Veteran’s Help For Repairs
Oregon has more than 270-thousand veterans. Many of them may not know they’re eligible for home modification grants through the U-S Department of Veterans Affairs. An A-A-R-P survey found 60 percent of veterans aged 45 and older weren’t aware of grants available through the V-A. A-A-R-P national veterans and military families manager Juanita Jimenez-Soto says her organization analyzed five grants from the V-A and developed a guide to help veterans navigate through them.
“They allow you to buy, build or modify a home to meet their long term needs. Now these grants provide eligible veterans with a disability rating of one all the way to 100 percent up to $117,000 to pay for renovations.”
Jimenez-Soto notes financial aid for home modifications are free for people who qualify. The V-A offers more than 150 million dollars through these grant programs each year.
A-A-R-P’s survey also found that nearly a quarter of veterans say they would need financial aid to stay in their current home. Jimenez-Soto says it’s important for people to think not just about their current needs but also what they might need in the future.
“We find that a lot of times veterans may not need that modification – that handrail in the bathroom or that ramp – but as you age your body will change sometimes.”
She says sometimes veterans do not believe they are deserving of the benefits, but she reminds them, they’ve earned them.
Back to School Prep Day
Today is National Back to School Prep Day, an observance created more than three decades ago by educators who wanted to help parents prepare to wind down the summer routine and get their young students into the school year with the least amount of stress. One important thing to get ready before school starts is the schedule. Often in the summer, regular bedtimes and morning routines go by the wayside. If you wait until the first day of school to roust your slumbering students, it could make for a stressful situation. Experts say it’s also a good idea to create a space specifically for homework and studies. They recommend that you get your child involved in the process. That way they’re more likely to get enthused and excited for the new year. Creating a back-to-school plan and calendar can help create excitement and get “buy in” from your student. .
Classes at Siuslaw High School will begin Tuesday, September 3rd, along with orientation the same day for new students at the Elementary and Middle Schools, including all 6th graders. The rest of First through Eighth graders report the next day, Wednesday the 4th. Kinders at Siuslaw head for the classroom on Monday the 9th. In Mapleton everybody in grades one through 12 begin on Tuesday the 3rd. Kindergartners start the following Monday.
Florida Man Rescued From Devil’s Churn
A florida man, who was taking a picture at Devil’s Churn on Tuesday, tripped and fell 15 feet into the ocean. The 70 year old managed to maneuver to a ledge where he waited for help. Members of the Yachats rural fire protection district arrived to assist the man. They lowered a rope to secure Jack Turncock and awaited help from Central Oregon Coast Fire and Rescue who then placed an extension ladder down to the rocks below. When asked if he was hurt, Turncock answered “only my dignity” Turncock was able to climb out on his own. Turncock and his girlfriend have been staying at Honeyman state park with family and friends and decided to take the trip up to see the sites.