WITH OVER 13 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WE'RE HRT EXPERTS.
Did you know that more than 40% of adults in the United States suffer from obesity? Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure for this condition. Perhaps worse is that more and more adults and children are gaining weight across the country, choosing the convenience of fast and nutrition-deficient foods over healthy eating, exercise, and positive life choices. From an aesthetic standpoint, being overweight is a struggle - clothes don't fit right, people make uncomfortable comments about how you look, and everyday activities are less appealing.
From a health and wellness standpoint, however, being obese is much worse. Your life is literally on the line. The people who love you and depend on you to be in their lives could lose you sooner than you expect. With time, you have a higher chance of suffering from significant, life-changing issues such as:
While obesity is a serious problem, a new medication on the market is giving hope to millions of men and women across the U.S. This game-changing treatment is called Semaglutide in Venice Gardens, FL. This anti-obesity medication is unique because it treats obesity as a chronic metabolic disease, rather than a problem that can be solved through sheer willpower. The best part? Semaglutide and other medical weight-loss peptides are now available at Global Life Rejuvenation.
At Global Life Rejuvenation, we understand that losing weight is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our medical weight loss clinic offers custom medical weight loss plans tailored to your body, rather than plans based solely on your age or weight. In fact, our team of doctors and practitioners provides personalized guidance to help you achieve real results and live a healthier life.
Because the truth is maintaining good health and fitness are crucial in the modern world. Research has shown that viruses and diseases are more likely to affect those who are overweight and unhealthy. At Global Life Rejuvenation, we take a comprehensive, custom approach to medical weight loss that includes peptide therapy and more. We then work with you to make positive lifestyle changes, so you can lose weight, get healthy, and boost your wellbeing permanently - not for a few weeks or months.
If you're ready to get back to loving your life with more energy, confidence, and positivity, medical weight loss with peptide therapy may be for you. But to truly understand the benefits of peptides like Semaglutide, it's important you grasp what peptide therapy is and how it benefits your body.
Many individuals turn to peptide therapy to enhance their overall wellbeing by boosting hormones. Different types of peptides can target different areas of health, such as collagen peptides that can help improve skin, hair, and gut health.
Other peptides, such as AOD 9604, CJC 1295, and Semaglutide in Venice Gardens, FL, are incredibly beneficial for losing weight. Compared to vitamin supplements, peptide therapy works differently as peptides are already part of the proteins in our bodies, making them easier to absorb and benefit from. Conversely, our bodies can sometimes fail to absorb all the nutrients present in multivitamins, leading to their excretion through urine.
However, it's important to note that weight loss is a complex process that involves various factors like age, genetics, lifestyle, exercise, and diet. While peptides like Semaglutide can provide much-needed assistance in achieving your weight loss goals, they are most effective when combined with healthy dietary choices, regular exercise routines, and overall healthier lifestyle choices.
If you've already tried different weight loss plans and diets but haven't had any success, medical weight loss with peptide therapy may provide that extra boost you need to realize your goals.
If you're looking to lose weight and keep it off, diet and exercise are important, but it can be difficult to stick to a routine. For busy adults and parents, Semaglutide can be a helpful tool for weight loss. This injection, approved by the FDA for diabetes and obesity, works by stimulating GLP-1 receptors in the brain to aid in weight loss and improve long-term health.
You may be wondering to yourself, "That sounds great, but how does this type of peptide work?" Semaglutide acts like glucagon in your body, which signals to your brain that you're full and don't need to eat anymore. When you take Semaglutide, and you try to overeat, your body waves a proverbial red flag as if to say, "That's enough."
Semaglutide also slows down digestion, reducing unnecessary snacking throughout the day. By reducing glucose spikes after meals, it reduces inflammation, which is important for overall health. Additionally, Semaglutide helps your pancreas secrete insulin, regulates the glucose levels in your body, and even has anti-aging and longevity properties. If you're struggling to lose weight, peptide therapies for weight loss like Semaglutide can be an invaluable addition to your weight loss plan from Global Life Rejuvenation.
When combined with healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, Semaglutide can help provide:
There are multiple medications available to combat obesity by suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss. However, Semaglutide stands out as an exceptional option.
