Ben Wilson and Natasha Tafelski suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to their home and property when Hurricane Helene swept through their community in North Carolina last fall.
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Asheville announces partial reopening of French Broad riverfront parks, greenways after Helene
Asheville announced the partial reopening of several riverfront parks and greenways along the French Broad on May 22, though some of the hardest hit areas remain fully closed.
VIDEO: Hurricane Helene survivors still fighting to rebuild
Hurricane Helene devastated western NC. Survivors are still waiting for help and some may never return home. We spoke with residents fighting to rebuild.
The North Carolinian delivering campers & hope to western NC after Helene
We spoke to Gary Pigg, a Cabarrus County resident who delivered more than 220 campers to residents after Tropical Storm Helene.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein’s ‘State of the State’: Faster Helene relief, better teacher pay
by Galen Bacharier, Lynn Bonner and Brandon Kingdollar, NC Newsline March 12, 2025 North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein called on lawmakers to swiftly pass another round of Hurricane Helene aid and approve pay raises for teachers and law enforcement Wednesday, as he...
North Carolina legislature fleshing out details of $500 million in Helene relief
The package remains less than half of the $1.07 billion that new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein sought in new recovery spending earlier this month from legislators.
NC lawmakers express frustration at slow rollout of Helene recovery funds
Rep. Eric Ager, a Democratic state legislator whose district was heavily impacted by Helene, said it could be summertime at the earliest before $15 billion in federal relief funds reaches the local level.
North Carolina expands Hurricane Helene recovery jobs program
North Carolina expands hurricane recovery employment program to 39 counties, offering temporary jobs and income to residents affected by Hurricane Helene.
Western NC small businesses pick up the pieces after Hurricane Helene
Four months after Hurricane Helene wiped out peak tourism season in western North Carolina, local business owners are still feeling the losses. They believe that direct financial support is needed to keep some businesses open.
Dalton George: The unheralded heroes of Hurricane Helene
During the immediate aftermath of Helene, as soon as I got a moment, I went to our public works facility, looking to thank and check on the many public servants personally. In that visit I asked several folks how they all personally fared throughout the storm.
‘I love this place’: Chimney Rock tries to rebuild after Hurricane Helene
Chimney Rock was devastated by Helene’s flood waters and has been inaccessible to the outside world since late September. The fall tourism season was completely lost, and getting tourism dollars back is vital to the community’s recovery.
Op-Ed: A government official encounters disinformation after Helene
Candidates who feed into this hatred of FEMA, spread or fail to correct the rumor that only $750 will be offered to victims, or, even worse, claim that Helene was an artificial storm, manufactured by liberal political operatives to disable rural Republicans and take their land — the damage from those lies transcends political party and rural/urban identity
OPINION: The fight for public education in the wake of Hurricane Helene
In western NC communities hit hard by Helene, North Carolina public education is on the front lines of disaster recovery.
Western NC leaders meet with Biden and congressional leaders on Hurricane Helene funding
Elected officials in North Carolina, led by Governor Roy Cooper, met with President Joe Biden and members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation last week to advocate for federal support for the state’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.
Free mental health support for North Carolinians affected by Helene
If you or a loved one is among the millions of North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene, know that free mental health support is available.
Hurricane Helene will not hamper early voting, election officials say
Nearly all the scheduled early voting sites will open in the worst hit areas of western North Carolina, Board of Elections executive director Karen Brinson Bell said on Tuesday. “The people of western North Carolina will vote.”
Opinion: After Helene relief lies, Republicans are out of time to do the right thing about Trump
Some Republicans in North Carolina are standing up to the Helene relief lies, but they’ve failed again to stand up to the black hole at the center of it all—Donald Trump.
Lies about the Hurricane Helene response forecast a storm of misinformation for next month’s election
Perhaps most alarming is what these lies signal for the upcoming election. Tim Alberta, a staff writer at The Atlantic, warned on X: “If you think the lies and distortions and know-nothing takes about FEMA are bad, just wait until this time next month.”
Trump’s lies and conspiracies about Hurricanes Helene and Milton hurt recovery efforts
Trump’s lies have had real-world consequences; Americans in affected communities have been reluctant to apply for aid, have worried about whether their homes or land will be seized, and have claimed FEMA has ignored or abandoned rescue efforts in communities.
Stories of heroism abound in western NC after Helene, but so do fears about the future
Two weeks ago, the mountain towns of North Carolina experienced one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history. Members of the communities recall Helene’s impact, the response from everyday people, and what comes next.
VIDEO: Western North Carolina mayor pushes back on conspiracy theories and lies about Helene relief
There’s been a wave of disinformation and lies following Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact in western North Carolina. Locals are pushing back.
VIDEO: North Carolina woman talks about surviving a mudslide during Helene
A western North Carolina woman told Cardinal & Pine her harrowing story of surviving a mudslide during Helene.
Hurricane Helene sparks emergency temporary NC Medicaid adjustments
With a focus on western North Carolina, NCDHHS has introduced temporary measures to aid those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Harris visits NC, pledges ongoing support after Helene
Kamala Harris praised emergency responders involved in the recovery effort and promised that the federal government was “here for the long haul.”
‘Truly dangerous narrative’: Lies about NC’s Helene response cause a second wave of harm
Donald Trump, Mark Robinson and others have been spreading lies about the state and federal response to Hurricane Helene, This kind of misinformation can hurt efforts to help those who need it.
County election officials given room to adjust voting measures to account for Helene’s destruction
The state elections board passed a resolution providing needed flexibility in 13 hard-hit counties, and promising a “robust” and “secure” election.
‘There is progress’: Gov. Cooper, FEMA share update on Hurricane Helene response efforts in western NC
Prior to another visit to western North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper joined federal officials to offer the state updates on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
NC Republicans justifiably want federal aid for Helene recovery. But some have a history of opposing disaster relief.
As the state continues to deal with the damage left by Hurricane Helene, several North Carolina Republicans are justifiably calling for more federal aid, but some of them previously voted against funding for FEMA and other relief bills following natural disasters.
Soul-searching and regret over unheeded warnings follow Helene’s destruction
The red flags and cataclysmic forecasts ahead of Helene weren’t enough to prevent the still-rising death toll. The number has soared to at least 215 across six states.
‘It’s like something out of the Bible’: Emergency response operations continue in western NC after Helene
Western North Carolina remains in crisis in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, with ongoing recovery operations underway. Dozens of deaths have been confirmed, and hundreds of people remain unaccounted for.