At a law office in downtown Orlando, Worrell pointed to the reintroduction of the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office’s adult civil citation program, which was initially discontinued by appointed state attorney Andrew Bain before he announced Monday it will resume this month. The program offers alternatives to arrest for non-violent offenders, such as counseling or community service.

She further cited her office’s conviction rates, with what she said was a 70% felony conviction rate and 99% for homicide cases in the second quarter. On Monday, Bain reported strikingly similar numbers: convictions in 71% of felony trials and all of five homicide cases for his first 100 days.

“Not surprisingly, most of what he reported were the exact same things I was doing under my administration,” Worrell told reporters. A spokesperson for Bain did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Worrell’s press conference comes less than a month before her legal team is scheduled to present oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court in an attempt to be reinstated as state attorney. Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Florida Senate is the proper venue for reinstatement, calling her suspension a “political question.”

The hearing is set for Dec. 6.

DeSantis appointed Bain, a former Orange County judge, after suspending Worrell on Aug. 9 for what he said was a dereliction of duty for not prosecuting certain crimes more aggressively. Cited in his suspension order were alleged policies to avoid pushing for mandatory minimum sentences along with prosecutors dropping cases involving illegal guns and drug trafficking.

Worrell on Monday said the governor to date has not offered “not one scintilla of evidence” supporting those claims, adding that cases involving minimum mandatory sentences were handled “with care and caution.” She also further questioned data reported by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office regarding her office’s handling of their drug trafficking cases. Sheriff Marcos Lopez said she refused to prosecute many cases, but Worrell insists cases had to be dropped because of mishandled investigations.

DeSantis, who critics say went after Worrell for exercising prosecutorial discretion, counts law enforcement leaders among his supporters in the lawsuit against him. Earlier this month, the Florida Sheriffs Association filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold Worrell’s suspension, which came after a months-long feud between her and local leaders.

“Law enforcement’s biggest contention with me was that I didn’t rubber stamp their decisions and that I did hold them accountable when they broke the law,” Worrell said. “That is why they wanted me out of office and that is why you see them laud and praise the governor’s state attorney [Bain], because they are all carrying out the governor’s agenda.”

On Monday, Bain said he plans on running for election against Worrell to keep his position as state attorney. Records show Worrell and Republican Seth Hyman have filed as candidates.

Pinnacle at the Wesleyan, includes 96 units on West Vine Street in Kissimmee that will be priced at or below 80% of the area’s median income for 50 years. The apartments— a mix of which will be mostly 2 bedrooms —will begin construction in December and are set to open in May of 2026.

The developer has 32 years to pay the no-interest loan back, which will be distributed over two years, according to meeting notes.

Commission Chair Viviana Janer said it is important that the county looks for innovative ways to create affordable housing.

“We do like the public-private partnerships in order to get them done,” Janer said on Monday.

Staff recommended the county manager fund a gap created by the rising costs of construction and labor, according to Board of County Commission meeting notes from March.

In a June letter to Pinnacle Housing, County Manager Don Fisher commitment to fund the project, saying the county is in need of more affordable housing.

The project is also being funded by a $500,000 loan from the city of Kissimmee, which approved it in June; low-income housing tax credits from the Florida Housing Finance Corp.; and $4.3 million from Live Local Act funds, according to Nov. 13 board of county commission meeting notes.

In total, the development is estimated to cost over $33.8 million, according to meeting notes.

The Pinnacle at the Wesleyan will be one of the first projects in the county that is using funds from the newly established Live Local Act through the Florida Housing Finance Corp. to build affordable housing in the county.

The Live Local Act or Senate Bill 102 was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March and established a $711-million fund  for affordable housing but also diminished the authority of local municipalities to set their own zoning and height regulations on new affordable developments.

“I think the state really needs to trickle that money down to communities that are really truly dedicating their time and resources to affordable housing like Osceola County,” Commissioner Peggy Choudhry said of the act. “Regardless, we are dedicating a lot of time and effort and we’re doing all we possibly can to bring more affordable housing.”

Pinnacle Housing and the Florida Housing Finance Corp. did not respond to requests for comment.

This wasn’t just any book: It marked the first time all of Shakespeare’s works were published together — no mean feat back in those days when many of his plays existed only in his drafts or the bits and pieces handed out to actors.

In fact, without this remarkable book, there would have been no published script for “Macbeth,” “Twelfth Night,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Tempest,” “Antony and Cleopatra” or “As You Like It,” just to name a few. Nearly half of Shakespeare’s output would have been lost.

And without his complete body of work to awe and inspire, Shakespeare likely would never have reached the cultural heights he has.

On Friday, Nov. 17, PBS’s “Great Performances” celebrates the 400th anniversary of the book in “Making Shakespeare: The First Folio.”

“The First Folio” is the name of this book of 36 plays. Well, actually, it’s not. The proper title is “Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies.” But it’s commonly called the First Folio by modern scholars; folio is a publishing term that indicates the way the book was printed, resulting in large-size pages.

Early in the program, narrated by Broadway superstar Audra McDonald, a participant describes the First Folio as “the most important secular book in the history of the Western world.”

Hyperbole? Well, the speaker is renowned Shakespeare scholar Jonathan Bate, so clearly, he has a bias toward its cultural significance. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t speaking accurately.

The First Folio is certainly the most expensive book going. In 2020, a copy auctioned by Christie’s sold for $10 million — the highest price ever paid for a work of literature at auction.

It’s estimated about 750 copies of the First Folio were printed. Today, 235 are known to still exist. PBS looks at a famously stolen copy, a recently discovered copy — in a public library in a small French town, no less — and a very royal copy.

In that latter segment, King Charles III examines a First Folio owned by his predecessor of some 15 generations, King Charles I, which is still in royal hands at Windsor Castle. That first Charles came to an unhappy end: His forces were defeated in the English Civil War, and he was executed in 1649 as the monarchy was abolished.

But, some comfort, we are told that even while imprisoned before his execution, Charles I was allowed to keep his copy of the First Folio. The copy contains his notes, in which he has written character names in the margins, perhaps to highlight his favorites — or maybe to keep the various comedy couples straight: “Is this the one with Beatrice and Benedick or the one with Helena and Bertram?”

There is something satisfying in learning that it was Shakespeare’s friends, two actors, who were the driving force in organizing whatever source material they could round up, collecting the plays and getting them published for posterity; after all, Shakespeare has been creating work for actors ever since.

(Side note: As a “Macbeth” fan, I also enjoyed learning that Shakespeare’s rough drafts are known as “foul papers” while the later, cleaned-up versions are called “fair copies.” “Fair is foul, and foul is fair…”)

In their effort to pay tribute to their deceased friend and preserve his legacy, John Heminges and Henry Condell also had to deal with some legalese that still exists in the modern arts world: Obtaining the rights to the works. The rights to many of Shakespeare’s plays were owned by those who had first printed them individually in various other formats, and the pair had to do some wheeling and dealing.

Lest you think the program has its eye solely on ancient history, it should be noted that the amusing stories of the First Folio are interspersed (sometimes smoothly, sometimes more clunkily) with the inspiring way Shakespeare impacts the world today, especially through the efforts of the Public Theater of New York City.

There’s “The Comedy of Errors” as a bilingual musical, Kenny Leon’s version of “Hamlet” for Shakespeare in the Park, a student production of “Romeo & Juliet” with children learning English as a second language. It’s all heartening to lovers of classical theater.

A favorite quote from the program comes from Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public, as he ponders why Shakespeare endures. When the playwright creates his tales, whether comic or tragic, Eustis says, “he sees the worth of every human being.”

How to watch

• On TV: 9-11 p.m. Nov. 17, on WUCF-TV, Channel 24
• Online streaming: At pbs.org/show/great-performances

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.

Disney accounted for 263,000 jobs in Florida, more than three times the actual workforce Disney World, according to the study conducted by Oxford Economics and commissioned by Disney. Besides direct employment and spending, the study covering fiscal year 2022 attributed the company’s multibillion-dollar impact to indirect influences such as supply chain and employee spending.

The jobs include Disney employees as well as jobs supported by visitor spending off Disney World property. In Central Florida, Disney directly accounts for 1 in 8 jobs, and for every direct job at Disney World, another 1.7 jobs are supported across Florida, Oxford Economics said.

The time period in the study is before the takeover of Disney World’s governing district by DeSantis and his appointees after Disney publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. The law was championed by DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Disney officials in the past year have said the company plans to invest an additional $17 billion over the next decade in Central Florida, including potentially adding another 13,000 jobs.

However, the company has shown a willingness to pull back on investing in Florida.

Earlier this year, Disney scrapped plans to relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to the Lake Nona neighborhood of Orlando to work in digital technology, finance and product development, an investment estimated at $1 billion.

Disney is battling DeSantis and his appointees in federal and state courts over the takeover of what was formally called the Reedy Creek Improvement District but was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District after DeSantis appointees gained control.

