Community Corner

Five Things: Silver Springs, Flood Insurance and More...

Here are five things we thought you should know about today....

Government Shuts Down: For the first time in 17 years, the federal government has put out a closed sign. While essential operations continue, many government agencies are shuttering their doors since there’s no funding in place to pay for their operations. Has the shutdown had an effect on your life? How would you solve the crisis? Tell us by commenting below.

Silver Springs Now a State Park: Classic theme park fans lauding the passing of Silver Springs can breathe a sigh of relief. The facility reopened Oct. 1 as the Silver Springs State Park. While most of the rides are gone, the natural sights remain. Check out the park’s website for full details.

Flood Insurance Rates Rise: With no fix from Washington, D.C., Tampa Bay area homeowners with properties on flood-prone lands saw their rates for insurance rise Oct. 1 when the Biggert-Waters Act officially went into action. Rates for Bay area homeowners were expected to increase by hundreds – and in some cases thousands – of dollars. Are you impacted? How are you handling the increase?

The Tropics Are Heating Up Again: Hurricane Season isn’t over yet and almost as if to prove that fact, two systems have cropped up over the last few days. Tropical Storm Jerry is spinning in the Atlantic and doesn’t appear to be a threat to land at this time. Another system, located south of Cuba, has a 30 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone over the next few days. Keep an eye on those weather reports, folks!

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Enjoy the Sun While You Can: The forecast for today, Sept. 2, calls for about a 20 percent chance of rain. Those chances, however, increase Thursday and Friday, which means you might want to enjoy the rays while you can.


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