1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:05,599 Speaker 1: What's going on. 2 00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,080 is heard live every day from noon to three on 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,839 WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,160 like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily 6 00:00:17,199 --> 00:00:19,480 show prep with all the links, become a patron, go 7 00:00:19,559 --> 00:00:23,399 to vpeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button. 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,320 Get every episode for free right to your smartphone or tablet. 9 00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:29,120 And again, thank you so much for your support. Now, 10 00:00:29,199 --> 00:00:32,679 just because we did not get a bunch of the 11 00:00:32,679 --> 00:00:37,479 wintry mix aka Satan slushy here in the Charlotte area 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,840 doesn't mean that other areas in the state. 13 00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:42,359 Speaker 1: Did not. 14 00:00:43,079 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 2: Western North Carolina got hit with a whole bunch of 15 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:53,359 snow and this made things very difficult for the roughly 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,240 what almost two thousand families that were being kicked out 17 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:04,319 of their hotels by FEMA. But then FEMA was like, okay, 18 00:01:04,359 --> 00:01:07,200 we have heard the public pressure. 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:08,719 Speaker 1: I'm just kidding. They didn't say that part. 20 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,599 Speaker 2: They said, we are not going to kick them out 21 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,159 on Sunday because of the weather. 22 00:01:15,439 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: Obviously there's a bunch of snow all around. 23 00:01:17,719 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: The roads are dangerous and so we can't have a 24 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,879 whole bunch of people driving around in U halls. I'm 25 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,480 just kidding. There no where U hauls. The U haul 26 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,079 place got wiped off the map. It did over there 27 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,599 by the Swanan Noah River used to see the big 28 00:01:33,719 --> 00:01:36,319 U hole sign when you're coming in on two forty. 29 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:39,879 So I know they said, we can't be moving people 30 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,560 around because of the weather. So we're going to extend 31 00:01:42,799 --> 00:01:46,359 the TSA, not the people that grope you at the airports, 32 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:52,959 the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program, the TSAP, or as I 33 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,799 call it, the ZAP because the. 34 00:01:54,719 --> 00:01:57,439 Speaker 1: TEA is silent, much like ZAR. You know, it's ZAP. 35 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,959 Speaker 2: So they said we're going to to delay the kickouts 36 00:02:02,719 --> 00:02:05,560 or the kicking out of the families. 37 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:08,439 Speaker 1: Until tomorrow. 38 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 2: It is that the humane thing to do, really, that's 39 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,080 doing the people a solid there. Now, got a couple 40 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,479 of different stories on this, and I've seen numerous reports 41 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,919 over the last forty eight hours about this, because the 42 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:34,960 deadline was the twelfth, so yesterday, but that got that 43 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,439 was a delayed kickout date too, or as they call it, 44 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:45,080 move out date. This is from WLOS TV. It's really 45 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:50,039 the only TV station based in Ashville. That's the ABC affiliate. 46 00:02:50,319 --> 00:02:53,879 There are other stations that serve the Ashville market, but 47 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,719 they are based out of Greenville, South Carolina, so WLOS 48 00:02:59,479 --> 00:03:03,039 generally speaking, they are more on the ground in Asheville 49 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,280 in western North Carolina on a lot of this stuff. 50 00:03:05,879 --> 00:03:10,319 So here's how they reported it. FEMA has extended the 51 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,520 move out date for its first round of eligibility review. 52 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:18,199 They make it sound so antiseptic, don't they The move 53 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:24,520 out date for its first round of eligibility review. So yeah, 54 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,240 the kickout date. You're getting kicked out of your hotel 55 00:03:29,159 --> 00:03:34,479 from Sunday. They moved it from yesterday until tomorrow. So 56 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,439 they gave you an extra forty eight hours, everybody, and 57 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:44,280 you should be grateful. According to a release, FEMA activated 58 00:03:44,319 --> 00:03:50,599 the ZAPP program, the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program, at the 59 00:03:50,719 --> 00:03:56,479 state's request after Hurricane Helene. The program mandates that individuals 60 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,280 and families receiving assistance be quote periodically review for continued 61 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:07,360 need and eligibility. Right, because when you've lost your home 62 00:04:08,039 --> 00:04:11,039 and you are put up in a hotel with like 63 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,479 the clothes on your back and maybe some of the 64 