Thursday May 23, 2013 Vol. 1, No. 14 THANK YOU TO ALL VETERANS!
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More help could be coming for flood victims By BILL KNIGHT
Peoria, Knox and 14 other Illinois counties could be declared federal disaster areas as a result of April flooding, according to Gov. Pat Quinn, who on Friday (May 17) requested the designation by President Barack Obama. Quinn asked for Bureau, Crawford, Henderson, Knox, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford to be added to a May 10 federal disaster declaration for Fulton and 10 other counties hit by the flooding. Damage assessment documentation For The Weekly Post
identified in the 16 counfected. Listen Up FEMA ties 14 homes that were Also, Knox and Peoria Randy Fritz isn’t destroyed and 202 that have higher percentages of thrilled with FEMA’s suffered major damage people in poverty and treatment of Edwards. (losing more than 50% of more elderly than either See Page 5. their value). Almost 300 the state or nation, noted other homes also were afthe report, which accomfected by the floods, which hurt companied Quinn’s request. mercial and industrial enterprises, too. “I want to thank President Obama Just in residential terms, Knox had 4 for his fast approval of our first request homes with major damage, 8 with for federal assistance,” Quinn wrote, minor damage and another 5 adversely “and I urge quick federal approval of affected, according to Jennifer Ricker, this request so people in these counties Chief of Staff at the Illinois Emercan access the critical help they need.” gency Management Agency (IEMA). After the storms last month, Quinn Peoria had 49 homes with major damdeclared 49 of the state’s 102 counties age, 94 with minor damage and 58 afas disaster areas.
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Veterans earn deserved thanks
BENEFIT A SUCCESS
Response to flood benefit ‘fantastic’
By JEFF LAMPE
The return home in the late 1960s was often not an easy one for veterans of the Vietnam War. Public support for that war was lukewarm at best. Too often those who came back from serving the country were greeted with the brunt of that negative opinion. Fortunately, times have changed. Whatever the opinion of a war today, there is more widespread appreciation for military service. One such expression of gratitude comes Monday during Memorial Day celebrations around the area, details of which are listed at the end of this story. For Ron Cox of Elmwood, recognition has already come once, and unexpectedly. A Vietnam veteran Elmwood veteran Ron Cox who earned a Silver holds a plaque he received Star during his tour, from the Peoria Chiefs for Cox was honored by his tour of duty in Vietnam. the Peoria Chiefs baseball team at a game this spring. The Chiefs regularly recognize active and retired military members with a Hero of the Day promotion. Cox received $100, a plaque, 10 game tickets and toured the field. “It was really very nice, but I never expected any of this,” said Cox, a retired Caterpillar Inc. worker who now drives an Elmwood school bus. “I think Weekly Post Staff Writer
By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – The response to a grassroots call for help for Edwards and other victims of April’s flooding was overwhelming, according to organizers Melissa Turner and Julie May, who led volunteers Friday and Saturday when contributors and others filled Elmwood Grade School’s Multi-Purpose Room with furniture, clothing, appliances, toys and appreciation. “I think it’s fantastic,” said Fran Siegel, who with husband Mel was flooded out of their Edwards home and stopped by to pick up mattresses, a microwave and other items. “I love everybody who helped.” A list of those who helped would be long, said Turner, who tried. “EB coaches Todd Hollis and Brad Crisco had football players here both days, unloading and loading, and [grade school principal] Tony Frost helped enormously,” said Turner, who listed the following groups that donated
Obama on May 10 issued a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois, declaring Fulton and 10 other counties federal disaster areas, releasing federal funds for qualified losses incurred from “severe storms, straightline winds and flooding” that occurred April 16 to May 5. The other counties were Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry and Will. Already, more than 16,000 applications for assistance have been submitted from those counties, according to aides with the offices of State Reps. David Leitch (R-Peoria) and Don Moffitt (R-Gilson), who rep-
For The Weekly Post
items or money: Bridgeway Community Church in Pekin, Dunlap schools, Elmwood Foods, Every Little Thing, Farmers State Bank, Farmington Food Pantry, Elmwood’s First Presbyterian Church, Eileen Huber, Northwoods Community Church, the Oaks Community Church in Dahinda, Peoria Health Department workers, Sam’s Club, Elmwood’s United Methodist Church
Edwards flood victims Fran and Mel Siegel pick up items at a benefit Saturday that packed Elmwood Grade School. Photos by Bill Knight and Julie Kennelly-May.
and David Vaughan of Country Financial. “We were surprised; we really were,” Turner said. “There were even Chillicothe residents who drove over with stuff to give even though their town was hit, too.” May mentioned Farmington Central High School student Emily Altic, who changed her senior project to help with the benefit.
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