Critics blast liberal reporter for seizing upon hurricane devastation to belittle North Carolinians' beliefs



The Guardian, a leftist publication based in the U.K., is facing criticism over a Sunday article that seized upon the devastation wrought in North Carolina by Hurricane Helene as an opportunity to belittle locals' beliefs, attack President Donald Trump, and push a climate alarmist agenda.

The article was penned by the Guardian's "senior climate justice reporter" Nina Lakhani — a British national who previously suggested that nTrump was a terrorist and a fascist; pushed the Russian collusion hoax; claimed that America's border wall created "environmental and cultural scars"; advocated for banning white men from positions of power; and called the British monarchy a "white supremacist institution."

After insinuating that Trump and Elon Musk were to blame for delayed disaster relief, the Guardian reporter expressed concern that in her travels through Buncombe County, North Carolina, "the climate crisis was largely absent from people's thoughts" in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Resident Twila Little Brave, for instance, told the Guardian about her struggles in the wake of the hurricane, her gratitude about being alive, and how the efforts of her community, not her government, helped her survived the ordeal.

Sharon Jarvis, a 59-year-old woman who lives on a mountain slope on the outskirts of the community, criticized the Biden administration's disaster relief or lack thereof and noted that Christian relief groups, local churches, and other volunteer or nonprofit groups — not the government — stepped into the breach to help.

David Crowder, the pastor at a Barnardsville Baptist church, discussed tough living conditions along with potential threats to local pride and the storm's transformation of the landscape.

Since Brave, Jarvis, and Crowder failed to furnish Lakhani with the talking points the foreign reporter needed for her preferred narrative, Lakhani clumsily shoehorned them into the piece herself with the help of fellow travelers.

'We've failed to communicate this in a way that reaches some of the most vulnerable people.'

Lakhani insinuated that Brave and others who "have found comfort from attributing Helene to God's will" were ignoramuses, noting that "the science is clear: the intensity of the wind and rain during Helene was supercharged by the climate crisis, and the frequency and severity of such storms will increase as the planet continues to warm — driven by the world's dependence on the burning of fossil fuels."

While dismissive of locals' religious beliefs, Lakhani appeared more than willing to accept as gospel truth an assertion from Thomas Karl, the former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information, that might rely on misleading and inaccurate claims.

Lakhani shared Karl's belief that "these events will become more intense and stronger. But somehow we've failed to communicate this in a way that reaches some of the most vulnerable people, while they're getting false information from places they trust."

The government watchdog group Protect the Public's Trust noted in a complaint last year that the NOAA's Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters tracking project relies on economic data and cannot as a consequence "distinguish the effect of climate change as a factor on disaster losses from the effect of human factors like increases in the vulnerability and exposure of people and wealth to disaster damages due to population and economic growth."

'This is a vile, mean-spirited article.'

The so-called Billions Project not only has been been cited in over 1,200 articles but has been characterized by the U.S. Global Change Research Program as a "climate change indicator" and had its data cited in 2023 as evidence that "extreme events are becoming more frequent and severe" in the same federal program's "Fifth National Climate Assessment."

Dr. Roger Pielke Jr. noted in a study published June in the Springer Nature journal npj Natural Hazards:

NOAA incorrectly claims that for some types of extreme weather, the dataset demonstrates detection and attribution of changes on climate timescales. Similarly flawed are NOAA's claims that increasing annual counts of billion dollar disasters are in part a consequence of human caused climate change. NOAA's claims to have achieved detection and attribution are not supported by any scientific analysis that it has performed.

Despite outstanding questions about the veracity of claims of intensifying weather, Lakhani framed Karl's statement as the "clear science," then echoed his concern about the germination of alternate viewpoints regarding the storm and broader weather patterns.

Lakhani complained that "false rumors and conspiracy theories," as well as "fossil fuel-friendly" narratives, appear "to resonate among even those directly hit by floods and fires."

When criticizing so-called "disinformation," Lakhani turned to a fellow traveler to shore up her narrative — Sean Buchan, the so-called research director at the leftist censorship outfit Climate Action Against Disinformation.

Buchan appeared to insinuate that rural North Carolinians and other disaster-struck Americans were not smart enough to grasp "climate science" because it is "complicated and nuanced and requires patience." As a result of locals' supposed inability to understand what he and Lakhani believe to be true, Buchan suggested that "propagandists and bad actors will show up in person or online to fill the information vacuum."