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,000 belongings that you found strewn down the side of a mountain, 65 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,639 you really want to hang out in that hotel for 66 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,839 as long as possible rather than going back to your home. So, 67 00:04:25,959 --> 00:04:31,240 the release said, the first round of eligibility reviews for 68 00:04:31,439 --> 00:04:36,319 continued housing assistance is now completed, so they have reviewed 69 00:04:36,519 --> 00:04:40,120 all of the people. And these occupants were initially told 70 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:43,720 that they would have to leave no later than January eleventh, 71 00:04:45,879 --> 00:04:50,360 but then the weather came in and so they were like, Okay, okay, 72 00:04:50,439 --> 00:04:54,240 we know it's snowing, we know it's really cold and icy, 73 00:04:54,920 --> 00:05:00,879 and so instead of January eleventh, we're going to extended 74 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:09,399 until the twelfth. And then they extended it again until 75 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:14,920 the fourteenth. So I guess if they extended again, do 76 00:05:14,959 --> 00:05:17,319 we get a doubling of the two days and I 77 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,560 will be up to four days, and then if they 78 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,439 extended again, they'll double it up to eight days. 79 00:05:23,519 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: Is that how this is going to go? 80 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 2: Or is it just going to be, you know, jerking 81 00:05:27,759 --> 00:05:32,680 people around with twenty four to forty eight hour extensions 82 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:34,040 in perpetuity. 83 00:05:34,199 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: I don't know. 84 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 2: The release from FEMA said that the extension only applies 85 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:45,240 to the occupants scheduled to move out due to ineligibility 86 00:05:45,879 --> 00:05:48,800 following the first review. So I'm guessing they're going to 87 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:53,720 be doing more of these reviews right periodically reviewing to 88 00:05:53,759 --> 00:05:58,199 see if you are still eligible. What are the eligibility criteria? Pete, 89 00:05:58,399 --> 00:06:02,360 great question, I'll tell million in a second. Additionally, the 90 00:06:02,439 --> 00:06:06,519 release said those eligible to continue in the TSA program 91 00:06:06,879 --> 00:06:11,800 will remain as planned until the following eligibility review or 92 00:06:11,879 --> 00:06:14,639 until they choose to leave. Okay, so if you haven't 93 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,319 been kicked out already, you will be kicked out at 94 00:06:17,319 --> 00:06:24,120 some point. Okay, that's the message here. WLOS has the 95 00:06:24,199 --> 00:06:30,800 follow up story through the program. Oh I'm sorry, yeah, sorry, 96 00:06:30,879 --> 00:06:34,079 this was the original story. This was from the first extension. 97 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:36,839 I've gotten my extensions mixed up. Sorry, this was the 98 00:06:36,879 --> 00:06:38,759 first extend or maybe it was the second. 99 00:06:39,399 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: No is the first. 100 00:06:41,199 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 2: Through the program, FEMA pays directly to participating hotels and 101 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:48,959 motels to cover the cost of the room plus taxes 102 00:06:49,519 --> 00:06:54,959 and non refundable pet fees to provide short term accommodations. 103 00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:00,839 According to previous reporting by News thirteen WLOS, as of 104 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,920 January sixth, so a week ago so last Monday, there 105 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:10,040 were more than fifty six hundred households staying in hotels 106 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:15,800 or motels paid for by FEMA about twenty one hundred 107 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:20,920 families met the requirements of the program and are allowed 108 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:26,560 to stay in hotels provided by the agencies. However, it 109 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:31,639 said about thirty five hundred households, so three thousand, five 110 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:37,399 hundred households do not meet the eligibility requirements. FEMA officials 111 00:07:37,439 --> 00:07:41,000 said that they began notifying those families. So three thousand, 112 00:07:41,079 --> 00:07:46,319 five hundred families started getting notifications on January third, ten 113 00:07:46,399 --> 00:07:50,160 days ago. They had checked into hotel rooms and they 114 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,839 are no longer eligible for the program due to one 115 00:07:53,879 --> 00:08:01,639 of the following three reasons aka eligibility conditions. Okay, Number one, 116 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:09,759 an inspection indicated that their home is now habitable, so 117 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,720 FEMA apparently went and took a look and said, your 118 00:08:12,759 --> 00:08:14,800 house is fine, you can live there. Now, get out 119 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,839 of the hotel. So that's the first criteria. The second 120 00:08:19,439 --> 00:08:26,000 is that people declined a FEMA inspection of their house 121 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:32,120 to ensure it was habitable. And third criteria, FEMA has 122 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,360 been unable to contact the applicant to update their housing 123 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:43,279 needs despite multiple attempts. So I am curious because I 124 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,600 haven't seen this reported anywhere. What is the percentage breakdown? 125 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,480 In other words, of the three thousand, five hundred households. 