PITTSBURGH MOURNS SHOOTING VICTIMS NATION | A4 PANAMA CITY LOCAL | B1 EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY AT SIX LOCATIONS Monday, October 29, 2018 www.newsherald.com @The_News_Herald facebook.com/panamacitynewsherald 75¢ Arnold to act as long-term shelter for displaced By Eryn Dion a.m. to noon and middle school 747-5069 | @PCNHErynDion | students attending class from [email protected] 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. — the same arrangement as middle and high schools on the east side PANAMA CITY BEACH of the Hathaway Bridge. — With more than 800 resi- Bay District Schools is dents still displaced and living offering Arnold as a shelter The awning from the Mexico Beach Police and ESU Department in Mexico Beach on Friday, October in Red Cross shelters after to the Red Cross until Dec. 26, 2018. [JOSHUA BOUCHER/THE NEWS HERALD] Hurricane Michael and that 31, but operations may cease number expected to grow, prior to that date if the orga- Bay District Schools is offer- nization can find long-term ing Arnold High School as a solutions for those shelter- Tensions running long-term shelter. ing there. The move will consolidate Arnold teachers are asked the shelters currently set up at to begin collecting their per- Surfside Middle School, Deane sonal items out of their rooms high in Mexico Beach Bozeman School and Breakfast on Monday, with shelter Point Academy. Arnold stu- operations beginning to move By Zack McDonald dents will operate on a shared in to the building by Monday The News Herald campus with Surfside Middle afternoon. School, with high school stu- MEXICO BEACH — dents attending class from 7 See ARNOLD, A2 Reduced to little more than rubble and collapsed trees, infighting among officials along the forgotten coast in the wake of Hurricane SPORTS | C1 Michael escalated to the point the sitting city man- FSU BASKETBALL ager attempted to fire the police chief. TEAM BOASTS As the dust settles in the town of Mexico Beach from DEPTH taking a direct hit from the most powerful storm to hit the Panhandle, numerous outsiders have descended to assist in the recovery effort. But in the immediate after- Holy Nativity students math, tensions ran high in Police Chief Anthony Kelly in Mexico Beach on Friday, October City Hall. 26, 2018. [JOSHUA BOUCHER/THE NEWS HERALD] Mexico Beach Police return to school Monday Chief Andrew Kelly said the source of controversy was By Eryn Dion principal of the pre-K through whether survivors should @PCNHErynDion | 8th grade institution, said she be removed from the deci- [email protected] and her staff believe the early mated city as rebuilding start is what’s best for the efforts began. Kelly said, PANAMA CITY — The students and their parents. instead, he wanted food dis- roof may be largely gone, “It’s best for the children, tribution stations brought the buildings full of water not only to have that routine into Mexico Beach so that and the twisting canopy of again, but to see other chil- survivors could begin to live oaks that shaded the dren that have been through piece together their lives. neighborhood’s quiet streets the same thing,” Hughes said. “To the people of this significantly thinner, but “And the parents will see that town, salvaging a little school will once again resume too.” league picture of their at Holy Nativity Episcopal For now, Hughes said stu- grandson means more than School on Monday, though dents will be split between possessions,” Kelly said. “I not at their beloved Cove the Holy Nativity Episcopal thought those people should school campus. Church on Bonita Avenue in stay and have food while The private school will Panama City and St. Thomas they begin to put things begin classes a full week by the Sea Episcopal Church back together. I made that before some of the lesser in Laguna Beach for families decision and I’d do it again.” Parker Park in Mexico Beach is the temporary home of the city’s damaged public schools open fi re and police departments on Friday, October 26, 2018. [JOSHUA their doors, but Judy Hughes, See SCHOOL, A2 See BEACH, A2 BOUCHER/THE NEWS HERALD] Panama City News Herald Nation & World ..............A4 Diversions ...................... B7 TODAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Want to subscribe? Viewpoints .................... A6 TV Listings .................... C6 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Partly sunny Call 850-747-5050 Local ..........................B1-6 82° / 60° 80° / 62° 82° / 70° * ** A2 Monday, October 29, 2018 | The News Herald Hurricane Michael strikes with a vengeance By Tim Croft overlooking the Port St. Of driveways, roads The Port St. Joe Star | Joe Marina to see boats blocked by downed trees, 850-227-7827 | @PSJ_Star and water in