WEATHER ALERT
Whistleblower sounds alarm about destruction of tribal sites in North Carolina
Read full article: Whistleblower sounds alarm about destruction of tribal sites in North CarolinaA career archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service says managers have been engaging in irresponsible and illegal behavior that has resulted in damage to Native American sites across the forested slopes of North Carolina.
Boil water advisories can be confusing. Here are some safety tips from experts
Read full article: Boil water advisories can be confusing. Here are some safety tips from expertsThe city of Asheville has restored running water to most of its users nearly a month after Hurricane Helene damaged infrastructure and killed more than 200 people around the region.
In Asheville, high school seniors make key life choices under the stress of Helene recovery
Read full article: In Asheville, high school seniors make key life choices under the stress of Helene recoveryHigh school seniors in Asheville are grappling with several important life decisions as they still recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on their region.
After hurricane, with no running water, residents organize to meet a basic need
Read full article: After hurricane, with no running water, residents organize to meet a basic needIt takes water to flush a toilet yet tens of thousands of North Carolinians have been without it since Hurricane Helene ripped through the state three weeks ago.
Many schools are still closed weeks after Hurricane Helene. Teachers worry about long-term impact
Read full article: Many schools are still closed weeks after Hurricane Helene. Teachers worry about long-term impactTens of thousands of students in the Southeast are dealing with school disruptions after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc so severe — on homes, campuses and municipal power and water systems — that some districts have no idea when they will reopen.
God’s Pit Crew to head to Asheville to rebuild homes, distribute supplies
Read full article: God’s Pit Crew to head to Asheville to rebuild homes, distribute suppliesDanville based aid group God’s Pit Crew has helped with natural disaster recovery around the country for the last twenty-five years, but now they’re helping their next-door neighbors recover from Helene.
FEMA administrator continues pushback against false claims as Helene death toll hits 230
Read full article: FEMA administrator continues pushback against false claims as Helene death toll hits 230The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene.
Well-known Asheville music tradition returns in a sign of hopefulness after Helene
Read full article: Well-known Asheville music tradition returns in a sign of hopefulness after HeleneA well-known Asheville musical tradition has returned in a sign of hopefulness a week after Helene battered the mountain city.
When will the power return? Weary Carolinas residents long for relief after Helene's fury
Read full article: When will the power return? Weary Carolinas residents long for relief after Helene's furyNearly 700,000 homes and businesses in the U.S. Southeast are still without power more than a week after Hurricane Helene blew through the region.
Key swing state faces 'daunting' level of uncertainty after storm ravages multiple counties
Read full article: Key swing state faces 'daunting' level of uncertainty after storm ravages multiple countiesNorth Carolina election officials say they will do everything in their power to ensure that voters in the crucial presidential swing state will be able to cast their ballots despite the devastation of Hurricane Helene only about a month before the November election.
Supplies arrive by plane and by mule in North Carolina as Helene's death toll tops 130
Read full article: Supplies arrive by plane and by mule in North Carolina as Helene's death toll tops 130The death toll after Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction across the U.S. Southeast has reached at least 133.
Tropical Weather Latest: US Southeast struggles to recover in Hurricane Helene's aftermath
Read full article: Tropical Weather Latest: US Southeast struggles to recover in Hurricane Helene's aftermathMany areas of the U.S. Southeast are struggling to recover from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene.
Death toll rises from Helene while supplies are rushed to North Carolina and Florida digs out
Read full article: Death toll rises from Helene while supplies are rushed to North Carolina and Florida digs outAuthorities are struggling to get supplies to isolated areas across the U.S. Southeast in the wake of Hurricane Helene and the death toll from the storm is rising.
A rare copy of the US Constitution went missing for centuries. Now it's being auctioned for millions
Read full article: A rare copy of the US Constitution went missing for centuries. Now it's being auctioned for millionsA rare copy of the U.S. Constitution that was signed and sent to states to ratify is up for auction later this month in North Carolina.
