Newsletter 160

NEWS FROM THE SUNCOAST …..

RESIDENTS PAY THE PRICE OF LIVING IN PARADISE

After evacuating to Fort Lauderdale for Hurricane Milton, Siesta Key resident Scott Giorgi was on the road before dawn Thursday, heading home to see what kind of damage a direct hit from a Category 3 storm would inflict. Both bridges to Siesta Key, where Milton made landfall Wednesday, were closed to vehicle traffic early Thursday, and the north bridge was closed to foot traffic, too. But residents of the key were allowed to walk across the south bridge hours after the storm struck. That’s what Giorgi, 54, did with his dog Blue, a golden retriever. Giorgi arrived at the south bridge at 9:30 a.m. and walked a few miles to his home. Giorgi lives on the north side of the key on Edmonson Avenue in an Old Florida-style house with yellow siding and a metal roof. The house was built in 1929 and sits on a canal that leads right into Sarasota Bay. Hurricane Helene flooded Giorgi’s house last month as 6.5 feet of water surged across Siesta, topping Giorgi’s seawall, spilling into his swimming pool and flowing into the lower levels of his home. The water ruined a bedroom and flooded his garage. Milton delivered a comparable storm surge; Giorgi estimated based on the debris line on his home that Milton’s surge was about six inches below Helene’s. The wind from Milton was much stronger than Helene’s, but Giorgi was glad to see that wind damage on Siesta was less than he expected. His roof and those of most of his neighbors appeared intact. “Every roof I’ve seen is fine,” Giorgi said. “Not as much wind damage as you might have thought.” Still, Giorgi said the overall damage level was “pretty devastating” for the key, given that Helene’s surge was the worst seen on the Sarasota coast in decades and Milton delivered another heavy blow. One silver lining for Giorgi: The areas of his home flooded by Milton had already been gutted after Helene, the drywall ripped out up to the water line. He put much of his surviving furniture in storage before Milton hit, so there was little that could be damaged by Milton’s strike. Most of Giorgi’s house is elevated enough that it wasn’t hurt by Helene or Milton. Some of his neighbors can’t say the same. He knows four people in his neighborhood who decided to tear down their homes after Helene because the water damage was so extensive. Milton is likely to only reinforce their decisions. Debris was strewn across Siesta Key, but Giorgi estimates that 75% of it was from Helene left on the curb for disposal and not picked up before Milton. It could have been worse, he said. Crews were removing debris right up until Milton hit. For more information on this story, courtesy of Sarasota Herald-Tribune, please click here.

DEBRIS CLEANUP SET TO BEGIN ON LONGBOAT KEY

Longboat Key was largely a ghost island without power or electricity, except for the work crews who grew day by day after Hurricane Milton. When power finally returned Monday night to a condo unit on Gulf of Mexico Drive on the north end of the island, a woman yelled into the darkness: “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” to the Florida Power and Light employees outside who restored it. After six days without power or water in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Longboat residents and snowbirds alike have wondered when they can return after a one-two hurricane punch. Longboat’s population hovers around 8,000 but will balloon to around 20,000 during the winter season. Town Manager Howard Tipton said Tuesday electricity was slower to return to some parts of Longboat because two main subaqueous feeder lines under Sarasota Bay were damaged. The town’s water and wastewater supply also was affected by the lack of electricity. Wastewater lift stations needed the electricity to pump sewage. As of Tuesday morning, almost all the island had water and 95% had electricity, Tipton said. A boil water notice is expected to be lifted Friday, but could come as soon as Thursday. Longboat suffered between $175 million and $200 million in structural damage after Helene. But the town is expected to tally up to $15 million after Milton. “Water is always the challenge. Wind makes things look bad, but water destroys things. Helene was water damage,” Tipton said. “With Milton, it wasn’t rain or storm surge, but wind. We had winds of up to 110 miles an hour.” Beginning Wednesday, crews will clear remaining debris on the roadways – but it will be more expensive than Helene. Tipton said debris contractors are demanding 50% more money after Milton than they did after Helene. “The debris contractors are − and I say this with all reverence − pirates,” he said. “They are saying they want us to match the new revised amount FEMA pays… and it feels a bit like being taken hostage.” Companies hired to do cleanup, he said, have been “running wherever they could to get more money.” So now the town has been forced to amend its contract to the going rate to get the debris cleared. Please click here for more: Debris Cleanup Begins On LBK.

