NORTH CAROLINA, USA — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is making changes to its recovery efforts in western North Carolina.
The agency says it's for the safety of their staff and survivors. It didn't give any details on what is causing or exactly what the change is. Still, online rumors say it is about an altercation between Ashe County citizens and FEMA agents.
On Sunday, the Ashe County Sheriff explained the reasoning. The sheriff's office posted on Facebook saying that in the mountain region, there have been threats made against FEMA and that this has not happened in Ashe County or the surrounding counties.
Out of an abundance of caution, they have paused their process as they are assessing the threats.
FEMA said the operational changes will not affect their disaster recovery centers. They currently have those centers open in four counties including Buncombe, McDowell, Caldwell, and Jackson County.
There are still areas in our state without power and water more than two weeks after Helene hit. Over the past few days, Duke Energy's shared updates on their progress sharing a video from Spruce Pine where you can visually see roads and businesses nowhere near where they were before Helene.
Duke Energy also says they've had issues rebuilding an electric grid in Hendersonville after a creek shifted from the flooding and mudslides.
The Carolina Panthers pitched in to help over the weekend. The team started selling shirts that said, 'Keep Pounding for the Carolinas'.
Panthers players were wearing them before the game. All of the proceeds from the shirts will go towards relief efforts.
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