Businesses and residents in Alice are still rebuilding nearly a month after strong winds caused significant damage to structures throughout the area.
The District Grub and Social is among those working to recover after the May 8th storm tore through their building.
"Tumultuous. To say the least with everything that happened around here," said Roy Camarillo, The District's front manager.
Camarillo has worked at the restaurant for the past year and wasn't present when the storm hit. When he learned about the destruction the next day, his first thought was concerning.
"I was like man my job is over," Camarillo said.
The damage to the restaurant was extensive, forcing them to close for nearly two weeks.
"It was a bunch of little things. And the main major thing was probably like the roof. It totally ripped off on the top. And one of the air conditions system that we had just put in tore off the side of the building," Camarillo said.
While The District has made progress in their repairs, they're still in recovery mode.
"It's almost over. We've got the majority of the roof done. The refrigerator system is working. The air condition system is back on," Camarillo said.
Now, additional help is available for businesses and residents impacted by the storm. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has set up operations in Alice to assist people with applying for disaster assistance.
"We're here to let people know that not only do we help businesses during the time of disaster, but we also help homeowners, renters and non-profits as well as our business community," said Gabriel Perales, Small Business Administration public information officer.
Those affected may qualify for a low-interest disaster loan. Applications are being accepted through June 26 at the Old Bank Building downtown.
For those unable to visit in person, assistance is available by calling 1-800-659-2955 or online at SBA.GOV/DISASTER.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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