126 00:08:53,759 --> 00:08:56,799 How many had their homes inspected and it was determined 127 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,759 that they are now habitable. How many does FEMA say 128 00:09:01,799 --> 00:09:04,960 declined or refuse to allow an inspection of the home? 129 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,600 And number three, how many has FEMA not been able 130 00:09:09,639 --> 00:09:13,440 to get a hold of. Because I could see where 131 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,879 some of that might not actually be the people's fault, right, Like, 132 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,480 you're unable to get a hold of these people, maybe 133 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,679 because your phone number is not being picked up because 134 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,960 it looks like spam. Maybe they don't have cell service. 135 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,600 Maybe they don't even have a cell phone. I mean 136 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,279 a lot of people lost everything that they have, so 137 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:34,600 they may not even have a phone. But you would 138 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:36,720 think FEMA would be able to be able to contact 139 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:40,480 them because they know what hotels they're up in, right, 140 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,559 I suspect they could probably identify the hotel room. Why 141 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:47,879 not just show up at the hotel, right they get 142 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,080 key cards? You would know you could ask the hotel, 143 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,320 hey are these people in the room? Did they swipe in, 144 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:53,039 swipe out? 145 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: Whatever? 146 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 2: You could find out who's on premises. You could just 147 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,320 actually set up in the lobby of the hotel where 148 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:01,320 I understand and they usually have a chair or two 149 00:10:01,399 --> 00:10:04,279 set up in these lobbies. Nowadays, it's pretty new thing, 150 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,440 and so you could just set up in the lobby 151 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,240 and just catch people on the way in or way 152 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:12,159 out talk to them there. The decision also comes on 153 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,440 the heels of a protest that was held in downtown 154 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:19,399 Asheville on January eighth. Protesters there demanded FEMA extend the deadline. 155 00:10:19,799 --> 00:10:22,720 So this is what is happening out in western North Carolina. 156 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,279 Tomorrow is another kickout date. We'll see if FEMA extends 157 00:10:27,279 --> 00:10:30,440 that again. Here's a great idea. How about making an 158 00:10:30,519 --> 00:10:33,759 escape to a really special and secluded getaway in western 159 00:10:33,759 --> 00:10:36,279 North Carolina. Just a quick drive up the mountain and 160 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,360 Cabins of Asheville is your connection. 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Call or 176 00:11:32,519 --> 00:11:35,879 text eight two eight three six seven seventy sixty eight 177 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,320 or check out all there is to offer at Cabins 178 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,840 Offashville dot com and make memories that'll last a lifetime. 179 00:11:42,519 --> 00:11:44,399 Tommy wants to know how in the world can we 180 00:11:44,519 --> 00:11:50,840 contact these people regarding the FEMA kicking out look. I 181 00:11:50,879 --> 00:11:55,360 don't know who's got the juice to get FEMA to 182 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:02,360 extend deadlines on this stuff. Maybe they're not aware that 183 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,879 it's like really freaking cold out in western North Carolina 184 00:12:05,879 --> 00:12:07,879 this time of year. That's possible, Like they may not 185 00:12:07,919 --> 00:12:12,480 be aware that like North Carolina has several different sort 186 00:12:12,519 --> 00:12:16,159 of climate areas, you know, mountains and coasts and everything 187 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:22,279 in between. But Josh Stein's claiming credit. So maybe call 188 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:27,799 his office, Maybe call the governor's office, because over the 189 00:12:27,799 --> 00:12:32,519 weekend he put out a tweet that said, quote, at 190 00:12:32,519 --> 00:12:37,159 our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance through Tuesday 191 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:40,279 in light of the winter storm impacting western North Carolina. 192 00:12:40,639 --> 00:12:43,200 I will continue to use every resource at my disposal 193 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:47,840 to get folks into safe and d warm shelter. So 194 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,440 sounds like they agreed to do this after he asked 195 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,960 them to. And so I suspect if everybody calls the 196 00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:00,000 governor's office and says, hey, like you need to get 197 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:05,759 people in western North Carolina more assistance, and you need 198 00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:08,919 to tell FEMA to give them longer stays in the hotels, 199 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,279 then maybe maybe that works. 