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BBB and Give.org Offer Tips on Helping Texas in the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey

News, Weather

August 28th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

August 28, 2017 –The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and BBB Wise Giving Alliance are advising people to help as much as they can in the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, but to do so with caution and make sure their donations get to the people who need it most. “The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey prompts us to do what we can to help as soon as possible,” said H. Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org,) “but donors need to be aware of some key cautions so that their generosity will get to those in need quickly.”

The National Weather Service reports that Hurricane Harvey has brought over 20 inches of rain to portions of southeast Texas and the volume of flooding is unprecedented for this area. And, another 15-25 inches of rain is anticipated in the days to come. As the impact of this storm on Texas communities is heart wrenching, many will seek to contribute to help those in need.

BBBs are already seeing crowdfunding appeals of a dubious nature, and in the days ahead expect to see “storm chasers” looking to make a quick buck off of clean-up efforts (bbb.org/storm). Consumers can report suspected scams to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker) or the Texas Attorney General’s hotline (800-621-0508 or consumeremergency@nag.texas.gov).

BBB Wise Giving Alliance suggests that donors keep the following tips in mind to help avoid questionable appeals for support:

  • Verify the trustworthiness of soliciting relief organizations by visiting Give.org to access free reports that specify if the charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
  • See if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas. Unless the charity already has staff in the affected areas, it may be difficult to bring in new aid workers to provide assistance quickly. See if the charity’s website clearly describes what the charity can do to address immediate needs.
  • Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Some charities may be raising money to pass along to relief organizations. If so, you may want to consider “avoiding the middleman” and giving directly to those that have a presence in the region. Or, at a minimum, check out the ultimate recipients of these donations to see whether they are equipped to provide aid effectively.
  • Be cautious about gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations. In-kind drives for food and clothing, while well intentioned, may not necessarily be the quickest way to help those in need – unless the organization has the staff and infrastructure to distribute such aid properly. Ask the charity about its transportation and distribution plans. Be wary of those who are not experienced in disaster relief assistance.
  • Understand crowdfunding. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals who decide to post for assistance after a disaster, and it is often difficult for donors to verify the trustworthiness of crowdfunding requests for support. If you decide to contribute via crowdfunding, it is probably best to give to people who you personally know that have posted requests for assistance. For more Give.org tips on crowdfunding, check out this Wise Giving Wednesday post.

Phases of disaster relief. Remember that every disaster has several phases – rescue, emergency relief, and recovery. Each part relies on public support and continuing funding for success. The need for donations doesn’t stop when the headlines do.
Recovery time line. For many communities, recovery will be a long-term activity that can take many months or years to accomplish, depending on the extent of the damage. Those truly concerned about helping communities bounce back will have many opportunities to help.

Disaster planning. Although it may seem obvious, no one wants to experience a repeat performance of a disaster. Areas that work toward recovery will probably also need to develop plans to better respond to a similar storm in the future. Even those that already had measures in place can find ways to improve based on experience.

The following is a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., organizations that meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) that are raising funds for Hurricane Harvey relief assistance. This list will be updated as additional relief efforts come to BBB WGA’s attention.

American Red Cross; AmeriCares; Church World Service; Direct Relief; GlobalGiving Foundation; Humane Society of the United States; Islamic Relief USA; MAP International; Operation USA; Salvation Army; Save the Children; United Methodist Committee on Relief; United Way of Greater Houston.

Red Cross volunteers from Iowa respond to Harvey

News, Weather

August 28th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Around 20 Red Cross volunteers from Iowa are in Texas, helping victims of devastating flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey along the Gulf Coast. Marty Schiessl of Dubuque spoke with KCRG-TV this (past) weekend shortly before driving an Emergency Response Vehicle to Houston. He said preparation is key. “You prepare the best you can and then just go with the changes as they come about,” Schiessl said.

This is his ninth national deployment and Schiessl was told he’d be serving food to those in need. “We’ll be going not only to the temporary shelters that they have set up for the affected people who had to evacuate but also as the people get back into their neighborhoods and start fixing up their damaged homes we’ll be going through and feeding house to house,” Schiessl explained.

Schiessl told KCRG he volunteers simply because he enjoys helping people and he encourages other Iowans to give it try.  “If anyone has time in their life to help out and become a volunteer, you know take the time to do that. Get some training and help out and make a difference in your world,” Schiessl said.

In addition to the 20 volunteers, four Emergency Response Vehicles from Iowa are in Texas.

