By Jeremy W. Steele and Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP - Although much of the ground along the mile-long stretch of Warwick Road remains moist, Four Mile Creek is well within its bed now, nearly two months after devastating flooding hit Butler County.

Ethel Carter and her family have moved back into their home, which sits between the road and creek. But reminders of the flood that covered Carter's yard and entered her house are everywhere.

A water line is visible several feet up on the garage wall. The door to one small shed has been stuck shut since the flood.

"Everything is growing so fast now my flower beds are full of weeds, and I haven't had time to take care of them," said Carter, who had to be rescued from her house by boat when the creek rose into her house.

The Butler County victims of the June 14-15 flooding that damaged more than 300 homes have so far received almost $700,000 in federal and state financial assistance.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved 33 loans totaling $629,700, and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has approved 11 individual assistance grants worth $54,166.

In June, several days of heavy rains caused the Great Miami River and a number of creeks to rise beyond the flood stage. St. Clair Township, New Miami and Fairfield were among the hardest-hit areas in the county.

The most devastated spot was the stretch on Warwick, where Four Mile Creek dumped more than two feet of water in some homes.

Three rental homes owned by Steve and Carol Wilson are still unoccupied. They're still cleaning up the single-story homes, which had two feet of water, mud-caked floors and ruined air conditioners.

Amanda Spicer and her boyfriend and two children still haven't been able to move back into their house close to Four Mile Creek on Warwick Road.

The two-story house, which had four feet of water on its first floor, sustained extensive damage. Spicer, who bought the house 15 years ago, was hoping for a government grant but instead qualified only for a 30-year loan. She angrily refused it because she didn't want to go into debt for that long.

"They said I didn't qualify for a grant because my home was paid off," Spicer said. "A lot of people who got grants were never out of their homes after the flood."

The American Red Cross recently gave Spicer a $1,000 hardware-store voucher for materials for her house repairs.

People can't qualify for Ohio's independent assistant grants unless they've been turned down for an SBA low-interest loan, said Rob Glenn, spokesman for the Ohio EMA.

The SBA has turned down 13 applicants for loans, and the Ohio EMA has rejected eight applicants for grants.

Carter said she has applied for an SBA loan to help pay for the estimated $100,000 in damage to her home, where she lives with her husband, daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. But she's hoping her flood insurance will pay for most of the repairs.

Until then, her house sits without carpet or furnishings.

"We're still on cement floors and lawn furniture," Carter said. "We've got the worst of the debris cleaned up."

The deadline for victims of the June 14-15 flooding to apply for SBA loans and Ohio grants is Aug. 25.

Those needing applications can call the SBA toll-free at (800) 359-2227.

---

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com