Asheville residents say more disaster relief needed

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(25 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Asheville, North Carolina - 24 January 2025
1. Wide of debris pile from Hurricane Helene near roadway and fast food restaurants
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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Steven Sabo, Asheville Resident:
"The disaster response is kind of waning here in Asheville and the smaller towns. And we're glad that the government's stepping out today to bring a light to our community."
3. Various of restaurant without walls
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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kathleen Yelverton, Asheville Resident:
"We need housing. We need cleanup. There are roads that are still gone. There are families that have been forgotten. Families that were swept away. Families that haven't even been found yet. There's still bodies out there. We feel like America's forgotten us... And it's heartbreaking. And I'm so glad that he's coming here, that we're his first stop to put the spotlight back on us because we need the United States of America."
5. Zoom in on debris pile outside a restaurant
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6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin Westmoreland, Co-owner, Corner Kitchen:
"It's been traumatic for the community. If you look around where we're standing now, there are still piles of debris and and mud. And that sort of thing that are three and four feet deep. But I would say that everybody pitched in and we had the sidewalks cleared in about two weeks. And, the inside of the building was, mitigated in about less than a month."
7. Mid of debris piles near cleared sidewalks
8. Various of cleaned out interior of Corner Kitchen, blueprints sitting on table
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9. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin Westmoreland, Co-owner, Corner Kitchen:
"I hope he (Trump) will see it for what it is that it's you know, there are people in need. There are people that, want to get back to, you know, doing their jobs and putting money back into the community and employing, folks from the community, because a lot of businesses in western North Carolina are independent."
10. Wide exterior of Corner Kitchen
11. Close of work permits hanging in windows of Corner Kitchen
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12. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin Westmoreland, Co-owner, Corner Kitchen:
"FEMA won't assist us as a commercial business, but they've assisted many of our employees and a lot of people that we know."
Rolland walks through cleaned out interior of closed art studios
13. Mid of a slab roller inside closed art shop
14. Rolland points to the cleared-out interior of The Village Potter's Clay Center
15. Close of electrical outlet on the floor of closed art studio
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16. SOUNDBITE (English) Sarah Wells Rolland, Owner of The Village Potter's Clay Center:
"I'm really happy that President Biden and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development did some quick work to get a block grant for this area. I don't have a lot of confidence in Mr. Trump, because of the language that comes out of his mouth. And I feel like that I know he's here today, and it is my desire and my hope that he will be supportive of us, that he will help the people in California that's burning.
17. Wide of historic building that housed closed art studios
STORYLINE:
Residents and business owners still recovering from Hurricane Helene say more disaster relief is needed to help the Western North Carolina community as President Donald Trump considers funding changes for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.



Kathleen Yelverton, a Trump supporter from Asheville, said she was glad the President visit can "put a spotlight back on us."











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