PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Business owners along 8th Ave in Pass-a-Grille are preparing for the possibility of 4 to 7 feet of storm surge.
In 2020, during the tropical storm ETA, several shops in Pass-A-Grille flooded. As another system approaches, doors and windows are getting sandbagged as business owners prepare for more tidal flooding.
"You know, it's a mindset. You do what you can do it's not great, but it's happening. We can fight what is and do the best we can," E' Layne Kelley said.
Kelley was preparing the art cooperative, A Little Room for Art, on 8th Avenue for a possible storm surge.
We caught up with artist Beth Kauffman, loading her car with art pieces. Kauffman said she lost much of her work during Hurricane Ian at a gallery located in Matlacha.
"My biggest concern is the same thing could happen here, so I just don't want it to happen again cause, as an artist, an artist really can't insure their work," Kauffman said.
Some locals were out enjoying a beautiful day at the beach before things went downhill.
"I'm all hunkered in. I have my non-perishables, and I just bought my candles today. I did go to a shelter for the last storm we had this time of year," Bridie Maysie said. "If they tell us to leave, I will leave because it puts a burden on the first responders not to leave and get out of the way."
