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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2021)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | JANUARY 14, 2021 | 3A U.S. Treasury delivering millions of Economic Impact payments via debit cards This past week, the United States Depart- ment of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service started to send approximately eight mil- lion Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) by pre- paid debit card. The distribution of EIP cards follows the mil- lions of payments already made by direct deposit and the ongoing mailing of paper checks and are part of the Treasury’s and IRS’s plan to deliver Eco- nomic Impact Payments as rapidly as possible. EIP cards are safe, convenient and secure, according to a Treasury press release on Jan. 7. Cardholders can make purchases online or in stores anywhere Visa Debit Cards are accepted, get cash from domestic in-network ATMs, trans- fer funds to a personal bank account, and obtain a replacement EIP card if needed without incur- ring any fees. Recipients can also check their card balance online, through a mobile app or by phone without incurring fees. The EIP card provides consumer protections including certain protec- tions against fraud, loss, and other errors. EIP cards will be sent in a white envelope that prominently displays the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal. The EIP Card has the Visa name on the front of the card and the issuing bank name, MetaBank, N.A., on the back of the card. Each mailing will include instructions on how to securely activate and use the EIP card. EIP cards are being is- sued to eligible recipients across all 50 states and the District of Colum- bia. In order to quickly disburse EIPs, some peo- ple who received EIPs by paper check for the first round of EIPs might re- ceive an EIP card this time, and some people who received an EIP card for the first round may receive a paper check. EIP cards are spon- sored by the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The EIP Card is part of Treasury’s U.S. Deb- it Card program, which provides prepaid debit card services to federal agencies for the electron- ic delivery of non-benefit payments. MetaBank, N.A. was selected as Treasury’s fi- nancial agent for the U.S. Debit Card program in 2016, following a com- petitive selection process conducted by the Trea- sury’s Bureau of the Fis- cal Service. For more information about EIP cards, visit EIPCard.com. The issuance of this second round of pay- ments follows the suc- cessful delivery of more than 159 million CARES Act Economic Impact Payments totaling more than $270 billion last year. Those expecting pay- ment may check the sta- tus at irs.gov/GetMyPay- ment. For more information about Economic Impact Payments, visit irs.gov/ coronavirus/second-eip- faqs. Lane County Public Health further expands COVID-19 vaccine distribution with clinical partnership Lane County Public Health announced today a partnership with three local provider groups to greatly expand the 1A COVID-19 vaccination effort. Eugene Pediatrics, Oregon Medical Group, and WhiteBird have all agreed to donate their facilities and staff to help vaccinate Lane County’s diverse group of health- care providers. This process will begin with Lane County Public Health providing doses to vaccinate the staff of those clinics. “The support we have received from our clini- cal community, hospital groups, and EMS part- ners in the effort to expe- dite the 1A vaccination effort has been nothing short of amazing, and will be absolutely vital to our effort of achieving herd immunity here in Lane County,” said Lane County Public Health Senior Health Officer, Dr. Patrick Luedtke. Following the effort to vaccinate the staff of these three provider groups, information re- garding the date, time and location of clinics where other local health- care professionals can receive vaccinations will be released via a Health Alert Network notifica- tion. The public is asked not to not reach out to these clinics to receive the vac- cine until directed to do so by county health au- thorities. TURNING 65 AND NEED HELP WITH YOUR MEDICARE CHOICES? Call Paul to help simplify the complicated. We can beat any price in Eugene! Give us a call, we’ll chat. OLD MILL FARM STORE 541-517-7362 Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent coverage4oregon@gmail.com -Est 1870- 541-726-7689 541-942-9635 Eugene/Springfi eld Cottage Grove Open: Mon-Fri 10-5 Saturday 10-4 327 South River Road Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424 (541)942-3024 Are you ready? D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS Post-flood safety tip Natural disasters can strike at any time, and no disaster is more likely to strike than a flood. According to the World Health Organization, floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster, affecting more than two billion people worldwide between 1998 and 2017. And the WHO reports that floods are increasing in frequency and intensity. The Insurance Information Institute notes that flood damage is excluded under standard homeowners and renters insur- ance policies. However, flood insurance can be purchased from the Federal Emergency Management Agency via the National Flood Insurance Program. Purchasing flood insurance prior to flooding can be a wise move for renters and homeowners who live in areas vulner- able to flooding. And should flooding occur, victims can take these steps to be safe as they try to get back to normal. • Dress the part. When returning to your property to assess any damage, wear appropriate safety gear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends homeowners and renters wear a hard hat, goggles, respirator mask (with an N95 rating or higher), thick work gloves, and waterproof, steel-toed boots when returning to their homes after a flood. If there’s been a sewage leak, wear rubber gloves and rubber boots during the inspection. • Conduct a self-inspection of your home. Local authorities often dictate when people can reenter their homes after flooding has occurred. Once they get the go-ahead to go back home, residents should first inspect the property to see if it’s safe to reenter. A walk- around of the property may reveal downed power lines, wildlife and leaky utility lines that can make it dangerous to reenter a home. In addition, the Red Cross recommends checking the home exterior for structural damage like cracks in the foundation, roof damage or miss- ing beams. Any such damage should be inspected by a professional before anyone moves back into the home. • Assess utilities and appliances. If the home is safe to enter, Allstate In- surance recommends checking the utilities and appliances inside the home. The CDC advises against turning on any light switches, as doing so could spark a fire if there are any gas leaks or electrical problems. Leave the property immediately if you smell gas and call the fire de- partment to report the leak. If there is no standing water around the electrical box and your clothes are dry, turn off the electrical system if you did not do so prior to evacuating. Do not use any damaged appli- ances until they have been deemed safe by a professional. Homeowners and renters victimized by flooding must make safety a priority when returning to their homes to assess the damage. Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster. • Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions. • Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home. • Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster. For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center. South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506 Twitter: @southlanefi re Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue
