North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein began his first term earlier this month with a behemoth task in front of him: Helping western North Carolina recover from close to $60 billion in damage from Hurricane Helene,

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina officials charged with leading recovery efforts in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene — as well as parts of eastern North Carolina still struggling from previous hurricanes — told state lawmakers this week that they need more money. And they need it soon.

Calling it the "biggest sham ever" on North Carolina taxpayers, Republican state Rep. Brendan Jones said pace of recovery from a hurricane more than six years ago is unacceptable. He let the embattled office created by the former Democratic governor know how his home of Columbus County felt in a Thursday joint legislative meeting.