Western North Carolina will never forget Helene. As resilient as its people are, there are some catastrophes that push even the strongest people to their breaking point. While communities in the region characteristically shouldered the burden, the recovery process will be years-long. The Smoky Mountain News has recapped what happened during the historic flooding on Sept. 27, as well as what things may look like going forward. Cabell Tice photo
News
WNC hospitals challenged in Helene’s wake............................................................4 Haywood experiences second major flood in three years......................................6
Despite flooding, Jackson escapes worst of Hurricane Helene impact..........12 One life lost in Macon flooding......................................................................................16 How to apply for FEMA assistance after Helene....................................................18 Ravaged by floodwaters, Frog Level Brewing remains resilient..........................19
Opinion
An ultramarathon, a book, a flood and a prayer........................................................20 An unimaginable tragedy................................................................................................21 The long road home..........................................................................................................23
Outdoors
Hurricane Helene recovery in the National Park......................................................24 NCDOT offers update on I-40......................................................................................24
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S UBSCRIPTIONS
WNC hospitals challenged in Helene’s wake
Hospital staff work through communication disruptions, water system failures and their own storm-induced uncertainty to keep caring for patients.
BY RACHEL CRUMPLER
NORTH CAROLINA H EALTH N EWS
Historic rainfall and flooding brought by the remnants of Hurricane Helene have pushed Western North Carolina hospitals into “managed chaos.”
Power outages forced many hospitals to rely on backup generators for several days. Widespread water system failures required alternative water supplies for hospitals that use tremendous amounts of water while handwashing, sterilizing surgical equipment and more. Impassable roads blocked by fallen trees and other wreckage disrupted travel for workers and patients alike. Communication disruptions made receiving calls and texts in some areas impossible, straining responses.
ability to respond and get roads cleared and supplies in. I think that’s an everyday watch and work to get things done.”
Kody Kinsley, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, told reporters at a briefing Monday afternoon in Asheville that all 22 acute care hospitals in Western North Carolina have had their grid power restored, after some using backup generators for days.
Lawler said emergency management personnel’s steady progress to clear roads and restore power and communication lines is “going to create relief.” The governor’s office issued an update on the storm Monday afternoon in which his administration said travel remains dangerous; more than 400 roads remained closed but were allowing emergency responders to carry out their missions.
“For hospitals, health systems and people, when we are able to clear roads, it makes it easier for everyone just to have the basic necessities to not only survive, but the basic necessities that are required to continue to operate that hospital,” Lawler said.
Lawler added that hospital leaders are working well with their local emergency management teams, state leaders and FEMA to address any need that arises. For example, Lawler said, over the weekend, hospitals requested additional oxygen supplies. The state coordinated the delivery
that he spoke with NC Health News Monday afternoon, his phone kept buzzing with incoming calls.
The biggest ongoing challenge is disruption to communication, he said. That’s made managing logistics and operations all the more complex.
“With COVID — a similar set of circumstances — we could all communicate with each other, and in the absence of communication, it really has made this extra difficult,” Hudspeth said.
Hudspeth said a Starlink satellite phone system was set up at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Avery County Monday afternoon, which has allowed the first calls to go in and out in days.
Greg Lowe, who took over as CEO of Asheville’s Mission Hospital on Sept. 16, got caught up in a storm of planning a week into the job. He started in Helene planning mode on Sept. 25 and moved into crisis protocol as the deluge of rain and wind wreaked havoc throughout the mountain region.
On Sept. 26, before the crux of the storm arrived, they called in staff and told them to plan on sleeping there between shifts, filling the hospital with 1,200 workers in addition to the 700 patients there.
The hospital operated on a backup generator for several days before the power was restored. But water systems across the region have broken down because of the storm. The Asheville municipal system that typically supplies water to Mission Hospital remained inoperable on Monday.
Now, according to Lowe, restoring water and sewer is the hospital’s “most significant priority.” Without pressurized water, the hospital has had a hard time carrying out some of its core functions like hot food preparation, toileting and showering.
“To say that our teams are making the best of rough circumstances in order to keep caring for patients is an understatement,” Lowe said during a briefing by Buncombe County government officials Monday afternoon.
To keep clinical operations going, HCA Healthcare, which acquired Mission Health in 2019, has supplied more than 20 tanker trucks of water daily.
In the coming days, Lowe said Mission Hospital will receive 10 more mobile units, including kitchens, bathrooms, handwashing stations and mobile laundry facilities.
BRINGING IN RELIEF
Hospitals are also working to be mindful of staffing — particularly the people who have worked around the clock the first few days after Helene. Those staffers are just now going home themselves to inspect the damage to their own homes.
But amid these challenges, all Western North Carolina hospitals have remained operational throughout Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.
Stephen Lawler, head of the North Carolina Healthcare Association, has stayed in close contact with hospital leaders during the storm and initial days of recovery. He told NC Health News he hasn’t heard of any significant structural damage to the hospitals in the 25 counties and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians hit hardest by the storm, where a federal major disaster declaration is now in place to facilitate easier aid.
“It’s managed chaos,” Lawler said of hospital operations. “It’s not chaotic within the hospital, but they’re operating in an environment that is supremely dependent on the state’s
to ensure that there was ample supply to take care of patients.
“Our entire department has rallied every resource to make the difference,” Kinsley said Monday. “We are in this for the long haul and into recovery.”
CHALLENGES PERSIST
The initial days of hurricane response have felt like a furious sprint, said Rob Hudspeth, a senior leader at UNC Health Appalachian, which has three hospitals in Western North Carolina. He’s run from hospital incident command meetings to then getting in his car to help with patient transport and other needs in between. In the 15 minutes
To provide relief to hospital staff that have already worked long hours, Lowe said HCA Healthcare colleagues from around the country are coming to Western North Carolina to help across Mission Health sites. Two buses of staff members arrived on Sunday from Nashville, South Carolina and Texas, he said.
“A number of our individuals, our caregivers, have no idea about their families or their homes,” Lowe said. “We have not contacted a number of our colleagues. We have had no contact because of communication disruption. And so what we’ve done is bring in hundreds of individuals to assist in that, provide relief for those caregivers so that they can go home, check on their families and then return to care for Western North Carolina.”
Mission Health is not the only health system that has asked its staff to hunker down at work instead of going back and forth to homes and families that might be suffering from the storm. Others have been cut
State and federal officials talk with Mission Hospital executives about Helene’s impact on the hospital and Asheville. Paul Barker/NC Governor’s office photo
off from work by buckled roads and problems at home, leaving holes in staffing.
“Some of our teammates have been dealing with their own problems, with homes being damaged, roads being washed out so they weren’t able to get into work, or
have no power at home.
Elliott Tenpenny, director of the international health unit at Samaritan’s Purse, spoke to NC Health News Monday while taking a brief break from setting up a 20bed field hospital at Cannon Memorial Hospital to help take some patients from the hospital as it gears up for a likely influx of people seeking care from the flooding.
Gov. Roy Cooper, DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley and Mission Hospital CEO Greg Lowe walk outside the hospital in Asheville, surveying the damage to the area from Hurricane Helene and planning steps for recovery.
Paul Barker / NC Governor's Office photo
working nonstop,” Alan Wolf, a spokesman for UNC Health, told NC Health News.
LEANING ON EACH OTHER
Amid this fraught time, as medical staff frantically work to fix problems and provide patient care, hospital leaders and health care workers across the state are pooling resources to lend a hand.
Lawler said hospitals in North Carolina have mutual aid agreements in place so they can share resources if a hospital needs help. That has meant that unaffected hospitals in central and eastern North Carolina have sent people and supplies to the aid of their peers in the west.
“We’re all in this for the same reasons — to take care of people and to save lives,” Wolf said, noting that Novant Health and Atrium Health have offered help where they can. “It’s really nice to see that there’s healthy competition when it’s called for, but there’s also times to step up and we all help each other.”
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said at the Monday afternoon briefing in Asheville that she’s mobilizing more federal medical teams to support some of the long-term sustainable needs for running some of the medical facilities.
To address health needs, a 20-bed state medical support center opened in Caldwell County Sunday, and Gov. Roy Cooper said more are planned. UNC Health also announced it will provide free telehealth visits to residents in areas affected by Helene for a wide range of conditions, including fever, cold or flu, insect bites and rashes.
