Category Florida

Oct 25 2022

Hurricane Ian Recovery Update


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 24, 2022 | Sundance 

I’ve been sharing some of the challenges with site admins; at their suggestion here’s the latest from the impact zone.

First things first.  To establish the context, what made Ian completely different from all other hurricane recovery responses I have been involved in comes down to two issues: strength of the storm (155+ mph winds), and more importantly the duration of the event (8+ hours of peak destruction).

In normal hurricane impacts the worst affected areas generally experience 3 to 4 hours of chaos.  Hurricane Ian was unique in that it was only moving 8 to 10 mph and that made the storm damage completely different.  Structures that survived the first half, completely failed during the second half of the storm.

Almost nothing survived unscathed after 8 to 9 hours of that strength of storm sitting, almost stationary, in one place; nor was anything ever designed to withstand that duration of storm with winds from the South, then East, then West as Ian meandered inland from the gulf toward the north northeast.

After this storm, and having been through four previous direct impacts, including Homestead AFB, I would say this….  If there is even a remote chance you would ever encounter this type of a hurricane event, EVACUATE.  Do not try and hunker down if there is a looming possibility of having to rely on a structure to withstand 150+ mph wind for a full day.  Just leave.  With all of my preparations in place, and all of the knowledge I possess in storm survival, I would never attempt that again.

That said, I will put a better word image together at a later date to share, along with specific recommendations learned as an outcome of this event.  In the interim, just accept my most strenuous advice. If this specific type of storm was ever predicted to come near you, GET OUT.

♦CURRENT STATUS – Electricity and water restoration efforts continue as we near the one-month anniversary 10/28.  Thankfully, both services have been restored for me personally, and I carry deep empathy -and my most sincere prayers- for those still waiting.

Regarding stable -if any- internet service, it remains elusive for everyone.

The biggest impacts upon the outer islands of Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva and Pine Island/Matlacha are still in first stage recovery efforts. Completely new civil infrastructure is being built in these areas.

♦DEBRIS – The scale of physical debris is jaw dropping.  FEMA reimburses local municipalities for the first 30 days of debris removal effort and costs.  The 30-day limit is intended as a financial incentive to kick municipalities into fast action.  This incentive is not a bad concept.  Factually, it’s one of the better FEMA legislative standards because it forces local government to act quickly.  However, the scale of what they are trying to do is just intense.

The various municipal governments in the severe impact zones appear to have a strategy to use the 30-day window to just collect as much as possible in interim geographic locations.  Large empty lots are being utilized as fast dumps for massive piles of debris in this 30-day window.  A claw truck can make a dozen fast runs (per day) locally to these interim dump sites, as opposed to driving long distances to landfills 30 to 50 miles away.

One of these 10-acre dump sites is less than a mile from me.  I do not know how many of these exist; however, to see a full ten acres piled high with 10 to 20′ of debris gives me a sense of the scale of damage in this one small area within a region that must have hundreds of these interim sites.  I have been to a dozen post-hurricane recovery areas and never seen debris like this.

Everything from destroyed construction material, to home furnishings, beds, appliances, parts of boats, roof parts, toys, patio furniture, pieces of cars, clothing, you name it, it’s all there.  All now defined under the term “debris.” However, each piece of debris representing the former life of a family impacted by this storm.  The trucks just keep coming, day and night 24/7.

In the bigger picture, when you think about what is represented, it’s a sullen site to bear witness to… Any person of reasonable Christian disposition would just cry.  They have fenced off these interim dumping sites, and they have erected lights and temporary crane towers to seemingly assist the logistics of what goes where, but my God the scale of it is humbling.  This is just one site utilized for an area of what seems to be approximately 5 square miles.  Expand that scale to hundreds of similar 10-acre sites. Yeah, tears.

Eventually I assume these interim sites will be cleared one truckload at a time to the inner state landfills and recycle facilities. That phase will likely take years.

~ An ordinary neighborhood street awaiting pickup ~

♦PEOPLE – Thousands of people have been displaced. To give a context for the longer-term issue let me tell you a few stories.

In the past several weeks I have visited a number of businesses like Home Depot (hardware etc) and industrial repair shops.  These places are packed with working-class people attempting to patch life back together.  My best guess is you could put between 10,000 and 50,000 skilled construction workers and general laborers into the impact zone, and they would have continuous work for a year or more.

That said, businesses are failing because just as many people have given up and quit as the number that are trying to rebuild.

