Saturday, September 6, 2008
Openings and Closings
Miami (WSVN) -- Openings and closings, as Hurricane Ike approaches...
Schools
Miami-Dade
Schools in Miami-Dade County will be open for regular classes Monday.
For more information:
http://www.dadeschools.net/
Broward
Schools in Broward County will be open for regular classes Monday.
For more information:
http://www.browardschools.com/
Monroe
Schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday.
For more information:
http://www.monroe.k12.fl.us/default.asp
Universities
Florida Keys Community College
Will be closed on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at all three campus locations in Key West, Marathon and Coral Shores. The College has not yet made a determination regarding Wednesday. Updates and further closings will be posted on the College website at http://www.fkcc.edu/ and via the main college line: 305-296-9081.
Government Offices
Key West
The City Offices of Key West will be closed on Monday. The city may reopen on Tuesday depending on weather conditions.
The City of Key West will open its Emergency Operations Center at a Level 2 activation status at 5 p.m. Sunday. From that point on until the storm has passed or is no longer a threat to the area, the EOC will be manned and the rumor control hotline will be open for receiving calls: 305-809-1108.
Additional Resources:
Monroe County Emergency Information: (800) 955-5504
Keys Tourism Help Line: (800) 771-KEYS
Monroe County Situation Report: http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/
MonroeCounty Sheriff's Office: http://www.keysso.net/
Keys Tourism Council: http://www.fla-keys.com/
City of Homestead
The Homestead Emergency Operation Center will be activated on Sunday at 7 a.m. and will be manned 24-hours throughout this emergency. The Homestead EOC number is (305) 242-2400.
-The AYSO and the Dick Conley events have NOT been cancelled, so please plan on attending.
-The Joint Town Hall meeting scheduled on Monday has been postponed. Date and time TBA.
-The Tuesday Special Call 1st Budget Hearing and the COW meetings have been postponed to Sept. 15.
-The Special Call 1st Budget Hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m., prior to the 7 p.m. Council meeting.
-The Community Imagine Advisory Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday is cancelled.
-The Southwest Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday is cancelled.
Miami-Dade County
The 311 Answer Center will remain open until 10 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to midnight on Sept. 6.
Residents can call 311 in Miami-Dade or 305-468-5900 outside of Miami-Dade County, TDD: 305-468-5402. Specialists are taking calls in English, Spanish and Creole. Residents can access disaster-related information 24 hours a day at www.miamidade.gov/emergency.
Broward County
For more information see:
http://www.broward.org/hurricane
Postal Service
No plans announced.
Courts
No plans announced.
County Employees
Monroe County Most county and city offices plan to be closed Monday and Tuesday.
All other counties are on regular schedule until further notice.
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer:
Trash pick-up
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade county solid waste management ask residents not to place trash on the curbside as hurricane Ike threatens our area and to be prepared to remove materials from their property and the right-of way to prevent trash from becoming projectiles.
The DSWM customers may dispose of their trash by taking it to one of the 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers listed below. The centers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weather conditions permitting.
Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Center locations are:
-North Dade 21500 NW 47 Avenue
-Norwood 19901 NW 7 Avenue
-Palm Springs North 7870 NW 178 Street
-Golden Glades 140 NW 160 Street
-West Little River 1830 NW 79 Street
-Snapper Creek 2200 SW 117 Avenue
-Sunset Kendall 8000 SW 107 Avenue
-Chapman Field 13600 SW 60 Avenue
-Richmond Heights 14050 Boggs Drive
-West Perrine 16651 SW 107 Avenue
-Eureka Drive 9401 SW 184 Street
-Moody Drive 12970 SW 268 Street
The DSWM provides waste collection services to residents of the unincorporated area and residents of the municipalities of Aventura, Cutler Bay, Doral, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Sunny Isles and Sweetwater.
For additional information, please visit www.miamidade.gov/dswm or contact the Department of Solid Waste Management by calling 311, the County's Answer Center.
Monroe County As people make their preparations, they should not put garbage cans at the curb for pickup. Trash pickup countywide will stop as of Monday morning.
Sandbags
Homestead
Sandbags will be available to city residents beginning Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and again on Monday from 9 a.m. until the weather begins to deteriorate at the following locations:
-Baseball Complex (Stadium), 1601 SE 28 Ave.
-Roby George Park, 201 SW 11 Ave.
-1 Washington Ave. Parking Lot (at the corner of Washington Ave and NE 2nd Street)
Please bring a valid picture ID; sandbags are available to City of Homestead residents only. Shovels will also be provided, however residents may want to bring their own to expedite the process. Assistance will be provided to those who need it.
Pompano Beach
They have run out of sand. They will not have sand until Monday.
