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SARASOTA, Fla. — The start of “snowbird” season in Florida is only weeks away, but many Florida Gulf Coast beaches, regularly voted some of the best in the United States, are closed to the public because of the devastation from Hurricane Milton two weeks ago.

Most restaurants and shops in the tiny St. Armands Circle district of Sarasota were flooded with water from Milton and Hurricane Helene, which tore through Florida almost two weeks ahead of Milton. The dominant performing arts hall in Sarasota is closed until January because of extensive damage. Mounds of debris are scattered along Gulf Coast roads.

Hurricane Milton's devastating toll along Florida's Gulf Coast hit one of the most popular areas for snowbirds — temporary residents who spend winter months in the Sunshine State — right before the start of the season which generally runs from after Halloween to around Easter. Milton landed on a barrier island in Sarasota County as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm swamped coastal homes with mounds of sand, pushed water inland and caused tens of billions of dollars in privately insured losses up and down the Gulf Coast.

Visitors need to stay away for the time being so they don’t interfere with the work of residents and recovery workers, said Larry West, a construction contractor who has been pulling long hours digging out 4-feet (1.2-meter) drifts of storm-driven sand at a condo complex on Manasota Key, about 32 miles (19.8 kilometers) south of Sarasota.

“Give this area time. Don’t come here,” West said. "It doesn't help when you get people in the way."

Other Floridians on the Gulf Coast are taking the opposite view. In Clearwater, more than 55 miles (34.1 kilometers) north of Sarasota, Mayor Bruce Rector said he has been fielding calls from as far away as Canada, asking him, “Mayor, when will it be safe for Canadians to return to Clearwater?”

“I told them, ‘Today,'" Rector said during a recent meeting of the Pinellas County Tourist Development Council. “It’s not going to be perfect, but you’re going to have a similar experience to what you’ve always had here.”

Shawn Kaleta, one of the largest property owners on Anna Maria Island, about 20 miles north of Sarasota, also feels bullish about this season as reservations at the rental properties he manages are trending up from where they were last year.

Florida, a state with 23 million residents, has about 1.5 million seasonal residents annually, with about a third coming from Canada.

Evan Rachkovsky, communications director of the Canadian Snowbird Association, said he hasn't heard of any members canceling their plans, even those whose homes were damaged, although some are delaying their trips until the situation improves.

“Most of our members are still going to be proceeding south as planned,” Rachkovsky said.

Some snowbirds have already made their annual migration south despite the latest storms, returning to their pickleball groups and tennis leagues even as some of their neighbors' condos remain unlivable.

Because of Sarasota's renown for a thriving performing arts scene, a sizable chunk of its snowbirds are performing arts patrons. Milton caused extensive damage to the Van Wezel performing arts hall, which hosts the Sarasota Orchestra and the Sarasota Ballet, and all performances have been canceled until the beginning of the new year.

During the past few years, many snowbirds have delayed coming to Florida, choosing to return after hurricane season ends in late November. As a result, some performing arts groups are pushing back the start of their seasons to later in the year, said Richard Russell, general director of Sarasota Opera, where about 40% of season subscribers are snowbirds.

“If people for a couple of years delay coming back because of storm activity in late October, that may be the new pattern," Russell said.

Owners of vacation homes outside Florida see opportunity in the Gulf Coast's misfortune. Gary Sacks advertised his two-bedroom condo in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on the “Florida Snowbirds 2025” Facebook page less than a week after Milton made landfall, targeting those “whose plans for being a snowbird were impacted by the two hurricanes that hit Florida.” He didn't respond to a request for an interview.

Jim Lenz, 96, who lives outside Dayton, Ohio, and spends the winter months in The Villages, a sprawling central Florida retirement community, believes the storms may give pause to some snowbirds’ winter plans, “particularly people who are older and may decide, ‘I don’t want to take that chance anymore.’”

“Some may give up on it. Others may decide, ‘We just can’t stand the cold up here and we are going down,’” Lenz said.

Some snowbirds like Joe Singer say the growing number and intensity of the storms aren't going to keep them away. Singer, who has spent the past five winters in Parkland, Florida, instead of his native New Jersey, said he and other snowbirds are adapting by purchasing homes further inland or on higher ground and acquiring generators.

The winter months are “like a mini-heaven,” said Singer, who is an avid walker. “I get up in the morning and go walking. I don’t have to scrape ice off my windshield. I don’t have to shovel the sidewalk. It’s just been very, very nice.”

