A sought-after Florida beach town digs out after Hurricane Helene

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla: To those who live on the narrow spit of land that is the Pass a Grille neighborhood the tail end of barrier islands extending f...

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla: To those who live on the narrow spit of land that is the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood - the tail end of barrier islands extending from St. Pete Beach up to Clearwater known as "The Key West of Tampa Bay beaches” - it’s a slice of paradise developed at the turn of the century and historically sheltered from major storms.

It’s just down Gulf Way from St. Pete Beach’s soft, white sugar sand and translucent blue-green water, often rated among the best in the world, and within sight of the Don Cesar hotel, a pink palace that’s survived storms since 1928.

But that history did not matter Thursday, when Helene rampaged up the Florida coast, turning into the worst hurricane Pass-a-Grille had ever weathered. It flooded homes and businesses, tossed pontoon boats into yards, buried cars and streets in several feet of sand and claimed the lives of at least nine people in Pinellas County.

Those killed had mostly refused to heed mandatory evacuation orders on the barrier islands, which also include Indian Rocks, Madeira, Redington Shores, Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach. Marjorie Havard, 79, was found drowned in her flooded St. Pete Beach home after the storm, surrounded by debris, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Maureen Cox moved to Pass-a-Grille 30 years ago from Philadelphia, after visiting as a traveling nurse and falling in love with the beach.