Cincinnati:
Ohio officials Sunday defended the decision by Gov. John Kasich to not request federal disaster aid for Ohio towns ravaged by tornadoes Friday.
In a statement, Kasich’s press secretary, Rob Nichols, said that local and state agencies appear to be able to take care of the cleanup in hard-hit areas, such as Moscow and Bethel. But if the damage turns out to be worse than it appears, or if additional storms strike, Kasich reserves the right to ask the federal government for personnel or equipment, the statement said......
.....FEMA has already deployed some workers to Kentucky and Indiana. For example, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear announced Sunday night that FEMA assessment teams are in Northern Kentucky and will begin making damage estimates on Monday. He said this will allow for several kinds of federal assistance – including help for local governments, for small businesses and for individuals.....
An Ohio resident voiced opposition to Kasich's decision at Daily Kos:
You'd think we would've stopped being surprised by the sociopathic mindset of the teabag-waving element of the GOP, but every so often somebody like Ohio's John Kasich reminds us how much lower it's possible to sink......
.......One county to the east of Cincinnati, the town of Moscow in Clermont County was nearly wiped off the map. A normal governor with a minimal shred of competence or compassion would immediately declare the county a disaster area, and coordinate with FEMA and other federal agencies on the recovery. Governor Mitch Daniels in neighboring Indiana -- hardly a flaming liberal -- has declared 11 Indiana counties to be disaster areas, clearing the way for federal help. Across the river in Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear has similarly declared a statewide emergency......
......Unbelievable. An entire Ohio town has been wiped off the map, but Gov. Kasich refuses to declare Clermont County area a disaster area, because that would make it eligible for federal help......
Newsnet5 has a collection of pictures online. There are also a number of videos that have been uploaded to YouTube.
By not getting federal help, homeowners will not qualify for special assistance and loans. You can contact Gov. John Kasich's office here. If you have access to a digital camera, take pictures and email them to your local TV stations and national networks to let them see what Kasich is overlooking.
