Weve documented 14 dead turtles, seven of them on Fort Myers Beach, Haverfield said. New research is shedding light on the state of mental health in teens across the country. An accused killer is in court after his defense missed a deadline. 0:04. While there have not yet been any sea turtle nests spotted on Fort Myers Beach yet this season, Haverfield said sea turtles have hit the beaches in Captiva and Bonita Beach. One of the cheapest FWC certified wildlife lighting options that staff has found available online is the FEIT A19 Red Bulb that screws into classic Edison fixtures. Health authorities in southern Nevada saw a record 17 cases during 2022. The big surge didnt happen. Sea turtle nesting season has begun in Southwest Florida. They want $800 for me to stay another month, Capt. Copyright 2023 Fort Myers Broadcasting. The late September storm exposed shortcomings in how local governments communicate the risk posed by hurricanes, decide when to order evacuations and identify and help the most vulnerable residents. Fort Myers News-Press. They knew days in advance. The only access to the Matlacha neighborhood, shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sept. 30. I was ready to say my last prayer and the water stopped and started receding, Conway said. But Hurricane Ians toll on vulnerable residents showed the gaps in those efforts. They hung up, and DeMoss hoped shed be fine. It had been made for the 1985 John Candy movie Summer Rental, filmed around Tampa Bay. He tried to stay positive, but when he saw the boat inside his house and the damage done by the surge, his heart sank. There, his new home sits on a slip of gravel. Hurricane Daniel Noah, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Tampa, said that regardless of the effort by local officials and forecasters, there will be people who dont leave and die because of it. Until then, his dreams will keep him afloat. Prices for other grocery staples, like fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and bread have gone up. The season wound up near normaldespite forecasts for above-average activity, but itwas notablefor the death and destruction wrought by Hurricanes Fiona, Ian and Nicole. But hurry -- these way hot deals are selling way fast. Chustz will patrol the beach at night to monitor light pollution on sea turtle nesting habitat. Rebuilding. Lewis Kamb is a national FOIA reporter for NBC News, based in Seattle. 0:04. The home of Kristina Peters, who died along with her boyfriend, Joel Jackson, during Hurricane Ian, in North Fort Myers, Fla. Before Ian hit, Peters' son begged her to leave. But a local councilman didnt want tents on the beach. He evacuated for Hurricane Irma in 2017 but decided not to leave for Ian. There is no word yet on new store designs or grand opening details. Last year, Turtle Time reported that some sea turtle hatchlings were found under condos and houses because the propertys lights disoriented them. Ian brought this gap into focus.. At the second try, she was not pleased with the presence of a palm tree. Haverfield expects that turtle to return soon to find just the right spot somewhere, hopefully on one of the beaches that we monitor.. Lee County, which took a direct hit from Ian, waited until the day before the storm a day longer than neighboring counties to issue a mandatory evacuation order. ", Susan Helton has experienced trauma before. One of the places severely damaged by Hurricane Ian was Fort Myers Beach, and seven months later, theres still more to do, but theyve come a long way. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Got married five times. Hurricane Way Day 2023 has been extended through Friday. The bill for that passed unanimously in the Statehouse, its making its way to the Florida Senate. That was up from 87 nests in 2021 though down from a record of 132 nests in 2020 during the covid pandemic. "We were going to sell [the house] this winter," Jim says. Michael Yost's two closest friends in Fort Myers Beach drowned in Hurricane Ian. The next day, with phone lines down, he drove to her house and found her body. Michael Verdream moved last year from California to Matlacha, where he rented a one-story house and remodeled homes for a living. Seven lived. This is something we talk about every year, how to reach people, he said. If one encounters a sea turtle or hatchlings on the beach, they should stay clear as to not interfere with their nesting or hatchling process. Seven months to the day after Hurricane Ian completely demolished Fort Myers Beach, another familiar face is set to return to the recovering community. When you live through it, then that message sinks in deep and forever.. Plenty of people who stayed in the danger zone did so knowingly and willingly and some refused offers of help. Destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach is viewed from the air on Oct. 1, 2022. But, Colorado State University issued its season forecast. "Sometimes that can be a savings, as well if the company has overstated your replacement costs," Norberg said. He doesn't expect to be around to see it. During those hours, from Sunday night through Monday, forecasts outlined the possibility of storm surge in the Lee County area of up to 7 feet. Authorities urge patience. Families of the missing are caught in limbo over their loved ones fate. Hoffman and his family watched with alarm as the water rose around their house, cresting just short of the walls. Utterback tried to get out the kitchen window but became trapped. Other residents said the evacuation orders came too late. He anchored offshore, rowed a dinghy to town when he needed cigarettes. Town officials threatened to break up the vessel, so a crowd showed up and shoved it back into Boca Ciega Bay. Weather Channel meteorologist Reynolds Wolf reports from the Florida Keys to provide weather conditions and preparations. LANTANA, Fla. As Florida approaches the start of hurricane season on June 1, insurance experts said there are some things homeowners should be checking. CBS4's Trish Christakis spoke with one resident who has to put his washer and dryer on concrete blocks to avoid them being flooded out. Hurricane That night, below a shot of sunset, he wrote, Success in your life is a result of self-satisfaction.. Those at the National Weather Service want you to have things figured out so youre ready if or when a hurricane hits. Thats why hurricane experts say preparing ahead of time is vital. This was the seventh hurricane seasonin a row to produce a deadly landfalling hurricane on the U.S mainland. The deaths from Ian are very, very tragic, said Tener Goodwin Veenema, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security who lives in Florida. Seven months to the day after Hurricane Ian completely demolished Fort Myers Beach, another familiar face is set to return to the recovering community. Undaunted, the hoary-headed seaman said he scraped together $3,000 from the Veterans Administration, Social Security, plus pension from his time in the Navy, and emptied his bank account to buy the aptly named Barnacle. Yost, the Fort Myers Beach man whod also decided to stay, said he learned that he was in the most dangerous surge zone only the night before Ian made landfall, when a radio broadcast informed him that his home was at risk of storm surge of more than 9 feet in a Category 4 hurricane. Over the weekend, gunfire on Hendry Street in downtown Fort Myers leaves the community shaken after a stray bullet hit a man on his way home from work. Over the weekend, a female sea turtle visited Bonita Beach checking out the nesting sites, Haverfield said. The History of Hurricanes in Southwest Florida - FEMA He rode out three hurricanes and dozens of other storms on the water. You can never get prepared too early, Giarratana said. Like many Floridians, Capt. The insurance industry in Florida has been battered in recent years by hurricanes in different parts of the state and some companies have failed, while others are raising rates or dropping customers. National Burrito Day is Thursday, April 6, and some restaurants across the U.S. are joining in the celebration by offering burrito deals. Some had physical or cognitive conditions that made it more difficult for them to seek help before the hurricane arrived, or they chose to stay home because they feared ending up in nursing homes if they sought help, aging services providers said. The Heltons say they're staying in Florida just until they are able to make the necessary connections with FEMA. He built a successful business on Captiva, another nearby island devastated by the storm. Haverfield, who lost her home off island in Fort Myers to Hurricane Ian like many others on Fort Myers Beach, said thankfully most of my volunteers have joyfully returned.. An NBC News analysis found that 119 were attributed specifically to the flooding, winds and other dangerous conditions during the storm. County-by-county resources for renters facing eviction, OUR Florida - Emergency Rental Assistance Relief Program, Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Economic Development. As Florida approaches the start of hurricane season this summer, insurance experts say there are some things homeowners should be checking. Some 10,000 people remain in shelters. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. He felt the breeze through his beard, looked up at the stars, then climbed into his cabin and poured another rum and Coke. As each day passes since Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022, progress with various recovery efforts continues to be made. The number of people killed in Florida by Hurricane Ian rose to at least 101 on Monday, days after the storm made landfall at Category 4 strength, decimating coastal As Ian made its approach toward Floridas southwest coast, many residents thought of the last major storm to come through: Irma, a Category 3 hurricane in 2017, for which nearly 7 million people statewide evacuated. 