Why do taxes and mortgages have to be paid on destroyed properties? Why aren’t students making up lost time from Helene? Tree cutting on I-40? • Asheville Watchdog
Question: Why do property taxes and mortgages for Buncombe County homes and residences destroyed by Hurricane Helene, and which no longer exist, have to continue to be paid?
My answer: Ben Franklin pretty much summed this up when he said, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Brilliant man, except for that stint flying a kite in an electrical storm. Seems like there had to be an easier way to learn about electricity.
Real answer: This question is a fair one to ask, in my opinion, as I’ve talked with a few people who are paying mortgages on properties that aren’t there or were heavily damaged.
But as with just about everything in life, it gets more complicated than you might think.
Buncombe County spokesperson Kassi Day said the county has gotten “lots of questions surrounding the delinquency date for 2024 tax bills. Tax bills that became delinquent on Jan. 6 were 2024 tax bills for property values as of Jan. 1, 2024,” Day said via email.
“Those bills were due in early September and became delinquent on Jan. 6,” Day said. “North Carolina law does not allow any county to extend the date payments are due, or stop, adjust, or postpone the date interest starts to accrue on bills deemed past due.”
Day said the county understands this “might be frustrating and complicated and our team wanted to make sure people knew about payment arrangements that might be available.
“North Carolina state law also prohibits any county from having any flexibility to waive or prorate taxes — even after a natural disaster,” Day said. “However, property that is damaged due to Helene and still damaged as of Jan. 1, 2025, will see a reduction in 2025’s taxable value. Our assessment team is working hard to survey damaged areas so values can be updated to reflect the current situation.”
A home, a utility pole and trees all stand askew in Swannanoa following Helene. // Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego
Day said the county has been encouraging residents to report damaged property on the county web page dedicated to property damage.
Day also cited a recent UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government blog by Chris McLaughlin that notes, “Damage to property that occurs after January 1 will be reflected in the taxable value of that property for the following year’s taxes. Buildings that remain damaged or destroyed as of January 1, 2025 will be reappraised and taxed at a lower value (or zero value) for 2025-26 taxes.”
Regarding mortgages, that’s not a county function but one of banks, mortgage lenders and the federally backed mortgage system known as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. These are government-backed entities that buy mortgages from lenders, then package them into securities for investors.
USA.gov has a page on mortgage help and home repairs after a disaster that states, “You must continue to pay your mortgage, even if a disaster damages your home. Contact your mortgage servicer if you are unable to pay. Ask your servicer if you qualify for mortgage forbearance.”
Forbearance, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “is a process that can help if you’re struggling to pay your mortgage. Your servicer or lender arranges for you to temporarily pause mortgage payments or make smaller payments. You still owe the full amount, and you pay back the difference later.”
I scoured several other online sources and spoke with a local mortgage broker about this, and the upshot is: your mortgage is a legally binding contract for you to repay a loan. Basically, you are on the hook for that money.
If hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of borrowers decided to stop paying their mortgages on destroyed homes, that would have a cascading effect on banks and ultimately Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. That could lead to the banks or federal lending institutions becoming insolvent, which is similar to what happened leading up to the Great Recession of 2008-09 when hundreds of thousands of homeowners realized they owed way more than their homes were worth and just walked away from their debts.
Amber and Trevor Ballew stand near the wreckage of their home in Fairview. The couple still has to pay the mortgage on the house they bought a month before the storm. // Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego
I can see where it certainly feels unfair to have to continue paying on a home that’s destroyed, but as the mortgage broker told me, if you borrowed for a new car and it got totaled and your insurance was inadequate, you’d be on the hook for that, too.
It’s also worth noting that FEMA does offer the Hazard Mitigation Program, administered by the state of North Carolina, that can buy your damaged home outright, or pay to have it elevated or rebuilt at a higher level. I wrote about this in November when FEMA announced the plan locally.
I’m also hopeful that among the hundreds of millions of dollars flowing into our community that some of it will be earmarked to help homeowners who are caught in this situation. In the meantime, keep in mind that not paying your mortgage can lead to a badly damaged credit rating and could have negative long-term financial ramifications.
Question: I just found out that the decision was made not to make up the time kids missed school due to Helene. Can you please explain what was the rationale for that? I understand that they don’t have to make up the time if it is less than 20 days. I would have thought educators would want to make up the time.
My answer: I mean, who doesn’t want to work more?
Real answer: The missed time will not be made up, as the reader noted.
“Unfortunately, we cannot make the days up,” Kimberly Dechant, chief of staff with Asheville City Schools, told me via email. “The General Assembly voted to forgive the days missed due to Hurricane Helene in the first Hurricane Relief Bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly, as well as pay all staff during that time.”
Dechant noted that 10-month employees can only work and be paid for 215 days.
In a recent letter sent to school families and staff, Asheville City Schools noted that North Carolina law requires that the school year start no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday closest to June 11. The state also requires systems to observe at least 11 holidays.
Also, the state requires a minimum of 1,025 Instructional hours, or 185 days. Under a normal calendar year, ACS exceeds this, with 1,094.4 hours at the elementary level and 1,170 hours at the secondary level.
