STORM

Not disguising his complete aversion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 2012 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul said he believes the country would be better off without it.

Hurricane Irene could cost U.S. state and local governments billions of dollars in damages, but funds from the federal government might ultimately cover much of this expense.

Hurricane Irene prompted a death toll of at least 25 across eight states, the Associated Press reported. States of Emergency were declared in Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

Claims by Michele Bachmann and Glenn Beck that last week's earthquake and hurricane were merely attempts by God to get our attention aren't funny. Nevertheless, Bachmann says her quote was only made in jest. Some of us aren't laughing, however.

President Barack Obama said Monday he is continuing to direct Hurricane Irene recovery and rebuilding efforts, as federal, state, and local officials assess damage in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, even as Northeast states like Vermont and New Jersey continue to get people out of harm's way of rising flood waters.

The effects of Hurricane Irene have not been as dire as expected, but the storm did wreak havoc on universities throughout the Northeast, many of which shut down part or all of their campuses or postponed student move-in dates.

After finding out that I'd finally get my hands on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt -- but during the weekend of Hurricane Irene's assault on the East Coast -- major concerns filled my head.

With the city in good shape after Hurricane Irene’s visit to New York, one person has scored a big political victory: Michael Bloomberg.

Hurricane Irene and the earthquake that recently rumbled through Washington, D.C. were God's way of telling Washington to reduce spending, according to GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann.

Vermont sustained massive flooding from Irene, with may bridges -- including several scenic/historic bridges -- washed away along with roads. Heavy rain deluged the southern and central portion of the state Sunday, swelling rivers and in some cases cut off inundated communities.

New York reopened for business Monday, as subways got back into operation, though the city is moving slow getting back into full swing. Yet 25 lives were claimed by Hurricane Irene's destructive path, and millions remain without power. Hurricane Irene 2011 may not have been as damaging as some forecasts predicted, but from North Carolina, to Philadelphia and New Jersey, the storm's impact was severe, and weeks if not months may be required for full recovery.

The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported that 35 percent of the fire had been contained on Friday, just before the storm arrived.

Hurricane Irene was not nearly as catastrophic as expected; were the precautions necessary?

With Hurricane Irene damage less than expected in the New York area, Monday’s air travel is slowly returning to normal.

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann told Florida voters on Sunday that Hurricane Irene and the recent earthquake were manifestations of God's desire to cut back government spending.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Chase bank has found a heart for potential suffering customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut: Staff will be increased, banking hours will be extended, and that banking overdraft fees and credit card late fees will be waived.

While American cities started limping back to normalcy from around a week-long disaster created by Hurricane Irene, on the other side of the globe one more natural disaster -- Super-typhoon Nanmadol -- left at least 16 confirmed and many others feared dead after hitting the Philippines last weekend.

According to state officials, about 444,000 households remain without power and at least seven people have been killed because of the storm.

Hurricane Irene's rampage through 10 states caused an estimated $7 billion to $13 billion in damage from violent winds and flooding, and left almost 6 million homes and businesses without power.

Hurricane Irene shut down the neon lights on Broadway, and substantially reduced commercial activity over the weekend -- including canceling thousands of flights, but the storm's economic damage will likely be far less than originally predicted. In particular, New Yorkers, for the most part, feel like they were spared.

Uncounted thousands remain vulnerable to continued flooding.