Community organizations are stepping up to fill gaps. Samaritan’s Purse, a Boonebased disaster relief organization, is one that has sprung to action. They set up emergency medical tents Saturday in the parking lots at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Avery County and Watauga Medical Center in Boone to provide oxygen for people who
“We’re just hoping to be able to step into a gap to be able to provide more care here in Avery County. The hospital here is quite small, and we need to be able to provide more care for more people so they can get the hospital care they need,” Tenpenny said.
Alice Salthouse, CEO
High Country Community Health, manages 10 sites and two mobile units across four Western North Carolina counties. Less than half the sites were able to open Monday. All other sites had challenges with electricity and water that kept them from opening. Until those resources are restored, any of her staff who can are helping provide care elsewhere in the region, she told NC Health News Sunday while taking a break from cutting up a tree that fell on her house in Morganton.
MORE TO RECOVERY
Hospital leaders recognize there’s a long road to recovery. Emergency workers are still rescuing people; floodwaters stewing with storm debris, runoff and removal of downed trees pose health risks for people as they move around more.
“This is not a one-week, two-week thing,” said Hudspeth of UNC Health Appalachian.
“We’re going to be in this for a while.”
“People are rolling in that have lost their homes. A lot of them are muddy, wet and soggy. I just can’t begin to tell you. It’s crazy,” he said.
North Carolina Health News is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit, statewide news organization dedicated to covering all things health care in North Carolina. Visit NCHN at northcarolinahealthnews.org.
Gov. Roy Cooper speaks with a disaster medical team responder from out of state who came to North Carolina to help those affected by Helene.
Paul Barker / NC Governor's Office photo
AGAIN
Horrific storm damage will remake Western North Carolina
ywood County, the highest east of the Mississippi River, experienced devastating flooding from a tropical weather system that reached mountainous Southern Appalachia’s narrow, rocky canyons and broad, lush river valleys — wiping out whole towns, inundating normally impregnable areas and crippling the communications and transportation infrastructure that powers public safety, commerce and the dissemination of information.
Hurricane Helene was worse than Tropical Storm Fred in 2021. Locals say it’s even worse than 2004, when back-toback storms a week apart led to record river crests and thenunprecedented damage. To call Helene historic would be an understatement, but the magnitude of the destruction isn’t yet clear.
What is clear is that the destruction that took place via Fred in 2021 was largely limited to the eastern reaches of Haywood County, killing six and cutting a half-billion-dollar swath of destruction through Cruso, Canton and Clyde. Helene has touched the whole of Haywood County, but across Western North Carolina, there are dozens more counties suffering the same fate or worse, as are dozens more in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Damages could be in the tens of billions of dollars.
The human toll will be much greater, and generational, as much of the Southeast prepares for recovery, mitigation and resiliency while simultaneously preparing to deal with
better term, but it’s simply apocalyptic in every sense of the word. I suspect that is an assessment not just shared by the mayor of Canton, but the entire region of Western North Carolina. We thought 2004 was a 500-year flood. Then we heard 2021 was a 500-year flood. We made it three years until this 500-year flood.”
AGAIN.
As in 2021, rainfall totals along the Blue Ridge escarpment were staggering, especially after intense rainfall from an unrelated system that began in the afternoon on Wednesday, Sept. 25. By 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, a flood gauge from the North Carolina Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN) showed that Jonathan Creek in Maggie Valley had already measured 3.7 inches of rain in the previous 24 hours. Lake Logan Dam, upriver from Canton, had received 3.9 inches. In downtown Canton, the Pigeon River was already in minor flood stage at 12 feet and was forecast to crest as a major flood around 19 feet in the early morning hours of Friday, Sept. 27.
Some areas closer to the South Carolina border received more than 20 inches of rain from 8 a.m. on Sept. 24 to 8 a.m. on Sept. 28, according to the National Weather Service. Hendersonville logged 21 inches. Spruce Pine, in Mitchell County, saw more than two feet. The highest recorded total so far, well away from the South Carolina border in Yancey County, was 30.78 inches.
Haywood County’s Cruso community, still recovering
into a raging river running right down Commerce Street and produced one of the more surreal visions of the storm thus far — two Blue Ridge Southern Railroad GP40-series locomotives, idling on submerged tracks and presenting the appearance that they were floating. The creek, now a frothing chocolatey brew smelling of petroleum products and strewn with mud, logs, propane tanks and all manner of debris, topped the bridge on Russ Avenue near the new Mountain Creek apartment complex, essentially cutting much of Waynesville off from the outside world.
The locomotives, however, weren’t the only incredible sight once the full brunt of Helene arrived hours earlier before dawn’s first light. Jonathan Creek, in Maggie Valley, was roiling. Richland Creek had already crept up to the outdoor seating areas at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Hazelwood’s commercial strip was inaccessible due to deep water that flowed through yards and homes along Hazelwood Avenue.
When the rain finally stopped and floodwaters began to recede around lunchtime Friday, an even more remarkable portrait of destruction was unveiled — citizens scrambling for resources.
Some gas stations finally opened up in the late afternoon but were quickly overrun by residents riding roads stained red from the rich silty soils left behind as creeks and rivers returned to their banks. Teague’s Shell in Maggie Valley couldn’t dispense gas or process
A bouquet of flowers, likely on someone’s porch or kitchen table hours earlier, lies on a Maggie Valley sidewalk alongside other debris from Jonathan Creek. Cory Vaillancourt photo
that were able to dispense gas featured long lines hanging out onto the road, reminiscent of the 1970s energy crisis.
The failure of critical internet and cellular infrastructure around this time cast an already isolated, rural region back centuries — no phone calls, no texting, no internet, no social media, no GPS — back when the only way to engage in commerce or exchange information was in person.
“The number one issue that I’m dealing with is the lack of cellular service,” Smathers said. “It started with Verizon. It seems to go to many [providers]. I have not been able to communicate with our emergency services directly from my cell phone since approximately 9 a.m. yesterday morning until today. The idea that not just us here in Canton, Haywood County, but across Western Carolina, we cannot communicate to our citizens and our emergency management is absolutely disgraceful.”
At least two large pools of water collected on Soco Road in Maggie Valley, making travel from one end to the other impossible for most. Mudslides, infused with twigs, logs and rocks, complicated the situation.
Of course, cell phones were not the only way Canton’s leaders were able to communicate with the town’s emergency services assets, but their ubiquity has its advantages, especially for residents to learn of imminent threats or to check in on each other.
though I hope it’s not true — had the ability to rescue someone and tell their loved ones
As residents emerged from their homes
Richland Creek, in Waynesville’s Frog Level, rose up and surrounded Giles Chemical, giving locomotives from the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad a surreal appearance while surging down Commerce Street into businesses. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Cory Vaillancourt photo
slide on Soco Road made driving conditions especially slippery. A foot-deep pool of water collected near Frankie’s Italian Trattoria, fed by a rushing stream where there didn’t used to be one: half a mile uphill, gushing in thick ropey flourishes down Mill Creek Road, which was split open and lobbing softball-sized rocks once buried three feet deep out onto Soco Road.
Near the west end of Moody Farm Road, an even larger pool of water effectively cut the valley in half. There, Jonathan Creek had roared through Parham Memorial Park, tossing tree limbs, lawn chairs, trash cans and tiny pebbles all over the sidewalk.
didn’t lose any firefighters during more than a hundred res-
ing got four feet of water in 2004, four inches in 2021 and seven feet this time. Surrett’s been in the process of moving his business to the former distillery in Maggie Valley for some time now, but on Saturday morning was still trying to salvage whatever he could.
“We wasn’t expecting this, but meanwhile, we’ll press on. We’ve not lost our homes, but we understand a lot of people has. My main concern is not the businesses, which can be relocated and get back up and going,” he said. “My main concern is for people that’s lost their homes and their family members.”
n’t confirm any fatalities as of Saturday afternoon, but said all his firefighters were tired but uninjured. His own fire department, flooded out in 2004 and 2021, is still searching for a new home up out of the water. Thanks to Sen. Thom Tillis, Wheeler has the money to do it, but the town hasn’t been able to locate a suitable parcel.