The letter also noted that state law typically allows for up to five virtual learning days during inclement weather.
“However, in response to Hurricane Helene during the 2024-2025 school year, House Bill 149 granted an additional 30 remote instruction days or 180 remote instruction hours to affected districts,” the letter states. “These days are in addition to the forgiven instructional days missed in September and October.”
Buncombe County Schools, at its Oct. 18 school board meeting, also discussed the lost time issue and cited the state law and its requirements in similar calendar decisions.
Question: Any idea why NCDOT has decided to start doing tree removal on 40 (between exits 50-59) in the last week? It doesn’t look like “urgent” removal (not blocking the roads at all), but has caused major slowdowns in the afternoon in each direction as they block off a lane each time. Y’know, we really need more traffic on our roads that are open right now — especially from about 3-5pm.
My answer: I detect some serious snark near the end of this question. That’s my territory, bub!
Real answer: “The tree debris removal work on I-40 between exits 50-59 is part of the Hurricane Helene cleanup effort,” Chris Medlin, district engineer with the NCDOT’s Asheville office, said via email. “The tree removal process requires workers to load tree debris material within five feet of an open travel lane. Per NCDOT policy, that requires closing the adjacent travel lane for the safety of workers and drivers.”
The good news is this work, which began in early November, should wrap up by the end of January, Medlin said.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday. 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 – ) 2025-09-05 09:01:00
State Sen. Bobby Hanig announced his Republican primary candidacy for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, aiming to challenge Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and incumbent Democrat Rep. Don Davis. Hanig filed with the Federal Elections Commission, while Roberson plans to run. Hanig emphasizes conservative leadership aligned with the America First agenda. The district, covering 22 northeastern counties, was highly competitive in 2024, with Davis narrowly winning. Hanig, an Army veteran and former state representative, chairs key legislative committees and runs two Outer Banks businesses. He supports tax cuts, border control, pro-life policies, and Second Amendment rights, aligning with former President Trump’s agenda.
(The Center Square) – State Sen. Bobby Hanig will enter the Republican primary for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, hoping to defeat Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and eventually second-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis.
Rep. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck
Michael Lewis via NCLeg.gov
Filing with the State Board of Elections is in December. Hanig has filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission. Roberson said he would run in April.
“I’m running because northeastern North Carolina deserves true conservative leadership that will fight for our community and the America first agenda,” he said in a release.
The seat was the most competitive between Democrats and Republicans in 2024 and figures to again be so in the 2026 midterms. Davis outlasted Republican Laurie Buckhout 49.52%-47.84%, winning by 6,307 votes of more than 376,000 cast.
Twenty-two counties are touched in the northeastern part of the state.
Hanig, R-Currituck, is a veteran of the Army. He has served the Board of Commissioners in Currituck County, and was in the state House of Representatives for two terms. By trade, he began as “the pool guy” and operates two businesses serving nearly 400 properties across the Outer Banks.
He’s chairman of the State and Local Government Committee, and serves as chairman within the Committee on Appropriations for General Government and Information Technology. He’s vice chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Local Government.
Four other assignments are Agriculture, Energy and Environment; Education/Higher Education; Regulatory Reform; and Transportation.
“I believe in President Trump’s America First Agenda and my record in the Legislature backs it up,” Hanig said. “I’ve cut taxes for North Carolina families, toughened border control in the state, stood up for life, and defended our Second Amendment rights.”
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 largely reports factual information about the candidates entering the North Carolina 1st Congressional District race, including their backgrounds, election filing status, and statements of political positions. It mainly quotes Sen. Bobby Hanig’s own words and campaign messaging, especially his alignment with “America First” and conservative values. The coverage uses neutral language without editorializing or explicitly endorsing any viewpoint. However, the focus on Hanig’s quoted statements about tax cuts, border control, pro-life stance, and Second Amendment rights, along with an absence of equivalent direct quotes from the Democratic incumbent or the other Republican candidate, subtly frames the narrative from a conservative perspective. This leads to a slight center-right tilt, as the piece highlights Hanig’s positions without presenting counterpoints or Democratic viewpoints in comparable detail. Overall, it functions as informational content about the race rather than overt advocacy, but the emphasis on conservative policy references indicates a modest center-right leaning.
SUMMARY: Laura Leslie, a veteran North Carolina political reporter with 21 years of experience, will become the new editor of NC Newsline on September 29. Leslie, currently WRAL’s capitol bureau chief, led the innovative NCCapitol project covering state politics across multiple platforms. Previously, she was capitol bureau chief at WUNC public radio and authored the award-winning blog “Isaac Hunter’s Tavern.” An Emmy winner recognized nationally, Leslie replaces Rob Schofield, who retired in August. She expressed gratitude to WRAL and enthusiasm for joining NC Newsline, part of the expanding States Newsroom nonprofit network. Leslie’s last day at WRAL is September 5.