2023 www.news-press.com. Before the storm season starts, get the supplies you need to board up your home, know your evacuation zone, and plan for the worst. Nearly two months after the hurricane, with funerals still being held and the wrecked landscape still being cleared of debris, experts say the disaster should serve as a warning for communities that continue to build homes in places exposed to increasingly powerful storms and a reminder to step up efforts to help the defenseless. Destroyed houses and buildings are visible in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Friday. Yost moved to Florida 13 years ago from Indiana, and in that time he heard predictions of hurricanes bringing deadly storm surges that didnt come true, Hurricane Irma included. They are giving out teddy bears to every child who rides with them, aiming to ease ambulance tensions. Hurricane Islanders on the six-mile stretch of land had been eagerly awaiting updates on their only grocery store for months, reaching out to officials and posting to social media. Lee County officials declined requests for interviews about how they prepare residents for hurricanes, communicate risks and decide the timing of evacuation orders. Collson, who lived on a finger of land 5 miles from the island where the hurricane made landfall, texted Jim as conditions worsened. WebTropical Storm Gordon, 1994 After a serpentine track through the Caribbean, Gordon moved slow- ly west-northwest, reaching the lower Florida Keys, and then turned northeast, 'Don't be surprised when you see that high hurricane deductible when the claim time comes,' Robert Norberg says. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. Its hard to tell what this season will look like. Hurricane "I've had a good life and he threw me this curve. A tornado touched down in Charlotte County, smashing and destroying anything in its way. FORT MYERS, FLA. No place in Florida seemed to have suffered more damage from Hurricane Ian than the town of Fort Myers Beach, located on Estero Island along the state's southwest coast. Fort Myers Beach I may be in the water by next week.. Others may have lost spouses who handled such things or dont have nearby family members or neighbors to ask for help. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. Last night, a tornado hit the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach, prompting the city to declare a local state of emergency. "It's critical to check on that property insurance right now," Robert Norberg of Arden Insurance in Lantana said. Jay spent five months beneath a Fort Myers bridge before buying an old boat. Jay planned, then, to travel to Key West. April 28, 2023 Don't Miss Stunned, Yost went to Utterbacks house. A South Florida man is facing serious charges Monday after police said he broke into a home and then exposed himself. These tracks were from a sea turtle's false crawl over the weekend on Bonita Beach. Scientists say too many people still die in hurricanes, despite improved forecasts. Workers talk atop a building that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian at Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. The list of 148 deaths excluded cases without clear connections to the storm, such as three instances in which people with pre-existing medical conditions died from natural causes. Theres just me having to find peace with the fact that she has passed away and going through all those emotions and dealing with the phone call, DeMoss said. That began to change on Sunday, Sept. 25, when Ians projected path began shifting south, with a growing threat to Lee County. The transport team at Golisano Childrens Hospital is finding ways to make the ER ride less intimidating for young patients. Haverfield said light violations continue to be an issue on Fort Myers Beach. Fort Myers,Florida hurricanes Heres why the Weeki Wachee River needs stronger protections | Editorial, Why well know a lot more about the Rays in a month, Top Tampa Bay area events for the week of May 1-7, A first look at the new $200M JW Marriott Clearwater Beach hotel, Tampa Bays zoos, aquariums and childrens museums: Whats coming this summer, 28 ways to celebrate Kentucky Derby Day in the Tampa Bay area, Bringing kids to Disney World? But that calculation is wrong, experts say. By the time Peters realized she was wrong, water had already started gushing into her home. And that hurt." Jay is not entirely sure and had to unload it. Rent vouchers dont help. "It was hard to get in there because the couches and everything floated up, all mixed together. To taste the salty air and hear the wind chiming his sail rigging. She encountered Hurricane Ian debris that