A recent study of 2,000 obese adults examined the effects of Semaglutide when combined with a diet and exercise program. The results were compared to those who only made lifestyle changes without taking Semaglutide. After 68 weeks, it was found that half of the participants using Semaglutide lost 15% of their body weight, with nearly a third losing 20%. In contrast, those who only made lifestyle changes lost an average of 2.4% of their weight.
It's obvious, then, that Semaglutide is a safe and effective supplement for your weight loss journey with Global Life Rejuvenation. But who is the ideal patient who should be taking it?
If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 27kg/m2 or higher and at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol, or if your BMI is 30kg/m2 or higher, the FDA recommends Semaglutide for weight loss.
As medical weight loss experts, one thing our doctors and practitioners know at Global Life Rejuvenation is that true weight loss isn't dictated by medicines. It's achieved by sticking to a combo of exercise, healthy life choices, and healthy eating habits. From there, peptides like Semaglutide in Venice Gardens, FL are great for taking your weight loss efforts to the next level of success.
One area where many patients fail in this process is with their diet. If you're considering Semaglutide treatment, keep these diet tips in mind.
To enhance your dietary habits, a practical approach is to concentrate on consuming whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. These food items are rich in nutrients and can provide a feeling of fullness and satisfaction while also promoting your overall wellbeing.
Eating mindfully involves being fully present and engaged during meals. This entails taking the time to enjoy the flavor of your food, being aware of your body's hunger and fullness signals, and avoiding distractions like electronics or television.
To maintain good health and support weight loss, it's crucial to drink plenty of water. It's recommended to drink at least 8-10 cups of water daily. You may also try adding low-calorie drinks like herbal tea or infused water to keep things interesting.
Planning your meals in advance is an effective approach to maintaining a healthy diet. Set aside some time each week to plan your meals and snacks, keeping in mind to incorporate a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This will prevent impulsive food choices and guarantee that you have nutritious options available when hunger strikes.
Unlike many medical weight loss clinics, which only offer cookie-cutter weight loss plans and one or two additional fat-busting solutions, Global Life Rejuvenation provides access to new, innovative supplements and medicines. If you're used to fad diets and "quick" weight loss plans, peptides like AOD 9604 and others may be new to you. To help build your foundation of healthy living knowledge, let's take a look at a few of the most popular weight-loss peptides and medicines available at Global Life Rejuvenation.
Often combined with Semaglutide regimens, AOD 9604 is known to promote fat breakdown, inhibit lipogenesis, and support tendons and cartilage. However, most recently, it has gained popularity due to its ability to boost metabolism and aid in burning fat.
What sets AOD 9604 apart is that it stimulates the pituitary gland without affecting tissue growth or blood sugar levels. Additionally, it can burn fat without causing overeating, making it a viable option for obese men and women who are trying to implement better eating habits.
Interestingly, AOD 9604 activates your body's fat-burning processes without requiring an HGH receptor. It also releases obese fat cells and reduces the accumulation of new fat cells. By helping to regulate blood sugar and manage insulin levels, AOD 9604 is excellent for weight loss but also for other maladies like inflammation.
Some conditions that this powerful peptide can help address include the following:
This medical weight loss supplement Is technically a combo of two peptides. These substances work by stimulating your pituitary gland to produce more of your body's natural human growth hormone, which is secreted during both waking and sleeping periods.
This results in increased protein synthesis and levels of insulin-like growth factors. As hormone secretagogues, they help release hormones into circulation while mimicking the pituitary gland's production. Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin. As a tool for medical weight loss, it has shown very promising results.
That's because when growth hormone levels increase, nutrients are transported through the body faster, more fat is burned, and weight management becomes simpler. Additionally, because CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin increase the amount of growth hormone in your body, it stimulates the breakdown of triglycerides in adipocytes, leading to improved fat metabolism and reduced abdominal fat.
Benefits of CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin for weight loss include:
A Methionine Inositol Choline (MIC) injection is a mixture of lipotropics that aid in fat breakdown. The key components - methionine, inositol, and choline - work together to metabolize fat cells and eliminate stored fat deposits in the liver and body. Methionine is an important amino acid, inositol contributes to proper cell formation, and choline is a water-soluble nutrient that promotes healthy liver function. When combined, these compounds may help reduce body fat.
