2020 at 5:27 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A tornado warning is in effect for portions of Sarasota Hillsborough and Pinellas counties until 5:30 p.m (Shutterstock)WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA — The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a tornado warning for portions of West Central Florida until 5:30 p.m Areas that fall under the warning include northwestern Manatee County south central Hillsborough County and northwestern Sarasota County a radar indicated that a waterspout was offshore near Sarasota’s Gulf Gate Estates moving north at 45 mph It was expected to pass near Kensington Park around 5:05 p.m.; Sarasota The Meadows and Lakewood Ranch around 5:10 p.m.; West Samoset South Bradenton and West Bradenton around 5:20 p.m.; Palmetto and Memphis round 5:25 p.m.; and Parrish around 5:30 p.m Other locations that could be impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Osprey The NWS urges people to take cover as flying debris can be dangerous to those without shelter Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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EASTHAM — A state grant will help town officials assess the potential for flooding at a cluster of low-lying roads near the Rock Harbor estuary and the Orleans-Eastham Rotary “We’re the gateway to the Outer Cape,” said project manager Shana Brogan the town’s natural resources manager and conservation agent A $150,000 state grant and a town contribution of primarily in-kind services will help the town prepare for coastal storms Other low-lying roads will be considered for study in the future at the rotary — sit at a narrow geographical point between the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Cod Bay where flooding could cut off vehicle access to the Cape’s outermost towns runs west from town hall and the fire and police stations to Cape Cod Bay The rotary likely would be submerged with 6 feet of sea level rise according to the 2020 Cape Cod Regional Transportation Plan’s analysis of coastal resiliency the outermost Cape essentially would become an island according to the analysis from the Cape Cod Commission report the town of Eastham is focusing on ensuring that public and private properties can be reached as a storm approaches; that those areas can be safely evacuated once a storm arrives; and that emergency vehicles and utility crews can reach those areas in an emergency according to the town’s grant application to the state The town also is focused on protecting public infrastructure and coastal areas along the low-lying roads harbor parking lots and drinking water mains “We want to maintain public safety and protect the environment,” Brogan said of adaptations that protect primary roads while also not creating environmental problems 4 as part of a $2.4 million funding package to support local and regional efforts to be proactive in responding to coastal storm and climate change threats The grants provided by the coastal zone management office of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs also include programs in Chatham Eastham’s project specifically meets the goals of the grant program by developing a targeted vulnerability assessment of transportation infrastructure “The project includes transferable methods and products that can be shared with other coastal communities experiencing similar issues,” said Lisa Berry Engler who directs the state Office of Coastal Zone Management The four roads chosen for the assessment came from community feedback in a “municipal vulnerability preparedness” program conducted by the town earlier this year flooding along Bridge Road and the Orleans-Eastham Rotary limits vehicle travel to emergency medical facilities and results in a lack of exit options during flooding for Eastham as well as Wellfleet there are several local roads that experience flooding which serves as the secondary exit route out of Eastham as well as Dyer Prince Road and Samoset Road that allows us to get in and perform whatever is needed,” Eastham Fire Chief Kent Farrenkopf said The department has a high-water vehicle for rescues or evacuating people but driving fire equipment into deep water is a bigger problem While the department will always do what it has to do "The last thing we want to do is drive a $500,000 vehicle through salt water,” Farrenkopf said the town intends to identify and prioritize existing assets utilities and coastal resources at each road The town also will generate new hydrodynamic model data to help with culvert design and replacement and develop ways to adapt with respect to current and future tidal according to the town’s application to the state The town will develop and distribute materials for the public as well as hold public meetings demographic and other data assembled by the town will be considered in selecting preferred alternatives for the maximum public benefit The town is working with Woods Hole Group to accomplish the tasks The program is expected to start this fall — Follow Mary Ann Bragg on Twitter: @maryannbraggCCT Manatee County officials braced for the worst in the days leading up to Hurricane Ian's landfall when many forecast models predicted the storm could smash straight into Tampa Bay.  A new map by Manatee County shows that most of Hurricane Ian's structural damage occurred in western Manatee County where winds battered more populated areas in older parts of the community and many manufactured home parks.  More Hurricane Ian: Farmers, others in Manatee County face millions in damage from Hurricane Ian Hurricane deaths: Hurricane Ian-related deaths climb in Sarasota, Manatee counties. Here’s what we know. And: Aerial video shows massive flooding in Manatee County, Florida The map is still being updated with new data but it shows that 1,791 residential buildings and 273 commercial buildings were damaged by the storm countywide as of Wednesday afternoon Manatee County is among several local governments using Crisis Track disaster management software to track hurricane-related damage and report it to state and federal agencies The county is able to produce a map with the data that sorts damaged buildings into four categories: destroyed Manatee County Code Enhancement Supervisor Kris Weiskopf said officials had to use a pen and GPS-enabled cameras during previous storms but that the new software has made the process faster and more streamlined "We were much more effective in being able to report damage and dollar amounts of damage than the old ways," Weiskopf said The map shows many of the buildings that sustained "major" damage were located in many of of the county's mobile home communities like Trailer Estates Park, Heather Hills and Twin Oaks in Southwest Manatee County and Coach House Mobile Home Park in Palmetto anywhere from that south county area to U.S those are heavily populated areas," Weiskopf said the county was lucky in the minimal damage that we sustained," he said a building department official with the city of Bradenton, said most buildings in the city were spared He did not see any flooding or much of the wind damage sustained in communities just south of the city limits He said most of the debris in the city was from damaged trees He said storm damage can sometimes be confounding and unlike the nearby manufactured home parks that sustained significant damage, he said the two parks inside the city limits were largely spared.  "The Manatee Mobile Home Park and Braden Castle I only heard of one trailer that lost its roof," Wenzel said "Braden Castle seems to have gotten by with nothing has risen in popularity for those looking to live in Florida From famous foods and white-sand beaches to the fabulous nightlife it’s not a surprise that about 54,800 people live in Sarasota If you’re looking to buy a home in Sarasota, you’ll find that the median home sale price is $490,000, the average sale price per square foot is $350, and the housing market is very competitive. And if you’re looking to rent an apartment in Sarasota the average rent price for a two-bedroom apartment is $2,868 Don’t worry if those prices don’t fit in your budget – we’ve got options to help you find a home or apartment that does We’ve rounded up a list of the 10 best affordable Sarasota suburbs to consider living in – and they’re all under a 30-minute drive from the city That way you can live close to Sarasota and all its cool activities without paying the premium price of living there South Bradenton lands the number one spot on our list as the most affordable Sarasota suburb About 26,900 people live in this suburban area and you’ll only be about a 25-minute drive away from downtown Sarasota If you’re considering moving to this area make sure to check out one of the local restaurants A little more expensive than South Bradenton is Bayshore Gardens About a 20-minute drive away from downtown Sarasota you can stroll along Bayfront Park and visit Lido Key Beach in no time Make sure to check out Bayshore Gardens Park and Recreational District when living in this suburb of 19,900 people you’ll find yourself in the suburb of Memphis From parks and outdoor recreation to shopping there’s lots of things that make the town of Memphis a great place to live Make sure to visit one of the many local shops and attractions if you move to the third most affordable suburb A bit more expensive than Memphis is none other than West Samoset With 6,500 residents in this Sarasota suburb there’s plenty to do on a sunny Florida day 11 minutes away from downtown Sarasota is Ridge Wood Heights another great suburb to consider moving to With 5,100 people living in this affordable town Ridge Wood Heights is a great option to consider when looking to stay close to Sarasota without paying the premium for a home in the city you can spend the day at one of the local parks Another well-known Sarasota suburb is Palmetto where the median home sale price is about $120K less than in Sarasota With roughly 13,300 people calling Palmetto home it’s a great area to consider moving to Whether you explore the 365-acre Emerson Point Preserve or check out the Palmetto Historic District there’s many activities to do and see in this suburb Claiming the seventh spot on our list of affordable Sarasota suburbs is Sarasota Springs which is about a 15-minute drive into downtown living in Sarasota Springs is a great alternative to Sarasota’s hustle and bustle If you find yourself moving to this suburb make sure to walk along the Sarasota Springs Trailhead Living in Sarasota it’s likely that you know of Bradenton so you’ll have a fraction of Sarasota’s population while remaining close to the city and its attractions you’ll be in downtown Sarasota in about 15 minutes making Bee Ridge a great place to consider moving to but there’s always somewhere new to check out in Bee Ridge Rounding out our list of affordable Sarasota suburbs it’ll only take about 15 minutes to drive into Sarasota This suburb has a population of 6,000 and there’s always something to do while living in South Gate Ridge Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Content Marketing Manager Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers’ markets Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef’s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records 🇨🇦 Canada Updated January 2020: By searching, you agree to the Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy REDFIN IS COMMITTED TO AND ABIDES BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT. READ REDFIN’S FAIR HOUSING POLICY NY Standard Operating Procedures TREC: Info About Brokerage Services, Consumer Protection Notice please call Redfin Customer Support for help at 1-844-759-7732 CAMDEN — It was an early morning Saturday for some Camden-Rockport Middle school kids and their parents 10 students and two chaperones boarded a bus at the school: Destination Japan but rather the first leg of a long journey that will eventually land them in Japan It culminated months of fundraising efforts — a total of $35,000 — to get the students across the Pacific And this trip has been happening for 16 years nine students and their chaperones arrived from Japanto spend a week in Camden Now it’s the Camden-Rockport students turn to visit Japan The students will return on April 25 after spending a week in the district of Hirakawa The group will spend two days in Tokyo and then board a bullet train for their trip to Aomori Major supporters included the West Bay Rotary as well as other businesses and individuals Fundraising efforts from the exchange students included an indoor yard sale a benfit dinner and the sale of Hannaford gift cards adults for the exchange program included John Paul Caponigro http://www.penbaypilot.com/article/japanese-exchange-students-arrive-camden-rockport-middle-school/46374 http://www.penbaypilot.com/article/camden-rockport-students-raise-funds-get-japan/45514   Thanks to our readers and especially our supporters who help to keep PenBayPilot.com an open and accessible community hub Your support is even more critical during rapidly changing times While we work hard to keep you informed about the Midcoast community We are grateful to those who already participate Join for as little as $2.99 per month and support local journalism on a community hub that serves everyone X and founder of Ocean Properties Hotels Resorts  and Affiliates Relatives and friends are invited to call from 4-7:30PM To see the full obituary, click HERE Resorts and Affiliates owns and operates the Bar Harbor Regency Harborside Hotel Spa and Marina-Bar Harbor and Bar Harbor Whale Watch Thomas Walsh, the Founder of Ocean Properties has passed away. Here's information on calling hours and funeral information\nRead More To see the full obituary, click HERE Harborside Hotel Spa and Marina-Bar Harbor and Bar Harbor Whale Watch.