Hurricane Idalia: Lake County emergency management prepares for storm’s impacts

, Fla. — The state of Florida included Lake County in the official state of emergency Thursday.

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The county has also enacted a local state of emergency to help residents during and after Hurricane Idalia.

Here are the following updates in Lake County:

Shelters

There will be two emergency shelters open, and both are special-needs and pet-friendly.

Villages Elementary at 695 Rolling Acres Road in Lady Lake

Lost Lake Elementary at 1901 Johns Lake Road in Clermont

Schools

Lake County Schools will continue monitoring the storm and decide about Thursday on Wednesday.

Read: LIVE UPDATES: Hurricane Idalia strengthens into Category 2 storm as it closes in on Florida

Waste

The county will suspend curbside collection on Wednesday.

Customers who receive pick-up services on Wednesdays will be collected on Thursday, Thursday customers will be picked up on Friday, and Friday customers will be picked up on Saturday.

Lake County Waste Management will be closed on Wednesday.

Tavares will suspend collection on Wednesday. If the roads are safe, collection will start at daybreak on Thursday.

Transportation

Lake County’s fixed route transit service, Ride LakeXpress, will suspend operations starting Tuesday.

Read: Hurricane Idalia: These Central Florida school districts are closing ahead of the storm

Closures

Offices

These Lake County offices will be closed on Wednesday:

• All offices of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners
• The Tax Collector’s office
• The Supervisor of Elections
• Lake County Courts
• The Lake County Clerk of Courts Office
• Lake County Animal Services

Read: Hurricane Idalia: How to stay informed if your power goes out

Libraries

These libraries will be closed Wednesday and reopen on Thursday.

• Astor County Library
• Cagan Crossings Community Library (Four Corners)
• East Lake Mini Library (Sorrento)
• Marion Baysinger Memorial County Library (Groveland)
• Paisley County Library
• Cooper Memorial Library (Clermont)
• Tavares Public Library
• Leesburg Public Library
• Marianne Beck Memorial Library
• Eustis Memorial Library
• Fruitland Park Library
• Lady Lake Public Library
• Umatilla Public Library
• W.T. Bland Public Library

The Lady Lake Public Library will be closed from Wednesday through Friday.

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Idalia impact: A resident posted a sign at a home in Cedar Key, Florida, as Hurricane Idalia threatened the area. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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