FLORIDA — On the heels of two back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, hitting the state, Floridians are eyeing an area in the Caribbean for possible tropical storm development next week.

Although the National Hurricane Center says there is no chance of tropical development in the Atlantic basin over the next seven days, some forecasters say it’s too soon to let your guard down.

"We suspect there will be another attempt for a tropical depression or tropical storm to brew in the western Caribbean during the middle to the latter part of next week," Bernie Rayno, chief on-air meteorologist for AccuWeather, said, "As a result, we have issued an advanced risk development zone."

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov. 30. The next named storm will be called Patty after Hurricane Oscar recently affected Cuba and the Bahamas.

Though water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico cooled a bit and are closer to average temperatures for this time of year, “waters remain quite warm over the Caribbean, and deep ocean warmth over the prime development area of the Atlantic remains well above the historical average,” according to AccuWeather.

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Current atmospheric conditions, including sinking air over the Caribbean and Gulf, will inhibit tropical development. But rising air is expected to return to the Caribbean around the end of October and into early November, which could promote the formation of a tropical system, Fox Weather said.

There will also be low wind shear and the return of the large Central American gyre or storm that could promote a new tropical development, meteorologists said. This gyre fueled the development of Helene and Milton, as well as Tropical Storm Nadine.

If a new spot in the Caribbean does form, it’s difficult to know its exact track and intensity at this point, forecasters said. It would depend on where it forms and other atmospheric conditions.

“Bit of ‘buzz’ on potential development in about a week. I certainly wouldn't rule it out, but with upper winds setting up in a more ‘Winter’ pattern, early thoughts would be IF something develops, it probably kicks Northeast. But again, there is absolutely nothing out there right now. No worries,” Denis Phillips, chief meteorologist for ABC Action News, wrote in a Tuesday afternoon Facebook post.

Tropical storms that form at this time of year tend to move into Central America or north-northeast toward Cuba Hispaniola and the Bahamas, AccuWeather said. “However, a track into Florida or the southeastern U.S. mainland is not out of the question at this early juncture.”

Some Tampa Bay-area restaurants, including Caddy's, Capogna's, Frenchy's, Rod & Reel Pier, are closed because of recent hurricanes.

Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff

|Updated Fri, Oct 25, 2024 at 6:03 pm ET

TAMPA BAY, FL — After the one-two punch of back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, many Tampa Bay-region restaurants were affected by flooding, strong winds, heavy rains and power surges.

The aftermath has been difficult for many residents and business owners. While a number of bars and restaurants have reopened to the public, some remain closed because of extensive damage and others are indefinitely closed as restoration work continues.

Here are a few businesses that have closed their doors or are working to reopen:

Caddy’s Bradenton Riverwalk

Hurricane Milton caused major damage to this Caddy’s location along the Bradenton Riverwalk, including destroying the tiki hut at one of its two bars. It’s listed as permanently closed on the company’s website.

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The local chain’s other four locations in Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, John’s Pass and Indian Shores are listed as temporarily closed.

Capogna’s Dugout

This more than 50-year-old eatery announced its closure after Milton and Helene.

“After 52 years of serving our Clearwater community, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post. “After two back-to-back hurricanes and a tough economy, we have taken a hit we cannot recover from.”

Cena

This downtown Tampa staple closed after more than a decade in business.

While the restaurant was closed on and off between Helene and Milton and saw a decline in sales after the nearby Davis Islands community flooded, the departure of chef and partner Michael Buttacavoli two weeks ago “was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” partner Ken Stoltenberg told the Tampa Bay Times.

Frenchy’s

Most locations of this popular northern Pinellas County beach chain remain temporarily closed for hurricane recovery. Currently, only the Frenchy’s Outpost Bar & Grill on Causeway Boulevard in Dunedin is serving food.

Lido Beach Pavilion

Lido Beach and its pavilion, which includes a concession stand, remains temporarily closed to the public after the back-to-back hurricanes.

Rod & Reel Pier

This Anna Maria icon known for its fresh seafood was completely destroyed during Hurricane Milton. All that physically remained of the location after the storm was “only a few piling and boards,” according to a social media post.

The Rod & Reel Pier’s future is in question after being completely leveled but Oliver Lemke, the German-based brewer and restaurateur who bought it last November, hopes to rebuild. He’s launched a GoFundMe fundraiser with a $300,000 goal for the rebuilding process.

