Latest news with #GregJordan
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
FEMA assistance climbs to $8.9 million
princeton – More than $8.9 million in federal assistance has now been approved for area flood victims, FEMA said Monday. FEMA has now approved $8,931,727 in Individual Assistance for a six county region, which includes Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming counties, according to Nate Custer, a media relations specialist with FEMA. That amount includes $5,560,002 for Housing Assistance and $3,371,725 for Other Needs Assistance. The federal funds are in response to the Feb. 15 flood, which caused widespread damage across the region. This FEMA aid included 2,735 valid registrations. Broken down by county, McDowell County had the most registrations with 1,168 followed by Mingo County with 615. Mercer County had 410 registrations followed by 394 in Wyoming County, 85 in Wayne County and 80 in Logan County. Mitigation and Disaster Survivor Assistance staff in McDowell County are at Jimmy's Hardware and Supply in Roderfield to help residents with their Individual Assistance applications, provide information about rebuilding their homes and share resources on safe clean-up procedures, agency officials said. Flood victims needing help with food now have another route to aid which started Monday. The West Virginia Department of Human Services announced that West Virginia residents who lived or worked in Mercer, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties and were impacted by the Feb. 15 flood may be eligible for USDA's Disaster Supplement Nutrition Assistance, D-SNAP, benefits beginning Monday through March 21. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are open in Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming counties. • The Mercer County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the Lifeline Princeton Church of God on 250 Oakvale Road in Princeton. Mercer County's center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed Sunday. This center will be closed March 22 and April 19 for the church's previously scheduled events. • The McDowell County Disaster Recovery Center is located at Bradshaw Town Hall, 10002 Marshall Highway in Bradshaw. It is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Sunday. • The Wyoming County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the Wyoming County Courthouse on 24 Main Avenue in Pineville. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and closed Sundays. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Town of Tazewell seeks funding for Clinch River Pavilion
tazewell, va. — The town of Tazewell's administrative staff recently collaborated with the Town of Tazewell's Industrial/Economic Development Authority on the submission of an application for grant funding to be utilized for Phase I of the development of the Clinch River Pavilion, a future home of the Tazewell Farmers Market. If awarded, the $296,500 in grant funding from the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission would be matched by equal funding appropriated by the town council, according to a statement released by the town of Tazewell. The statement said phase I of the project will include site work to prep the existing concrete slab and adjust the lot grading, if necessary, along with construction of the pavilion. According to the town's statement, additional grants are being pursued to construct a river walk area near the rear of the property, providing access to the Clinch River, and to build community gardens. The site has already undergone significant improvements with the removal of a dilapidated structure (the former Bowling Alley) and site remediation, completed through funding provided by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Brownfields program. The town statement added that the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has offered additional resources to help the town of Tazewell leadership, Farmers Market, and North Tazewell community fine tune their vision through a months long collaboration with architectural consultants. 'With the resulting design in hand, we are actively striving to bring these plans to fruition, which will provide the Farmers Market with a much needed dedicated space, while also providing an exciting new option for community events,' the town statement said. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
McDowell County students returning to school March 10
welch — Arrangements are underway to bring McDowell County's students back to their classrooms next month while the county and much of southern West Virginia is still recovering from the devastating Feb. 15 flood. McDowell County Schools announced Thursday that schools will be reopening on March 10. School officials said in their website post that the school system will work with families living in places where bus routes are currently inaccessible and will work with them individually to find ways to make sure their children can return to school as soon as possible. 'We are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all our students,' school officials said. 'Our district is working closely with the (state) Department of Highways to ensure that buses will run safely where roads are clear. Please note, bus routes may change as areas improve, and we will keep you informed.' School bus routes and changes to them will be posted on the McDowell County Schools website by March 5. Until the county's schools reopen, the school system is encouraging students to focus on a 'technology supportive lesson' so they can review math and reading skills. Schools will be distributing Chromebook devices to students so they can complete their lessons. The lessons are designed to help students keep up with their skills and help ease the transition back to their classrooms, school officials said in their announcement. Soon after the county's flood recovery efforts started, the county schools have been aiding the effort by being places where flood victims and volunteers can find shelter, charge their devices and get hot meals. Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced late Wednesday that the federal government had approved his request for Individual Assistance in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties. The Individual Assistance (IA) Program provides funds to individuals dealing with major damage to their homes or property. The governor's request for Public Assistance, which would be spent on repairs for roads, water systems and other infrastructure in McDowell County and the other counties, was still being reviewed by FEMA. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funds to come for residents affected by flooding in four WV counties
