DCR News Release: Clean up under way at Staunton River State Park

Clean up work under way at Staunton River State Park
~ More than 100 acres of park affected by tornado ~

SCOTTSBURG – Clean up of the 103 acres of Staunton River State Park damaged by an April 16 tornado is under way. H&M Logging of Halifax County has been hired under an emergency timber salvage contract to assist with the clean up of thousands of downed trees. Work crews from other state parks are also on their way to assist. At this time park staff is not accepting volunteer assistance citing safety reasons.
“We have been overwhelmed and amazed by the outpouring of offers from volunteers and the generous offers of equipment use from our community and our guests,” said Staunton River State Park Manager Josh Ellington. “At this point, due to safety concerns, we can only allow trained workers and contractors onto the site.”
H&M Logging will salvage logs for resale where possible running a logging and chipping operation in the park. Trained state park staff from around the commonwealth will also assist in the clean up efforts. The first crew arrives Thursday.
Once areas of the park are cleared of large trees and declared safe, volunteer work days will be held. Volunteers will be needed to haul and clear brush, rake debris and other clean up related tasks.
Rather than calling the park with offers of help, Staunton River staff requests that people watch their local media for announcements of upcoming work days. They can also get notice of these workdays and check on clean up progress by going to www.virginiastateparks.gov and signing up for the state parks “e-newsletter.”
Staunton River is one of the six original state parks opened 75 years ago in 1936. Immediately after the storm Gov. Bob McDonnell sent Virginia Secretary of Natural Resource Doug Domenech and State Parks Director Joe Elton to the historic park to assess the damage.
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News Release: Governor McDonnell Announces State Tax Relief Granted for Victims of Severe Storms

Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of Governor Bob McDonnell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2011

Office of the Governor
Contact: Jeff Caldwell
Phone: (804) 786-2211
E-mail: Jeff.Caldwell@Governor.Virginia.Gov

Virginia Department of Taxation
Contact: Joel Davison
Phone: (804) 786-3507
E-mail: Joel.Davison@Tax.Virginia.Gov

Governor McDonnell Announces State Tax Relief Granted for Victims of Severe Storms
~ Taxpayers in Disaster Areas Receive Filing and Payment Extensions on State Taxes~

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that those affected by the severe storms that struck Virginia on April 8 and April 16 will be granted a 30-day extension for filing returns and making payments on their state taxes.

This extension will apply to taxpayers located in the cities of Charlottesville and Waynesboro, and in the following counties: Albemarle, Augusta, Bath, Carroll, Dinwiddie, Gloucester, Halifax, Isle of Wight, James City, Lunenburg, Middlesex, Pulaski, Page, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Surry, and Warren. Taxpayers outside of these areas who sustained severe damage from the storms may also request an extension.

If the Governor declares any additional localities as disaster areas, they will also qualify for this tax relief. Check the Tax Department’s website at www.tax.virginia.gov for updates.

To qualify for this special filing extension, taxpayers must be unable to meet their filing obligations because the financial books and records they need to file their taxes are located in the affected areas or are otherwise unavailable because of severe storm damage.

Individuals and businesses in these areas automatically get 30 additional days to file all returns and make all tax payments that had a due date, or an extended due date, on or after April 16, 2011, and on or before May 2, 2011. These include Sales and Use Tax returns, Withholding Tax returns, Income Tax returns, and estimated tax payments. This extension does not apply to federal taxes, the filing deadline for which was yesterday.

To receive the special filing extension, taxpayers affected by the severe storm damage should write “Severe Storm Relief” at the top of their paper returns. The Virginia Department of Taxation will abate interest and any late-filing or late-payment penalties that would otherwise apply.

Taxpayers with additional questions should contact Tax at (804) 367-8031 for individual income tax questions or (804) 367-8037 for business tax questions.

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The National Weather Service confirmed eight tornadoes: one in Augusta County (EF1: wind speeds of 95 mph); one in Dinwiddie County (EF1); one in Surry-James City-Gloucester-Mathews Counties (EF3: wind speeds 136-165 mph); one in Middlesex (EF2: 111 - 135); one in Halifax County (EF2); one in Isle of Wight County (EF2); one in Loudoun County (EF0: wind speeds of 85 mph); and one in Rockbridge County (EF0: wind speeds of 85 mph).

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NWS Sterling confirms EF-0 tornado in Loudoun County for a total of seven tornadoes in Virginia.

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SCC NEWS RELEASE

Commonwealth of Virginia
State Corporation Commission
Division of Information Resources
P. O. Box 1197, Richmond, Virginia 23218

Contact: Katha Treanor
(804) 371-9141, Katha.Treanor@scc.virginia.gov
April 18, 2011

SCC’S BUREAU OF INSURANCE CAN ASSIST WITH COVERAGE QUESTIONS FOLLOWING RECENT STORMS

RICHMOND – The recent tornadoes around the state have left a trail of destruction in their wake. Virginia Insurance Commissioner Jacqueline K. Cunningham recommends that consumers who suffered property damage as a result of the recent storms contact their insurance company or agent to file a claim.

You can find contact information for insurance companies and agents on the State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) Bureau of Insurance website. If you are looking for the telephone number for your insurer, the web address for the company lookup is
www.scc.virginia.gov/boi/ConsumerInquiry/CompanySearch.aspx. The web address for the agent lookup is www.scc.virginia.gov/boi/ConsumerInquiry/ProducerSearch.aspx. The Bureau of Insurance can provide assistance to consumers who have problems contacting their insurance companies or agents or have questions or concerns about their insurance.

Commissioner Cunningham suggests taking pictures of damaged property, saving receipts for repair costs, and protecting your property from further damage. Consumer guides offering tips on what to do when a disaster strikes are being distributed and may be obtained from the Bureau of Insurance. One guide is for homeowners and the other is for businesses. Both provide answers to the most commonly asked questions about settling disaster-related insurance problems. These guides are also available on the Bureau’s website at www.scc.virginia.gov/boi/pubs.aspx.

The Bureau may be contacted through its toll-free telephone number at 1-877-310-6560. Consumers may also reach the Consumer Services Section of the Bureau’s Property and Casualty Division by calling (804) 371-9185. Consumers who are hearing or speech impaired may call through the SCC’s Telecommunications Device for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDD) at (804) 371-9206.

Correspondence may be mailed to the Bureau at P.O. Box 1157, Richmond, Virginia 23218. The SCC is located at 1300 East Main Street in downtown Richmond. Normal business hours are from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Bureau may also be contacted electronically at BureauofInsurance@scc.virginia.gov or by fax at (804) 371-9349.

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Gloucester County Public Schools announced that the 580 students who have been displaced by the damages to Page Middle School will attend Peasley Middle School.

Read more… http://www.gloucesterva.info/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yG-y9lQcF-A%3d&tabid=753&mid=2257

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Runoff from flash floods will create river flooding during the next 48 hours. Minor to moderate flooding is occurring at some locations near Richmond, Front Royal and Fredericksburg.