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MARY KAYE WELLS/Palatka Daily News. The Interlachen home of Mary Brant is boarded up Tuesday afternoon to prepare for Hurricane Idalia. The home is 138 years old, she said, and has withstood multiple storms.
Businesses and government offices are closing and trash pickup schedules are being altered as Hurricane Idalia charges toward Florida.
Trash collection countywide is suspended as of Wednesday because of the storm, officials announced. All trash schedules are set to resume Thursday, according to statements from local government officials.
In Crescent City, yard waste will be collected on Thursday and Saturday, according to an email from the city.
“Please allow us some grace and be patient with us as it’s a huge task to take on,” Mayor Michele Myers said during an emergency Crescent City Commission meeting Tuesday.
Palatka leaders also closed the city’s governmental buildings at 3 p.m. Tuesday. City Hall, the Palatka Police Department lobby, Public Works, city administrative offices and the Gas Authority will reopen Thursday.
Crescent City Hall will be closed all day Wednesday but reopen at 8 a.m. Thursday, according to an email from the city. Interlachen Town Hall will also close Wednesday and reopen Thursday, a city official confirmed.
The 7th Judicial Circuit of the State Attorney’s Office closed at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Putnam and St. Johns counties’ court operations are scheduled to reopen Friday, according to an email from Circuit Court Administrator Mark Weinberg.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office closed its administrative office at 3 p.m. Tuesday and is set to reopen the lobby Thursday, according to a social media post from the agency.
“This does not affect 911 dispatching or emergency response,” the agency confirmed via Facebook. “We are prepared and working throughout the storm to ensure our residents are safe.”
Palatka’s Walmart closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday and is scheduled to reopen Thursday, store officials stated online.
All Clay Electric Cooperative district offices will be closed Wednesday through Friday, according to an email from the business, to allow employees to focus on fixing power outages. The company recommends its customers prepare to be without power as that outcome remains high.
“Idalia is expected to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane before making landfall along the Gulf Coast,” Chief Public Relations Officer Derick Thomas stated. “The cooperative is prepared for widespread outages, and our lineworkers are mobilized to restore power as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Florida Power & Light officials stated their power company is also preparing for Idalia to hit the state.
“As Hurricane Idalia intensifies and quickly approaches Florida, we urge customers to prioritize their safety,” CEO and President Armando Pimentel stated in a news release. “Resist the temptation to trim trees or clear debris in these final hours before landfall. In the aftermath of the storm, do not approach downed power lines or try to walk through flooded areas.”