200 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: I don't know. I don't know now. 201 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 2: Glenn Beck, the talk show host, he started a charitable 202 00:13:20,159 --> 00:13:24,679 organization called Mercury one years ago, and I am full 203 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,399 disclosure I have donated money to Mercury one over the 204 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,240 years for their various efforts. They have been boots on 205 00:13:32,279 --> 00:13:35,639 the ground in western North Carolina since like day one 206 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:37,759 or two or something. They've been there the whole time, 207 00:13:38,399 --> 00:13:41,679 and he sent out a message that said, quote, this 208 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,960 is truly obscene. Late last week, while we were having 209 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,120 a two day planning session, the board of Mercury One 210 00:13:48,639 --> 00:13:51,320 found out that eighty and ninety year old men and 211 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,600 women were being shoved out on the street during the 212 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:57,399 snowstorm because FEMA decided that they had done enough. There 213 00:13:57,399 --> 00:14:01,200 were fourteen hundred people that Mercury to help. We're happy 214 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,960 to say that we believe all returned to the hotel, 215 00:14:04,279 --> 00:14:08,919 where Mercury One paid for their hotel rooms for another 216 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:13,759 couple of weeks. Meanwhile, anyone in the LA fires are 217 00:14:13,759 --> 00:14:17,600 being promised full recovery. I cannot wait for Donald Trump 218 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,639 to take office, he says. And just by comparison, I 219 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:23,960 know that people are doing this. And look, these are 220 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:30,440 two different disasters. And this is in no way to say, 221 00:14:30,559 --> 00:14:33,279 you know, this one is worse than the other, so 222 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,919 therefore we should ignore one over the other. I'm not 223 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:38,399 saying that at all we should give both of them 224 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:46,279 our attention. However, if one were to compare them, about 225 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:52,720 twelve thousand structures were destroyed by the Palisades fire and 226 00:14:52,759 --> 00:14:58,159 the Eton fire in California, about twenty four dead. That's 227 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,240 the death toll is the latest I've seen. I've seen 228 00:15:00,279 --> 00:15:05,440 twenty four dead, twelve thousand structures destroyed. By comparison, there 229 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:09,919 are more than one hundred dead in North Carolina and 230 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,799 more than one hundred thousand homes damaged or destroyed. So 231 00:15:16,879 --> 00:15:19,559 if we are going to compare them, and we are 232 00:15:19,639 --> 00:15:22,600 going to say, you know, this one needs more help 233 00:15:22,679 --> 00:15:27,279 than the other, Western North Carolina wins that competition. Not 234 00:15:27,399 --> 00:15:30,759 that it's a competition, but if it were a competition, 235 00:15:31,679 --> 00:15:35,039 Western North Carolina should be getting more attention. All right, 236 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,799 I hope you had a happy holiday season. But tell 237 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,399 me if something like this happened at your house. Your 238 00:15:40,399 --> 00:15:42,879 family and friends are gathered around, Maybe y'all are in 239 00:15:42,919 --> 00:15:46,519 the living room, You're laughing, swapping stories, reminiscing, and then 240 00:15:46,559 --> 00:15:50,480 somebody says, hey, Dad, remember those old VHS tapes? Did 241 00:15:50,559 --> 00:15:51,840 you ever get them transferred? 242 00:15:52,279 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: And then the room gets all quiet. 243 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,279 Speaker 2: All eyes are on Dad, who says, oh, you know, well, 244 00:15:57,279 --> 00:15:59,679 I've been meaning to but I just having gotten around 245 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,960 to it. Look, don't let those priceless memories sit in 246 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,840 a box for another year, all right, create a video 247 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,759 has been helping families in the Charlotte area preserve their 248 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,120 history since nineteen ninety seven. Simply bring in your old 249 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,720 camquarder tapes and Creative Video will transfer them to a 250 00:16:15,879 --> 00:16:19,039 USB flash drive for just fourteen ninety five per tape. 251 00:16:19,159 --> 00:16:21,759 You have a big collection, they've got a discount for you. 252 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,799 And next year, instead of talking about those memories, imagine 253 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,480 gathering the family to watch them together. Talk about a 254 00:16:29,519 --> 00:16:32,559 memorable gift. So do what I did. Trust the experts 255 00:16:32,559 --> 00:16:36,080 at Creative Video, conveniently located in mint Hill right off 256 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:41,039 I four eighty five and online at create avideo dot com. 257 00:16:41,639 --> 00:16:45,080 So there was let me do this first. Actually, Andrew 258 00:16:45,159 --> 00:16:52,399 Dunn used to work for Dan Forrest, Lieutenant Governor of 259 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:57,759 North Carolina ran for governor. He worked in journalism and 260 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:05,160 he is the purvey of the Longleaf Politics newsletter, and 261 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,160 so you can subscribe to that longleafpol dot com. He 262 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,000 does free content, but he also has a paywalled subscriber 263 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:16,279 model too, So if you are interested in state politics, 264 00:17:16,559 --> 00:17:20,880 I recommend that you check out his page, long Leaf Politics. 265 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: So this was today, yeah, this morning. 