North Carolina
How country music’s Eric Church is helping support Western North Carolina after Helene
Country singer Eric Church talks about his love for Western North Carolina
Country singer Eric Church talks about his love for area of Western North Carolina hard hit by Tropical Storm Helene
BANNER ELK – A few days after he performed at an epic concert that raised nearly $25 million for Western North Carolina, country music star Eric Church quietly toured Banner Elk with Gov. Roy Cooper, viewing Tropical Storm Helene damage and relief efforts.
“It’s the most special place in the world to me, the mountains of this area,” Church said.
Church grew up in Granite Falls and now spends about half the year in his Banner Elk home. He’s been helping support WNC since Helene hit, raising money and developing plans for long-term recovery.
Most notably, Church and fellow country singer/North Carolina native Luke Combs managed to quickly bring together acts like James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban and more for the “Concert for Carolina” on Oct. 26 in Charlotte. Over 80,000 people attended the Bank of America Stadium show, a news release said, which Church himself opened with “Hallelujah.”
“I’ve never played a show closer to my heart,” he told the audience.
The millions the concert raised will benefit Helene victims through nonprofits such as Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, as well as Church’s own nonprofit, Chief Cares.
Eric Church announces ‘Blueprint for Blue Ridge’ homebuilding effort
At the concert, Church announced another effort to help Helene victims: a Chief Cares initiative called “A Blueprint for the Blue Ridge” that will build 100 homes for families in Avery County and the surrounding area. He spoke about it Oct. 31 in Banner Elk.
Chief Cares is partnering with Clayton Homes for the project, he said, and a team will be in Avery County next week to locate suitable land.
“Once we deliver the land to them, they’ll put 100 homes in Avery County in 100 days,” he said of Clayton Homes.
There’s no construction timeline yet, and Church did not yet know how families will be selected for the homes.
Other goals of “Blueprint for the Blue Ridge” include addressing “longer-term needs like creating jobs, rebuilding schools, and supporting local businesses,” the Chief Cares website says.
In another long-term effort, Church is signing over the publishing royalties from his song “Darkest Hour,” his first solo song in over three years, to “the people of North Carolina,” a news release said.
“We’ve been helping with boots on the ground efforts, but this is something that will live beyond just the immediate recovery,” he said. “This is not a quick thing to fix, so hopefully ‘Darkest Hour’ will be able to contribute to that for a long time to come. This song goes to my home, North Carolina, now and forever.”
Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
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Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Fire crews are responding to a brush fire near Howard Gap Road in Hendersonville on Friday evening.
The fire is across the street from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and near the Highlands Square Shopping Center.
Henderson County Fire Marshal Glen Gillette said crews are fighting “blowdown from Helene.”
NEW WILDFIRES IGNITE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOREST AMID WORSENING DROUGHT
Around 11 p.m., the fire appears larger than it did an hour ago because crews are backburning, which refers to using fire to help control the wildfire.
Dana Fire Department Chief Jimmy Womack said that what was a 3-acre fire an hour ago will be an 8-acre fire due to back burning. He said the fire is 80% contained.
Womack said the cause of the fire is unknown, but one of the conditions contributing to the blaze is the Helene blowdown.
“There’s a lot of blowdown in these woods behind us. That’s what creates most of the problem,” said Womack.
Womack said there has been no property damage and no injuries have been reported for this fire in the woods that 24 personnel are fighting. They got the call to arrive at 6:05 p.m.
LOCAL NEWS
Dana Fire and Rescue and Henderson County Fire Department are supporting the U.S. Forest Service with this fire.
Glen said no structures are threatened at this time and Howard Gap Road is closed.
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This story will be updated as new information is discovered.
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