North Carolina
‘Our roots run deep’: Winter Lights returns to North Carolina Arboretum, delighting visitors
See Winter Lights from above the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville
Drone view of Winter Lights Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville
ASHEVILLE — The North Carolina Arboretum had just more than six weeks after Tropical Storm Helene wreaked havoc and downed thousands of trees on its 434-acre campus to try and pull off its biggest annual fundraiser, Winter Lights, but the team pulled it off.
Though there was some uncertainty whether the event would take place this year after Helene, Winter Lights opened Nov. 15, one of Western North Carolina’s first signal of a return to the traditions and routines families took part in prior to Helene’s floods Sept. 27.
According to Drake Fowler, the North Carolina Arboretum’s executive director, when the Arboretum team made it back to the site to assess the damage, there were roughly 600 downed trees near the entrance alone.
“Two days after the storm, horticulture showed up and basically with chainsaws, they cut into our property,” Fowler said. “The first thing they did was clear Wesley Branch Road, which was pretty much blocked. The community was out cheering them on, and that allowed supplies to get in to us.”
In all, Fowler and the Arboretum team estimate there are roughly 10,000 downed trees throughout the property.
Return of Winter Lights ‘a huge milestone’ for Arboretum
Due to the extensive damage, Fowler said staff wondered whether Winter Lights would be able to go on.
“There was definitely some doubt whether we were going to even have a chance at a show,” Fowler said. “But with the Army Corps’ help, and with just our staff, we repurposed staff and people that normally do not hang Christmas lights were hanging Christmas lights to make it happen. So, it’s a huge milestone for our organization.”
Fowler said the Arboretum staff typically begins preparing for Winter Lights the first week of September, but Helene forced the team to start over again, having only six weeks of prep time, compared to the usual 10 to 12 weeks.
Winter Lights accounts for 25% of the nonprofit organization’s operating income, Fowler said.
“So, in a way, we had to have the show move forward.”
Winter Lights is in its 11th season and will run through Dec. 31.
Winter Lights is a walk-through experience in and around the gardens and admission is per vehicle. Tickets are $40 per vehicle. According to the Arboretum, 428 tickets were sold Saturday night, with about three to four people per vehicle.
Fowler said Winter Lights is an important tradition for a lot of families during the holidays, and affords people an opportunity to participate in customs that feel familiar, even if this year may feel different than years past.
“I think just not having one other thing cancelled was a great relief to a lot of people in the community,” he said. “There’s certain things that just aren’t open. It’s an outdoor walking show, it feels good to be outside and be with other people in an area that just kind of feels normal.
“A big part of our emphasis is, ‘Let’s make this a joyful event.’ For the most part, we just want it to be an escape, a place to feel normal and celebrate the holidays.”
That’s exactly what Saturday night’s show was for hundreds of visitors. Under a full moon, kids squealed at thousand-light displays and ran through sparkling tunnels.
Below a shining Christmas tree, Jessica Shelton sat with her daughter Reese, who sipped hot chocolate. Shelton and her husband brought their three kids to the Arboretum to celebrate their six-year-old son’s birthday.
“It’s just nice to have a little joy after all the area has experienced,” said Shelton, who said their home did not sustain damage from Helene.
Nearby, visitors wrote down their wishes for the holiday on paper and hung them like ornaments on small fir trees.
Be kind. Play soccer. Have Fun. one read. Another wish: PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE OF WNC.
The Arboretum staff has been intentional about incorporating the experience of Helene into this year’s Winter Lights event.
“We had these beautiful Lacebark Elms that came down in the hurricane, and we’ve left them as basically like a tribute, and we’ve lit them with white light for hope,” Fowler said. “Our staff took some of the debris, and there’s a great photo opportunity that says, ‘Our roots run deep,’ and there’s a big heart made out of the wood rounds that we’ve collected.”
Beginning Oct. 28, the Arboretum welcomed guests back to the main gardens, its Education Center and Baker Exhibit Center.
Winter Lights allows guests to walk through gardens once again
While trails remain closed, Winter Lights offers attendees the opportunity to take part in a walking tour of the gardens, though.
