Hurricane Helene

After floods ravaged the county last year, commissioners said there seems to be enough already in the coffers, and from hurricane relief aid.

Suwannee County was the hardest hit during Helene, said Christa Court, director of UF/IFAS' Economic Impact Analysis Program.

Early assessments suggested Tampa might have to start from scratch. However, after reviewing engineering reports, a plan has been initiated to cut years off the time needed to reopen.

There are more than 100 specialty license plates in Florida. The second most popular is providing a big help for sea turtles.

'Hopefully, just like she healed, the communities affected [by Helene] can heal as well, and move forward and rebuild stronger,' said the caretaker for Aggie, a green sea turtle.

The AquaFence structure is in place to protect Lift Station 85 from storm surge and floodwaters.

County commissioners voted to use $125 million in tourist bed taxes to rebuild Sand Key, Treasure Island and Upham Beach. But a lack of easements from some property owners could make the effort a bit disjointed.

The $709.3 million would assist Hillsborough County in recovering from damages caused by Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton.

Although Hurricane Helene hit in September of 2024, Cedar Island resident Jody Griffis still doesn't have a permanent home.

WUFT spoke with NPR and PBS correspondent Laura Sullivan on her new documentary, "Hurricane Helene's Deadly Warning."

On "Florida Matters," we speak with WUSF reporters about what local governments are doing to prevent excessive flooding this year and how people are rebuilding ahead of the hurricane season.

After last year’s storms, local governments and the state could end up changing their land development codes to make sure structures are safer and more resilient, an expert says.