At a recent news conference he said, "Anyone should be held accountable who's not meeting obligations to their folks. Information on applications submitted prior to the March 29 deadline is available at 850-961-2002, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Waterways debris removal contractors vetted by the Florida Division of Emergency Management have been cleaning Hurricane Ian debris from public waterways for several months. Daniel Gibbs, president of the local government in Saint-Martin, has demanded that the French state give the community more time to study the issue. In 2017, Mr. Macron said Saint-Martin will be rebuilt in a durable way that also meets seismic and environmental needs. The widespread destruction, he said, could be blamed in part on buildings that were constructed under conditions that wouldnt have been accepted in other territories of France.. hide caption. The hurricane, and the high cost of rebuilding, drove many older residents out. Visitors still have limited options for getting to the sand because so many boardwalks and beach entry points were damaged, and residents in hard-hit Baldwin County are A huge new resort, Margaritaville, was under construction when Ian hit. There was about 5,500 cars coming on the island. Contractors with FDEM will continue to collect this debris. After a wet and active week, Monday begins a much more calm and dry stretch for this work week. Sometimes you head for a corner of the world where luxury resides in a surprisingly approachable way. Beaches: With much more unspoiled shoreline than Sint Maarten, the French sidedefinitely has the advantage for beaches, with popular Orient Bay Beach drawing crowds, and the peaceful Friars Bay and appropriately named Happy Bay providing all the white sands and blue waters youd expect on a Caribbean visit. Like the story of Trace Tillo, who had one leg and had to get out of his house surrounded by water and debris before signaling for help. And someone had put in a new starter and a new battery in the car well, and they rolled down the window, and they say, Excuse me, sir, do you need help? An earlier version of this article stated that the U.S. Virgin Islands no longer requires negative covid-19 test results from vaccinated travelers. "And we upped [the building code] to 140 mile-an-hour wind," Cathey says. That's no longer the case. Join Travel Weekly, TravelAge West and leaders from top river cruise companies to get the latest updates on your clients Cruise North America with More Value Than Ever. These GIFs show what the island looked like right after the hurricane and how it looks now. In Saint-Martin, a long simmering discontent loaded with racial and class tension is on the verge of boiling over. WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (WPBF) West Palm Beach native John McKendrick says he missed all the warning signs. It was a lot like Charlie, it turned last minute. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. It made it difficult to find workers, caused supply problems and pushed up costs. We had to do things like put hurricane-proof windows in, had to put pilings down. Many homes, too damaged to be repaired, are waiting to be demolished. It was crazy.. On the eve of Hurricane Ian, Shanna Matyas and her family removed every watch and piece of jewelry from her Downtown Jewelry & Watch Co. store in Fort Myers. What is the PPRN and why does it affect Club Orient? It allocated more than $500 million in aid and subsidies in the first six months after the storm to the recovery and reconstruction of Saint-Martin and the smaller, nearby French island of Saint-Barthlemy, according to Sylvie Feucher, the French states top representative based in the two territories. Sadly, this hidden paradise now look like a ghost paradise. Im praying out of nowhere a car pulls up right after I was done praying right where a car pulls up out of nowhere. Six months after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida, there are many homes that remain untouched. The French state runs a famously laborious bureaucracy that, according to residents, has slowed the rebuilding process. Recovery is also hamstrung by the fact that few are left untouched by a severe disaster: The officials responsible for leading the recovery are themselves sometimes fighting to get on their feet. When things go wrong, those in power often promise to make it right. ", Doster's home was flooded and he's doing the repairs himself. Because most of the damage on Fort Myers Beach came from storm surge, only those with flood insurance received significant insurance payouts. A 15-foot storm surge swept away many structures and left few undamaged. Building materials need to be brought in by ship or plane, increasing costs. An outside view of Mercure hotel in Marigot on the Bay of Nettle on St. Martin on Sept. 6, after Hurricane Irma, and again on Feb. 28. Our first responders out there are trying to pull people out, but were asking people to stay home, because theres no point in endangering themselves or first responders that are out there trying to help them, Rios said. They pulled up their socks and got on with it, said Lorraine Talmi, board president of the Sint Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association. A week before the official start of hurricane season, meteorologists began tracking a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico. But for some, it's a chance to get a last look at the island before it changes forever. Sally made landfall at Gulf Shores on Sept. 16, pummeling the coast with fierce winds and as much as 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain. Lufthansa gives it a try, I found the rest I needed across from a strip mall, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, What's hot on the Las Vegas pool scene this season, Hyatt is acquiring the Mr and Mrs Smith hotel collection, Western mountain resorts are facing a demand erosion this summer, With more ships and new homeports, MSC Cruises is attracting Americans, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort is getting new cabins, Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady will have a branded poker room. We have no idea when exactly theyre opening, said Vice Mayor Atterholt. Two days later, they started digging that dirt, and four days later, they were able to get the power trucks over, Councilmember Smith said. Part of HuffPost World News. Cdrick Andr is a community activist in Sandy Ground. There were million-dollar homes, but it was a community of cottages, not Miami Beach-style condos. Fort Myers Beach was particularly hit hard by He says, "We're going to have what I call a functional paradise once again." Our opinions only. Greg Allen/NPR Immediately after the storm blasted the island, President Emmanuel Macron of France promised a speedy recovery for the French side. Boffman told WPMI-TV he has no insurance and his mobile home may not be habitable due to damage. Eighty-five percent of the buildings in Mexico Beach were destroyed, including Wood's beachside hotel, The Driftwood Inn. FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. The only grocery store on Fort Myers Beach is still closed after being damaged by Hurricane Ian. ", Doug Miller grills up free food to give to weary homeowners and workers at Beach Baptist Church on Fort Myers Beach. Seabourn will do a circumnavigation cruise of Africa, Enjoying the magic of Maui at Marriott's Wailea Beach Resort, A plane with 14 seat products? During Hurricane Harvey, wind did the most significant damage in Rockport. That could be a model for Fort Myers Beach. Storm victims like Terry Boffman have waited in line at FEMA intake centers to ask why their claims have already been denied. But that state largess may have undermined private initiative during this reconstruction period. "In a way," he says, "the hurricane has forced us tostay in your lane, worry about what you got, take care of your stuff. Its astounding to see, Preece said. We have norms and rules and regulations on the French side, said Angle Dormoy, the president of Saint-Martins Chamber of Commerce. @inOr, if you scroll through several pages of threads you will get lots of information. Many of us have been back, and posted comments or reports. Construction here also was put on hold until the town revised its building code. "For 20 months we have worked together to rebuild, retrain and reunite, and we're gaining momentum day by day.". More than a week after Hurricane Ian, the shock of what's ahead settles in for people, One Florida community built to weather hurricanes endured Ian with barely a scratch, Florida's property insurance market was already under stress. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent. Mother nature has a way of purifying things and, as painful as The conference is a collaborative effort of the Dutch and French tourism offices and hotel associations and normally takes place each spring. Theres nothing we couldve done for Michael. We heard November 1st, December 1st, January 1st, Mulrooney said. Shawna Wood adds, "Our bank was the first thing to come back. We have shown resilience, and we share the same goal: to rebuild and restrengthen our tourism product. Six months after Hurricane Ian stormed across Southwest Florida, people in many areas are still struggling to rebuild. Should inmates in Texas be eligible for early parole if they exhibit good behavior? I was there to attend the St. Maarten/Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow (Smart) for buyers, suppliers and industry partners who do business in the islands of the northeastern Caribbean. Although the new code requires buildings to be more resilient, the town retained its height and density limits. Considering the dire shape Saint-Martin was in right after the storm, with its infrastructure flattened, the fact that much of the territory is back on its feet confirms the aid has made a difference. He fractured his foot while picking up the pieces of his life. Keep public media strong anddonatenow. They cast it aside. Marie Abner in her partially destroyed home in the neighborhood of Sandy Ground in Saint-Martin. He's staying nearby but estimates it will be at least six months until he's back in his house. He expects hotels and condos will be open and the town will be ready for Spring Break in 2024. Hundreds of hotel rooms and condominium units were rented in Gulf Shores and neighboring Orange Beach for this weekend, officials said, and visitors can get to the beach from private areas. A woman is accused of breaking into a retail store in Naples on Monday, April 3, hiding her identity by holding an umbrella while taking money from the business. Grant Brown, the Gulf Shores spokesman, said the city has hauled away 80,000 cubic yards of debris since the storm, but still has another 450,000 cubic yards to move. