Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has formally requested two separate federal disaster declarations in response to severe spring storms that caused widespread destruction to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure across eight counties in southwest Missouri.
Kehoe submitted a request for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Declaration for Greene, Lawrence, and Newton counties, stemming from the tornadoes, hail, flooding, and heavy rainfall that struck on April 29. This declaration would make low-interest SBA Disaster Loans available to affected homeowners, renters, and business owners to aid in recovery from physical and economic losses.
Simultaneously, Kehoe has asked the federal government for a Major Disaster Declaration to assist Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon, and Webster counties following the Memorial Day weekend storms, which occurred from May 23 to 26. These storms brought straight-line winds, torrential rainfall, hail, and flash flooding that severely damaged roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure…