Federal Emergency Management Agency

One month after record flash flooding hit St. Louis, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $33 million to help homeowners, renters and business owners recover.

The center will only be open through Friday — then FEMA officials will announce centers in other affected areas.

Low-interest disaster loans through the Small Business Administration are available for homeowners, renters and business owners who suffered damage from flooding in the St. Louis region July 25-28.

Five teams of Federal Emergency Management Agency staff members walked through neighborhoods in St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County on Wednesday. They are inviting people to register with the agency for possible flood assistance.

The approval comes just under two weeks after historic flash flooding hit the St. Louis area.

The number of new coronavirus cases in the St. Louis region is rising after weeks of stable numbers. Public health officials say the region is now in a race to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine before the virus becomes more widespread.

The St. Louis region will host several vaccination events the next two weeks where residents can get their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. The large-scale sites can vaccinate thousands of people a day, but infectious disease specialists say they may not accommodate many of those most at risk of becoming sick from the coronavirus — people who work retail jobs, poor people and those with chronic health issues.

Workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Navy have arrived in downtown St. Louis to help vaccinate people against the coronavirus. State and local officials hope the two-month immunization event at the Dome at America’s Center will help fill the city’s “vaccination gap.” Nearly 28% of Missouri’s population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, only 19% of people in St. Louis have.

Since last spring, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has paid nearly $70 million to Missouri residents who filed flood insurance claims.Payments are…

At the edge of an open lot in St. Charles, tiny blades of grass are beginning to sprout.A neighborhood once stood here — but the homes are long gone.They…