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org. Greg Allen/NPR The venue for Smart was the two-resort Sonesta complex, a five-minute ride from the airport. It will change because everybody's going to have to build up because FEMA requires that now. Greg Allen/NPR "You can see how the front of the sanctuary was just devastated." It's now cleaner as of Feb. 27. Re: Has St Martin French side rebuilt from the Greg Allen/NPR When the Coast Guard got to Southwest Florida, Tillo was one of the people that needed rescuing. I watched out my window ground-level homes go totally underwater, Tillo said. About 5 to []. The challenge of the government for reconstruction becomes even longer and more difficult.. It's the seventh year in a row there's been an above average hurricane season. Greg Allen/NPR A higher percentage of hotel rooms on the Dutch side, for example, are open again for business. More than 55,000 pounds of dirty sand was collected, and about 25,000 pounds was able to be cleaned and returned to the beach. Greg Allen/NPR Grenada is a small island that packs a big punch, in part thanks to knock-out places to stay such as the Spice Island Beach Resort. In a region that has experienced the awesome forces of Category 5 storms with terrifying frequency in recent years, the story playing out on St. Martin is likely to be repeated on many other Caribbean islands and in the United States, too. Two died on the Dutch side, according to the prime ministers office. MUST WATCH: Aerial tour of SWFL seven months post-Hurricane Ian, Official opening day scheduled for Fort Myers Beach Publix, Fort Myers Beach, FL Publix Structural Analysis, Man arrested after throwing Bud Light can at woman & children in San Carlos Park, Clewiston man dead after car crash in Alva, Panthers oust record-setting Bruins 4-3 in OT in Game 7, Forecast: Warm, sunny and less humid weather Monday, One victim from Downtown Fort Myers shooting identified. Three-and-a-half years later, the mountains of debris are gone and rebuilding is well under way. "This is a chance todo probably 40 years of (development)in what will probably look like four or five years.". PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Panama City Beach Police have reported an update on the person hit by lightning. Ms. Carty had lived all her 65 years on the waterfront, and she felt it was safe to ignore the evacuation orders that preceded Irmas landfall. Ms. Feucher, the deputy prefect for Saint-Martin, is convinced that some areas of the territory are just too dangerously exposed to the power of the most severe storms to be safely inhabitable. Cranes, bulldozers and construction gear still line the periphery, but the welcome I got upon arrival from the immigration officer was genuine, warm and appreciative. They say rebuilding in town was slow to get started but is really picking up. We eat lunch every day at Publix, said Mike Mulrooney, who works at Snook Bight Marina on the island.. What will the new Club Orient look like? To say that this Publix is a cornerstone part of the community is an understatement. Ms. Carty has been living in a temporary apartment ever since, and hopes to get permission to rebuild her house. The sign on Souvenir City is damaged from Hurricane Sally on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 in Gulf Shores, Ala. Sally left some people on the Gulf Coast cut off by floodwaters until they could be rescued by teams in boats and high-water vehicles. "You had some fire sales there in the beginning," he says. Jim Atterholt, vice mayor of Fort Myers Beach, stands in front of Chapel By the Sea. April 28, The rebuilt Driftwood Inn is the first major business to reopen in Mexico Beach since Hurricane Michael. This church was destroyed by Hurricane Ian's 150 mph winds and a wall of water that pummeled the island in September 2022. The town hall was destroyed. hide caption. It's the first major business to reopen here since the storm. According to Miami-Dade Urban Search and Rescue records, 5,126 structures on Sanibel were considered damaged., Red tide, blue-green algae, and other water bacteria issues are monitored by, The State of Florida. In my conversations with the Governor, we were talking about having a Ferry. Here are some steps you must take if a client pays with a large amount of cash. Charlie Doster was among those collecting the maximum 25 sheets. The hotel has been reopened, though some rooms are still unavailable for guests as of Feb. 27. Shawna Wood and her father, Tom Wood, say their hotel has been rebuilt to be able to withstand 140 mph winds. The rebuilt Driftwood Inn is the first major business to reopen in Mexico Beach since Hurricane Michael. A jet landing in Sint Maarten, where the tourism sector is much larger than that of the French side. What I saw was an island destination that has come a long, long way since Sept. 6, 2017. Published April 24, 2023 at 11:01 AM EDT. Ocean or bay water advisories are issued to alert the public of real or possible elevated bacteria levels associated with urban and storm runoff at Weve already got mold growing in my house. Hurricane Irma made clear that natural disasters not only obliterate structures and lives; they can also expose deep socioeconomic fault lines. This scene of utter destruction in the aftermath of a Category 5 hurricane was not in the Abaco Islands or on Grand Bahama, devastated by Dorian last month. The top French official on the island says she wants more restrictions on construction in the areas most at risk to future storms, in order to protect lives and the economy. Grant Brown, a spokesman for the city of Gulf Shores, said damage was a lot worse than our initial thoughts, and theres still a lot of work to be done. Six months after the storm, he and other officials are working in tents and trailers. Greg Allen/NPR He doesnt understand why FEMA wont help. Right now. Published April 24, 2023 at 11:01 AM EDT. While Irma battered the island for just a matter of hours, Ms. Feucher predicted that it could take up to three more years