DINE | B5 LOCAL | A3 FIFTH AVENUE ALMOST 400 STREATERY CREATES PEOPLE HAVE SOUTHERN FUSION CHECKED INTO CUISINE LAKE SHELTERS Wednesday, September 4, 2019 YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR LAKE & SUMTER COUNTIES @dailycommercial Facebook.com/daily.commercial $1 Dorian forecast improves for Lake Mid-Tuesday advisory storm force winds and drench- County is the rain bands that will shows 20-30 mph ing rain inland over much of the be passing through as the storm winds, 2-4 inches of rain area Wednesday. goes past," Rodriguez said. "You As it stood Tuesday after- can expect 20 to 30 mph winds By Tom McNiff noon, the National Weather but there's still a possibility that Correspondent Service maintained a tropical the sustained winds reach tropi- storm warning for Lake County cal storm force, especially on the TAVARES — The forecast for Wednesday but said the east side of the county around for Lake County continued to most likely scenario was for Paisley. It's less likely you'll see improve Tuesday as Hurricane 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts that on the west side of Lake, Dorian weakened significantly reaching the tropical storm near Leesburg." to a Category 2 by noon and force threshold of 39 mph. Unless Dorian slows to a showed signs of drifting farther National Weather Service crawl or stalls completely, from the coast of Florida on its meteorologist Kevin Rodriguez as it did over the Bahamas in trek north this week. said the irony is that as the storm recent days, area residents Local Emergency Manage- breaks up and loses intensity, its can expect to see weather ment officials sounded a note wind field is expanding, allow- conditions begin to return to of optimism but urged Lake ing tropical storm force winds to normal on Thursday, officials A sign warns boaters of a no wake zone on the St. Johns River in County residents to remain emanate further from the center said. Astor on Tuesday. The National Weather Service on Sunday issued a on guard, saying even a slight and reach Lake. fl ood warning for the St. Johns River near Astor until further notice. wobble west could push tropical "The biggest threat for Lake See FORECAST, A5 [TOM MCNIFF/CORRESPONDENT] STORM UPDATES Get live team coverage of Hurricane Dorian on our website, no login required. DAILY COMMERCIAL.COM Schools, trash pickup and more impacted by storm By Frank Jolley [email protected] Cars sit submerged in water from Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas, on Tuesday. [AP PHOTO/RAMON ESPINOSA] Even though it appears that Lake and Sumter counties will be spared the worst of Hur- ricane Dorian, the storm’s indirect impact is widespread Dorian a ‘historic tragedy’ in Bahamas throughout the area. Nearly all area schools, including Mount Dora Chris- Storm begins moving, As of 11 a.m., Dorian's later Tuesday, but the threat announced closings, and tian Academy and First posing threat to winds had dipped to 110 to the state eased signifi- hundreds of flights were Academy of Leesburg, along East Coast mph, making it a Category cantly, with forecasters not canceled. with county offices, trash col- 2 hurricane, down from a expecting a direct hit after Forecasters said that lection and even this week’s The Associated Press fearsome Category 5 when all. The forecast instead the storm had come to a slate of high school football it struck. showed North Carolina in near standstill because the games have been affected by FREEPORT, Bahamas — The storm was centered the crosshairs toward the steering currents in the the slow-moving storm as it Practically parking over the about 45 miles north of end of the week. atmosphere had collapsed, moves north, parallel to Flor- Bahamas for a day and a half, Freeport and 105 miles east As Labor Day week- but that Dorian would ida’s Atlantic coast. Hurricane Dorian pounded of Fort Pierce, Florida. end drew to a close, over resume moving later in the While officials at some away at the islands Tues- After standing still for 2 million people in Flor- day, getting "dangerously schools, including The Villages day in a watery onslaught nearly a day, it was on the ida, Georgia and South close" to the Florida coast and Montverde Academy, that devastated thousands move again, but just barely, Carolina were warned to through Wednesday eve- have said they will make deci- of homes, trapped people pushing northwest at 2 mph. evacuate for fear Dorian ning, very near the Georgia sions whether to close on a in attics and crippled hos- Hurricane-force winds could bring life-threatening and South Carolina coasts day-to-day basis, six Lake pitals. At least five deaths extended up to 60 miles storm-surge flooding even Wednesday night and County schools are serving as were reported, with the full from its center. if the hurricane's center Thursday, and near or over emergency shelters for area extent of the damage far Dorian was on track to stayed offshore, as fore- from clear. approach the Florida coast cast. Several large airports See DORIAN, A5 See STORM, A6 VOLUME 143, ISSUE 247 Local & State ............... A3 Sports.......................... B1 © 2019 GateHouse Media Opinion .......................A9 Dine .............................B5 Home delivery: 352-787-0600 Autos ........................ A10 Classified .................... B8 A2 Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | DailyCommercial.com NATION&WORLD At least 25 dead in California boat fi re By Stefanie Dazio took a dinghy to safety. Two other boat was totally engulfed Associated Press had minor injuries. in flames, from stem to stern," Meanwhile, authorities Hansen said. "I could see the SANTA BARBARA, Calif. opened a family assistance fire coming through holes on — At least 25 people were con- center where counseling was the side of the boat. There were firmed dead and nine others still being provided to relatives of these explosions every few missing after a tragic boat fire those onboard. None of their beats. You can't prepare your- early Monday near an island off names were immediately self for that. It was horrendous." the Southern California coast. released. Hansen said two of the crew The dive-boat Conception, The missing and dead were members went back toward the far out to sea in the middle of among 39 passengers and crew Conception looking for survi- the night, became fully engulfed who had departed Santa Bar- vors but found no one. in flames as 30 passengers on a bara's Channel Islands Harbor Four bodies had injuries con- recreational scuba diving trip on Saturday aboard the boat sistent with drowning, Kroll slept below deck. Conception for a Labor Day said. "You couldn't ask for a worse weekend scuba-diving trip. It wasn't immediately clear situation," Santa Barbara The fire broke out about 3 when the other bodies that have County Sheriff Bill Brown said a.m. as the Conception was been found might be retrieved at a Monday news conference. anchored off Santa Cruz Island, Local law enforcement and coroners work to retrieve the bodies or when divers could search the Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. about 90 miles northwest of Los found by diving teams after a deadly fi re on the boat Conception on boat for others. Matthew Kroll says at least 25 Angeles. The crew appeared to Monday in Santa Barbara, Calif. [AP PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA] "It's upside down in relatively people on a recreational scuba- quickly call for help. shallow water with receding diving trip died and the search "The call was garbled, it was and a fireboat were on scene. meanwhile, had taken their tides that are moving it around," will continue for the nine others not that clear, but we were able Amaral said he first searched dingy to a private fishing boat, Brown said. Investigators have still missing. He says five others to get some information out of the water and shoreline, then The Grape Escape, that was not yet determined a cause for have been found but not recov- it to send vessels," said Coast turned back to the Concep- anchored near the north shore the fire. ered due to unsafe conditions Guard Petty Officer Mark tion, which was adrift and going of Santa Cruz Island. The 75-foot Conception was under the boat, which sank in Barney. aground. He attached a line That boat's owners, Bob and on a three-day excursion to the about 60 feet of water. Kroll Capt. Paul Amaral of the and pulled it into deeper water Shirley Hansen, told The New chain of rugged, wind-swept says the numbers are based on vessel assistance company where the fireboats could reach. York Times they were asleep isles that form Channel Islands initial reports and authorities TowBoatUS also launched a fast "We launched that boat when they heard pounding on National Park in the Pacific are awaiting final counts from boat from Ventura Harbor, but knowing that the vessel was on the side of their 60-foot vessel Ocean west of Los Angeles. the autopsies. it was some 30 miles away. By fire, lots of people aboard," he about 3:30 a.m. and discovered The fire broke out as the boat Five crew members sleeping the time it got there around 5 told The Associated Press. the frightened crew members. sat anchored in Platt's Harbor on the top deck jumped off and a.m. a Coast Guard helicopter The five crew members, "When we looked out, the off Santa Cruz Island. Offi cials: Texas gunman was ‘on a long spiral’ By Paul J. Weber and statements about some of the up to work enraged" but did because you could tell what firearms in Texas.