Alvarez helps Mercer defeat VMI, gain 1st SoCon title game
Read full article: Alvarez helps Mercer defeat VMI, gain 1st SoCon title gameASHEVILLE, N.C. – Neftali Alvarez scored 23 points, making a trio of 3-pointers, and seventh-seeded Mercer defeated Southern Conference tournament upstart VMI 73-59 in the semifinal round. After upsetting second-seeded Wofford in the quarterfinals, Mercer (18-10) will meet top-seeded UNC Greensboro in Monday’s championship game. The Bears have reached the semifinals once before in 2015, but never the title game. Myles Lewis led the Keydets with 24 points on 10 of 16 shooting and also pulled down 14 rebounds. Mercer’s bench also proved to be a factor, tallying 20 points to VMI’s three points from the reserves.
Late comeback gives VMI upset win in SoCon Quarterfinals
Read full article: Late comeback gives VMI upset win in SoCon QuarterfinalsASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jake Stephens scored 25 points as VMI narrowly beat Furman 91-90 in overtime in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference tournament. Greg Parham added 21 points and Trey Bonham had 14 points for VMI. Myles Lewis added 13 points. Noah Gurley scored a career-high 30 points plus seven rebounds and seven assists for the Paladins. The wins puts VMI in the SoCon semifinals for the first time since 2003.
Tar Heels sorry for breaching COVID-19 protocols
Read full article: Tar Heels sorry for breaching COVID-19 protocols(AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek, File)North Carolina players apologized Tuesday for not following school and athletic department COVID-19 guidelines during a celebratory gathering after a win at rival Duke. “Our intention was to celebrate privately within our group,” the players and managers said in a statement released by the school. “But they realize they did make a mistake, for which they are paying a very significant price,” Williams said. The Tar Heels (12-6, 7-4 ACC), who have won seven of nine, are scheduled to visit ninth-ranked Virginia on Saturday. “We have worked too hard for eight months doing the right things to make those kinds of mistakes at this point in the season,” the players and managers said.
Earth’s hottest September on record was in 2020
Read full article: Earth’s hottest September on record was in 2020ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Last week, we told you that the Arctic saw its second-lowest sea ice minimum on record in September. That mark beats out September 2015 and 2016, which were previously tied as the hottest on record. BREAKING: Earth just had its hottest #September on record, according to @NOAA #climate scientists. What's more, 2020 is on track to rank among the world's hottest years ever recorded. 2020 as a whole will likely end as a top three hottest year on record.
August 2020 was the second-hottest across the globe, according to NOAA
Read full article: August 2020 was the second-hottest across the globe, according to NOAAAsheville, N.C. – Following the second-hottest July on record globally, NOAA has released their climate report for August and it’s another month for the record books! Just in: The Northern Hemisphere just had its hottest summer on record and #August 2020 ended as 2nd hottest for the globe, per @NOAANCEIclimate. https://t.co/HtyrJLYary #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/mzxjW6cpqd — NOAA (@NOAA) September 14, 2020One of the most amazing, but sobering stats they included in the report? The report also includes stats for meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere and details about the continued decline of Arctic sea ice. For a local perspective, we recapped southwest and central Virginia’s hot and wet summer in last week’s weather newsletter.
Animal shelter says “world’s worst cat” is up for adoption
Read full article: Animal shelter says “world’s worst cat” is up for adoptionBAKERSVILLE, N.C. – The “world's worst cat” is available for adoption — just ask the Mitchell County Animal Rescue organization in North Carolina. The shelter about 55 miles (89 kilometers) northeast of Asheville is waiving adoption fees in the hope that someone will take the cat named Perdita off their hands. The group says on its Facebook page, “We thought she was sick. Her Facebook post has drawn thousands of “likes” — and a followup post says more than 50 applications to adopt her have been submitted. One person wrote on the shelter’s Facebook page that they hoped Perdita finds “the goth home of her dreams.” The shelter replied, “Us too ... like soon.”
Lord of the Rings fans build themed Airbnb
Read full article: Lord of the Rings fans build themed AirbnbASHEVILLE, NC – A couple in North Carolina is building an Airbnb “to rule them all.”Mike Parrish and his wife are building a ‘Hobbit Hole’ home based on the ones in the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” books and movies. It includes a Hobbit Hole’s signature round wood door. “I’m not just a casual fan, I’m a huge fan," said Parrish. "We’re coming up with what we hope will be the coolest hobbit home on the east coast.”The hobbit hole home is expected to be finished in about two months. Parrish and his wife haven’t decided how much they’ll charge per night to stay there.