for the territory to fully recover. I think by next week, well be much further along, he said. ", Like most buildings on Fort Myers Beach, Atterholt's home is unlivable. For more information on red tide status, https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/beach-water-quality/index.html, Florida Beach Conditions After Hurricanes 2022 with Red Tide Updates, Coconut Jacks Waterfront Grille in Bonita Springs, Beach Conditions Report by Mote Marine Laboratory. He made it through the night and into the next morning. Slipping on that damn mud trying to clean my downstairs, Tillo said. U.S. Virgin Islands. Since last September, the store has been shuttered after Hurricane Ians winds tore the building apart and storm surge flooded the place. In the room, the Mayor of Sanibel at the time, Holly Smith, and Governor Ron DeSantis. There is still lots of construction going on. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hurricane Ian: A birds eye view of SWFLs recovery one month later. "I need probably five times this many. Along the South Texas Coastal Bend, heavy rains this week have brought major flooding, and concerns about drinking water supplies to cities including Corpus Christi, Port Aransas and Rockport. I had a rum punch at one of the reopened beach bars along that stretch of sand, and I talked with several cruise ship passengers shopping in the colorful Marigot market. He's owned the Driftwood for nearly 50 years and has turned over operations to his daughter, Shawna. Rockport, Texas continues to recover from Hurricane Harvey. 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The hurricane really exposed those weak areas that we have as a government, she said. Six months after the passing of hurricanes Irma and Maria, St. Martin is slowly rebuilding, but the scars of the most powerful hurricane ever known in the West Indies remain clearly visible. The French government has set up a fund to buy out property owners living in the highest-risk flood zones, but Ms. Feucher insists that nobody will be forced to sell. We are going through our standard processes before we open any store to ensure we are prepared to provide all our customers with the best possible experience. Public educators all over the state of Florida are being asked to hand over their emails and explain their teaching plans. Hotels and restaurants have reopened, and tourists are again lounging on its beaches. A few hotels have begun welcoming guests. Despite winds over 150 miles per hour, homeowners here have had a harder time with their windstorm claims. Charlie Doster was among those collecting the maximum 25 sheets. Unfortunately, the area has been stricken by Hurricane Irma, and not much has been rebuild. A 15-foot storm surge knocked this house off its foundation on Fort Myers Beach. Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith says those homes will be rebuilt and the city is working to add more. Now is not the best time to come to the beaches of Gulf Shores, he told al.com. ADVISORIES. Many here see it as the end of an era. "Everything on the beachside was gone," he says. With the help of a developer, he hopes his rebuilt church complex will include workforce housing. How do you think Fort Myers Beach should spend its share of $1.1 billion. Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt says the height limit will be raised and new hotels and condo buildings will be taller. Because most of the damage on Fort Myers Beach came from storm surge, only those with flood insurance received significant insurance payouts. Rockport Mayor Pat Rios told Texas Standard that major entrances and exits to his city are flooded, making it difficult for people to leave. Then we come back.. In the storm, Pink Shell lost two cottages it used for workforce housing. We are grateful for our customers and look forward to reopening the Fort Myers location. I think theres plenty of room for compromise.. It should be. But the differences have also left some on the Dutch side wondering whether in their haste to rebuild, and in their comparatively looser regulatory environment, the rebuilding did not happen with enough thought given to withstanding future storms. So, would it hold up? It was in October 2018 Recovery has been slow in places like Puerto They are so small that almost every human being on the island is directly impacted, said Tahseen Sayed, the World Bank country director for the Caribbean. Join TravelAge West and severalAlaskapartners for a three-part series exploring all the incredible possibilities https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Insights/A-return-to-St-Martin. On Oct. 19, 2022, three weeks after Ian washed away two major parts of the Causeway, Desantis announced it would reopen to the public. Aid has flowed in, but a fight has followed about recovery plans, exposing racial and class tension. Atterholt is living temporarily in one of those newer homes. We are right back there at the top of the market, and it's still climbing.". While we still dont know exactly when the store will reopen, people on the island say theyre willing to stick it out. Daytona Beach December 30, 2022. "I don't think it's so forgotten anymore.". Condo with new seawall in Daytona Beach Shores, Tiger dams on Daytona Beach Shores help build up sand, Flagler Beach walkway lost steps from hurricanes, Currently, there are very few hotels available on the beach. Abraham Lincoln said, Let the people know the facts and this country will be saved, Atterholt said. But there are signs the town is starting to come back. And as the water was crashing in on his home, Tillo was fighting to survive. It