still remains on the beach in nesting habitat at her first attempt to nest. The next day, Jim returned, fearful about what he might find. A member of a search-and-rescue team checks a home for victims in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Oct. 3. Theresa Conway and Daymon Utterback on the day Utterback proposed. hide caption. They say they'll dispose of a property they loved, but which, like so much else on Fort Myers Beach, is now gone forever. After tornado hits Virginia Beach, dozens of homes left damaged When storms and hurricanes come into the county from the east, officials typically mandate coastal areas to evacuate because those storms bring deadly surges off the Atlantic, he said. Jay had given up on getting any storm compensation money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. CBS4's Ivan Cabrera reports on the has the latest information on Tropical Depression 9. One of the most common reasons people chose not to leave areas at high risk of storm surge was that they had survived hurricanes before unscathed. Eight people rode out the hurricane in a beachside motel. Susan and Jim Helton are in Fort Myers now, at a hotel where there's no power or water. NBC News reporters submitted more than 60 public records requests to local and state police agencies, medical examiners offices and emergency management agencies to collect 911 and emergency dispatch recordings, police reports, autopsy records and other documents to account for the dead. Its easy to criticize people for not making the right decision from the outside looking in, but there are many, many factors which can play into that decision, Parks said. And its only one month until we could start seeing storms developing across the waters. Lee County suffered none of the states 123 Irma deaths. Many have moved to Florida in recent years from places where theyd never experienced hurricanes. An estimated 34,000 people stayed in emergency shelters. Theresa Conway, Utterbacks fiance who he was set to marry in April, said by the time they realized how bad the hurricane was, so much water was rushing down their street that they couldnt get out not even to cross to their neighbors elevated house. In this CBS Miami special report, we take a look at a whole host of hurricane season topics from above average activity to complacency concerns. In Puerto Rico, Fiona dealt a blow to the long-term recovery effortsfrom Hurricane Maria five years ago, knocking out electricity to the entire island. Utterback began looking for ways for the couple to escape, while Conway tried to keep her head above the water as it rose toward the ceiling, she said. The Bay to Beach condo complex is at 740 Estero Boulevard, about a quarter mile north of the Fort Myers Beach pier where the rooftop fire with copious smoke was reported around 12:30 p.m. While Southwest Florida continues recovering from Hurricane Ian, this years hurricane season is a month away. Trucks bobbed past. We try to educate people on those worst-case scenarios and their vulnerability, said Cody Fritz, a storm surge specialist at the National Hurricane Center. Ron DeSantis official travel records secret. The Category 4 storm ripped through neighborhoods like Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach last Wednesday after making landfall nearby in Cayo Costa, a barrier island off the coast of Fort Myers. They matched those records to the Florida Department of Law Enforcements official list of hurricane deaths and did additional reporting to find out where hurricane victims died or were fatally injured, whenever possible. Ian also illustrated the challenge of protecting densely populated waterfront communities from extreme weather worsened by climate change; thousands of coastal residents chose not to evacuate. The weekend before Ian hit Florida, forecasters projected that the storm posed the biggest threat to the Tampa area, north of Fort Myers, according to the National Hurricane Center. To make those arrangements is a little complicated to do at the last minute, he said. In neighboring Charlotte County, where nine people died from Ian, spokesman Brian Gleason said the government conducts a variety of public outreach efforts, including workshops about flood and storm-surge risks for people in high-hazard coastal areas. Some people dont understand the extremes of the risks sometimes and whats possible.. Businesses finding their footing and opening again. Jim and her health aide pleaded with her to change her mind. Ian had also wrecked 97% of Fort Myers Beach's other buildings, including businesses and homes. An emergency sand berm is built on Fort Myers Beach on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. But the storm shifted east and weakened, and it arrived at low tide. Giarratana knows the Southwest Florida area is vulnerable. Indoor lighting should be as far away from windows as possible. Over