TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ONE OF A HANDFUL STATEWIDE THAT CAN START THIS EARLY BECAUSE OF IT BEING CLASSIFIED AS AN “A” DISTRICT. THE STATE PASSED A LAW TWO YEARS AGO SAYING CLASSES COULD NOT START MORE THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE LABOR DAY, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWED “A” CLASSIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PETITION TO CREATE THEIR OWN CALENDAR. CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF BILL CAMERON ASKS MOTORISTS TO BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS IN OBSERVING SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMITS AND SCHOOL BUS LAWS WHEN PICKING UP OR DROPING OFF STUDENTS. THE TRAFFIC SAFETY TEAM WILL BE OUT WORKING THE SCHOOL ZONES THIS WEEK TO ENSURE SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW, INCLUDING ROAD DEPUTIES. DEPUTIES WILL BE PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS THIS WEEK: THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR SPEEDERS ON THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF GULFSTREAM BOULEVARD IN ENGLEWOOD EAST, AND ON EDGEWATER DRIVE FROM US 41 TO SPRING LAKE BOULEVARD IN PORT CHARLOTTE. THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN RUNNERS AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF US 41 AND OLEAN BOULEVARD IN PORT CHARLOTTE, AND ROTONDA BOULEVARD WEST AND PLACIDA ROAD IN ROTONDA WEST. SARASOTA COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE SLATED TO OPEN ON AUGUST 23RD.