The district was created by the Florida Legislature in 1967 to handle municipal services like firefighting, road repairs and waste hauling, and it was controlled by Disney supporters until earlier this year.

Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company. The new DeSantis appointees said the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers, and the district sued the company in state court in Orlando to have the contracts voided.

Disney has filed counterclaims, which include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

Disney also has sued DeSantis, a state agency and DeSantis appointees on the district’s board in federal court in Tallahassee, saying the company’s free speech rights were violated when the governor and Republican lawmakers targeted it for expressing opposition to the law dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by its critics.

As usual, we’re starting the nomination process with an appeal to our readers. We’re looking for people who work tirelessly, sometimes anonymously, to make this a better community. Some count their impact by the thousands of lives their work touches, others by their rapid response to an emergency. We’ve celebrated the success of innovative and well-executed ideas, and acknowledged dogged refusals to give up on problems written off as unsolvable.

Among past honorees are well-known names such as Gary Cain, who capped a splendid 28-year run as CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida in early 2023. We’ve recognized IDignity founder Michael Dippy, who saw the barriers that kept homeless people from obtaining legal identification needed to get them back their feet; Deirdre Macnab, whose tireless advocacy as president of the League of Women Voters of Florida protected critical rights; and the team that fought, on one terrible night, to save the lives of those shot in the Pulse nightclub massacre.

Please help us find the people who deserve this honor for 2023. You can send nominations via email at insight@orlandosentinel.com; please include CFOTY in the subject line and get your recommendations to us by Nov. 27.

We’ll consider groups of people, and you can also send multiple nominations or self-nominations; for each nominee, please include a description of why you think they should be honored, along with your own contact information for any questions.

Many of the prosecutors hired in the last three months formerly worked for the office before taking jobs in judicial circuits elsewhere in Florida. His office was able to entice them to return, Bain told reporters Monday.

Joined by law enforcement leaders, Bain also reiterated what he said called “decisive measures to reinstate mandatory minimum sentencing” for defendants with felony records possessing guns, along with a policy announced in September sending police use-of-force cases before a grand jury.

“The people who work for this office do it because they love their community; they love their job. That’s the reason why they’re here,” Bain said.

Bain, a former Orange County judge appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell, further announced the return of civil citation programs aimed at adults and youth accused of nonviolent misdemeanors. Those programs, a central point of Worrell’s policy platform when she ran for office in 2020, were discontinued Aug. 10 as Bain “evaluate[d] their effectiveness” at the beginning of his appointment but will resume this month.

His proposed replacement, called “Second Chance,” is also set to roll out this month in two phases beginning in December, but it’s not clear what that will entail. Bain further said his office will focus on expanding literacy efforts targeting youth put through the justice system, details of which he said will come in the coming months.

“The correlation between literacy and the criminal justice system is unfortunately strong,” Bain said. “That is why I’m working with organizations very closely … to bring literacy tutoring and mentorship to juveniles currently in our juvenile justice system. Once we identify the root cause of their literacy struggles, we can help them remove the mark of academic failure.”

Along with law enforcement, Bain was joined at Monday’s press conference with Jim and Jackson Cooper, the ex-husband and son of Shanti Cooper-Tronnes, who was killed at her Delaney Park home in 2018. Her husband, David Tronnes, was convicted of her murder in October, which investigators said was over a disagreement about expensive renovations to their house on East Copeland Drive. Tronnes was sentenced to life in prison.

In their comments to reporters, the Coopers thanked prosecutors for their handling of the case.

“My mom was a very hardworking and caring person. … I’m glad [Tronnes] got what he deserved and that he’ll never be out of prison,” Jackson Cooper said. Jim Cooper, his father, added, “It was about dotting the I’s, crossing the T’s and not making a mistake so we don’t have to relive this down the road on appeal. Everything was perfect.”

Bain’s 100-day–in-office update comes after Worrell was suspended, which, according to DeSantis’s suspension order was due to negligence in her handling of certain cases. Her suspension came after months of public feuding among her and Central Florida law enforcement leaders, who accused her of being “soft on crime.”

Worrell is currently suing DeSantis before the Florida Supreme Court in an attempt to get her job back, to which she was first elected in 2020. Her removal has been decried by liberal lawmakers and advocates, and five former state Supreme Court justices signed a legal brief supporting her lawsuit.

DeSantis’ lawyers have argued that the proper venue for Worrell’s reinstatement was the Florida Senate, but her legal team rebutted that the argument is “contrary to well established precedent.”