When used in conjunction with a medical weight loss plan from Global Life Rejuvenation, MIC injections can be a powerful addition to reclaiming your health and wellbeing.
Request AppointmentLike other weight loss peptides and medicines on this page, Phentermine can help you lose weight when you stick to a medical weight loss plan that includes dieting, exercise, and smart life choices. It does so by reducing your appetite, which limits the number of calories you eat every day.
As is the case with Semaglutide, Phentermine has been approved by the FDA and is supported by clinical studies that show it can support weight loss. With time, patience, and healthy living, this supplement may help you reach your wellness goals sooner than you thought possible.
Request Appointment
In the body, 7-keto-DHEA is produced from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is a hormone made by glands near your kidneys. However, unlike DHEA, 7-keto-DHEA is not converted into androgen and estrogen in your body. Instead, 7-keto-DHEA is used orally or topically to boost your body's metabolism. It also helps convert more of your energy into heat, instead of storing it in your body as fat, which can accumulate with time and lifestyle choices.
Much like Semaglutide treatment in Venice Gardens, FL, 7-keto-DHEA has been shown to be very effective for weight loss as well as a host of other issues. Additional benefits of taking 7-keto-DHEA may include the following:
Have you tried everything under the sun to try and eliminate the cellulite on your legs, arms, and other areas of your body? If you're like most people, getting rid of cellulite isn't just difficult - it's nearly impossible. Fortunately, those days are over. Lipo Sculpt Cream from Global Life Rejuvenation can help reduce the unsightly appearance of cellulite while also refining your figure and firming up your skin.
The active ingredients in this product have the ability to reduce and prevent the growth of fatty tissue while also improving microcirculation. They work together to treat both adipose and aqueous cellulite, and aid in the elimination of fatty deposits and excess water stored in the tissues. This results in a reduction of dimples and an overall improvement in the appearance of your skin.
If you have experienced success with a medical weight loss plan and reached your target weight but still suffer from cellulite, Lipo Sculpt Cream is a fantastic choice to consider. A few of the most common benefits include:
Are you craving a productive life at a healthy weight? Are you ready to make a meaningful difference in your life and the lives of your loved ones? The pathway to wellbeing starts by contacting our office for an in-depth consultation, where we'll learn more about your weight-loss goals and needs.
From there, we'll create a custom weight-loss plan tailored to your body. This plan will map out the steps of your weight-loss journey, including peptide therapies like Semaglutide in Venice Gardens, FL. Though every person's weight management goals are different, when you're a patient at Global Life Rejuvenation, you benefit from dedicated doctors and practitioners committed to improving your weight and, in turn, your health.
Whether your health is on the line, or you don't like how being overweight makes you look and feel, our team is ready to guide you toward long-term health and happiness. This way, you can get healthy, stay in shape, and fall in love with your newfound body.
Call Us 866.793.9933
As Hurricane Ian continues its churn through Florida, readers and reporters share snapshots from the storm in our areas. To share your photos or videos, email them to Executive Editor Kat Hughes at [email protected] with your name as well as where and when they were taken.Pre-hurricane preparationsDamage begins Wednesday as Hurri...
As Hurricane Ian continues its churn through Florida, readers and reporters share snapshots from the storm in our areas. To share your photos or videos, email them to Executive Editor Kat Hughes at [email protected] with your name as well as where and when they were taken.
A building on 10th Street collapsed at 6:43 p.m. Wednesday. A neighbor told the Observer early afternoon Thursday that they did not hear the sound of the collapse, likely due to the volume of the wind, but were looking out their window at the time. The neighbor said they did not have any flooding but that the power is out on the whole block.
Gullett Elementary Principal Todd Richardson dresses as the Hulk, Moody Elementary Assistant Principal Krista Francies dresses as a traffic cone and Gullett Assistant Principal Julie Gierhart dresses as a chicken to welcome families to Gullett Elementary, which has been serving as a shelter since 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Joann Kavanaugh, the owner of Arts A Blaze at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, sweeps water out of her store Thursday morning. She says she only sustained very minor damage, "losing a box of envelopes." She will be open Friday.
River Club's Marilyn Blazakis stands in front of a ficus fig tree she planted 23 years ago as a seedling. It was taken out by Hurricane Ian. She brought it as a seedling from Ohio when she moved to the area. She said "thank God, we are so fortunate" that it didn't land on her home.
