Bonnet Springs Park. The ATHENA Leadership Awards recognize local women excelling in service to their community and assistance to women in attaining professional excellence and leadership skills. lakelandchamber.com PINKALICIOUS Oct. 9, 10, & 11 at Lakeland Community Theatre. Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. This lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, which turns her pink from head to toe, a dream come true for this pink-loving enthusiast. lakelandcommunitytheatre.com BIENVENIDO A BSP Oct. 10, 3 – 9 p.m. at Bonnet Springs Park. Celebrate the flavors, colors, and rhythms of Hispanic and Latino cultures with live bands, an artisan market, a live DJ, food trucks, and so much more! Admission is free, and open to all ages. Find the schedule and pre-purchase parking at bonnetspringspark.com. POLK STATE FALLFEST Oct. 10, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Polk State Winter Haven. For nearly four decades, FallFest has provided local families with a fun-filled Saturday. The event is free and open to the public. FallFest features more than 100 booths from local vendors, businesses, and college clubs. polk.edu LAKELAND RECORD FAIR VIII Oct. 11, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Lake Mirror Auditorium. Browse from 25+ vendors selling new and used LPs, CDs, cassette tapes, memorabilia, and more! For the first time ever, you can participate in a Halloween costume contest! Plus, they’ll have food and coffee for purchase. More info on FB @JesseCarlVinyl. LAKE MIRROR CLASSIC A weekend of fun benefiting local charities. Oct. 16, 5 – 9 p.m. is Visit Central Florida’s Hot Rod Rendezvous. On Oct. 17, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. is the Concourse d’Elegance and a Downtown Classic Car Show from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Oct. 18 is the Sunday Road Tour from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Grand Marshal is Bobby Rahal. More info at lakemirrorclassic.com.

THE CARETAKER By Marcus Kliewer From a new titan of the macabre and unsettling, comes an eerie supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined. KISS, SLAY, REPLAY By Rachel Harrison A masked killer strikes during the wedding of Willa’s best friends. Then, she wakes up on the morning of the wedding. Was what she experienced a dream, déjà vu, or something more sinister. After a horrifying turn of events, Willa comes to understand that she’s stuck in a loop of carnage and terror that she must learn how to escape or else suffer a fate worse than death, being an eternal wedding guest. THE CALAMITIES By Chuck Wendig The heir to one of the world’s most influential families reckons with the demonic secret of their power in this contemporary dark fantasy that melds occult magic with shocking family drama, from the New York Times bestselling author of “The Book of Accidents.” FABULOUS BODIES By Chuck Tingle Fashion influencer and grave-robber, Poppy is on call when Eddie Michaels, a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon, unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up. Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs. OUR CUT OF SALT By Deena Helm In this lyrical debut, three generations of Palestinian women must put the haunting of their ancestral home to rest, before the secrets of the past drown them all. “Our Cut of Salt” is a powerful and intimate look at what it means to make a home, to lose it, and to return, only to find it irrevocably changed. THE DORIANS By Nick Cutter Five elderly volunteers agree to a secret experiment to stall, or even reverse the clock, via an ancient biological agent with a single-minded will to survive. The dark heart of unbridled human ambition finds its apex in an unholy experiment that now tests the limits of both creator and subject, eclipsing all bounds of morality and sanity. YOU DID NOTHING WRONG By CG Drews Elodie’s new husband has whisked her and her autistic son, Jude, away to the crumbling family house he’s renovating. Everything is perfect. Until Jude claims he can hear voices in the walls. He says their renovations are “hurting” the house. Even Elodie can’t ignore it, something strange is going on. The question is, is it with the house, or with her son? WOLF WORM By T. Kingfisher Scientific illustrator Sonia Wilson agrees to go work for Dr. Halder. Once there though, she encounters dark happenings in the Carolina woods, and even darker questions come to light, like what happened to her predecessor? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thieves?” HOW TO KILL A GUY IN TEN DATES By Shailee Thompson A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl. STAY BURIED By Jennifer McMahon Some towns stay isolated for a reason. From the New York Times bestselling author of “Children on the Hill” comes a queer folk horror in which a woman must confront decades of secrecy and superstition to learn the truth about her mother’s death.

THE CARETAKER By Marcus Kliewer From a new titan of the macabre and unsettling, comes an eerie supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined. KISS, SLAY, REPLAY By Rachel Harrison A masked killer strikes during the wedding of Willa’s best friends. Then, she wakes up on the morning of the wedding. Was what she experienced a dream, déjà vu, or something more sinister. After a horrifying turn of events, Willa comes to understand that she’s stuck in a loop of carnage and terror that she must learn how to escape or else suffer a fate worse than death, being an eternal wedding guest. THE CALAMITIES By Chuck Wendig The heir to one of the world’s most influential families reckons with the demonic secret of their power in this contemporary dark fantasy that melds occult magic with shocking family drama, from the New York Times bestselling author of “The Book of Accidents.” FABULOUS BODIES By Chuck Tingle Fashion influencer and grave-robber, Poppy is on call when Eddie Michaels, a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon, unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up. Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs. OUR CUT OF SALT By Deena Helm In this lyrical debut, three generations of Palestinian women must put the haunting of their ancestral home to rest, before the secrets of the past drown them all. “Our Cut of Salt” is a powerful and intimate look at what it means to make a home, to lose it, and to return, only to find it irrevocably changed. THE DORIANS By Nick Cutter Five elderly volunteers agree to a secret experiment to stall, or even reverse the clock, via an ancient biological agent with a single-minded will to survive. The dark heart of unbridled human ambition finds its apex in an unholy experiment that now tests the limits of both creator and subject, eclipsing all bounds of morality and sanity. YOU DID NOTHING WRONG By CG Drews Elodie’s new husband has whisked her and her autistic son, Jude, away to the crumbling family house he’s renovating. Everything is perfect. Until Jude claims he can hear voices in the walls. He says their renovations are “hurting” the house. Even Elodie can’t ignore it, something strange is going on. The question is, is it with the house, or with her son? WOLF WORM By T. Kingfisher Scientific illustrator Sonia Wilson agrees to go work for Dr. Halder. Once there though, she encounters dark happenings in the Carolina woods, and even darker questions come to light, like what happened to her predecessor? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thieves?” HOW TO KILL A GUY IN TEN DATES By Shailee Thompson A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl. STAY BURIED By Jennifer McMahon Some towns stay isolated for a reason. From the New York Times bestselling author of “Children on the Hill” comes a queer folk horror in which a woman must confront decades of secrecy and superstition to learn the truth about her mother’s death.