Lakewood Ranch only dealt a glancing blow from Hurricane Idalia

Lakewood 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.