- September 9, 2024
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Gov. Ron DeSantis made a quick stop at Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar in Sarasota on Wednesday to survey damage from Tropical Storm Debby, meet with several small business owners and talk briefly to the media.
Inside the Creekside Trader gift shop next to the oyster bar, Donita Galbraith was behind the main counter, looking at the floor still covered in sand. A brown water mark about a foot off the ground was a reminder of how high the floodwater had reached.
She said she got the first look inside the shop on Tuesday. Before that, she said the water blocked her from getting near the place. “You couldn’t even get in the parking lot.”
When she was able to get into the shop Tuesday, there were still 3 inches of water inside the store. Merchandise was strewn about, display shelves were elevated on cinder blocks.
She wasn’t sure when the shop would be ready to reopen. “We don’t have a game plan for this yet,” she said. We’re working on the restaurant the first day.”
After DeSantis spent a few minutes inside the gift shop, he walked to the restaurant, with staff, county officials, county commissioners and reporters in tow.
“Sarasota and Manatee counties definitely were the first to, I think, really see significant flooding. We saw some in North Central Florida yesterday,” DeSantis said. “We were here to be able to talk to some of the business owners, some of the local folks, just to get a sense of the issues that they need.”
DeSantis predicted there would be a need for temporary housing. “Maybe there's probably going to be a need for some business support. We've already unlocked our emergency business zero-interest loan program,” he said.
He said people living in areas, such as Phillippi Creek, who will need more time to recover.
“There are going to be pockets around the state where you have folks in low-lying areas near these bodies of water that may have issues still coming up in a few days.”
The National Weather Service reported Wednesday a flood warning for areas around the Myakka River Areas immediately surrounding the river, especially low-lying areas, may experience up to 2 feet of flooding between Thursday and Saturday.
NWS said flooding will be experienced from north to south along the Myakka River:
“We don’t think the Myakka will go as high as (Hurricane) Ian, so we’re going to be very nimble about this,” DeSantis said.
Kevin Guthrie, the head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, praised Sarasota’s Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi, who is in her first year here, coming from Lee County.
“She is doing a remarkable job here. Sarasota has been very, very quick to respond to their disaster, and they continue to work with us on a day-to-day basis,” Guthrie said.
"I think the good thing about here is, you have a community that will rally to help folks,” DeSantis said. “You have businesses that will rally, the nonprofits, and then, of course, for what we have resources at the state level. We want to be helpful, and we will be helpful.”
