With life in Hernando County making strides toward normalcy in the wake of Frances, emergency management officials aren't quite ready to let their guard down knowing that Ivan is steaming toward the Gulf of Mexico.
County officials emerged from a meeting at the emergency operations center Sunday afternoon with the cautious optimism that the worst of Ivan would bypass Hernando County.
"We're going to have to wait and see," said Hernando County Human Resource Director Barbara Dupre. "Since the storm is moving more toward the west and slowing down, we decided we'd have more time to make a more informed decision."
Dupre said that EOC officials will meet again either late today or early Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, residents continued getting positive news in the aftermath of last week's storm.
Progress Energy and Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative both reported that full restoration of power in the county was virtually complete.
"We believe we have restored power to everyone at this time," said Ernie Holzhauer, spokesman for Withlacoochee Electric. "Many of our crews will work throughout the day to secure temporary work and restore power to those scattered outages that may remain."
According to Holzhauer, the utility worked to bring the last of about 500 customers still without power back online between 6 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday.
The National Weather Service continued to report moderate flooding Sunday on the Withlacoochee River at Trilby.
The river was expected to crest early today at 15 feet, 3 feet above flood level. The river was measured at 14.8 feet Sunday morning.
To the north at Croom, a crest is expected Tuesday morning at 101/2 feet, 11/2 feet above flood level. The river was measured at 10.1 feet Sunday morning. The weather service described the flooding at Croom as minor.
The EOC reminded residents that all four sandbag locations have been replenished, including Ridge Manor Community Center on Cortez Boulevard, Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department on Shoal Line Boulevard, Spring Hill Fire Station 2 near Forest Oaks and Deltona boulevards and Brooksville Fire Department at Veterans Drive and W Jefferson.
Officials announced that the planned closing today of the county's public schools would remain in effect.