Not mentioned at Monday’s press conference was a pledge by Bain to review past cases dropped by Worrell’s office, including for gun crimes and drug trafficking cases cited by the governor. In her legal arguments, Worrell’s lawyers cited what she called “unsubstantiated” data on her handling of trafficking cases handled by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in 2022, which were mentioned in her suspension order.

Those cases “were reviewed and those suitable for prosecution are being prosecuted,” spokesperson Sydney McCloud said in an email.

Worrell has filed for reelection in 2024, while Bain, who records show has not filed, said he plans to run against her.

Dr. Phillips, Lake Mary and Apopka each capitalized when they needed to most on Friday in order to advance past the regional quarterfinal round.

Those teams are among 12 programs from the Orlando area still standing in the Florida High School Athletic Association postseason.

“Playoff football is just about running the ball, stopping the run and turnover margin, and whoever can win the special-teams battle,” DP coach Rodney Wells said following a 17-15 win at rival Olympia. “Tonight we did a solid job in all phases of the game.”

The Panthers turned a roughing-the-punter penalty into a 30-yard field goal by Taylor Harris on their first drive. An interception by Orlendy Larosiliere — four plays after DP fumbled away the opening kick of the second half — led to a touchdown run by Cameran Dixon.

Amari Major, who was injured late in the game, put the Panthers in front for good on a 6-yard run in the final seconds of the third quarter.

That came after Olympia failed to convert on a 2-point conversion attempt. The Titans also missed an extra-point try in the first half that was made more difficult due to a penalty.

DP is one of three local teams on the road this week in regional semifinal games vs. out-of-area competition. The Panthers travel to No. 2 seed Tampa Plant.

Bishop Moore plays at Jacksonville Riverside in 2M Region 1.

Leesburg goes to defending state champion Lake Wales in Class 3 Suburban Region 2.

Orange City University and Orlando Christian Prep host playoff games in the second round, but both will be away from their on-campus stadiums, which do not meet FHSAA specifications for the playoffs.

University plays DeLand in a 4S district rematch at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Stadium. DeLand won the first meeting 14-3 on Oct. 20.

OCP faces Jacksonville Providence at a location to be determined. It will be Providence’s second trip to the Orlando area since winning 42-28 at The Master’s Academy on Oct. 13.

Master’s (9-2) claimed the independent Sunshine State Athletic Association championship Saturday night in Lakeland. Nazir McMillian intercepted a pass at the 17-yard line with under two minutes to go to ensure a 34-27 win over Fort Lauderdale’s Westminster Academy (9-2).

Jackson Stretcher, an eighth-grader, passed for four touchdowns and rushed for another for the Eagles. Jake Hormell caught a TD pass just before halftime to snap a 20-20 tie. The game was interrupted in the second half by a lengthy lightning delay.

Lake Mary super sophomore quarterback Noah Grubbs overcame two interceptions and a lost fumble in a 4M Region 1 quarterfinal while rallying from a 17-point deficit at No. 8 seed Boone.

The Rams blocked a field goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter and Dylan Wilson intercepted a pass with one minute to spare to close out a wild 42-38 win.

Grubbs ended the night 30-of-49 passing for 510 yards with 5 TDs and one rushing touchdown. He connected with Carson Hinshaw on a 14-yard completion for the game-winner with 1:43 to go.

“I’m proud of my guys for fighting the entire game and never giving up until we took the lead,” Lake Mary coach Scott Perry said afterward. “We earned an advance to next week, so I’m happy about that. We’ve got to get better so we can earn another one.”

Grubbs enters Friday’s game at home vs. Jacksonville Mandarin with 49 passing TDs in 2023, which ties current Crawfordville Wakulla senior Haden Klees for the third-most total in a single season in Florida high school history alongside Cocoa’s Blake Boda (2022), Wellington’s Shannon Patrick (2014) and Miami Northwestern’s Jacory Harris (2007).

Klees’ team is 11-0 and still alive in Class 2S.

Lake Nona’s Tucker Israel and Tampa Jefferson’s Quentin Williams each passed for 56 TDs during the 2014 season. Aaron Murray threw 51 TD passes in 2007 for Tampa Plant.

Lake Mary defeated Mandarin 34-16 on Sept. 29. A win for the Rams would mean another home game in the regional final round vs. Apopka or Sanford Seminole.

The Blue Darters, state runners-up in three of the past four years, needed big plays on defense and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to outpace Evans for a 22-13 win.

