An already difficult housing market in Western North Carolina has grown worse due to Tropical Storm Helene. Slow relief, high rents, unlivable homes are driving homelessness in the region.
Author: Xpress Contributor
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Should the River Arts District be rebuilt?
“I believe city and county officials, artists, historians, creative builders and thinkers should all join to come up with the best of possibilities.”
NC storm relief dollars depend on political deal-making in DC, Raleigh
Carolina Public Press reported last month that the costs associated with Tropical Storm Helene exceeded $53 billion in North Carolina alone, although neither the state legislature nor the federal government has allocated enough money to pay for even half of the expenses up to this point.
The eastern hellbender may soon get federal protection
Before the hellbender can be listed officially as an endangered species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must open a 60-day public comment period, which began Dec. 13.
Nowhere to hide: Microplastics are polluting western North Carolina watersheds
Researchers discovered that roughly 90% of the microplastics were fibers, with three primary types of plastic present: polystyrene, polyamides and polyethylene. These plastics are used to make items such as sportswear and other types of clothing, takeout food containers, foam packaging and water bottles.
Carmen Atwater discusses the impact Helene has had on local bees
“Fall is already a nectar scarce time of year, and the storm was immediately followed by our first frost, so it really was a triple whammy,” says Carmen Atwater, founder of Feral Farms.
From CPP: Asheville’s economy still reeling from impact of storm, water loss on tourism
October was a total loss for many restaurants and hotels, a month that usually promises the biggest profits of the year, thanks to leaf-peepers and other seasonal tourists.
Amid retirement, community health remains top of mind for former MAHEC member
“Helping others is simply who I am,” says Jaquelyn Hallum, former director of Health Careers and Diversity Education at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). “Retirement hasn’t changed that — it’s just given me the freedom to focus on what matters most.”
From CPP: Helene damage costs in NC more than $53 billion. Who will pay is unclear.
by Lucas Thomae, Carolina Public Press November 26, 2024 Without question, Tropical Storm Helene generated historic costs for North Carolina in terms of structural damages, disruptions to government operations and loss of human lives. Calculating just how expensive the storm was — and also figuring out who is footing the bill — is a trickier […]
From CPP: ‘Worst’ year ever for farms in North Carolina
Farms tend to be located in the region’s fertile river bottoms, and when those rivers swelled and roared, they took crops, barns, bails of hay, miles of fencing, farm roads, cattle, farm equipment and acres of topsoil.
Debut memoir explores the intractability of memory
Like any exquisitely crafted narrative, local author Rachel M. Hanson’s debut memoir, The End of Tennessee, encapsulates the story’s fundamental ache within the book’s opening lines.
From CPP: Getting back on track with rail in NC disaster area
It will be difficult to estimate just how big of an economic toll the near-total loss of rail transport will have on the area. Loss of cheap and fast access to basic, bulky supplies like grain and timber is a reality that modern cities rarely have to face.
Rural water utilities in North Carolina are still reeling from Helene
For weeks after the storm, people had to boil anything that wasn’t poured from a bottle, and many of them drew from creeks and ponds just to flush their toilets.
From CPP: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians sees effects to tourism and agriculture after Helene, but uses tribe’s resources to send aid elsewhere
“We received quite a bit of damage, but nothing like people east of Cherokee,” Anthony Sequoyah, the Eastern Band’s secretary of travel operations, told Carolina Public Press.
From CPP: Why legal challenge to NC medical provider regulation matters
A recent lawsuit brought forth by a New Bern ophthalmologist challenges the constitutionality of the law, bringing the issue to the forefront of statewide debate.
My Story: Helene, Howland Road and the Scooby van
Xpress asked readers to share their experiences of Tropical Storm Helene. This is one of those stories.
Aftermath of Helene making Western NC survivors sick
All Western North Carolina residents will have to look out for additional public health issues as the region continues to recover from Helene.
When will we know who won the election in North Carolina?
On election night, you’re more likely to learn the results of statewide races that aren’t close or local elections, which involve fewer votes. Here’s what you need to know about when and how results will be tabulated.
From CPP: Tourism economy of WNC hopes to weather the loss of October after Helene
Asheville’s tourism board is trying desperately to tell folks across the state and country that despite the devastation, they should still book a trip to the city.
N.C. Legislature’s Helene relief bill contains several health-related measures
The North Carolina General Assembly passed over $604 million in Helene disaster relief on Oct. 24, with $71.4 million earmarked for supporting local health departments, mental health services, disaster nutrition assistance and child care, among other health-related measures.
From CPP: Lawmakers direct WNC counties to add early voting sites
North Carolina lawmakers on Thursday tasked county boards of election in the 13 most impacted counties from Tropical Storm Helene to open at least one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters in their county.