President Obama has declared a federal disaster in six Indiana counties following severe storms that tore through the region on March 2nd.Governor Mitch Daniels had requested federal aid for Clark, Jefferson, Ripley, Scott, Warrick and Washington counties this week.The counties are now eligible for federal assistance, which can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other relief programs for individuals and businesses. Daniels may still seek to add more counties to the declaration and seek assistance for damage to public infrastructure.Meanwhile, the president has also authorized assistance for nine additional counties in Kentucky that sustained tornado damage. That brings to 16 the number of counties in eastern and northern Kentucky that are now eligible for federal aid.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.