Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some very pressing stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.
Citing threats, FEMA officials say they’ll change the way they operate in North Carolina, communities are rallying together to support each other in that hurricane-tattered region, and there’s another food recall you need to know about.
Also, the price of renting a home is on the rise, and the largest class action lawsuit in English history is about to begin—the result of a huge tragedy in South America.
FEMA Makes Adjustments in North Carolina
Yesterday, a spokesperson with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told The Epoch Times that some adjustments had indeed been made for the safety of the agency’s staff as well as the disaster survivors whom they are helping. The spokesperson also said that many survivors are still registering for assistance, and that the agency’s Disaster Recovery Centers continue to remain open.The changes were made after Ashe County Sheriff Phil Howell said on Sunday that FEMA officials in the western part of North Carolina had been the subject of undisclosed threats, and that the agency had to pause their recovery efforts to assess the potential danger.
On social media, the sheriff urged people to remain calm and not “stir the pot.” He also issued an update, telling people that FEMA locations had been opened once again, and were going to stay open throughout the week.
Last month’s Hurricane Helene severely damaged infrastructure throughout western North Carolina, including roads, power grids, and water systems. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said that entire communities in the region were “wiped off the map” due to flooding, mudslides, and landslides.
By the way, FEMA has been criticized by some Republicans over its response to the disaster. The agency also came under fire for saying earlier this year that it was using hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to resettle illegal immigrants.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said that the agency needs more funding from Congress. However, Mayorkas says that right now, the agency does have sufficient resources to handle the aftermath of both Hurricane Helene as well as Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida’s Gulf Coast last week.
Local North Carolina Heroes Praised
So far, the region’s deadliest storm in decades has claimed the lives of more than 230 people across six states, including nearly 100 in western North Carolina.The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says that recovery efforts in the region remain ongoing.
Robert Chessick lives in a town called Black Mountain. The 74-year-old says that he relied on buckets to collect rainwater, a borrowed gasoline-powered generator, and lots of prayer to help him make it through the hurricane.
Chessick told The Epoch Times that he’ll never forget the lessons he learned from this storm, including patience, fortitude, and faith.
Justin Honeywell, who also lives in Black Mountain, says he’s heard some rough stories from friends about the hurricane. However, Honeywell told The Epoch Times that the thing he’s seen the most is the sheer amount of community support—people just helping each other out.
Another local resident called the devastation “mind-blowing,” and he also said that certain villages looked like they’d been totally “wiped off the map.” The resident also says that the storm’s devastation has brought the people of the area closer together.
You should know that a number of other local residents also shared their heartfelt stories with The Epoch Times, and many of them said that people who lived in the mountainous region were helping to save lives through their civilian efforts.
By the way, the Biden administration recently approved $441 million in funding for the survivors of both hurricanes—Helene and Milton—along with another $349 million to support hard-hit communities. Additionally, more than 8,000 federal workers in six states are supporting the response effort.
Meal Kits, Enoki Mushrooms Recalled
Oregon-based Reser’s Fine Foods just voluntarily recalled some of the company’s meal kits because they include chicken that may be contaminated with a deadly bacteria.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that the company recalled a limited number of its products because they were sourced with meat from a supplier called BrucePac, and that company recently recalled some of its own products due to listeria concerns.
Last week, Oklahoma-based BrucePac pulled nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry from the market, citing possible contamination with listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
The FDA says that listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
By the way, Reser’s did not say whether any contamination had been found yet in their meal kits, and the company also said that it initiated the recall “out of an abundance of caution.” Reser’s also says that the company has now stopped using ingredients from BrucePac’s affected facility.
The recalled items were distributed throughout 30 U.S. states. The items include enchiladas, tacos, and quesadillas sold under the brand name Don Pancho, as well as burrito bowls, tacos, and quesadillas sold under the Bistro 28 label.
Just a heads up, a few days ago, another company called the Enoki King Mushroom Farm of California recalled one of its mushroom products after routine testing by the Maryland State Department of Health also discovered listeria monocytogenes in one of its packages.
In case you didn’t already know, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that listeria infects about 1,600 Americans every year. Around 260 of these people eventually die from the illness, making listeria the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses here in the United States.
Home Rent Prices Rise in September
Real estate brokerage firm Redfin is reporting that last month, rents across the United States increased, and they continue to remain well above pre-pandemic levels.Redfin says that September’s median rent rose slightly, and now it’s just over $1,600 per month, staying in line with rents over the past couple of years.
However, the firm says that due to rising wages, rents are now “more affordable” compared to the last 24 months.
An economist with Redfin also points out that local trends may vary greatly, even though rents have remained relatively stable nationwide. For example, the economist says that rents are rising on the East Coast and in the Midwest because there hasn’t been as much building activity in those regions.
It’s worth mentioning that Washington saw a 12 percent rental price increase compared to last September, making it the largest jump in the country, followed by Virginia Beach, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Chicago.
Jacksonville, Florida, saw the biggest rent decline at just over 11 percent, followed by Raleigh, North Carolina; San Diego, Austin, and Tampa.
You should know that the Biden administration wants Congress to pass legislation that would force corporate landlords to cap rent hikes, and that this plan has attracted a great deal of criticism from a number of housing groups.
Largest Class Action Suit in English History to Take Place
BHP, an Anglo-Australian mining giant, is facing the largest class action lawsuit in the legal history of England, and next week, that trial is set to begin.The suit relates to the company’s alleged role in the devastating 2015 collapse of the Fundão dam in Brazil that killed 19 people. The tragedy also devastated the entire region and created an environmental disaster in the South American nation.
The prosecution says that BHP is partially responsible for the disaster because the organization owned a 50 percent stake in the company that managed the dam, and it’s asking for damages that could amount to a staggering $44 billion.
The legal team for the plaintiffs says that BHP was negligent because the company funded the dam’s expansion, even though it was aware that the structure could eventually collapse.
For the record, the lawsuit is made up of more than 620,000 claimants, including more than half a million people, 2,000 businesses, and 65 faith-based institutions.
BHP has called the dam collapse a terrible tragedy. However, BHP also says that the company is not responsible for the damages because the organization was not in control of the dam’s day-to-day operations.
Just last month, the Brazilian government said that it was in talks regarding a potential $18 billion payout from several companies involved in the collapse of the dam, and that a separate case relating to the disaster is already underway in the Netherlands.
The BHP trial that begins next week is expected to last around three months.
And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re going to call it a wrap for the Tuesday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
*(Don’t forget the News Brief Motto): We’re portable, affordable, and always on-demand.
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from baseball legend Yogi Berra, who said: “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.”
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times News Brief program was written today by David Ross.
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Enjoy the remainder of your day, and we’ll see you right back here tomorrow for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another, and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.
