After months of uncertainty over the fate of hundreds of homes, FEMA greenlit a small batch of properties for acquisition in Buncombe and Henderson County.

The projects were among those highlighted Monday at the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s Year Ahead event.

Tropical Storm Helene devastated the ski industry in NC with direct damage and discouraging tourists. Snowfall this winter could fuel rebound.

North Carolina's hazard mapping program is trying to better predict which landslide-prone places face threats in future storms. The state's geological survey responded to more slides after Helene than it had between 1990 and 2023.

The grants, which were previously canceled by FEMA, support more than 60 infrastructure projects across the state.

Over the last few months, state officials have raised concerns about FEMA’s response time and its commitment to moving the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program program forward. The agency has not awarded money for any home buyouts yet.

Tennessee Republican Matt Van Epps this week won a special U.S. House election for a conservative district that includes part of Nashville.

The economic distress tier system that NC agencies use to rank counties saw downward movement in places recovering from Helene.

News of the funding’s release comes one day after U.S. Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis (R) released their holds on some of President Trump’s Homeland Security nominees.

The deadline to apply for Renew NC recovery assistance is December 31.

It is still unclear whether Markwayne Mullin will continue Kristi Noem’s policies. He still needs to be confirmed by the Senate before taking over DHS.

The state has extended the deadline for the Renew NC program to Jan. 31, citing a need to give residents more time during the holiday season.

In a three-part series exploring chronic absenteeism in the region, WFDD’s Amy Diaz spoke with the school social workers helping students get to class, and above all, recover from the storm.

One year after Helene, Asheville’s service industry contends with weaker tourism, fewer jobs and lingering storm trauma, all while trying to keep a happy face for customers.

In a new three-part series about chronic absenteeism in the region, WFDD’s Amy Diaz explores how schools are addressing the barriers that prevent students from coming to class, starting with a focus on mental health.

Over the last several decades, areas of North Carolina became news deserts where finding local news was difficult, if not impossible. Mostly, that happened in rural areas. During disasters, a lack of news can result in the spread of misinformation, making it harder to get help and increase distrust of those who really do help.

When Darlene Kurkendall closes her eyes, she imagines the walls of her house falling away. She sees the people in her community — friends, neighbors, family — swept out of sight by a horrendous heap of moving earth.

When Hurricane Helene flooded western North Carolina, nonprofits scrambled to help until more permanent relief could arrive. This “disaster rodeo” follows in the wake of catastrophes, providing essential services such as water, electricity and communications. Many of those groups gathered recently near Asheville to revisit the community they helped 10 months ago.

Officials from the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina and N.C. Emergency Management were speaking in front of a legislative hurricane recovery committee.

After Hurricane Helene hit last year, resource hubs popped up around western North Carolina to receive and distribute supplies. Many closed as donations slowed. But in Clyde, Camp Restore Hope is going strong. For now.