North Carolina

Thousands attend North Carolina Fourth of July festival in Southport – WWAYTV3

Published

2 years ago

July 4, 2024

Thousands attend North Carolina Fourth of July festival in Southport – WWAYTV3

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — Thousands of people came out Thursday morning to enjoy Southport’s annual Independence Day parade, which is all part of the North Carolina 4th of July festival.

This is the 52nd year that Southport has held the official North Carolina 4th of July Festival, though celebrations in the city date back as far as 1795.

Thousands lined Moore and Howe Streets to see the parade, with Harper Vick being just one of the attendees.

“I feel like a lot of people are usually down here for it, so it makes it more special cause like, there’s like a lot more stuff going around,” Vick said.

Lots of people took part, including the South Brunswick High School Marching Band, newly-crowned Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, and North Carolina Secretay of State Elaine Marshall.

Southport resident Chris Propst has been coming to the parade for years with his parents.

He said it’s quite the place to celebrate our nation’s birthday.

“Ah man, everybody here is just so nice and welcoming,” Propst said. “It’s so many vendors here, lots to do, lots of stuff for the kids. They do the downtown stuff, I mean it’s just nice.”

“We’ve been visiting down here, we’ve been coming to the parade since he was young, we always been here, vacationed here every year,” Chris’s mother Shari said. “So vacation, they go fishing and its just a nice community to be a part of.”

Mike Dolan is a Vietnam veteran. He’s been coming to the parade for years as well and said he always looking forward to one thing.

“I always love the high school bands because the enthusiasm of the young kids, you can’t top that,” Dolan said.

Along with the parade, the North Carolina 4th of July festival attracts thousands to the area, providing an economic boost for local business owners.

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Related Topics:Brunswick County Featured NC 4th of July Festival Southport

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North Carolina

Stein announces $40 million in recovery, mitigation grants for Western North Carolina

Published

3 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Stein announces million in recovery, mitigation grants for Western North Carolina

MARION, N.C. (WTVD) — Gov. Josh Stein on Friday announced more than $24 million in mitigation grants and another $16 million for volunteer rebuilding organizations during a Western North Carolina Recovery meeting in Marion.

The funding supports longterm recovery from Hurricane Helene and is intended to help communities better withstand future natural disasters.

State officials said the mitigation grants will help local governments upgrade wastewater and water infrastructure, strengthen transportation systems, relocate facilities out of flood-prone areas, expand flood warning networks and develop shovel ready recovery projects. Nonprofit groups aiding families with home repairs and reconstruction will receive the volunteer-based grants.

“Western North Carolina is coming back strong from Hurricane Helene,” Stein said, adding that recovery requires cooperation among government, private and nonprofit partners.

North Carolina Emergency Management Director Will Ray said the grants reflect a “wholeofcommunity effort” to reduce risk and help towns rebuild stronger.

Over two dozen communities and organizations – including Conover, Hendersonville, Clyde, Marion, Black Mountain, Banner Elk and multiple county agencies – will receive funding for projects ranging from flood gauge installations to dam restoration and wastewater improvements.

WATCH | Hurricane Helene: One Year Later: WNC leans into its resilience, faith and hope

Hurricane Helene: One Year Later (1 of 26)

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North Carolina

Western NC gas prices increase, hovering around $3 a gallon amid war in Middle East

Published

16 hours ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Western NC gas prices increase, hovering around a gallon amid war in Middle East

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Gas prices are hitting the highest level since September 2024, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

On Friday, March 6, western North Carolina drivers were already experiencing shock at the pump.

News 13 caught up with some drivers at a gas station in Henderson County, where the price per gallon was just a penny under $3, sitting at $2.99.

This comes as Tuesday marked the largest single-day jump at the pump since March 2022, according to ABC News, citing Gas Buddy sources.

REPORT: ASHEVILLE GAS PRICES RISE, MORE INCREASES EXPECTED AMID WAR IN MIDDLE EAST

Drivers we spoke with say they’re feeling the fuel costs climb and needless to say, they’re not too pleased.

