OWENSBORO, Ky. — A Jamaican eatery in western Kentucky has become a makeshift donation center for hurricane relief, with its owner racing to ship supplies to his storm-battered homeland before the end of next week.

Dwayne Whyte and his wife, Shanetha, launched the collection drive at Jamaican Yard Vibes on West Parrish Avenue after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica Oct. 28.

The couple said family members in the island’s western region lost their homes when winds topping 180 mph peeled away roofs and triggered widespread flooding.

“This is a sad moment right now for everybody back home," Dwayne Whyte said. "It's not a pretty time, you know. I know they’re going to need a lot of supplies and stuff like that because after a hurricane, people need their basic necessities.”

The r

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