Millions approved to fund hurricane resilience projects across Orange County
More than $85 million in federal funds will soon be used to improve Orange County communities that were hit hard by Hurricane Ian.
Orange County Commissioners approved funding on Tuesday to help communities prepare for and withstand future storms.
It will support 14 local projects, including four in the City of Orlando, two in the City of Ocoee and one in Winter Garden, Winter Park and the Town of Eatonville.
Orange County will also use a portion of the funding to improve stormwater infrastructure in Orlo Vista, Long Lake, Verona Park and the Bonnie Brook communities.
Longtime Bonnie Brook resident Jim Tadlock told Channel 9 he's still rebuying furniture after losing everything during Hurricane Ian nearly three years ago.
'I bought a living room, dining room and all new appliances,' said Tadlock, 'Everybody on this street lost everything.'
But Tadlock is hopeful that a new project set to upgrade existing pumps and construct a new stormwater pump station at the west end of Applecross Street could make a big difference.
Commissioners approved $1.5 million for the project as part of the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.
Tadlock, along with Bonnie Brook resident Denise George and Bonnie Brook Homeowners Association President Deborah Marley, had advocated for improvement for years.
'We just started pushing and nagging, and I guess it worked,' said Marley.
This funding is part of a $219.7 million allocation received by Orange County through HUD.
In addition to awards for public infrastructure, $35 million remains, as part of the CDBG-DR program, available for homeowners with unresolved Hurricane Ian damage through the Orange County Recovers program.
Applications are open through the summer.
Marley continues, 'You still have people trying to get back into their houses. We've got one guy that just moved back in.'
You can learn more about the help for homeowners still recovering here.
And explore the other projects via this link.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
10 hours ago
- Black America Web
The Disrespect: Trump Disregards Juneteenth, Says US Has ‘Too Many Non-Working Holidays'
Source: MANDEL NGAN / Getty Black MAGA, y'all alright? Donald Trump has once again shown us who he is, the most un-American, unproductive, and unapologetically divisive figure ever elected to the highest office in the land, who has the audacity to complain about 'non-working' holidays—namely, Juneteenth. On Thursday (Jun 19), as Black Americans celebrated Juneteenth, commemorating the end of chattel slavery in the United States, Trump didn't issue a statement, attend an event, or offer even a hollow gesture of recognition. Instead, he took to his communication platform, Truth Social, to complain that America has 'too many non-working holidays,' intentionally ignoring one of the most historically significant dates for our community. 'Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed,' Trump said Thursday on Truth Social without explicitly mentioning Juneteenth. Allow me to say the quiet part out loud: This wasn't an oversight; it was an intentional and calculated decision to disrespect. While Trump spent the holiday doing nothing, former President Joe Biden spent the day honoring Juneteenth at the exact site where Union soldiers arrived in 1865 to inform more than 250,000 enslaved people of their freedom, Reedy Chapel AME Church in Galveston, Texas. It's a stark contrast moment that shows the difference between honoring American history and actively trying to erase it. According to the White House, Trump had initially planned to sign a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth, but that plan was quietly scrapped without explanation after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the administration was 'working 24/7' before dismissing the need for a Juneteenth proclamation altogether. 'I'm not tracking his signature on a proclamation today,' she said. 'I know this is a federal holiday.' What's more disrespectful is that this is the same administration that uses Black people as props while refusing to protect Black life or recognize Black history. Whether it's photo ops with Black pastors, staged roundtables with cherry-picked community 'leaders,' lying on us with fake stats, or parading out HUD Secretary Scott Turner for cover, Trump's playbook is always the same: surround yourself with Black faces while ignoring Black voices. And let's talk directly to the 30% of Black voters who proudly say they support Trump. This is what you're co-signing—a man who weaponizes the Black struggle when it suits his narrative and ignores it when it requires decorum. Trump claims to have 'made Juneteenth famous' in 2020, as if generations of Black Americans haven't been celebrating the day with parades, cookouts, and sacred remembrance for over a century, only to pretend a few years later that it doesn't matter—and that's the bigger issue. Trump's rejection of Juneteenth isn't just disrespectful; it's part of a much larger and more dangerous pattern by an elderly man who's waging war on DEI initiatives, rewriting curriculum to exclude critical race theory, and gutting federal protections for Black workers. And let's not forget, Trump had no problem announcing two new holidays, Victory Days for both world wars — including one that already exists as Veterans Day, but Juneteenth is suddenly too costly, because it's too Black. It's clear that Trump's disregard for Juneteenth is not about the number of holidays, but instead about denying the truth of America's past to protect the illusion of its innocence and solidifying to his base that acknowledging Black liberation is optional. Deepak Sarma, inaugural distinguished scholar in the public humanities at Case Western Reserve University, told HuffPost that Trump's reversal on Juneteenth this year shows that his political strategies embrace 'cruelty,' and that he employed a 'bait-and-switch' in an attempt to woo Black supporters; noting that Trump is 'appealing only to his MAGA constituents, many of whom were covert, and now are overt, racists,' and he has discarded the concerns of his Black supporters. 'This is consistent with his Machiavellian political philosophy, which embraces deception, cruelty, and immorality to achieve his selfish goals,' Sarma told the publication. '[Rejecting] DEI, embracing pro-life, utilizing ICE, are all ways to cater to MAGA voters.' Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has done more to dismantle Black progress than almost any president in modern history. From banning DEI programs to banning books about Black history, his record speaks louder than his silence ever could. So yes, Trump's refusal to acknowledge Juneteenth is disrespectful; it's also entirely on brand, serving as a reminder that his presidency is built on white grievance, historical revisionism, and the suppression of truth. SEE ALSO: Thanks To Donald Trump, The American Dream Is Dead Donald Trump, Executive Overreach, And Project 2025's Blueprint SEE ALSO The Disrespect: Trump Disregards Juneteenth, Says US Has 'Too Many Non-Working Holidays' was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Bill Clinton endorses former top aide Cuomo for NYC mayor
