REOPENED
Evacuees may begin returning to the Florida Keys today, and visitors on Thursday, but reservations are suggested.
All local hospitals have reopened. Ambulatory patients from area hospitals who were evacuated Sunday on an Air National Guard C130 will return on a flight to Naval Air Station Key West at 1 p.m. Thursday.
The Coast Guard still advises all boats to stay in port.
Postal delivery will be limited today and resume as normal Thursday. The Whitehead Street main office is open today, as are most post offices throughout the Florida Keys.
Airports reopened for general aviation at noon today, but access to the Key West International Airport is complicated by water, debris and possible damage on South Roosevelt Boulevard. The Florida Department of Transportation is working to clear the roadway, but it remains closed to vehicle traffic.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office is open today, and workers who remained in the county are expected to report to work. Employees who evacuated should return to work on Thursday. The Animal Farm at the Stock Island jail will reopen from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday; admission is free.
Keys Energy Services business offices were expected to reopen at 1 p.m. today.
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority was expected to reopen at 1 p.m. today.
Residents should check city and county Web sites for updates about trash pickup, and other issues related to the storm cleanup.
Monroe County government offices will reopen Thursday.
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 assessment. Offices in Key West, Marathon and Plantation will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Thursday.
Key West City Hall will reopen today and be fully operational on Thursday.
Monroe County schools will resume classes at their regularly scheduled time on Thursday.
All three campuses of the Florida Keys Community College will resume classes and normal business hours on Thursday. More information will be available at www.fkcc.edu or by calling 305-296-9081.
The Key West Department of Transportation resumed transit services at 5:30 a.m. today for the Lower Keys Shuttle and the blue and green routes servicing Key West and Stock Island. All Key West transit routes will be back to a normal schedule on Thursday. For more information on bus schedules, go to www.keywestcity.com.
Monroe County courts and the U.S. District Courthouse in Key West will reopen on Thursday.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo has reopened and other state parks in the Keys should be reopening Thursday and Friday.
Naval Air Station Key West is expected to return to normal operations on Thursday, pending ongoing damage assessments. Commanding Officer Capt. Steve Holmes has ordered military families who evacuated to Orlando to return to Key West and to return to work on Thursday.
First State Bank of the Florida Keys reopened these offices for normal business hours on Wednesday: All five Key West branches (Simonton Street, North Roosevelt Boulevard, Winn-Dixie, Old Town and Stock Island), the Big Pine Key Winn-Dixie, Marathon, Islamorada and Key Largo. These branches will reopen on Thursday: Sugarloaf, Summerland, Big Pine Key shopping center and Key Largo Tradewinds.
All Orion Bank offices have reopened.
The Beachside Resort Conference Center has reopened.
Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St., has reopened with its regular schedule of movies. 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 reopening will 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 the Florida Keys Community College, was scheduled for Saturday at the 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 today. 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 today 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.