2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Property owners are encouraged to be proactive. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. Seven people died, three of them in high-risk surge zones. Because I'm just about out of gas.". Hurricane Weve documented 14 dead turtles, seven of them on Fort Myers Beach, Haverfield said. Then, in February, Lee County Sheriffs Office deputies ordered everyone out. It is also just as important to draw your curtains close at night. Florida's unemployment rate remained at 2.6 percent in March, as service-related jobs continued to lead in new hiring and construction jobs fell for a third consecutive month. Weather Channel meteorologist Reynolds Wolf reports from the Florida Keys to provide weather conditions and preparations. Fort Myers Beach ahead of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. But the water finally stopped rising. And the Barnacles so much worse than I thought.. Hurricane Im so nervous I could throw up, she wrote. All rights reserved. CBS4's Ted Scouten reports on the increasing presence of climate change, and how is making it necessary for us to look differently at hurricanes. The advisory stretches from Bill Baggs State Park, north to the Venetian Causeway, from the mainland to the west to the beaches on the east. ", Destroyed houses and buildings are visible in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Friday. The city of Fort Myers Beach on Florida's southwest coast was leveled by Hurricane Ian, a local politician said late Thursday. 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. Others may have lost spouses who handled such things or dont have nearby family members or neighbors to ask for help. Rent vouchers dont help. Lisa is forecast to strengthen before making landfall. Locals were seen standing in streets with water covering their legs while pushing jammed cars and buses. CBS4's Ashley Dyer reports plenty of cars were also stalled out. 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.. Sand from Immokalee is getting trucked in. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sea turtle nesting season has begun in Southwest Florida. An estimated 34,000 people stayed in emergency shelters. 0:04. He said the first thing to check is the deductibles on your policy. And if you are installing new windows, choose a NFRC light transmittance specification of 30% or less., The Sea Turtle Conservancy recommends Frontier Lighting & Synergy Lighting for lighting fixtures that protect sea turtles, Chustz said. And the county printed 48,000 all hazards guides for free distribution, Clayton wrote. 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. Living in the same town but in a new home that felt sturdier, he assumed the predictions about storm surge would once again not come to fruition. The bodies of Peggy Collson and Michael Verdream were found in Matlacha's canals. C, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931 | 239-463-4421, most of my volunteers have joyfully returned., Lighting compliance is not in place yet, far from it,, We encourage people to use Amber LEDs, remove all furniture from the beach, keep dogs on a leash, do not disturb nests, no flash photography,, This year will be a challenge because of the missing buildings and vegetation that once blocked light from reaching the beach,, All the more reason for the Town to pursue getting amber LEDs put in place. There, his new home sits on a slip of gravel. Like many Floridians, Capt. In the meantime, he and his wife are thinking about Texas. Peters had safely ridden that storm out at home, and she told her son she would be fine this time, too. Homeless advocates have nowhere to put them. Of the 109 Turtle Time, the local organization founded by Eve Haverfield to document and protect sea turtle hatchlings on Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach, has been instrumental in creating regulations to protect the reptiles. According to the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD), a man Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. Fort Myers Beach There is no one to blame. Usually, theres a Hurricane Tax Relief Week ahead of hurricane season. On Florida's east coast, residentsare working to prevent batteredbeachfront properties from collapsing into the ocean after first Ian, then Nicole ripped awaymountains of sand and seawalls. Starting Monday after 9 p.m., outdoor lights must be turned off outside on Fort Myers Beach properties facing the beach each night, except for shielded amber lights that are downward directed, until dawn. The Heltons' home is on the back bay in Fort Myers Beach, part of a boating community that's now gone. Hurricane Ian illustrated the challenges of protecting densely populated waterfront communities and exposed shortcomings in how local governments respond, an NBC News investigation found. The water got up to my neck. NBC News has identified 148 deaths related to Hurricane Ian in Florida, based on public records obtained from local and state authorities (see the full methodology below). The nesting season lasts through October. The bill for that passed unanimously in the Statehouse, its making its way to the Florida Senate. I was ready to say my last prayer and the water stopped and started receding, Conway said. Sand from Immokalee is getting trucked in. The maps are supposed to help people understand their risk and plan what to do when big storms come and help local governments determine which areas should be evacuated. It was Ian's storm surge that did the damage. They really gave us a lot of heads up during Irma. hide caption. Workers talk atop a building that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian at Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Ron DeSantis appointees have authorized a lawsuit against the entertainment giant. Nicole is expected to weaken to a depression early Friday, Additional weakening is forecast while Nicole moves over land. The Heltons say they're staying in Florida just until they are able to make the necessary connections with FEMA. Hurricane Ian killed nearly 150 people in southwest Florida in September and left at least 5,000 without housing. Not everything is going to be unfortunately fixed and like how it was last year, Giarratana said. Hurricane Hurricane Ian hit Cat 5 in Gulf, was Floridas most expensive storm. 