Thursday, September 11, 2008

REOPENED

Evacuees began returning to the Florida Keys on Wednesday and visitors may return starting today, but reservations are suggested.

All local hospitals are open. Ambulatory patients from area hospitals who were evacuated Sunday on an Air National Guard C-130 plane are expected to return on a flight to Naval Air Station Key West at 1 p.m. today.

The Coast Guard still advises all boats to stay in port.

Normal postal delivery resumes today.

Airports are open, but access to the Key West International Airport is complicated by water, debris and possible damage on South Roosevelt Boulevard. The road was closed to vehicle traffic late Wednesday, but officials expected it to be reopened today.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office is open and employees who evacuated should return to work today. The Animal Farm at the Stock Island jail will reopen from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday; admission is free.

Keys Energy Services and the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority are open. Residents should check city and county Web sites for updates about garbage and debris pickup, and other issues related to the storm cleanup.

Monroe County government offices are open and Key West City Hall is expected to be fully operational today.

The Monroe County property appraiser has requested the governor approve a three-day extension on the TRIM period, which would be Sept. 18. That would give taxpayers more time to ask questions about their property assessments. Offices in Key West, Marathon and Plantation Key will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning today.

Monroe County schools resume classes at their regularly scheduled time today. All three campuses of the Florida Keys Community College also resume classes and normal business hours today.

All Key West transit routes are back to a normal schedule today. For more information on bus schedules, go to www.keywestcity.com.

Monroe County courts and the U.S. District Courthouse in Key West are open.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo is open, and other state parks in the Keys are expected to reopen either today or Friday.

Naval Air Station Key West resumes normal operations today and Commanding Officer Capt. Steve Holmes has ordered military families who evacuated to Orlando to return to Key West and report to work today.

All Orion Bank and First State Bank of the Florida Keys branches are open.

The Beachside Resort & Conference Center is open.

Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St., is open. Anyone who purchased a ticket to the canceled "Laughing Out Loud: Lisa Koch" should present it, or a receipt for an online purchase, to the box office for a full refund.

Crane Point Museum, Nature Center & Historic Site's reopeningwill be announced at cranepoint.net. The museum, at Mile Marker 50.5 bayside in Marathon, can be reached at 305-743-9100.

CLOSED

The Department of Environmental Protection's south district branch office in Marathon, at 2796 Overseas Highway, remains closed until further notice.

CANCELED/POSTPONED

Bill Laney's first book release and signing has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 17. A meet and greet reception for the author is being hosted by Florida Keys Community College in the Stock Island campus library.

The Monroe County Commission's public hearing for the 2008-09 budget was rescheduled for 5:05 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., Key West.

The Family Support Group meeting sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness was postponed until 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at St. Columba Episcopal Church, 451 52nd St. in Marathon.

The Red Cross Hurricane Conference will be rescheduled. The conference, hosted by Florida Keys Community College, was scheduled for Saturday at Key West High School. For more information, go to floridakeysredcross.org.

The Fantasy Fest Street Fair Lottery meetings, which decide vendor locations for the Duval Street fair, will be rescheduled. The Market Share Co., which organizes Fantasy Fest, had scheduled the event for Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, call 305-296-5596 or go to fantasyfest.org.

"Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!" has rescheduled its seminar to Dec. 5 to 7 at the Holiday Isle Beach Resorts and Marina in Islamorada. The fishing seminar series for women, hosted by Mercury Outboards and the Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, originally was scheduled for Sept. 19 to 21. For more information, call 954-475-9068 or go to www.ladiesletsgofishing.com.

The Monroe Youth Challenge Program will reschedule its Challenge Days for Marathon and Key West high schools. If coordinators can be rescheduled, the weather may not affect the Challenge Days set for Monday and Tuesday at Coral Shores High School. Volunteers should continue to turn in applications for security checks. For more information, call Monroe Youth Challenge Program Director Sunny Booker at 305-293-1400 ext. 53319.

The Key West Chamber of Commerce will reschedule its 20th annual trade show and business after hours for chamber members. The event was scheduled for Wednesday at the Casa Marina Resort & Beach Club, 1500 Reynolds St. For more information, call Kerry Baker at 305-294-2587 or go to keywestchamber.org.