Most of the service workers involved in the hotel, restaurant and tourist industry on/near the SWFL beaches are out of work. The physical buildings are gone or heavily damaged and closed. Those ordinarily invisible workers are just picking up what may have remained and leaving; because they have no work, and everyone needs a paycheck.  Consider this vulnerable population #1.

Additionally, thousands of people who work regular jobs, including retail and hospitality, have been wiped out or heavily impacted at a personal level.  Whether it be due to direct loss of their homes, housing rentals, vehicles or belongings, or just stress amid the rubble, they too are leaving.  Without those workers businesses are unable to operate and are modifying operations or folding completely.

This subsequent worker shortage puts more pressure on the small to medium businesses and employees that remain….. In turn that creates longer shifts and even more stress on the remaining employees. The result is a cascading impact upon every business from supermarkets to McDonalds, to convenience stores, to garages and mechanics, to just about everything including hospitals and elder care facilities.

♦SELF SUFFICIENCY – If you cannot fix it yourself, life is even more difficult.

An odd aspect I note is the destruction on garages, light industrial facilities and auto repair shops.  Numerous places are closed for repairs as the exterior big garage bay doors (doors on the physical buildings of these places) failed, creating damage internally to the facility and equipment.  If you need a vehicle lift or specialized light to medium industrial equipment repair, you have to travel inland, quite a considerable distance, looking for an open location.

Open hotels for 50+ miles are full of relief and recovery workers and still hundreds more rooms or temporary housing are/is needed for those who travelled to help.  I talked with one six-man recovery crew who are housed at a hotel in Tampa and drive to Pine Island.  That’s a minimum 4 to 5-hour round trip.  Drive 2 hours, work 10, drive 2 hours back, eat/sleep, repeat.

Out of state recovery crews (for just about anything you can imagine) are generally doing two to four-week stints, then they are replaced -take a week off- then return.  SWFL locals take every opportunity to thank them, but no one knows how long this level of assistance will remain available.

It sounds like I’m painting a pretty bleak picture, but that’s the reality of recovery life in an impact zone like this.  It’s also why I don’t like writing about it.  However, amid all of the stress and chaos there are incredible people who will give the shirt off their back to a stranger.   Focusing on this aspect is what fuels the soul daily.

Exiting a 7-11 I ran into Dionne, his wife and 3 kids, including a 6-month-old.

Dionne originally from Indiana, like a bazillion other working-class folks, had a flat tire (roofing nail) and was desperate to get to WalMart for baby formula and diapers.  As he explained the situation, I gave him my keys and said, “just go, I’ve got the tire.”  By the time he came back both problems were solved.  Dionne had the stuff for the baby, and a bunch of strangers – who were also just passersby overhearing the problem – stopped everything, chipped in and the tire was repaired and replaced.

Hurricane Ian certainly brought a mess, but the storm also brought buckets of ordinary opportunities to meet random strangers – reminding us constantly at our spiritual core there are overwhelming numbers of fundamentally good people that non-crisis life would have us miss.

I am intensely thankful for those moments a loving God is providing.  Without Ian those moments may not exist, and each of them is an opportunity for an affirmation.

Now, to be sure, there are self-centered affluent knuckleheads in post hurricane life; but I can also tell you something with a spiritual certainty…

…..Those knuckleheads don’t shop at 7-11’s near me.

Love to all,

~ Sundance

Oct 22 2022

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Wins Coveted Jeb Bush Endorsement for 2024


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 21, 2022 | Sundance 

While appearing with Neil Cavuto to discuss the 2024 election and other matters, Jeb Bush stated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis “will be a formidable candidate in 2024.” {Direct Rumble Link}

Jeb!, the failed 2016 GOPe club insider, is famous for representing the more acceptable side of the Republican party apparatus, and like former House Speaker Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush has high praise for the Florida governor describing himself as a “Ron DeSantis fan.”

Bush told Cavuto in the interview Thursday that if DeSantis runs, “he will be a competitive contender for a number of reasons.” Adding, “the main reason I support Ron DeSantis is because of how well he has run my own state. He has done a great job as governor.”  WATCH:

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues to assemble a considerable amount of support from the institutional political class within the GOP.  Combined with a $200+ million war chest from major professional donors including several Wall Street multinationals, billionaires and hedge fund managers, the enticement to run must be very alluring.

As previously noted, the network, branding consultants and conscripted media support -including Fox News- are all in place.   Will the DeSantis decision be a redo of Ted Cruz’s self-destructive 2016 RNC convention speech decision? Or is DeSantis smart enough to push the professional beltway advisors back and retain an independent ability to control his own political future?

