WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: ATLANTA (October 2, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today launched a dedicated website to provide resources and information about EPA's efforts to assist communities affected by Hurricane Helene. The EPA's Hurricane Helene website (https://www.epa.gov/hurricane-helene) will be updated in the coming days and weeks with real-time information on EPA response and recovery efforts for   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 24-359) on Oct. 3, 2024: * * * Re: Copper Retirement Network Change Certification Received BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC d/b/a AT&T North Carolina (AT&T), an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC), has filed certification that public notice of network change(s) involving the retirement of copper has been provided through its publicly accessible Intern  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service issued the following news release on Oct. 1, 2024: In response to disruptions resulting from Hurricane Helene, the Internal Revenue Service will not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel with a sulfur content that does not exceed 15 parts-per-million is sold for use or used on the highway throughout Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and in the following counties in Florida, Tennessee and Vir  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service issued the following news release on Oct. 1, 2024: The Internal Revenue Service today announced disaster tax relief for all individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Helene, including the entire states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina and parts of Florida, Tennessee and Virginia. Taxpayers in these areas now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal individual and business ta  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Oct. 3, 2024: * * * Largest Ever Criminal Enforcement Action Targeting Distributors of Pharmaceutical Opioids and Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs with Estimated Street Value of $1.3B * * * Charges against five pharmaceutical distributor executives and five pharmaceutical sales representatives and brokers have been unsealed in the Southern District of Texas, Southern District of Florida, Eastern Distr  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Oct. 4 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina issued the following news release on Oct. 3, 2024: A Crip Gang member from Winston Salem was sentenced today to 480 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Raleigh area. On April 25, 2024, Marquis Peterson, age 30, was convicted by a federal jury of three charges including conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with the intent to d  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 -- The White House issued the following news release on Oct. 2, 2024: Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the State of North Carolina by authorizing an increase in the level of federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the State of North Carolina as a result of Tropical Storm Helene beginning on September 25, 2024, and continuing. Under the President's order today, the Federal funds for debris removal and emergency pr  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the state of North Carolina to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Helene from Sept. 25, 2024 and continuing. The President authorized the federal cost-share to be increased from 75% to 100% for the fir  more

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Oct. 3 -- The White House issued the following transcript of a press gaggle on Oct. 2, 2024, by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas while en route to Greenville, South Carolina: * * * MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. I just have a couple things at the top, and then I'll turn it over. So, we're headed to South Carolina and North Carolina, where the president will meet with state and local leaders and personally survey the devasta  more