Deadlines for LA County wildfire disaster relief services extended to end of March
Federal and state programs extended several deadlines to allow more survivors of the Los Angeles County wildfires to apply for disaster aid.
Instead of the original March 10 deadline, residents affected by the Palisades, Eaton, or any of the other fires from early January will have until April to fill out most of their forms. All programs, except for the LA County Small Business Relief Fund, have a March 31 deadline.
Here's a list of financial, unemployment, small business and debris removal programs that will close enrollment by the end of the month.
FEMA Individual Assistance: March 31
The FEMA Individual Assistance program provides victims with funds to pay for basic home repairs and personal property losses. It also covers uninsured disaster-related needs, including childcare, transportation, medical needs, and funeral and dental expenses.
FEMA established two disaster recovery centers near the Palisades and Eaton fire zones to help residents apply. Both locations are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Residents can also apply anytime online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling FEMA's helpline at (800) 621-3362, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.
Small Business Administration Disaster Loan: March 31
The Small Business Administration is offering home disaster, business and economic injury disaster loans.
Homeowners and tenants can apply for home disaster loans to repair or replace their real estate and personal property, including vehicles.
The business loans cover the property owned by a business, including real estate, inventory, supplies, machinery, and equipment. Businesses of any size can apply, as can private nonprofit organizations like charities, churches, and private universities.
Economic injury loans are meant to help businesses cover financial obligations affected by the wildfires.
To apply for any of these loans, visit https://lending.sba.gov or call (800) 659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can call (800) 877-8339.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance: March 31
People who lost their jobs or cannot work because of the wildfires can apply for unemployment, disability, or Paid Family Leave benefits. Apply online at DUA.gov.
LA County Small Business Relief Fund: March 12
LA County officials extended the deadline to apply for the Small Business Relief Fund to March 12.
The program will provide cash assistance grants for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the windstorm and wildfires. To be eligible, small businesses and nonprofits must have a revenue of up to $6 million and less than 100 employees. The grants range between $2,000 and $25,000.
To apply, visit opportunity.lacounty.gov/small-business-fund.
Wildfire debris removal: March 31
Residents can opt for a free general wildfire debris cleanup from the Army Corps of Engineers or pay for a specialized contractor approved to remove the remaining rubble.
The right-of-entry and opt-out forms can be found at recovery.lacounty.gov/debris-removal/. In-person applications are available at FEMA disaster recovery centers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Great Lakes Stock Trading at a Discount: Is It Buy Time Now?
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's GLDD current valuation is enticing for investors. Currently, the stock is trading below its industry peers with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.43X, as evidenced by the chart below. Moreover, the discounted valuation of GLDD compares favorably with a few of the other market players, including Orion Group Holdings, Inc. ORN, Quanta Services, Inc. PWR and Granite Construction Incorporated GVA. The 12-month P/E ratios of Orion Group, Quanta and Granite Construction are 31.69X, 32.73X and 13.98X, respectively. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The discounted valuation of GLDD stock, compared with its peers, advocates for an attractive entry point for investors. That said, in the long term, the valuation could move toward a premium, given the strong market fundamentals backing the company's revenue visibility and Texas-based dredging services provider is mainly gaining from large-scale capital and coastal protection projects compared with mainstream maintenance dredging. Thanks to its resilience in offering such services, it enjoys a competitive edge in the market. Moreover, its new build program, proposed in 2020, catalyzes its ability to offer such services efficiently and expand the margins in the process. With such favorable market fundamentals and its in-house capabilities, the company is consistently able to enhance its liquidity position, thus increasing space for strategic long-term investments and shareholder GLDD's shares have soared 34.6% in the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Heavy Construction industry, the broader Zacks Construction sector and the S&P 500 index. The detailed price performance can be studied from the chart below. