Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available in Seven Tennessee Counties Affected by the December 9 Severe Storms

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) announced the availability of Disaster Unemployment Assistance for seven Tennessee counties affected by the severe storms and tornadoes.

On December 9, severe thunderstorms and a recorded eight tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee, causing six fatalities, dozens of injuries, significant damage to nearly 1,900 homes, and the destruction of over 500 homes.

Read the full story

Nashville Electric Service Releases Update on Progress Made in Restoring Power Due to Last Weekend’s Severe Storms

NES Work

Nashville Electric Service (NES) released a statement on Monday updating the public about its work in restoring power for approximately 48,000 customers affected by severe storms.

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee on December 9, causing six fatalities – three in Montgomery County and three in Davidson County – and dozens of injuries. The storms produced significant damage to nearly 1,900 homes and destroyed over 500 homes, according to initial reports.

Read the full story

Country Music Star HARDY to Headline Benefit Concert for Tennessee Tornado Victims

Country music connoisseur TheBenjiChord will host a benefit concert on Sunday in support of those impacted by the deadly tornadoes that ripped across Tennessee last weekend.

The country music stars that are scheduled to perform at the Unplugged For Tennessee: A Tornado Relief Benefit Concert on Sunday at Exit/In in Nashville include HARDY, Nate Smith, Alana Springsteen, Dylan Marlowe, Chayce Beckham, Abby Anderson, Trey Lewis, Graham Barham, Payton Smith, Kylie Morgan, and Jay Allen.

Read the full story

Tennessee Congressional Delegation Sends Letter to President Biden Urging Approval of Disaster Declaration Following Deadly Tornadoes

All 11 members of the Tennessee congressional delegation sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting the “swift approval” of Governor Bill Lee’s request for a major disaster declaration due to severe storms that devastated communities across Middle Tennessee over the weekend.

On December 9, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee. The storms caused six fatalities and dozens of injuries, produced significant damage to nearly 1,900 homes, and destroyed over 500 homes, according to initial reports.

Read the full story

Tennessee to Require Tipton County Schools to Take TCAP Tests

Despite having two schools recently destroyed by tornados, Tipton County students will still be required to participate in the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Crestview Elementary and Crestview Middle School were the two elementary schools destroyed during the tornados. 

Tipton County, a rural conservative county that borders the Mississippi River, had appealed directly to Governor Lee for relief from the burden of testing this year, due to the county still dealing with the after facts of two tornadoes that struck on March 31. According to a report from television station WREG, “The tornadoes damaged 540 structures, causing more than $37 million in damages.”

Read the full story

Georgia Sets Trend by Allowing Property Tax Relief for Natural Disasters

Georgia will be the only state among its neighbors to allow local governments to give residential property owners a temporary break on their taxes for storm damage.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law last week House Bill 311, which was authored by State Rep. Lynn Smith, R-Newnan. It allows local governments to provide tax relief on property taxes, either through a millage rate reduction (one mill equals $1,000 worth of property value) or a credit once a disaster is declared by the federal government.

Read the full story

IRS Extends 2021 Tax-filing Deadline for Tornado Victims in Tennessee, Illinois, & Kentucky

In a Tuesday press release, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that victims of the deadly tornadoes that swept across parts of Tennessee and Illinois will have an extended deadline for filing their taxes this year. The announcement came days after the IRS first announced a tax-filing deadline for victims in Kentucky affected by the tornadoes.

Read the full story

Deadly Tornadoes Hit Ohio, Trotwood Suburb Badly Damaged

  TROTWOOD, Ohio – A series of storms tore through Ohio Memorial Day evening, spawning multiple tornadoes and leaving at least one person dead. The death occurred in Celina, north of Dayton, when a car was thrown into 81-year-old Melvin Dale Hannah’s home, killing him while he slept.  The EF3 that hit Celina destroyed or severely damaged at least 40 homes.  An EF3 has winds in excess of 135 mph. Seventy-five miles south one of Ohio’s largest cities, Dayton, was struck with at least two EF3 tornadoes in Trotwood and Beavercreek.  The twin twisters occurred just 30 minutes apart.  Both mayors declared a state of emergency in their suburbs.  Widespread power outages will take days to repair, according to Dayton Power & Light, and Montgomery County citizens are being asked to conserve water since one of their main treatment plants has lost electricity. Businesses and homes were hit hard.  One bystander seen surveying the debris declared he would not be working for awhile since the building where he was employed had no power and was significantly damaged.  His co-worker’s situation was worse; he’s out of work until the building is repaired and lost his home in nearby Brookville.  That same twister…

Read the full story