News
State officials: Slow progress rebuilding Helene-damaged homes
State officials say Hurricane Helene recovery is on pace, but lawmakers warn funding shortfalls and housing shortages could slow rebuilding across western NC.
News
NC DEQ awards $5.7M for WNC flood mitigation projects
The blueprint invests in community-identified priority flood mitigation projects across the Cape Fear, French Broad, Lumber, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and White Oak river basins.
News
Asheville’s iconic Biltmore slowly returns to normal post-Helene
After seeing a 30% reduction in guests over the summer, it is now approaching its pre-Helene numbers with about 330,000 visitors expected this holiday season.
News
Stein announces hundreds of millions for infrastructure projects in WNC
As western North Carolina continues to recover more than a year later from Hurricane Helene, Gov. Josh Stein’s office has released several announcements in recent days detailing funding for infrastructure repairs.
News
Stein: NC poised for strong growth after record year for jobs, investments
Stein touted future economic growth after record announcements of over 33,000 new positions and nearly $23 billion in overall project investments, in 2025.
News
$13.8M in grants awarded to small businesses in western NC
Grants totaling $13.8 million through the NC Department of Commerce’s were recently awarded to 19 new small business recovery projects in western NC.
News
Homeowners hit by Helene have until Dec. 31 to apply for state aid
Western North Carolinians whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Helene and are seeking assistance in rebuilding have until Dec. 31 to apply for the state’s Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program (SFPH).
News
Another $12M+ in federal recovery funds headed to WNC after Helene
As the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene approaches, the US Department of Homeland Security announced earlier this week that western NC has been approved for more than $12 million in FEMA grant disbursements.
News
WNC tourism push marks hopeful Open for Business Week
As western North Carolina continues to recover from the damage done by Hurricane Helene over eight months ago, the Western North Carolina Chamber Business Coalition has declared this week “WNC Open for Business Week.”
News
NCDOT gives update on WNC roadways six months after Helene
Six months after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has made significant progress in repairing roads and bridges that were damaged in the storm.
News
Public outrage erupts over FEMA’s 24-hour extension of hotel vouchers
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Thursday that North Carolinians whose hotel vouchers are running out Friday can have an extra 24 hours of shelter there, due to the impending snow this weekend. The announcement has caused uproar on social media from users angry that the extension was limited to one day.
Video
Locke’s Brooke Medina discusses political impact of Helene’s destruction
Brooke Medina, John Locke Foundation vice president of communications, discusses the impact of Hurricane Helene on North Carolina’s 2024 elections. Medina offered these comments during the Oct. 4, 2024, edition of PBS North Carolina’s “State Lines.”