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Let's delve deeper into understanding the factors driving GLDD's momentum. Great Lakes is significantly benefiting from the robust demand trends for large-scale capital and coastal protection projects. This is because it houses the specifications that are required to offer these services, differing from maintenance dredging, allowing it a competitive advantage over other market players like Orion Group, which mainly offers mainstream dredging services. As of March 31, 2025, GLDD's substantial dredging backlog was $1 billion compared with $879.4 million as of last year's first quarter, with capital and coastal protection projects accounting for 95% of the total dredging main driver for coastal restoration projects is the increased government funding for infrastructure projects, at the state and federal levels, due to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or FEMA-backed initiatives backed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These projects being government-funded, reduce payment failure risks, and with being larger in scale and having longer duration, it also ensures efficient asset utilization. Such characteristics of these projects not only boost the company's revenue visibility but also foster its margin growth. Tailwinds from public infrastructure spending are also aiding other market players like Quanta and Granite Construction. Proposed in 2020, the new build program was approved and rolled out to renew and modernize GLDD's fleet. Through this program, the company mainly aims to stand tall for offering services in coastal restoration and shoreline protection, establishing a resilient business model. As part of this program, the company is currently undergoing construction of Acadia, the first U.S.-flagged Jones Act-compliant subsea rock installation vessel, which is expected to be delivered by the first quarter of 2026. Acadia will be considered for domestic and international offshore wind projects alongside critical subsea infrastructure protection the newest hopper dredge, the Amelia Island (expected delivery in the third quarter of 2025) and the Galveston Island have been designed specifically by GLDD to work efficiently in shallow and narrow waters along the U.S. coastlines, specifically for coastal protection projects such as beach restoration, wetlands improvements and Barrier Island construction. With the program wrapping up by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026, the company expects to witness incremental revenue trends and increased free cash flow thereafter. Given the current market uncertainties and an inflationary scenario, maintaining a substantial liquidity position alongside making strategic business investments is a strenuous task. Great Lakes is managing this job just fine by leveraging its increasing top line and almost concluding its investment of March 31, 2025, GLDD had cash and cash equivalents of $11.3 million, up from $10.2 million at 2024-end. Net cash from operating activities, as of the same period, was $60.9 million, up year over year from $38.4 million, attributable to higher earnings in the period and an increase in billings above contract revenues. With no debt maturities until 2029 and liquidity of more than $300 million, the company has a stable liquidity position to function in an uncertain market scenario. GLDD's earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have trended upward in the past 60 days by 39.1% to 96 cents per share and 11.8% to 95 cents, respectively. The estimated figure for 2025 reflects 14.3% year-over-year growth, with the same for 2026 indicating a 0.4% inch-down. EPS Trend Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Technical indicators suggest a continued strong performance for Great Lakes. From the graphical representation given below, it can be observed that GLDD stock is riding above both the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) and the 200-day SMA, signaling a bullish trend. The technical strength underscores positive market sentiment and confidence in GLDD's financial health and prospects. 50 & 200-Day Moving Averages Image Source: Zacks Investment Research As discussed above, strong demand trends for large-scale capital and coastal protection projects, backed by a favorable government funding scenario in the US, are the main driving factors for Great Lakes' revenues and margins. The company's competitive edge over its peers for offering these services, thanks to its multi-year new build program, is an added catalyst amid the favorable market optimism regarding GLDD stock is reflected in three of the three recommendations pointing at a "Strong Buy'. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Thus, based on the above discussion and trends of the technical indicators, this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock is a decent choice to be added to the portfolio for now. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Beshear announces children's hospital plans, storm recovery and more
