- April 4, 2025
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Caddy's sign in Bradenton along the Manatee River takes on a different meaning after Hurricane Idalia went through.
Photo by Jay HeaterCaddy's tiki hut is engulfed by the Manatee River on Aug. 30 after Hurricane Idalia passes.
Photo by Jay HeaterThe Manatee River takes over the picnic area at Fort Hamer Park on Wednesday morning.
Photo by Jay HeaterAmerican flags along the Manatee River didn't fare well during Hurricane Idalia on Aug. 30.
Photo by Jay HeaterMary Carlin of The Glades in Lakewood Ranch walks her American Labrador retriever Teddy in the rain at Greenbrook Adventure Park.
Photo by Jay HeaterThe playground at the Greenbrook Adventure Park in Lakewood Ranch is designed to flood during huge weather events, but Hurricane Idalia left only puddles.
Photo by Jay HeaterThe soccer fields at Summerfield Community Park are flooded.
Photo by Liz RamosThe storm drain off Palmbrooke Terrace is inundated with water.
Photo by Liz RamosWater continues to flood an area near River Club Golf Course. The area typically floods during heavy rainfall.
Photo by Liz RamosBranches block part of the road on Clubhouse Drive between River Club and Summerfield.
Photo by Liz RamosWater floods the sidewalk near River Club Golf Course.
Photo by Liz RamosLakewood Ranch has been in a drought so a glancing blow from Hurricane Idalia brought some welcome rain.
Photo by Jay HeaterThe Braden River rises to threaten houses Aug. 30 after Hurricane Idalia passes. The photo was taken over the 44th Avenue bridge.
Photo by Jay HeaterTree branches fall and water floods the sidewalk by River Club Golf Course.
Photo by Liz RamosNext door to the Myakka Community Center is flooded from Hurricane Idalia.
Photo by Lesley DwyerThe playground at the Myakka Community Center is flooded on Wednesday after the outer bands of Hurricane Idalia passed through.
Photo by Lesley DwyerLakewood Ranch's Mary Carlin was so confident the area would only be dealt a glancing blow from Hurricane Idalia that she flew into the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Aug. 28, a day before the storm was to arrive.
"We knew it would hit way north," Carlin said.
On Aug. 30, Carlin was walking her dog, Teddy, in the Greenbrook Adventure Park. Teddy, an American Labrador retriever, is a retired breeder for Southeastern Guide Dogs.
The rain, heavy at times, didn't bother Carlin.
"I lived in Seattle for 20 years," she said with a laugh.
Most of the Lakewood Ranch area was unscathed by the storm. Many businesses were open all over East County on Aug. 30 and very little debris littered local roadways.
River Club’s Frederic Mihailovic was picking up leaves and branches from his yard that fell during Hurricane Idalia.
Mihailovic, a pilot, was flying home and was forced to land in Fort Myers early Aug. 30. He didn’t arrive until around 1 a.m. Determined to get home, he hopped in a rental car and drove through heavy winds and rain to get back to Lakewood Ranch.
Mihailovic said there wasn’t any damage to his home, but there was slight flooding on the sidewalk.
“It’s nothing we haven’t seen before,” he said.
He said the hurricane wasn’t bad, and his family took all the precautions necessary to prepare for the storm.
“(Hurricane Idalia) was good because it gives us an appreciation for what’s to come,” Mihailovic said. “We bought the supplies you’re supposed to have and now we have a stash ready to go.”
Mihailovic said it’s important to monitor the radar to be aware of the path of any hurricane and know what to expect for rain, storm surge and peak wind gusts.
“You have to be aware of what you’re up against,” he said.
