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Sen. Warnock tours area hit hard by Newnan tornado nearly a year ago
US Senator Raphael Warnock returned to Newnan on Tuesday to learn how the community is recovering from a devastating EF-4 tornado nearly a year ago this month. Sen. Warnock said he is frustrated by what he learned about the slow response from the government and insurance companies.
NEWNAN, Ga. - U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock returned to Newnan to learn how the community is recovering from that devastating EF-4 tornado almost a year ago.
Sen. Warnock said he is frustrated by what he learned Tuesday about the slow response from government and insurance companies.
The senator said he wanted a list of insurance companies from residents and government officials here. Those companies that they said have been dragging their feet in making repairs and settling claims.
One of the stops Senator Warnock made was to Monique Reese’s house in the Chalk Level neighborhood of Newnan. A predatory contractor stole $10,000 from her and disappeared, prolonging her misery and ability to fix her tornado damaged home.
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She is weeks from moving back in, but it took charities to fund, charities to build, celebrities to raise the money and a good dose of what’s been dubbed "Newnan spirit" to get it done when FEMA said no.
Hers was among the stories he heard.
In a meeting Tuesday with Coweta County, Newnan government officials and charities involved in the work, he expressed frustration that the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied individual assistance to tornado victims in Newnan but did for the victims of the same storm in Alabama.
He pledged to pressure the Biden administration and FEMA to step up to help the what is said to be hundreds of people still struggling with damage, debris and rising rents they can’t afford after repairs are made.
Then there are the insurance companies, that both officials and storm victims said are slow to settle claims or make repairs so that a year later, damage remains and in some cases getting worse, while the families remain displaced.
Warnock asked for a list of those insurance companies
It will be a year, on March 25 when 1,700 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Officials said it’s estimated that the recovery efforts will take as long as three years.
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