McCaskill says Joplin recovery funds are not in jeopardy

ST. LOUIS, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says federal funding for Joplin is not in jeopardy.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said last week that funding for some long-term projects in the tornado-ravaged town would be put on hold because of Hurricane Irene.

McCaskill said she was worried initially but says she got a better explanation over the weekend.

"I do now realize that the only proposed shift was in order to meet immediate emergency needs in areas that have been impacted given how much money is left in the disaster fund between now and the end of the year," McCaskill says.

That fund has less than one billion dollars with the fiscal year ending in just over a month.

McCaskill says the U.S. House has passed the appropriation for the disaster fund for next year’s budget and she expects the Senate will do the same.

The Missouri Democrat says she’ll be watching to make sure Joplin gets the money it’s been promised.

Maria Altman, St. Louis Public Radio

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Total cost of Missouri disasters won't be known until August

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says it could be another month before the state knows the bill after the Joplin tornado and the ongoing north Missouri flooding.

Nixon says he’s hoping the $50 million he’s set aside for matching Federal Emergency funds will be enough, and is confident the Joplin tornado will be more costly than the flooding.

Still, Nixon adds the finances are holding for now.

"The bottom line is that we have the adequate resources to deal with the issues," Nixon said. "We haven’t been out-resourced here yet. There hasn’t been any decisions that we have made- that have been made- based on either overtime for troopers or necessity to call up the Guard or get the helicopters down, that have been limited by cost factors."

Nixon says with debris still being cleaned up in Joplin and the flooding in northwest Missouri continuing, it could be August before the state has a complete cost analysis of the disasters.

Kirk Wayman, KXCV

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Danforth unveils "Joplin Tomorrow"

JOPLIN, MO (KSMU) - Joplin business leaders have found a friend in former US Senator John Danforth as they try to rebuild their city after the May 22 tornado left nearly 5,000 people without jobs.

Danforth is spearheading a new non-profit organization called “Joplin Tomorrow.” It will provide low or no-interest loans to businesses that want to call Joplin home. The offer is also good for businesses hoping to expand in Joplin.

The former politicians said he will travel the state raising money for the fund.

“A lot of this is business helping business to create business for the future. That’s going to have a lot of appeal to people, I think, throughout our state, who want to do something for Joplin,” he said.

Danforth said other business recovery loans and programs are helpful—but they only seek to maintain the status quo a business held before the tornado. In contrast, he said, the “Joplin Tomorrow” loans will help businesses expand, even beyond what they previously were.

Five members of the Joplin business community will volunteer their time to administer the loans. Contributions will be tax-deductible.

The fund already has one million dollars: half a million from the Danforth Foundation, which ceased operating last month, and another half million from Joplin business owners.

For more information on the fund, you can visit www.joplintomorrow.org.

Jennifer Moore, KSMU

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Disaster aid to Missouri tops $21 million

Missouri residents have been approved for more than $21 million of federal disaster aid following tornadoes and flooding, according to the Associated Press.

That number is likely to keep rising. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday that more than $12 million has gone to individuals hit by the Joplin tornado.

The rest has gone to people affected by flooding in southeast Missouri, a tornado that struck St. Louis and other severe weather since May 9.

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Blunt still wants FEMA to pay 100% of cleanup for Joplin and May floods

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt continues to insist that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, should reimburse local governments for 100 percent of the clean-up costs from the Joplin tornado.

FEMA will typically reimburse governments for 75% of disaster-related expenses, but the agency will occasionally pay more for large, atypical disasters. FEMA is paying 90% of the clean-up costs for the Tuscaloosa tornado earlier this year.

FEMA has decided that it will reimburse 90% for the Joplin tornado. But Senator Blunt is not satisfied.

"When they reach extraordinary proportions, like the flood in May, or like Joplin did, the local governments can’t pay 25% of the cost of the cleanup," Blunt said. "Now we’ve got that down in Joplin where it would be 10%. But in Katrina is was 100% and it didn’t matter whether it was Katrina in New Orleans or Katrina somewhere in rural Mississippi. It was 100% reimbursement."

Blunt says that the government should only step in when people can’t take care of certain responsibilities on their own, such as levees and infrastructure.

