February 1, 2011
...The Snow
CNN weather: The 13.2" measured in Tulsa breaks the 1-day record, and breaks the record for most snow during the month of February, all in 1 day.
TWC Breaking: An incredible 5" of snow [fell] in 90 minutes in Miami, OK
Jim Cantore: From Tulsa NWS: MEDIA REPORTS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE STRANDED IN CARS ACROSS NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.
TWC Breaking: Where has the heaviest snow fallen so far? Northeast Oklahoma into southwest Missouri. Roughly 15 to 21".
TWC Breaking: Kansas City Int'l Airport CLOSED
JimCantore: Radar from Chicago shows intense area of 2" to 3" per hour snowfall rates about 45 minutes south of Chicago metro area [6:30 p.m. ET]
TWC Breaking: What does Lakeshore Drive look like right now? [Photo]
Weather Bug Media: WOW! NWS CHI: Before making the decision to travel, consider if getting to your destination is worth putting your life at risk.
UNLESS one is traveling my horse.
That might work.
Better traction and all that stuff.
VILLAS — Lower Township received $336,406 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replenish money spent on last year’s horrendous snow storms, according to Township Manager Mike Voll.
"As a result of good documentation by our dedicated staff, we have been awarded this money. Public Works Director Gary Douglas, Linda Thomas, Thom Will, from Public Works. Captain Marker of our police department, and Art Treon, the former Emergency Management Director, are credited with getting this funding," he said.
FEMA, NJ State Police, Office of Emergency Management expressed how professional our staff was to work with," said Voll.
FEMA Reimbursing Lower Township $336K for Storm Costs (click here)
Wed, 02/02/2011 - 12:17 pm
Updated 38 min 57 sec ago
VILLAS — Lower Township received $336,406 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replenish money spent on last year’s horrendous snow storms, according to Township Manager Mike Voll.
"As a result of good documentation by our dedicated staff, we have been awarded this money. Public Works Director Gary Douglas, Linda Thomas, Thom Will, from Public Works. Captain Marker of our police department, and Art Treon, the former Emergency Management Director, are credited with getting this funding," he said.
FEMA, NJ State Police, Office of Emergency Management expressed how professional our staff was to work with," said Voll.
FEMA announces snow-aid funding (click here)
Storm costs for Georgia local governments tops $19 million (click here)
7:04 p.m. Monday, January 31, 2011
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia governments shelled out $19 million to tackle last month’s snow and ice storm, a figure that could increase as local officials finalize their numbers.
Despite the costs, local jurisdictions should probably not expect any federal reimbursements .
Ken Davis, spokesman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, said what local government spent during the storm has not yet been examined to determine if any would meet requirements for federal aid.
But he doubts local government's main expense, personnel costs related to snow removal, will qualify. The storm did not produce the widespread power outages and require mass shelters for residents that more severe storms produce, Davis said. That decreases the likelihood of federal assistance....
STAFFORD — The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday the approval of more than $1.4 million in federal funds to the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative for costs associated with the February 2010 severe winter storm.
The grant reimburses the NVEC’s expenses for the removal of health and safety hazards, including debris removal and power restoration in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Stafford and Prince William counties, according to a FEMA press release.
The funding includes administrative costs and a 75-percent federal share of the project costs, which equal $1,573,101.
The remaining 25 percent will be paid with non-federal funds determined by the state, according to the release.An additional $3 million-plus was awarded to the Virginia Department of Transportation - Prince William and Loudoun counties - more than 1.4 million and 1.6 million respectively, for the removal of health and safety hazards, and snow removal from the roads.
More than $45.7 million has been approved for Virginia applicants affected by the December 2009 and February 2010 storms, under FEMA’s Public Assistance program. Funding is provided to the state, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis.
— Tracy Bell from press release
...But other “cardinals” offered more explicit criticisms. Mark Ferrell, a spokesman for Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Chairman Robert C. Byrd , D-W.Va., said the senator thought the economic downturn demanded fewer cuts to local programs, not more.
