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FEMA Head Brock Long, Investigated Over Vehicle Use, Resigns
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency resigned Wednesday after a two-year tenure in which he managed the response to historic wildfires and major hurricanes but was dogged by questions over his use of government vehicles. Brock Long said in a letter to FEMA employees that he was resigning to spend more time at home with his family. His...
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FEMA Chief Misused Cars, But Will Keep Job: DHS Secretary
The head of the federal disaster response agency used government vehicles without proper authorization, but will not lose his job over it, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Friday. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator William “Brock” Long had been under investigation by the Homeland Security Department’s watchdog over possibly misusing government vehicles to travel to his home in Hickory, North...
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Fate of FEMA Leader Brock Long in Doubt as Florence Cleanup Continues
While Hurricane Florence barreled through the Carolinas, a different type of storm was brewing within the federal disaster relief agency tasked with responding to the fallout. The fate of Brock Long, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was cast in doubt with revelations that he was being investigated by Homeland Security’s internal watchdog and a congressional committee for...
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Florence Likely to Expose Gaps in Flood Insurance
The number of Americans with flood insurance is on the rise, yet Hurricane Florence is likely to make it painfully clear that too many homeowners in the Carolinas and other vulnerable regions remain unprotected. An analysis of federal flood insurance records by The Associated Press found there were roughly 5.1 million active flood insurance policies in the U.S. as of...
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Dealing With Insurance After Florence
Homeowners are being advised to check in with their insurance agencies to jumpstart the rebuilding process after Florence – even if they haven’t returned yet.
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Trump: ‘3000 People Did Not Die' in Puerto Rico Hurricanes, Blames Democrats for Raised Death Toll
President Donald Trump on Thursday rejected the official conclusion that nearly 3,000 people died in Puerto Rico from last year’s Hurricane Maria, arguing without evidence that the number was wrong and calling it a plot by Democrats to make him “look as bad as possible.” As Hurricane Florence approached the Carolinas, the president picked a fresh fight over his administration’s...
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NOAA Predicting Near or Above-Normal 2018 Hurricane Season With 1-4 Major Hurricanes, 10-16 Named Storms
U.S. government forecasters are predicting a near or above-normal 2018 Atlantic hurricane season with 10 to 16 named storms and up to four of them being major hurricanes.
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Hurricane Names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate Being Retired
The names of four deadly hurricanes that slammed parts of the United States, Central America and the Caribbean last year are being retired. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that hurricane names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate will be replaced with Harold, Idalia, Margot and Nigel. The new names will make their debut during the 2023 hurricane season....
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2017: The Year in Review
From natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey, to the Las Vegas shooting, here’s a look back at some of the most unforgettable moments of 2017.
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2017 in Review: ‘Disruption, Despair and Dumpster Fires'
The news alerts gushed in: An attack on a concert, a church, an ice cream parlor; an assailant wielding a gun or hammer or acid There’s an earthquake in Mexico, a monsoon in India, a volcanic eruption in Bali, hurricane after hurricane after hurricane. Keep up as your phone vibrates with word of your favorite actor accused of misconduct. Make...
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Fact Check: Trump Sounds Off-Key Notes on Economy, Phone Calls to Fallen Soldiers' Families
President Donald Trump is sounding an off-key note on his economic performance and perhaps overstating how much the public wants his tax package. A look at some of his statements about the economy over the weekend and a rash of misstatements on a variety of topics over the past week:
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Former Presidents Call for Unity at Hurricane Aid Concert
The five living former presidents put aside politics and appeared together for the first time since 2013 at a concert on Saturday to raise money for victims of devastating hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Democrats Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and Republicans George H.W. and George W. Bush gathered in College...
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Fact Check: Trump Strikes False Notes on Puerto Rico
President Donald Trump struck false notes in addressing Puerto Rico’s crisis in recent days, exaggerating both the ferocity of a truly ferocious hurricane and the pace of recovery. He also seemed to raise false hope that the territory’s staggering debt would go away. A look at his remarks during and after his visit to the hurricane-ravaged island:
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How a WWI-Era Shipping Law Could Be Hurting Puerto Rico's Recovery Efforts
As Puerto Rico struggles amid mass power outages and food and water shortages, some politicians and experts say that one 97-year-old maritime law will make recovering from the disaster much more difficult....
The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act, was passed after World War I to protect the U.S. ship-building industry and requires that domestic shipping... -
How Hurricanes Get Their Names
Ever wonder how hurricanes are named? The tradition can be traced back to the 1800s, when storms were named to honor Catholic saints, and evolved over the years.
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After the Latest Devastating Hurricanes, FEMA Isn't Responding With Trailers
The hurricanes that battered Texas and Florida have likely spawned the worst disaster-created housing crisis since Hurricane Katrina left hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast residents without homes more than a decade ago. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it’s not borrowing from its much-maligned Katrina playbook to rely on government-issued trailers or mobile homes to shelter residents displaced by...
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Why Some Hurricanes Linger While Other Storms Die Quickly
This hurricane season is showing how wild and varied storms’ life cycles can be. Most storms seem to be tracked for days while others appear to pop out of nowhere. And some just linger around. Hurricane Jose is pushing the two-week mark as it meanders off the U.S. East Coast. Lee, named a tropical storm last Saturday, is barely hanging...
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Five Former Living Presidents Announce Harvey Aid Effort Called ‘One America Appeal'
President Obama tweeted a video today of five former U.S. presidents announcing a Harvey relief effort called “One America Appeal.”
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Why Irma Is So Strong and Other Questions About Hurricanes
A powerful Hurricane Irma is threatening millions of people in the Caribbean and Florida. Some answers to questions about Irma and hurricanes.
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Miami-Dade County Extends Curfew Until Further Notice
After battering lower Floriday Keys early Sunday, Hurricane Irma continues its path through the lower state of Florida. Officials urged people to remain inside their homes if they have not evacuated.