We shall see…

Oct 21 2022

Florida Agriculture Losses from Ian


Armstrong Economics Blog/Agriculture Re-Posted Oct 21, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

The damages from the hurricane are still being evaluated, but preliminary estimates state that Ian caused Florida’s agriculture industry to lose up to $1.56 billion. Around five million acres of farmland were destroyed by the hurricane, 60% of which was grazing land for cattle. An additional 500,000 acres were affected but not destroyed. Florida produces around $8 billion in agricultural goods per year, so this is a significant blow to the industry.

The Sunshine State was already experiencing hardships prior to Hurricane Ian, with some estimates saying the industry would decline by a third this year due to temperatures and disease.

“The impact on Florida’s affected commodities cannot be understated, especially the heartbreaking damage to Florida citrus, an industry already facing significant challenges,” state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried declared. Orange juice alone is expected to cause a $304 million loss. The US Department of Agriculture said that orange production was already 32% down YoY, marking the smallest harvest in eight decades.

Up to $393 million may be lost from destroyed vegetable crops, while horticultural crops may experience a $297 million decline. Cattle is expected to decline by over $220 million.

The true damage cannot be assessed until the fields dry up. None of these figures account for inflation. Natural disasters will only contribute to rising food prices and shortages.

Oct 21 2022

A Tribute to Git R Done


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 20, 2022 | Sundance

Sometimes the knights in shining armor appear as crews’ wearing jeans, overalls and steel toed boots.

It doesn’t take an emergency beacon to activate them, just a need… and they come.  Purposefully, without condition, ready to move, activate and respond.  They throw the gear bags, kiss the ladies & babies, and head out. The rest is figured out upon arrival.

Superior Construction, came from Jacksonville, Ajax Paving from Fort Myers, Honc from the Cape and trucks with subs from just about everywhere. There’s both a unity and similarity that flows when callouses are clasped and the melding of purpose comes together.  Few words are needed, because it’s a task centered outlook, let’s git r’ done – no quit.

I asked Richard to put this together. {Direct Ruble Link} The drone video is from FAI photography. The song is by Lucy Thomas.  The message, well, given all of the critics who say America’s best days are behind, perhaps they need to pause a little bit and remind themselves what we are capable of.  Enjoy:

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What has been accomplished in two weeks of 24/7 reconstruction is nothing short of remarkable.  Then again, this is the Christian America we know well.  The truckers, pullers, spreaders, drivers, welders, machinists, heavy equipment operators, tugboat operators, barge haulers, diggers, pumpers, tradesmen, all of them, just people.

Damn good people at that.

People who represent what makes our nation unique.  The invisible, salty, mostly scruffy and beautifully comfortable about it, yet critical network of blue-collar crews that keeps it all operating.  God, how I cherish them so.

At the core of our American purpose is a decency and unity.  Critics don’t like to talk about it, but American workers are fundamentally good. When something seems impossible, for blue-collar Americans ‘impossible‘ is just another starting point, if you get out of the way. Don’t lose sight of that.

No other nation on earth was ever conceived on the principle of allowing people to manifest their own destiny, while keeping government out of their lives.  The vision, the premise and the purpose, was to allow you the freedom to determine your place in life; and even, at any time, change that determination and strike off in an entirely new direction.

Our labor and aspirations would not be pre-determined by caste, tier, creed or social status; but rather by our personal vision for our own future.  The right of self-determination.

This election is a time to reflect on the value of work; the great personal benefit of endeavors achieved; the pride in accomplishment -regardless of scale- amid this thing we call life; and all of these considerations have absolutely nothing, not-one-thing, to do with the money we assemble in the process.

What is the current value of a former seed that became a tree nurtured toward its continued maturity over decades?  What was that seed worth at the time it was planted?  We can only see the value in hindsight many years later.  What value lay in the blood at Fort McHenry?

The job, per se’, was simple.  Hold the flagpole in place.  Keep that representative flag held high, no matter the cost.  And yet, that cost, my God THAT COST, could it ever be quantified appropriately?   A simple yet consequential task that expressed the fullest measure of devotion to the underlying premise, freedom.  America!

Several years ago, Florida Power and Light won the prestigious international Edward Demming Award for excellence in multi-platform engineering, efficiency, superiority and total quality in the process of energy management.

However, the scruffy rednecks did not blow every PhD intellectual out of the water with slide rules, CAD programs, articulated and quantified quality improvement processes and engineering acumen. They did it with hard hats and dirty fingernails.

