Tagged: tornado

A city -wide natural disaster rebuilding effort took place in Springfield Massachusetts Wednesday to commemorate the anniversary of the June 1st tornadoes.  The city was also awarded more federal funds to cover some of the costs to repair its tornado damaged infrastructure. WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

        As the anniversary of the June 1st tornadoes in western Massachusetts approaches, the recovery has come a long way, but there are stark reminders there is still a long way to go.

Massachusetts officials plan to release details of insurance claims connected to tornado destruction in the state's western and central parts last June. WAMC's Ian Pickus has more...

The National Weather Service says four tornadoes touched down during the June 1, 2011 storm, killing three people and damaging or destroying about 1,400 houses and 78 businesses.

State officials will join Springfield's mayor at 10 a.m. Tuesday at a damaged home in that city to review how insurance carriers and the state responded to the storm.

  Construction work on publicly funded housing developments in Massachusetts should be booming in coming months. The Patrick administration has committed tens of millions of dollars to build or preserve affordable housing across the state. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

        $105 million in tax credits and subsidies from federal and state programs is being awarded for 36 housing developments in 28 communities.  State officials say this will build or preserve almost 22 hundred housing units and create an estimated 3000 construction jobs.

A survey of tornado survivors finds many with unmet needs as the one year anniversary of the natural disaster in western Massachusetts approaches.  WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports…

Eight days of canvassing by disaster response volunteers in tornado impacted neighborhoods of Springfield found dozens of people who still need help ranging from major roof repairs to replacing household appliances and furnishings.

Steven Abdow, a board member of Springfield Community Together, the FEMA organized long term recovery group, said the unmet needs are estimated to cost $1 million…

  A survey of  people affected by the tornado in Springfield Massachusetts nearly a year ago finds dozens still have unmet needs. These range from major roof repairs to replacing household appliances and furnishings  with an estimated total cost of almost $1 million.  WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

The Patrick administration has released an additional $520,000 in tornado relief funds for Western Massachusetts.  WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports…

Most of the money is for home repairs in the nine communities hit hardest by the June 1st natural disaster, according to the announcement from the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Anti poverty activists want more housing for the poor in Springfield Massachusetts. The comprehensive master plan for rebuilding from the tornado does not call for more affordable housing to be built.  WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports..