The head of the Federal Emergency Management Administration is expressing concern that “lies” spread by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and others about the federal response to Tropical Storm Helene will discourage victims in western North Carolina from seeking assistance.
In an interview Monday aired on Blue Ridge Public Radio, FEMA Director Deanne Criswell was asked if the recovery effort was being affected by “misinformation” circulated by critics of the agency, a reference to former President Trump although he wasn’t named.
“I think the thing I was the most concerned about is, I want people who have been impacted to register for assistance,” Criswell said. “And what I don’t want is somebody who is listening to lies to then not get into our system and get the type of assistance that they’re eligible for and they deserve.”
Her remarks overlapped closely with Trump’s campaign appearance Monday afternoon in Swannanoa, where he persisted in making debunked claims about FEMA’s response. He visited a small section of the flood-devastated town east of Asheville and met with local Republican politicians and supporters whose businesses were damaged.
The event was held on a site still strewn with wrecked buildings and vehicles and was attended only by invited supporters, Republican office holders, and a small group of reporters. In his remarks and under questioning by the press, he repeated the false charge that FEMA was “broke” because it had diverted disaster-relief funding from the region to assist “illegal migrants” crossing the southern border.
He also claimed that local victims “felt helpless and abandoned and left behind by their government” and were dependent upon the efforts by private citizens and first responders for help. “Certainly you have all heard the same stories that we hear that FEMA has done a very poor job,” Trump said.
These and other claims have been repeatedly challenged and disproven by local government officials, among them Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards, whose 11th District encompasses the hardest hit counties in western North Carolina. Edwards, in a news release a week after the storm, called such claims “hoaxes.”
Edwards also posted a new report Monday beginning with the statement that FEMA “is showing up for the people of western North Carolina” and provided details that undermine Trump’s criticism.
Although Edwards said FEMA’s response had “a rocky start” with “hiccups here and there,” he reported that it has assigned 1,500 responders to the region; registered 6,900 people for individual assistance; set up 14 Disaster Recovery Centers across six counties, and accepted more than 206,000 applications for assistance.
“FEMA’s response has been far from perfect,” he concluded, “but the Disaster Survivor Assistance teams and Disaster Recovery Centers are showing up for the people of Western North Carolina. They are staffed by folk who want to help and are providing much-needed assistance to our mountains.”
Although the report had been circulated by his office before the Trump appearance, Edwards stood silently behind Trump as he attacked FEMA and repeated some of the false claims. He praised Trump for the visit and getting “dust on your shoes,” a dig at President Biden and Vice President Harris who toured the area by helicopter to avoid disrupting relief and rescue operations.
Also attending the gathering was state House Speaker Tim Moore, who is seeking a congressional seat with Trump’s support. Moore joined the criticism of the Biden administration’s response by saying he “had not gotten a single call from the White House, but this man [Trump] and his team have been in touch with us from day one.” The Washington Post reported in a story Monday that White House telephone logs show several calls between Biden administration staff and Moore’s office relating to the response.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Tom Fiedler is a Pulitzer Prize-winning political reporter and dean emeritus from Boston University who lives in Asheville. Email him at tfiedler@avlwatchdog.org. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 14:47:00
(The Center Square) – Called “crypto-friendly legislation” by the leader of the chamber, a proposal on digital assets on Wednesday afternoon passed the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Passage was 71-44 mostly along party lines.
The NC Digital Assets Investments Act, known also as House Bill 92, has investment requirements, caps and management, and clear definitions and standards aimed at making sure only qualified digital assets are included. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said the state would potentially join more than a dozen others with “crypto-friendly legislation.”
With him in sponsorship are Reps. Stephen Ross, R-Alamance, Mark Brody, R-Union, and Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake.
