- April 19, 2024
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With Manatee County under a tropical storm watch, county commissioners Thursday declared a local state of emergency in advance of Hurricane Matthew and the Manatee County School District announced it was closing all schools on Friday.
Winds of 45 mph or more are expected to reach areas of eastern Manatee County. The school district announced four schools will open, as of 4 p.m. on Thursday, to act as shelters. Those schools are Manatee High School (pet-friendly), 902 33rd Street Court West, Bradenton; Mills Elementary (pet-friendly), 7200 69th Street East, Palmetto; Myakka City Elementary, 37205 Manatee Avenue, Myakka City; and Nolan Middle School (special needs shelter, pet-friendly), 6615 Greenbrook Boulevard, Lakewood Ranch.
As a precaution, all extra-curricular events, including athletic contests and practices, are cancelled for Thursday and Friday. Those events can be rescheduled. School After-Care programs, that house students in school until parents pick them up, will be open as usual today.
Because of the storm's potential impacts, emergency management officials have recommended that manufactured and mobile home residents who are most vulnerable to find shelter from the storm.
The recommended options for manufactured and mobile home residents are:
• Evacuate to friend's or relative’s homes.
• Evacuate the area as soon as possible.
• Evacuate to the hotel or motel and make arrangements early.
• Evacuate to a public shelter.
Public Works crews continue to distribute sandbags through 6 p.m. at the following five locations:
• Buffalo Creek Park, 7550 69th Street E., Palmetto
• G.T. Bray Park, 5502 33rd Ave. Drive W., Bradenton
• Lakewood Ranch Park, 5350 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton
• Stormwater Operations, 5511 39th Street E., Bradenton
• Rubonia Community Center, 1309 72nd Street E., Palmetto
Manatee residents with questions about the storm or about local conditions should call Manatee Citizens Information Center at 748-4501.
