Hernando County schools and county government offices, including the Health Department, and Brooksville municipal offices will be closed today.
County employees who are involved in the storm recovery effort or those so directed by their supervisors must still report for duty to the designated location. All Brooksville emergency and essential personnel must report for duty.
The state Department of Children and Families will be closed today.
THE Bus and Trans Hernando will not be operating today.
Sandbags available
Residents seeking sandbags can pick them up at the Hernando Beach Fire Department, Spring Fire Rescue Station 2, Ridge Manor Community Center and the Brooksville Fire Department.
Emergency food supplies, including meals ready to eat, water and ice are available at the New Beginning Life Center, 3350 Commercial Way, Spring Hill; the Ridge Manor Community Center, the Salvation Army, 15464 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville; and the Masaryktown sheriff's substation, 399 Broad St., Masaryktown.
Community breathes easier
County officials called for a mandatory evacuation of mobile home residents, but many stayed put. At the High Point Community guardhouse Carl Hawver said at least one roof was seriously damaged and some carports were destroyed but no one was injured.
"We are very lucky," Hawver said.
Hotels fill up
Hurricane Jeanne meant good business for local hotels.
Jen Socha, front desk manager of the Best Western Weeki Wachee Resort, said the motel began filling up not long after emergency management officials gave the word for evacuations.
"We have a full house," Socha said Sunday.
"When people call, I have to tell them to try someplace else."
She said about half of the guests were tourists and the other half were local residents seeking shelter.
Despite the inconvenience, most of the motel's guests appeared to take their situation in stride.
"A lot of people were cracking jokes about it," Socha said. "I guess we're all getting used to it by now."
On the east end of the county, near I-75, both the Hampton Inn and the Days Inn of Brooksville were busy, thanks to a lot of evacuees.
"We are full," said Marilyn Diaz, front desk supervisor for Days Inn. "It has not been too bad. The lights flickered but we have not lost power. We are happy about that."
Calm reigns at hospital
Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill had no trouble dealing with Jeanne on Sunday. According to chief operating officer Sonia Gonzalez, the hospital had plenty of staff and, fortunately, no major incidents to deal with during the storm.
"I think everyone just decided to lay low until the storm passed," said Gonzalez, who spent the day working in the hospital command center.
The hospital made some preparations ahead of time by discharging early some patients it felt would be safe at home.
Those patients in need of closer monitoring were urged to stay.
"We didn't want to send anyone home we felt wouldn't be able to take care of themselves or have to live without electricity in their homes," Gonzalez said.
Staff writers Logan Neill and Andrew Skerritt contributed to this report.