North Carolina’s 2025 crop season shows promise with healthy corn, soybeans, cotton, and apples, a major improvement from 2024’s drought and storm damage. However, challenges remain: Tropical Depression Chantal caused flooding, wet conditions hurt tobacco, and relief payments from last year’s disasters are delayed. Farmers face financial stress due to low crop prices, rising input costs, trade tariffs impacting exports, and labor shortages exacerbated by strict immigration policies and higher wages. The USDA relocating operations to Raleigh raises hopes for better local support. Despite struggles, a bountiful harvest is expected, supporting the state’s agricultural resilience and fall agritourism.
by Jane Winik Sartwell, Carolina Public Press September 4, 2025
The news about crops out of North Carolina farms is good this year: the corn is tall, the soybeans leafy, the cotton fluffy and the apples ripe.
Compared to last year’s disastrous summer, when it seemed flooding was the only relief from extreme drought, this summer has left farmers feeling hopeful. In Wayne County, extension agent Daryl Anderson says this is the best corn crop the county has seen in 50 years.
That’s a major turnaround from last year, when dry conditions decimated cornfields from the coast to the mountains.
Still, no year in the fields is free of struggle. Rainy weather, delayed relief payments, market conditions and dramatic federal policy shifts have kept farmers on their toes.
Crops lie ruined in fields in Person County after Tropical Depression Chantal, which passed through the area on July 6, 2025. Provided / Person County Cooperative Extension
It’s been a wet year — at times, too wet. Tropical Depression Chantal flooded fields in Central North Carolina in early July. Unusually wet conditions all summer hurt the tobacco crop across the state.
Plus, state relief money for the tribulations of 2024 is coming slow. The legislature just approved an additional $124 million to address last year’s agricultural disasters, but farmers still haven’t received the money originally allocated to the Ag Disaster Crop Loss Program in March.
For Henderson County extension director Terry Kelley, the money is an urgent matter. In Kelley’s neck of the woods, apple farmers are still recovering from the devastation Helene wrought on their orchards. Finances are starting to spiral out of control for many.
“Our farmers are really anxious to get that money,” Kelley told Carolina Public Press.
Rains and flooding from Tropical Storm Helene create a massive washout in a Mills River tomato field in Henderson County in 2024. Provided / Terry Kelley / Henderson County Extension
“They’ve got bills due from last year. They’ve used their credit up to their limit and beyond. We need that money. It’s been a long summer of waiting.”
Though Helene upped the ante in the West, Kelley’s anxieties are felt across North Carolina. In Bladen County, where many 2024 crops were devastated by Tropical Storm Debbie, extension agent Matthew Strickland says there’s been a dearth of information about how the program works.
“We are not sure when those payments will be issued and exactly how they will be calculated,” Strickland said. “We were told they’d go out mid-summer. There’s been no update. Who knows when they’ll go out? Nobody really knows.”
The financial pressure extends beyond those delayed relief payments. North Carolina farmers find themselves at the whim of unexpected shifts in both the market and federal policies.
Though both quality and yield are high for field crops this year, the price of those crops at market is low. Meanwhile, input costs continue to rise. This makes for an unsettling financial equation for farmers.
Plus, President Donald Trump’s tariffs have made American crops less desirable overseas, according to Strickland. Before recent tariff hikes, lots of North Carolina corn, soybeans and tobacco made its way to China. Now, not as much.
“With the political trade wars, we’re really worried when it comes to our soybeans and tobacco,” Surry County extension agent Ryan Coe told CPP. “A lot of farmers are still waiting to see what’s going to happen. We don’t have a crystal ball.”
The tariffs haven’t been all bad, though. While some crops suffer, others have found opportunities. Kelley says the lack of Mexican tomatoes on the market has created a higher demand for local Henderson County tomatoes, for example.
Labor, too, is giving farmers pause. Many rely on legal migrant workers, but the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have tightened the market.
“It’s more difficult now to get labor, even with legal workers,” Kelley said. “It’s not available as it once was, and it’s terribly expensive.”
That’s because wages for migrant workers on legal H-2A visas continue to rise. In North Carolina, farmers must now pay migrant workers $16.16 per hour. This number is called an Adverse Effect Wage Rate, and it’s designed to ensure that wages for American workers don’t fall.
A cornfield at Trask Family Farms outside Wilmington on Aug. 29. Jane Winik Sartwell / Carolina Public Press
There’s a chance, however, that going forward, North Carolina farmers may have a bigger say in American agricultural policies.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving major operations to Raleigh, in an effort to bring the department closer to the nation’s farming hubs. Some North Carolina farmers are excited about it.
“Having the USDA in this area will be good for all farmers in North Carolina,” said Mikayla Berryhill, an extension agent in Person County, where farms were flooded by Chantal’s heavy rains. “We will be able to show them what specific problems we have here in North Carolina and get help with those.”
In the meantime, it looks like it will be a bountiful harvest of crops here in North Carolina. This fall’s agritourism attractions, from corn mazes and county fairs to hay rides and apple markets, should reflect that agricultural resilience.
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 content presents a balanced and factual overview of agricultural conditions in North Carolina, highlighting both challenges and positive developments without evident partisan framing. It discusses impacts of federal policies, including tariffs and immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, in a straightforward manner without overt criticism or praise. The article focuses on practical issues affecting farmers, such as weather, market conditions, and government relief efforts, maintaining a neutral tone throughout.
