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Top U.S. disaster official Michael Brown, under fire over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, cited prior emergency-management experience in an official biography but his duties were “more like an intern,” Time magazine reported. Brown's biography on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site says he had once served as an "assistant city manager with emergency services oversight," and a White House news release in 2001 said Brown had worked for the city of Edmond, Okla., in the 1970s "overseeing the emergency-services division." However, a city spokeswoman told the magazine Brown had actually worked as "an assistant to the city...

Government aid for Hurricane Frances bought Miami-Dade County residents rooms full of furniture, new wardrobes and thousands of appliances, including microwaves, refrigerators and sewing machines, even though the brunt of the storm missed the county. With damage limited primarily to a few fallen trees and power lines, residents claimed Frances destroyed 5,260 television sets and 1,440 air conditioners, according to records from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Disaster relief paid for lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, space heaters and cars. FEMA paid $4,500 for one resident's funeral, even though the county medical examiner recorded no storm-related deaths. In six instances, FEMA...

MIAMI (AP) -- The nation's leaders need to put aside partisan labels to help Florida recover from the devastation of three major hurricanes during the past month, Democratic Senate candidate Betty Castor said Saturday. In her party's weekly radio address, Castor said Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan "have cut a terrible swath of destruction," destroying homes and damaging military bases and the state's agricultural industry. "At times like these, we are not Republicans or Democrats. We are all Americans," Castor said. "The worst of Mother Nature brings out the best in human nature." Castor, a former state education commissioner, defeated...

STUART, Fla. (AP) - A mental health counselor with a history of assault arrests ordered his two pit bulls to attack a group of people who were riding out Hurricane Frances inside their office building, police said. Two people were bitten and one of the dogs was stabbed. Ryan C. Moore, 54, who treats anger management problems and addictions, was arrested Friday and charged with aggravated battery for allegedly releasing his dogs with the command "Go get them" while he and the others were riding out the Sept. 4-5 storm. William E. Schoonmaker, who operates an insurance agency in the...

GOVERNOR BUSH ANNOUNCES WEEKEND OF PRAYERTALLAHASSEE - Governor Jeb Bush today asked for people of all faiths to takea moment during their religious services this weekend to join him in prayerfor those who have been impacted by Hurricanes Charley, Frances andpotentially Ivan.  "The people of Florida have weathered brutal blows, and are braced for yetanother challenge as Hurricane Ivan approaches our shores," said GovernorBush.  "At this time of unprecedented challenge, I've drawn comfort andstrength from my own personal faith, and have been lifted by the prayers ofothers."Attached please find a letter from Governor Bush to faith-based leadersregarding the weekend...

      Guard’s Staging Area Helps Storm Victims Regain Normalcy Soldiers from the Florida Army National Guard unload supplies from an Oklahoma Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook today at the West Palm Beach Logistics Staging Area at the South Florida Fairgrounds. More than 200 Guard soldiers and airmen are working at the Fairgrounds to help bring relief to South Florida residents affected by Hurricane Frances. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Shelley Gill, 125th Fighter Wing) By Spc. Andrew Hillegass107th MPAD WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (9/9/2004) — After Hurricane Frances passed through South Florida, many people here wanted nothing more then...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- North Carolina Department of transportation crews are working to reopen Interstate 40 and more than 215 primary and secondary roads due to mudslides, downed trees, and high water in the western region of the state. I-40 is currently restricted in both directions between mile markers 67-72 due to a mudslide on Old Fort Mountain. One lane is open in each direction, but traffic is moving very slowly through the area. NCDOT crews are hoping to reopen the road by Thursday morning. The worst conditions are found in counties surrounding the Asheville area and along the Tennessee state...

The remnants of Hurricane Frances stretched across North Carolina on Wednesday, flooding mountain communities in the west and chopping up the surf 450 miles away along the coast. As much as a foot of rain over the past day and a half forced rivers out of their banks and pushed mud and rocks down mountain slopes in western North Carolina, while at least six possible tornadoes spun through the central and eastern parts of the state. Rip current warnings were issued along the Outer Banks. Hundreds of people evacuated their homes to avoid flooding. Rescuers pulled several stranded people from...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — President Bush returned to storm-battered Florida on Wednesday for the third time in 31/2 weeks, this time surveying damage from Hurricane Frances (search), helping hoist emergency supplies into cars and assuring residents that billions of dollars in federal aid was coming. Bush signed a bill Wednesday morning allocating $2 billion in emergency money to deliver disaster relief to areas reeling from two hurricanes, and a spokesman said he planned to ask for still more aid soon. After landing in West Palm Beach, Bush flew by o one car and asked, "What can we help you...

