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Christmas Parade To March On

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

PLANT CITY - The Plant City Christmas Parade, canceled hours before its Dec. 5 start, will be rescheduled for Friday, volunteer organizers decided last week.

The go-ahead for the 6 p.m. procession came after a parade committee meeting Dec. 10.

After discussing the feasibility of putting on a smaller but viable parade, the committee agreed to take all steps necessary to proceed with the 25th annual event.

"The insurance carrier has agreed to provide us with coverage for Dec.19," said Fran Neilsen, co-chair of the committee.

Committee members said parade participants and support personnel would be contacted about the new date, but expressed confidence that details can be worked out.

City Manager David Sollenberger said the city will support the parade committee in every way possible.

"We will have to look at the details with the committee," Sollenberger said. "A lot of people were disappointed when it was announced the parade was canceled. This may be a last-minute Christmas present to a lot of people who were looking forward to it."

The committee was scheduled to meet again Friday to update progress and finalize plans.

The parade cancellation announcement by Sollenberger came at 3 p.m. Dec. 5 in the midst of a massive manhunt launched after a 9:30 a.m. deadly shootout that shut down Plant City streets and forced lockdowns at local schools.

The search ended around 3:40 p.m., when Fransisco Rangel, suspected of shooting three men, two of them fatally, was apprehended as he walked between two vacant houses near the corner of North Collins and East Tever streets.

For updated parade information, visit TBO.com. Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

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