Yassna and Shawn Clancy evacuated their Siesta Key home before Hurricane Ian hit. They went to an Airbnb near Yoder's in Sarasota and spent their night eating tomato soup and quinoa and watching the movie "Rogue Agent." They returned to their home Thursday morning to find it in good shape other than a small ceiling leak.
Brooke Carter and her father, James Carter, evacuated their Siesta Key home Wednesday with the rest of their family. They returned at 10 a.m. Thursday to find an oak tree had toppled over in their yard — but missed their house by approximately 3 feet, thanks to it falling on a different tree. The Carters live on Winding Way, a canopy road. James Carter said he feels lucky to have avoided the tree, so much so that the rest of his debris cleanup doesn’t seem so bad.
Summerfield's Clara, Trevor, Nolan, Kayleen and Annie McDonald take advantage of a day off of school due to Hurricane Ian and go fishing on the side of State Road 70 near Uihlein Road.
The Venice Area Garden Club decided it was OK to plan its 31st annual Home and Garden Tour for March 13, aka Friday the 13th. It was its lucky day. The weather was gorgeous. Hundreds of curious visitors came to check out some lovely Venice homes. This fundraiser was a super success.Thanks to hours of work and planning and hundreds of volunteer hours, the club was able to award scholarships to the following students:• Evan Claessen, a senior at the University of Florida, is studying city planning and urban development....
The Venice Area Garden Club decided it was OK to plan its 31st annual Home and Garden Tour for March 13, aka Friday the 13th. It was its lucky day. The weather was gorgeous. Hundreds of curious visitors came to check out some lovely Venice homes. This fundraiser was a super success.
Thanks to hours of work and planning and hundreds of volunteer hours, the club was able to award scholarships to the following students:
• Evan Claessen, a senior at the University of Florida, is studying city planning and urban development.
• Jessica Joyner, a junior at Florida Southern, will work in sustainability and education consulting.
• Michael Krumholts, a freshman at Florida State, looks toward a career as an oceanographer solving red tide issues.
• Connor Poole, a sophomore at the University of Florida, plans a career controlling pollution.
• Trevor Poole, a senior at the University of Florida, looks forward to a career in urban renewal planning.
Groups like the Venice Area Garden Club are the workers but they depend on the community and volunteers to make their work offer positive results like scholarships.
The Venice families who offered their homes to the annual tour were: Tom and Lesley Jacobs; Jack and Barbara Hunter; Dean and Shirley Ricci; Carl and Tom Regan and David and Beatrice Gathman. Theresa Steinmiller’s garden was featured.
Can you imagine the courage it takes to offer your home for a fundraiser knowing hundreds of people will be walking through?
If you are open to that, offer your home for next year.
Thanks to Tina Bird for the information regarding these scholarships.
Happy Father’s Day
Sending good thoughts and thanks to the dads in Venice who brighten their children’s lives and in doing that make all our lives better.
Some of our best
The special people of this week are the Venice Garden Club’s scholarship recipients. These young people chose career paths a little different than traditional choices. Note the names of the students and check to see their achievements in the future.
Several students in this group received scholarships from the club for several years in a row. Their wisdom in reapplying shows they are focused on their goals. These days with classes being taken online and internships not readily available, the young men and women may face new challenges.
Their past histories of success prove they are up for the task.
Fran Valencic is the social columnist with the Venice Gondolier Sun. She welcomes your tips and ideas. Contact her at [email protected]
Company: When David and Elizabeth Taylor purchased their original Venice garden center in 2003, the building was essentially a rundown shed. The roof leaked, the parking lot wasn’t paved, and there was no air conditioning. The couple put in $800 worth of light bulbs the first day they owned the place.MRT Lawn and Garden Center has since grown from its humble beginnings to a pair of locations, one in south Sarasota County and one in Port Charlotte, which opened last year. The company is now one of the largest pla...
Company: When David and Elizabeth Taylor purchased their original Venice garden center in 2003, the building was essentially a rundown shed. The roof leaked, the parking lot wasn’t paved, and there was no air conditioning. The couple put in $800 worth of light bulbs the first day they owned the place.