Matt Van Swol, a former nuclear scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory, called the Guardian article "absolutely disgusting."

"This is a vile, mean-spirited article from The Guardian," continued Van Swol. "Everything mountain-folk HATE about big city reporters is covered in this article."

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CBS Claims Southern States Are Too Poor, Incompetent To Handle Disaster Recovery

While interviewing VP J.D. Vance, CBS's Margaret Brennan claimed southern states are too poor and incompetent to handle disaster recovery.

Trump prioritizes trip to state 'abandoned by the Democrats': North Carolina



President Donald Trump plans to visit various disaster-struck parts of the nation but will start Friday with North Carolina, as its people suffered for months and have been "treated so badly."

The American government has in recent decades eagerly doled out hundreds of billions of dollars for foreign aid and engaged in fruitless nation-building projects abroad. Former President Joe Biden, for instance, blew $230 million on a useless floating pier off Gaza that was dismantled after 20 days. Recent disasters — in Hawaii, North Carolina, and California, for example — have left some Americans wondering whether their government felt similarly compelled to apply such zeal in domestic relief efforts.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene — which killed over 100 Americans and reportedly damaged at least 6,000 miles of road and over 160 water and sewer systems, over 1,000 bridges and culverts, and at least 73,000 homes — Trump seized upon the perceived difference between the Biden administration's responses to foreign and domestic crises.

'We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more importantly, its own people.'

"They're offering them $750, to people whose homes have been washed away. And yet we send tens of billions of dollars to foreign countries that most people have never heard of," President Donald Trump said at an Oct. 5 rally, referring to the one-time $750-per-household payment to eligible disaster survivors through FEMA's "Serious Needs Assistance." "Think of it: We give foreign countries hundreds of billions of dollars and we're handing North Carolina $750."

Trump hammered this point home in his inaugural address, stating:

We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more importantly, its own people. Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful people of North Carolina — who have been treated so badly — and other states who are still suffering from a hurricane that took place many months ago or, more recently, Los Angeles, where we are watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago without even a token of defense.

A Dec. 13 damage and needs assessment in North Carolina estimated that the cost of damages and needs was over $59.6 billion, "including $44.4 billion of direct damage, $9.4 billion of indirect or induced damage, and $5.8 billion of potential investments for strengthening and mitigation."

'We're going to get that thing straightened out.'

While federal funds trickled into the Tar Heel State since the storm along with piecemeal relief efforts — despite the apparent aversion of some within the Federal Emergency Management Agency to render aid to potential Trump supporters — the sense of abandonment remains strong.

Residents of Swannanoa, North Carolina, for instance, told WXII-TV this week that they have received very little help from the federal government and expressed hope that things will change under the new leadership.

Ian Monley, a worker with Valley Strong Disaster Relief, said, "We've seen people living in condemned trailers where they have raw sewage under their trailers. We've seen people living in tents. We've seen people living in cars. Normally, you see FEMA trailers rolling in and things to get people housing. And we haven't seen any of that."

Trump, who suspended all foreign development assistance programs for 90 days on Monday, said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity Tuesday evening, "On Friday, I'm stopping in North Carolina — first stop because those people were treated very badly by Democrats."

"We're going to get that thing straightened out because they're still suffering from a hurricane months ago," added Trump.

Josh Stein, the state's new Democratic governor, confirmed Trump's visit during a Tuesday briefing, noting, "I think that's very good news for the people of Western North Carolina that this issue is front of mind of the new administration."

While uncertain of his schedule, Stein said he hopes "to be able to see" Trump.

After visiting North Carolina, Trump is headed to Los Angeles then Nevada.

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FEMA found means to extend relief to homeless Helene victims hours before Trump took office



Thousands of families in Western North Carolina still reeling from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene received some good news just as the Trump administration was about to begin: FEMA approved extensions for hotel vouchers, keeping a roof over their heads during the frigid winter months.

Last month, then-Vice President-elect JD Vance toured the area and promised that storm victims there would receive the help they needed once his administration took office.

"Certainly when this administration changes hands in the next 45 days, we’re going to do everything that we can to help people rebuild, to get them back on their feet, to bring some commerce back to this area, but, most importantly, to allow people to live in their homes," Vance said on December 6.

"We haven’t forgotten you — we love you."

