Officials at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) report there are still areas that are unsafe to participate in water activities due to remaining debris from Hurricane Helene. Some locations are inaccessible to emergency responders in the event an incident occurs. 

Hurricane Helene caused at least 57 landslides on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, damaging roads and trails across 200 miles, the National Park Service said.

The storm, which also damaged facilities in Virginia, led to the closure of parts of the 469-mile parkway. About 312 miles have reopened. 

On the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Governor Josh Stein and Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler sent a letter to US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, requesting that USDA approve a block grant to support the recovery efforts of farmers in Western North Carolina.  

Most days, Brandon Rogers has dirt under his fingernails — a badge of honest labor. Owner of a small auto repair shop on the outskirts of Canton, Rogers usually wakes up, puts on some sturdy workwear and heads to the shop to support his family, one customer at a time. Last Tuesday, his day began not with the percussive whir of impact wrenches or the earthy aroma of motor oil, but instead with a crisp suit and a trip to the airport. 

Preliminary projections from Town of Waynesville show a tight budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Elected officials don’t want to raise taxes, fees or utility rates, but a variety of factors that all came together in a perfect storm will leave Town Council with some tough decisions after a budget retreat held March 21. 

On Friday, March 14, Representatives in the North Carolina General Assembly hosted a town hall to update the public and local elected officials about the progress of both Hurricane Helene Recovery and broadband expansion in the region on Friday March 14. 

It had been a warm spring day that finally gave way to twilight of cobalt-grey, sharpening the flashing red and blue police lights slashing through dusk restless and unyielding. Demonstrators waving signs and banging rhythmically on locked glass doors, their chants pulsed through the cool evening air. 

“Save our democracy.” 

Limited resources and tricky topography already pose challenges. Now those problems have been exacerbated.

When Chris and Sara Evensen bought their home off Elk Mountain Scenic Highway in 2018, they felt like they’d hit the natural beauty jackpot: a nice home on two acres, ensconced in a gorgeous hardwood forest. 

A bipartisan collaboration to bolster critical communication resources during natural disasters is gaining momentum in Congress after lessons learned during the devastation of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina last year. 

Nearly six months after Hurricane Helene killed 106 people and caused more than $60 billion in damage across Western North Carolina, the General Assembly is set to approve another storm-related relief bill.