Ex-President Bill Clinton on Sunday endorsed his former Housing secretary Andrew Cuomo in the Big Apple's mayoral primary, describing the city as in 'crisis'' and his pal as a 'competent leader.' In a robocall released by Cuomo's campaign, the Democratic former commander in chief urged New Yorkers to back the ex-governor in the Tuesday's Dem showdown. 3 Former President Bill Clinton formally endorsed his previous HUD secretary, Andrew Cuomo, for New York City mayor in a robocall to voters. Paul Martinka Advertisement 'The election will decide the next mayor of New York, and I urge you to vote for Andrew Cuomo,' Clinton said in the recorded message. 'As president, I chose Andrew to be my secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and he never let me down.' Clinton, 78 — who lives in tony Chappaqua in Westchester County — noted that Cuomo worked in his presidential administration on such issues as affordable housing and helping to stave off hate, including 'discrimination, including against the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and antisemitism,' he said. The ex-president said Cuomo can fix what he called a city in 'crisis. Advertisement 'New York City is facing major challenges. There is a desperate need for affordable housing, homelessness is at a crisis level, and public safety must be restored,' Clinton said. 'It is imperative that New York chooses a mayor who has the ability, talent, and experience to do the job. 'He's a fighter who knows how to make government work, and at a time when our basic rights are under assault, I know he'll stand up and protect the people of this city,' he said of Cuomo, adding his Dem buddy has the ability to raise the 'progressive standard.' 3 Clinton expressed his confidence that Cuomo could lead a city in 'crisis.' Matthew McDermott Advertisement Cuomo, 67, responded to the endorsement with gratitude. 'I am honored to have the support of President Bill Clinton — a personal mentor, friend, and hero. His administration was one of the most accomplished in modern political history,' Cuomo said in the message. Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace as governor in 2021 amid a slew of sexual-harassment allegations, is aiming for a political resurrection in his mayoral comeback bid. Cuomo has vehemently any accusation of wrongdoing. Clinton similarly had a presidency rocked by scandal. Advertisement His Oval Office affair with then-22-year-old intern Monica Lewinsky led him to be impeached by the House for perjury and obstruction of justice — though he was acquitted by the Senate and never resigned. 3 The two Democrats have had political careers rocked by scandal. Richard Harbus Clinton's endorsement of Cuomo comes just two days before the city's Tuesday primary. Democratic kingmaker and 84-year-old South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn endorsed Cuomo on Friday — as surging socialist contender Zohran Mamdani's campaign garnered a mix of fresh condemnation and support. In the city's ranked-choice voting contest, Cuomo currently prevails 55% to 45% against Mamdani in a potential seventh round, according to a recent Marist College Institute for Public Opinion survey. The poll indicated a big drop from a Marist poll conducted in May, when Cuomo led Mamdani 60% to 40% after all the other candidates were eliminated and second preference votes transferred to the two finalists.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Charlotte woman advocates for change after losing home in flash flood
A local woman lost most of her personal belongings after a flash flood swept through her home on June 12. Jane Morin, pantry coordinator for the nonprofit Hearts United for Good, said the water came from the creek by her house. Morin told Channel 9's Eli Brand the water got high enough to go over the bridge and into her home. The water inside was almost knee-deep. 'Anything that was down here in any of these cabinets or sitting on the floor is not salvageable,' she said. Morin was in the process of moving so most of her things were packed in boxes on the floor. She wasn't home when the flood started, and by the time she found out about it, she had to wait for flood waters to recede before she could check on the damage. Morin wasn't the only one affected by the heavy rains. One of her neighbors had to be rescued from the waters by the Charlotte Fire Department, she said. Both Morin and her neighbor were given orders to vacate within 30 days because of the damage. Luckily, Morin says she has a new home to move into, but that isn't the case for everyone. 'It rained four inches in 90 minutes,' she said. 'We've seen in western North Carolina how much damage can be done quickly because of water.' Morin wants people to understand that things like this can cause people to experience homelessness. She says there is a chance she could have been temporarily unhoused if she didn't already have a home lined up. It's something she sees regularly with her work at HUG, a nonprofit that helps feed the hungry and people experiencing homelessness in the city. 'I would love for there to be a different narrative around people being unhoused,' she said. Morin says people from her organization are doing what they can to help, and she is encouraging others to offer whatever help they can to those in need as well. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help with Morin's recovery efforts. Morin added that there were donations in her home for her niece who recently became unhoused. Her niece is pregnant, she said. Many of those donations were lost. To donate directly to HUG, visit VIDEO: Flash flooding hits Caldwell County after strong storms