was in October 2018 when Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach with 160 mile per hour winds and a 17-and-a-half-foot storm surge. Mexico Beach's marina and canal are among the town's amenities that have come back since Hurricane Michael. On the French side of the island, Hurricane Irma damaged about 95 percent of the buildings, including the home of Bernadette Carty. Why hasnt any work been done? She did so out of security concerns with the potential for looting amid widespread power outages. And thats particularly true in Caribbean islands like St. Martin because of a unique combination of factors. Perhaps more incredible than the story of the Sanibel Causeway and the status of local businesses is the stories of the people who rode out that storm on the island and had to fend for themselves and each other to survive. Princess Juliana Airport on the Dutch side, which had its roof ripped off and its innards torn apart by the hurricane's wind and water, is functioning pretty well. She couldnt have predicted what actually happened. I was getting my first look at the dual-nation island of Dutch St. Maarten and French St. Martin since it was slammed by Hurricane Irma 20 months ago. Copyright 2023 Fort Myers Broadcasting. For questions about pickups, contact Waste Management at 239-334-1224. But he says complaints about how insurance companies handle claims are being investigated. But the campaign has become a flash point in an increasingly contentious relationship between the French government and a local population bristling against French bureaucracy and overseas control. And that will create a different flavor here because you won't see so many of the old ground level cottages." Copyright 2023 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC. Now, by Ian it's just magnified to such a degree that we have tomake sure people who want to work and live here can afford to. Mayor Cathey says there's been another change since the storm. Gulf-front lots are going for a million beachside or a half a million. In the last two weeks, a Publix spokesperson said theyre working on reopening. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, Sensing Blood In The Water, Multiple Opponents Are Circling Ken Paxton, Afghans Who Helped U.S. This sailing boat ended up beached in the cemetery of Marigot near the Bay of Nettle on Sept. 9. This church was destroyed by Hurricane Ian's 150 mph winds and a wall of water that pummeled the island in September 2022. The boutique Read more Maho Village Close to the International Airport, the Maho area's most famous attraction is the beach at the end of the runway. But the threat of hurricanes, climate change and rising seas is not discouraging development along the coasts. Fort Myers Beach was one of the hardest hit areas. Shawna Wood and her father, Tom Wood, say their hotel has been rebuilt to be able to withstand 140 mph winds. Employees with Uber and Lyft said theyre not getting paid enough, taking high gas prices and inflation into account. Well have divers in the water next week, just to check the integrity of that bridge.. I knew I'd be seeing a lot of change on the island, but I was heartened that the landing pattern was still the same. Greg Allen/NPR The consensus view on both sides of the island is that the Dutch half has recovered more quickly. The right of way removal service for hurricane-related debris in Fort Myers Beach has been extended until further notice. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. But we found that, as of August, the government of Puerto Rico has only expended about $5.3 billion (19%) of available funding. However, there might be a clue to their plan. Here, all of the constructions got damaged. But to do that, we're going to have to provide houses for those families to live in. On the town's streets, huge piles of debris are still everywhere. Mostly sunny skies and lower humidity for Monday, Tornado touchdown confirmed in Charlotte County, Law stopping hate acts signed by DeSantis, Fort Myers Beach recovery efforts seven months after Hurricane Ian, Downtown Jewelry & Watch Co. in Fort Myers continues Hurricane Ian recovery, Lee County community standing strong after Hurricane Ians devastation. GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) Alabamas beaches have reopened, but the states coast has hardly recovered fully from the effects of Hurricane Sally last month. An apartment complex in Saint-Martin that was ripped apart by the storm sits empty two years later. We will do it quickly, we will do it well, and we will do it better.. Ormond Beach and New Smyrna Beach have beach driving available. Officials here say slow and inadequate insurance payouts are hurting recovery and forcing many long-time residents to sell and leave the island. At 11:52 a.m. on Thursday, a 33-year-old male was hit at the City Pier. Learn How You Can Sell Alaska This Summer: Part 3. After the cleanup, and less than two months after the storm hit, Cielo became the first restaurant to open on Sanibel. Concessions are open, and although the gate area is cramped and often overcrowded if a flight is delayed, everyone I saw kept their tempers in check and their humor intact. Mexico Beach lost 75% of its structures to Hurricane Michael. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hurricane Ian: A birds eye view of SWFLs recovery one month later. Still, St. Martin is making headway. Stuart Johnson, minister of tourism for St. Maarten, said it well: "We are two nations but one destination. The wounds from the 2017 hurricane season were still too fresh.
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