Because they lost the award, the jaw-agape Japanese spent 6 months visiting and reviewing FPL and later published a 1,000-page study essentially saying FPL “wasn’t really good, they were just lucky.”  You see, the reviewers couldn’t actually quantify the reason why the Florida-based energy company was so successful.  In response the FPL field leadership laughed, took out magic markers and wrote on the back of their hard hats: “WE’RE NOT GOOD, WE’RE RUCKY.”

A few years later, every single Kuwaiti oil field was blown up by Saddam Hussein. Global analysts and think-tanks proclaimed it would take 5 years to cap them all off and restart the Kuwait oil pumping industry. Well, the Kuwaiti’s and Saudi’s called Texans, who had them all capped and back in working order in 6 months.

We are a nation that knows how to get shit done.

A few more years pass, and the Northern Chile mine workers were trapped two miles underground. The eyes of the world began to tear as the word spread. Most began to whisper no one could save them. Who did they call for help? A bunch of hick miners from USA coal country who went down there, worked on the fly, engineered the rescue equipment on site, and saved every one of them.

Yup, that’s our America. Ingenuity born from freedom.

Across the pond a half-breed Islamic whack job, armed with an AK-47 and a goal to meet his virgins, began opening fire on a train in France. The scruffneck Americans on board didn’t run to the nearest safe room and hide themselves amid baguettes and brie. They said, “let’s go”, and beat the stuffing out of that little nut with a death wish.

Legion d’Honneur or not, that’s us. That’s just how we roll.

Lady Liberty can stroll along the Champs-Elysées with a swagger befitting Mae West because without her arrival, they’d be speaking German in the Louvre. Yet, for the better part of the past decade, a group of intellectual leftists have been teaching our children that it’s better to be sitting around a campfire eating sustainable algae cakes and picking parasites off each other; because ‘save the planet’, or something similarly minded. It would appear, they hate the outcomes and inequities from freedom.

So, we get to today, and right now those who wish to “fundamentally change” our nation are waging a full-frontal assault against our constitutional republic. The bombardment seems overwhelming.

Leftist city and state leaders have abandoned rule of law in favor of supporting a mob effort to destroy our sense of national unity. Political activists, left-wing ideologues under the guise of democrats, and a host of media allies are conducting information warfare on behalf of their objective. Big tech social media companies are attempting to remove the voices of those who are fighting back.

There is a great deal of purposefully driven anxiety and fear amid our nation as this multi-faceted internal war takes place. However, there is a primary element to this effort that each person can shield themselves from, and act to counter.  We are, yet again, in Fort McHenry.

Do not let your sense of self succumb to this assault. Do not let them win the battle for your peace of mind.

It might, heck, -check that- it does seem overwhelming at times. But that is the nature of this collectivist strategy.  That is the purpose of this bombardment. We must hold strong and push back against their lies and manipulations. If you look closely at their attack, it is weak and much of it is psychological bait. Do not fall into the trap of despair.

When we share the message, “live your best life”, it is not without purpose. Every moment that we allow the onslaught to deter us from living our dreams, is a moment those who oppose our nation view as us taking a knee. Do not allow this effort to succeed.

You might ask yourself how I can, one person, a flea looking into a furnace, retain an optimistic disposition while all around me seems chaotic and mad.

That’s the point; it ‘seems’ chaotic and mad because it has been created to appear that way. There are more of us than them; they just control the systems that allow us to connect, share messages and recognize the scale of our assembly.  We cannot comply our way out of tyranny.

Every second that you live your life with thankfulness for the abundance within it; every moment that we CHOOSE to engage with fellowship; every day that we accept guidance from God – however you define him to be; and every moment we cherish this time to be a beacon of optimism; is a moment that we withstand that barrage and hold the flag in place. It is a genuinely patriotic position not to succumb to the attack.

If you allow yourself to be drawn into crisis and despair, you allow them to win. If your center of normal is based around this overwhelming onslaught, you will eventually concede liberty in favor of peace. Once we stop living in liberty, we no longer have peace.

It is time to hold that flagpole again. To remember the reason the seed was planted. To cherish the tree of liberty.

We must withstand this onslaught, any onslaught, and rally to the origin of our true national spirit. We must rally to a standard of Americanism and accept this is not that. In essence, we must individually take a stand. Purposefully, deliberately and with forethought, we must engage those around us to get rid of this sense of foreboding.

This approach is how we win the larger battle. Again, it seems simple, but keeping that flag standing tall requires the heart of a lion and dirty fingernails.

