In brief: Nonprofit seeks quake donors

Catholic Charities Spokane is accepting cash donations in support of relief efforts in Japan following last week’s earthquake and tsunami.

Monetary donations only will serve those in need through Catholic Relief Services, which is assisting Caritas Japan, the social service arm of the Catholic Church.

Donations may be sent to Catholic Charities Spokane, PO Box 2253, Spokane WA, 99210. Please note CRS/Japan. Call (509) 358-4273 for further information. 

Gottfried fired for Japan jokes

Columbus, Ga. – Aflac Inc. said Monday it has fired Gilbert Gottfried, the abrasive voice of the insurer’s quacking duck in the U.S., after the comedian posted a string of mocking jokes about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on Twitter over the weekend.

The tasteless tweets are particularly problematic for Aflac because it does 75 percent of its business in Japan. One in four homes in Japan buys health insurance from Aflac.

Gottfried has voiced the duck in numerous Aflac commercials since 2000.

Tsunami costs high in California

Santa Cruz, Calif. – A California official estimated that statewide damage from last week’s tsunami exceeds $40 million.

Mike Dayton, acting secretary of the Emergency Management Agency, gave the estimate Monday after touring Santa Cruz Harbor, where 18 vessels sank, about 100 were damaged and another 12 remained unaccounted for.

The damage in Santa Cruz Harbor alone was estimated at $17 million.

Officials at Crescent City Harbor, which also suffered significant wave damage, were still working on a damage total.