266 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 2: In his newsletter that he pushed out this morning, he says, everybody, 267 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:35,279 this is regarding Western North Carolina recovery and relief, and 268 00:17:35,319 --> 00:17:39,160 the headline is will Raleigh finally deliver for Western North Carolina. 269 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,799 And by the way, before I go into this piece, 270 00:17:44,279 --> 00:17:46,599 there is a sentiment that you should always keep in 271 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,920 mind when discussing these types of things with Western North 272 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,680 Carolina or about Western North Carolina, is that there is 273 00:17:53,759 --> 00:18:00,960 a pretty pervasive attitude in Western North Carolina that the 274 00:18:01,039 --> 00:18:04,920 rest of the state doesn't believe they exist. The rest 275 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:09,200 of the state ignores Western North Carolina. They may, you know, 276 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,720 people may show up as a tourist and you know, 277 00:18:12,839 --> 00:18:15,640 drink too much in the breweries, hang out at the 278 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,519 drum circle, get accosted by some homeless people, and then 279 00:18:18,599 --> 00:18:22,920 go back to their homes. But whenever it comes to 280 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:29,559 you know, infrastructure improvements or disaster relief investments of you know, 281 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:35,240 economic development sorts in North Carolina, there is a pervasive 282 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:38,920 belief in Western North Carolina that the rest of the state, 283 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,480 particularly Raleigh and state lawmakers don't even know they exist. 284 00:18:44,319 --> 00:18:47,240 And I can tell you, as one who worked in 285 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:51,599 Asheville for eight years, I can tell you it's not 286 00:18:52,039 --> 00:18:56,480 just a perception. Okay, there is a lot of truth 287 00:18:56,559 --> 00:19:02,160 to that, so will Raleigh finally deliver for Western North 288 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,240 Carolina is the headline that Andrew Dunn asks. He says, 289 00:19:05,279 --> 00:19:09,480 everybody right now is saying the right things for now. 290 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:16,319 New House Speaker Destin Hall, Governor Josh Stein, Senate President 291 00:19:16,319 --> 00:19:21,319 pro Tim phil Berger all used introductory addresses over the 292 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,559 last few days to pledge to work together to rebuild 293 00:19:24,599 --> 00:19:28,359 western North Carolina. None of them want a repeat of 294 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:35,359 the abysmal response to hurricanes in eastern North Carolina. Again, 295 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,799 I will point out Roy Cooper, governor for eight years, 296 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:43,480 came into office after Hurricane Matthew had already hit. Pat 297 00:19:43,519 --> 00:19:46,960 McCrory governor at the time of the hurricane. Governor PA 298 00:19:47,079 --> 00:19:53,319 McCrory was already in the middle of recovery efforts when 299 00:19:53,759 --> 00:19:58,240 Cooper beat him took over, and to this day there 300 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,640 are people that have not yet returned to their homes. 301 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:07,759 Such a colossal screw up was the state response under 302 00:20:07,839 --> 00:20:14,319 Roy Cooper. It then persisted through Hurricane Florence recovery. And 303 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:21,279 I would submit through COVID and now through Helene, will 304 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,079 Josh Stein be able to break this cycle? 305 00:20:25,279 --> 00:20:26,039 Speaker 1: I don't know. 306 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 2: I hope so for the people of western North Carolina's sake. 307 00:20:29,759 --> 00:20:33,119 I sure hope so Andrew Dunn continues. Beyond the rhetoric, 308 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,680 both Stein and Hull have taken some concrete steps that 309 00:20:36,799 --> 00:20:40,039 make it seem like state government is finally taking western 310 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:45,200 North Carolina recovery seriously. Hull set up a legislative committee 311 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:50,640 to oversee the General Assembly's efforts, including representatives of the area. 312 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,480 It's great to see an oversight body this quickly, and 313 00:20:54,559 --> 00:20:57,839 hopefully it can help us avoid the disaster that is 314 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,960 eastern North Carolina hurricane rect recovery. It wasn't until six 315 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,480 years after Hurricane Matthew and four years after Hurricane Florence 316 00:21:06,799 --> 00:21:11,720 for the legislature to start holding hearings about why recovery 317 00:21:12,079 --> 00:21:17,839 was moving so slow. I would credit in the I 318 00:21:17,839 --> 00:21:22,200 would credit media outlets. Nick Oxner from WBTV down the hall. 319 00:21:22,279 --> 00:21:25,799 He went down there and exposed the problems. 