Vance's visit came just days after a bombshell report revealed that FEMA had discriminated against Trump supporters during election season.

'It's 20 degrees tonight.'

Despite Vance's assurances, just a week ago, in the waning days of the Biden-Harris administration, North Carolina leaders sounded alarm bells because their constituents were being kicked out of their hotel rooms as FEMA vouchers expired.

"My office has been helping dozens of Helene victims today who have been told their hotel vouchers expired despite not having a safe and livable home to go back to. Their homes have mold and broken windows ... it's 20 degrees tonight," Republican Sen. Thom Tillis posted to X on January 14.

"This is a total breakdown on the part of FEMA," he added.

By Thursday, Gov. Josh Stein (D) had contacted FEMA, imploring the agency to continue providing assistance to North Carolinians still without homes.

Pressure from state officials and the incoming Trump administration apparently did the trick. On Sunday, FEMA responded to Stein's letter and granted the voucher extension until May 26 as part of the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.

On Monday, the day that President Donald Trump took office, FEMA issued a press release confirming the voucher extension.

"I want to be clear, this program is not ending for Western North Carolina," said federal coordinating officer Brett Howard. "We understand the great need survivors have at the time, and this program will last as long as necessary. ... FEMA staff are working daily with survivors and on their cases to help them find permanent housing solutions."

Additionally, FEMA announced that residents will also receive more advanced notice when they will lose program eligibility. Before the press release on Monday, FEMA gave a notice of just seven days. Now, however, the agency will give them a notice of at least three weeks.

'If FEMA is to live up to its name, then it needs to act like an emergency is a true emergency and be able and willing to help people ... not blame them for failing to fill out a form correctly.'

In all, nearly 13,000 families in the beleaguered area have participated in the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program since Helene struck in late September. The number of eligible families has since dwindled to about 2,000.

Howard seemed to note that FEMA resources are not unlimited, cautioning that "the length of eligibility for an individual survivor will be based on their individual circumstances."

While losing eligibility in the face of such hardship sounds cruel, it occurs only when the situation on the ground improves or when applicants withdraw their request, fail to respond to a FEMA agent after "multiple" attempts at contact, or never had a permanent residence to begin with, the press release indicated.

Matt Von Swol, an Asheville resident who has chronicled the ongoing devastation in Western North Carolina since Helene hit, was thrilled about the extended relief from FEMA. "THE TRUMP EFFECT IS HERE!!!!" he wrote on Tuesday.

— (@)

Still, Von Swol is frustrated that the relief was not available in the first place.

"FEMA dropped the ball from the very outset of the storm. They failed to act quickly. They failed to communicate effectively. They failed to respond adequately to survivors we have personally helped. We have seen firsthand how bureaucracy involved in delivering true aid to victims is a death by a thousand slow-rolling cuts," Von Swol said in a statement to Blaze News.

"If FEMA is to live up to its name, then it needs to act like an emergency is a true emergency and be able and willing to help people swiftly and fairly, not blame them for failing to fill out a form correctly."

FEMA has already shelled out $316 million in cash assistance and another $6.2 million in rental assistance to Helene victims in North Carolina, the agency claimed in the press release. Some small business owners in the region may also qualify for a loan with no interest for one year to help them rebuild.

Helene victims in neighboring South Carolina have only a few more days to apply for FEMA assistance.

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North Carolina counties demand full property tax payments — even for homes wiped out by Helene



Residents of several counties in North Carolina are still on the hook for the full payment of their property taxes, officials warn, even if their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Helene.

In late September, Helene battered the mountainous region of Western North Carolina and the surrounding states, causing massive floods that swept many structures away or left them in a pile of rubble. As a result, some residents remain in RVs or even tents, despite winter temperatures, as Blaze News previously reported.

Though the devastation in the area is unprecedented, state law requires property tax payments to be paid by midnight on January 6, no matter what. So county leaders say their hands are tied.

"Please be aware: North Carolina law does not allow property tax waivers or exceptions due to natural disasters," read an online statement from Buncombe County, one of those hardest hit by Helene. "Regardless of circumstances stemming from Hurricane Helene, property taxes are still due by Jan. 6. The Tax Office is here to help you figure out a plan, so please contact us as soon as possible."

'No one should be forced to pay property taxes on a home that no longer exists. This is common sense.'