MRT Lawn and Garden Center has since grown from its humble beginnings to a pair of locations, one in south Sarasota County and one in Port Charlotte, which opened last year. The company is now one of the largest plant nurseries in Southwest Florida, serving customers looking for gardening, landscaping and decorating products and services. In 2019 MRT partnered with ACE Hardware, in which the Taylors operate independently, or what Ace calls a co-op, to offer a more complete shopping experience at both retail locations by offering full outdoor living, hardware, paint, electrical and plumbing departments.
'The kids are showing an interest in wanting to continue on. Our succession plan is not in stone — we haven’t gotten to that point.' David Taylor
Succession plan: The Taylors’ entire second generation now works in the company. The oldest, Joshua, 27, runs the landscaping division, which accounts for about a third of the total company revenue. Justin, 25, handles the human side of the operation, such as marketing, human resources and retail compliance. The youngest, Jessica, 22, started her full-time role shortly before the pandemic. She manages relationships and orders products from vendors for decor and pottery, as well as ordering items from ACE Hardware.
David and Elizabeth Taylor are no strangers to a family business. David’s family hails from an agricultural line of farmers throughout Florida. His grandfather’s pine table still sits in their conference room.
Both David and Elizabeth feel too young to turn over the family business entirely. At 58 and 54, respectively, the Taylors think a full succession plan conversation might happen when they are in their 60s or 70s. “The kids are showing an interest in wanting to continue on,” David says. “Our succession plan is not in stone — we haven’t gotten to that point.”
Challenges: Every Sunday, the Taylors try to have a family dinner. They aim to keep work and life separate — but every so often, something slips in. Justin’s boyfriend has gotten so used to this phenomenon that even one look can communicate his frustration.
“Other family members not in the business and our friends all feel the same way once the conversation goes to work,” Justin says. “They don’t know anything about it, and they feel left out.”
Like many family businesses, the lines between family and business blur often. “Sometimes I feel like we have so much family time at work that we might go a while without having family time outside of work,” Justin says. “We do take for granted seeing each other so much. We have to focus on spending quality time together when we do.”
And although they usually don’t mind talking about work while not at work, there are times where they have to set boundaries. In a what-not-to-do moment, they once went on a family vacation to Mexico and spent the whole time talking about palm trees.
The Taylors are fortunate in having friends and colleagues with family businesses in insurance and finance, people they lean on for advice. But their family working style is in a niche all its own — 90% of their schedules are unpredictable, and both stores are open seven days a week. “We’re the only family that we know of that has the workplace family dynamic that we do,” Josh says.
Justin, ever the organizer, once tried to make the entire family a shared calendar to schedule events. In recalling the memory, all of Taylors laugh. Their routines changed so much day to day that it was never going to work.
What will the company look like in five years: In July 2019, David had an unexpected health emergency.
The Taylors were in the middle of building the Port Charlotte garden center, and David was digging a ditch. One day later, he discovered he would have to have open heart surgery.
The health scare has weighed on the Taylors. “I’m definitely ready to slow down,” David says.
So although nothing is imminent, as their father contemplates taking a step back, each sibling is starting to find their place in the company. They certainly have a breadth of experience — Justin and Josh got their start loading bags of mulch in elementary school while Jessica created fairy gardens of succulents and monogrammed items for customers. The trio is likely to learn a lot more in the next five to 10 years about navigating a family business. “The three of us all respect the silos that each of us work in, and we try not to step on each other’s toes,” Justin says.
Click the links below to hear best practices from other families working through business succession and experts who have helped others.
VENICE, Fla., April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Discovery Senior Living community Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe has been named a 2021 Best of Venice Award Winner in two categories, including "Best Assisted Living (Under 50 Beds)" and "Best Overall Assisted Living." Conducted annually by The Venice Gondolier Sun, the Best of Venice Awards are 100% citizen-voted and honor the area's top businesses in dozens of wide-ranging categories. In addition to the two category wins, Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe was named ...
VENICE, Fla., April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Discovery Senior Living community Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe has been named a 2021 Best of Venice Award Winner in two categories, including "Best Assisted Living (Under 50 Beds)" and "Best Overall Assisted Living." Conducted annually by The Venice Gondolier Sun, the Best of Venice Awards are 100% citizen-voted and honor the area's top businesses in dozens of wide-ranging categories. In addition to the two category wins, Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe was named a finalist in two other categories, including "Best Assisted Living - Independent" and "Best Overall Retirement Community."
