Western North Carolina

WUNC checks in with farmer Danielle McCall a year after Helene impacted her family's U-pick apple farm in Henderson County in western North Carolina.

Western NC’s economy has rebounded well by some measures. But one year after Helene, limited access to food, housing and good jobs persists.

The federal government has only funded 9% of the total damage Helene caused in the state.

The relief package appropriates about $700 million to the state's Helene fund and sends $270 million to repair storm-damaged transportation infrastructure.

FEMA's decision to stop reimbursing all of the debris removal costs from Hurricane Helene could cost North Carolina as much as $200 million, Stein told Trump in a letter.

A stretch of Interstate 40 through the western North Carolina mountains is reopening to traffic this weekend, months after Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding collapsed portions of the road.

As state lawmakers debate how much money is needed for the latest Helene recovery package, Gov. Josh Stein’s administration is making the case for $1.07 billion to help western North Carolina rebuild.

President Donald Trump says he is considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He made the remark Friday during a trip to two disaster zones, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation’s central organization for responding to disasters.

Matt Calabria’s new role in Gov. Josh Stein's office will assist with efforts for western North Carolina.

While much of the Helene relief supplies so far have come through private donations, community leaders in Mitchell County and across western North Carolina are asking for help from the state and federal government for the next phases of recovery.