Services expected to return to normal after passage of TS Ernesto

Boca Raton News
Published Thursday, August 31, 2006
By Dale King

People looking for food and gasoline following the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto Wednesday can probably find most of it in Boca Raton. In preparation for possible power losses due to storms this year, nine gas stations in the city have brought in emergency generators. Three stations in Delray are also equipped with alternative power supplies.

The following stations should be operating today:

Shell, 7006 Palmetto Circle N., Boca Raton.

Kwik Stop Sunoco, 19775 Hampton Drive, Boca Raton.

Chevron, 11509 Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton.

Town Square Shell, 21290 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton.

Congress Mobil, 899 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton.

Mobil, 20385 State Road 7, Boca Raton.

Chevron, 23013 Sandalfoot Plaza Drive, Boca Raton

Exxon, 6603 N. Jog Road, Boca Raton.

Chevron, 9345 State Road 7, Boca Raton.

Mobil, 3199 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach.

AWX, 16000 S. Military Trail, Delray Beach.

Mobil, 4970 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. 33478

Also, the following Publix Supermarkets have generators:

Westwinds of Boca, 9846 Glades Road, Boca Raton.

Mercado Real, 1001 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

As the storm approached Tuesday, state Rep. Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, was out visiting neighborhoods to make sure that residents - particularly seniors — were ready. He was happy to see that they were. “I am really proud to see everyone boarding up and getting their supplies. They are really taking this seriously,” he told the Boca Raton News. He said he felt residents “have learned from the lessons of the past.” As Hasner was on the road Tuesday, government officials were making plans to close regular operations and shift to storm mode. Nat Harrington, spokesman for the Palm Beach County School District, said classes would be called off Wednesday. An announcement was to be made about a possible opening today. The county’s Emergency Operations Center went into operation at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Emergency shelters - including one that allowed pets - opened at 2 p.m. Tuesday. No curfew was planned, but county sheriff’s deputies were preparing to stop passers-by during and after the storm.

Other closings caused by the storm were:

Boca Raton Museum of Art, at least through today.

Florida Atlantic and Lynn universities closed all offices and called off classes and extracurricular events on Wednesday.

Tri-Rail shut down Tuesday and Wednesday, but was making plans to resume service today. Palm Tran buses were back in their garages by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Town Center at Boca Raton mall closed at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Also closed Tuesday and Wednesday were the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens and the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, both in Delray Beach.

County parks were closed Tuesday at 4 and all day Wednesday. They may open today, depending on conditions.

All meetings of Boca Raton city boards this week were cancelled.

Dale M. King can be reached at 561-549-0832 or at dking@bocanews.com