“We had got most of what we could out, so we saved a lot of our equipment. Trucks are out,” Wheeler said. “What we had stored up beyond the highest point in 2004, up above my office, it’s all out and is now floating around.”
Canton’s police department, also housed in a temporary
cues from homes and vehicles, including 30 by boat, that began when the department started receiving calls around 3 a.m. on Friday. By Monday, firefighters had walked much of the fire district’s riverbanks searching for casualties, but found none. To Webb’s knowledge, there have been no fatalities in the town.
Clyde, with its compact two-block downtown in the center of Haywood County, appears to have been hit harder than in any previous flood of the modern era. This time, water from the Pigeon River rose above Carolina Boulevard. A shed was tossed against a house. Cars floated out into empty fields. Debris lined a bridge that in 2021 was studded with thick, ripe green peppers stripped from upriver fields. Ronald Surrett, owner of Smoky Mountain Cremations and Funeral Service on Broad Street in Clyde, said his build-
“The crest that I was told was 25.8 feet. In 2004, I think it was 22.8.”
Cars were overturned. Debris was strewn across mudslicked bridges, the riverbanks again lined with those healthy green peppers. At least one building, the Moose Lodge behind BearWaters Brewing, had partially collapsed. Two huge trees, their trunks still in the Pigeon River but their tops propped against the bridge next to BearWaters, looked like they were struggling to scale it. Shards of broken glass, much more plentiful than in 2021, sparkle in testament to the ferocity with which the Pigeon assaulted surrounding structures.
At Canton’s temporary town hall — a modular structure that’s served as the seat of government since the 2021 flood damaged the old town hall on Park Street — Wheeler could-
least one night on a pair of flaccid air mattresses flopped on the board room floor.
Like other communities across the Southeast, Canton will soon begin its recovery process from this extreme weather event. Unlike most other communities across the Southeast, Canton still hasn’t fully recovered from its last extreme weather event.
AGAIN.
It’s hard to pinpoint how many times local leaders, including Smathers, have said the phrase “when, not if” between 2021 and last week, referring to the probability of future flooding.
One thing that Canton and Haywood County had this time around that they didn’t have in 2021 was a few days to prepare, and a few years of mitigation F
Guardrails on the Charles Street bridge over the Pigeon River in Clyde were interlaced with debris, much as they were during flooding in August 2021. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Smathers, his governing board and his department heads started to think seriously about Helene on Sunday, Sept. 22, and made several announcements asking people to take the storm seriously.
Haywood County Emergency Services Director Travis Donaldson said his team began planning around that same time and requested resources, like swift water rescue teams, on Tuesday, Sept. 24 — before the first raindrops even began to fall.
moved to another list, requiring more serious investigation, but Wilke didn’t share that number.
He did, however, announce four casualties. Names and locations of the deaths were not released.
Wilke lauded Donaldson and his team for what thus far seems to be a very low number of casualties in such a powerful storm.
Donaldson, a veteran of 2021 flooding, said that more than 350 first responders
A small shed now rests about a hundred yards from where it used to sit behind Canton’s shattered riverside social hub, BearWaters Brewing. Cory Vaillancourt photo
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency on Sept. 25 and said during an accompanying media briefing that he had deployed the National Guard to areas that were expected to be impacted. That same day, Haywood County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kevin Ensley and mayors from all four Haywood County municipalities — Smathers of Canton, Clyde’s Jim Trantham, Maggie Valley’s Mike Eveland and Waynesville’s Gary Caldwell — did so.
Among other things, the Haywood declaration directed the opening of emergency shelters and called for voluntary evacuations.
President Joe Biden issued a major disaster declaration for North Carolina on Sept. 29, a day after the storm. In 2021, it took more than three weeks.
It wasn’t until Sept. 30 that Haywood County first responders were able to give a live update on Facebook through a Starlink terminal.
“I’m pleased to report to you that recovering from this event is happening at a quicker pace than originally anticipated,” said Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke. “And that’s happening because of neighbors helping neighbors.”
Local law enforcement, Wilke said, had conducted hundreds of welfare checks and were working about 200 more. Those who aren’t located during the welfare checks are
from across the country were on the ground alongside Haywood’s finest, but that the lack of cellular service had complicated things during Helene response.
“With Fred, we still had for the most part cell phone coverage throughout most of the county,” Donaldson said.
Two arrests had been made for looting, according to Wilke, who issued a stern warning against criminal activity and reminded residents that if they violated the 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew, they’d most certainly encounter law enforcement.
Ensley said that roughly 13,000 residents were still without power, but crews were working diligently to reconnect as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Although Ensley said that resources were already on their way, fuel, food, water and patience are in short supply.
“This community will be defined by our response to Hurricane Helene. Haywood County has 216 years of mountain heritage. This heritage is founded on neighbors helping neighbors, seeing each other through hard times and rejoicing in the good times,” he said. “If our response to Helene involves fighting or disregard for the law or turning on our friends and neighbors, then that’s how we’ll be defined.”
David Adams, chief of the Waynesville Police Department, lauded his fellow first
responders during a Sept. 30 emergency meeting of the Waynesville Town Council but received some praise of his own, from Council Member Anthony Sutton.
“Thank you so much,” Sutton told Adams, through tears. “You rescued my family.”
Public Works Director Jeff Stines mentioned numerous issues with water and sewer, including the sewer plant, but he and his team were largely responsible for the quick end of Waynesville’s boil water order.
Luke Kinsland, director of parks and recreation, said the Waynesville Recreation Center was in good shape and that floodwaters that had raced across ballfields never reached the building. Vance Park and the Richland Creek Greenway incurred substantial damage. The dog park, Kinsland said, is a total loss but the all-abilities playground was unscathed. The armory was flooded and is closed until further notice.
Development Services Director Elizabeth Teague said her team had begun conducting flood damage assessments, street by street. Data collected during this process will help with flood insurance claims in the future.
Rob Hites, Waynesville’s town manager, said the finance department building in Hazelwood had been flooded out and that operations would be conducted in the municipal building on Main Street. Council suspended utility cutoffs for nonpayment effective Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, moved to waive fees for F
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Floodwaters stream down Mill Creek Road as a rainbow appears over Maggie Valley on the afternoon of Sept. 27. Cory Vaillancourt photo
building permits for storm-related recovery efforts and adopted budget amendments for $500,000 each from the water, power and general fund balances for storm-related expenses,
Haywood County held an emergency meeting Oct. 1 and moved $7.5 million from fund balance to cover its own storm-related expenses.
Those appropriations are only the beginning of tens of millions of dollars that will be spent by communities across the Southeast in the coming years.
back end - not to mention, most importantly, the devastating human toll this has,” McEwen said. “We have to wake up as a nation and make significant investments to understand the level of risk our communities face now and into the future. Our infrastructure must adapt to the level of risk for tomorrow, not 50 years ago. We echo the recent findings from an exhaustive study into flood resilience undertaken by the US Chamber of Commerce — every $1 invested into flood resilience will save taxpayers $13 on the back end of flooding
“It would be significantly less expensive and a much better use of taxpayer dollars to invest in more resilient infrastructure now than covering these costs on the back end - not to mention, most importantly, the devastating human toll this has.”
— Tony McEwen, Carolinas director of the American Flood Coalition
“My thinking, and our board’s thinking, and all of our thinking as citizens of Western North Carolina has to change,” Smathers said. “The Western North Carolina that existed on Thursday is no more. This is a new world of opportunities, but risks and even mitigation strategies have to be rethought.”
Tony McEwen serves as the Carolinas director of the American Flood Coalition, a bipartisan advocacy group focusing on recovery, resiliency and mitigation strategies. McEwen said that he’d spoken with local leaders in the days leading up to the storm and that the time for learning and advocacy will come in the weeks ahead but that it would be wiser — and more costeffective — to prepare the nation’s infrastructure for increasingly frequent extreme weather events like Helene.
“It would be significantly less expensive and a much better use of taxpayer dollars to invest in more resilient infrastructure now than covering these costs on the
disasters. That figure takes into account the cost of recovery and the economic impacts faced by the communities. We don’t claim that any of this will be easy, nor cheap, but lives depend on us getting this better than we are currently.”