Flooding engulfing parts of Glenwood Recreational Park near Princeton, was just one example of the widespread impact of a February 2025 storm. (Greg Jordan | Bluefield Daily Telegraph) Individuals in four West Virginia counties were approved Wednesday to receive federal grants to help them recover from devastating flooding that hit the state's southern coalfields earlier this month, according to multiple announcements. The aid — managed and disbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its Individual Assistance Program — will provide federal funding to individuals affected by the floods in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties. The money can be used to cover costs of temporary housing for those displaced by the floods and home repairs for those who had their houses damaged, among other things. Low-cost loans will be made available to cover losses not covered by insurance and, according to a news release from FEMA, other programs could be opened to help individuals and business owners throughout recovery. Statewide, only 1.2% of residential structures in West Virginia were insured for flood damage through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program in 2024, according to data from the federal agency. That data does not include residential structures covered through private insurance. In 2018, FEMA estimated that 12% of structures in the state located in 'Special Flood Hazard Areas' carried any form of flood insurance coverage. That was less than half the national average of 30%, per FEMA. While the individual assistance was approved, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a news release that his request for aid through FEMA's Public Assistance Program was still under review. Wednesday's approval of the federal disaster declaration came more than a week after Morrisey officially requested aid from the federal government. It was also a week after a similar request for federal assistance was approved for 10 counties in Kentucky, where the same storms barreled through communities, destroying homes and taking multiple lives. A representative for FEMA said that while Kentucky and West Virginia's requests were the result of the same storm, 'every request is unique to the impacts and capabilities of the requesting state.' The starkest difference in those requests, according to FEMA, was that Kentucky put in for an expedited major disaster declaration. 'Expedited disaster declarations are generally limited to what would address immediate needs based on rapid assessments until Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) are completed and the full severity and magnitude of the event can be validated,' a spokesperson for FEMA wrote in an email response to West Virginia Watch before Wednesday's federal declaration was approved. West Virginia, comparatively, requested a non-expedited major disaster declaration, opting to use and rely on the state's own resources for immediate response efforts. Over the last week, the spokesperson for FEMA continued, the state and federal agency were working together to complete Joint PDAs. Those assessments will be used to validate damages reported by individuals and 'determine the extent of the impact and the state's capacity to respond.' The major disaster declaration also came after West Virginia's congressional delegation wrote a letter to the Trump administration urging approval for Morrisey's request. On Wednesday, the federal lawmakers lauded the good news. 'We are grateful for the efforts and service of Gov. Morrisey, local leaders, neighbors, first responders, and the West Virginia National Guardsmen who sprang into action when these storms struck,' the delegation wrote in a statement Wednesday. 'The Trump administration's approval of our state's request for federal disaster aid is welcome news for communities in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties as they work to recover and rebuild following these devastating storms, and we are glad that help will soon be on the way to southern West Virginia.' President Donald Trump's approval of the major disaster declaration will, in addition to individual assistance, provide resources for all West Virginia counties to participate in hazard mitigation planning in hopes of minimizing potential damage from future flooding events. That federal support and aid for prevention could prove critical in West Virginia, where lawmakers have repeatedly failed to allocate money to a state fund created in 2023 to help protect communities — specifically those in low-income areas — from disastrous and deadly flooding. The counties that make up West Virginia's southern coalfields are some of the poorest in the nation, according to U.S. Census data. As the threat of climate change continues to grow — bringing with it more severe weather occurrences — residents in the state's southern coalfields will be at higher risk of repeated major flooding events. According to a 2023 report by researchers at West Virginia University, 94% of West Virginia communities are considered 'Special Flood Hazard Areas,' meaning they are at high risk of flooding. More than 84,000 structures are in those areas. The coalfield counties — McDowell, Mingo, Logan, Lincoln, Boone and Wyoming — hold the highest percentage of all counties with buildings located in high-risk floodplains. A majority of those buildings, per that report, are residential. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Triple J. Angus Farms in Tazewell County awarded seed grant
Feb. 13—cedar bluff, va. — A business focused on providing quality and affordable beef in Tazewell County, Va. has been awarded a Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Seed Capital Matching Grant A new business, Triple J Angus Farms LP in Tazewell County, Va. is by operated Grace Fuller along with her husband, John; and mother-in-law, Judy. Triple J Angus Farms LP is a recent recipient of a $10,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Seed Capital Matching Grant. Seed capital grants are funded from regional funds received by VCEDA which are paid by the natural gas industry, according to the development authority. "Triple J Angus Farms LP offers the opportunity for people in our region, as well as for tourists in the area, to purchase locally-sourced beef and other locally produced goods," said Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel. "The business projects three full-time employees and three part-time employees within five years." The beef sold is grown on the family farm where cattle are grass fed and grain-finished, resulting in a high quality meat product, development authority officials said. Beef sold is USDA-approved and no growth hormones are used. The Fullers stay up to date on industry trends and Grace Fuller noted they practice regenerative farming which rotates their cows among three fields and uses less chemicals for fertilization. Triple J offers beef by the pound or by the cut — from hamburger, sirloin and ribeyes to filets, beef tips, cube steak and roasts. In the future, plans are to grow the business to also sell baked goods (breads, pies, cookies and cakes), as well as Home Remedy Salves from locally grown herbs; sugar and salt scrubs (exfoliating treatment for skin); homemade vanilla flavoring; and handmade wooden cutting boards. Beef is sold by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the store, located at 3288 Kents Ridge Road, is open on Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@ Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
