The Norman Transcript

Editorials

Discussion

September 29, 2012

Follow-up helped change federal disaster ruling

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — When the federal government announced in mid-August that Cleveland County wasn’t included in the wildfire disaster declaration, many southeast county residents couldn’t believe it.

One woman died and dozens of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in the early August fires which spanned several days. The owners lacked insurance in an estimated 85 percent of them. Now, the federal government has accepted Gov. Mary Fallin’s appeal and made Cleveland County part of the disaster designation.

Two other impacted counties, Oklahoma and Payne counties, were included in the appeal but did not meet the federal criteria. The reversal means Cleveland County fire victims will be able to apply for individual and business assistance. They may be eligible for housing assistance, small business loans, unemployment assistance and grants for other needs.

The reversal wouldn’t have happened without follow-up from county officials who went into the field to document damage and from individual victims who were encouraged to report damage. Officials will now set up an assistance center with state emergency management staff members and work to get the word out on filing for assistance.

 

For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorials
  • Degrees of progress

    Oklahoma higher education institutions have been challenged to increase the number of students who graduate. The 1,700 graduate increase goal was soon passed and officials reported about 3,000 more degrees awarded last year over the ...

    June 19, 2013

  • Make shelter plans before the storms

    The debate over public storm shelters reminds us that at one time in Norman, residents actually took shelter inside the cavernous Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It was believed to be one of the safest structures in the city. Scientists now ...

    June 19, 2013

  • A short drought reprieve

    Oklahoma’s current respite from the drought may be short-lived. We’ve yet to reach 100-degree days where water use hits the peak and Norman turns the valve to buy water from Oklahoma City....

    June 18, 2013

  • Summertime warnings

    State and local health departments are sending out summer activity warnings. In recent weeks, we’ve received rabies, mosquito and teen driver warnings....

    June 18, 2013

  • Norman by the numbers

    Quick. What’s Norman’s current population? As of this week, city officials set the mark at 114,450. It seems like only months ago, we were passing 100,000 residents, including University of Oklahoma students....

    June 14, 2013

  • Court’s ruling ensures state has water access

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday, denying Texas access to Oklahoma water flowing within our state will help ensure the state’s water supply for generations to come....

    June 14, 2013

  • Live, die by sales tax

    Norman’s on-again, off-again love affair with the municipal sales tax has taken a hiatus. The numbers are up only slightly and less than what was projected in the city’s fiscal budget....

    June 13, 2013

  • A needed extension

    Gov. Mary Fallin took another walking tour of damaged Moore neighborhoods Wednesday. It comes as the governor requested and was approved for an extension of the federal major disaster declaration....

    June 13, 2013

  • Heat arrived suddenly

    The heat, which had stayed away from Oklahoma for most of May, has caught us by surprise this week....

    June 12, 2013

  • Meth addicts getting notice about law

    Oklahoma was one of the leaders in limiting sales of over-the-counter medicine containing pseudoephedrine. Meth cooks learned long ago that they could manufacture methamphetamine with cold pills and a few other ingredients....

    June 12, 2013