Tornado updates: What to know Wednesday

The Federal Emergency Management Agency offered details Wednesday on how to register for financial aid after the Sunday tornado devastated parts of Faulkner County.

President Barack Obama on Tuesday issued a declaration for individual assistance to help storm victims in the county, less than 24 hours after Gov. Mike Beebe sought federal aid for those hardest hit.

Storm victims can register for financial assistance by applying online at DisasterAssistance.gov; via a mobile device at m.fema.gov or via the registration phone line at (800) 621-3362, Faulkner County spokesman David Hogue said in a statement.

Faulkner County residents can dispose of debris by leaving it at the road in front of their property to wait for pickup, or by hiring a contractor who should dispose of debris separately, Hogue said. Those placing debris at the roadside should take care not to cover or impede access to utility meters, he added.

Roadside debris must be separated into six categories: vegetation such as tree limbs and shrubs; construction and demolition debris; white goods such as appliances; e-good such as TVs and electronics; household hazards such as cleaning solutions or chemicals; and regular household garbage, which will be picked up by normal means.

"Contractor debris is not eligible for pickup under FEMA regulations," Hogue's statement added.

FEMA does not approve particular contractors, but some are barred to qualify for financial assistance, according to the statement. Property owners should check contractors' credentials with FEMA, Hogue said.

Mayflower: Traffic, curfew, boil order

Meanwhile, officials say Arkansas 365 from Pulaski County to Mayflower is not open to through traffic Wednesday; drivers who need an east-west route may take I-40. Our online traffic map shows in real time which routes are experiencing delays.

A curfew is still in effect in Mayflower and Vilonia from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for all residents and nonessential personnel, Hogue said. Mayflower is also under a boil order, he said.

READ MORE

Restoring electricity

Entergy Arkansas said shortly before noon that more than 2,200 customers remained without power, nearly all in Faulkner County. On Tuesday night, most without electricity were along Arkansas 89 South and Arkansas 365 South in Mayflower, the utility said.

About 900 linemen and others were working to restore power, including crews from surrounding states, Entergy said. The utility expects all to regain power by Friday.

Crews are working Wednesday in downtown Vilonia, along Church Street and along Naylor Road. In Mayflower, crews are working along Arkansas 365 South down to Plantation Drive, the utility said.

Car seats given away in Vilonia

The North Little Rock Police Department is in Vilonia on Wednesday to give out child car seats to storm victims.

Police spokesman Sgt. Brian Dedrick said to see the Red Cross to find where the department's truck and trailer and car-seat technicians will be set up. North Little Rock officers plan to be in Vilonia through Friday until they run out of seats.

Parents should take their children who need car seats along with them to get the seats fitted correctly, Dedrick added.

Information for volunteers

Volunteers are being signed in and tagged so they can be counted toward federal aid money and so workers can be used more efficiently, officials have said. Those who want to help must sign in here:

• Beryl Baptist Church, 863 U.S. 64 Business, Vilonia.

• City Hall, 2 Ashmore St., Mayflower.

Upcoming Events