Nationally last year, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act – known as FIT21 – passed through the U.S. House in May and in September was parked in the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Dan Spuller, cochairman of the North Carolina Blockchain Initiative, said the state has proven a leader on digital asset policy. That includes the Money Transmitters Act of 2016, the North Carolina Regulatory Sandbox Act of 2021, and last year’s No Centrl Bank Digital Currency Pmts to State. The latter was strongly opposed by Gov. Roy Cooper, so much so that passage votes of 109-4 in the House and 39-5 in the Senate slipped back to override votes, respectively, of 73-41 and 27-17.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a factual report on the passage of the NC Digital Assets Investments Act, highlighting the legislative process, party-line votes, and related legislative measures. It does not adopt a clear ideological stance or frame the legislation in a way that suggests bias. Instead, it provides neutral information on the bill, its sponsors, and relevant background on state legislative activity in digital asset policy. The tone and language remain objective, focusing on legislative facts rather than promoting a particular viewpoint.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 11:04:00
(The Center Square) – Hurricane Helene recovery in North Carolina is being impacted by a federal agency with seven consecutive failed audits and the elimination of hundreds of its workers in the state.
Democratic Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined a lawsuit on behalf of the state with 23 other states and the District of Columbia against AmeriCorps, known also as the Corporation for National and Community Service. The state’s top prosecutor says eight of 19 AmeriCorps programs and 202 jobs are being lost in the state by the cuts to the federal program.
Jeff Jackson, North Carolina attorney general
NCDOJ.gov
The litigation says responsibility lies with the Department of Government Efficiency established by President Donald Trump.
“These funds – which Congress already appropriated for North Carolina – are creating jobs, cleaning up storm damage, and helping families rebuild,” Jackson said. “AmeriCorps must follow the law so that people in western North Carolina can confidently move forward.”
Jackson, in a release, said 50 of the 750 volunteers terminated on April 15 were in North Carolina. Three programs with 84 people employed were impacted on Friday when AmeriCorps cut federal funds to grant programs that run through the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.
Project MARS was helping in 18 western counties, providing supplies and meals to homebound and stranded families. Clothing, crisis hotlines and school supports were also aided. Project Conserve was in 25 western counties helping with debris removal, tree replanting, storm-system repairs and rain-barrel distribution. Project POWER helped large-scale food donations for more than 10,000 people in the hard-hit counties of Buncombe, Henderson and Madison.
The White House has defended its accountability actions and did so on this move. AmeriCorps has a budget of about $1 billion.
Helene killed 107 in North Carolina and caused an estimated $60 billion damage.
The storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach, Fla., on Sept. 26. It dissipated over the mountains of the state and Tennessee, dropping more than 30 inches in some places and over 24 consistently across more.
U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said last year AmeriCorps has a legacy of “incompetence and total disregard for taxpayer money.” She was chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, which requested the report showing repeated failed audits and financial management troubles.
“AmeriCorps,” Foxx said, “receives an astounding $1 billion in taxpayer funds every year but hasn’t received a clean audit for the past seven years. As instances of fraud continue, the agency has proven time and time again incapable of reforming itself and should never be given another opportunity to abuse taxpayer dollars.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article presents an ideological stance that leans toward the right, particularly in its portrayal of AmeriCorps, a federal agency, and its financial mismanagement. The language used to describe the agency’s struggles with audits, financial troubles, and alleged incompetence reflects a critical perspective typically associated with conservative viewpoints, especially through the quote from Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx. Additionally, the inclusion of comments from North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and other Democratic officials highlights a contrast in political positions. However, the article itself primarily reports on legal actions and the consequences of funding cuts without pushing a clear partisan agenda, thus maintaining a degree of neutrality in reporting factual details of the case.
SUMMARY: Wegovy, a popular weight loss medication by Novo Nordisk, will soon be available via telehealth companies such as Hims and Hers, LifeMD, and Ro, marking a significant shift in accessibility. The drug, provided in injectable pen form, will be offered at around $600, including 24/7 clinician support and nutritional guidance. This collaboration aims to make Wegovy more affordable and accessible, especially for those without insurance. Following FDA restrictions on compounded GLP-1 drugs, telehealth providers and drug makers are now cooperating to simplify treatment. Competitors like Eli Lilly sell alternatives less conveniently. Wegovy’s use may expand to chronic disease patients.
Consumers looking to start the popular weight loss drug Wegovy but lacking insurance coverage will soon have a new option. Wegovy will soon be available to telehealth companies for a reduced price.