MANASOTA KEY REELING FROM DOUBLE DOSE

If you go to the south side of Manasota Key – and residents really wish you wouldn’t – watch out for the white house sitting in Sand Dollar Lane. It’s one of the fishing-village-turned-old-Florida-resort-town’s oldest structures. Now it’s slouched off its foundation on a sand-filled road, tagged with an orange placard from Charlotte County labeling it unsafe. The same could be said this week for much of the 11-mile-long key about 30 miles south of where Hurricane Milton made landfall. If the measure of a hurricane is the amount of devastation it causes, the south side of Manasota Key – between Fort Myers and Sarasota – is ground zero in southwest Florida. Scores of Manasota Key homes and businesses were severely damaged after Hurricane Helene landed on Sept. 26. Then came Milton’s much higher storm surge and more powerful wind, strong enough to rip entire homes from their foundations and toss them into the water. On Wednesday, the south end of the key looked like a war zone. Piles of sand four-to-six-feet high covered asphalt streets. Piles of furniture, bicycles, appliances, food, glass, roofing material and wood beams sat in residents’ yards. Truck after truck moved in to haul off debris. Contractors cruised neighborhoods, leaving cards on parked cars. Scores of longtime residents said Wednesday that Milton was the worst hurricane they can ever remember. Before the five hurricanes and two severe tropical storms in the past two years, they say life there was pretty easy. At Angler’s Resort on Gulf Boulevard, residents emptied mud-soaked units while marveling at the strange realities left behind at their modest slice of paradise. A pristine white SUV from a home a block away appeared after Milton next to their filthy pool filled with deck chairs and tables. A lone mattress and furniture bobbed in the small marina next to fishing boats that survived unscathed. A yellow Adirondack chair flew through the air from a local business and landed hundreds of feet away, plopping in the front yard of Jim and Theresa Legnante’s ruined second home. The Legnantes, like many owners in the 16-apartment ground-level HOA community, were in the process of restoring their place after Hurricane Helene when Milton hit. Milton’s force left water marks about six feet high inside their home – about twice as high as those left by Helene. So high, the marks reached a television hanging on the living room wall. “We’ve had this place the last 13 years, and the last two have been terrible,” Jim Legnante said. Legnante, whose year-round home is in upstate New York, said he and his wife feel they have no choice but to start renovating anew. They talked of replacing all the walls, needing all new electrical and a new kitchen – even though experts say ground-level properties like theirs are likely to suffer more damage because of climate change. “When you’re 81, what else do you got to do?” Legnante quipped. More seriously, he added: “What choice do we have? I think many people would like to sell. But if we flood the market with all these depressed units, what are you going to get?” The Legnantes were pleased, at least, that their sturdy new roof, replaced by a Montana company after Hurricane Ian, suffered no damage. There’s more to read here: Manasota Key Reeling From Double Dose.

HUNDREDS FLOOD LOCAL DISASTER RELIEF CENTER

The Disaster Recovery Center at Sarasota’s Municipal Auditorium was swamped again Tuesday afternoon, a day after it opened. By lunchtime, waits for residents to register with FEMA were already four or five hours along, so security began turning people away at the door and encouraged them to return another time. Among those who came early and waited for assistance were Thomas and Rosa Williams and their 10-year-old daughter, who lost most everything they owned − a tidy green house, two cars, and most of their belongings − in three different hurricanes: Debby on Aug. 5, Helene on Sept. 26, and Milton. “For the first one, we weren’t ready. The second one, not ready. And now, the third one, not ready at all,” Thomas Williams said. “This is big-time hard.” Peter Fraenkel, FEMA’s disaster recovery center manager at the Sarasota location, acknowledged the federal relief agency came short-staffed as it has tried to help thousands of people impacted in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. He described three hurricanes in three months as a “Katrina-like event.” More than 4,200 FEMA personnel have been deployed nationally to help hurricane survivors. At the Sarasota Center this week at 801 N. Tamiami Trail, he had five or six FEMA workers from around the country as well as help from 8 or 9 others from Disaster Survivor Assistance to help register families. Fraenkel said after the center opened at 1 p.m. Monday, it was supposed to stay open until 7 p.m., but he decided to shut the doors at 6 p.m. because more people couldn’t be served. Inside the Sarasota Disaster Relief Center on Tuesday afternoon, hurricane survivors were being offered free tarps, cleaning supplies, water, and ready-to-eat meals. The Salvation Army provided hot meals for those waiting. FEMA announced Monday it had approved over $860 million in relief aid, including $507 million in assistance for individuals and communities affected by Helene and more than $351.5 million for debris removal. Survivors can apply online at disasterassistance.gov to jumpstart the aid process and access Serious Needs Assistance for essential items. Those affected by this year’s hurricanes may qualify for housing, transportation, or utility assistance. The maximum amount a family can receive for housing assistance is $42,500. Additional assistance is available for rental or disability needs. The Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans for repair and rebuilding. Fraenkel said residents should remember that private insurance comes before government aid, but those without sufficient flood or homeowners insurance may qualify for FEMA grants. Due to rampant disinformation, FEMA has set up a webpage to dispel myths. There’s more on this story here: Hundreds Flood Local Disaster Relief Center.