All around us, in every tribe and region, there are people who need you to show them the strength that you have. Strength of spirit. Strength of fellowship that you will not relent from expressing. Lead your children, your children’s children, and the children of community with an unwavering and steadfast example.

No matter what noise is shouting from the loudspeakers we must withstand it; you must withstand it. We must make eye contact and remain joyful.

We cannot allow despair to be the status quo; and we cannot allow a generation to experience a world without joy.

Our nation needs more people like you, right now. Don’t wait… engage life. Resolve to get optimistic however you need to do it. Then let that part of you shine right now. This is how we fight.

Hold up that flag; give the starter smile. Rally to the standard you create and spread fellowship again. God knows we need it.

When I hear President Donald Trump say, “Let’s Make America Great Again”, I also hear the familiar echo “cowboy up” people.

Git ‘r done.

It’s high time we stop being embarrassed about our exceptional American nature, and start being proud of it again.

Because when it matters most, when it really counts, when it’s really needed, there’s a whole bunch of people all around this world of ours that are mighty happy when swagger walks in to solve their problems.

Yeah, let us recommit to “Make America unapologetically Great Again”.

Swagger on, MAGA.  NO QUIT! 

Oct 20 2022

Remarkable Progress – Recovery Update, Sanibel Bridge and Causeway Opens to Residents, Pine Island Electricity Grid Complete


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 19, 2022 | Sundance

Did you know that during hurricanes asphalt roofing shingles act like flying blades?  More on that momentarily….

Today Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was in the Punta Rassa area of South Fort Myers to celebrate a remarkable accomplishment.  The Sanibel bridges and causeway are open to civilian traffic. {Direct Rumble Link}

The massive, albeit temporary, repairs to the three spans and spoil islands have been completed three weeks after Hurricane Ian wiped them out.  A genuinely remarkable feat of engineering and git’ r done roughneck effort.  Truly an incredible accomplishment.  To check out the scale of it see PICTURES HERE.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that emergency repairs to the Sanibel Causeway have been completed in 15 days, more than a week ahead of schedule. As of this morning, access to Sanibel Island has been restored for residents, reconnecting Sanibel Island to the mainland. WATCH:

“The work that has been done to restore vehicle access to Sanibel Island has been historic,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Cutting through bureaucratic red tape and delivering on our promise to get Sanibel Island up and running has been a top priority. By restoring access over the causeway, repair crews, first responders, emergency vehicles, business owners and residents will be better able to expedite recovery from this storm.”

“I am grateful for our dedicated team members who quite literally built a road in the Gulf in 15 days,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “While the bridges were largely undamaged by the storm, portions of the causeway which connect bridge structures together were washed away by Hurricane Ian, leaving the bridges unconnected to the mainland or the island.

A project like this, under normal circumstances, could take months. However, FDOT, along with our law enforcement partners at the Florida Highway Patrol, Lee County and Florida Department of Emergency Management made use of strategic and innovative techniques to rebuild the causeways quickly. Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, and thanks to the hard work of hundreds of FDOT employees and contractors, we were able to relink Sanibel Island to the mainland.”

On October 4, Governor DeSantis directed FDOT to prioritize repairs to the Sanibel Causeway with an estimated completion date by the end of October. On October 11, the Governor announced that due to steady progress on repairs to the causeway, a one-time convoy of more than 350 vehicles for utility restoration would be able to safely cross the bridge onto Sanibel Island.

Damage from Hurricane Ian prevented vehicles from being able to cross the 3-mile-long bridge, delaying the delivery of needed services and supplies to the hard-hit Sanibel community. Crews worked around the clock to restore drivable access for the over 6,000 residents of Sanibel Island. With the completion of the temporary emergency repairs to the Sanibel Causeway, FDOT will now work with Lee County on plans for permanent repairs on the causeway.

FDOT, in partnership with Lee County, has completed emergency repairs to several other damaged bridges in the Lee County area, including repairs to the Pine Island Bridge in less than three days in addition to Big Carlos Pass, Big Hickory, Little Carlos Pass, and New Pass Bridges.

Access to Sanibel Island via the Sanibel Causeway will be managed by Lee County. For more information, please visit www.leegov.com or follow Lee County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc.

[More Pictures Here]

Governor Ron DeSantis has done a great job, and those who wash with Lava soap and degreaser are inspiringly awesome.  Check Out This Video:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=h6Z9UlMowgE%3Ffeature%3Doembed

On the home front a few expected and unexpected challenges remain.