“It felt like we came out and dominated on both sides of the ball, and special teams especially,” said Apopka’s Antwone Robinson, who blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. “Momentum was high at the beginning of the game. We’ve just got to continue to have the momentum like we had in the first quarter.”

Apopka plays at Seminole and undefeated Edgewater is home against Jones in enticing local district rivalries that have produced head-turning outcomes in recent years.

Lake Minneola is home as the No. 2 seed in 4S Region 2 vs. Wiregrass Ranch out of Wesley Chapel.

Tickets for regional tournament games are available for $10 at the GoFan website.

Friday’s schedule for regions involving Orlando area teams includes team seeding based on FHSAA playoff power rankings and, in parentheses,  win-loss records:

Class 4M Region 1

No. 5 Jacksonville Mandarin (8-3) at No. 1 Lake Mary (10-1), 7:30

No. 3 Apopka (8-3) at No. 2 Sanford Seminole (9-2), 7

Class 4M Region 2

No. 5 Plant City Durant (9-2) at No. 1 Riverview Sumner (10-1), 7:30

No. 6 Dr. Phillips (7-4) at No. 2 Tampa Plant (9-2), 7:30

Class 3M Region 1

No. 4 Jones (8-3) at No. 1 Edgewater (11-0), 7:30

No. 3 Tampa Bay Tech (9-2)  at No. 2 Seffner Armwood (10-1), 7:30

Class 2M Region 1

No. 4 Jacksonville Bolles (6-5) at No. 1 Jacksonville Raines (10-1), 6:30

No. 3 Bishop Moore (8-3) at No. 2 Jacksonville Riverside (9-2), 6:30

Class 1M Region 1

No. 4 Jacksonville University (5-5) at No. 1 Jacksonville Trinity Christian (7-3), 7

No. 3 Jacksonville Providence (7-3) at No. 2 Orlando Christian Prep (9-1), 7:30#

Class 4S Region 2

No. 5 Bartow (7-4) at No. 1 Lakeland (8-3), 7:30

No. 3 Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch (9-2) at No. 2 Lake Minneola (8-3), 7:30

Class 4S Region 3

No. 4 Vero Beach (9-2) at No. 1 Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (8-2), 7:30

No. 3 DeLand (9-2) at No. 2 Orange City University (10-1), 7:30#

Class 3S Region 2

No. 4 Zephyrhills (8-3) at No. 1 Ocala Vanguard (9-2), 7:30

No. 3 Leesburg (10-1) at No. 2 Lake Wales (11-0), 7:30

This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.

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  UCF Knights tight end Randy Pittman (13) catches a pass before the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel) 1

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  UCF Knights take the field before the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights tight end Alec Holler (82) ramble down field after the catch during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (7) breaks away to score a touchdown during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights defensive back Braeden Marshall (4) is tackled after intercepting the ball during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (10) sets up to throw the ball under heavy pressure during the second half of the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights wide receiver Kobe Hudson (2) tries to make the catch on Oklahoma State Cowboys safety Trey Rucker (9) during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Rucker was penalized for pass interference on the play. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  During the rainstorm UCF Knights wide receiver Javon Baker (1) just misses the ball thrown short by quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (10) during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights defensive back Demari Henderson (8) celebrates his interception during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights wide receiver Kobe Hudson (2) fans go wild after this seven yard touch down catch during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (7) celebrates his touchdown during the second half of the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (7) takes his seven yard catch into the end zone for a touchdown during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (7) signals first down after his catch during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights wide receiver Javon Baker (1) catches a long pass to set up the touchdown during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights wide receiver Javon Baker (1) catches a long pass to set up the touchdown during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  As the hard rain falls UCF Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (10) throws a pass during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (7) tip toes up the sideline before Oklahoma State Cowboys defenders knock him out of bounds during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights fans weather the rain storm during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  As the rain falls Oklahoma State Cowboys punter Hudson Kaak (29) gets off his punt with UCF Knights defensive end Kaven Call (33) in hot pursuit during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (10) runs the ball on a keeper during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights defensive back Demari Henderson (8) and teammates celebrate his interception during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights head coach Gus Malzahn prepares for the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights cheerleading team member somersaults across the end zone during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights defensive tackle John Walker (55) rushes the passer during the Oklahoma State at UCF college football game at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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  UCF Knights fans storm the field after the big win over Oklahoma State at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. UCF wins 45-3. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Answer. Birds, squirrels and other critters love sunflower seed but you should see signs of digging to obtain their food.  Make sure the seed obtained is fresh and has been stored in an air-conditioned room prior to purchase. Some stores have been observed with seed racks outdoors where the seed can deteriorate in the heat and humidity. You must try again with fresh seeds, but this time plant one seed in each small container filled with potting soil. Plant the seeds about a half inch deep and keep them moist. Locate the sown containers in a sunny but critter-free area. When the seedlings are about a foot tall, transplant them to the garden site to grow the flowers.