NEW SIGNS OF LIFE ON ST. ARMAND’S CIRCLE

A couple more businesses have opened on St. Armand’s Circle, bringing some much-needed hope to small business owners and residents alike. The vast majority of businesses in the high-end historic shopping and dining district were gutted down to their studs after hurricanes Helene and Milton. But Lynches Pub and Grub and Venezia Italian Restaurant joined the Daquiri Deck, Blue Dolphin Cafe, and KRB Coastal Salon and Extension Bar among the few able to welcome customers. “Usually after a storm or hurricane, people jump right in with clean-up,” said Rachel Burns, marketing and events director of the St. Armand’s Circle Association, which includes about 75 paying members. “But after Helene and then Milton, people didn’t seem to know where to start. Now people are coming back and fighting for their businesses.” Burns said the roughly 100 merchants in the area are hard at work on restoration and renovations, focusing on being ready for the peak tourism season. Most businesses were deluged with two to four feet of water, and cleanup has been delayed for some by lack of contractors. “For Milton, everybody cleaned out what they could took it off island,” she said. “Now the hard thing is getting contractors to come back here.” Insurance companies also want businesses to wait on clean-up and repairs until they can assess the damage. But some said they can’t do that because merchandise purchased after Helene would be ruined, mixing with that damaged by Milton, so they’ll be losing out on some insurance money, she said. Just affording insurance has been a major obstacle, she said. “A huge concern even prior to the hurricanes this year were merchants who couldn’t get renewals after Hurricane Ian and storms in 2022,” she said. Retail shops also have to wait for new orders of clothing and display cabinets have been hard to get in time for tourist season. But merchants, she said, have been helping one another with their cleanup, and that’s been nice to see. Burns said businesses are trying to use better materials and waterproof coatings that deter mold and mildew, preparing for future storms. The whole experience, she said, has been a major struggle. But she’s grateful the area did not get hit by the peak 15-foot storm surge that forecasts predicted before Milton. “There’s already so much loss,” she said. Please follow the jump for more on this story: New Signs Of Life On St. Armand’s Circle.

DAMAGE FORCES CLOSURES

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall will cancel performances through December due to flooding and damage from Hurricane Milton. Other Sarasota area arts and culture organizations reported minimal impact, though some performances were canceled at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Venice Theatre. Van Wezel sustained major water damage, including a completely flooded orchestra pit, forcing the cancellation of all performances through Jan. 1. Executive Director Mary Bensel reported extensive damage, including four feet of seawater in lower levels, destroyed kitchen equipment, and impacted production areas, although the stage and seating areas were unharmed. There was minor flooding during Hurricane Helene as well. “My heart is broken. This building is my life and the theater is my life,” Bensel said. Performances like Billy Ocean, “Dear Evan Hansen,” and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” are among those affected. The Sarasota Orchestra will also reschedule concerts, including Bensel’s first as music director. Despite setbacks, Bensel is hopeful for a January reopening. Click here for more: Damage Forces Closures.