First, my apologies for not being able to post more content at CTH.  Electricity and water service have been restored, but internet service is still a considerable challenge. Most of the current CTH articles are written from weak hotspots or travel to temporary business centers which have been established for use.

It is a wee bit challenging, not just for my efforts here but much more so for businesses in SWFL that rely on stable internet to process business transactions.  Remember the pre-hurricane advice about having cash and not relying on electricity and internet?…  Yeah, in some areas that aspect is still an ongoing issue.

Then there’s the goofy stuff.  Just about everyone who was fortunate enough to have a stable structure remaining, has some form of a tarp roof.  It’s like living in a tent, but a house, with plywood.  Think about Bagram AFB with cinder block walls… lol…  Hey, it’s home.  Permanent installation roofers will be busy here for years; however, on a positive note our insurance adjuster (cool guy) said they were expecting 200,000+ claims, and so far only had 30,000.  So, perhaps the major structural issues are more isolated.

On a directly related note, did you know that asphalt shingles are like flying razor blades in hurricanes?  Ask me how I know this, and I will show you a shingle about 6 inches squared that sliced through the front grill of the truck and we found embedded in the radiator today.  She was overheating, and now I know why.  Crazy stuff.

Also, any gearheads out there with good advice on the best quality long-term patches for tires let me know.  Roofing nails are hobbling everyone (also raises hand), tire shops look like the entrance to Trump rallies….

….which also look like the line for internet service appointments.

Apparently, whoever at Comcast/Xfinity came up with the script, “to report your internet outage, please go on-line to http://www.”, didn’t quite think through the process.

It reminds me of that sign I saw on the stairs years ago that I just had to take a picture of (see above). Hey, we need to laugh because the alternative isn’t healthy.

Back to the hurricane tip part.  You can always tell those people who have been through hurricanes before by how they parked their cars.  I have never included this in the hurricane advice before so it’s worth a mention.

Regarding hurricane damage, if you lose your Florida garage door you will more than likely lose your roof.  That’s just the reality of having a massive opening in your structure to 150 mph winds that will lift the trusses.

First tip, if you have two vehicles, put one vehicle inside the garage with the front bumper against the door to help stop the flex (do this carefully).  Put the other vehicle outside blocking the garage door facing down the driveway.  Use the aero dynamics of the car to push the wind up away from the door.

Second tip, if you live in a flood zone, or if you are concerned about storm surge, the day before impact take your #1 car to the nearest airport or hotel with a parking garage and park in the upper levels.  Take an uber back home if you don’t have a friend or partner to help you.  This way you know you will have one workable vehicle, just in case.

I’m going to compile a list of oddball prepper stuff after learning even more from this event, and I will share it.

Stay strong; keep a good thought and be thankful. Again, the alternative provides no value.

Love to all,

~ Sundance

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vh2aKADtW1g%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Lord, I cherish the lessons in patience, but please remove the blue circle of misery from my computer screen.

Oct 17 2022

Rumble Video Group and Creator SteveWillDoIt Donates a Convoy of 12 Trailers and Generators to Displaced Families in Southwest Florida


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 16, 2022 

Rumble CEO @Chris Pavlovski and Rumble Video Creator @SteveWilldoit stepped up in a major way to help survivors of Hurricane Ian today by sending a convoy of 12 travel trailers and generators into Southwest Florida to support a dozen displaced families.  This is a blessed contribution to the recovery effort.

The convoy traveled to Fort Myers where they will be transferred to a dozen families who have lost their homes, providing a temporary housing solution that is much needed.  Just an awesome job by the Rumble Video company and a content creator for the platform.

Thousands of people are displaced from their homes in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island.  There isn’t an empty hotel room within 100 miles of Lee County as families struggle to find housing.

There are tents set up in parking lots in the South Fort Myers area as temporary shelters for those unable to find alternative housing.  This type of private sector support is very much needed and appreciated.  Rumble is headquartered in Longboat Key Florida, and CEO Chris Pavlovski extends his belief in civic stewardship with generous support for those families most severely impacted by the recent storm.  Awesome Job.  #FloridaStrong

Video of the convoy arriving, below:

A message from Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski on the day Rumble became a public offering, September 23rd:

Oct 16 2022

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Provides Update on Hurricane Ian Recovery Efforts


Posted on the conservative tree house on October 15, 2022 | sundance 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has spent the past several days in/around the western impact zone of Hurricane Ian, the areas hardest hit.

Restoration and recovery work continues overcoming serious obstacles with infrastructure destruction particularly around Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Cape Coral, Pine Island and up toward the Boca Grande pass. These western coastal areas were impacted by sustained 150+ MPH winds for multiple hours as slow-moving Ian crept inland; hence the scale of the destruction.

