Wildlife crossings funding: North Carolina’s new budget sets aside $10.2 million every two years to help animals safely cross roads, building on earlier wildlife-crossing money and routing funds to the state DOT for safe passages. Flood risk across western and Piedmont NC: Multiple NWS flood advisories and a flood watch warn of flooding from slow-moving heavy rain, with minor flooding possible in low-lying areas and poor drainage, including parts of Alleghany, Ashe, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and nearby regions. Heat safety push: Eastern NC is bracing for dangerous extreme heat later this week, with heat index values forecast to top 100°F and First Alert Weather Days issued for Thursday through Saturday. River access upgrades: MountainTrue and partners improved French Broad River access, adding a new paddle trail campsite near Etowah and upgrading river access sites in Transylvania and Henderson counties. Local environmental cleanup: Volunteers in Cary and Morrisville removed about 135 pounds of trash from greenways and parks as part of an Adopt-A-Greenway & Adopt-A-Park effort. Green building idea from Oxford: A North Carolina startup, Plantd, is working to replace engineered wood with structural panels made from perennial grass. FEMA scrutiny: A new push in Congress aims to “fix” FEMA amid ongoing questions about disaster response capacity as extreme weather threats grow. Pine Knoll Shores leadership: Pine Knoll Shores Police Chief Ryan Thompson announced he’s stepping down to take a new public safety risk management role with the NC League of Municipalities.