Smathers has also been active in the resiliency movement since 2021. Earlier this year, he spoke on a panel at an annual “waters summit” hosted by congressmen David Rouzer and Greg Murphy, who said, “If all we do is talk about this, then we should all go home.”
Remaking Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, however, may not produce the results some might expect.
“These businesses and these homes, including my sister’s, I can’t have an expectation that they’re coming back,” Smathers said. “That is the new reality that we are in and it’s not just shared by me — I think it’s shared by every citizen in the mountains of Western North Carolina.”
Flooding inundated Waynesville’s Frog Level on the afternoon of Sept. 27. Cabell Tice photo
Despite flooding, Jackson escapes worst of Hurricane Helene impact
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Jackson County was largely spared the damning effects of Hurricane Helene from which its neighbors to the east are still reeling. However, heavy rains and high winds have left thousands without power, water and telephone or internet service.
“Check on your neighbors, and help others if you can,” said Webster Mayor Tracy Rodes. “Recovery will take time and will require our patience. Let’s try to be resilient, resourceful and helpful — even in the toughest of times.”
But with no crystal ball to indicate just how the rain may fall, Jackson County Emergency Management did everything it could to prepare people for the unpredictability of what was to come.
After protracted and heavy rains through the later part of Wednesday and Wednesday night, Jackson County had declared a state of emergency by 8 a.m. Thursday morning, Sept. 26, more than 12 hours before Hurricane Helene was even set to make landfall on Florida’s gulf coast.
Jackson County Emergency Management announced Thursday morning that weather had already caused several down trees in roadways and multiple vehicle accidents across the county.
“We encourage you to stay home unless it is necessary to travel,” Jackson County Emergency Management said in a statement. “If you must travel, please use extreme caution there is heavy rain causing flash flooding in many roadways.” Emergency services had already begun to see power outages across Jackson County shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday morning. By 5 p.m. that same day, the county had opened two emergency shelters at the Cashiers Recreation Center and the Department on Aging Center.
Rains continued throughout the day and night on Thursday. By 6 a.m. Friday, Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer issued a boil water advisory for all customers.
lose all access to cellular and internet services. Even emergency services announced Friday afternoon, Sept. 27, that 911 emergency management lines were temporarily down. However, while this made communication among residents within and outside the county difficult, cleanup efforts moved forward.
In Webster, Mayor Tracy Rodes said the town had river and creek area flooding on a historic scale, with North and South River roads flooded in multiple places, resulting in road closures.
“Thankfully, the flood water has since receded, and there were no reports of widespread power outages in town,” said Rodes. “The county DOT crew has been working hard to shore up road shoulders along the river roads and to clear debris and downed trees.”
While North River Road is still closed to through traffic, it is passable for residents.
“We consider ourselves very fortunate not to have seen significant structural damage to homes or buildings in Webster,” Rodes said.
“Unfortunately, the current weather conditions are having a major impact on our ability to treat water,” Daniel Manring, executive director said Thursday morning. “We are issuing the attached notice in anticipation of pressure loss. In short, there is too much mud and debris for our process to work. As soon as conditions allow, we will resume production.”
Just a few hours later on Friday morning, Scotts Creek Road and Old Cullowhee Road had been shut down due to flooding. A little after 10 a.m. the Sylva Fire Department announced that downtown Sylva was inaccessible beginning at El Patron Restaurant because Scotts Creek had overflowed its banks and was in the road from the bridge to the Coffee Shop.
Around this time, residents were beginning to see what was becoming a common message across Western North Carolina — all roads are closed.
“The only reason you should be on the road is for an emergency or to seek higher ground,” Jackson County Emergency Management said in a statement Friday before noon. “Please stay home. Turn around, don’t drown.”
It was about this time too that, like their neighbors across WNC, people in Jackson County were beginning to
“We have numerous creeks coming out of their banks and the Tuckaseegee River has come out of its banks in various locations,” Emergency Management Director Todd Dillard said on Friday morning, Sept. 29. “There are approximately 10,000 power outages and at least 40 road closures. We have all of our emergency management crews working diligently on the situation, including our Jackson County Emergency Management staff, all rescue squads, fire departments, the N.C. National Guard, statewide mutual aid services, volunteers and sheriff’s office officials.”
Information released Monday, Sept. 30, indicated that 64 East near Sapphire National Golf Course was still closed. However, N.C. 107 North between Sylva and Cashiers was passable, as was N.C. 107 South between Cashiers and Walhalla and 64 West to Highlands.
According to Town Manager Paige Dowling, Sylva was able to clear all town-maintained roads by late Friday morning.
“We got really lucky in Sylva, all town roads are open,” said Dowling. “Mainly what we’re hearing is that people don’t have cell phone [service] or internet still, but Sylva’s very fortunate compared to our neighbors around us.”
With communication and connectivity still an issues, Rodes said that residents are able to access public Wi-Fi, among other places, at Webster Town Hall, SCC, and the Department on Aging.
“I couldn’t get in touch with my family for about two days, and when I got a spot of service for just one minute, I was able to get the word out that my boyfriend, myself and our pets were ok,” Winstead recounted. “It’s devastating to see how many people still need help, and to see how much loss so many have suffered here.”
And while Rodes, and others in Webster count themselves lucky, the historic flooding made an impression that will persist even after floodwaters recede.
“It’s surreal seeing your road completely underwater, even when flooding is expected,” said Webster resident Morgan Winstead. “I stood with my neighbors and watched debris to by, stuff like kayaks, sheds and even a septic tank. I saw someone try to drive through it, get hydrolocked and then have to be rescued from their car before they got swept away. And I got lucky through all of this.”
Dillsboro also experienced significant flooding when Scott Creek slipped its banks and spread out to cover almost all of Front Street in a shallow pool of water on Friday, Sept. 30.
According to Town Clerk Debbie Coffey, several businesses were impacted with water damage from the flood and one duplex apartment was severely damaged. Those with the most damage include Appelgate Events Venue, Visage Salon, Dogwood Crafters, The Corn Crib and Jill’s Barber Shop.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and to comply with travel bans, our ColorFest for this Saturday, Oct. 5 has been canceled,” said Coffey.
Several organizations and businesses stepped up to volunteer, including two families from Refuge Church who came with shovels and a tractor to remove mud and debris from Front Street, as well as Air Man Heating and Air who sent a crew with chain saws to volunteer in Picnic Park and neighboring businesses.
“Mayor Tim Parris has been shoveling mud and helping our businesses tirelessly since Friday evening,” said Coffey. “Our Dillsboro people are amazing.”
On the river side of Front Street, while the water level didn’t reach as high as the raised entrances to local businesses like Innovation Station or Forager’s Canteen, those with street-level entrances did experience some flooded spaces.
“The actual brewery and tap room itself was OK,” said Chelsea Brinton of Innovation Brewing. “We have a mill room on the floor that’s level with the parking lot and we got about two feet of flooding in that room.”
But even with a mess to clean up and a lot grain damaged by floodwaters, Brinton considers herself, her business, and S EE JACKSON FLOODING, PAGE 14
Innovation Brewing staff prepare canned water for flood victims. Chelsea Brinton photo
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her town quite fortunate.
“We were very lucky,” Brinton said. “Just tons of mud now left over. That’s pretty much the bulk of it. And the parking lot is still pretty muddy with trash and stuff, but we’re just slowly picking it up.”
Innovation donated damaged grain to local farmers and thanks to an undamaged brewery and tap room in both Dillsboro and Sylva, Innovation was able to remain open throughout the weekend. With a rare Wi-Fi connection and clean water source, the Innovation breweries have remained a important gathering spot despite difficulties in the county following Hurricane Helene.
“We’re just staying open and just trying to be there for people,” said Brinton. “Everybody is really grateful, it’s been super emotional with being one of the only businesses in town that has internet. We were actually the only business open on Friday, so I mean the number of people coming in, using our landline to call family, there were a lot of tearful phone calls.”
Brinton said most people they talked to — unless they had very low elevation or riverfront properties — were ok.
“Everybody’s just really grateful to have a place to go,” said Brinton. “There’s been a lot of camaraderie and community and people actually talking to each other. In a weird way, it’s been kind of beautiful how everybody’s been connecting and helping each other and sharing resources and all that.”
