hurricane recovery

19 Stories

New Problem in Puerto Rico: Energy Firm Puts Its Foot Down

Whitefish Energy says it won't fulfill remainder of work unless it gets the $83M it's owed

(Newser) - The Montana energy company that set up a controversial, since-canceled contract to help restore Puerto Rico's power after Hurricane Maria had agreed to work through Nov. 30 before heading out. But now it's stopping work altogether, claiming the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority owes it upward of $83...

On One Stage: Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Carter

All living former presidents get together for hurricane relief effort

(Newser) - 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 US Virgin Islands. Democrats Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter and...

Want Storm Relief in Texas Town? Pledge Fealty to Israel

ACLU isn't happy about requirement for applicants seeking Harvey aid in Texas

(Newser) - A tweet from the ACLU Thursday noted an oddity taking place in the Lone Star State. "The city of Dickinson, Texas is requiring people applying for Hurricane Harvey aid to promise not to boycott Israel," the tweet read, leaving many commenters puzzled as to how potential financial assistance...

Trump Talks Pulling FEMA Amid Struggle to Help Puerto Rico

Chuck Schumer says FEMA's work is 'not even close to done'

(Newser) - President Trump is warning that hurricane relief for Puerto Rico has an end date even as federal officials acknowledge a massive food shortage on the island three weeks after Hurricane Maria. "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult...

Trump: 'Great Job' on 'Impossible Situation' in Puerto Rico

As Lin-Manuel Miranda says president is 'going straight to hell'

(Newser) - President Trump says his administration has "done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico" after Hurricane Maria struck the island. He's going after what he calls "politically motivated ingrates" and says "people are now starting to recognize the amazing work" by the...

Beyonce Releases First Song Since Giving Birth
Beyonce Song
Will Benefit
Puerto Rico

Beyonce Song Will Benefit Puerto Rico

It's her first release since giving birth

(Newser) - Beyonce is out with a new single and music video , her first since giving birth to twins in June, and it's all to benefit hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The song is a remix of J Balvin and Willy William's "Mi Gente,"...

Next for Nyad: 48-Hour Swim for Sandy Relief

Mercifully, in a pool this time

(Newser) - A month after her 53-hour swim from Cuba to the US , 64-year-old Diana Nyad is ready to get her feet wet again. Up next: a 48-hour swim to raise money for Hurricane Sandy recovery. "I'm from New York City and last year I was in town right after...

House OKs $50.7B for Superstorm Sandy

Measure goes back to Senate for expected quick approval

(Newser) - The House approved $50.7 billion in emergency relief for the victims of Superstorm Sandy tonight as Republican leaders struggled to close out an episode that exposed party divisions . The 241-180 vote came more than 10 weeks after the storm brutalized parts of the Northeast. The Senate is expected to...

House Approves $9.7B in Sandy Storm Aid

Vote comes after delay that enraged New York-area lawmakers

(Newser) - The House has overwhelmingly approved $9.7 billion to pay flood insurance claims for the many home and business owners flooded out by Superstorm Sandy. The vote came more than two months after the storm hit and days after Northeast Republicans erupted over House Speaker John Boehner's decision to...

Q3's GDP Growth Could Be Rosiest of Year

Economists expect it will be revised upward, to 2.9%: Bloomberg

(Newser) - The US gross domestic product appears to have actually grown at a 2.9% annual rate between July and September, the fastest quarterly growth seen this year. That rate, via analysts at Goldman Sachs and Barclays, is higher than the Commerce Department's initial estimate of 2.0% —and...

Romney Bought Prop Donations for Relief Event

Red Cross says it's grateful, but would really rather have money, blood

(Newser) - When Mitt Romney's campaign made the hasty decision to transform yesterday's planned Ohio campaign event into a Hurricane Sandy disaster relief rally, they were afraid no one would get the message in time to bring donations, hence ruining the photo-op. So campaign aides ran to Walmart the night...

East Coast Picks Up the Pieces
 East Coast Picks Up the Pieces 

East Coast Picks Up the Pieces

A look at how the recovery effort is progressing

(Newser) - Hurricane Sandy's fingerprints are still all over the Northeastern US—particularly in New York and New Jersey—but the region began slowly churning back to life today. Here's the latest on the recovery:
  • New York City's subway is still waterlogged, but buses are expected to be out
...

Mr. Cantor, 'Have You Left No Sense of Decency?'

He is typical of the GOP's dangerous new style: Paul Krugman

(Newser) - Paul Krugman opens up on Eric Cantor in a scathing column today, accusing the House majority leader of taking victims of Hurricane Irene "hostage" by demanding that federal relief be offset with spending cuts . Cantor used the same kind of tactic in the debt ceiling talks, and Krugman sees...

How Bad Was the Storm? Check the Waffle House

If it's closed, it was very bad

(Newser) - FEMA thinks of it as the "Waffle House Index"—an unscientific but reliable guide to the severity of a storm along the coast. If a store is serving a full menu, that's a good sign for the area, explains the Wall Street Journal . A limited menu, suggesting...

Damon, Singer Jean Help in Haiti

Call on UN to raise $100M for storm recovery

(Newser) - Matt Damon and singer Wyclef Jean waded through knee-deep flood waters during a tour of decimated Gonaives, Haiti, yesterday to call attention to the widespread suffering that has followed tropical storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike. "I'm speechless, I can't believe it," Damon told the AP. The actor and...

Ike Now Category 1, But Still Dangerous

(Newser) - Galveston’s historic district is under 7 feet of water, and 4 million Houston area residents are without power after Hurricane Ike’s rampage through the region. Ike, which hit Galveston as a Category 2 hurricane, has since been downgraded to a Category 1, CNN reports. Officials warned that the...

New Orleans Residents Head Home
New Orleans Residents
Head Home

New Orleans Residents Head Home

But blackouts and shortages await returning evacuees

(Newser) - All Hurricane Gustav evacuees are being allowed back into New Orleans after Mayor Ray Nagin abandoned a more drawn-out reentry plan, the Washington Post reports. Those returning had trouble locating supplies, and officials warned power outages would add to difficulties. "We'd like to say welcome back, but it's not...

West Can't Forget Victims of Katrina

NBA All-Star goes all out to help needy in New Orleans

(Newser) - Tonight's NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans showcases basketball's best. In the Big Easy, the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina's devastation are part of the scene. For Hornets All-Star forward David West, they're part of everyday life, and no matter how much he does to help, it doesn't feel like...

FEMA to Move Families, Citing Toxins in Trailers

High formaldehyde levels found in lodging of hurricane survivors

(Newser) - FEMA will move thousands of survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita out of their government-supplied trailers because of possibly dangerous levels of formaldehyde, the Times-Picayune reports. Those at greatest risk, including those with current health problems, will be moved into apartments and hotels in the next two weeks, with the...

19 Stories