Nearly 8 Months After Hurricane Michael, Florida Panhandle Feels Left Behind

[Roland99]

Nearly 8 Months After Hurricane Michael, Florida Panhandle Feels Left Behind
https://www.npr.org/2019/05/31/727905462/nearly-8-months-after-hurricane-michael-florida-panhandle-feels-left-behind

The only affordable situation the Koppelmans could find was an hour's drive from their jobs in Bay County — Keith on a painting crew; Susan, as a community aide at the elementary school on Tyndall Air Force Base.

A homeowner in neighboring Jackson County offered up a room in his own damaged house. There was no kitchen, so the Koppelmans would have to do dishes in the bathroom sink — but they could live there free if they agreed to help take care of the owner's six horses. They took the deal.

Before the storm, they were paying $450 per month in rent. Now, they pay that much in gas every month commuting.

"It's like our jobs don't end," says Susan. "We come home and we try to get as much done before dark so we get in bed at a decent hour, and [then we] get up at 4 a.m. and do it all over again."

There is so much in this story. It was so hard finding just a few paragraphs to quote.

[Submariner]

1. One would think that Medicare fraud crook Red Tide Rick and Son of exiles Rubio

would do their job and further kiss the golden ass of Emperor Bone Spur. It looks like even some red states are on the Drumpf shit list.

[Lochloosa]

2. Mexico Beach was a depressed area before Michael.

My playground growing up. It's heartbreaking what has happened there 😢

[RockaFowler]

3. We drove through there after the Hurricane

The pictures we took were incredibly sad. I was going to see my Mother in Crestview (west of Mexico Beach) and the ride from Tallahassee to my Mother's house was really bad. There were trees down everywhere. Buildings were gone. All of the rest areas were closed before we got to my mom's house. When we finally got to her house we were crying. It could have happened to her. She was so lucky. If that storm would have turned a little more to the west it would have been so devastating for my family.

I cannot imagine what these people are still going through. No-one cares anymore in the government (except Nikki Fried - she's the only one who seems to understand the problem).