Spurred on by the community connection and camaraderie they’ve seen at Innovation, the business is not working to can water, since it has a clean supply, to provide to those residents that don’t have access to clean water.
“We are doing a canning line and we’re going to can water and give that out to people, because we were told by Kevin Brown from the watershed that our water is good there because of the nature of the filtration system that we
use at the brewery,” Brinton said.
residents that are on the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer system, many people in the eastern reaches of Western North Carolina, including Asheville, are without water completely.
“We are planning to take a bunch of it to Asheville, because one of our business partners lives in Asheville and he’s stuck out there and we’ve gotten to talk to him once or twice and it’s just a super grim situation out there,” Brinton said. “So we’re trying to take as much as we can there. Because around here we are still getting a lot more water
jugs of water a lot more than Asheville is.”
By Monday afternoon, Sept. 30, the second of two emergency shelters in Jackson had closed, indicating an end of at least the first phase in the response to Hurricane Helene. The shelter had housed about 80 people over the weekend, all of whom have been able to return home or have been relocated to nearby hotels.
The boil water advisory remained in effect, F
Dillard Road in Webster covered in floodwater. Aimee Rockhill photo
however, with Manring encouraging people to conserve water wherever possible.
“We are asking our entire community to conserve water use in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene that has left resources in Western North Carolina depleted,” Manring said in a statement Monday evening. “We have been fortunate that our systems are working, and it is taking effort around the clock to get water into our tanks. Please be community-minded during this unprecedented time and think of your neighbors. This water is not only used by community members but by fire service, hospitals, nursing homes and other life-saving facilities. Every single drop of water counts.”
flooding,” JCTDA said in a statement. “Efforts are now under way to restore power and telecommunications services to Southern Jackson County, provide drinkable water and assist in regional recovery efforts for harderhit areas. Travel is not advised at this time as roadways should only be utilized for emergency services. If you have existing travel plans to the area, please contact your lodging provider once communications are restored to inquire about rescheduling or cancellations.”
Additionally, the organization says it has fielded around 1,000 inquiries per day on its social media accounts, many of them messages from individuals seeking updates and information on how to check on their loved ones.
counties received, with damage limited to mostly fallen trees, wind, mudslides, and
nc.gov/donate.
Water from Scott Creek flowed into Dillsboro. Chelsea Brinton photo
One life lost in Macon flooding
experienced by so many of its Western North Carolina neighbors following Hurricane Helene, it was not spared the most serious and devastating effects of the storm — loss of life.
On Sunday, Sept. 29, the Macon County Sheriff’s Department announced it has lost one of its own, Deputy Jim Lau.
“This is one of the most difficult releases we have ever had to make,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
On Friday, Sept. 27, a 911 call came in
recovered it from the river shortly thereafter. Because the death is an ongoing investigation by the North Carolina State Highway patrol, the Sheriff’s Office is not releasing any further information at this time.
“Jim was very liked and respected within our department,” the Sheriff’s Office statement read. “He was known to be a hard worker, dependable and he jumped in wherever help was needed. His absence will truly be felt in our agency.”
On Monday, Sept. 30, Macon County Emergency Services Director Warren Cabe confirmed that Lau’s death was the only
The most significant impact from the storm occurred in the Highlands and Cullasaja communities, with Highlands sustaining major wind damage and Cullasaja, significant flooding.
As of Monday morning, Cabe said there were about 4,000 Maconians without power on the Duke system and the Haywood EMC. While Duke Power told Cabe they hope to have power restored by Oct. 4, there has been no such estimate from Haywood EMC.
On the Highlands electric system, all of its customers remained without power. During the course of the storm, 21 inches of rain fell in Highlands, an area that usually sees about 88 inches of precipitation all year
“It was soon realized that one of our courthouse security officers, Jim Lau, hadn’t returned to work from lunch and his truck matched the description of the truck that was seen in the river,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “A search effort was initiated that afternoon by multiple emergency service agencies; an on-foot search, drone search and multiple swift-water rescue teams were
announced that Lau is one of two Sheriff’s deputies to be killed as a result of the storm.
“In the wake of this devastating storm, a deputy from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and a deputy from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office were tragically killed in raging flood waters,” the Sheriffs’ Association said in a statement. “We ask that you keep the families, friends and col-
“Restoration time for the Highlands system will be extensive,” said Cabe.
According to Highlands Mayor Pat Taylor, that repair time could take as long as two weeks because the entire electrical grid is down with multiple utility poles snapped at the base. That’s an estimated 3,000 customers without power.
“Everyone has been out of power,” Taylor
Like most communities in the area, Highlands is trying to recover from the storm amidst an almost complete loss of cellular and internet service.
“The town crews and staff are working long hours to restore services,” Taylor said. “We will continue to do so until the job is done.”
Communications have been an ongoing struggle in Macon County since midday Friday, when residents lost access to cellular and internet connections.
Macon County declared a state of emergency on Thursday, Sept. 26, and had been advising people to stay put, but even emergency services were F
Several roads are still closed due to flooding in Macon County.
Bob Scott photo
Emergency services work around the clock on recovery efforts. Bob Scott photo
experiencing complications with their communication system, with all counties in the western part of the state affected by a 911 system outage.
“Our system is operational, the 911 calls are just not able to get through the network to get to us,” said Cabe. “They are being rerouted to somewhere that actually has some network access and then the information is transferred back to us by other means.”
For now, all 911 calls and texts made in Macon County are rerouted to Guilford Metro 911, and that information is transferred back to Macon. Cabe said he receives two daily reports from the people working on that system and that there is no estimation available about when it will be functioning normally.
While crews are continuing to monitor tree damage and remove remaining debris, roads within the town limits of Franklin are clear.
Throughout the rest of the county, Highway 106 between Scaly Mountain and Highlands remains closed, as well as numerous other roads in the Highlands area that have been affected by fallen trees or other road damage.
“There are some other smaller back roads which are still going to be closed,” said Cabe. “We concentrated all our efforts on the major thoroughfares in and out of Highlands because during the brunt of the storm, there was no road access into or out of Highlands.”
Ultimately, recovery will take time, and Cabe is urging residents to be patient.
Communications and access to power are in large part the two biggest hurdles to recovery in Macon County, though administration are assessing the broad scale of the damage.
“Most structural damage has been moderate or minor damage such as a damaged electrical service entrance or flooded foundations,” Cabe said in a state Sunday, Sept. 29. “More damages may become apparent throughout the week as isolated areas, especially in the Highlands area become more accessible.”
In a statement Monday, the Town of Franklin said it fared much better than the majority of its neighbors when it came to damages.
“The town is still experiencing cellular service and internet interruptions; however, many providers such as Starlink, Balsam West and AT&T have reported improved connectivity,” the Town said in a statement. “The downtown Wi-Fi is working well and is free for public use.”
“Most of Macon County experienced very little or almost no damage,” said Cabe. “We’re dealing with issues that are affecting most of the western part of North Carolina. We’re seeing issues where businesses will only accept cash because they can’t accept payments, and we’re also experiencing fuel shortages today because of the demand on our system and folks coming from other areas trying to get fuel here. So, we want folks to be patient.”
With recovery efforts taking place across the region, fuel will continue to be an absolute necessity for emergency service units and repair crews.
“We want people to get fuel when they need it and let the supply chain and the communication chain recover and just be patient with us as we go farther, because at this point, we don’t have all the answers,” Cabe said. “No matter what Macon County is going through today, we’re in a way better situation than some of our neighbors to the east.
Residents wait in line at the bank to pull out cash. Bob Scott photo
Ravaged by floodwaters, Frog Level Brewing remains resilient
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD A&E E DITOR
After floodwaters from Hurricane Helene overtook the Historic Frog Level District in downtown Waynesville this past weekend, several business owners are slowly picking up the pieces.
For Frog Level Brewing Company on Commerce Street in the heart of the district, the beloved creekside establishment once again began pouring craft ales Monday, Sept. 30.
“We wanted to get the taproom open and that’s been the priority and drive so that we can all gather again,” said FLB co-owner Morgan Crisp. “That’s what keeps us fighting.”
