Governor Josh Stein capped his four-day trip to Western North Carolina along the French Broad River in Marshall Sunday.
Dozens of people packed into the outdoor area of the Old Marshall Jail where a new folk art piece was unveiled. The structure's walls stretch about 10 feet into the air. There is a doorway but no roof. It has one window and was constructed using bricks decorated by individual community members who wrote words of hope, faith and love on them.
“ It's a cathedral. It's a monument to place. It's a sense of the feeling of home. It's a place for reflection,” said Marshall business owner Josh Copus.
Stein himself made a brick for the project during a previous visit to the Old Marshall Jail, which houses a hotel and restaurant.
“ I thought long and hard about what did I want my brick to say. What did I feel when I came to Marshall? And I had three words: hope, love and determination,” he said to the crowd gathered Sunday. “That is what you all represent to me.”
Stein spoke to the crowd at the unveiling about recovery milestones like getting 99% of state roads reopened. He also touted the General Assembly’s historic $3 billion allocation of recovery funds.
Still, the state is waiting on billions of dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies for funds to rebuild homes, strengthen infrastructure and repair roads and bridges.
“There are people out there feeling grief because of what this day represents to them and their loss. There are a lot of folks out there feeling pride, and justifiably so, because of what you all have rebuilt together. And I know that there are many people out there feeling impatience because it does not go as fast as we wish it would,” Stein said.
Stein, as he has for months, called on the federal government for more support, including $10 billion in funding from agencies outside of FEMA.
He also praised local residents for their grit.
“We're gonna do this work together as long as it takes, brick by brick,” he said.