“Here, it’s the first time I’m seeing the price that high,” said driver and Hendersonville resident Ricardo Martineati. “We don’t understand why the price is going up, but it is what it is. I hope it comes back to what it used to be pretty soon.”

MARCH 6, 2026 – A gas station in western North Carolina. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

Part of the reason for the gas price change is that crude prices surged 35% this week as Iran threatens the Strait of Hormuz, which is a critical route many oil producers use to get oil to market, ABC News reports.

Martineati knows it’s not much, but he says he’s got a strategy to save.

SEN. TED BUDD BACKS OPERATION EPIC FURY IN IRAN, WANTS TO AVOID ‘FOREVER WARS’

“Just try to slow down on the takeoff, on the coming to a stop to save some fuel, but that’s it,” Martineati said.

And with all this price pressure, he added that he’s picking a positive perspective.

“At least I’m not driving a diesel-fueled truck,” Martineati said.

While WNC hovers around $3 a gallon, depending on your location, the state is still below the national average of $3.30 a gallon, according to AAA.

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North Carolina

NC to receive nearly $70M in FEMA funds, Madsion County manager says $14M hasn’t arrived

Published

2 days ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

NC to receive nearly M in FEMA funds, Madsion County manager says M hasn’t arrived

MADISON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Senator Tedd Budd’s office announced nearly $70 million in public assistance FEMA funds for Helene recovery toward the North Carolina Department of Transportation, cities and counties.

Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt created a color-coded spreadsheet of projects, both paid and unpaid. Honeycutt said he sends the spreadsheet to federal leaders’ offices, including Budd’s, regularly to ensure staff are aware of what’s not reimbursed.

Honeycutt estimates about $14 million in reimbursements from FEMA haven’t come through.

As for the $1.9 million just approved for Madison County’s emergency protective measures, including laborers, equipment reimbursement, Honeycutt said the county doesn’t have it yet.

NORTH CAROLINA TO RECEIVE $70M IN ADDITIONAL FEMA FUNDING AS NOEM FACES CRITICISM

“It’s coming back to our fund balance,” said Honeycutt. “And we know it will take six more weeks for it to get through the state and to the county.”

Honeycutt estimates that within six months, FEMA will resolve all reimbursements. He said debris removal jobs along the French Broad River have been delayed as FEMA continues to review the applications.

MARCH 5, 2026 – Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt created a color-coded spreadsheet of projects, both paid and unpaid. Honeycutt said he sends the spreadsheet to federal leaders’ offices, including Budd’s, regularly to ensure staff are aware of what’s not reimbursed. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

In Marshall, the town has leased store spaces on Main Street, along with signs advertising leasing available. But longtime resident, artist and business owner Josh Copus is optimistic that Marshall and its community will thrive once again. He acknowledged that FEMA funds and reimbursements to clean up have been an important part of the area’s recovery.

MORE THAN $3.5M HEADED TO BURKE COUNTY FOR CONTINUED HELENE RECOVERY

“I would say our town is 50% fixed and our town was 100% destroyed, so 50% is pretty good,” Copus said.

The awards include:

Biltmore Forest: $2.5 million for debris removal reimbursement.
Buncombe County Sewage District: $1.57 million reimbursement for line repairs, vacuuming, line replacements and riverbank restoration.
Old Fort: $1.15 million Westerman Street Waterline for potable water reimbursement.
Mitchell County: $11.9 million for debris contractors, tipping fees and debris monitoring reimbursement.
Buncombe County: $3.5 million toward labor costs for 836 laborers during and after Helene reimbursement.
Asheville: $5.6 million for North Fork Treatment Plant repairs reimbursement.
Lake Lure: $1.48 million for lake safety repairs reimbursement.
Madison County: $1.9 million for emergency protective measures, including laborers, equipment reimbursement.

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