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Highlands Today

Locals Safely Ride Out Tropical Storm

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

A man walks in the rain through downtown Sebring on Tuesday. Tropical Storm Fay dumped several inches of rain in the county.

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By BILL RETTEW JR.

Highlands Today

Published: August 20, 2008

SEBRING - Workers outnumbered shoppers for the first three hours of business at Advance Auto Parts on Tuesday.

Business was down 90 percent at the auto parts store. Four store employees stocked shelves and prepared to scrub the floors.

Most county residents treated Tropical Storm Fay with respect and stayed at home.

Kelly Beckman, manager at Advanced Auto, said it was important to be open, just in case someone required immediate assistance, but in the meantime, employees were staying busy.

"We're here and we're getting ready," said Beckman. "There's always stuff to do."

Day-long gusty winds regularly drove hard rains sideways. Rain and wind started early Tuesday morning, but gusts typically were in the 20 mph to 30 mph range. At some points, however, winds climbed to about 40 mph.

No one was injured due to the storm at press time, according to authorities, however a house was destroyed in a fire near Lorida and other house fires were reported in Sebring. A Lake Placid man died over the weekend while he was apparently running a generator. Law enforcement still is investigating the cause of death.

Most exposed sliding windows at restaurant drive-through lanes opened only long enough for cashiers to make change or hand out a burger.

Mail carriers on foot picked up the pace, while dodging raindrops. Motorists drove at reduced speeds on nearly empty roadways.

Most every shopper was able to park closer to the front door since parking lots were nearly empty.

Gary Musselman, at Musselman Appliance & TV, stood surrounded by dozens of televisions, most tuned to the same station featuring an animated radar weather map.

Likely attracted to voices, "Angel," a cat, walked from behind the row of wall-sized televisions and kept Musselman company.

Chris Adams, operations manager at Residence Inn by Marriott, said the hotel was booked for the night at about half capacity.

Several guests from the Naples and Fort Myers area had sought shelter in the newly constructed steel structure with a favorable pet policy, and had escaped the brunt of the storm at home.

With checkout time at 11 a.m., and while winds still raged outside, Adams said that all guests were relaxed.

"They're just trying to decide whether to leave today or tomorrow," said Adams.

As a safety precaution, several workers stayed overnight at no charge.

Sandy Jones, owner of Sandy's Circle Cafe and Charlie's Steak and Seafood, said that breakfast business was "light," but steady.

The Circle eatery was fully staffed and opened on time at 6:30 a.m. Jones said most customers on Tuesday walked to the restaurant.

"We opened for our regular customers," said Jones. "This is where they eat every day- seven days a week."

Elective surgeries at Florida Hospital Heartland Division were cancelled for the day. Debby Zorns, RN at the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, kept track of the weather on a computer.

With local schools cancelled, the staff cared for 11 children of parents working at the hospital.

Mable Aylward, director of the hospital's newly built child learning center, said that none of the small visitors to the converted conference room was nervous about the weather.

"It's different today," said Aylward. "They don't get all this personal attention in school."

Bill Rettew Jr. may be contacted at 386-5857 or wrettew@highlandstoday.com

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