Florida City
Limit eight bags per household. Must show proof of residency. Sandbags area available at Public Works Dept.- 428 SW 2nd Avenue-Monday, Sept. 8th from 7:00 AM.
Transportation
Miami-Dade Buses
No plans announced.
MetroRail/MetroMover
No plans announced.
Broward Buses
No plans announced.
Monroe Buses Key West Department of Transportation announced regular bus services in Key West and the Lower Keys will be suspended beginning Sunday morning. On Sunday, only the BLUE and GREEN routes will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with limited service in Key West and Stock Island, Florida.
Tri-Rail
No plans announced.
Bridges
Beginning at 8 a.m., the two drawbridges in Monroe County including Snake Creek and Jewfish Creek will not open for marine traffic (boats) to avoid any vehicular traffic (cars, etc.) delays.
The bridges on US-1 are locked down to facilitate evacuation
Tolls
Tolls on the Card Sound Road Bridge are to be suspended Saturday morning.
Tolls has been suspended on the northbound Turnpike, Sawgrass Exp. and Alligator Alley as Hurricane Ike approaches
Saturday, tolls are suspended until further notice on the following:
-Florida's Turnpike, northbound only, from its southern limit at Milepost 0 in Florida City to its northern limit at Milepost 309 in Wildwood.
-Sawgrass Expressway, northbound only.
-Alligator Alley/Interstate 75, eastbound and westbound.
Airports/Seaports
Miami International Airport
No plans announced.
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at this time there is no impact to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport due to Hurricane Ike.
Port of Miami
Ships sailing from the Port of Miami:
Majesty of the Seas, which departed the Port of Miami Friday will sail a revised itinerary. The ship will not visit Coco Cay, Bahamas, Sat. Instead, the ship will visit Nassau, Bahamas, Sat. and be at sea Sunday.
Liberty of the Seas, which departed the Port of Miami Sat. will sail a revised itinerary, changing the order of its normal ports of call. The ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico, Monday; George Town, Cayman Islands, Tuesday; Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Wednesday; and Labadee, Haiti, Thursday
Norwegian Sky, departing Miami on a three-day Bahamas cruise, will cancel its scheduled stop at Great Stirrup Cay on Sun.
Port Everglades
Port Everglades continues be open and operational while making preliminary hurricane preparations. Enchantment of the Seas, which departed Port Everglades Sat., will sail a revised itinerary, changing the order of its normal ports of call. The ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico, Monday, and George Town, Cayman Islands, Tue.
Port Canaveral
Mariner of the Seas, which departs Port Canaveral Sun., will sail a revised itinerary, changing the order of its normal ports of call. The ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico, Tuesday; George Town, Cayman Islands, Wednesday; Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Thursday; and Labadee, Haiti, Friday.
Port of Key West
The port of Key West is open to all commercial traffic and all transfer operations may continue during this port condition. All oceangoing commercial vessels and oceangoing barges greater than 500 gross-tons are to make plans for departing the port area. Vessels desiring to remain in port must immediately contact the captain of the port to receive permission to do so, and they are required to submit a safe mooring plan in writing. Vessels bound for this port, which are unable to depart 24 hours prior to threatening winds making landfall, are advised to seek an alternate destination.
The Disney Cruise Ship Wonder has cancelled its visit on Monday.
Key West International Airport
Key West International Airport will close to commercial traffic at 7 p.m. Sun.
Hospitals
Baptist South Florida
No plans announced.
Jackson Memorial Hospital
No plans announced.
Miami-Dade County Health Department
No plans announced.
Catholic Hospice
No plans announced.
Key West VA Outpatient Clinic
No Plans announced.
Monroe County Hospital emergency rooms will be closed for the storm.
Parks
Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks The Dry Tortugas is closed to visitors effective 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Licensed commercial transport to the Dry Tortugas National Park, including ferry boat and seaplane services, will suspended their operations until the park reopens.
Most visitor areas of Everglades National Park (including the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, East Everglades, Flamingo and the Main Park Road) will close to visitors at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 6. The Shark Valley Visitor Area will close to visitors at 6:00 p.m. All entrance stations will be closed to access until the park reopens. No visitor-related services will be available at the Flamingo, Shark Valley, or Gulf Coast (Everglades City) areas during the closure.
Both parks are expected to reopen once the storm has passed and conditions prove favorable. More information on park status and operations is available through the main switchboard at 305-242-7700.
Biscayne National Park
Will be closed in Preparation for Hurricane Ike. Effective 1:00 p.m. Sunday. All park facilities (including those on Boca Chita, Elliott and Adams Keys) and the mainland area at Convoy Point (9 miles east of Homestead), boat tours, and visitor services will be closed to the public. The Park waters will remain open for vessel transit. The closure will remain in effect until further notice.
