
Gerard Albert III
Western North Carolina Rural Communities ReporterEmail: galbert@bpr.org
Phone: 865-332-9439
Gerard Albert III covers Western North Carolina rural communities as a Report for America corps member. He joined BPR in July 2024 and has since covered Hurricane Helene and its aftermath throughout the region.
As misinformation swirled after the storm, Gerard published investigations into FEMA housing policies and a series of fact checks on subjects like the death toll. He continues to report on the long-term impact of Hurricane Helene on rural communities.
Gerard also serves as BPR's unofficial staff photographer.
He worked at WLRN in South Florida for two years, where he reported on affordable housing policy, local government accountability and the death penalty trial of the Parkland school shooter. He also covered the history of the Black community and criminal justice system in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
He earned a journalism degree from Florida International University, where he served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.
In his free time, you can find Gerard kayaking, reading a book in his hammock, or making zines with his friends.
-
The communities were among the most affected by road damage and include Gerton, Bat Cave and Chimney Rock.
-
The trail, built on an old rail line, will eventually connect Hendersonville and Brevard.
-
County commissioners changed their partner on debris removal after federal funding for the Army Corps was unavailable.
-
Chief Tom Jordan led the department for four years before announcing his retirement this week.
-
Police were called for a welfare check on a person, who deputies say opened fire at them in a Pizza Hut parking lot.
-
The rezoning has been years in the making and was slightly derailed after Hurricane Helene.
-
The county and Army Corps of engineers offered contradictory information as to why the debris removal has come to a halt.
-
Two deputies from the sheriff’s office will patrol Brevard while the city tries to fill vacancies in its police department.
-
In Western North Carolina, “No Kings” protests are planned in many towns, including Asheville, Bryson City, Waynesville and Hayesville.
-
N.C. Secretary of Health and Human Services Dev Sangvai visited Hendersonville to advocate for mental health and the state legislature to reinstate funding for the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) program which delivers food, housing support and more to low-income North Carolinians.