Hardee County

Florida residents own rights to decide if 5,000 acres of farmland in Charlotte, Hardee, and Highlands counties will ever be developed as part of the Rural and Family Lands program.

They will receive nearly $28.9 million to lay fiber optic cable and improve their broadband infrastructure. Highlands County is getting more than $17.3 million.

In several rural areas of Florida, a strong internet connection is a rarity. But in Hardee County, the community is a step ahead. Here's how it has provided consistent internet for its community, and how it's looking to build on that success.

Hardee County will get the largest chunk of the funds announced by Gov. DeSantis, at more than $7 million.

Areas along the Peace River, which flows from Polk to Charlotte counties, were largely spared from a major rain or flooding event on Thursday.

The program provides options for people whose homes are no longer livable because of Hurricane Ian.

The assistance is available in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, and Sarasota counties, those hardest hit by Hurricane Ian

At San Carlos Park Elementary, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $2 million has been awarded to support local education foundations in six school districts hardest hit by the storm.

Roads neighboring waterways throughout Polk, Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties require emergency repair following Hurricane Ian.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, swaths of standing water are creating access issues in rural Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties.

After Hurricane Ian dumped record levels of rain across Florida, rivers flooded, leaving thousands stranded on newly created islands.

Oregon’s Fire Marshal Incident Management Team traveled the farthest, with three others from Virginia, Ohio and New York, to assist in search and rescue missions as well as restoring power to Hardee County.