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WEST PITTSTON &ndash; Sean Silfee was looking for answers Friday when he walked into Agolino&rsquo;s Restaurant.
Silfee, the owner of Not Just Pizza on River Road in Plains Township, has been in business for five years. His building was ravaged by flood waters last month, and he didn&rsquo;t have flood insurance.
&ldquo;Now we have nothing,&rdquo; he told U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know where to go. I don&rsquo;t know what to do.&rdquo;
Casey was at Agolino&rsquo;s to meet with small-business owners and hear their &ldquo;horror stories.&rdquo; He said visiting the flooded areas gave him a clearer perspective on the need for federal aid for the victims.
&ldquo;The extent of the damage at Agolino&rsquo;s was a stark reminder that recovering from the flood will not be easy, but there are steps we can take to reduce the burden on businesses and residents who are working tirelessly to rebuild after this disaster,&rdquo; he said.
Casey is pushing the U.S. Small Business Administration to lower interest rates on disaster relief loans to help businesses such as Agolino&rsquo;s reopen, rehire and recover lost revenue.
Joe Agolino, owner of the restaurant, greeted Casey at the door and showed him around the gutted interior, noting all the work that is being done and describing how the flood waters overturned large coolers and heavy kitchen equipment.
&ldquo;I think I sat at a table in that corner the last time I had lunch here,&rdquo; Casey told Agolino. The corner spot is now without walls as workers put the restaurant back together.
&ldquo;I understand it takes time and you have a tough job,&rdquo; Agolino told Casey.
&ldquo;Your job is tougher,&rdquo; Casey said.
He said he will &ldquo;stay engaged&rdquo; to focus on getting help for flood victims.
&ldquo;Sometimes when the water recedes, attention to the need of the victims also recedes,&rdquo; Casey said.
State Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, said there should be no delays in getting aid to the victims. She urged Casey to keep pressure on SBA and FEMA to help people as quickly as possible.
Asked what the state is doing to help victims, Mundy said, &ldquo;Shamefully, much too little.&rdquo;
Jim Ide, owner of Birchwood Landscaping in Plains Township, said he needs help soon or he might not be able to come back, leaving 10 people out of work.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve applied to FEMA,&rdquo; Ide said. &ldquo;I guess I&rsquo;ll have to buy something twice that I already own.&rdquo;
West Pittston Mayor Tony Denisco and council President Brian Thornton told of infrastructure problems due to flood mud clogging sewer lines.

Casey WEST PITTSTON – Sean Silfee was