“It will take us many months to recover,” Crisp said. “We’ve put so much effort the last few years in restoring the creek banks and had so many volunteers and hands helping us and now it feels like we are having to start all over.”
Although Richland Creek has finally retreated to its normal water level, the damage to Frog Level itself is tremendous. Questions remain over which businesses will survive and rebuild moving forward and what others may not return.
“We still have a lot of damage yet to assess and recognize in our other buildings [in Frog Level],” Crisp said. “And that too is going to take much longer to actualize
Crisp said the brewery would be open during regular hours on Monday, which is 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. To note, the Town of Waynesville will also be enforcing a citywide curfew from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
“We know we’re a gathering place and social hub for our patrons,” Crisp said. “And we have put all of our efforts the last few days in to being able to reopen.”
According to Crisp, the highly popular beer garden area behind the brewery along Richland Creek “has been destroyed by several feet of deposited mud.” However, the inside taproom “had minimal damage.”
before we can even begin to tackle clean up.”
But what does remain, is the hopeful spirit of small business owners and their community coming together amid the wrath of Mother Nature.
“It’s heartbreaking, but seeing how the merchants of Frog Level have rallied is inspiring,” Crisp said. “It takes guts to be a business owner anyways, but to have to face this type of challenge and to work as relentlessly as everyone has worked as soon as the waters receded shows the dedication and caliber of merchants that make up Frog Level businesses.”
The beer garden at Frog Level Brewing following Hurricane Helene. Morgan Crisp photo
HELENE: How to help
Since Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina, there has been an outpouring of people looking for ways to support those hit hardest by the storm. Here’s a look at what options people have to volunteer or donate if they wish to contribute to ongoing efforts in the Smoky Mountain News coverage area (Swain, Macon, Jackson and Haywood counties, as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians).
please email them to tainnews.com, and they will be added to this list.
made by texting Helene to 90999.
MOUNTAIN PROJECTS: Mountain Projects has long been one of the best resources for people experiencing hardship in Haywood and Jackson counties and has a proven track record of providing emergency housing and other resources. Visit mountainprojects.org for more information.
basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can apply.
There are several ways to apply: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET daily. The telephone line
TY: donations to support recovery efforts following Tropical Storm Helene. Contributions go directly to assisting local families and individuals impacted by the storm. Visit uwhaywood.org for details or to donate.
HAYWOOD WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION: Haywood Waterways is a nonprofit that works to keep the county’s rivers and streams clean, something that will be crucial during the recovery phase. To donate, visit haywoodwaterways.org/donate.
NORTH CAROLINA VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER:
NCVOAD provides opportunities for people to work with safe, experienced partners to help out. They can connect folks with a number of opportunities to volunteer. Visit ncvoad.org/volunteer/.
NC DISASTER RELIEF FUND: The state also has its own portal through which people can contribute monetary donations. Visit nc.gov/donate.
AMERICAN RED CROSS: The American Red Cross is already calling for donations in the wake of the large scale public health emergency the hurricane has created. The organization has opened over a dozen shelters, including at least three in the SMN coverage area. Monetary donations can be
BAPTISTS ON MISSION: Baptists on Mission was crucial to the recovery in the tion.
OPERATION AIRDROP: Similarly, Operation Airdrop allows pilots to deliver supplies to areas hit hardest by the disaster. For more information, visit operation-airdrop.com/hurricane-helene.
FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER (SWAIN COUNTY): Provides family support services in Swain County. For more information, call 828.488.7505 or email swainfrc@gmail.com.
How to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Hurricane Helene
North Carolina homeowners and renters in 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.
FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging,
People have been looking for access to food and resources since the flood hit last Friday. Kyle Perrotti photo
ly to survivors. In addition, a simplified process and expanded eligibility allows North Carolinians access to a wider range of assistance and funds for serious needs.
What You’ll Need When You Apply:
• A current phone number where you can be contacted.
• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
• Your Social Security number.
• A general list of damage and losses.
• Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.
If you have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.
For the latest information about North Carolina’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4827. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
An ultramarathon, a book, a flood and a prayer
On the weekend of Sept. 20-21, I went to the Grindstone 100-Mile Ultramarathon at Natural Chimneys Park in Virginia, where my oldest son was a participant. 294 runners took part in this grueling ordeal. Of these, 168 finished the race in the required time of 36 hours.
That physical conditioning counts big-time in this event goes without saying, but mental and spiritual strength matter just as much, if not more. 43-year-old Mark Harris of Nashville, who has run several ultras, offered these thoughts: “You feel absolutely bulletproof and strong at times, and at other times your brain is doing its best to try and stop you. Pain and doubt creep in, and it’s endlessly fascinating to me the gymnastics one part of your brain will go through to try and convince you to stop. You need to squash those negative thoughts any way possible. The mental side of how you keep going is just as important as the physical training.”
On Monday, Sept. 23, I visited my local library looking for a couple of books and came across Ryan Holiday’s “Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control” (Portfolio, 2022, 352 pages). Arriving home, I flipped open the book and found myself instantly hooked, so much so that I intend to order a copy for each of my grown children and for myself as well. Perhaps having just returned from Grindstone played into this attraction. Though Holiday centers his attention on the virtue of temperance and self-control, the book is also a study in fortitude, about staying strong in the face of disaster and suffering. Holiday takes figures from history and the world of sports, like Winston Churchill, Lou Gehrig, Queen Elizabeth II and Martin Luther King Jr., blends them with personal anecdotes and stoic philosophy and gives readers superb advice on how practicing self-discipline and courage can guide us through hard times and disaster.
Say no to a second Trump term
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to LeRoy E. Cossette’s letter stating how bad a Harris presidency would be for the United States, dangerous even, since he (incorrectly) states she is a Marxist socialist.
Quite frankly, we have seen all we need to see of the two candidates, and I couldn’t disagree more with Mr. Cossette.
From the very first “Grab ‘em by the @%#$*” comment, which is on videotape for posterity, I viewed Trump as a mysogynistic, self-promoting, crooked, rude, insensitive, uneducated individual with a massively insecure ego. A person so out of touch with most Americans as to be laughable, a man whose past job titles include slumlord and TV huckster.
He has openly disrespected in the most vile ways differently abled people, women, veterans, and he doesn’t seem to understand the very simple concept of being biracial. An especially absurd chapter in his recent timeline is his selling Bibles (talk about a sacrilege) and talking about his “faith.”
He’s a train wreck, essentially, an admirer of dictators who wants to be one himself, and
One example Holiday brings to his book is Ernest Shackleton and his ill-fated 1915 Arctic expedition, when he and his entire crew had their ship destroyed by ice. They journeyed by life boats 350 miles to dry land, Elephant Island, where they appeared destined to die by starvation or exposure. Boldly, Shackleton and some of his men set out again in the boats, traveled more than 700 miles seeking help, and arrived safely on South Georgia Island. There he immediately raised monies for a ship and supplies, and eventually rescued the rest of his shipwrecked crew.
Not a man was lost in all these maneuverings.
Shackleton’s original ship was “Endurance.” His family motto was “Fortitudine vincimus.” By endurance we conquer.
Which brings me to the disaster and wreckage inflicted at the end of that same week on our communities, businesses, and homes here in the mountains.
The floodwaters brought by heavy rains and Hurricane Helene have cost many residents of Appalachia their homes, possessions, vehicles and livelihoods. Far worse, some people lost loved ones and acquaintances. If you are among these mourners, you have my heartfelt sympathies.
To move forward following such a horrific event of water, mud and fallen trees will not be easy. It will require the fortitude of those long-distance runners and the can-do attitude of a Shackleton. For some of you, the loss of meaningful possessions — pictures, letters, personal valuables — along with rebuilding your lives may bring a feeling of hopelessness. In
LETTERS
he proved it on Jan. 6, 2021, when he incited his supporters to desecrate our Constitution and our Capitol.
Apart from his obvious historical ignorance, frequent language flubs, acute bitterness and completely fabricated and “out there” conspiracy theories, the latest, his antiimmigrant rant (naturally, that’s about the only thing in his playbook lately) about Haitians eating house pets in Ohio, indicates that he is thoroughly unhinged.
