Tag: Bloomsburg Flood
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FEMA Working to Deliver Trailers
Read more: FEMA Working to Deliver TrailersSlightly over two months have passed since the historic flooding of Tropical Storm Lee pounded the Bloomsburg area. In the wake of the disaster, the need to find homes for hundreds of displaced people has taken center stage. The number of rental properties and existing homes for sale pales in comparison to the overall need. FEMA has been working in 14 hour shifts to be ready in time for Thanksgiving at Stony Brook Circle near Lightstreet. The long awaited trailers will allow flood victims who qualify to live in them rent-free for up to 18 months. That is very welcomed…
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Mayor and Town Representatives Show Strong Front in D.C.
Read more: Mayor and Town Representatives Show Strong Front in D.C.On Wednesday, November 2nd, Mayor Dan Knorr, members of the Bloomsburg Town Council, the Bloomsburg Area Joint Flood Control Authority, the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, Rieter Automotive, Windsor Foods, the Bloomsburg Fair Association and the Columbia County Commissioners met with US Senator Bob Casey, Congressman Lou Barletta, and staff from Senator Pat Toomey’s office to discuss federal government support for floodwall protection along the Susquehanna River and lower Fishing Creek. Ostensibly what appeared to be yet another in a long series of meetings with federal government representatives and officials, instead presented a strong, united front of local government, business,…
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Flood Help and Events
Read more: Flood Help and EventsJulie Kuntz Klingerman is the adminstrator of the Helping Neighbors – Bloomsburg Flood 2011 Facebook group. She will be helping us compile flood-related help and events. The “Turn the Page” book drive is in full swing at the Columbia Mall near Dunham’s. Over 30,000 books are available for children of all ages who have lost their libraries. The books are being handed out for free, and children of all ages may choose up to a dozen books. The hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – Closed Thursday – 4:00 – 7:00 Friday – 4:00 – 7:00 Saturday – 1:00 – 7:00 Sunday…
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The View from Here: A New Day at Magic Carpet Preschool
Read more: The View from Here: A New Day at Magic Carpet PreschoolYesterday we talked about the extensive flood damage at the Magic Carpet Preschool and the extraordinary lengths teachers, parents, alumni, and friends went to rebuild and restock supplies at the school. Well, today is a happy day: Students showed up this morning for their first day back to the Barton Street location. Our photographer, Bob Rush, was on the scene to see the smiling faces and happy reunions in the beautifully refurbished school. We are sure there are going to be many new preschool memories made with Miss Penny and her staff. And looking at the photos of the children…
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Sen. Toomey Sends Letter to Army Corps about Bloomsburg Flood Wall
Read more: Sen. Toomey Sends Letter to Army Corps about Bloomsburg Flood WallAccording to a press release from U.S. Senator Pat Toomey‘s (R-Pa.) office, the senator sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today urging the Corps to conduct a new cost/benefit analysis for the Bloomsburg flood wall project. The release states: A new analysis could improve the chances that this project will receive federal funding. The town of Bloomsburg has been waiting for the construction of a flood wall since Congress first approved the project in the 1990s. The Bloomsburg Area Joint Flood Control Authority estimates that damage to Bloomsburg’s two major employers from this year’s flood may cost as…
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Donors Help Magic Carpet Preschool Get Back to Barton Street
Read more: Donors Help Magic Carpet Preschool Get Back to Barton StreetWhen Penny Pomfret, director of Magic Carpet Preschool in Bloomsburg, dismissed her students early on September 7th from their Barton Street location, she was thinking about flooding but was focusing on the potential for losses in the school’s basement. “I did not realize how destructive the flood would be until I woke up Thursday morning after it had already happened. We went to bed Wednesday evening believing [the river] would crest at 28 feet, much less than Agnes.” Because the school’s current location was not flooded during Agnes, the main concerns were water in the basement and the potential loss…
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Time is Running Out – Only Two Weeks Left to Register for Disaster Aid
Read more: Time is Running Out – Only Two Weeks Left to Register for Disaster AidHARRISBURG, Pa. — Survivors of the storms and flooding that ravaged central and eastern Pennsylvania have only two weeks left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance. The deadline to register is November 14, 2011. Individuals who live, work, or own a business in the 29 Pennsylvania counties designated under the disaster declarations for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Strom Lee are eligible. The counties are Adams, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wyoming, and York.…
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It’s Your Turn: Santa Needs Our Help
Read more: It’s Your Turn: Santa Needs Our HelpIt is the first day of November and many thoughts are now turning to the holidays. Flood victims are the primary concern as the holidays can be a difficult time for those who have suffered major losses. One victim who no one has been talking about, however, is Santa Claus. Unfortunately, when the flood waters came, even his cottage wasn’t spared. Stored at the Public Works building in Bloomsburg, it incurred significant damage and is currently being repaired by those in the Public Works Department. We talked with Tim Wagner from Downtown Bloomsburg Inc. (DBI, which runs the cottage) and he…
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Run to Rebuild 5K to Benefit Flood Victims
Read more: Run to Rebuild 5K to Benefit Flood VictimsWhen Ginny Larson and Brooke Wilson met as graduate students in the Student Affairs program at Bloomsburg University, they had very little idea that they would eventually work together to become disaster recovery organizers. Larson, a Bloomsburg native, 2004 graduate of Central Columbia High School, and 2008 graduate of Bloomsburg University, was drawn back to town for her masters degree for this simple reason: “I love the area.” Wilson, a native of Rockport, Massacusetts, discovered Bloomsburg when she decided to pursue her masters and received a graduate assistantship in the Sports Information office at BU. Both, however, were incredibly affected…
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Your Thoughts: Building Permit Fees for Flood Victims
Read more: Your Thoughts: Building Permit Fees for Flood VictimsThe Town Council meeting last night was not the only place where the issue of building permit fees for flood victims was discussed. Our article commenters and Facebook groups have contributed many interesting and thought-provoking viewpoints on the subject. (Original article, Building Permit Fees Cause Lively Town Council Debate). Add your comments here if you haven’t had a chance to weigh in on the discussion. Here are some of the opinions of our readers: This is a very sticky situation. Could they possibly reduce the fees for flood victims? — Diane Building permits cover the cost of a building inspector…