Gov. DeSantis announces additional aid to local communities

Rick Patrick reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com On Thursday, Feb. 23, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a plan to distribute more than $6 million in further assistance to communities that were affected by Hurricane Idalia late last summer. A bulk of the award money, $5.3 million, is coming through the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) program. The remaining $1 million is being awarded through the Florida Disaster Fund in order to help hurry along the Hurricane Idalia home repair program through FloridaCommerce. “Hurricane Idalia packed a punch in the Big Bend region, and we are providing these communities resources for recovery and long-term economic growth,” said Gov. DeSantis. “[These] aw