(KCRG via Radio Iowa)

Skyscan forecast & weather data for Atlantic: 8/28/17

Weather

August 28th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly sunny. High 79. N/NW wind 5-10.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Low 53. Light & variable breeze.

Tomorrow: Mo. Sunny. High 79.N/NE @ 5-10.

Tom. Night: Mo. Clear. Low 55.

Wednesday: Mo. Sunny. High 82.

Thursday: Mo. Sunny. High 83.

Friday: Mo. Sunny. High 85.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 81. Our Low this morning was 55. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 89 and the low was 60. The Record High in Atlantic on this date was 100 in 1984. The Record Low for this date was 35 in 1967.

Skyscan forecast for Atlantic & the area – 8/27/17

Weather

August 27th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Today: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming north northeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. North northwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 78. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 82.

Skyscan Forecast Friday 08/25/2017

Podcasts, Weather

August 25th, 2017 by admin

Skyscan Forecast   Friday, August 25, 2017  Richard Garuckas

Today: Morning showers possible. Partly cloudy. SSE @ 10-15. High 84.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. SSE @ 5-10. Low 61.

Saturday: Mix of sun and clouds. Moderate chance of afternoon thunderstorms. S @ 10-20. High 86.

Saturday Night: Stray shower early. Partly cloudy. Low 64.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 81.

Monday: Mix of sun and clouds. Cooler. High 76.

Tuesday: Partly sunny. High 74.

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Skyscan Forecast Thursday 08/24/2017

Podcasts, Weather

August 24th, 2017 by admin

Skyscan Forecast    Thursday, August 24, 2017    Dan Hicks

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy. Few scattered showers in the morning. SE @ 10. High 78.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Few scattered showers. SE @ 5-10. Low 63.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. SE @ 10-15. High 80.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Few scattered showers. High 80.

Sunday: Partly cloudy to cloudy. Few morning showers. High 82.

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Skyscan Forecast Wednesday 8/23/2017

Podcasts, Weather

August 23rd, 2017 by admin

Skyscan Forecast   Wednesday, August 23, 2017    Dan Hicks

Today: Partly to mostly sunny. NW shifting to SE @ 5-10. High 79.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. SE @ 5. Low 54.

Thursday: Partly cloudy to cloudy. SE @ 10. High 78.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. High 80.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. A few scattered showers. High 80.

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Local 24-Hour Rainfall Totals ending at 7:00 am on Tuesday, August 22

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

August 22nd, 2017 by Jim Field

  • KJAN, Atlantic  1.65″
  • Massena  3.22″
  • Anita  .56″
  • Elk Horn  .51″
  • Audubon  .67″
  • Oakland  .84″
  • Neola  1.1″
  • Persia  1.05″
  • Missouri Valley  .82″
  • Guthrie Center  .25″
  • Woodbine  .31″
  • Logan  .25″
  • Underwood  .65″
  • Villisca  1.9″
  • Clarinda  .7″
  • Bedford  .93″
  • Sidney  1.25″
  • New Market  .91″
  • Glenwood  .87″
  • Carroll  .43″
  • Manning  .79″
  • Irwin  .21″
  • Red Oak  .91″
  • Council Bluffs  .52″
  • Denison  .4″
  • Shenandoah  .32″

Skyscan Forecast Tuesday 8/22/2017

Podcasts, Weather

August 22nd, 2017 by admin

Skyscan Forecast   Tuesday, August 22, 2017    Dan Hicks

Today: Partly cloudy. Less humid. NW @ 10-20. High 79.

Tonight: Clear and cooler. Light and variable winds. Low 48.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. E @ 5-10. High 80.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. High 78.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. High 80.

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Local 24-Hour Rainfall Totals ending at 7:00 am on Monday, August 21

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

August 21st, 2017 by Jim Field

  • KJAN, Atlantic  2.99″
  • 8th and Laurel Atlantic 4″ Total.
  • 7 miles NNE of Atlantic 1.91″
  • Elk Horn  2.22″
  • Massena  3.43″
  • Walnut 4″
  • Anita  2.45″
  • Oakland  .61″
  • Manning  3.37″
  • Guthrie Center  4.85″
  • Mapleton  2.94″
  • Emerson  1.02″
  • Underwood  .88″
  • Bedford  .75″
  • Clarinda  .96
  • Creston  .63″
  • Red Oak  .56″
  • Carroll  1.28″
  • Villisca  .85″
  • Glenwood  2.21″
  • Denison  6.47″