“There’s no definite plan on how to proceed yet. Right now, we are gathering information trying to assess our situation. We will do everything within our means to rebuild the pier, but there are many issues to conquer,” he told the Anna Maria Island Sun.

Vela

This Italian restaurant, which opened three years ago in Tampa, announced its closure after Hurricane Milton.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of Vela. Unfortunately, the combination of recent hurricane damage and other challenges has made it impossible for us to continue serving you at Westshore Marina,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post.

Do you know of a restaurant or bar that has reopened or permanently closed after hurricane damage? Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com.

The IRS on Tuesday announced new federal income tax brackets and raised the standard deduction to adjust for inflation.

Deb Belt, Patch Staff

FLORIDA — The IRS on Tuesday announced new federal income tax brackets and raised the standard deduction to adjust for inflation, but Florida tax filers won’t be able to take advantage of them until they file tax year 2025 returns in early 2026.

The IRS announces inflation adjustments every fall for the following tax year. The idea is to protect against what’s called “bracket creep” — a situation where inflation pushes tax filers into a higher tax bracket.

Nationally, personal income averaged about $65,470 in tax year 2022, the latest data available in a federal government Bureau of Economic Analysis report. That compares with a 2022 average of $64,806 in Florida, up from $63,078 in tax year 2021 and $56,561 in tax year 2020.

Changes from 2020 to 2022 tax years in Florida counties include:

Those figures don’t reflect the real-life experiences of many of Florida residents, whose salaries failed to keep pace with rising inflation, especially during the economic upheaval of the pandemic.

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Bracket adjustments have been larger in the past few years because of inflation, reaching 7 percent in 2023 and 5.4 percent in the current year, but with inflation cooling, income thresholds for tax year 2025 will go up by only 2.8 percent.

The standard deduction will rise to $30,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $29,200 in 2024. Single filers can claim $15,000 in tax year 2025, an increase from $14,600.

The income thresholds for each bracket were also raised, with the top rate of 37 percent applying to individuals with taxable income of $626,350 or higher, or for married couples filing jointly who earn $751,600 or in 2025.

The IRS also made dozens of changes in various other tax provisions, including long-term capital gains, estate and gift tax exemptions, eligibility for child tax credits, the alternative minimum tax, eligibility for earned income tax credits, and flexible spending account limits.

Here’s how tax brackets will change from the current year to the 2025 filing year:

Orkin has released its list of the "rattiest" cities in the country, and three Florida cities are on the list.

Deb Belt, Patch Staff

TAMPA, FL – Before gloating that Chicago is once again the nation’s rattiest city in the country, consider this: Miami also made the dubious Top 50 Rattiest Cities List, coming in at No. 23.

Three Florida cities are included in the ranking from Orkin, which uses residential requests for pest-control services to develop the list. Other Sunshine State communities with a rodent problem are:

Chicago has topped the list in the entire 10 years it has been in existence. Softening the blow, Orkin said Chicago should be proud of the efforts that have been taken in the ongoing battle against rats and rodents.

Without efforts to eradicate them, rats and mice would have a field day in the abundance of alleys that offer hidden havens and a waiting buffet in trash cans. Rodents also like to burrow and have found shelter beneath Chicago’s subway tracks and among underground pipes, Orkin said.

Los Angeles and New York City have also been in the top three in the history of the list.

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The top 10 rattiest cities on the list are:

New York has the most cities on the list, with five. California has four.

Left unchecked, rats and other rodents can cause structural damage to homes. They enter around piping and even chew through walls, posing a fire risk because they tend to chew through electrical wiring as well, Orkin entomologist John Kane said in a news release.

Rodents eat the equivalent of a slice of bread every day, and even when they’re not eating, they are constantly chewing. A rat’s teeth have a rating of 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which means they are powerful enough to chew through steel garbage cans, according to Orkin.

Rodents also reproduce quickly and infestations can become a problem. Look for droppings, gnaw marks and evidence of borrowing around the foundation. Rodents often can be heard before they’re seen, so listen for scratching or scurrying sounds, especially at night.

To prevent them, seal entry points (rats only need an opening the size of a quarter to get in and mice need even less) around windows, doors and pipes. Eliminate food sources, including by storing food in sealed containers, cleaning up food messes immediately, and making sure the garbage and pet food aren’t accessible. Also, make sure debris outside can’t be used as nesting areas, set traps and, if rodents still get in, call an exterminator, Orkin said.

Related: 7 FL Cities Among Most Rodent-Infested Cities In U.S.: Terminix

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