FEMA extends deadline to apply for Helene assistance
The deadline for North Carolinians in 39 counties to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance after Hurricane Helene has been extended to Jan. 7, 2025.
USDA Forest Service releases update on Helene’s impacts on ecosystem, infrastructure
The USDA Forest Service released its preliminary data on the ecological impacts and infrastructure damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene on the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in North Carolina.
Left a loan: Small businesses continue to wait for Helene help
When the Coronavirus Pandemic resulted in the closing of millions of businesses across the United States in March 2020, federal response was swift and decisive, helping to save as many as could be saved with multiple forms of assistance.
Grant program assists Jackson businesses post-Helene
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Jackson County Economic Development has put together a grant opportunity for businesses impacted by the storm.
How to deal with damaged wells and septic systems
North Carolinians who lost access to water through a private well or damaged septic system as a result of Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA assistance.
U.S. agriculture secretary visits WNC
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Asheville to hear firsthand from local, state and Tribal officials, emergency managers, food bank staff and volunteers, and impacted producers on the region’s relief and recovery efforts and highlighted resources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help producers, families and communities in the Tarheel State recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.
This must be the place: 'Don't it make you feel bad, when you're tryin' to find your way home'
(Editor’s Note: Amid the chaos of the recent floods from Hurricane Helene, this column wasn’t able to run in the Oct. 2 issue of The Smoky Mountain News due to space issues in the midst of crisis.)
Hello from Room 13 at the Seabirds Motel in Kure Beach, North Carolina. Saturday morning.
Word from the Smokies: In the park, Cataloochee saw Helene’s worst
As Hurricane Helene fomented in the Caribbean, it seemed likely that Great Smoky Mountains National Park would take a direct hit. The storm reached Category 4 before slamming Florida’s Gulf Coast, then headed north toward the Smokies.
We’ll get through this, but we’ll need help
We’ve had more than a week of picture-perfect fall days, usually a part of the recipe for a busy, successful tourist season. But there’s an unshakeable uneasiness among the business community since Helene, and especially in Haywood County. I hope elected leaders take note.
Haywood schools face repair work, shifting student enrollment
Following the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, Haywood County Schools reopened its doors to students and staff last week.
