Vice President JD Vance used a Hendersonville rally to highlight $858 million in federal highway aid for Hurricane Helene repairs, tying the recovery award to Republicans’ closing pitch in western North Carolina.

The figure Vance cited represents the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s share. A separate Federal Highway Administration breakdown assigns another $13.25 million to U.S. Forest Service roads and about $2.21 million to Bureau of Indian Affairs transportation sites, bringing the state’s Helene-related total to roughly $873.5 million.

Vance said the money would support eight major damaged corridors, including Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge. Helene destroyed or severely damaged about five miles of the interstate near Tennessee. NCDOT estimates permanent reconstruction will cost roughly $2.8 billion, with four lanes expected to reopen in late 2029, though unstable ground could change the timetable.

The money comes through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program, which reimburses eligible road, bridge and emergency-access costs rather than providing direct aid to homeowners. Federal officials say Helene created more than 9,000 transportation damage sites and over 1,400 road closures statewide. The allocation brings the federal highway commitment for Helene repairs in North Carolina to about $2.9 billion.

Vance made the announcement while campaigning for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley and House candidates Jennifer Balkcom and Laurie Buckhout. He credited President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Whatley attacked former Gov. Roy Cooper’s recovery record, while Cooper’s campaign said his administration activated emergency resources and secured major state and federal assistance.

Nearly 99% of storm-affected state roads have reopened, but NCDOT estimates the full transportation recovery will cost about $5 billion. The new allocation is a reimbursement milestone, not the end of a rebuilding effort expected to continue for years.

Two F-15E Strike Eagles based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base diverted to Ireland after one aircraft developed a fuel problem over the North Atlantic while returning from a Middle East deployment.

The jets landed safely at Shannon Airport Oct. 3 after the affected aircraft declared an emergency and requested priority clearance. A second Strike Eagle accompanied it during the diversion, CBS17 reported.

Shannon Airport’s fire and rescue crews moved into position near the runway. The Irish Coast Guard and Royal National Lifeboat Institution crews at Inis Mór and Kilrush were placed on standby. The first jet landed at approximately 4:34 p.m. local time, followed shortly by the second.

The aircraft were traveling with a larger group scheduled to return to Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Twelve F-15Es were expected to make the transatlantic flight with three aerial refueling aircraft after arriving in Britain from the Middle East Sept. 26.

The Aviationist reported the returning 4th Fighter Wing aircraft had supported Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Ten jets observed in England carried Mortal Kombat-themed nose art and markings representing a combined 45 Shahed drone kills.

An Irish aviation outlet later reported the diverted jets refueled at Shannon and returned to Royal Air Force Mildenhall around 7:30 p.m. The specific cause of the fuel problem has not been publicly identified.

The F-15E is a two-seat aircraft designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Seymour Johnson’s 4th Maintenance Group supports 94 Strike Eagles, making the Goldsboro installation central to the Air Force’s F-15E fleet.

The incident ended without reported injuries but highlighted the logistical demands of bringing tactical fighters across the Atlantic. Such movements require tanker support, overseas staging bases and emergency airfields capable of handling military aircraft when mechanical or refueling problems develop.

A North Carolina meat company is recalling more than 167,000 pounds of raw beef, pork and goat products after federal officials found they were made without inspection and labeled with a false USDA inspection mark.

Star Meat Delivery Inc. of Lucama is recalling approximately 167,639 pounds of meat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Sept. 22, FOX8 reported. The items were produced earlier, vacuum-sealed and packed in bulk under the A&D Foods label. They were shipped to a Georgia distributor before reaching retailers and restaurants nationwide.

Affected products include goat cuts, sliced ribeye, thin-sliced beef chuck, oxtail, short ribs, beef feet, ground pork, chorizo, pork chops, pork feet, pork hocks, menudo mix and pork shoulder cuts. Federal officials posted a complete product-label packet to help buyers identify the recalled meat.

The packages bear the false establishment number “EST. 1363,” which does not belong to a federally inspected facility. FSIS says any product carrying that number should be considered misbranded and unsafe to eat. Consumer packages may not display the original label because retailers could have added pricing and safe-handling stickers.

The agency designated the action a Class I recall, its most serious category, because there is a reasonable probability the product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. No illnesses or injuries had been confirmed when the recall was announced. Investigators discovered the problem during surveillance.

Food produced without federal inspection may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria or other contaminants. Consumers should not eat the recalled products and should discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

Officials are concerned some of the meat may remain in home, restaurant or store freezers. The product list could expand as the investigation continues.