Obama Surveys Oso Slide Damage, Meets With Victims, Family Members, Responders
President Barack Obama surveyed the damage from the March 22 disaster by helicopter as he traveled Tuesday to meet with those affected by the mudslide.
Obama met privately with victims and family members before addressing a group of emergency responders at the Oso firehouse.
"The country is thinking about all of you," said the president. "We're very, very proud of you. Michelle and I grieve with you."
The president said the families he met with "showed incredible strength and grace," and the community showed its character in coming together in the wake of the tragedy. As recovery efforts move forward, he said the federal government will be there "every step of the way."
"We're not going anywhere. We'll be here as long as it takes," he said.
The president came to Washington Tuesday on his way to Tokyo, the first stop on a four-country visit to the Asia-Pacific region.
The massive mudslide in the small town of Oso buried dozens of homes. The Snohomish County medical examiner's office has identified 41 victims. Two names remain on a list of missing people.
http://www.kplu.org/post/obama-surveys-slide-damage-meets-victims-family-members-responders
= new reply since forum marked as read
“We are not going anywhere. We will be here as long as it takes,” Obama told a crowd gathered at the firehouse in Oso.
Before the slide, few people likely had heard of Oso, he said, mispronouncing the name. But people across the country had been moved by the way people had pulled together and helped one another, Obama said.
Earlier, Obama saw the devastation of the Oso mudslide for himself, touring the area by helicopter.
Marine One flew directly over the site, giving him a view of the massive debris field and the North Fork Stillaguamish River, which remains choked with mud, boulders and downed trees....
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/04/obama-on-his-way-to-site-of-the-oso-slide/
President Obama has met with the families of the missing and dead from the Oso mudslide, and stopped to thank first-responders gathered at the Oso Fire Station.
Obama said the “strength in adversity” demonstrated by the community “should be an inspiration to all of us.”
“The whole country is thinking about you,” the president said.
Before his remarks at the fire station, President Obama spent nearly an hour and fifteen minutes with relatives of those who perished in last month’s mudslide....
Marine One, carrying President Obama, takes an aerial tour of the site of the deadly mudslide. (Associated Press, pool /Carolyn Kaster)
Adam Mertz @AJMertz
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On 530 into Oso #530slide
8:41 AM - 22 Apr 2014
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Gov Press Office ✔ @WAStateGov
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On day of President's visit to #530slide, sign in Oso says "Thank you, Mr. President Obama, for caring" #OsoStrong
8:36 AM - 22 Apr 2014
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President Obama hugs a first responder after touring the mud slide damage in Oso
1:44 PM - 22 Apr 2014
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TOD
I am not near it, local people to me lost family in it though.
Latest press release from the county, 2 more names off missing list, means 2 more have been positively ID'd as dead. At least the families know but 
http://snohomishcountywa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=263
Updated SR 530 Slide Area Missing Person List
UPDATED April 21, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
CONTACT: Scott Parker, Lieutenant, Special Operations
scott.parker@co.snohomish.wa.us
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office media line: 425-249-6263
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit has removed two names from the list of people reported missing as a result of the 530 Slide. Future updates to the list will be dependent on whether detectives have gathered sufficient information to add new names to the list, or if additional victims are recovered from the debris field and are identified by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The release of information is limited to name, age and city of residence. Detectives have carefully reviewed each of these cases based on available information and conversations with family members. It is presumed that the people on this list are missing in connection with the landslide. Anyone who should not be on this list is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office tip line immediately at (425) 388-3845.
1. Hadaway, Steven N. – 53 years-old, Steelhead Dr., Arlington
2. Regelbrugge, Molly Kristine “Kris” – 44 years-old, Steelhead Dr., Arlington
Lieutenant Scott Parker
Special Operations
3000 Rockefeller Ave M/S 606
Everett, WA 98201
For the people of Oso. 
