UF, Santa Fe College, school district all cancel classes due to threat of Hurricane Ian
The Alachua County school district, University of Florida and Santa Fe College will be closed Wednesday through Friday due to the threat posed by Hurricane Ian.
All academic and student-related activities also have been canceled through at least Friday. Schools are expected to go back to the typical schedules on Monday, though that could also change depending on the impact of the region.
An announcement regarding other University of Florida operations and campus closures, as well as Family Weekend activities, will be made by Tuesday evening.
The Florida Gators football game on Saturday against Eastern Washington has been rescheduled for Sunday at noon.
The Alachua County school district plans to reopen schools on Oct. 3 if they "are functional and safe for students and staff." A determination regarding the resumption of classes at UF will be announced at a later date.
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Santa Fe College made its announcement Tuesday just before 11 a.m. The campus will at 5 p.m. Tuesday and is expected to reopen Monday for normal operations, according to a message from President Paul Broadie.
Impact on Alachua County
As of noon Tuesday, Hurricane Ian was moving north over western Cuba at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane is expected to make its impact felt in Alachua County as early as Wednesday with tropical storm winds and heavy rainfall. A tropical storm watch is in effect.
Alachua County declared a state of general emergency Monday and is expecting several areas to experience flooding, as well as isolated tornados. For sandbag locations, locals can visit the county's website at https://alachuacountyready.com/incidents/hurricaneian/sandbags.
The National Weather Service Jacksonville is predicting 8 to 10 inches of rain Countywide. The weather service also predicts 10 to 15 inches of rain in southeast Alachua County.
Alachua County has also activated its 311 emergency information line. This is for questions and rumor control and does not take the place of immediate emergencies.
Special needs shelter
The county has also opened a special needs shelter at the Alachua County Senior Recreation Center, located at 5701 NW 34th Blvd. in Gainesville.
Officials urge residents to remember that shelters should be used as a last resort and only for those living in homes that are unsafe due to high winds, such as mobile and manufactured homes, or in flood-prone areas.
A cot will be provided for each patient, not caregivers who will need to bring their own bedding. Visitors are advised to bring extra clothing, medications and personal care items.
GRU suspends disconnections
Gainesville Regional Utilities announced Tuesday that it is suspending customer disconnections for nonpayment through Sunday.
GRU’s lobby and drive-thru will be closed starting Wednesday and will remain closed through Friday.
Supervisor of Elections
The county's Supervisor of Elections Office also will be closed and reopen Monday.
Those who had election worker classes scheduled Wednesday through Friday must call to reschedule their class on Tuesday.
ith the midterm election set for Nov. 8 and fast approaching, locals can still register to vote and can update their voter registration information online by visiting RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. Voters can also request a mail-in at VoteAlachua.gov.
This story is developing and will be updated throughout the day.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF, school district cancels classes due to threat of Hurricane Ian
