Deadline for FEMA disaster aid is Thursday
SEATTLE — Thursday is the deadline for people to apply for federal disaster assistance for December flooding in Washington.
So far, more than 9,800 people in 10 counties have applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
More than $34 million has been approved. Of that, more than $15 million in grants went to more than 3,100 people for rental assistance, temporary lodging and housing repairs.
Most of the money has gone to Lewis County, where $11 million in grants and loans have been approved for more than 2,300 people.
The biggest number of claims have come from Grays Harbor County, which was hit by both wind and rain.
People can register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, or on the Web at www.fema.gov.
Spokane: Inmate mistakenly released
A Geiger Corrections Center inmate has been released by mistake, and Spokane County sheriff’s deputies are trying to find him.
A statement released Monday by the sheriff’s office identified the inmate as 52-year-old Darnell Riley. He was being held on two counts of possession of controlled substances.
According to Geiger Commander John McGrath, another inmate with a similar last name posted bail and was scheduled to be released on Jan. 25. Instead, when the name “Riley” was paged, Darnell Riley went to the office and was released.
Olympia: Gov. lauds nurse-hospital pact
Gov. Chris Gregoire, declaring that patient safety is “the next logical step” in health care reform, on Monday hailed a new agreement between nurses and hospitals to provide better nurse staffing.
At signing ceremonies near the Capitol, union leaders and the head of the Washington State Hospital Association agreed to come up with a staffing plan at each hospital in the state.
The hospitals will post the number of budgeted staff throughout the hospital each day, and the number who are actually on the floor each shift. Staffing would remain a subject of negotiations between nurses and administrators.
The governor said the greater attention to nurse staffing will lead to better patient safety and lower overall medical costs.
Associated Press
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