0:51. Service agencies for older adults under contract with the state Department of Elder Affairs keep lists of people to help plan for storms and evacuate, and to conduct welfare checks on clients after a storm has passed. Between May 1 and July 31 of last year, the town issued 220 warnings for lighting violations. Sand from Immokalee is getting trucked in. A Florida bill allowing the death penalty in child rape convictions now has the governor's signature, despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling banning capital punishment in such cases. Someone to travel around the world with me., Im going to do a TV show from every port. Loggerhead sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, Floridas Marine Turtle Protection Act, and The Town of Fort Myers Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Code. In the video at the top of this page you can still see hard-hit areas that are still months, or even years away from fully recovering. Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum is on trial in federal court on charges of corruption and lying to the FBI. But, Colorado State University issued its season forecast. 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. A tornado touched down in Charlotte County, smashing and destroying anything in its way. 4 min read. Hurricane Part of a destroyed mobile home park is pictured in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Sept. 30, 2022. 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. Michael Yost at the damaged home he was renting in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. But, its what you need once the winds die down thats extra important. How to make the most of your Orlando trip, How a gay bar made downtown Dunedins business culture bloom, Rays go from being no-hit to blowing out the White Sox, Struggling Florida high school seniors may get graduation reprieve, Beneath a Fort Myers bridge, a captain longs to return to sea. Fortunately, there are no current threats to South Florida. Authorities urge patience. Arbelo, 62, of Whitehouse Station, N.J., confirmed that her brother died after Hurricane Ian hit Florida as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 150 mph on Wednesday afternoon. A good Monday morning to you as the sun rises from Placida, he texted friends on March 20, beneath a photo of tangerine clouds. Then its: Oh, they called for a mandatory last time and nothing happened.. More: View from above: Aerial video shows Fort Myers Beach scars six months after Ian, More: These 8 aerial photos of Fort Myers Beach reveal wounded landscape six months after Ian, This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Sanibel island hurricane damage documented in drone video, Mark H. Bickel and Ricardo Roln, Fort Myers News-Press. With his slumped shoulders and back bent from an ancient injury, its hard to imagine Capt. But he only made it as far as Fort Myers. Businesses finding their footing and opening again. New research is shedding light on the state of mental health in teens across the country. They devote huge amounts of time and resources to preparing for hurricanes, with public education campaigns that include free preparedness guides, phone calls, door-to-door canvassing and pre-registration for special needs evacuation shelters. Still, at the seven-month mark since the Category 4 storm hit, it can be difficult and painful to see the scars that remain in many places, including Sanibel Island, which While Southwest Florida continues recovering from Hurricane Ian, this years hurricane season is a month away. If theres anything good that comes of this, its driving home that, you know, that these things really can kill people, said Bob Lee, a former Naples city manager. When Turtle Time first started documenting nests in 1996, there were only 30 recorded. The stores will be closed by the end of June, so what can consumers expect in the coming weeks? Like all counties in southwest Florida, Lee County maintains a registry for those who might need special-needs shelters. Eight people rode out the hurricane in a beachside motel. He worked as an electrician, oysterman and fisherman. Last year, Turtle Time reported that some sea turtle hatchlings were found under condos and houses because the propertys lights disoriented them. Over the weekend, a female sea turtle visited Bonita Beach checking out the nesting sites, Haverfield said. Fort Myers Beach, FL - Hurricane Information & Risks | Homefacts She made her way to the kitchen, where she discovered her fiancs body. I like solitude, he said. And his boat wouldnt float. Hurricane 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. It's a blow he's not sure he can recover from. Fort Myers News-Press. Take a walk on the beach to see if your propertys lighting is visible from the beach, and install wildlife friendly lighting now, rather than waiting for warning letters and enforcement citations,, Hatchlings are disorientated by both interior and exterior lights,, Weve documented 14 dead turtles, seven of them on Fort Myers Beach,, Some boat strikes, others, no definitive cause of death., She encountered Hurricane Ian debris that still remains on the beach in nesting habitat at her first attempt to nest. 