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Disaster Centers Closing; Nebraskans Still have Avenues for Help
Nebraska’s two Disaster Recovery Centers will close at 7 p.m. Friday, June 14.
Washington County First Lutheran Church 2146 Write St. Blair, NE 68008 |
Douglas County Omaha Police Dept. 20924 Cumberland Dr. Elkhorn, NE 68022 |
Until then, Nebraskans can visit either DRC for assistance from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. After the closing, FEMA support is available by phone, online and via the mobile app. The FEMA assistance registration deadline is July 15. They also can visit the Iowa DRC operating closest to the state line.
Shelby County Chamber of Commerce 1901 Hawkeye Ave., Suite 101 Harlan, IA 51537 1-7 p.m. June 14 8 a.m.-7 p.m. June 15-17 |
To check the status of your application, go to DisasterAssistance.gov, call FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or use the FEMA app.
Day 33
Disaster Recovery Centers
Two Disaster Recovery Centers remain open in Nebraska to provide information about FEMA and other disaster assistance programs, help you apply for them and answer questions about your case. If more convenient, you may also visit Iowa centers in Harlan or Minden.
Apply for Assistance
FEMA offers a variety of help for Nebraska tornado survivors
FEMA can provide money to eligible applicants for help with serious needs, paying for a temporary place to live, home repairs and other needs not covered by insurance. This money does not have to be repaid and may include:
IRS announces relief for taxpayers affected by tornadoes, wind, storms
The Internal Revenue Service has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in Nebraska that were affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes that began April 25. These taxpayers have until Sept. 3 to file various federal individual/business tax returns and make tax payments.
The federal disaster declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area: Boone, Douglas, Greeley, Howard, Sherman and Washington counties.
The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies filing and payment relief. But affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area should call the IRS disaster hotline at 866-562-5227 to request tax relief.
For more information:
Nebraska law organization launches free legal hotline
A free Disaster Legal Services hotline is now available for survivors of the April 25-27 tornadoes and severe storms.
Survivors in Douglas and Washington counties who cannot afford an attorney can call (844) 268-5627. Assistance is available in English and Spanish. Hours are 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-noon Friday.
Legal assistance available:
The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, FEMA and Legal Aid of Nebraska work with state and local partners to provide this free legal help.
Salvation Army Establishes Long-Term Tornado Recovery Center in Elkhorn
The Salvation Army of Omaha has opened a Long-Term Tornado Recovery Center at FNBO, 3808 N. 203rd St., Elkhorn, to support residents affected by the tornado outbreak. Hours are 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. weekdays.
A caseworker will meet with residents of Douglas and Washington counties to connect them with financial support, housing assistance, utility-bill assistance, material goods assistance and more. Food, bottled water and other storm-relief supplies will not be distributed at the center.
Small Business Administration closing recovery center, but help remains
Tuesday, June 4, is the final day of operation for the SBA’s Business Recovery Center in Douglas County at the administration’s district office at 10675 Bedford Ave., Suite 10, Omaha NE 68135. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SBA representatives are still available at all federal-state Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the affected areas to explain SBA’s disaster loan program and help business owners and residents complete and close their approved disaster loans.
SBA facts
Disaster recovery websites and social media channels
Please visit these websites and follow us on social media for timely and accurate information.
Websites:
Social Media:
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages).
FEMA to Open Disaster Recovery Centers in Douglas and Washington counties
LINCOLN, Neb. – FEMA is opening two Disaster Recovery Centers this Friday, May 10, in Douglas and Washington counties to provide one-on-one assistance for people affected by the April tornadoes.
The recovery center in Douglas County will open at 8 a.m. Friday.
The Washington County center will open at 1 p.m. Friday.
Both locations will then be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.
Recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will provide information on available services, explain assistance programs and help survivors complete or check the status of their applications.
Disaster Recovery Center Locations:
Douglas County
Omaha Police Department – Community Room C116
20924 Cumberland Dr
Elkhorn, NE 68022
Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice
Washington County
First Lutheran Church
2146 Wright St
Blair, NE 68008
Open: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 10, then 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week until further notice
To save time, please apply with FEMA online or by phone before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center. If you need help completing your application, FEMA staff will be on hand to help you in person.
How to Apply with FEMA
FEMA Offers a Variety of Help for Nebraska Tornado Survivors
FEMA can provide money to eligible applicants for help with serious needs, paying for a temporary place to live, home repairs and other needs not covered by insurance.