the previous 24 hours, the expected landfall had shifted about 80 miles south, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane season 2022 ends; Ian deadliest storm. Why so many Worst Places In FL For Hurricanes | Wrights Window & Door After the storm, he climbed out of his house and went looking for his two closest friends in Fort Myers Beach, Mitch Pacyna and Daymon Utterback. The hatchlings, once they break out of their eggs and through the sand out of their nests, will head for the Gulf of Mexico as long as they arent disorientated by any light or other human activity. FORT MYERS, FLA. No place in Florida seemed to have suffered more damage from Hurricane Ian than the town of Fort Myers Beach, located on Estero Island Fort Myers Beach was particularly hit hard by the 15-foot storm surge. This is preventable, she said. All rights reserved. Hurricane Ians toll revealed gaps in efforts to protect Florida's most vulnerable residents, an NBC News analysis found, based on death records, flood maps and interviews with survivors, victims' relatives and disaster preparedness experts. Damaged mobile homes lie scattered after the passage of Hurricane Ian, in the San Carlos area of Fort Myers Beach, FORT MYERS, Fla. As Hurricane Ian charged toward the western coast of Florida this week, the warnings from forecasters were growing more urgent. The bridge to the island was damaged in the storm and has now been closed. Hurricane Hurricane Ian hit Cat 5 in Gulf, was Floridas most expensive storm. Florida Gov. One of the places severely damaged by Hurricane Ian was Fort Myers Beach, and seven months later, theres still more to do, but theyve come a long way. Fifteen of the organizations clients died in Ian. Lisa is forecast to strengthen before making landfall. One of the cheapest FWC certified wildlife lighting options that staff has found available online is the , that screws into classic Edison fixtures. At least here, he thought, no one could make him move. Sea turtle nesting season officially starts on Fort Myers Beach this Monday. Hurricane Ian killed nearly 150 people in southwest Florida in September and left at least 5,000 without housing. Hurricane They were supposed to map out reasons why the death penalty would not be appropriate if a jury convicts Joseph Zieler, but they havent submitted those reasons yet. Fort Myers Beach Ians forecast called for heavy rains, but ultimately, the storm brought more rainfall than expected, and with stronger winds, Judge said. All rights reserved. Lee County officials say they waited to issue the evacuation order until changes in the storms forecast direction put the county in Ians direct path the day before landfall. It is responsible for an estimated 9.6% of current cases in US, Doctors seeing an uptick in 'pink eye' associated with this variant, Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can lead to weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The stores will be closed by the end of June, so what can consumers expect in the coming weeks? Many residents, especially those who were new to the area, didnt know that they lived in storm surge danger zones, relatives and survivors said. Haverfield said 16 nests didnt hatch due to storms which washed out the nests. Weighing the probability of a deadly storm surge against a crowded shelter or taking into consideration health problems or lack of transportation, many people choose to wait out storms. And then we saw satellite pictures of the house, and we knew. The funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with 70% earmarked for median-income level areas and 30% for other uses, amount to about $1,338 per person in the county, per the [], Hurricane Ian has drawn powerful attention to an Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study of coastal storm risk management in Collier County that began after Hurricane Irma but was shelved before a final report was released. Frustrated because you could not fuel up? Hurricane season 2022 included widespread destruction fromFiona and Ian. He worked as an electrician, oysterman and fisherman. Joseph Zieler, an accused killer, in court for emergency hearing, Lee County to receive over $1.1B in federal funding for Hurricane Ian recovery, Army Corps studying storm risk management in Collier County after Hurricane Ian, Sea turtle nesting season begins in Southwest Florida, Fort Myers Beach recovery efforts seven months after Hurricane Ian, F-1 tornado damages Charlotte County farm, Innocent victim caught in the crossfire of downtown Fort Myers shooting, Miracle Monday: Golisano Childrens Hospital incorporates methods to ease ambulance tensions, Florida lawmakers consider bills making Ron DeSantis travel records secret. After months of repairs and planning, Publix officials confirmed Friday morning that the Estero Boulevard location is slated to reopen its doors on May 25.