rush down of streets and stormwater | [email protected] Marina Drive. basins turned into raging There was the family rivers, of power lines PORT ST. JOE — Of the on Garrison Ave. that strewn across roads and many transformations watched as first one oak, front lawns. wreaked by Hurricane then another oak, then “It was a worst-case Michael’s arrival Oct. 10, a tall, proud pecan tree scenario,” Marshall one is certainly the greet- were transformed into Nelson, county Emer- ing, “How you doing?” a pile of pick-up sticks gency Management Those who experi- for giants, the uprooting Director succinctly said. enced Michael’s wrath pecan tree taking with Those who stayed will may never consider that it the foundation of the also always possess the question the same again; backyard shed. stories of the aftermath, even 10, 20, 30, 40 years All who saw a Category of survival, of folks from now. 1 storm grow to just shy emerging and gazing And, in turn, those of a Category 5 within around, comprehending who stayed will also 48 hours, who didn’t the long, arduous road have stories, highly indi- ponder evacuation until ahead, and yet still hold- vidual and yet remarkably too late, have their indi- ing to the mantra of “one alike, about the day, the vidual stories, of the day at a time” and helping date, the month and Simmons Bayou near Presnell’s Marina [COURTESY OF DEBBIE HOOPER AT JOEBAY.COM] frightening winds, the thy neighbor. year Michael rowed roiling rising waters, Michael, as County ashore. Grove and made it to 16th in their nightclothes from about to eat a banana the trees snapped as Administrator Michael There were the two and Marvin where they a burning home to safety sandwich in the top floor toothpicks, the tiles Hammond said, and its women who jumped in found refuge. in a neighbor’s house. of the Piggly Wiggly when and debris rendered recovery will be with us a boat in a flooding Oak Or the family that swam George Duren was he looked out a window projectiles. for awhile. duration of the shelter small interior for officers ARNOLD operation. BEACH to rest. The facility will have a Kelly said other From Page A1 kitchen, showers, laun- From Page A1 agencies have donated dry and transportation uniforms and the Florida so residents can get their Highway Patrol contrib- The move comes as children to school or Kelly said that the rift uted with patrol cars. the Red Cross has tried, out to their properties, was specifically between However, the future of and failed to find other medical care and daycare himself and interim City both agencies is murky options in the county, facilities. Manager Tanya Castro, a with about 95 percent of as all of the vacant big Several schools have former council member. the tax base destroyed in box stores have been been used at Red Cross Following the storm, the storm. damaged and are unsuit- shelters, with the first, Castro sought to close Mayor Al Cathey said able, according to the at Deane Bozeman the borders to the town, the city only had about district. The Red Cross School, opening two days Kelly said, and only allow A building with places to live is being fed dehumidifi ed $1 million dollars in also expects the number before the storm as the in vetted utility workers air and being repaired in Mexico Beach on Friday, reserves to pay salaries. of residents displaced to evacuation orders were and clean-up crews in October 26, 2018. [JOSHUA BOUCHER/THE NEWS HERALD] Even before the storm, increase as tenants are announced. Northside order to prevent looting. the city had been trying evicted from condemned Elementary School then When asked for a com- contacting the almost Office to let them know to get Bay County to apartment buildings. opened and was filled, ment, Castro indicated 40 people choosing the his officers would return absorb the cost of the FEMA has guaranteed along with Merritt Brown that the performance remain, Kelly followed after the storm, Kelly fire department. The Arnold will get full facil- Middle School and Ruth- of law enforcement behind and fled as Hurri- said. county declined because ity back no later than erford High School. In the prompted the need to call cane Michael bore down One of his officers, Mexico Beach would January 1st, according to days following the storm, in reinforcements. She on Mexico Beach. Kelly said, walked from downgrade their rating the release. The voluntary Rutherford High School's did not directly address “We gave the people Callaway back to Mexico and eventually cost pre-kindergarten, also shelter had to be evacu- the reasons for seeking permanent markers to Beach with a chainsaw county residents more known as VPK, will still ated after a generator to have the police chief write their name and and began search and for insurance.