Money provided by FEMA does not have to be repaid and may include:
Disaster Recovery Centers are physically accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. They are equipped with assistance and adaptive technology such as amplified phones, caption phones, video phones, wheelchair ramps and other resources to help ensure all applicants can access resources.
LINCOLN, Neb. – FEMA is offering a wide variety of help to people affected by the April tornadoes. Every homeowner and renter who suffered damage is encouraged to apply.
FEMA can provide money to eligible applicants for help with serious needs, paying for a temporary place to live, home repairs and other needs not covered by insurance.
Money provided by FEMA does not have to be repaid and may include:
Apply with FEMA Whether You Have Insurance or Not
How to Apply with FEMA
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.
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The Nebraska Department of Labor is accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) from individuals in Douglas and Washington counties whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to the disaster. Additional information can be found in the daily fact sheet. DFS003 Daily Fact Sheet DR4778NE 05082024
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced additional actions it is taking to help people maintain coverage as states continue Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility renewals, which restarted across the country last spring following a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s actions will continue and extend a previously announced flexibility to make it easier for people to transition to Health Insurance Marketplace®[1] coverage through 2024, help more people with Medicaid and CHIP navigate renewals, and reinforce important federal requirements that are crucial for protecting coverage in states during and beyond “Medicaid unwinding.”
CMS is extending a temporary special enrollment period (SEP) to help people who are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP transition to Marketplace coverage in states using HealthCare.gov. The end date of this “Unwinding SEP” will be extended from July 31, 2024, to November 30, 2024, which will help more people leaving Medicaid or CHIP secure affordable, comprehensive coverage through the start of the next open enrollment period. This extension will be crucial to ensuring people remain covered, including in states that have given people additional time to renew their coverage, as CMS has recommended, to help eligible people stay enrolled. States with state-based Marketplaces can adopt similar extensions.
Read more at: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/hhs-takes-additional-actions-help-people-stay-covered-during-medicaid-and-chip-renewals?utm_source=Weekly+Updates&utm_campaign=bede7e4e8a-April+1+Newsletter_POLICYMAKER&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e0e125bf79-bede7e4e8a-137941417
The Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) announces the next step in its work bringing the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funds to Nebraska, a once-in-a-generation resource to ensure all Nebraska homes and businesses can connect to a global economy. This next step is the challenge process, and NBO is asking for every Nebraskan’s participation, effective immediately.
The goal of the challenge process is to ensure the Nebraska Broadband Availability Map is as accurate as possible. The map defines exact locations in Nebraska according to their high-speed internet (aka broadband) access. The outcome of the challenge process will determine which locations are eligible for BEAD funding to bring high-speed internet to those communities. The challenge process is 90 days broken into three 30-day segments – challenges, rebuttals and decisions. Once the process is complete, changes cannot be made to the Nebraska Broadband Availability Map and only locations marked as unserved or underserved will be able to be bid on by internet providers, to extend access to broadband.
From March 15, 2024, through April 14, 2024, we are asking all Nebraskans to review their homes’ and businesses’ addresses on the Nebraska Broadband Availability Map. This is the best way to ensure a location is eligible for funding. If the information is wrong, please contact an advocate, which is defined as local government offices, nonprofits and internet service providers (ISPs). These advocates are the only entities who can submit challenges to the map. These eligible offices, nonprofits and ISPs are encouraged to contact NBO to register as advocates for their communities. A list of registered advocates can be found on our website at broadband.nebraska.gov/challenge/consumers/find-an-advocate.
If a location’s internet service information is wrong, please contact an advocate and request their help to submit a challenge. A step-by-step guide to this process is available on NBO’s website at
broadband.nebraska.gov.
ISPs will be notified when they are named in a challenge and will have 30 days to rebut from the time of the notification. NBO will have another 30 days to review challenges and rebuttals and make final determinations. NBO’s decisions will undergo a final approval process by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Challenges and their statuses will be published to the NBO website on a rolling basis. The challenge process will be the final determination of the unserved/underserved locations funded by Nebraska’s BEAD program. After April 14, 2024, NBO will be unable to accept any further challenges to the map.
Reach out to NBO with questions or comments at ndot.broadbandoffice@nebraska.gov.
Thank you for visiting my website. It is an honor to represent the people of the 6th legislative district in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature.
You’ll find my contact information on the right side of this page, as well as a list of the bills I’ve introduced this session and the committees on which I serve. Please feel free to contact me and my staff about proposed legislation or any other issues you would like to address.
Sincerely,
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh
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