Latest news with #KarenLove
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Pretty traumatized by it': Gulfport residents urged to learn from past storms, prepare
GULFPORT, Fla. (WFLA) — There are just a few days away from the start of hurricane season. The City of Gulfport is encouraging residents to prepare for it now. Officials held their annual Hurricane Preparedness Seminar Thursday night. For some, it was their first time attending. Others have been there before, but said this year feels different. Saharan dust plume heading for Florida: Here's what to know 'I think the fact that it really happened this year and people lived through it, and they've been pretty traumatized by it. So I think for folks to be here, and more importantly not to just learn the information but to go home and immediately make their check list tomorrow,' said Mayor Karen Love. Gulfport resident Lisa Onessimo said she wants a new approach to hurricane season after what she experienced during Hurricanes Milton and Helene. 'I want to know where we're going, how we're getting there, what to do,' Onessimo said. 'Ever since we had the hurricane from the last year, I lived in Gulfport and I'm here today to get a good grip because it was tough for us.' A few dozen people attended and some asked questions about shelters, flood dam doors, communication, sandbags, and more. 'What's the city going to do for sewer or to take care of the water?' one man asked. 'Could we get some safety tips about how to deal with the risk of electrical fires?' a woman asked after saying the house across the street from her was on fire following one of the storms. The fire department told residents to make sure to turn off electrical breakers. The city said it is working on a watershed master plan to explore options on how to improve drainage and should have answers by the end of the year. Post-storm preparations is one thing, and 8 On Your Side asked the mayor specifically about plans to improve the rebuilding process for residents. 'Well, I don't think I can answer that question right now. We're working on things; we're presenting two different options. Everything takes a little bit of time, we are looking at changing our model or potentially farming it out to the county,' Love said. The mayor said they are working on permits every day and have dedicated meetings toward the matter specifically. Those at the meeting emphasized getting away from the water, evacuating when told to, and the risk it puts first responders in when people don't evacuate. 'I need to be safer. I should've left and I didn't and that was my fault,' Onessimo said. 'It's heartbreaking. It makes you go back and cry because you want to pull everybody you can, it's just thank God everybody survived,' said Gulfport Fire Rescue Deputy Fire Chief James Lundh. For more information on Gulfport's preparedness plan, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gulfport to usher in Women's History Month by swearing in all women city council
The Brief The City of Gulfport will have an all-women city council for the first time. This follows the election of Karen Love as the city's mayor and the election of three female councilwomen. It will mark the first time a city council in Florida is all women. GULFPORT, Fla. - This Women's History Month, the City of Gulfport has a lot to celebrate. It will soon make history as having Florida's first ever all-women city council. The city will also have a female mayor for the second time since it was founded in 1910. "What I did not know was that we were going to make history. I did not know," said Mayor-elect Karen Love. "In Florida's history, there has never been an all-five-person female council, so that was my first news. Then, my second bit of news that morning was that it only happened five times in the United States, period." What they're saying Come April 1, Gulfport's City Council will comprise Love, April Thanos (Ward 1), Marlene Shaw (Ward 2), Cosi Jackson (Ward 3) and Nancy Earley (Ward 4). READ: Tampa Bay Rays introduce new home at Steinbrenner Field ahead of Opening Day Mayor-elect Love is a 15-year resident of Gulfport. "There is a saying in Gulfport, 'You do not find Gulfport, it finds you,' and I really resonate with that," said Love. "There is just a different quality of people. Somehow, we are all connected here." Love said when she first ran for mayor, she turned to the city's first female mayor, Yvonne Johnson. "We had already had a female mayor in 1972, and she was mayor, I believe, until '97," Love said. "I went to her, and I said, 'You led the way. You were our first, and I would like to introduce myself and tell you that I am going to be the second.'" Dig deeper Love said she revisited Johnson on Tuesday. "I said, but at that time, I did not realize what a historical moment this was going to be. I said now that I do," said Love. "It is so important for you to be there; you led the way in the '70s. She is going to be there at the swearing-in. I am really pleased about that." CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Marlene Shaw secured the Ward 2 seat. Shaw is a 30-year resident who worked for the city for five years, managing the casino and theater. "I think there was a real energy for some change," Shaw said. "This is a huge win for Gulfport. It was not about me, that I couldn't do it alone, and that it was all up to the community." Big picture view Both women said it was not about one gender over the other but equality. "I do not know all of the people on the council, but what I have seen and what I have heard is it is not only about being all-female," said Love. "It is about smart, business-like, energized, ready to get to work, and I am so excited to work with all these folks." The city's swearing-in ceremony will happen at City Hall on Tuesday, April 1, at 6 p.m. The Source FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis collected the information in this story. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS LIVE: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