As an example, he says that the federal government shouldn’t recompense homes that are uninsured when the owners willfully chose to not carry insurance.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Rebuilding begins in Joplin

JOPLIN, MO (KBIA) - Amid the destruction caused by the tornado that hit Joplin, Mo., May 22nd, residents are beginning to pick up the pieces and think about rebuilding their city.

One man has already found a new home.

Surrounded by family, friends and volunteers, Joplin resident Dan Florry is sorting out his life, searching through a pile of rubble that once was his home. It’s been a tiring ordeal. Florry is helping volunteers pack up several items he missed last week: tools, a deep freezer and some food. He says he hasn’t stopped working since last week.

"It was kind of incredible to me," Florry said. "The tornado was Sunday night, and Tuesday at lunch time, my wife told me my face was dirty and I needed to wash it. And when I put the soap in, I realized that was the first time I had soap in my hand was Tuesday."

With the help of friends, Florry and his wife have signed a contract for a new home across town, in a less affected area. He says he still hopes to eventually restore this home – to help with what he sees as an inevitable housing shortage. But rebuilding his home – and Joplin – will be a much longer process.

Courtney Flatt, KBIA

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NWS confirms southeast Missouri tornadoes

The National Weather Service confirmed several tornados in southeast Missouri that occurred on Wednesday, May 25.

An EF-3 tornado touched down near Ellsinore and left a path for 48 miles through Carter, Wayne, and Madison Counties. Its peak wind speed was 150 miles per hour.

The NWS also confirmed that several smaller tornadoes struck. An EF-1 tornado landed in Cape Girardeau County near Neely’s Landing. The tornado’s damage was limited to tree damage and some roofing damage to one house.

Another EF-1 tornado struck rural Bollinger and Madison Counties. The tornado ripped a path 13 miles long between Marquand and Alliance.

The NWS also confirmed three small EF-0 tornadoes in Perry, Scott, and Carter Counties.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Cantor draws McCaskill's ire

Senator Claire McCaskill is incensed and dismayed by statements made by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

According to the Washington Post and other media, Representative Cantor stated “that if Congress passes an emergency spending bill to help Missouri's tornado victims, the extra money will have to be cut from somewhere else.”

Senator McCaskill responded directly to those comments in a radio conference call Wednesday.

"I would like to venture a guess that if Eric Cantor had the kind of destruction in his congressional district that the people of Joplin have endured over the last few days that he would not have the nerve to say that money for Joplin would only come at the expense of another program," McCaskill said.

Representative Cantor has taken flak from both sides of the aisle since his comments Monday.

Over 120 people lost their lives in the tornado that ravaged Joplin on Sunday.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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Nixon meets with Joplin faith leaders

JOPLIN, MO - Governor Jay Nixon met with faith leader in Joplin on Wednesday as they struggle to support victims of the devastating EF-5 tornado that left the southwest Missouri town in rubble.

The governor says that is he confident that Joplin will rebuild … but he is not sure if stronger building codes will do much good to prevent another disaster like this one.

"I don’t know that man can build something strong enough to handle the damage of the strength of what came through here. I know that we can tie things down," Nixon said. "I know that we can use a little different material. But when you have an EF-5 tornado moving as slow as this one does, I mean, this is as strong a force as has ever touched this state, that’s for sure."

The death toll from Sunday’s tornado now stands at 125.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Red Cross does not need item donations for Joplin tornado victims

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The American Red Cross’ job has gotten a little bit harder this week.

Their Southeast Missouri volunteers are already working closely with those displaced from their homes due to flooding. But as Cheryl Klueppel, the chapter’s Executive Director explains, the group is also reaching out to Joplin area residents affected by the recent tornado.

“Our Red Cross has mobilized volunteers to help families, to be of support, to shelter, provide mental health, health services to families in the Joplin area,” Klueppel said.

Klueppel says the Red Cross is not currently in need of item donations. But those interested in giving other types of aid can make a monetary donation at redcross.org or call 211 to volunteer their time with partnering organizations.

Cara Wilson, KRCU

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Death toll grows in Joplin

JOPLIN, MO (KBIA) - 116 are confirmed dead in Joplin.

Police and rescue forces spent Monday searching for survivors amongst the rubble. Seventee people were found alive.

Senator Claire McCaskill will visit Joplin today. President Barack Obama says he will tour Joplin on Sunday.

14,000 residents in Joplin remain without electricity.

Scott Kanowsky, KBIA

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