Villagers were out in force Wednesday morning, stocking up and pumping up ahead of the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Matthew.
Bottles and jugs of water were the hottest commodity at Winn-Dixie supermarket at Lake Sumter Landing.
A shelf for bottled water was nearly bare by mid-morning at the store where long lines had formed.
Also, eagerly sought were paper plates. They will be needed for dining should the water source be cut off.
It was the same story at Winn-Dixie at Pinellas Plaza.
Over at the Shell service station at Colony Plaza on County Road 466A, both cars and golf carts were lining up to fill up.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi has reminded Florida residents to watch out for deals that are too good to be true.
Bondi has activated the state’s price gouging hotline following Gov. Rick Scott’s declaration of a state of emergency. During a declared state of emergency, businesses can not drastically increase prices on essential commodities like food, gas, water, and hotel rooms.
Bondi said that scam artists tend to prey on the good will of Floridians during times of disaster and recommended that people always check out charities or crowd sourcing websites before donating any money.
The number is 1-866-966-7226.
