- December 21, 2024
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Sarasota County schools to resume classes Wednesday
Sarasota County school administrators have announced students will return to class Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Teachers and staff will return to schools Tuesday to prepare for Wednesday's reopening.
Tuesday and Wednesday will be normal days. Friday, Oct. 18 has already been designated as a professional day and students will be off.
The district is finalizing adjustments to the 2024-25 school year calendar to account for the recent closures. Changes to the school calendar will be announced when plans are finalized, the district noted on its website.
Sarasota County services resuming this week
Sarasota County water, waste collection and transit services are resuming in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton as emergency response operations continue.
The county is establishing public drop-off sites for vegetative storm debris available at no cost to all county residents, including both unincorporated and municipal residents. Locations, dates and times of operation are expected to be available by mid-week.
On Monday, Oct. 14, debris vendors will resume collection of both construction and vegetative debris in unincorporated Sarasota County. The vendors will begin collection on the barrier islands and other areas in the Level A evacuation level. In the coming weeks, all unincorporated areas of Sarasota County will have collection by these vendors.
Waste collection
Garbage, recycling and yard waste collections for residents in unincorporated Sarasota County have resumed regular schedules for roadways that are accessible to collection vehicles. Properly prepared yard waste (no plastic bags) will be collected as part of normal collection. Place recycling carts separately from other materials so that collection vehicles can access them.
Residents may experience delays in collection services because of the increase of volume. Residents are advised to leave materials curbside if they are not collected on regularly scheduled day.
Water restoration
Water service to Siesta and Casey keys has been restored, with the exception of Fisherman’s Haven and Sanderling Road. A boil water notice remains in effect. Some properties served by a master meter have been isolated because of leaks on private property, and those residents should contact their homeowner's association or property manager for service-related questions.
The county is asking residents to limit water usage and urges Casey Key and Siesta Key residents to not run laundry machines or dishwashers at this time. Inland areas are not under a boil water notice.
Breeze transit update:
• Breeze Plus — operational.
• Breeze OnDemand — operational 7 a.m. to 7p.m. in two zones: North Port and Venice/Englewood; suspended in Siesta and Lido/Longboat.
• Breeze Trolleys — suspended, includes 77 Siesta Key Islander and 76 Flyer as Siesta Key is closed to the public and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is closed until Wednesday.
• Breeze Bus — Partial operations 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the following modifications: Route 2 will detour northbound at Mecca to U.S. 41; Route 3 has surly service from Downtown Transfer Station to Cattlemen Transfer Station only; Route 17 will stay on U.S. 41 instead of using Waldemere and Osprey behind Sarasota Memorial Hospital; and Route 99 will offer 30-minute service, turning around at SRQ for passengers to connect to MCAT.
The Hope Bus will be at New College of Florida, 5845 General Dougher Place, from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. Lunch and dinner will be served by Operation BBQ Relief, and the organization will be distributing food, water and other essential supplies. There will also be a fueling station.
Sarasota County has opened supply points of distribution at four locations to provide water, food and tarps for those impacted by Hurricane Milton. The sites will open at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11.
Locations for the sites are:
• Glebe Park, 1000 Glebe Lane, Sarasota.
• Venice Community Center, 326 Nokomis Ave., Venice.
• San Pedro Catholic Church, 14380 Tamiami Trail, North Port.
• Englewood Sports Complex, 1300 S. River Road, Englewood.
The YMCA of Southwest Florida is offering support to members and non-members alike as the majority of its branches are now open, providing essential services and a welcoming space for those affected by the storm.
Open branches offer showers, charging stations and wifi access to the general pubic in need. Please bring a valid photo ID to help the YMCA ensure a safe environment for everyone.
Locally, the YMCA of Southwest Florida branches include the Bradenton YMCA, Englewood YMCA, Lakewood Ranch YMCA, Palmer Ranch YMCA, Sarasota City YMCA and Venice YMCA.
Operating branches are open daily. For specific branch locations and additional information, visit your local YMCA’s Facebook page or the YMCA of Southwest Florida’s mobile app.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Center suffered significant water intrusion damage from Hurricane Milton, the City of Sarasota said Monday.
“Our staff has a meeting this afternoon to discuss the extent of it and the plan moving forward,” said Muffy Lavens, the Van Wezel’s public relations director.
A photo provided by the center shows standing water in the grand foyer.
Also today, the Van Wezel announced it has canceled all shows through the end of the year.
In response to Hurricane Milton’s impact on Southwest Florida, the Patterson Foundation will contribute as much as $3 million in disaster relief and recovery funding to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
The funding includes contributions to initiatives managed by the CFSC serving Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. They include:
“People throughout our region are anguished over what this potentially catastrophic storm will mean for their lives going forward,” said Patterson Foundation President and CEO Debra Jacobs in a news release. “While we don’t have the answers for what lies ahead, we do know that we need to be here for each other right now.”
Season of Sharing, which typically kicks off annually at the beginning of November, is actively fundraising now to help ensure that impacts to those whose livelihoods are put on pause are as minimal as possible. Season of Sharing covers expenses related to housing, utilities, transportation and child care to help avoid compounding financial setbacks that can be the result of a missed payment.
The Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund is focused on supporting vital community resources, including emphasis on mental and behavioral health, legal services, case management, children and youth services, as well as efforts identified by long-term recovery groups within Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. That includes rebuilding and repairing homes and replacing damaged furniture and appliances.
Donations to Season of Sharing or the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund can be made online at cfsarasota.org/donors/support-our-community#donate or by sending a check made payable to Community Foundation of Sarasota County to Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund or Season of Sharing, 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237. All donations are tax-deductible.
