Hurricane Ian: One Year Later

2 • HURRICANE IAN: ONE YEAR LATER • 2023 What's INSIDE Insurance companies left some with no answers 4 Nightmare becomes reality: Man attacks, kidnaps elderly clients ................................................. 6 Hurricanes and handcuffs: Ian led to curfew, some crimes .................................................. 6 A return to normal? ........................................ 8 Country Club Ridge still feels the scars ............. 8 Terror and recovery ...................................... 10 Contractors bounce from supply, employee issues after storm ......................... 11 Determining unmet needs from natural disasters .................................. 15 City Council exploring replacing the Bayfront Center ..................................... 18 Some government buildings were a 'total loss' 19 After devastation: A long recovery continues ....................... 20-21 Closed for business? Ian wiped out longtime eateries, enterprises .................................... 22 Hotels, inns damaged, but returning to record numbers ....................................... 24 Snook Haven saved by staff, support .............. 25 Shelters spring into action for Ian .................. 26 School Districts recovering ........................... 28 Damage done: Schools receive new scoreboards ......................................... 29 Charlotte Sports Park will be ready for 2024 spring training .................................... 30 A tragedy of pet projects .............................. 31 Nonprofi ts damaged, thrived ......................... 32 FWC still helping derelict boats ..................... 34 Venice Theatre's restoration on track ............. 35 Families fi ght on .................................... 36-39 REGIONAL PRESIDENT Chesapeake | Florida Jim Normandin jim.normandin@adamspg.com PUBLISHER Glen Nickerson glen.nickerson@yoursun.com MANAGING EDITOR Scott Lawson scott.lawson@yoursun.com REGIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Omar Zucco omar.zucco@yoursun.com DESIGNER Darla Allen Advertising 941-205-6406 Circulation: 941-206-1300 ON THE COVER F L O R I D A Top Right: SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH Residents at Country Club Ridge, off Sumter Boulevard, had to leave their homes by boat. About 4 feet of water is inside of their homes, vehicles are destroyed and many lost their roofs in Hurricane Ian. Scott Lawson Managing Editor While it's been a year since Hurricane Ian made landfall, the region is still under repair in many ways. In Charlotte, DeSoto and Sarasota counties, there were dozens of people killed in situations directly or indirectly related to the hurricane. Along with that, hundreds were made homeless in the hours, days and months after; thousands had severe damage to their houses and nearly everyone dealt with the inconveniences, interruptions or insanity. A year later, Ian is the new measurement for disaster and a grim touchstone for residents coping physically, fi nancially or psychologically with a storm that lashed the region for just one night. Looking back is looking forward. Along with the countless struggles, there were seemingly endless stories of human compassions with neighbors — and strangers — helping one- another in the initial hours of rescue and the ongoing efforts of recovery. Heroic efforts were the norm. DeSoto County Public Safety Director Chad Jorgensen witnessed his teams hooking up with Charlotte County to save a woman who was likely going to die of a severe heart attack. DeSoto County dealt with heavy fl ood waters that surrounded its Fire Station 3 for days. "We had shift change by boat," Jorgensen recalled. Late one night, a woman suffered a deadly type of heart attack. Station 3 rescue crews drove in, using a high-water brush truck and wading up to their waist, at night, to get woman out. They worked in the back of a rescue vehicle to stabilize her for the better part of an hour, he said. His crew was doing what it could but they needed assistance. Despite the hazards, Charlotte County Fire Rescue helped right away. Charlotte County Air Aviation sent in a helicopter to get the woman to a hospital where she could get the help she needed. "They saved that woman's life," Jorgensen said. "No doubt about it." To help save one woman, many fi re rescue personnel put their own lives at risk, driving at night, wading in high waters fi lled with snakes and sharp debris. Then the aviation crew members took their turn, he recalled. "They are fl ying at night, which is dangerous. They are fl ying in unfamiliar territory, which is dangerous. They are fl ying into a fl ooded area, which is dangerous," Jorgensen said. "We asked and (Charlotte County Aviation Chief Warrant Offi cer Shane Engelauf ) said 'Yes, how can I help?' And I just love that about people. The American public can be a strange place at times, but having tragedy happen, you see the best in people," he said. But whenever there are heroes, there are villains. This time, they seemingly rode the winds in to try to take advantage of the vulnerable. Some were loosely calling themselves contractors; others just pure scam artists using fear, coercion or confusion to steal from people already wrecked by Ian. AFTERMATH: Recovery, repairs still underway 200 E. Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34385 | 941-207-1000 23170 Harborview Road, Ports Charlotte, FL 33980 | 941-206-1300 www.venicegondolier.com | www.yoursun.com Background Photo: NASA/AP This Satellite image provided by NASA on Sept. 26, 2022, shows Hurricane Ian pictured from the International Space Station just south of Cuba gaining strength and heading toward Florida. Bottom Right: SUN PHOTO BY CHRIS PORTER National Guardsmen from Palm Coast, Florida, load cases of water and MREs in cars at the Hurricane Ian FEMA site Charlotte Sports Park. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT LAWSON

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