6 The QUeeNS CoUrier •JANUARY 10, 2013 fOR BREAkINg NEwS vISIT www.queenscourier.com Feds approve $9.7B in Sandy aid BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA ance that live in participating communi- [email protected] ties. Without the $9.7 billion, the program would have run out of money. Ten days after Hurricane Katrina hit, Now that the legislation has passed, Congress passed $60 billion in emergency it’s about how long it’s going to take to relief legislation. get money to storm victims, said Gianna Sandy’s victims waited three months Cerbone-Teoli. for a vote on their aid. Her restaurant, Manducatis Rustica On January 4, the U.S. House of in Long Island City, sustained flooding Representatives voted yes on $9.7 billion damage from Sandy, but unlike some in Sandy aid by a margin of 354-67, fol- businesses, Cerbone-Teoli said she is lowed by the Senate, which unanimously lucky that she didn’t need the aid money approved it later that afternoon. President to open her doors. Obama signed it into law that Sunday. In the meantime, Cerbone-Teoli won- The vote came after politicians from ders when Sandy victims will not only both sides of the aisle publicly criticized see the FEMA money, but also funds that Speaker John Boehner earlier that week were collected through charity and other for adjourning the House before voting organizations following the storm. on the full $60.4 billion Sandy relief pack- “If these businesses don’t get up and age after the Senate had passed it. File photo running the economy is going to be hit Following the criticism, Boehner prompt- $9.7 billion in Sandy aid money for flood insurance claims was passed by Congress last hard,” she said. ly scheduled a vote on the legislation. week and promptly signed by President Barack Obama. “It’s truly unfortunate that the funding from A vote on the remaining $51 billion in the federal government isn’t helping people storm aid will take place January 15. Congressmember Gregory Meeks. Specifically, the legislation temporarily now,” said State Senator Joseph Addabbo. “Belated as the bill may be, I am pleased “This action, however, is woefully increases the borrowing authority of the As for the $51 billion, even if it’s passed, the House was able to finally act Friday insufficient in addressing the significant Federal Emergency Management Agency it could be difficult getting it to the right on a piece of the vital Sandy disaster concerns and needs of millions affected (FEMA) for carrying out the National Flood people if there are stipulations on how relief legislation to increase borrowing by last fall’s storm.” The $9.7 billion will Insurance Program (NFIP). Congress cre- it can be spent, he noted. authority by FEMA on behalf of the go towards flood insurance claims for ated NFIP in 1968 to offer flood insurance “Every area’s concerns are different,” National Flood Insurance Program,” said Sandy-damaged homes and businesses. to property owners and renters flood insur- he said. FAMILY OF FIRST VICTIM TO SUE BY MELISSA CHAN police said. ages, including funeral and Lainos’ house deed shows the [email protected] “Tony Laino was unneces- burial expenses, according to tree was on city, not private, sarily killed by a tree that the notice of claim obtained property. The family of the Flushing didn’t belong there,” said the by The Queens Courier. The Parks Department man tragically killed by a family’s attorney, Rosemarie New York City and its directed comment to the city’s felled tree during Sandy Arnold. “It shouldn’t have Parks Department were Law Department, which said plans to sue the city after been planted there to begin “grossly negligent, wanton, officials would evaluate the they said they fought in vain with. It was overgrown, rotten reckless, purposeful and/ new claim. for at least a decade to get and improperly pruned.” or breached their duties,” “We recognize that this the towering threat removed, Arnold said these fatal fac- which led to Laino’s “wrong- incident involves a loss of legal sources said. tors caused the tree to fall ful and untimely death,” the life, which is tragic,” depart- A notice of claim has been when it was confronted by claim said. ment spokesperson, Elizabeth filed on behalf of Tony Laino, predicted 80 miles per hour Family and neighbors said Thomas, said in a statement. 29, who was pinned under a hurricane winds. the disaster could have been Courtesy of Facebook The amount the family tremendous tree that ripped “The city knew about every- averted if the city listened to The family of Tony Laino (pic- plans to sue for was not yet through his bedroom in the thing years before it hap- their numerous complaints tured) plans to sue the city determined, Arnold said. upper left portion of his two- pened,” she said. made over a decade about the after the 29-year-old was killed Laino was the youngest of story home at 47-34 166th Street on October 29. and Robert Laino, and one the Lainos’ home. by a felled tree during Sandy. as a driver for Ace Party &three brothers and a workedenormous tree looming overThe victim’s parents, Carol Laino, considered the of his two brothers, Nicholas “I’ve been telling them to lived apart from his family Tent Rental, his friends said. storm’s first New York City Laino, are gearing up to sue take this tree down for 20 and who is not listed as a “The family is heartbro- victim, was pronounced dead the city for emotional, mental years,” said Bobby Laino, claimant. ken,” Arnold said. “They’re at approximately 7 p.m., distress and monetary dam- Tony’s other brother, who According to Arnold, the beyond heartbroken.” Commission finds LIPA sunk by storm BY TERENCE M. CULLEN to replace LIPA with the New York Power Authority Assemblymember Phillip Goldfeder, who represents [email protected] (NYPA). the bulk of Rockaway, said LIPA was mismanaged after The tandem of LIPA and National Grid did not work the storm. Relaying information to residents was not the It might be lights out for LIPA in its current form. during the storm, according to the commission’s interim only problem, he said, but communication within the The Moreland Commission, established to examine report, and had fallen victim to mismanagement and poor agency was poor. response from utility companies after Sandy, has offered investment in infrastructure and had let customers down. “It seemed like there was just a general lack of com- Governor Andrew Cuomo three options to reshape the Cuomo, who has promised to keep utility companies munication not only within the community but within power company after it was lambasted for poor response accountable, said whatever plan the commission ultimately their own agency,” he said. times and mismanagement after the storm. suggests, it should be adopted statewide. He reiterated that Goldfeder said he was open to any proposals to chang- The first is to let the power company go private under utility companies were not locked into servicing the area ing how utility companies are managed to ensure they are a single operator — effectively letting the state regulate forever and would be responsible for any wrongdoings. held accountable to customers. the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), as opposed to “Nobody said that any of these utility companies had “There’s no question that LIPA failed the residents regulating itself as it does now. a franchise for life; they don’t,” Cuomo said after meet- of Rockaway during the recent storm,” he said. “I’m Other options include streamlining LIPA by allowing ing the commission. “I mean what business do you have open to discussing any and all changes to make sure the company to manage its day-to-day operations — cur- today in this state and this country where you have the that the utility companies are well managed and reli- rently handled by National Grid. The last suggestion is business for life, regardless of your performance?” able to the customers who need it.”
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