Enrollment has rebounded at North Carolina's three state universities in the mountainous western part of the state that was slammed by Hurricane Helene last fall. Appalachian State University, the University of North Carolina Asheville and Western Carolina University are all showing enrollment increases compared to last

Locals are showing their concerns through a petition and a Facebook group about UNC Asheville's intentions with a forest the university owns.

Residents of Asheville and the rest of western North Carolina are still recovering from catastrophic flooding in September.