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Governor Andy Beshear provided an update on economic development, steps taken to fight federal cuts to AmeriCorps and SNAP, severe weather recovery and more. Officials note Gov. Beshear acknowledged Women Veterans Recognition Day and named women veterans as this week's Team Kentucky All-Stars. Economic development Gov. Beshear joined Norton Healthcare in Louisville to announce its plans to build a new pediatric care campus that will include a full-service hospital for children with complex medical needs, research facilities and expanded specialty services. The project marks a major expansion for the Louisville-based health care system and will feature its second free-standing, dedicated children's hospital. The new hospital is expected to employ more than 1,000 people. On June 13, Gov. Beshear says he plans to join local officials and company leadership from BE&E, which is a material handling equipment supplier, to break ground on the company's new $16.2 million facility. The Muhlenberg County operation, which will be located in the Paradise Regional Industrial Park, will create 250 new Kentucky jobs. FEMA continues sending aid to Kentuckians impacted by April storms Juneteenth Gov. Beshear said there will be no Team Kentucky update on June 19, as the commonwealth will be recognizing Juneteenth as an executive branch holiday. Following the Governor's executive order last year, Kentucky is officially marking Juneteenth as an executive branch holiday for the second time. 'This is an important day in our history as Americans. A day where we stand united in acknowledging our past, and our nation's greatest injustice. A day where we honor the collective courage of African Americans who paved the way for real, meaningful change. And a day where we give thanks that the moral arc – at long last – bent toward justice,' said Gov. Beshear. 'I hope everyone will join me in spending Juneteenth as a day of reflection, remembering how far we've come and acknowledging that the fight for progress marches on.' Pritzker defends Illinois' sanctuary laws, blasts Trump administration 'abuses of power' Text message scam alert Gov. Beshear warned Kentuckians of a popular scam consisting of fraudulent text messages impersonating state agencies. The scam messages warn customers of unpaid traffic tickets and say that a 'DMV violation' will be reported and 'driving privileges' will be suspended if payment is not sent immediately. Officials say if anyone receives one of these texts, they should not not click the link. Even if the web address looks like it belongs to a government agency, the text is a scam. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet does not collect traffic ticket fees or notify customers of violations, and Team Kentucky is taking steps to have the fraudulent websites taken down. FEMA assistance extended for Kentuckians affected by April storms Driver Licensing Gov. Beshear shared that currently, over 39% of Kentuckians have REAL IDs, compared to 33% at the end of last year. TSA reports that 93% of those going through checkpoints at Kentucky-based airports are REAL ID compliant. To learn more about getting a REAL ID, please go here. Remember, a passport, passport card, global entry card, military ID and Veteran Health Identification Card are among the several forms of REAL ID compliant identification. Officials say since House Bill 15 went into effect, which lowered the age at which Kentuckians can obtain a drivers permit from 16 to 15 years old, 15,403 15-year-olds have successfully passed the written test and obtained their driving permit. AmeriCorps and SNAP Gov. Beshear updated Kentuckians on steps his administration is taking to fight cuts from the federal government. Last week, Gov. Beshear, along with several state attorneys general and another governor, secured a preliminary injunction in a legal challenge against President Trump's attempt to dismantle AmeriCorps, the nation's public service agency. This means the federal government must restore funding for AmeriCorps programs. Officials say this week, Gov. Beshear sent a letter to Kentucky's Congressional delegation outlining his concerns with proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). More than 600,000 Kentuckians rely on SNAP to supplement their food budgets every month. This represents 13% of the commonwealth's population, or roughly 1 in every 8 Kentuckians. Gov. Beshear said cuts to the program would leave Kentuckians hungry. He urged Kentucky's federal delegation to consider the impact cuts would have on Kentucky's children, seniors, individuals with medical conditions, disabilities and those still recovering from disasters. Webster County dispatch centers officially consolidate Severe Weather Recovery Gov. Beshear provided an update on severe weather recovery in the commonwealth. Since the commonwealth received approval, FEMA has disbursed over $1.4 million in assistance. The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is July 23. Officials say for the May event, there currently are still five injured people at the University of Kentucky Hospital: one in critical condition, one in serious condition