Though Mr. Cossette criticized Harris’ polices, I have yet to hear Trump put forth a one, from his frequently referenced but never materialzing healthcare reform plan to any economic plans that are designed to benefit the middle class as opposed to the uberwealthy. Other than fomenting fear about what he perceives to be uncontrolled masses of scary, criminal, and “insane" immigrants and decrying our economy, where are the ideas? Where is any semblance of a wish to bring people together (it doesn’t exist)?
Mr. Cossette was also particularly bothered that Harris didn’t end all of her ideas with a “but not for immigrants” postscript and puts forth that she would abandon supply and demand economics. Apart from the fact that the latter assertion is untrue and he
times like these, stay strong, and remember that perseverance and heart can make all the difference in moving ahead.
“Does endurance always conquer?” asks Holiday in in his book. “Of course not. But nobody wins by throwing in the towel. Nobody wins with weakness.
“We will taste pain on this journey, that’s a fact. We will be given a million opportunities to stop, and a million reasons why that’s okay.
“But we can’t. And it’s not.
“We keep going.”
For those who came out of the flood without suffering damage, here’s your chance to shine as a morale booster for your neighbors. Consider adopting Mark Harris’s thoughts on how family and friends should support their ultramarathoners as they pass through the aid station during their run: “Absolutely bathe them in positivity. ‘You're doing great, you can do this.’ You're helping them to counterbalance the negative thoughts in their heads. Help the part of their brain that wants to get through this win over that part of the brain that wants to stop.”
One last word: From 1983 to 2016, Waynesville and then Asheville were home to me. I loved both places, and seeing the photos and videos of the damage done by the floodwaters in places like Frog Level and Lexington Avenue were sickening.
Someday my flesh and bones will return to Waynesville. I’ll be buried in Green Hill Cemetery alongside my wife, Kris. Engraved on our tombstone is a prayer: “Deus Vobiscum.” God be with you.
That’s my prayer for all of you, dear readers, in the days to come.
(Jeff Minick can be reached at minick0301@gmail.com.)
seems to be as fixated on the “immigrant” problem as the former president, it’s so ironic to me that he cites Harris as being inarticulate when compared to Trump. That is absolutely
laughable. He adds that she seems unable to speak without a teleprompter, while every time I see Trump, he could absolutely use one as he rambles on about all sorts of irrelevant things and goes off the rails (and topics at hand) routinely — all while sprinkling his comments liberally (pardon the pun) with lies
and bragging. I’d rather the teleprompter dependence, thanks. Trump is a disaster, a relic of an ugly past, completely devoid of any impulse control, and as hateful as they come. All one needs to do is look at his pinched face and permascowl. Harris is experienced in negotiation, articulate, even-tempered and steady, and in this for all the right reasons — to help America and
Americans grow, come together, and dream of a future that will offer everyone a piece of the proverbial apple pie. A second Trump presidency would be an unmitigated disaster for our country and the world.
Carolyn Kemmett Waynesville
Writer Jeff Minick
In the middle of an unimaginable tragedy
It’s hard to know what to write about when my mind is swirling in so many directions, as I’m sure most of yours are as well. As someone said, not only were the effects of Hurricane Helene on a mountain region improbable, they were unimaginable. When I was a little girl growing up in Weaverville, my mom told me that the mountains of Western North Carolina were the safest place to live because we were too far from the coast to get hit by the eye of a hurricane and that the mountains would protect us from tornados. When news broadcasts aired about far-off places experiencing natural disasters, I would always think, “But not, here. We are safe in WNC.” Now, those comforting motherly words have evaporated into the ether.
my parents had nothing except the outfits they’d been wearing that night. When we are worn down to a place that feels completely unmanageable and horribly hopeless, we must rely on our neighbors, friends and communities to help. So many people and organizations are willing and able to offer assistance, love, prayers, physical labor and monetary contributions during this tragedy. Even individuals and organizations from places very far away are sending supplies and monetary donations. Folks from around the entire globe have made precious memories in this part of North Carolina and the surrounding region. These mountains are beloved by so many and it will be a collective effort in heart, body and spirit to eventually rebuild.
My family is safe with water and power. We do not have internet or cell service, which is a very minor inconvenience compared to what others are enduring. My heart aches at the devastation that so many are currently managing. It was three days into this tragedy that we were able to see photos from neighboring communities and only then did we start to realize the complete devastation.
I’ve been relying on the radio for all information and have appreciated my colleague Cory Vaillancourt offering updates on Haywood County. From these broadcasts on WWNCAM, it’s clear that some people are still trapped in their homes behind washed out roads, driveways and bridges. Thousands are still without running water and power, and it sounds like many feel lonely and isolated like no one is coming to help them. I know it’s easy for me to say as I sit in a home with power and water, but I just want these people to know that help is com-
My parents’ house burned to the ground almost 20 years ago, and we lost everything. At the time, I was living with two roommates in a small house in West Asheville, so I had put all of my treasured keepsakes, photo albums, yearbooks and other memorabilia in my parents’ basement. It all burned. I vividly recall the look on my mom’s face when I arrived on scene. Her expression was a concoction of shock, fear and brokenness. For days, we could barely get her to talk or help us figure out next steps. The grief was overwhelming, and it took years for her and my dad to rebuild on a different site and resettle.
As I think of the families, individuals and communities who have lost everything as a result of Hurricane Helen, I imagine they are experiencing similar emotions to that of my parents when they lost everything, and even worse if they’ve lost a loved one. I want to tell these folks to lean on others during this time. That is what my family had to do when
Note: Many churches, businesses and other organizations in the area are organizing recovery efforts and are serving as receiving sites for needed supplies. First United Methodist Church in Waynesville is one of these locations. Items such as baby supplies, hygiene products, dog food, cat food, dry goods and canned foods can be dropped off at the Friendship House on the church’s campus. Orchard Coffee is serving as a gathering hub for charging phones and simply a place to be together. The Southern Loft is offering water to folks who bring their own containers. Long’s Chapel is serving warm meals on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Fri., Oct. 4 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. These are just the few places I’ve heard about from the minimal time I’ve been on social media. We’ve listed other resources in today’s paper.
Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media specialist who lives in Haywood County. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)
Susanna Shetley
Hazelwood Avenue in Waynesville. Micah McClure photo
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BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
The long road home
Putting the truck into park, my girlfriend, Sarah, and I finally returned to our quaint apartment in downtown Waynesville Monday evening. After a long journey from the North Carolina coast back to Haywood County this weekend, it’s been a whirlwind of emotions.
The streets were silent. No construction on the new Russ Avenue bridges around the corner. Most of the work in progress had been washed away on the lower bridge amid the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Helene. No noise of cars or the usual late afternoon traffic. Nobody walking the sidewalks. No barking dogs in the distance, either.
Unpacking the back of the pickup truck, we hauled numerous items into our humble abode. Two 24-packs of distilled water. Several cans of chili and various soups. Big tube of toothpaste. Large pack of toilet paper. Peanut butter. Box of crackers. Beef jerky. Bars of soap. Two bottles of wine. Case of Coors Light.
Enough to survive for the next few days, at least until this coming weekend when we can get a better picture of what may or may not come to pass with the laundry list of unknowns still facing Western North Carolina — all while the chaos continues to unfold in Asheville and surrounding communities in the wake of the worst natural disaster to ever happen in this region.
Merge onto I-26 West. Slow moving traffic. Fallen trees all up and down the highway. Nervous faces in the other cars we passed or who overtook us. The same expression on my face when I’d look into the rearview mirror. Myself constantly figuring out how much fuel I need to get home. How much fuel is left if we have to turn around and escape back to Charlotte?
Crossing the Asheville city limits. Another rainstorm hanging high over the
Locations owned by friends of mine. Spaces once curated with love and detail, now simply brick buildings washed out by Richland Creek.
Take a right onto Smathers and Sulphur Springs streets. Mosey on by Earl’s Automotive, a longtime blue-collar business. Vehicles on the racks. Floors covered with mud. Cars in the yard shuffled around due to floodwaters. A single Cadillac Deville wrapped around a tree and hanging into the creek. More dried mud along the normallybusy road. Nobody else around. Silence.
