Western North Carolina community desperate for federal relief
NOT JUST FOR THAT STATE, BUT
MANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BACK TO YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MARK.
>>> A MAN IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA IS WAITING FOR
PRESIDENT BIDEN TO WAIT FOR THE
DAMAGE IN HIS COMMUNITY AND
CLEAR THE WAY FOR FEDERAL
RELIEF.
THE MAYOR OF CANTON, WEST OF
ASHEVILLE SAYS THE REMNANTS OF
TROPICAL STORM FRED CAUSED AS
MUCH DESTRUCTION TO HIS
COMMUNITY AS HURRICANE IDA DID
THROUGH OTHER PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY.
WHO COULD FORGET THE VIDEO WE
SHOWED YOU OF THE FLOODING
THAT'S BLAMED FOR AT LEAST SIX
DEATHS AND DAMAGING HUNDREDS OF
HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
WRAL'S KEELY ARTHUR SPENT
SEVERAL DAYS COVERING THE DAMAGE
AND THE CLEANUP.
SHE IS BACK ON THE STORY TONIGHT
WITH THE EFFORT TO GET THAT
COMMUNITY BACK ON THEIR FEET.
>> Reporter: WE'RE OUTSIDE THE
GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
OFFICIALS IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA TELL ME THEY'RE
CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
GET SECURED WITH STATE FUNDING
FROM PEOPLE LIKE GOVERNOR
COOPER.
THEY'RE HOPING PRESIDENT BIDEN
WILL DO THE SAME THING AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL.
>> I'M ASKING YOU AS A MAYOR OF
THE SMALL TOWN.
>> Reporter: THE CATASTROPHIC
WEATHER EVENT AND OTHER PARTS OF
THE COUNTRY ARE NOT LOST.
>> I PRAYED FOR THE PEOPLE IN
THE GULF COAST IN TENNESSEE AND
NEW YORK, WHICH WILL LAST
WEEKS.
SUFFERING WITH EVEN GREATER LIFE
LOST THAN US.
BUT THEN AGAIN ALL OF US ARE
OWED THE SAME.
>> Reporter: WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA THOUGH HAVE NOT GOTTEN
THE SAME DESPITE HAVING DAMAGE
ESTIMATED IN THE HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
>> WE LITERALLY HAVE TRASH PILED
UP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADS.
>> Reporter: WRAL WAS THERE TEN
DAYS AGO AS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
AND BUSINESS OWNERS STOOD
STUNNED AT THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY
THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM
FRED.
>> AND JUST MIND BOGGLING FOR
SURE.
>> Reporter: TOM WILSON WHO OWNS
A DRY CLEANERS IN CANTON
ESTIMATED MORE THAN A MILLION
DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY
DECLARE BANKRUPTCY.
THAT IS NOT ME.
>> Reporter: HE BELIEVES THE
AREA WILL RECEIVE STATE
ASSISTANCE.
>> IT'S TRAGIC THAT IT TAKES
TRAGEDY TO BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER, BUT AT THE STATE LEVEL
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF,
THEY HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
>> Reporter: HOWEVER, HE SAYS HE
NEEDS PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S
SIGNATURE TO DECLARE THE AREA A
DISASTER, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
AND FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCY FEMA TO COORDINATE
DISASTER RELIEF.
>> I TALKED TO A PERSON
YESTERDAY WHOSE DAUGHTER LOST
HER HOME.
EVERY DAY SHE GOES TO THE FEMA
WEBSITE, LOOKING FOR WHAT IT IS
THIS DECLARATION.
>> WE KNOW THINGS IN GOVERNMENT
TEND TO MOVE A LITTLE SLOWER,
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT
SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL NEED THIS
HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
>> EXACTLY.
I FEEL OUR CITIZENS ARE STUCK IN
A BUREAUCRATIC PURGATORY.
>> Reporter: THE MAYOR SAYS
ABOVE ANYTHING THESE BUSINESSES
NEED GRANTS RATHER THAN LOANS.
HE SAYS AFTER THE PANDEMIC,
THESE SMALL BUSINESSES DO NOT
NEED ANOTHER LOAN ON THEIR