Matt Van Swol, an Asheville resident who has carefully chronicled on X the underwhelming state and federal government response to Helene, was dumbfounded by the intransigence on the part of local and state leaders.

"No one should be forced to pay property taxes on a home that no longer exists. This is common sense," Van Swol wrote on Monday.

Government websites for Henderson, Jackson, Rutherford, and Transylvania Counties gave similar reminders about the January 6 deadline for property tax payments, even as many still offer links to those still needing assistance in connection with Hurricane Helene.

Additionally, most properties will still be taxed at their 2024, pre-storm value. For residents of Eastern North Carolina, which avoided the brunt of Hurricane Helene, some of those values went through the roof, resulting in a shocking 2024 tax bill.

Rumors recently spread throughout Johnson County about tax bills that jumped by as much as 75% from 2023. While the county acknowledged a 70.6% value increase countywide, it tried to quell growing concerns by noting that property taxes and property values do not increase at the same rate.

"It is important to note that a 70.6% increase in property value does not equate to a 70.6% increase in property taxes," said a county statement issued on January 6. "Tax rates for 2025 will be set by the County, districts, and municipalities in June, with tax bills expected to be mailed around August 1, 2025."

Concerns about property taxes have prompted action in neighboring Tennessee, another state hit hard by Helene. Though the tax deadline there isn't until February, lawmakers are hoping to call a special session this month to pass tax-related measures and bring some relief.

Republican state Rep. Tim Hicks supports a measure that would exempt hurricane victims from 2024 taxes. They also "won't get taxed again for those property taxes until their property is made whole again," he explained in December.

"I would think that all legislators across the state will be on board with that."

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Tennesseans still on hook for state property taxes despite devastation from Hurricane Helene — at least for now



Tennesseans still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene will have to pay state property taxes unless lawmakers move to provide some relief.

State residents and their political leaders have been discussing the issue of property taxes for months, ever since Hurricane Helene devastated the region back in late September.

A few weeks after the storm, the IRS stepped in and postponed the deadline for filing or paying certain taxes until May 1, 2025, at least for beleaguered property and/or business owners in Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington Counties.

"Penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Sept. 26, 2024, and before Oct. 11, 2024, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by Oct. 11, 2024," said the IRS press release issued November 7.

Leaders in Nashville have yet to officially adjust, suspend, or extend deadlines for property taxes at the state level, though at least one bill is in the works.

Republican state Rep. Tim Hicks has backed a measure that would provide tremendous relief for affected residents. If the measure becomes law, "any home or any family that was affected by the flood will be exempt from paying property taxes for the year 2024, and they won't get taxed again for those property taxes until their property is made whole again," Hicks explained, according to WCYB.

The same tax exemptions would go into effect in the case of future disasters as well.

"I would think that all legislators across the state will be on board with that," Hicks said.

'It would mean a heck of a lot. A heck of a lot.'

Hicks told WCYB that legislators, already scheduled to meet next month, intend to call a special session to vote on that and other Helene-related bills before the deadline for filing property taxes comes along in February.

"We’re trying to get all the relief efforts up here that we can."

For months, state officials have expressed concerns about the plight of storm victims in Tennessee. Back in November, Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower told WJHL that "the legislature and Gov. [Bill] Lee have a strong desire to help the property owners affected."

However, just what that "help" should look like has not yet been determined.

Some officials noted, for example, that the affected properties — most of which are located in Northeastern Tennessee — enjoyed normal value for about three-quarters of 2024 and that some owners have already paid their taxes in full. Thus, tax relief may come in the form of proration or retrospectively awarded grants, among other possibilities.

"The key to helping them is knowing exactly how much damage has occurred, what the extent of the damage [is] people have suffered to their homes, to their businesses. So we have been working with assessors since the storm occurred," Mumpower said.

"We want to be sure by the time the legislature returns in January that they have a firm understanding of the dollar amount, of the extent of the damage people have suffered so that they can provide the best assistance," he added.

For residents like David Harris and his wife, who have been living in a camper on their property in the Nolichucky River Valley between Knoxville and Winston-Salem ever since Helene wiped out their home, that relief can't come soon enough.

"It means a lot because when you lose everything, you got to replace stuff," David Harris told WCYB, "and we're retired with not such a great salary. It would mean a heck of a lot. A heck of a lot."

"We don't want to think about property taxes right now."

H/T: Matt Van Swol

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