County issues mandatory evacuation for RVs, some visitors
The Gulf County Board of County Commissioners issued a mandatory evacuation for all RVs in coastal Gulf County as well as any visitors located north of the Stump Hole on Cape San Blas.
For Gulf County residents or property owners located north of the Stump Hole on Cape San Blas, Indian Pass and low lying areas, a voluntary evacuation order has been issued.
The evacuation order was given in anticipation of Hurricane Idalia making landfall just East of the Forgotten Coast on Wednesday, giving those in the area about 24 hours to evacuate before winds and rain arrive ahead of the storm.
At this time, Idalia is forecast to become a major hurricane before making landfall.
The commissioners also unanimously voted to declare a local state of emergency in advance of the storm.
This report will be updated as information becomes available.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.