Piles of wet fabric, broken furniture, waterlogged rugs and garbage placed neatly on the sidewalk. Most notably, the house not far from Earl’s, where the homeowner works constantly on only Ford vehicles. His beautiful, early 1970s Ford Mustang safely parked away from the river. I couldn’t say the same
Earlier that day, we’d been lucky enough to fill up at a Charlotte gas station before jumping onto U.S. 74 and the uncertain trek to Interstate 26 West onward to I-40 West and the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. While the gas station was quiet, it was surreal to see folks fueling up casually, knowing damn well that wasn’t the case just a few counties over.
The fuel shortage was (and remains) real. By the time we hit Shelby, we began seeing signs of the madness in the foothills leading up to the full scale of things in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Stations with plastic bags on the gas pumps signaling no fuel. If there was any, then a line of cars around the block. Some of the tapped out stations still housed folks in the parking lot stuck on empty.
Constantly refreshing news updates and text messages on my cell phone before the tower service disappeared up U.S. 74 somewhere around Tryon. Pulling over in Columbus to see if more fuel could be acquired. Top off the tank. Nope. The sign on the door said, “Closed: No Power.” A lone vehicle and bystander in the parking lot trying to make phone calls in vain to figure out his next move.
lishments — either physically resilient to the massive floodwaters or now just an empty property to gather and remember, together.
Slide onto the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. The raindrops and cloud cover has now transitioned to an eerily-beautiful sunset. Blue, yellow and orange hues spill across the empty canvas of sky high atop the darkened silhouettes of ancient mountains who’ve witness innumerable natural disasters since their creation. Only time heals all, as they say: these peaks and valleys know this well.
With the truck unpacked, Sarah jumped into her car to check on her best friend in Clyde. We said goodbye, parting ways for the first time in days since this nightmare crept up upon all of us here in Southern Appalachia. Now alone, I decided to do what I always do when I’m anxious and restless: lace up my shoes and go for a run.
Trot across Russ Avenue and duck down toward Frog Level. By the time I was at the bottom of the hill, my shoes were traversing mud, dirt and rocks: leftover traces from the flooding just a few days ago. At the intersection of Depot and Commerce streets, I noticed piles of debris in front of every single business that got walloped by Helene.
again. Workers at Premier Magnesia converse on cigarette breaks outside while sweeping up more mud from the facility, brightly-lit and working its way through orders of Epsom salt to be send to every single corner of the planet. Slide by the destroyed businesses. Return to the apartment.
It’s now 7:47 p.m. and I just have one hour left to commiserate with others at the Water’n Hole Bar & Grill down the street: either stranded by circumstance merely awaiting word from officials as to a return to our regularly-scheduled program of daily life itself. Grab a barstool, order a Philly cheesesteak and sip on a cold Coors Light before the town-wide curfew kicks in at 9 p.m.
Swapping harrowing stories with others at the bar counter, word traveling into the bar from folks washed out again in Cruso, Bethel and Canton. Whole towns swept away in nearby counties. Despair and confusion in the heart of Asheville. Utilities still several days away from being repaired.
Hugs and handshakes with others wandering into the neighborhood establishment throughout the evening. Gratitude remains for time and place, friends and loved ones, now safe in this uncertain moment.
Jack Synder photo
Hurricane Helene recovery in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
TPark. Today, park staff are prioritizing assessments of high use roads and trails as well as radio repeaters and historic structures throughout the park.
Several park roads, including Newfound Gap Road/U.S. 441, remain closed. There are no current reopening estimates for closed roads. Visit the park website for a map of what’s open and closed.
Park staff and resources are currently limited at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Several park employees in both North Carolina and Tennessee are dealing with emergencies at home or are unable to drive to work due to closed roads. Multiple employees are also assisting the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding communities.
NCDOT offers update on I-40
From the Tennessee state line to about mile marker 4 of Interstate 40, the two eastbound lanes are either gone or partially gone. In addition, there are about three other damaged locations in an 11-mile stretch leading to Fines Creek Road (Exit 15).
NCDOT, local, state and federal officials are in the early stages of determining the best process to initiate repairs and begin re-construction of the interstate. Division 14 staff re-visited the site on Tuesday to begin planning emergency shoring plans to prevent additional damage. Those operations should begin within a week.
unpredictability of creek crossings, potential of downed trees and other hazardous trail conditions. Emergency services are currently stretched thin and have already responded to several incidents (many unrelated to the storm) in the last several days.
Visitors should also be mindful of closures and limited resources in some communities surrounding the park. Western North Carolina communities and Cocke County (Tennessee), in particular experienced significant flooding and have downed trees, damaged powerlines and limited
NCDOT, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and other officials are coordinating and will continue combined efforts to devise the most effective use of the remaining interstate. The same area suffered shoulder damage from high water in 2004.
emergencies only. Surrounding communities may have limited
• Foothills Parkway East.
• Kuwohi Road (formerly known as Clingmans Dome Road).
• Kuwohi Visitor Center.
• Lakeview Drive.
• Newfound Gap Road/U.S. 441.
• Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
• Parson Branch Road (due to Flint Gap Fire impacts).
• Smokemont Campground.
Additional updates will be shared on the park website.
Haywood Waterways hits septic repair milestone
Since 2006, Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) and the Haywood County Environmental Health Department, with grant funds, have repaired 200 failing septic systems in Haywood County through the Septic Repair Program.
Over the years, funding was made available from the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, NC Department of Environmental Quality 319 Program and Tennessee Valley Authority. These septic system repairs have prevented as much as 72,000 gallons per day of untreated human waste from getting into Haywood County streams.
Over the years, both HWA and the Environmental Health Department have hosted annual workshops to provide education about the proper use and maintenance of their septic sys-
tems, and what funding may be available. Currently no state program exists to assist homeowners with septic repairs and replacements since the removal of the WADE program in 2006. Haywood Waterways Association and the Haywood County Environmental Health Department are proud to offer this program, not available outside of the county and quickly becoming a model for neighboring counties to provide financial assistance to directly protect our waterways.
For more information, contact Haywood Waterways Association at 828.476.4667 or info@haywoodwaterways.org. Anyone who thinks their septic system may be failing can contact the Haywood County Environmental Health Department at 828.452.6682. Funding for this program is provided by the NC Department of Environmental Quality Section 319 Grant Program and the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.
File photo
InNNewsppapers
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE COUNTY OF JACKSON DISTRICT COURT DIVISION
FILE NO. 24CV001460490 HOMERO GARCIA Plaintiff,
v. NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
JULIE RENEE GARCIA Defendant,
Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:
Complaint for Absolute Divorce
You are required to make
defense to such pleading no later than November 9th, 2024 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.
This 18th day of September, 2024
NIELSEN LAW, PLLC Joshua D. Nielsen Attorney for Plaintiff 413 Walnut St Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 246-9360 (828) 229-7255 facsimile
Publication Dates: September 25th, October 2nd and October 9th, 2024
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.24E000482-430 Cleo Pace Rogers,
Executor of the Estate of Tommy Lee Rogers of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons hav-
ing claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Dec 25 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor 382 Chambers Cove Rd Canton, NC 28716
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.24E000311-430
Shandy Mathews, having
of the Estate of Alice Mathews of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Dec 11 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor 23 Whistle Rock Dr Clyde, NC 28721
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.24E001312-490
Brenda Dillard, having
of the Estate of Elizabeth Ann Chester of Jackson County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Dec 25 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor c/o Coward, Hicks & Siler 705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.23E171
James Andrew Heatley,
Executor of the Estate of Thomas Andrew Taulbee of Jackson County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Dec 25 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor
c/o Coward, Hicks and Siler, PA
705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.24 E 001535430
Susan Elingburg, having
of the Estate of Pamela A. Frederes of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons
having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Dec 11 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executrix 62 Southview Meadow Whittier NC 28789
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HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR
Mountain Projects is accepting applications for a full-time Human Resources Coordinator: Coordinates human resource activities and staff in the organization including but not limited to on boarding, assisting managers, assist with compliance with laws, etc. A job description is available upon request.
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included in this position: Matching Retirement Plan 13 paid holidays a year Annual and sick leave To be considered please apply at www. mountainprojects.org AA/ EOE
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PUBLISHER’S NOTICE
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise ‘any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination’. Familial status includes children under 18 living with parents or legal guardians and pregnant women. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate in violation of this law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.
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