The playground comes as a bright spot in Lake Lure’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread flooding in September 2024. Homes, roads, and the lake itself suffered significant damage, and local leaders have worked steadily to restore infrastructure and public spaces.

Across the rest of the state, early voting for municipal contests runs from Thursday, October 16, through 3 p.m. Saturday, November 1, with Election Day on Tuesday, November 4.

Unaudited spending reports indicate that the district has spent approximately $21.6 million — or 21% of its budget — as of September 30. Most of the early spending came from state and local funds, while a significant portion of the new federal money remains to be distributed.

Still, Stein noted that significant challenges remain. Last month, he requested an additional $13.5 billion in federal aid for recovery efforts. With the federal government partially shut down, he has called on North Carolina’s congressional delegation to find a bipartisan solution.

"Food and nutrition are foundational to good health and people should not have to worry about their families and communities going hungry," said Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai in a release. "NCDHHS hopes for a quick resolution to the federal shutdown to ensure people in North Carolina are not at risk of losing critical food benefits."