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1A WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM DISASTER AREA Declaration opens doors to federal dollars How to FWC apply for keeping assistance watch on By LAURA HAMPSON rivers [email protected] By HANNAH O. BROWN Columbia County resi- [email protected] dents will soon receive federal disaster money and asing down the emergency resources to Santa Fe at idle help recover from Tropical speed, Officer Storm Debby. Dwain Mobley President Barack Obama with the declared Tuesday a major EFlorida Fish and Wildlife disaster area in Baker, Conservation Commission Bradford, Columbia, Pasco is on duty, patrolling a and Wakulla counties. nearly deserted river. Assistance includes Mobley, who has worked grants for temporary hous- in the tri-county area with ing and home repairs and FWC for the past 17 years, low-cost loans to cover says he has never had a uninsured property losses. Fourth of July holiday off. Other programs will help “This is by far the slowest individuals and business it has been,” he said. owners recover from the With the flooded banks of flooding. the Santa Fe dozens of feet The Federal Emergency past normal levels, Mobley Management Agency said said there has been a 95 per- they are reviewing other JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Paddlin’ cent reduction in boat traffic. areas affected by the storm Its swollen waters have and that more counties Columbia County resident Paula Koehler pilots a paddle boat while cruising around the flooded Santa Fe River Tuesday. ‘It’s engulfed gazebos, docks and could receive disaster dec- God giving us a good washing out,’ Koehler said of the flooding. ‘Look at all of the debris cleaned out of the woods.’ large boats. The bow of a larations. 22-foot vessel lies swamped, FEMA does not provide peeking just barely from the assistance that is available murky waters. Mobley said through insurance, but the the boat was resting on the agency may be able to assist Scams on rise after flood banks prior to the flood. with losses not covered by “The river system is very insurance. narrow usually,” Mobley By LAURA HAMPSON said. [email protected] How to apply Dislodged docks and trees drift down the river. Residents and business As flood victims work to clean up A lone turtle rests in the owners who sustained loss- after Tropical Storm Debby, scam art- warped divot of a sun-baked es in Columbia County can ists may be trying to re-victimize area dock. begin applying for assis- residents. Mobley said he saw a tance today by registering Officials with the Columbia County dock over 25 feet long bro- online at www.disasterassis- Building and Zoning Department urge ken lose and floating down tance.gov, by web enabled residents to take important steps to the river. mobile device at m.fema. protect themselves from unprofession- The dock disappeared. He gov or by calling 1-800-621- al and illegal operators. said he had not seen it since FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462- Potential schemes involve con-artists days before. 7585 (TTY) for the hearing phoning victims, going door-to-door to “It’s just cruising down and speech impaired. the river somewhere,” he The toll-free telephone Fundraiser planned - Page 3A said. numbers will operate from JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter The color of the water 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days Wendy McKinley walks through water after hauling personal belongings from her has also changed since the a week until further notice. damaged homes and asking for person- home. McKinley said that her house is flooded ‘eight inches high all around.’ storm. FEMA will soon be set- al information such as Social Security “It’s usually ice blue, crys- ting up a Disaster Recovery or bank account numbers. tal clear.” Center in Lake City where Workers may show up at flood-dam- Now it is a dark, tannic residents can apply for aged homes and recommend expen- water. assistance, get information sive or unnecessary repairs. Mobley said he has run about FEMA or other disas- Residents are cautioned against sign- into quite a few people ter assistance programs ing contracts or making down pay- who come to the river for or ask questions related ments without first receiving written vacation, somehow without to their case. The center’s estimates from contractors, and to knowledge of the flooded location and hours will be avoid offers which seem too good to conditions. announced once finalized. refuse. He has spotted people Homeowners should file In addition, the written contract may swimming in the river or a claim with their insurance contain a clause allowing a lien to be riding in kayaks. However, company as soon as pos- placed on your home should the bill he said the conditions are sible, as failure to do so may not be paid. not conducive for recre- affect eligibility. Residents