320 00:21:26,039 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: I think the. 321 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,599 Speaker 2: TV station I think it was ABC eleven or maybe 322 00:21:30,599 --> 00:21:33,759 it was wr L, So there were media outlets. It 323 00:21:33,799 --> 00:21:37,759 took six years, though, for media outlets to key on 324 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,279 the fact that houses were not being replaced. South Carolina 325 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:46,000 finished replacing all of their homes years before North Carolina did, 326 00:21:46,799 --> 00:21:50,119 and so the question was being asked why the difference 327 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,039 in pace? How is it South Carolina did it and 328 00:21:53,079 --> 00:21:57,359 we can't. Back in October, Dunn says that he called 329 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,480 for the General Assembly to start hearings right away, and 330 00:22:00,519 --> 00:22:03,799 so now he's optimistic that Hall is going to convene 331 00:22:03,839 --> 00:22:07,640 them soon, Speaker Hall. And so this is a good 332 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,759 development in Andrew Dunn's assessment, because it took so long 333 00:22:11,839 --> 00:22:15,799 before to get this kind of legislative oversight. On the 334 00:22:15,839 --> 00:22:19,680 executive branch side, the governor has appointed a guy by 335 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:25,839 the name of Matt Calabria to oversee the western recovery efforts, 336 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,079 and he says this may not sound like a big deal, 337 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:34,160 but it actually is. Why Matt Calabria is a former 338 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:40,200 Wake County commissioner. He left his post as commissioner for 339 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:47,960 this job. Calabria, according to Dunn, Calabria is an ambitious 340 00:22:48,279 --> 00:22:52,680 political figure and so what does this mean. It means 341 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,440 that his political future is on the line if he 342 00:22:56,559 --> 00:23:01,759 messes this up. Contrasts that with the bureaucrat that Roy 343 00:23:01,799 --> 00:23:06,359 Cooper put in charge of eastern North Carolina recovery, right, 344 00:23:06,599 --> 00:23:10,960 the incentives are different, and so this is a very 345 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,640 good point that Andrew Dunn is raising, I think, and 346 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:18,240 this is a good move by Governor Josh Stein See. 347 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:18,839 Speaker 1: I can be. 348 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,759 Speaker 2: Complimentary to Roy two D two, I can see I 349 00:23:21,799 --> 00:23:25,160 can give him praise when it's due. If this is 350 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:30,640 going to incentivize somebody to actually care about getting results, 351 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,240 then this might be the way to do it. Putting 352 00:23:33,279 --> 00:23:35,079 a person in the role with actual skin in the 353 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:38,079 game is probably the best accountability that we can get here. 354 00:23:39,559 --> 00:23:43,799 Dunn concludes, of course, new terms always begin with high 355 00:23:43,799 --> 00:23:47,920 hopes of consensus. Even Cooper pledged in his first inaugural 356 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:55,480 address to eschew or avoid political brinksmanship. And then he spent, 357 00:23:55,559 --> 00:23:59,359 of course, the next eight years pushing our political culture 358 00:23:59,519 --> 00:24:01,880 to the end. I mean to this day he's actually 359 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,920 doing it, like literally today, he's still doing it. Today 360 00:24:05,079 --> 00:24:11,039 he is joining Democrats on a conference call, like the 361 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,079 National Democrat Party is doing some virtual news conference with 362 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:20,359 him and the what the chair or the executive director 363 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,559 of the North Carolina Democrat Party or is she chair? 364 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,680 Speaker 1: She may be chair chair Sippy. 365 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 2: Cup as she has referred to sometimes because she's young, y'all, 366 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,440 and she's from rural North Carolina, y'all. Because she says, y'all, 367 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,319 and she cusses up a blue streak, and so that's 368 00:24:35,319 --> 00:24:36,200 how she wins. 369 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:37,839 Speaker 1: Over all the rural voters that of course voted for 370 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,960 Donald Trump. But anyway, she's going to be on the call. 371 00:24:40,039 --> 00:24:44,759 Speaker 2: And I think Jamie Harrison, who's the DNC guys, he's 372 00:24:44,799 --> 00:24:47,279 the guy that lost really badly down in South Carolina, 373 00:24:47,319 --> 00:24:49,759 so Democrats elevated him to a position where he could 374 00:24:49,799 --> 00:24:51,119 lose more seats nationally. 375 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: And so they're holding a press conference today. 376 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 2: I think it's at like two o'clock or something where 377 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,519 they're going to you know, rip into that the judge 378 00:24:58,599 --> 00:25:02,680 Jefferson Griffin who's trying to get the recounts in his Supreme. 379 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 1: Court race in the state. 380 00:25:04,759 --> 00:25:06,880 Speaker 2: Right, So Roy Cooper talked a good Game two when 381 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:08,680 he came in, but he was just a liar. So 382 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,119 he then proceeded. And I knew that about Roy Cooper. 383 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:16,559 Now Josh Stein might be cut from a different kind 384 00:25:16,599 --> 00:25:20,359 of cloth here. Josh Stein came up not under Democrat 385 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,359 control of the state. He came up at a time 386 00:25:23,839 --> 00:25:28,680 when Democrats lost control and they had to then figure 387 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,079 out a way to work with Republicans in the legislature 388 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,480 when they weren't like blocking everything that they did. But 389 00:25:35,559 --> 00:25:38,920 if they wanted anything, they needed to try to get 390 00:25:40,319 --> 00:25:46,440 some good relationships built. Politics is so much about relationships. 