From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced on Sept. 18 that “five counties are getting more than $86 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure with FEMA grants and reimbursements,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported later on Sept. 18. 

“Cities receiving funds include Waynesville, Woodfin and Hot Springs,” News 13 noted.

The news followed a meeting between Stein and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer and North Carolina’s delegation in Washington, D.C., including U.S. Senator Ted Budd and U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards.

“Manheimer, who headlined a North Carolina Mayor’s Association meeting on Sept..17-18 in Asheville at the Crowne Plaza, said meeting’s focus is on Stein’s wish to get billions more in aid. But Manheimer said slow reimbursements for municipalities were also a topic,” News 13 noted. 

“Specifically, questions persist around U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s policy on her office reviewing any federal expenditure over $100,000, which Manheimer pointed out as an issue two weeks ago.

“‘She (Noem) or her staff — and we don’t know — has to approve any spending over $100,000,’” News 13 quoted Manheimer as saying. “‘It is not clear how that process works, but that is no longer the end of the process.’”

Further, the TV station stated, “There’s a second step with Department of Government Efficiency called the ‘Defend the Spend’ review, which News 13 (noted it has) confirmed with the North Carolina Emergency Management division.

“The White House’s Executive Order establishing DOGE, which was initially created by Elon Musk, can delay state officials’ approval of FEMA-approved millions by up to 90 days.

“‘I’ve seen the email provided to the state,’ Manheimer said of DOGE. ‘It just simply said these funds are under review for DOGE, and no other information is provided in terms of how long that will take, who is reviewing it, what process to expect.’”

FEMA is an agency within the Kristi Noem-led Department of Homeland Security, according to AI Overview.

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Safe Shelter in West Asheville, “an organization helping people through the darkest times of their lives, can now assist more families,” Asheville television WLOS (News 13) reported on Sept. 19.

While Safe Shelter has been operating at capacity, Asheville City Council on Aug. 26 lifted the shelter’s temporary use permit in the former educational building at Trinity United Methodist Church.

As a result of council’s rezoning approval, Safe Shelter now is allowed to operate in the church’s educational building permanently — and to increase its capacity from 20 to 35 beds.

Regarding council’s action, AI Overview stated on Sept. 29, “Safe Shelter has been operating under a temporary use permit, and the approval provides long-term stability and increased services for families and individuals.” 

Similarly, News 13 noted, “At one point, every 30 days, Safe Shelter would have to pack up and move locations in order to serve those in need. This approval gives them stability.”

Safe Shelter Executive Director Christian Chambers told the TV station that he grateful, having experienced homelessness himself.

“I was working in homeless services while dealing with homelessness,” Chambers told News 13. “Living place to place, living in my car, that kind of thing. Before that, I was at a grocery store still facing homelessness. The thing that assisted me with getting through some of those obstacles was some of the relationships I had built.”

News 13 added, “Chambers now wants to be that connector for others... The shelter’s efforts have proven impactful, getting 70 percent of the people who have come to the shelter off the streets and into their own homes.”

The TV station quoted Chambers as saying, “We go through the coordinating entry process to get folks slated and housed, but also we use a lot of our personal relationships from people who own land and houses and landlords and ask to give them a chance. A lot of people trust us — and the staff, they trust our recommendation.”

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C.  —The City of Asheville will begin storm debris removal operations in the waterways and roads of the North Fork Reservoir — located in Black Mountain — “beginning within the next few weeks,” the city announced in a Sept. 29 press release.

“It is important to note that this work is not being done because the dam is unsafe,” the release stated.

Instead, the project is designed to do the following:

• Protect the City’s drinking water system by maintaining water flow and flood prevention.

• Reduce the risk of wildfire damage in sensitive watershed areas.

• Safely and responsibly dispose of storm debris.

As for “what the community can expect” during the project, the release listed the following:

• Contractors will work 7 days a week, during daylight hours

• Increased truck traffic on the roads leading to/from the North Fork Reservoir.

 • Operations monitored for safety and environmental protection.

 As for storm debris processing, the city’s release noted that debris collected at North Fork Reservoir “will be chipped on-site and hauled to a final disposal facility. Only storm-related vegetative debris from the reservoirs will be processed — no trash, construction materials, or hazardous waste.”