RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican leaders in the General Assembly confirmed on Tuesday their intention to order a special legislative session for hurricane relief on October 2. “The first thing we need to do is unlock the rainy day fund,” Cooper told ABC11 while touring damage in Kinston. “Clearly, there’s been a rainy day in North Carolina.” Lawmakers confirmed the reserve fund has about $2 billion set aside for natural and…

After Hurricane Florence devastated the eastern part of North Carolina, some of the state’s politicians took to social media and politicized the storm. Some comments focused on hurricane relief funding for the state, or the lack of. Others mentioned laws they believe made North Carolina more vulnerable during a large storm. How valid are their comments? We’ve chosen four statements to explore, and see what evidence there is to support these claims. Did Walker vote…

WAYNE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — The charges against a Wayne County woman accused of treating animals stranded by Hurricane Florence at an unregistered shelter have been dismissed, according to the District Attorney’s Office for the 8th Judicial District. Tammy Hedges was charged with 12 counts of misdemeanor practice/attempt of veterinary medicine without a license and one count of solicitation of a Schedule 4 controlled substance. District Attorney Matthew Delbridge released this statement regarding the incident:…

WAYNE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — The charges against a Wayne County woman accused of treating animals stranded by Hurricane Florence at an unregistered shelter have been dismissed, according to the District Attorney’s Office for the 8th Judicial District. Tammy Hedges was charged with 12 counts of misdemeanor practice/attempt of veterinary medicine without a license and one count of solicitation of a Schedule 4 controlled substance. District Attorney Matthew Delbridge released this statement regarding the incident:…

If you’re a homeowner, business owner, renter, or run a non-profit, you could qualify for a low-interest SBA disaster assistance loan. “If you don’t have insurance or have a large deductible, you’ll have a larger gap, and we can look at funding the difference to make you whole,” said Carl Dombek with the SBA Office of Disaster Assistance. Dombek said they’ve already approved more than seven million loans and expect to approve even more. “I…

By Janine Bowen, WRAL.com editor Wayne County, N.C. — Charges have been dropped against a Wayne County woman who was arrested after operating a make-shift animal shelter during Hurricane Florence. Tammy Hedges was charged with 12 counts of practicing medicine without a veterinary license after authorities said she converted a warehouse into an unregistered shelter during the hurricane and administered medication, including antibiotics and ointments, to the animals. Hedges was contacted by Wayne County Animal…

LELAND, N.C. (WTVD) — Furniture, children’s bikes and personal belongings sit outside many homes in the Stoney Creek Plantation subdivision in Leland. More than 30 homes in the neighborhood were flooded by Hurricane Florence, said resident Randi Jo Rooks. Rooks’ home also flooded. She said she has flood insurance but so many of her neighbors don’t. So she’s gotten the community together and hundreds of volunteers are helping clean up. “It really is so sad…

Lumberton residents whose properties were damaged by flooding in Hurricane Florence want to sue the railroad giant CSX, and asked a federal judge Tuesday to let them file a class action lawsuit. They say CSX had been aware of major flooding risks at one spot on its route through Lumberton for years, didn’t do anything to prevent flooding at the site, and also stopped locals from taking action of their own to protect the town….