The power infrastructure is slowly returning to Fort Myers Beach, however, most of the properties are a total loss and/or so heavily damaged power restoration to the structure is unsafe. The work on Sanibel Island is reconstructing the physical power transit system, which will take a long time. According to state officials, approximately 80% of the mainline power grid on Pine Island is now rebuilt; however, many homes are heavily damaged (like FMB) so lines to structures will take longer.

Governor Ron DeSantis gives an update from Burnt Store Marina, which is located between Cape Coral and Punta Gorda on the west. WATCH:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=CbXe1XhwJCs%3Ffeature%3Doembed

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Governor Ron DeSantis also announced an official request to The Dept of Commerce and NOAA to declare a federal fisheries disaster which would provide relief to families and businesses impacted by the loss of economic activity in the fishery sector.

Oct 15 2022

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Wins Coveted Paul Ryan Endorsement for 2024


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 14, 2022 | Sundance

Folks, I’m not trying to bust on Ron DeSantis, I’m just highlighting the dynamic in the background to include the political players and deep connected GOP club operatives.  If the truth makes me a critic, then so be it; but I’m not going to play the pretending game.  Quite frankly, I’m tired of it.

Ron DeSantis is backed by the same assembly of political insiders, donors, corporations and financial backers that supported Jeb Bush.  The professionally republican class know what they have in DeSantis, and he is brand organized, packaged & managed to deliver on their intents.

Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is as dialed in to the GOP club system as it gets.  Ryan’s brass nameplate is rivetted to one of the select mahogany chairs at the club table.

Speaking Wednesday at the Robin Hood conference before billionaires Steve Cohen and Paul Tudor Jones went on stage, Paul Ryan noted the GOP 2024 nominee will be “someone other than Donald Trump.”

According to a recording of his talk, Ryan named Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott as his three favorites. {source} DeSantis fighting Disney was “really good for him, from a political perspective,” Ryan said.

DeSantis didn’t raise $200+ million, with 94% coming from billionaires and multinational corporations, for a gubernatorial reelection race in Florida.  Keep in mind all of the major expenses (television ads, mailers, etc.) are coming from outside PACs and affiliated groups.

DeSantis has raised a massive war chest and he is not spending it.   He has willingly accepted the positioning for a 2024 nomination effort.  It is intellectually dishonest not to see what the Club is doing.

The DNC Club is doing the same thing with California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The both wings of the UniParty want a Newsom -vs- DeSantis contest.

The professional political approach is as clear now in 2022 as it was in 2014 when the clubs were organizing the Hillary -vs- Jeb contest for 2016.

Oct 14 2022

Mike Lindell Joins Samaritans Purse During Recovery Efforts in Southwest Florida


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on October 13, 2022 | Sundance

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell travelled to Fort Myers to join with Samaritans Purse in the Hurricane Ian recovery effort.   Mr. Lindell went door to door in various neighborhoods passing out pillows and blankets along with prayers and well wishes for the community. {Direct Rumble Link}

Mr. Lindell appeared with Steve Bannon to discuss the recovery effort.  WATCH:

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“The damage is incredible—these people need our prayers and our support,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham. “We’re going to need an army of volunteers. Prayerfully consider joining us to help in Jesus’ Name.”  [ Website Here ] 

To give an idea of what happened to the coastal area, there is some pretty incredible drone footage of the damage done to Fort Myers beach and Sanibel/Captiva. Below:

Fort Myers Beach.  It looks like the aftermath of a massive Tsunami:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OHRuCKbKPek%3Ffeature%3Doembed

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Captiva and Sanibel:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uJM_vB6Kn7M%3Ffeature%3Doembed

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Oct 12 2022

Holy Cats, They Did It – The Temporarily Rebuilt Sanibel Causeway Opens Allowing Emergency Vehicles to Reach Sanibel Island


Posted Originally on the conservative tree house on October 11, 2022 | Sundance

No one imagined this was feasible. Every expert put the timeline for repair at around a year.  However, the git r’ done crews and the Florida Dept of Transportation have accomplished a massive feat of reconstruction in phenomenal time.  Major kudos to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the construction crews who worked every hour of every day, day and night, for two straight weeks and have created/built a temporary bridge to Sanibel Island. [Videos below]

Trust me, having seen the aftermath, this is absolutely remarkable.  The causeway is made up of three bridge spans (A, B, and C) and three spoil islands.

