MIAMI, AZ — The sounds of her own screams coupled with the waves forming in the Town of Miami's historic downtown as streets flooded last September.
They were videos that local business owner and artist Joanna Twenty-Three captured on her cell phone --but the videos couldn't possibly capture all the fear, sorrow, and pain flowing through the waters in the community that day.
"It's been full of a lot of challenges," explains Joanna when she reflects on what the past 12 months have been like. "Ups and downs, progress and setbacks."
Joanna has certainly ridden the rollercoaster of recovery. We first interviewed her in January, just a few months after the flooding it. At the time, she was still trying to clean-up and assess the damage in her businesses along historic Sullivan Street.
"The future can change in a moment," says Joanna as she reflects...Just keep moving forward."
And it's that forward momentum Miami town leaders are hoping to harness, all as the town of about 1,500 continues to heal.
"I was looking down the creek and I could still hear the roar," explains Councilmember Phil Stewart when he thinks about what the flooding was like back on September 26, 2025. "water and debris were flying probably about that high over the rails [of the bridge] at a velocity I've never seen before."
ABC15 saw the Bloody Tanks Wash area downtown when we went back to Miami this week, which is an area town leaders are targeting for flood prevention. It is just one piece of a very complicated puzzle.
Miami, like Gila County and Globe, was awarded a grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and their Natural Resources Conservation Service program.
Through the NRCS grant, Miami was awarded $9.6 million - but one of the requirements is that the town will need to cover 25% of the costs, which is about $2.5 million.
As part of this year's budget, Governor Katie Hobbs and the state legislature included that amount for Miami to cover the match amount - and also $2.5 million for the City of Globe and $5 million for Gila County.
In January, ABC15's visited areas like Mackey's Camp where the town was hoping to clear out and remove debris, sediment, and stone — but right town leaders aren't sure where the money will come from. Town Manager Alexis Rivera said the town would need about $8 million more in funds to complete all the flood prevention projects they feel are needed to protect residents.
To make matters worse, FEMA denied the state's emergency disaster declaration, which would have freed up more money and resources for repairs.
ABC15 reached out to FEMA twice this week but never got a response.
Town leaders like Councilmember Stewart worry the lack of FEMA money could mean more lives are on the line.
"These projects are paramount," explains Councilmember Stewart. "For public safety and economic growth of the town. How can we expect to grow a town....Can we say to a potential investor, 'Hey, you'll never see another flood again?' Of course not. We can't. But what we can do is give them a reasonable action plan that makes economic sense that will justify their risk in investing in our town and helping our town grow."
Miami's new Mayor, Michael Sosh, Sr., is no stranger to these parts; he was born and raised in Miami and must now lead his hometown through both repairs and also new projects to mitigate future floods.
"I don't want to think about the thought of not getting the funding," explains Mayor Sosh. "We have to have help somewhere...The fact is, I have been here my whole life. I don't want to see Miami go away."
