Tropical Storm Nicole: Shelter Closes In Manatee, Libraries Reopen

Updated: 2:41 p.m., Thursday

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — The voluntary emergency shelter that opened Wednesday morning at Freedom Elementary School in Bradenton ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole hitting Florida has closed, Manatee County said in a news release.

Some services that previously shut down because of the storm are starting to reopen Thursday afternoon, as well, the county said.

Manatee County Public Library branches at Downtown Central, South Manatee, Rocky Bluff, Braden River and Palmetto opened 1:30 p.m. and will operate until 8 p.m.

The Little Discovery Center and Island branch library remain closed Thursday. All branches will be closed tomorrow in observance of Veterans Day and will resume normal hours on Saturday.

Manatee County Animal Welfare’s three shelters — Bishop Animal Shelter (lost and found pets), Palmetto Adoption Center and Cat Town Adoption Center — opened to the public Thursday at 1 p.m. All shelters will be closed tomorrow in observance of Veterans Day and will resume normal hours on Saturday.

The following services, events and programs in Manatee County continue to be affected by the tropical storm:

• State College of Florida campuses in Bradenton, Venice and Lakewood Ranch closed Wednesday at 1 p.m. and will remain closed through Thursday. The college will be closed as scheduled on Friday for Veterans Day.
• The Bradenton and Venice State College of Collegiate School campuses in Bradenton and Venice will operate with a regularly scheduled dismissal on Wednesday. After-school and extracurricular activities are canceled. Both schools will be closed Thursday for the tropical storm. Only the Bradenton campus will be closed.
• Manatee County Schools will be closed Thursday. Schools will reopen on Monday after the Veterans Day holiday weekend.
• Manatee County government buildings are closed to the public on Thursday though the county is operating as normal.
• Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) service is suspended Thursday and resumes on Friday.
• Trash, yard waste and recycling collection for Manatee County customers will be suspended Thursday. The collection schedule will resume Friday. Thursday’s regular collection will be picked up on Friday, and Friday’s regular collection will be picked up on Saturday.
• The city of Bradenton’s solid waste collection is delayed by a day because of the storm. Thursday’s collection will be picked up on Friday and Friday’s will be picked up on Saturday.
• The Lena Road Landfill will be closed Thursday. Operations will resume Friday.
• Storm debris removal will be suspended Thursday. The collection schedule will resume Friday.
• Myakka City Community Center will be closed Thursday and reopen Friday for water and chlorine distribution. The showers and laundry facilities will also reopen.
• The Florida Department of Health will resume well testing on Monday.
• Manatee County Public Libraries will be closed Thursday, as well as Friday for Veterans Day. They will reopen Saturday.
• County parks will be closed Thursday and will reopen Friday.
• The Planning Commission Meeting planned for Thursday has been rescheduled for Dec. 8, 9 a.m., at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1st Floor Patricia M. Glass Chambers. Please see the revised agenda.
• The Moccasin Wallow Public Information Meeting planned for Thursday has been reschedule for Dec. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Parrish Community High School.
• Nature Career Night at the NEST, where high schoolers/college students can explore careers related to nature, has been rescheduled from Thursday to Dec. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Robinson Preserve.
• Manatee County Veterans Council Veterans Day Program, on Friday at 11 a.m. has been moved from Veterans’ Monument Park to a closed ceremony inside the Board of County Commissioners Chamber. The event will be filmed by METV and live streamed here.

Any additional updates about closures and cancelled/rescheduled meetings will be posted on the Tropical Storm Nicole Updates page at mymanatee.org/nicole.