North Carolina Gov.-elect Josh Stein (D) said he is “eager” to work with the incoming administration to access federal relief for his state as it recovers from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.

The lawmaker representing Haywood and Madison counties told Queen City News he has not been approached by Republican leadership about any changes to the bill, but said he had not decided how he

Equipment operators from across the country came to Western North Carolina to assist in cleanup from Tropical Storm Helene.

According to FEMA, 33 families have temporary homes to call their own in Western North Carolina as of Thanksgiving and nearly 500 families have been approved for housing. FEMA is paying hotel costs for almost 12,000 survivors in the state. The federal agency has already paid more than $ 940,000 to help survivors with their rent.

Hurricane Helene took out critical infrastructure in western North Carolina, specifically water systems that were already under much strain.

Some tenants who could barely afford rent in western North Carolina before Hurricane Helene have fallen behind and are now facing the possibility of eviction.

Toys for Tots anticipates a greater need this year for donations in western North Carolina after the Helene disaster.

Whether dealing with deep snows in winter or severe thunderstorms in summer, the people of Asheville consider themselves weather-resilient.

It’s been two months since Hurricane Helene cut a path of deadly destruction across the Southeast. Ahead of the holiday season, PBS News returned to the hard-hit region of western North Carolina, where despite the challenges they face rebuilding their lives,