MOBILE HOME OWNERS TOLD THEY CAN’T REBUILD

Emotions ran high after the city of Bradenton Beach told residents of two mobile home communities flooded by Hurricanes Milton or Helene that they will not be allowed to rebuild their homes following new guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Bradenton Beach officials stopped short of full condemnation of all trailer and mobile homes in the Pines Trailer Park and the Sandpiper Mobile Resort communities during a packed city meeting on Thursday afternoon. Nonetheless, they informed residents they could not rebuild their homes. City officials said local municipalities received guidance from FEMA this week that will require mobile homes substantially damaged by the recent hurricanes to rebuild to standards for structures to be elevated above zones — a potentially cost-prohibitive requirement for residents of the two mobile home parks. Homeowners reacted strongly to the news. Many have already spent money to recover from Helene and Milton. Some questioned whether there are ulterior motives for the decision, and most expressed frustration for the loss of their community. “Bradenton Beach says they are going to survive, but Pines Park is not going to survive,” Pines Park resident Elaine Armaniaco said. “Sandpiper, possibly, is not going to survive.” Bradenton Beach City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the price of rebuilding to such standards is likely out of reach for residents and for the multiple owners who own the park properties. She said that other ground-level structures throughout the city could also be affected by FEMA requirements, but clarified those buildings are governed by another set of specific rules. “It’s all mobile homes, it’s all trailers; they are the ones that are impacted by these particular standards,” Perry said. “When you have substantial damage, the impact of trying to bring it under FEMA compliance is too great of a burden financially to allow people to restore the properties.” “You then have other structures that are not that, they have different guidelines but similar issues,” she said. “Ground huggers are also substantially impacted on this and will have to comply with the 50% rule, but they are just different animals under the guidelines from FEMA. Today was about the massive impact that the FEMA standards have on the mobile home parks and the trailer parks here.” A Sandpiper Mobile Resort resident who spoke with the Herald-Tribune without attribution because of fear of reprisal said they thought the decision would benefit local developers who may look to capitalize on the opportunity to purchase the property. Pines Park was purchased by well-known developer Shawn Kelata’s Pines Park Investors LLC last year, and individual speaking said Sandpiper residents have previously also been offered substantial amounts of money for their lots. Please click here for more: Mobile Home Owners Told They Can’t Rebuild.

NEITHER WIND NOR SAND DAUNT CASEY KEY’S CLEANUP

Strong winds blew across Casey Key last weekend, making cleanup almost comical as crews removed sand from the beach road amid Hurricane Milton’s worst damage. Cars passed by slowly, as workers signaled drivers to proceed with caution. Sand still covers parts of Casey Key, where Milton’s effects were worsened by Hurricane Helene. The storms have left debris and mounds of sand never seen before, filling motel rooms and blocking access points. “This is the first time we’ve had anything like this,” said resident John Walton, who moved to the exclusive island, named top aspirational street in America by Agent Advice, in 2008. While Walton’s home sustained minor damage, his friend’s was condemned. Cleanup continues on Casey Key as the community recovers from unprecedented sand damage. Neither Wind Nor Sand Daunt Casey Key’s Cleanup.

MIDNIGHT PASS FLOWS AGAIN AFTER MILTON

The morning Hurricane Milton passed, boaters raced to see if Midnight Pass had reopened. Cheers revealed the answer. Opened briefly after Hurricane Helene, it had gone dry soon after but reopened even stronger following Milton. 78-year-old Brian Martel recalls its blue waters rich with fish. Following Helene’s reopening, locals were inspired to keep it that way, even forming a group to shovel the pass by hand. Among them, Justin Shaner recently navigated the renewed pass with his family. Longtime local Capt. Danielle Nutten experienced the flowing pass, recalling her childhood memories. Scott Lewis, founder of the “Restore Midnight Pass Now !!” Facebook page, said renewed attention is promising but believes the Army Corps of Engineers should be involved for long-term restoration. Midnight Pass Flows Again After Milton.

WILL TOURISM MONEY STILL FLOW?

Tourism drives a multibillion-dollar industry in Sarasota and Manatee counties, famous for white sand beaches and local charm. Each year, snowbirds flock to Southwest Florida for sun and warmth, contributing to the local economy. However, after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many beaches and attractions faced significant damage, causing concern among prospective visitors and local businesses. Public beaches remain closed, with areas still covered in storm debris. Despite challenges, tourism leaders are hopeful for a rebound, stressing that most upper-level accommodations are ready. Visit Sarasota County is launching #SupportThe941 to promote open businesses and highlight the resilience of the area. Will Tourism Money Still Flow?

