Disaster relief

Just a month after Helene ravaged western North Carolina last fall, state lawmakers approved recovery funding that included $5 million for "increased mental health services" for students and staff in affected school districts. Six months later, much of that money has not been used.

The U.S. Small Business istration is reminding those impacted by Helene that they still have time to apply for disaster relief.

When Gov. Josh Stein took office in January, he inherited the fallout from one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history. The estimated $60 billion recovery from Hurricane Helene has been Stein’s “top priority as governor,” the Democrat told Carolina Public Press. His initial days in office have shown it.

Alena Ayers disappeared in the floodwaters of Hurricane Helene. Her loved ones are pushing for change.

North Carolina’s legislature ed more than $1 billion with two Helene recovery funding bills in October, but by mid-February, about two-thirds of that money still hadn’t been spent.

It has been six months since Helene ripped through Western North Carolina and perpetually altered life in the mountains. We check-in on recovery, communities, workers, and tourism half a year after Helene.

After weeks of deliberations at the state legislature, another round of Helene recovery funding has been signed into law.

The state Senate is moving forward this week with a half-billion-dollar Helene recovery bill, making minor revisions to the House's funding proposal.

Republicans in the N.C. House want to help farmers recover from last year's natural disasters with a new crop loss grant program.

The state House introduced a new $500 million Helene recovery funding bill Wednesday. The amount is about half of what Gov. Josh Stein proposed spending earlier this week, although the two plans for western North Carolina include many similar programs.