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FEMA home buyout offers path to ‘higher ground’
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Deputy Judge/Executive Carolea Mills says the FEMA home buyout program can move residents out of the flood and onto higher ground. “This program’s whole mission is to get residents who have been flooded to higher ground,” Mills said. “It is for people who feel trapped—because no one…
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Rising from the flood: Calf Creek United Baptist rebuilds after devastation
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN “And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” —Nehemiah 2:18 INEZ — Pastor Maurice Mills could only watch helplessly as the Tug River surged past its banks and destroyed his church in Inez this February. “This is backwater from the…
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Cornhole tournament at Big Sandy brings in flood relief funds
PRESTONSBURG — A cornhole tournament at Big Sandy Community and Technical College drew players and volunteers from across the region, raising funds to support flood recovery efforts. Thirty players from six counties and two states took part in the event on the BSCTC campus. At least eight additional community members volunteered to help run the…
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In the wake of the flood, Martin County rebuilds joy
When disaster strikes, it reveals the character of a community. In Martin County, the Tug Fork spilled its banks and forced families to flee by helicopter from riverfront homes. But when the muddy water receded, compassion rose. The flood that hit our county in February—cresting at 51.22 feet in Kermit, the highest in nearly 50…
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‘Rebuilding Joy’ brings toys and gifts to youngest flood survivors
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Following the devastating flood that swelled the Tug Fork River to a crest of 51.22 feet Feb. 17 in Kermit (its highest level since the record 54.5 feet on April 6, 1977), relief efforts in Martin County were swift. As the muddy water receded, individuals and organizations stepped…
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SBA sets up in Inez to help flood victims
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Small Business Administration (SBA) is in town to inform flood-impacted individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits about the resources available to them. “We want to make sure that you all are aware of the resources that we have available to anyone who has been impacted and has damage…
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Emergency funds to aid flood relief
In the aftermath of severe flooding that ravaged communities in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia, the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington has allocated $60,000 in emergency grants to seven nonprofit organizations working on recovery efforts in the region. The funding, announced this week, will support a range of initiatives, from providing food and housing to…
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Navigating disaster assistance: How to appeal FEMA decisions
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN In the aftermath of disasters, survivors seeking assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may find that their initial decision is not what they expected. But a denial or lower-than-expected award is not necessarily the final word. Individuals affected by disasters have the right to appeal any decision or…
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Flood debris dumpsters cost county $20K so far
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The cost of clearing flood debris dominated discussion at a Martin County Fiscal Court special meeting Feb. 26. Magistrates approved payments totaling nearly $20,000 for roll-off dumpsters used in flood cleanup efforts in Lovely. The invoices submitted by Howell’s Recycling & Sanitation of Debord covered services Feb. 18,…
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Trapped by the flood: My survival and a community’s strength
BY BARBIANN MAYNARD Against all odds, I survived the historic flood that ravaged our area Feb. 16, 2025. Now it is time to share my experience. Let us back up a little. When I was 12 and my Leigh Ann Maynard was three, our mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29.…
Tag: Flood Relief
