A support group and a lab in the St. Louis area provide resources for people with the allergy to mammal products — and evidence that its effects can be reversed.
Kymberlie and Robert Watson stand outside a damaged work shed on their property in Cave City, Ark. The March tornado that ripped through the city incurred $60,000 in damage to their home. (Credit: Lucas Dufalla, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
We're in tornado season, and Basin states have seen several damaging storms in recent weeks. Rebuilding from these storms is expensive, and a federal disaster declaration can unlock funds for people and governments. But the Trump Administration is shaking up this system, shifting more costs to states and creating uncertainty for those facing immense loss.
Desk reporters Phillip Powell of the Arkansas Times and Lucas Dufalla of the Arkansas Press-Democrat visited one hard-hit town to report a story about what happens when aid is denied or delayed.
They write:
Desk reporter Phillip Powell, Arkansas Times
Cave City, Arkansas, is a 1900-resident town in the Arkansas Delta known for its vibrant watermelon industry. But following a devastating EF-3 tornado in March, the town has been known for the struggles it has faced rebuilding.
After the twister, which caused $300,000 in damage to the city, President Trump denied the state’s request for FEMA assistance. Recently, however, he backtracked after a personal appeal from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders — his former press secretary — for individual assistance for homeowners who suffered damages. That aid didn’t apply to local governments, however, so Cave City was still on the hook for a large chunk of the bill, though the state has since said it will step in to help.
Desk reporter Lucas Dufalla, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
On a recent reporting trip for this story, we got our first glimpse of the storm damage as soon as we arrived. The city’s red-and-green welcome sign (a nod to the watermelons) had been ripped out of the ground and mangled.
While we were there, we spoke to Cave City Mayor Jonas Anderson, who took us through the storm damage and discussed the city’s recovery efforts in light of the FEMA denial. Asked about plans to replace the sign, he said that the city needed to buy police cars and fix other infrastructure first. But they would fix it, he promised.
We met the Watson family. Their home on Lile Street had its roof almost entirely torn off during the tornado. Their barn — home to the family’s antique furniture and military medals — was lifted from the ground and thrown into a nearby patch of trees. All told, they estimate the damage to be around $60,000, half of which insurance covered.
We also saw the town’s resilience. Although everyone we talked to was surprised by the FEMA denial (and even more surprised by the subsequent approval), both city officials and residents were working to rebuild no matter how much effort it took.
Cave City’s welcome sign rests against a building. It was damaged along with much of the town after a twister ripped through Northeast Arkansas in March. Credit: Lucas Dufalla, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
What Robert Watson said really stuck with us: “The government didn’t do jack squat. It’s the community that helped out.”
That was before the FEMA aid (and state assistance) was eventually approved. But it shows just how small communities like Cave City can come together in the face of such adversity. It’s a small silver lining in all this.
Michael here again.
You can read the full story here, including additional reporting from Desk reporters Cassandra Stephenson of the Tennessee Lookout and Illan Ireland of the Mississippi Free Press. (Also before we go: Avery Martinez of Desk partner KMOV First Alert 4 in St. Louis chatted with Cassandra about this story and the outlook for FEMA aid following May 16 storms there.)
Thanks for reading. More next week from across the Basin.