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. progress with various recovery efforts continues to be made. Jay scaling a five-story pole. The Town considers disorientations of sea turtle hatchlings from man-made lights as an irreparable and irreversible violation with a fine of up to $5,000. They say they'll dispose of a property they loved, but which, like so much else on Fort Myers Beach, is now gone forever. Seven lived. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent. He had heeded calls to leave before Irma because the Fort Myers Beach home he was living in at the time looked like it was held together by staples, he said. 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. "I'm fighting depression. Capt. Destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach is viewed from the air on Oct. 1, 2022. Those at the National Weather Service want you to have things figured out so youre ready if or when a hurricane hits. Ian brought this gap into focus.. To taste the salty air and hear the wind chiming his sail rigging. 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. That, Jim Helton says, and the boat he found in the middle of his house. They included Kristina Peters, 59, who chose to stay with her boyfriend in North Fort Myers, where they lived a baseballs throw away from the Gulf of Mexico. But in January, after all 260 closed, hundreds of people were forced onto the streets and into the woods. Until then, his dreams will keep him afloat. 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. The deputies from the Sheriffs Office will help us in the event of a disoriented turtle on the street,, Where the newly constructed berm is in place, sea turtles are less likely to reach Estero Boulevard., conscientious about the lighting they are installing,, It is also just as important to draw your curtains close at night. But Hurricane Ians toll on vulnerable residents showed the gaps in those efforts. Sea turtle nesting season officially begins this Monday on Fort Myers Beach, with regulations in place to protect the threatened species. CBS4 News chief meteorologist Ivan Cabrera's weather outlook for South Florida. ", "And the washing machine," his wife Susan adds. By the time Peters realized she was wrong, water had already started gushing into her home. Hurricane Ian was flooding some areas of Florida's west coast with storm surges that could reach up to 18 feet above ground level as it moved across the peninsula after making landfall Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Any death, whether its a car accident or storm surge, is tragic. 0:51. Some said they didnt have enough warning, while others were unaware of the danger or lacked the resources to leave. Debris piles disappearing. Jim and Susan Helton sit int he back of a car outside a hotel in Fort Myers, Fla. Their home in Fort Myers beach was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. Copyright 2023 Fort Myers Broadcasting. Please note, filter wraps, gels, and colored party bulbs are not compliant, because the emit light that sea turtles are sensitive to.. Jay landed after the storm, dozens of others pitched tents and relieved themselves in paint buckets. Guest: State Sen. Shevrin Jones/(D) South Florida, Guests: Eileen Higgins/MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, Jim DeFede spoke about this with Democratic State Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, former mayor of Parkland, who now represents that community in the legislature. 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. And that hurt." Providing visuals of their vulnerability speaks louder than saying it out loud.. Based on those records, NBC News determined an overall count of 148 deaths related to Hurricane Ian and analyzed 119 of those deaths that were caused by the flooding, winds and other dangerous conditions during the storm. 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. Seven months to the day after Hurricane Ian completely demolished Fort Myers Beach, another familiar face is set to return to the recovering community. 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. But some of the hardest-hit areas might be out of the line of sight. Jim and Susan Helton sit int he back of a car outside a hotel in Fort Myers, Fla. Their home in Fort Myers beach was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. Of the 109 nests recorded on Fort Myers Beach last year, 11 of those nests had hatchlings which disoriented due to lighting violations on Fort Myers Beach. Celebrate mom with great Mother's Day gifts from Apple, KitchenAid, NuFace and more. Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo on Monday took the stand in his own defense during a civil trial. 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. Few places are taking new tenants. Families of the missing are caught in limbo over their loved ones fate. Ron DeSantis has announced he will travel to Japan, South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom as part of an international trade mission. So usually, we have about 14 named storms throughout the hurricane season, and theyre calling for 13, Giarratana said. When you live through it, then that message sinks in deep and forever.. NBC News determined the precise locations of 86 of the 119 deaths and found that two-thirds were in areas the federal government deemed at elevated risk of storm surge in a Category 4 hurricane. In recent years, a growing number of older people with impairments have been given the resources health aides, medical equipment, meal deliveries, paid caregivers to remain at home instead of spend the rest of their days in nursing homes or assisted living centers. Yost said he and others were lulled into a false sense of security by past storms and the lack of urgency around Ian. 1:31 On the morning of Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Cayo Costa, Florida, a barrier island west of Fort Myers in Lee County.

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