“Sen. Byrd believes that during a time when state and local governments are slashing their budgets, Congress must use caution when considering cuts to critical public safety programs like firefighter grants,” Ferrell said.
House Homeland Security ranking Republican Peter T. King of New York also said he opposed the administration’s requested decrease, calling it “a serious mistake.”
Fire departments need the money to train and equip their personnel, he said. “These front-line warriors in the war against Islamic terrorism must not have this vital funding source cut.”...
...But Tad DeHaven, a budget analyst with the libertarian Cato Institute, said the proposed reductions in some of the grant programs appeared more a reorganization and consolidation to increase state and local discretion over how the money is spent than an attempt to reduce spending.
“These FEMA grants have been a pork pot for Congress,” DeHaven said. “They love having their pictures taken with new fire trucks and things like that. So there’s no ‘call-out’ in the budget, in that sense. But it would seem to me that they’re looking to prioritize the spending.”
Prince William County to receive $1.4 million for 2010 snowstorms (click here)
By Kipp Hanley
Published: January 31, 2011
Published: January 31, 2011
...The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday the approval of an additional $3,037,026 in federal funds to Virginia for severe storm cleanup in February 2010. Prince William County will receive $1,431,197. The grant, plus administrative costs, represents a 75-percent federal share of the cost of the project....
By Joe Rothstein
Editor, EINNEWS.com
January 21, 2011
By Joe Rothstein
Editor, EINNEWS.com
January 21, 2011
The Constitution Doesn't Include Creation of FEMA, So Why Is It In The Budget? (Joe Rothstein's Commentary) (click here)
...Sen. Mike Lee of Utah last week gave a lecture where he claimed child labor laws violate the Constitution. So does the minimum wage and laws outlawing discrimination based on race and gender. Lee even called for states to fend for themselves in Katrina-like disasters. The Constitution says nothing about a federal agency such as FEMA, does it?
What we're seeing is the logical progression of a movement that has accepted as gospel Ronald Reagan's injunction that "government isn't the answer to our problems. Government is the problem."
That movement could not end popular government programs and services through an outright frontal attack on them. But it is making serious progress by convincing people that by cutting taxes, enough revenue will be generated from business and job creation to fill the gap.
Oh, so that hasn't worked? Guess we have no alternative now than to spend less....
What we're seeing is the logical progression of a movement that has accepted as gospel Ronald Reagan's injunction that "government isn't the answer to our problems. Government is the problem."
That movement could not end popular government programs and services through an outright frontal attack on them. But it is making serious progress by convincing people that by cutting taxes, enough revenue will be generated from business and job creation to fill the gap.
Oh, so that hasn't worked? Guess we have no alternative now than to spend less....
...But other “cardinals” offered more explicit criticisms. Mark Ferrell, a spokesman for Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Chairman Robert C. Byrd , D-W.Va., said the senator thought the economic downturn demanded fewer cuts to local programs, not more.
“Sen. Byrd believes that during a time when state and local governments are slashing their budgets, Congress must use caution when considering cuts to critical public safety programs like firefighter grants,” Ferrell said.
House Homeland Security ranking Republican Peter T. King of New York also said he opposed the administration’s requested decrease, calling it “a serious mistake.”
Fire departments need the money to train and equip their personnel, he said. “These front-line warriors in the war against Islamic terrorism must not have this vital funding source cut.”...
...But Tad DeHaven, a budget analyst with the libertarian Cato Institute, said the proposed reductions in some of the grant programs appeared more a reorganization and consolidation to increase state and local discretion over how the money is spent than an attempt to reduce spending.
“These FEMA grants have been a pork pot for Congress,” DeHaven said. “They love having their pictures taken with new fire trucks and things like that. So there’s no ‘call-out’ in the budget, in that sense. But it would seem to me that they’re looking to prioritize the spending.”