with questions about the ation at this point. Applicants registering for legitimacy of companies claiming to Though the water looks aid should be prepared to be specialists in home restoration and peaceful on the surface, provide basic information repairs can contact the department underneath is a swirling about themselves including at 758-1008. Residents can also call system of currents dodg- name, permanent address, the Florida Department of Professional ing in and out of fallen Social Security Number, Regulation in Tallahassee at 850-487- trees and other submerged phone number, insurance 1395 or verify the license of a business JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter debris. coverage, description of online at www.myfloridalicense.com. A lawnmower sits on top of a shed in an effort to keep it dry from floodwaters after Mobley said he is quick losses caused by the disas- Other scammers may offer to expe- Tropical Storm Debby’s downpour flooded the Santa Fe River. to caution swimmers who ter and any other informa- dite and process disaster applications have decided the river is tion to help substantiate for a fee. apply for a variety of aid programs. mouth and is believed to be part of a ripe for recreation. losses. Before residents are eligible for Local officials are hopeful that a nationwide phishing scam. “You can’t make people Registering online is federal disaster assistance, the county disaster declaration will be approved Scammers are telling customers that put their life jacket on, but one of the best methods to must be deemed a disaster by county within a week. a third party, in most cases the Federal I always advise them,” he complete an application and commissioners, Gov. Rick Scott and Federal and state disaster inspec- Government or President Obama, will said. avoid busy signals on the President Obama. tors would never recommend specific pay their utility bill in exchange for Behind a barrier of tree telephone. If information is Now that Columbia and four thoer repairs and would never charge a fee their personal information, such as trunks, a woman in a pad- gathered prior to starting counties have been declared a fed- for any inspection. Federal officials do social security numbers and personal dle boat drifts around what the application, the process eral disaster area, representatives of also carry photo identification, which banking information. used to be her front yard. should take approximately the Federal Emergency Management you may request to see. While customers may have received Paula Koehler said she 20 minutes. Agency and the Small Business Florida Power & Light is warning information from friends or the inter- had seen the river at high- Administration will establish field offic- customers about a bill payment scam net instead of the scammers them- RELIEF continued on 6A es here to take applications from resi- that is spreading dents who suffered from damages to through social media and word-of- SCAM continued on 3A SANTA FE continued on 3A Vol. 138, No. 115 CALL US: Opinion . 4A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 95 71 People. 2A SUBSCRIBE TO Partly Cloudy Obituaries . 5A PEOPLE THURSDAY THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics . 8B Spiderman spins Local News Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Puzzles . 2B big money. Roundup. 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2012 Page Editor: Rick Burnham, 754-0424 Celebrity Birthdays Wednesday: Wednesday: n Actor Neil Simon is 85. Emerson Boozer is 69. Afternoon: 3-0-9 Afternoon: 5-4-1-3 Monday: Evening: N/A Evening: N/A n Politician Sam Farr is n Baseball player Ed 20-23-27-28-36 71. Armbrister is 64. n Baseball player Hal n Musician Jack Frost Lanier is 70. is 44. PEOPLE IN THE NEWS n Football player Floyd n Actress Becki Newton Little is 70. is 34. n Newsman Geraldo n First daughter Malia Rivera is 69. Obama is 14. New ‘Spider-Man’ snares n Football player Daily Scripture $7.5M in midnight shows “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” LOS ANGELES — The end. - Proverbs 14:34 NIV new Spider-Man has launched with the same midnight magic as the old Essence Fest They Said It one. kicks off “Government is not the solution “The Amazing Spider- Man” pulled in $7.5 million NEW ORLEANS — One to our problem. Government is the from its debut screen- of the premier music fes- problem.” ings Tuesday just after tivals celebrating black midnight. According to culture and music is - President Ronald Reagan distributor Sony Pictures, branching out, extending that matches the amount its footprint in its 18th that “Spider-Man 3” took year to embrace the next in from its first midnight generation of artists while screenings in 2007 on the still trumpeting industry way to what was then a veterans such as Aretha Lake City Reporter Franklin.

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