Originally opened in 2003, Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe is built amidst a charming, park-like setting just one block from East Venice Avenue and the Venice Commons shopping center. The community, which sits adjacent to the Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club property, offers Active Independent Living, Assisted Living and an exclusive, SHINE® Memory Care living option.
The continuum-of-care campus is home to 298 Active Independent Living, 31 Assisted Living and 12 SHINE® Memory Care suites and one- and two-bedroom apartment homes. Residents also enjoy daily, chef-prepared meals and access to resort-quality amenities, including multiple dining venues; a heated outdoor pool; senior-specific health and fitness center; movie theater with digital surround sound; professional beauty salon and barbershop with spa services and much more.
In 2022, the community unveiled the results of a $3 million designer remodel, which imparted fresh aesthetics and delivered a host of enhancements to indoor and outdoor amenities spanning the community's more than 29,000 square feet of living and common areas.
"We are honored and excited to accept a pair of 2021 Best of Venice Awards for excellence in senior living," said Therese Williams, Executive Director of Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe. "With these awards being citizen-voted, it's the truest testament of all that the new aesthetics, amenities and experiences our team members are making possible each day are having the meaningful, positive impact we've envisioned in the lives of our residents."
Located at 1000 Aston Gardens Drive with accessibility from both East Venice Ave. and Jacaranda, Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe is one of six Aston Gardens communities owned and operated by Bonita Springs-based Discovery Senior Living. Aston Gardens is part of that company's national, multi-brand portfolio that includes 110 upscale senior living communities across 19 states. Discovery Design Concepts, the company's in-house design group, planned and executed Aston Gardens' recent remodel.
About Discovery Senior Living
Discovery Senior Living is a family of companies that includes Discovery Management Group, Morada Senior Living, TerraBella Senior Living, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Marketing Group, and Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company. With almost three decades of experience, the award-winning management group has been developing, building, marketing, and operating upscale senior-living communities across the United States. By leveraging its innovative "Experiential Living" philosophy across a growing portfolio of more than 15,000 existing homes or homes under development, Discovery Senior Living is a recognized industry leader for lifestyle customization and today ranks among the 10 largest U.S. senior living operators and providers.
Media Inquiries:
Sam Mohtady, Senior Marketing Manager
[email protected]| 239.676.2870
Related Images
Image 1: Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe
Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe claimed two 2021 Best of Venice Awards in a pair of seniors housing categories.
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.
Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe Aston Gardens at Pelican Pointe
Capital Bureau | USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDATALLAHASSEE — Hurricane Ian continued its wobbly path toward Florida, with the Sarasota-Charlotte County line now looming as a likely landfall site Wednesday night, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.The city of Venice in Sarasota w...
Capital Bureau | USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA
TALLAHASSEE — Hurricane Ian continued its wobbly path toward Florida, with the Sarasota-Charlotte County line now looming as a likely landfall site Wednesday night, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
The city of Venice in Sarasota was earlier projected as the Category 3 hurricane likely location for touching the Florida mainland. But the trajectory is now taking the storm packing 120 m.p.h. winds a bit further south, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“This thing’s the real deal,” DeSantis said Tuesday evening at the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. “It’s a major, major storm.”
Some 2.5 million Floridians are under evacuation orders along the west coast – more than one-tenth of the state’s population. Fifty-six counties now have announced school closures as Ian approaches.
Tolls have been lifted on roadways in the evacuation counties, with the covered area now expanded into much of Central Florida. State officials said they haven’t heard problems from evacuees finding no hotel space along their routes.
Live Updates: Hurricane Ian's path, predictions and Florida Gov. DeSantis' latest
'Impacts are going to be far and wide': DeSantis urges entire Gulf Coast to prepare for Ian
DeSantis said Ian’s path now has it heading inland, likely downgraded to a tropical storm, at some point following landfall. The storm is eventually on track to make its way out of the state anywhere from Volusia to St. Johns County on the Atlantic Coast.
DeSantis said the storm will act, “almost like it’s riding I-4.”
