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The Villages
Wednesday, May 15, 2024

U.S. Northern Command providing disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Irma

U.S. Northern Command is working through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support authorities in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to provide life-saving and life-sustaining relief to those in affected areas.

A U.S. Navy search and rescue helicopter team operates on St. Thomas.
A U.S. Navy search and rescue helicopter team operates on St. Thomas.

The USS Kearsarge, USS Wasp and USS Oak Hill , along with the Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are conducting a large offload of relief supplies in the U.S. Virgin Islands while continuing to conduct air operations.

Over the past 24 hours in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft have conducted medical evacuations of 73 medical patients and the Defense Logistics Agency has delivered 2,000 tarps, 40 pallets of food, water and medical supplies. USNORTHCOM is currently positioning the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and the amphibious ships USS Iwo Jima and USS New York to begin search and rescue operations when weather permits. USNORTHCOM has committed a significant force to the Irma response mission, with approximately 4,500 personnel already postured in the Southeast. 

USNORTHCOM has identified incident support bases at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Warner Robbins AFB, Ga., Fort Bragg, N.C., Moody AFB, Ga., A.P. Hill, Va., North Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, S.C. to support response and recovery operations.

The Defense Logistics Agency is providing approximately 50,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline and 50,000 gallons of diesel to Warner Robins Air Force Base, Ga., in support of FEMA.  DLA is delivering 3,000 cases of meals and 5,000 gallons of bottled water to Haiti.  DLA is also sending 2 million meals to Selma, Ala., 1.5 million meals to Ft. Bragg, N.C. and distributing bottled water, tarps, generators and pharmaceutical supplies throughout the affected region.

Guests should be charged to use facilities in The Villages

In a Letter to the Editor, a longtime resident of The Villages suggests the 300,000 guests per year to The Villages should be supporting the community by paying for guest passes.

We should not be opening any of the Priority Pools to the public

A Village of Orange Blossom Gardens resident says Priority Pools should not be opened up to non-member Villagers. Read her Letter to the Editor.

Neighborhood restrictions on short-term rentals

A Village of Pine Hills resident, in a Letter to the Editor, offers information about neighborhood restrictions on short-term rentals.

It’s time to care more about Villagers than visitors

A Village of Chatham resident supports the idea of capping amenity fees. She says it’s time to care more about residents than visitors.

We’re paying more but getting less

A reader from the Village of Pennecamp, in a Letter to the Editor, writes that we seem to be paying more and getting less.