Tropical Storm Helene’s devastation included more than 600 roads and 800 bridges primarily in the western part of the state. The latest data from the N.C. Department of Transportation shows that 160 roads remain closed — 30 highways and 130 secondary roads.
“Creating a greater variety of housing options would mean that more city residents’ children and friends could afford to stay nearby as their housing needs grow and change.”
Full recovery will cost nearly $60 billion, according to a state budget office estimation. The federal government may chip in $15 billion — far less than requested. So far, the legislature has passed three relief packages, which collectively dedicate $1.1 billion to recovery.
“He told me that he was relentlessly bullied as a child and swore that if he ever had the chance, he would do everything in his power to make sure that no other person had to feel that way.”
“In the distance, I could see the demarcation line of destruction above 3,000 feet where wind shear took down most of the big trees. This was a gut punch.”
“He always wanted what was best for the community, but like me, he felt that local government often overstepped its bounds, and he didn’t mind letting you know how he felt.”
“Very few people contribute as much to our community, especially for people in need, as long and as much as Asheville native Jerry Sternberg did.”
For most farmers, their money is in their land. They rely on each growing season to break even. There is no cushion after a natural disaster.
Propane is a valuable commodity in Western North Carolina these days. Helene destroyed roughly 100,000 homes and many of those people have been living in campers ever since. Keeping them warm is a struggle.
Reflections on the life of Asheville native and longtime Xpress columnist Jerry Sternberg.
The rural region, somewhat isolated by the mountains, has struggled with its economic viability, and Helene has exposed some of the area’s tender points.
“So do we really want to return to maximizing profits and exploiting the beauty of our marvelous mountains and the brilliance of our creative people, while risking ever more floods, landslides and the havoc they wreak?”
“I’m writing this because I have some thoughts to share on the subject of dying.”
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.
“I believe city and county officials, artists, historians, creative builders and thinkers should all join to come up with the best of possibilities.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 […]
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.