Q. My tibouchina has grown quite tall but is flowering. Can I prune it now?

A. Why not enjoy the blooms a bit longer, even though the plants may be tall and somewhat out of bounds?  You can remove a few of the longer shoots if you wish, but leave most to flower. Tibouchina, also called princess flower, is cold-sensitive and could be affected during the winter. Delay major pruning until mid-to-late February when plant size can be reduced and cold damage removed.

Q. I planted a seedling found under a fruit-bearing loquat that has grown to 30 feet tall but has not produced fruits. Is there such a thing as a male loquat tree?

A. Loquat trees have male and female flowers on the same tree, but they may take their time coming into bloom. Fall through early winter is flowering time, so trees that are going to produce fruits this year are already in bloom. Seeding trees are quite variable and may need more time than named varieties to come into production. All eventually flower and produce fruit.

Q. Our bird of paradise starts to form flowers, but the buds never fully open. What can I do to get better blooms?

A. Blooms that don’t fully open may have a pest problem or need a little more cultural care. Start by looking for mealybugs or similar insects within the buds. If present, apply an insecticide label for the pest noted. You may have to remove all buds hiding in insects and protect new, unopened buds with the insecticide. Next, make sure the soil is moist. Watering once or twice a week is normally adequate during the dry times. Also, apply a slow-release fertilizer with minor nutrients in March, May and early October. It may take until spring to start reviving your bird of paradise, but you should eventually get the flowers you remember.

November in the garden

Q. We have a Meyer lemon that has produced good fruit in the past, but this year there are only a few, and the leaves are crinkled. Some have a black coating. What is needed?

A. It sounds like there are going to be slim pickings this year as the Meyer lemon crop should be ripening over the next few months, and then trees flower again in spring. Let’s give your tree a slight overhaul to get it back to good production. It appears the symptoms noted are caused by insects. Most likely, leaf miners and scale insects are at fault. Start the new care program with a horticultural oil spray for citrus to control most insects and help remove the black sooty mold coating. Then, when new growth is noted, apply a natural insecticide containing spinosad. This later insecticide is found in Bonide, Fertilome and Southern Ag products. Also, don’t forget that fertilizer applications are needed in March, May, August and early October. Follow all label instructions with these products.

Q. This year, my plumeria did not get the rust as we applied a control, but it has white cottony-like stuff along the upper stems and on the back of the leaves. What is it, and what should I do for the plant?

A. You have solved one common plumeria pest problem, and now there is one left to control. An included email photo made it clear mealy bugs are dining on your plant.  As noted, most activity was on the back of the leaves and upper stems in the bud areas. Try a horticultural oil spray that is directed at the insects to obtain control. Be sure to hit the stems where the insects can live when the leaves drop during late fall and winter.  Remove the leaves from the ground and discard.  If needed, some systemic sprays to apply to the foliage, stems or to the ground are available. Follow label instructions for proper use of the product selected.

Q. Now that the weather is turning cooler, when is the time to sow my annual ryegrass seed?

A. There is often a chill in the evening and morning air, but it’s still quite hot during the day. Wait until the days are consistently in the 70s to lower 80s to make the ryegrass sowing. When the weather is hot and the turf becomes moist, a disease often called cottony blight can cause the young ryegrass to decline. This temporary turf loves the cold but not the hotter weather. Late November to early December would likely be a good time to make the sowing.

Q. I would like to plant the spring flowering bulbs in Florida. Do I refrigerate tulips and crocus before planting?

A. It’s a bit of a chore, but most northern spring flowering bulbs need a cold treatment in the refrigerator to bloom locally. Some gardeners simply set the bagged bulbs in the refrigerator for about 12 weeks. Others prefer to plant the bulbs in containers where they appear to make some growth while receiving the cold treatment. If in containers, they do need to be kept moist. Here is a bit of a complication. There cannot be flowers, fruits or vegetables in the refrigerator at the same time. These give off a gas that can cause the maturing flower buds to abort.  After the cold treatment, loose bulbs are planted in the ground, and containers of bulbs are set in areas where they are to bloom.

Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.