The rapid response construction crews just kept bringing truck after truck of everything imaginable including rocks, concrete slabs, gravel, sand and more to fill in the missing parts of the roadway and spoil islands.  Then they surfaced the road and are now working on paving it in record time.  Today restoration emergency crews drove across the bridges, and they anticipate opening the causeway to residents of Sanibel for civilian use on October 21st. WATCH:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JIL3EeZx-Pg%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Today the construction crews moved aside to allow, over 200 bucket trucks, 150 electric line and pickup trucks (LCEC, FP&L, Duke Energy) towing 50 trailers and two tractor-trailers carrying first responders to the island.

Additionally, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was on the Fort Myers side of the bridge to celebrate the accomplishment at a press conference.  WATCH:

{Direct Rumble Link}

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FORT MYERS, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that temporary repairs to the Sanibel Causeway will allow a one-time convoy of power restoration equipment, supplies, and crews to access Sanibel Island and continue restoration efforts. Once crews are on the island, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will resume repairs to restore access to the island for residents, which is expected to be complete by the end of this month.

The temporary repairs to the bridge will allow over 200 bucket trucks, 150 line and pickup trucks towing 50 trailers and 2 tractor trailers to move onto the island, along with additional first responders to cross the bridge and aid in recovery efforts while final road repairs are underway. This includes crews from across the state, Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC), Florida Power and Light and members of the Florida Electric Cooperative Association.

Last week, at Governor DeSantis’ direction, barges began to deploy to move equipment and supplies to Sanibel Island to restore power and ensure wraparound services like running water are available as quickly as possible. Barges continue to move daily to transport equipment, personnel, and supplies to support recovery operations.

Efforts to restore power to Pine Island are also underway. Last week, the Governor announced that FDOT had established a temporary bridge to Pine Island in less than three days, allowing power restoration crews to access the island and begin repairs. Led by Duke Energy and LCEC, crews have begun to clear debris, lay new lines and replace power poles. By Thursday, LCEC expects to have power restored to one quarter of Pine Island, including the Island’s center, water treatment plant substation and to centrally located grocery stores. Power is expected to be restored to one third of the island and the Matlacha area by next week. (LINK)

Damage on September 30th:

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Repairs as of 10/10/22:

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Trucks arriving 10/11/22:

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Governor DeSantis said leaders started brainstorming different ways more trucks and equipment could be brought to the island other than helicopters and barges. But in the end, different ideas weren’t necessary because the temporary causeway repairs will allow a one-time convoy to cross onto the island.

During a news conference Tuesday in Fort Myers, trucks were seen slowly driving across the bridge — beginning the journey to the island on the Sanibel Causeway.

“Ahead of schedule, it was supposed to be 3 o’clock today they thought they’d get it,” the governor said. “But we’re happy that is something that is being done.”

DeSantis explains the convoy now able to travel on Sanibel Island is a large group, including:

  • 200 bucket trucks
  • 150 line and pickup trucks towing 50 trailers
  • Two tractor trailers
  • First responders

This also includes crews from across the state, Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC), Florida Power and Light and members of the Florida Electric Cooperative Association.

After crews reach the island, the Florida Department of Transportation will be able to continue with repairs to restore access to the island for residents.

This isn’t the first time relief made its way to the island. DeSantis said barges were deployed last week to move equipment and supplies to the area to restore power and running water.  The governor’s office says barges continue to move daily to transport equipment, personnel and supplies. [Media Link]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Fort Myers to give updates on recovery efforts and announce that temporary repairs to the Sanibel Causeway will allow a one-time convoy of power restoration equipment, supplies and crews temporary access to Sanibel Island for power restoration efforts. Once crews are on the island, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will resume repairs to restore access to the island for residents, which is expected to be complete by the end of this month. Full remarks can be found here.

There are currently 19,362 reported power outages. In Lee and Collier counties, there are only 1,000 accounts on the mainland that remain without power that can receive it. More than 42,000 linemen have already restored power to over 2.6 million accounts across the state, representing over 99% of accounts restored since the peak.

Yesterday, Governor DeSantis announced that $2.5 million in loans have been awarded to 55 businesses through the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian. Additionally, $126 million will be going to 24 communities across the Panhandle that are continuing to rebuild and strengthen after Hurricane Michael made landfall 4 years ago.

First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the Florida Disaster Fund has raised nearly $40 million since activation. To read more info, click here. To contribute, please visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222.  (read more)

Watch the short video below to see what is happening to restore power on Pine Island:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4kTkCMF-wCg%3Ffeature%3Doembed