HOW THE WEATHER PATTERN PLAYED OUT

Hurricane Milton – the first hurricane in over a century to make landfall in Sarasota-Manatee County struck near Siesta Key as a Category 3 on Oct. 9. Originally a Category 5, it weakened due to a cold front and high winds. Milton’s impact was spread across the region, with the north experiencing high winds and the south, heavy storm surge. Reports noted a 10-foot surge in Sarasota, with rainfall reaching up to 13.05 inches. The Sarasota airport recorded 7.58 inches of rain, and a wind gauge failure suggests gusts possibly hit 120 mph. How The Weather Pattern Played Out.

SATELLITE SHOWS POSSIBLE RED TIDE, POST MILTON

Red tide may be blooming offshore from communities affected by Hurricane Milton, although sampling delays prevent confirmation. Satellite imagery from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science shows a large algal bloom from Clearwater to Manasota Key, with potential hotspots near Sarasota and Pinellas. However, red tide has not been confirmed as official sampling by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been paused since Oct. 4. Researchers plan to resume sampling soon to verify the presence of red tide, which involves identifying the algae species Karenia Brevis. Possible Red Tide Bloom Post Milton.

SEPTEMBER HOUSING SALES SAG

The Sarasota-Bradenton area real estate market saw a “slowdown” in September, with reduced sales and a declining median price, per a report by the Realtors Association of Sarasota and Manatee. With closed sales at their lowest since January and median sales prices at a two-year low, both counties saw declines in single-family homes and condos. Realtors attribute weak sales to disruptions from Hurricane Debby in August and subsequent storms, Helene and Milton, in September and October. Hurricanes Impact Market Confidence. Median home price dropped 3.9% from last year to $480,460, and condos fell 11.7% to $331,000. The cooling trend follows a historically hot market in 2021-2022 when homes sold within days. September’s median time to contract was 47 days, with 5,302 homes for sale. September Housing Sales Sag.

VOTE DELAYED ON NEW PERFORMING ARTS VENUE

As Sarasota nears a Nov. 30 deadline to approve a new performing arts hall, the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation requested a vote delay due to recent back-to-back hurricanes. The foundation’s CEO emphasized the need for a new facility as storms reinforced flood risks, including four feet of water entering the current Van Wezel Hall’s orchestra pit. The new facility would replace the 54-year-old Van Wezel and elevate buildings to counter flooding. Sarasota’s commitment includes a multimillion-dollar investment, with a scheduled vote two weeks before city elections. In 2018, Sarasota initially approved the concept, agreeing in 2022 to a 50-50 funding split for the $300 million project. Vice Mayor Ahearn-Koch raised questions on cost, parking, and proximity to water. The storms prompted repairs, shuttering Van Wezel until January 2025. More on the project: Vote Delayed On New Performing Arts Venue.

CITY APPROVES LEASE FOR SARASOTA PLAYERS

Three months after rejecting the Sarasota Players’ proposal for an expanded theater in Payne Park, city commissioners approved a 30-year lease for the Payne Park auditorium, restricting any major additions. On Friday, they unanimously approved the lease at $100 per year, plus $1 from each ticket sold. “This is a huge win to secure a long-term home,” said William Skaggs, CEO of Sarasota Players, the state’s second-oldest community theater. The organization, which recently used a converted retail space, has faced challenges finding a permanent location since selling its previous home in 2018. The auditorium, built in 1962 as a community center, allows interior renovations under the new lease but restricts roof and wall expansion. More on the story: City Approves Lease For Sarasota Players.

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES EARLY DUE TO HURRICANES

In light of catastrophic damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has announced the early launch of its annual Season of Sharing campaign to assist displaced residents. For nearly 25 years, Season of Sharing has supported Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties in emergencies, covering essentials like housing and utilities. With severe impacts on the hospitality industry, The Patterson Foundation has pledged $100,000 for every $500,000 raised, and an additional $100,000 to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund. “Long-term recovery is essential,” said Debra Jacobs, CEO of The Patterson Foundation, emphasizing immediate relief and resilience. More on the story: Campaign Launches Early Due To Hurricanes.