and three in good condition. At Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park, 93 households are being housed in travel trailers. In terms of the Tri-State, Gov. Beshear says for residents in Union County who were affected by severe weather on May 16, June 12 is the last day they can apply for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits. If anyone from Union County has yet to apply, they should call 1-855-306-8959 before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. As of June 10, 186 households had been approved for benefits totaling over $131,000. Officials say for the April floods, so far, more than $22 million in Individual and Households Assistance has been disbursed. The deadline to apply has been extended to July 25. For February severe weather, more than $47 million in federal assistance has been disbursed. The deadline to apply was May 25. Gov. Beshear reminded Kentuckians and anyone else who would like to help that the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund is open for monetary donations. Funds will help to support recovery including paying for funeral expenses for those lost in disasters. To donate, go here. So far, the fund has raised more than $1.9 million in donations from 7,128 donors, including a generous $150,000 donation from Shop Local Kentucky. FOS has beds available for women needing substance abuse help Team Kentucky All-Stars Gov. Beshear acknowledged Women Veterans Recognition Day and named women veterans as this week's Team Kentucky All-Stars. 'We recognize and celebrate the incredible women who sacrificed their time and their health, and often faced danger to protect us,' said Gov. Beshear. 'Women have proudly served this country for generations. But it was not until after World War II that women were able to serve as permanent members of the armed forces and officially be recognized as veterans. We are committed to telling their stories and ensuring they are never forgotten.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
American Press
a day ago
- American Press
Full steam ahead for St. Nicholas Center rebuild
1/2 Swipe or click to see more St. Nicholas Center intends to preserve the Landry Memorial Gym when it purchases the property. (Crystal Stevenson / American Press) 2/2 Swipe or click to see more Melissa Priola, assistant executive director of the St. Nicholas Center for Children, celebrates the announcement of FEMA funding toward the center's rebuild. (Crystal Stevenson / American Press) Five years after Hurricane Laura irreparably damaged the St. Nicholas Center for Children, hope is on the horizon. Earlier this week, U.S. Congressman Clay Higgins announced the center has received its FEMA obligation for hurricane recovery efforts through the major disaster declaration for the storm. The funding is worth just over $3.4 million. 'This has been a five-year journey that we're celebrating,' said Melissa Priola, assistant executive director for the center. 'Since opening our doors in October of 2008, this is the first time the St. Nicholas Center has had to navigate disaster, recovery and the FEMA process.' After the storm, the center downsized and offered a smaller selection of services from a set of temporary buildings on Ihles Road. Later, the organization moved into its current location in the former Stage department store on Ryan Street. Now, their sights are set on expansion. Priola said the group plans to purchase the current St. Louis Catholic High School location at 1620 Bank St. in a multi-phased approach that will allow them to expand back to at least 24,000 square foot — the size of their first Ryan Street location. St. Louis Catholic — which was nearly completely destroyed by Hurricane Laura — has purchased a 42-acre lot on the corner of E. McNeese Street and Corbina Road and plans to construct a two-story main academic building, pavilion, practice field and a soccer field in their first phase of rebuilding. Priola said phase one of the St. Nicholas Center plan includes the purchase of the area along Bank Street where St. Louis Catholic's main structure and the Vianney House were located, spanning from 7th to 9th streets. Phase two includes the property where St. Louis is currently conducting operations in temporary buildings. Phase three includes the still-standing but heavily damaged Landry Memorial Gym and parking area. 'We will have the opportunity to expand our footprint with a potential to add in the future in order to serve even more children than before,' Priola said. St. Nicholas Center intends to preserve the Landry Memorial Gym, she said. 'The restoration of Landry Gym will be a labor of love,' she said. 'Although not part of our FEMA grant, we're hoping that with community support we can preserve this important piece of Lake Charles history — a place that means so much because of its enduring legacy for so many.' She said the neighborhood along Bank Street has been welcoming already and the center's plan is to design a building that would make the residents surrounding it proud. 'We're excited for the future and grateful for the support,' she said.