This year’s Winter Lights theme is the four seasons.
“The sub-theme is that this area is strong and resilient, and we’re moving forward,” the executive director said.
According to Fowler, part of the show is typically focused on nature and seeing the gardens in a new light.
“We try to make the show really artful,” Fowler said. “There are some traditional elements, but a lot of times we’re trying to do new things and just bring different kinds of colors that you wouldn’t typically see in a holiday show.”
Families impacted, displaced by Helene are honored
Additionally, Winter Lights has rolled out a program to honor local families impacted or displaced by Helene, Share the Wonder.
“For folks who are out of town, or for people who are here and maybe want to pay it forward, you can buy tickets and we’re working with local nonprofits to get those to families that were impacted by Helene,” Fowler said.
“So, you can buy a ticket for some family that wouldn’t normally be able to come, or who has been displaced. For staff to figure out all the logistics out and the IT behind it, and come up with a great name, it’s just really fantastic.”
As Saturday night went on, volunteer and “fire rover” Jim Sparks sat by one fire pit watching the crowd.
“I’m amazed that this looks as good as it does, given how bad things are and have been,” said Sparks, who has volunteered at the event with his wife the last three years.
Their reason for coming back and volunteering?
“Because we’re grandparents, and our grandkids are in Boston,” he said. Winter Lights at the Arboretum — and church — he said, are the places filled with families that remind them of their own.
Bridget Fogarty is a journalist with the USA TODAY Network reporting for the Asheville Citizen Times in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene.
CHARLOTTE, NC (WCNC) – North Carolina is becoming a leader in artificial intelligence adoption among businesses – ranking ninth in the nation, according to a new LendingTree report. Over 22% of businesses in the state already utilize AI, with many more planning to incorporate it in the near future.
“I’m not surprised at all that North Carolina ranks high on the list in part because it’s a tech-forward state,” said Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst with LendingTree. “There is a lot of financial institutions in that state and no one should be surprised that NC is on the cutting edge with using AI in businesses.”
The report also sheds light on the implications of AI for the workforce. Generative AI usage makes up around 85% of overall AI business usage. Most companies are using the technology for repetitive tasks such as summarizing information, analyzing data, drafting content, or assisting with customer service.
Large companies are leading the way in AI usage. Businesses with over 250 employees use AI at a rate of 37.3% while companies with fewer than five employees use AI at a rate of 19%.
Charles Gaddy was tuna fishing with his dad on Sunday, more than 40 miles northeast of Oregon Inlet, when he saw something he’d never seen before.
“I was just looking in the water, seeing if, you know, any birds or anything, and I see this big gray fish with white dots,” said Gaddy. “Just from reading books and watching movies as a kid, I was like, ‘that’s got to be a whale shark.’”
The 18-year-old said they circled it. He grabbed his GoPro camera and started recording.
“It’s just sitting there, swimming beside us. It really, truly was amazing,” said Gaddy.
Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish. They’re currently listed as endangered by the Union for the Conservation of Nature.
In the Western Atlantic, whale sharks are primarily found in the Gulf and throughout the Caribbean, according to Eric Hoffmayer, a research fishing biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service. He said they’ve seen numerous whale sharks make their way up the Gulf Stream, ending up in the New England area in late summer and early fall.
“We had an animal last year that we tagged off Tampa and within a month was off New York, and cruised right past North Carolina about this time of year,” said Hoffmayer. “It’s not unheard of, but it’s not real common either.”
Gaddy recognized how lucky he was to experience a sighting.
“To be able to see one in person, especially locally, it’s very truly amazing,” said Gaddy. “It’s no doubt a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m no doubt very blessed.”
If you do encounter a whale shark in the wild, Hoffmayer said, you need to be careful if you’re in a boat because they spend a lot of time at the surface. If you get in the water, keep a safe distance.
“Most people I’ve talked to who have encountered whale sharks, it’s like a life-changing experience,” said Hoffmayer. “It’s really cool to see an animal that large in the wild doing its thing.”
You can report whale shark sightings to the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Fisheries Research and Development. If you’re able to capture a good picture of a whale shark, you can see if it matches one already in a database by uploading the photo and information about the sighting online.