The New York Yankees asked the commissioner's office to award them a forfeit over Tampa Bay after the Devil Rays failed to arrive in time for the scheduled start Monday because of travel problems in Florida due to Hurricane Frances. The doubleheader was changed to a single game and the start time, pushed back Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., was reset for 7 p.m. The Devil Rays, who reported to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at 8 a.m., left the ballpark at 1:05 p.m., departed Tampa International Airport at 2:40 p.m., arrived at LaGuardia Airport at 5:25 p.m....

MIAMI - Along with their destructive force, hurricanes can have beneficial effects as part of the rhythm of nature. Storms that erode beaches, uproot trees and flatten wildlife habitats may also refresh waterways, revive dry areas and bulk up barrier islands with redistributed sand. "What we see is the damage it does to our structures, but it can actually renew areas," said Karen Westphal, a coastal scientist at Louisiana State University's School of the Coast and Environment. Hurricane Frances could help the Everglades, which is already undergoing a $8.4 billion environmental restoration. "Hurricanes are a vital part of the natural...

Hurricane Frances has battered the Kennedy Space Center's 525-ft high Vehicle Assembly Building ripping off over 1000 panels from its exterior, Center Director Jim Kennedy told reporters a short while ago. With another Hurricane possibly on course to hit Florida this weekend, the space agency is worried. "The VAB is something of concern," Kennedy said."Not only because of the initial damage but because of the potential that Ivan brings to us. Our weather people tell us that Ivan could be at the backdoor of KSC as early as Saturday." Ivan is a powerful hurricane packing winds of 115 miles per...

BOCA RATON · Fire-Rescue Lt. Frank Montilli had just heard that a sick, bed-ridden woman was trapped in her home. ... Hardly noticed among the fire trucks and ambulance was a small, white truck belonging to Alvin Sylvester, a tree cutter who had joined rescuers a short time earlier. As the firefighters donned their goggles and readied their chain saws, Sylvester was already cutting branches on the 60-foot tree. Clutching a chain saw in each hand, he slashed away branches as the firefighters dragged them away. A dozen or so neighbors gathered near the driveway, marveling at Sylvester's technique and...

QUINCY, Fla. -- A grandson and a former son-in-law of Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden were killed when their car was hit a by a utility truck that was helping to restore power outages caused by Hurricane Frances. John Allen Madden, a 45-year-old former Florida State lineman who played under Bowden, and his 15-year-old son, Bowden Madden, were killed instantly Sunday when the passenger side of their car hit the front of the truck, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Robert Mills said Monday. Mills said the Bowden family had been informed of the deaths. "Most of us have been around...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Hurricane Frances did more damage to the Kennedy Space Center than any other storm in history, tearing an estimated 1,000 exterior panels from a giant building where space vehicles are assembled, officials said Monday. No space shuttles were inside the 525-foot-high building, a familiar landmark at the space center. But center director James Kennedy said he feared the damage could set back NASA's effort to resume shuttle launches next spring. Monday marked the first time anyone from NASA had seen the damage from the storm because the agency completely evacuated the space center — the first...

An Ignoble Confession Posted by James Wolcott I root for hurricanes. When, courtesy of the Weather Channel, I see one forming in the ocean off the coast of Africa, I find myself longing for it to become big and strong--Mother Nature's fist of fury, Gaia's stern rebuke. Considering the havoc mankind has wreaked upon nature with deforesting, stripmining, and the destruction of animal habitat, it only seems fair that nature get some of its own back and teach us that there are forces greater than our own. Sure, a hearty volcano can be enjoyable. Burning rivers of lava: so picturesque....

Tropical Storm Frances Advisory Number 50 Statement as of 5:00 am EDT on September 06, 2004 ...Frances getting a little better organized over the warm waters of the northeast Gulf of Mexico... a Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the northwest Gulf Coast of Florida from Anna Maria Island northward to Destin. At 5 am EDT...0900z...the Tropical Storm Warning along the Florida West Coast from south of Englewood has been discontinued. Also... the Tropical Storm Warning along the Florida East Coast from south of Cocoa Beach has been discontinued. A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for the Florida...

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LAKE WORTH, Fla. -- One northbound lane has been closed by a washout on Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County due to erosion from a washout blamed on Hurricane Frances. The Florida Highway Patrol says the pavement fell away from the slow lane at Tenth Avenue in Lake Worth. Traffic is squeezing into fewer lanes, and drivers are being asked to avoid the area. A construction crew is on hand, but the washout is still growing. Troopers are warning that other lanes may be affected later.

Just letting those know on here from the hurricane threads that I am fine here in Palm Bay,Florida. We encountered 110 mph winds for a few hrs but for the most part were sustained around between 70-90 mph for the duration of the storm. Neighbors lost their roof's,lot's of tree damage around here...tons as a matter of fact,traffic lights out everywhere,a few structure collapse's,broken windows etc... Rain believe it or not was not and still is not an issue yet. We got a total of 5 inches max in the last 30 hrs. The dry air that entered the storm...