391 00:25:47,039 --> 00:25:51,359 So is it possible that we have a new kind 392 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:57,640 of Democrat that emerges from the North Carolina Democrat machine? 393 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 1: Time will tell? 394 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 2: All right, if you're listen listening to this show, you 395 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:02,480 know I try to keep up with all sorts of 396 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,680 current events, and I know you do too, And you've 397 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,920 probably heard me say get your news from multiple sources. 398 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,680 Why well, because it's how you detect media bias, which 399 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,640 is why I've been so impressed with ground News. It's 400 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:18,160 an app and it's a website and it combines news 401 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,119 from around the world in one place so you can 402 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,519 compare coverage and verify information. You can check it out 403 00:26:23,519 --> 00:26:28,160 at check dot ground, dot news slash pete. I put 404 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,119 the link in the podcast description too. I started using 405 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,079 ground News a few months ago and more recently chose 406 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,039 to work with them as an affiliate because it lets 407 00:26:36,079 --> 00:26:39,680 me see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. 408 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,920 The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored 409 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,880 by the left and the right. See for yourself. Check 410 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:50,440 dot ground, dot news slash pete. Subscribe through that link 411 00:26:50,519 --> 00:26:53,359 and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use 412 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,559 the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature 413 00:26:56,759 --> 00:26:59,480 your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it 414 00:26:59,519 --> 00:27:02,720 also sports ground News as they make the media landscape 415 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:07,960 more transparent. Email sped at the Pete calendarshow dot com. 416 00:27:08,759 --> 00:27:10,319 Speaker 1: So a couple of things here real quick. 417 00:27:10,319 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 2: This one was from This is from a press release 418 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:18,799 from North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall. In one of 419 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,960 his first acts as the newly elected Speaker of the House, 420 00:27:22,799 --> 00:27:25,759 Speaker Hall today announced this was not actually today, this 421 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:30,279 was on Friday, the formation of the Select Committee on 422 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:31,720 Hurricane Helen Recovery. 423 00:27:32,279 --> 00:27:33,599 Speaker 1: It's a bipartisan committee. 424 00:27:33,599 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 2: It's going to focus on assessing recovery efforts, identifying gaps 425 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,680 and resources, and ensuring state and federal assistance is delivered 426 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,519 efficiently to those in need. Members of the committee will 427 00:27:43,519 --> 00:27:47,839 work closely with local leaders, emergency management officials, and nonprofit 428 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:53,559 organizations to support recovery and rebuilding efforts. There are forty 429 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:57,000 four members of the House that are on this committee. 430 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:05,279 The co chairs are Representatives John Bell and Dudley Green. 431 00:28:06,559 --> 00:28:13,599 Also vice chairs are Jennifer Balcom, Mike Klampett, Carl Gillespie, 432 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:19,039 Jake Johnson, Ray Pickett, and Mark Pluss. The Select Committee 433 00:28:19,079 --> 00:28:22,640 on Hurricane Helen Recovery will commence its work immediately, providing 434 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,559 regular updates and recommendations to the General Assembly, with appropriations 435 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:33,960 bills expected to follow shortly. Then WBTV has this report 436 00:28:34,079 --> 00:28:37,920 from over the weekend. North Carolina got ter Josh Stein 437 00:28:38,039 --> 00:28:41,160 kicked off his term in office by praising the resilience 438 00:28:41,599 --> 00:28:46,640 of the state's residents following Hurricane Helene and pledging to 439 00:28:46,759 --> 00:28:51,599 quote cut through red tape to help people rebuild quicker. 440 00:28:52,720 --> 00:29:00,279 So this is an admission that government impedes building, right, 441 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:08,279 that government rules impede Dare I say it progress You 442 00:29:08,279 --> 00:29:12,279 would think progressives would be opposed. 443 00:29:11,799 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: To such a thing. 444 00:29:13,119 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 2: But I do find this interesting because Governor Newsom has 445 00:29:16,039 --> 00:29:19,119 done this very thing out in California as well, saying 446 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:23,519 that they are going to lift temporarily lift a lot 447 00:29:23,559 --> 00:29:26,799 of the rules and restrictions and red tape and such 448 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,480 the other three ares. They're going to lift all of 449 00:29:29,519 --> 00:29:32,400 those to allow for a more speedy recovery, which is 450 00:29:32,519 --> 00:29:39,359 an admission that the government is stifling recovery and building, 451 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:44,680 that these rules have a suppressive effect. The Democrat Josh 452 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,519 Stein also offered an upbeat message message expressing his willingness 453 00:29:48,519 --> 00:29:51,119 to work with the Republican controlled General Assembly on a 454 00:29:51,119 --> 00:29:54,119 host of issues, from creating jobs and recruiting teachers to 455 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:59,359 smashing drug rings and combating the devastating effects of fentanyl. 456 00:30:00,279 --> 00:30:03,200 Then there was this, Governor Ron DeSantis is at a 457 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,799 press conference with a bunch of Republican governors. 458 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,319 Speaker 3: Obviously, to deal with emergencies, often you have to work 459 00:30:10,319 --> 00:30:13,480 with the federal government. Sometimes it's your party, sometimes it's not. 460 00:30:13,759 --> 00:30:16,920 What do you think about the idea of President elect 461 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:20,119 Donald Trump criticizing a governor in the middle of a disaster. 462 00:30:20,839 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 4: Well, first of all, I mean when Donald Trump was president, 463 00:30:23,359 --> 00:30:26,680 he responded very strongly to natural disasters. I can tell 464 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,039 you he responded very positively in Florida. But he also 465 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,559 responded favorably when they were Democrat governors. And I think 466 00:30:33,599 --> 00:30:36,240 he understands the importance of these situations. 467 00:30:36,519 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 1: You know, I will note. 468 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 4: I mean, you talk about you know what you're doing. 469 00:30:39,519 --> 00:30:43,559 I remember when we had our hurricanes this past hurricane season, 470 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:48,880 we had Hurricane Helene, and Florida were locked and loaded 471 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:50,680 for this. We respond. But then you go to North 472 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,839 Carolina and it was like a third world country. All 473 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,839 of a sudden, there was no sense of urgency from 474 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,160 the federal government. I think the state government didn't do 475 00:30:58,279 --> 00:31:01,240 very well, and so I'm sending my assets up there 476 00:31:01,279 --> 00:31:02,319 to help rescue people. 477 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,039 Speaker 1: Florida State Guard is up. 478 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,559 Speaker 4: There doing that, and I think the administration was asleep 479 00:31:07,559 --> 00:31:09,839 this switch. Then Milton came and they knew that they 480 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,680 had suffered some political negativity of that. So I have 481 00:31:13,839 --> 00:31:16,160 Harris trying to pick a fight with me in the 482 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:17,720 middle of Hurricane Milton. 483 00:31:17,519 --> 00:31:19,359 Speaker 2: Say, all right, so I'm gonna leave it there, because 484 00:31:19,359 --> 00:31:21,000 then he goes into the Harris fight. 485 00:31:21,039 --> 00:31:23,599 Speaker 1: Oh you know, I try to call him. He won't 486 00:31:23,599 --> 00:31:25,119 call me, he won't talk to me whatever. He's not 487 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:26,519 t he's not calling me back. 488 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 2: You know, I texted him, what are you doing tonight? 489 00:31:29,599 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: Egg planned emoji? 490 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:36,759 Speaker 2: But no, that's an indictment right there from DeSantis. Right 491 00:31:36,839 --> 00:31:44,559 DeSantis not impressed with Roy Cooper's disaster response. And I 492 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,599 have not been impressed with Roy Cooper as a disaster 493 00:31:47,759 --> 00:31:51,519 responder in chief in North Carolina for his entire tenure 494 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:55,680 the Holy Years, and maybe if we had I don't know, 495 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,559 a fairer North Carolina Political Press Corp up in Raleigh. 496 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:02,359 Maybe they would have held his feet to the fire 497 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,039 in a way that they would have had he been 498 00:32:04,039 --> 00:32:04,759 a Republican. 499 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:07,079 Speaker 1: I don't know. I don't know. 500 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 2: I remember the stuff they did to McCrory, so I 501 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:13,279 think it's a fairly safe bet. But I would also 502 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,640 point out here that Josh Stein has the opportunity to 503 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:21,599 actually do this better, and if he does, I think 504 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,960 that redounds to his benefit politically for a long time. 505 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,279 If he wants to make a run for another office. 506 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:29,400 All right, that'll do it for this episode. 507 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:30,799 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. 508 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,039 Speaker 2: I could not do the show without your support and 509 00:32:33,079 --> 00:32:35,799 the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, 510 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,200 so if you'd like, please support them too and tell 511 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:39,960 them you heard it here. You can also become a 512 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:44,680 patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetekallanershow dot com. Again, 513 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,440 thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything 514 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:52,440 while I'm gone.