“It’s going to meander through the state all the rest of Wednesday night, all of Thursday and it’s going to exit most likely sometime on Friday morning,” he added. “It’s going to be a lot of impacts. And it’s going to be felt far and wide across the state of Florida.”
President Joe Biden and Gov. Ron DeSantis communicated with each other late Tuesday, with Hurricane Ian fast approaching Florida, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“President Biden spoke this evening with Governor DeSantis of Florida to discuss the steps the Federal government is taking to help Florida prepare for Hurricane Ian. The President and the Governor committed to continued close coordination,” tweeted Jean-Pierre.
The call occurred between the two at 6:30 p.m., according to the governor’s schedule.
The president had previously spoken to the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater about the storm.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said she and DeSantis had spoken last Friday.
Criswell said Biden is “very focused” on making sure Florida has the resources it needs.
The state has 5,000 Florida National Guard members in place to assist with the storm and its aftermath. Another 28,000 utility personnel also have been deployed in Florida to help with power restoration, DeSantis said.
Guthrie said potential power outages can be expected statewide. He also said those looking to leave the storm's path may not have to go far.
"Many people in the Southwest Florida area, your best bet is going to be evacuate across the state," Guthrie said. "Just go straight across the state to Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach."
Charlotte County resident Connie Gosselin told CNN Tuesday this was her first hurricane and that she felt safer riding out the storm in a local shelter instead of her home.
“I’ve never been in a hurricane,” said Gosselin. “This is my first time and my first time at a shelter, but I feel better here than if I would all alone at home.”
The governor and emergency officials continue to press Floridians on Tuesday to follow evacuation orders in advance of the storm’s arrival.
“You still have time today to execute what you need to do,” DeSantis said.
The governor said that the prospect of Ian continuing its eastward path even after a landfall in Sarasota County raises new risk for Florida.
"If you're in some of those interior parts of the state of Florida, up I-4 almost...it's not going to be a Category 3 hurricane by the time it gets to you, but anticipate interruptions, anticipate wind, anticipate a lot of rain," DeSantis said.
DeSantis also traveled Tuesday to Sarasota, where officials had expanded the county’s evacuation order to include its Level B areas, neighboring communities to the Level A neighborhoods where evacuations had already been ordered on barrier islands and in low-lying sections.
“Most of the forecasts have (Hurricane Ian) slowing down to almost a crawl,” DeSantis said. “And what that means is it’s going to dump an inordinate amount of rain.”
About 2.5 million Floridians – more than one-tenth of the state’s population – are now under an evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Ian. School closures are now in place in 35 counties, DeSantis said.
“Make sure you’re making your finishing preparations,” DeSantis said. “Make sure you’re doing what you need to do to be safe. You’re not going to get a mulligan on this one.”
President Biden on Tuesday sought to reassure millions of Florida residents in the path of Hurricane Ian that federal emergency management officials are on the ground and ready to assist the state before, during and after the dangerous storm strikes the state.
Biden, speaking from the White House Rose Garden, said he spoke by telephone with the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
“I told each one of them [that] whatever they need … contact me directly and they know how to do that,” he said. “I have a lot of personnel down there already. We're here to support them in every way we can.”
Biden also urged Floridians to obey instructions of state and local officials to evacuate when ordered.
“Your safety is more important than anything,” he said. “I know our hearts are with everyone who will feel the effects of this storm and will be with you every step of the way. We're not going away.”
Earlier at a White House briefing with reporters, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said her agency and Florida officials were working very closely together in preparation for the storm.
Criswell said she spoke with DeSantis on Friday, as directed by Biden, and that the federal government had a strong team working side-by-side with the governor and his staff that would continue to engage with him.
She said that Gracia B. Szczech, regional administrator for FEMA Region 4, is traveling with the governor "to a few areas" Tuesday to make sure they understand their emergency response needs.
“I think the communication we have had with the state officials has been excellent,’ Criswell said.
"Our biggest concern as we wait for the storm to make landfall is storm surge," Criswell told White House reporters.
She said storm surge is the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths.
"The decision you choose to make may mean the difference between life and death," she said.
John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at [email protected], or on Twitter at @JKennedyReport
USA Today Network-Florida government accountability reporter Douglas Soule is based in Tallahassee, Fla. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @DouglasSoule
