Mold Remediation in Winston-salem, NC

Nearly 12,500 households in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties are projected to benefit from about $19 million in federal disaster relief grant funding.

The Biden administration said Thursday that Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved overall more than $200 million to about 121,000 households in the 39 counties declared eligible for Hurricane Helene disaster relief programs.

Federal assistance for individuals may include upfront funds to help with essential items, such as food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies.

A separate $192 million will help pay for debris removal and emergency protective measures in the affected counties that also included Forsyth, Surry and Yadkin counties.

Another FEMA effort is placing about 3,700 families currently residing in short-term rentals and hotels through its transitional sheltering assistance program into a more stable living situation. More than 6,700 Western N.C. households have checked into FEMA-funded hotels and lodging.

Individuals seeking disaster relief assistance are encouraged to apply as soon as they are able to at DisasterAssistance.gov, which FEMA said is the fastest way to get an application started.

Individuals can apply using the FEMA App, calling 800-621-3362 or going in person to a local Disaster Recovery Center. There are active centers in Boone, Jefferson and Sparta.

Separately, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and local health departments are working with lodging establishments impacted by Helene to help them reopen safely.

Hotels and motels are encouraged to submit emergency operations plans to their local health department.

“We are working quickly to help businesses get back on their feet following catastrophic damage left behind by Hurricane Helene,” state Health Secretary Kody Kinsley said in a statement.

“For either displaced families or tourism, helping hotels reopen is key to supporting recovery in the region.”

Lodging establishments must have an approved power and electricity source available and also need an approved water source for bathing, hand washing and laundry service.

Other important elements include:

* The facility is free from sewage or wastewater backing up or accumulating on the property

* The facility must be able to flush toilets or have a contingency plan for flushing toilets

* Any food or ice prepared using non-potable water will be discarded

* Water fixtures with a non-potable water source, like ice machines and water fountains, must be turned off with signs posted that water fixtures cannot be used

“This reopening guidance will help expedite the reopening of impacted businesses and help facilitate the process of business and economic recovery for the region during this important tourist season,” said Lynn Minges, president and chief executive of the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association.

The state Division of Public Health has launched a resource for hospitality operators to assist with environmental health and safety requirements.

Operators can reach out directly at EHprepardnessquestions@dhhs.nc.gov or call 919-707-5999.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —

The city of Winston-Salem is set to discuss implementing parking changes for downtown in November. People we spoke with downtown said increasing paid parking would just be a disincentive to spend more time there.

The city's plan to change some parking rates from 25 cents to $1.50 is drastic, one person said.

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"Even just a hundred percent increase would be like 50 cents, so I wouldn't see it being reasonable going past more than a dollar, especially if you are going to take away the ability to pay with cash," Ashby Orebaugh, who frequents downtown, said.

Increased parking rates would also apply to current spaces that are free with a time limit. Public parking garages will retain the current hourly rate of $1 per hour according to their plan. One driver, Diane Wahn, said she visits her son who lives downtown and thinks the proposed plan makes the already-difficult parking even worse.

"I know someone who works at the Mexican restaurant that parks on the side there, and she just takes a chance not to get a ticket because there's nowhere for the people who work there to park there," Wahn said. "That's going to be really hard on them if they have to pay $1.50 an hour and they're working in a restaurant."

Modernized parking changes in the city's plan would streamline payment options from using meters to using the pay by phone app. Some areas of downtown currently have meters or pay stations, while other lots have pay-by-phone already implemented.

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"When you have to pay more for parking, you will spend less time downtown, you will spend less time in businesses, you will skip some entirely, like it is definitely going to hurt downtown, I feel like," Orebaugh said.

Parking fines are also expected to increase from $15 to $30. If approved next month, the pay-by-phone parking app will be rolled out in the spring of next year.

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