Oklahoma: Don't Visit, But Please Send Cash

Oklahoma urges out-of-state residents not to mail or truck in supplies, but would appreciate charitable contributions

  Oklahoma and FEMA officials are asking those who want to help tornado victims to make charitable contributions, but not to mail or truck in any supplies. Even as Oklahoma officials are emphasizing how much they appreciate that folks from out-of-state want to roll truckloads of supplies into the tornado-ravaged area of the state, they have to politely decline because it would divert attention from handling the ongoing crisis and possibly create a mountain of items no one will want. "Please don't send used clothes or supplies and, no, we can't have trucks coming in," said Ann Dee Lee, a volunteer helping the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management's public relations department field media calls. On Tuesday, plans were brewing among Jersey …

• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

Budget Adoption Postponed as County Awaits Sandy Funding

County will apply for loan through CDBG to boost ratable base

Adoption of the county budget was once again postponed, as the county recently became aware of possible funding that could boost its ratable base, which was drastically cut due to Superstorm Sandy. The Ocean County Freeholders approved a resolution at its regular meeting Wednesday allowing the county to apply for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Actually, it’s good news,” Freeholder Director John P. Kelly said. The funding would come from CDBG, separate from the grants the county receives annually through the program. The money is for communities whose ratable base diminished by more than 5 percent because of the superstorm, county Business Administrator Carl Block said. “We may be able to incorporate…

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

Martin

7:12 am on Thursday, May 16, 2013

Everyone near water, including lakes and rivers coast-to-coast, will be socked by FEMA's bail-out expenses! Staying in our homes will be unaffordable, except for the rich. There will be tens of thousands of abandonmenbts and foreclosures. ==> StopFemaNow.com   more ›

Hurricane Sandy

Move to Halt Flood Insurance Rate Hikes Blocked By Pa. Senator

Measure would have delayed hikes for five more years

An amendment aimed at halting federal flood insurance rate hikes for five years has been blocked in the U.S. Senate. The amendment, introduced by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) was blocked from coming to a vote Tuesday by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Amendments in the U.S. Senate require what is known as "unanimous consent" before a vote can take place, meaning a single member can block a vote from occurring. Toomey told the New Orleans Times-Picayune Tuesday that he objected to changing reforms put in place last year because he supports the move to "diminish the subsidization that occurs now where homeowners in low-risk areas are made to subsidize in high-risk areas." Landrieu, the newspaper reported, said she will likely reintroduce the …

•  206 Comments
• Photos (2)

Hurricane Sandy

Menendez Pushing for Halt To Flood Insurance Rate Hikes

'Triple whammy' for Shore residents, Menendez says on U.S. Senate floor

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez threw Shore residents a virtual lifeline Thursday, delivering an address on the Senate floor where he urged colleagues to support an amendment to federal legislation that would stop flood insurance rate hikes, at least in the short term. Menendez (D-N.J.) spoke in favor of an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act which would stop flood insurance premiums from rising until FEMA completes its study on the affordability of premiums of the National Flood Insurance Program. Shore homeowners face annual flood insurance premiums of up to $31,000 a year if they do not raise their homes at a significant cost. Many homeowners who were never previously located in flood zones now find themselves being listed as …

•  178 Comments
• Photos (1)
• Videos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

Part of Point Beach Boardwalk May be Replaced with Wood

Center section of boardwalk slated for work after the summer may be replaced with wood, not rebuilt with Trex

  The "plaza" section of the boardwalk, from Arnold Avenue to Jenkinson's Aquarium, might be rebuilt with wood, not with Trex. There was discussion at Tuesday night's Point Beach Council meeting about rebuilding the plaza section with wood, not Trex, the plastic material that is being used to replace the sections of the boardwalk which were damaged by Tropical Storm Irene or Superstorm Sandy. But there was a general consensus at the meeting at Borough Hall that that decision won't be made until council gets additional information from Borough Engineer Ray Savacool. Based on information from Savacool so far, it appears that removing and replacing the boards in the plaza section with wood boards would cost about $280,000 and rebuilding with …

•  14 Comments
• Photos (3)

Hurricane Sandy

$15 Million in Aid Grants for Shore Communities

The funding will be used to pay back portions of expenditures incurred as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded more than $15 million in federal Public Assistance grants for shore communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy in a latest round of funding, according to a release from Gov. Chris Christie's office. The aid will be used to reimburse municipalities and counties for costs incurred in the aftermath of the late-October storm, whether that be for rescue efforts, cleanup, or reconstruction. The more than $15 million in grant funding has been awarded to Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant Beach, Monmouth County, Middlesex County, and Woodbridge Township.  Monmouth County will receive federal funding to reimburse the Sheriff's Department, which supplied security at shelters following Sandy and performed…

•  14 Comments
• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

FEMA Gives $2.1 Million for Point Beach Boardwalk Rebuilding

Boardwalk to be done by Memorial Day weekend

  Shortly after Point Beach announced it had not received a dime of FEMA money, FEMA announced it's sending the oceanfront town $2.1 million to help pay for the rebuilding of its Sandy-ravaged boardwalk. Eight days after Point Beach officials at a council meeting bemoaned the lack of cash flowing from FEMA, FEMA made its announcement. On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez (both D-NJ) today announced that Point Pleasant Beach will receive more than $2.1 million to reimburse the town for the cost of repairing and rebuilding the boardwalk.   The allocation reimburses the town for 75 percent of its written request to FEMA for the cost of the boardwalk repairs and rebuilding, said Point Beach Business …

•  38 Comments
• Photos (7)

Hurricane Sandy

Seaside Heights Prepares to Open for Summer [VIDEO]

FEMA video shows that Seaside Heights plans to be open for summer

Seaside Heights and its boardwalk will be open for business this summer, and a new video from FEMA highlights the restoration efforts making that possible.  In the video, Mayor William Akers recalls the days after Superstorm Sandy.  "One of the first questions I got asked was, 'are you going to be open for the summer?'" he said. The answer is, yes.  Michael Graichen, special events spokesperson for Seaside Heights, has said the boardwalk rebuilding process continues, with May 10 set as the target date for its reopening. 

•  28 Comments
• Photos (1)