OMAHA, Neb. — The championship series is set. And without a doubt, the two hottest teams, North Carolina and Oklahoma, are paired to play for a national title at the College World Series.
There was no backing into the finals for these squads, one that looked like a contender all season and one that did not until two weeks ago.
North Carolina (53-12-1) and Oklahoma (41-22) swept through opposite brackets at Charles Schwab Field. UNC punctuated its three-game run with a 12-7 victory Wednesday against West Virginia. OU followed by defeating Georgia, the regular-season and postseason SEC champ, 11-4.
Iconic brands in college sports, the Tar Heels and Sooners will meet Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in the opening game of a best-of-three series.
North Carolina seeks its first national championship in baseball. It lost in the finals in 2006 and 2007. Oklahoma has won two crowns, most recently in 1994, and it lost in the finals in 2022.
LET’S PLAY FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/588pVssfOR
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) June 18, 2026
“It really hasn’t set in yet,” said UNC second baseman Gavin Gallaher, who was 4 for 5 on Wednesday with four RBIs. “After the game, we shook hands, and I was just kind of walking around, looking up in the stands, looking at my family, just kind of speechless, to be honest.”
The Tar Heels were seeded fifth in the 64-team field announced on Memorial Day. In Omaha, they have not trailed by more than one run — and for just three innings. North Carolina’s pitching staff, on maximum rest during its stay in Omaha, is set up well for the weekend.
Junior ace starter Jason DeCaro, who worked 6 2/3 innings Friday, enters the championship series in position to start the opener. Star freshman Caden Glauber, who was needed for 2 1/3 innings Wednesday afternoon as WVU mounted a comeback, has thrown only 54 pitches in the CWS. The Tar Heels are 28-0 this year when Glauber appears in a game. He’s won 11 decisions without a loss.
Sixth-year coach Scott Forbes took over in 2021 for Mike Fox, who brought North Carolina to the CWS seven times. Bids for a first national title fell short in 2006 and 2007 against Oregon State in the championship series.
Forbes joined Fox’s staff before that 2006 season as a 31-year-old pitching coach.
“I’m trying not to get emotional,” Forbes said, “just thinking about that team and Coach Fox giving me the opportunity. I wasn’t the popular hire at the time. There were a lot bigger names. I had never been a pitching coach. But Coach Fox saw something in me and gave me that opportunity.”
Oklahoma returns to the championship series for the second time in five years. It lost to Ole Miss in 2022. The Rebels that year were the first team to win a championship with a losing record in conference play.
OU is attempting to become the second.
Coach Skip Johnson’s team finished 14-16 in the SEC and lost four consecutive league series to close the regular season. But the Sooners clawed back in Regional play, winning two elimination games at Georgia Tech, the No. 2 overall seed.
OU swept Kansas in a Super Regional and beat SEC foes Alabama and Georgia before it won the rematch Wednesday night against the Bulldogs.
The Sooners remade their pitching rotation in the postseason to ride three true freshmen: left-hander Cord Rager, a season-long starter, Xander Mercurius and Nick Wesloski. The latter duo had combined to start four games this season before they both beat the Bulldogs, who came to Omaha with the most powerful lineup in college baseball.
Wesloski fired 5 2/3 innings Wednesday and struck out four, one off his career high.
Rager and Mercurius have inspired Wesloski, he said.
“Seeing the way they dominated and they carry themselves,” he said, “those guys are just elite. Watching them go about their process has made me a better pitcher. Those guys look unstoppable, unbeatable. It’s added to my confidence level. They influence me a ton.”
OU got hot at the plate, too. In eliminating Georgia, it homered five times, including two apiece by Jason Walk and Dasan Harris. Before Wednesday, Walk had hit four bombs in 200 at-bats; Harris had four in 137 at-bats.
Twenty-five of Oklahoma’s 90 home runs this year have come in 10 postseason games.
It pays to get hot at the right time.
“You’re looking at a baseball team, a selfless baseball team that’s really fun to be around,” said Johnson, the ninth-year OU coach. “Hopefully, I can just stay out of the way the next two or three games.”
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