The News.
The New York Times: What to Do Now to Prepare Your Home for the Winter Storm
A severe winter storm is expected to sweep across the United States this week, with a potent cocktail of heavy snow, ice and extreme cold, affecting up to 160 million people. Here’s what you can do, even in the last minute, to prepare your home and stay safe and warm.
USA Today: Navigate any winter storms with these power outage essentials
With an extreme cold warning issued for a large swath of the United States and an evolving winter storm that's still forecasted to impact more than two dozen states from Texas up through the Northeast, many Americans are (rightfully) preparing for extreme winter weather.
Biltmore Beacon: $3M authorized for Asheville homeowners hit by Helene
RenewNC's Single-Family Home Repair Program assists homeowners across 28 WNC counties who experienced property damage and loss due to Hurricane Helene.
NOLA.com: Years after Hurricanes Laura and Ida, Louisiana’s billion dollar recovery program will soon end
More than four years after Hurricane Ida, Louisiana’s billion-dollar program to help rebuild storm victims’ homes will soon come to an end.
Colorado Sun: Gov. Polis asks FEMA to reverse rejection of $41 million in disaster aid after Western Slope floods, fires
The Polis administration on Friday filed appeals with the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the agency rejected Colorado’s request for $41 million in disaster aid for Western Slope fires and floods.
WIS10: SCOR opens three housing recovery program offices for victims of Hurricane Helene
The South Carolina Office of Resilience announced the opening of three South Carolina Hurricane Helene housing recovery program offices to support long-term disaster recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.
Homeland Security Today: FEMA Makes Almost $9 Million in Funding Available for Tennessee for Disaster Relief Efforts
FEMA has announced that nearly $9 million in federal funding is now available to communities in Tennessee affected by Tropical Storm Helene and other past disasters.
ABC News: Maui braces for possible end to FEMA rental assistance
Nearly 1,000 households displaced by catastrophic wildfires in Maui are anxiously awaiting word on whether federal assistance helping them stay housed will be left to expire, forcing them to find new housing or pay more for it in one of the tightest and most expensive rental environments in the country.
WMTW 8: Federal help now available for businesses, nonprofits hurt by Maine's cold, wet spring in 2025
Maine dealt with a lot of cool, wet weather last spring, and now there is federal help available to small businesses and private nonprofits that were affected.
13WMAZ: 'One group alone can’t tackle this' | Local volunteers help rebuild homes after Hurricane Helene
More than a year after Hurricane Helene tore through Central Georgia, many families are still living with damaged homes, debris-strewn yards, and roofs covered in blue tarps.
California Governor’s Office: As federal aid stalls, Governor Newsom announces proposed effort to close insurance gaps for LA fire survivors, expands mortgage relief
One year after catastrophic wildfires tore through Los Angeles, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced new actions to help survivors rebuild and remain in their homes, including expanding access to the successful CalAssist Mortgage Fund eligibility to provide additional support and reach more survivors.
Kiro 7: Disaster assistance centers open as King County moves into flood recovery phase
King County is transitioning from round-the-clock emergency response to recovery efforts after weeks of flooding and hazardous weather, according to King County officials.
The Blue Ridge Times: From Recovery to Results: Western North Carolina Shows What Fast Disaster Response Should Look Like
When hurricanes struck Western North Carolina, the storms’ immediate damage was only the beginning. The true test came afterward, as it usually does, when families wait to see how quickly help arrives and how effectively recovery efforts turn plans into rebuilt homes and rebuilt lives. Compared with past storms, this recovery effort is standing out for one reason above all others: speed.
NJ Spotlight News: Disaster survivors denounce proposed FEMA downsizing
Flood, storm and fire survivors gathered in Washington, D.C., Monday to express their alarm over a leaked report from the FEMA Review Council that proposes halving the agency’s workforce and scaling back federal disaster assistance.
Hoodline: Oregon Unveils New OEM Grants Platform to Streamline Disaster Recovery Funding Management
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) has rolled out a new tool aimed at making life a little easier for organizations looking to manage FEMA Public Assistance funding when disasters strike. Launched on Tuesday, the OEM Grants platform promises a more streamlined approach for keeping tabs on the funds from the moment they're awarded until the final sign-off. As Oregonians know, natural calamities wait for no one, and neither should the support systems in place to aid in their recovery.
WRDW: Georgia launches special savings accounts for disaster recovery
Georgia homeowners will soon be able to open catastrophe savings accounts to help cover disaster-related expenses as insurance deductibles keep rising.
AP News: Puerto Rico sues Luma in first push to cancel contract with private power company
Puerto Rico’s government has sued Luma Energy in the first legal step to cancel its multimillion-dollar contract with the private power company as the U.S. territory battles chronic outages, increases in power bills and the slow reconstruction of a grid razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
The Washington Post: Destructive flooding hits Washington state, with six rivers at dangerous levels
An atmospheric river, whose moisture spanned a remarkable 7,000 miles across the Pacific from the Philippines to the Pacific Northwest, caused record river levels and destructive flooding across Washington state this week.
CNN: Exclusive: Trump’s FEMA council to recommend dramatic downsizing and overhaul – but not elimination – of the agency
A task force created by President Donald Trump plans to recommend the most sweeping overhaul of FEMA in decades, dramatically reducing the federal agency’s role in disaster response by cutting its workforce in half and rolling out a new block grant system designed to get aid to communities faster and with less bureaucratic hassle.
The City of Asheville: City Council takes action on Helene Recovery items at December 9 Council Meeting
At the December 9 City Council meeting, Council members undertook consideration of several Helene Recovery agenda items as the City and community continue to move forward with recovery related projects and needs. Below is a list of the items, grouped by topic or category, actions, and impacts.