Staff Report| Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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Follow the latest updates on Hurricane Milton recovery in Sarasota and Manatee counties:
- More than 138,000 FPL customers are without power in Manatee County and more than 140,000 in Sarasota County, according to the FPL Power Tracker.
- The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport sustained damage during Hurricane Milton and may not be able to reopen by Saturday.
- Want a hot meal? Here are some restaurants that are open after the storm.
- Hurricane Milton damages more than property as some storm-rattled residents plan exit
- Siesta Key: Hurricane Milton exacts a toll for residents, the price of living in paradise
- Venice residents consider themselves fortunate after Hurricane Milton leaves a mark
- Limited access to Bird Key, Lido Key, St. Armands and Siesta Key has been restored, only for residents and business owners.
See below for the latest updates as Sarasota and Manatee counties deal with Hurricane Milton's aftermath:
3:45 p.m. Manatee County debris and tree removal begins
Residents must separate debris from garbage and further separate debris into the following three categories: vegetative (tree branches), construction/demolition (building materials, fencing, furniture/mattresses) and appliances/white goods.
Haulers will make multiple passes through impacted areas.
The Lena Road Landfill at 3333 Lena Road in Bradenton will be open today and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Starting Monday, hours will be from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday. All tipping fees will be waived for Manatee County residents for debris. Keep debris at least three feet from all structures and appliances, including backflow preventer assemblies, mailboxes, and vehicles.
Normal waste collection is also resuming for Manatee County, with scheduled Thursday pick-ups today. Friday’s scheduled pick-ups will occur Saturday. Next week’s schedule will return to normal.
3:30 p.m. Manatee County Distribution Centers have food, water, tarps
Manatee County has established several distribution centers to help residents. All sites are open until 8 p.m. and have food, water and tarps available. Centers are set up at:
- Black Stone Park at 2112 14th Ave. W.
- Palmetto, GT Bray Park at 5502 33rd Ave. Drive W.
- Bradenton and Kingfish Boat Ramp at 752 Manatee Ave., Holmes Beach.
3:25 p.m.: Services at some HCA Florida Healthcare facilities remain suspended
HCA Florida Healthcare announced Friday afternoon that services at several of its facilities remain temporarily suspended. Those facilities include:
Charlotte County
- HCA Florida Tamiami Trail Emergency, a part of HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital
Manatee County
- HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors North Emergency, a part of HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital
- HCA Florida Palmetto Emergency, a part of HCA Florida Blake Hospital
3:20 p.m.: Gasparilla Road undergoing emergency repairs in Boca Grande
Gasparilla Road is undergoing emergency repairs, and the county is working to restore access.
Lee County Public Safety and DOT are coordinating with the bridge authority and Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office to get the bridge open to residents soon, the County said in a 1:39 p.m. update.
- DOT clearing bicycle/golf cart path for emergency vehicles to use.
- DOT restoring multiple washed-out intersections.
- Some side streets remain unpassable. Working to establish limited access.
- The measures for drainage that Lee DOT put in place last month during Hurricane Helene have proved effective.
2:45 p.m.: SRQ now scheduled to open Wednesday morning
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport will remain closed until Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. due to damage from Hurricane Milton.
Airport President and CEO Fred Piccolo had said on Thursday that the airport hoped to be open Saturday. But damage turned out to be extensive.
"The airport said it lost all of the roof over Concourse B that covers the screening checkpoint, and all 13 aircraft loading gate hold rooms. The airport is working with recovery contractors to replace the 76,000-square-foot roof with a temporary roof until permanent repairs can be made. Additionally, the gate areas are undergoing clean-up and remediation work due to the water intrusion after the roof was damaged. The storm also blew extensive roof debris onto the aircraft ramp which must be cleared to prevent any potential damage to jet engines. There are also extensive clean-up efforts ongoing for tree and vegetation removal."
According to an airport release, rental car counters located in the baggage claim were set to open at noon.
"Please check directly with your rental car company for onsite availability," the airport said.
Airport parking lots are open and operational for individuals who need to access their vehicles.
The airfield will resume operations for General Aviation flights today at 12 p.m. Please be advised, there is no fuel availability at this time.
2:30 p.m.: Sarasota County opens distribution centers
Sarasota County announced the following distribution centers where residents affected by Hurricane Milton can collect water, food and tarps will open today at 2 p.m.:
- Venice Community Center, 326 Nokomis Ave., Venice
- San Pedro Catholic Church, 14380 Tamiami Trail, North Port
- Englewood Sports Complex, 1300 S. River Road, Englewood
- Glebe Park, 1000 Glebe Lane, Sarasota
11:40 a.m.: Sarasota Bradenton Airport may not be ready for flights on Saturday
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport contractors and employees were working to repair two sections of the main concourse roof damaged by Hurricane Milton with hopes of reopening the airport by Saturday afternoon.
Repairs began Thursday after staff assessed the damage from Hurricane Milton. Airport CEO and President Rick Piccolo hoped to have repairs finished by the end of the week so flights could resume by Saturday afternoon.
However, on Friday morning Piccolo said it may take longer.
"It's not looking favorable for tomorrow," Piccolo told the Herald-Tribune Friday morning around 10:30 a.m.
Piccolo said Contractors were meeting with Piccolo at SRQ Friday morning to determine the next steps for repairs
11:25 a.m.: All local beaches are closed and barrier islands are open only to residents and business owners
10:45 a.m.: When will trash be picked up in Manatee and Sarasota counties?
Bradenton: Regularly scheduled solid waste services will resume on Monday.
North Port: Regularly scheduled Thursday and Friday pickups will take place on Saturday (garbage only, no recycling). The normal schedule of garbage and recycling collection resumes on Monday.
Venice: Normal collection of trash, recyclables and properly prepared yard waste has resumed for City of Venice residential customers.
Cirty of Sarasota: Thursday's missed collection due to Hurricane Milton will be Friday, Oct. 11 and Friday regular collection will be on Saturday, Oct. 12. Please note: Recycling will not be collected on those two days due to a power outage at the recycling processing center. Also, regular yard waste pickup is now suspended indefinitely. Residents should place their regular yard waste onto their vegetative storm debris at the curb for pickup.
Sarasota County: Garbage and yard waste collections for residents in unincorporated Sarasota County will resume regularly scheduled pickups on Friday, Oct. 11 for roadways that are accessible to collection vehicles. Recycling collection has been suspended until further notice.
Manatee County: Regularly scheduled Thursday pickup will take place on Friday and Friday pickup will take place on Saturday.
9:20 a.m.: Access open to Bird Key, Lido Key, St. Armands and Siesta Key
The City of Sarasota announced that the John Ringling Bridge and the north bridge to Siesta Key have been reopened, allowing access to Bird Key, Lido Key, St. Armands and Siesta Key.
8:40 a.m.: Water restored to Anna Maria Island and part of Longboat Key
Water service was restored to Anna Maria Island and portions of the Town of Longboat Key. A precautionary boil water advisory is in place until testing confirms it is safe to consume.
