North Carolina

North Carolina residents defy hurricane aftermath on first day of early voting

Published

1 year ago

October 18, 2024

North Carolina residents defy hurricane aftermath on first day of early voting

Turnout for early in-person voting has started strongly in the presidential battleground of North Carolina, including in mountainous areas where deadly Hurricane Helene destroyed property and upended lives but apparently did not dampen a fierce desire to participate in elections.

More than 400 early voting sites opened as scheduled on Thursday for the 17-day period, including all but four of the 80 sites previously anticipated for the 25 western counties hardest hit by the storm, said the executive director of the state board of elections, Karen Brinson Bell. She credited election workers – including volunteers affected by the severe weather – emergency management officials and utility crews.

“I know that thousands of North Carolinians lost so much in this storm. Their lives will never be the same after this tragedy,” Brinson Bell told reporters in Asheville, the region’s population center and a city devastated by the historic rainfall. “But one thing Helene did not take from western North Carolinians is the right to vote in this important election.”

Helene’s arrival in the US south-east three weeks ago decimated remote towns throughout Appalachia and killed at least 246 people, with a little over half of the storm-related deaths in North Carolina. It was the deadliest hurricane to hit the US mainland since Katrina in 2005 and the deadliest overall in the US since Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017.

Several dozen who died in North Carolina were from Buncombe county, where Asheville is located. Thousands in western North Carolina still lack power or clean running water.

But that didn’t stop many from voting. About 60 people – most bundled up in jackets, hats and gloves for the chilly weather – lined up to cast a ballot at the South Buncombe library in Asheville before the polls even opened at 9am on Thursday.

Among them was 77-year-old Joyce Rich, who said Helene made early voting more urgent for her. Rich said while her house was largely spared by the storm, she and her husband still need to do some work on it. Meanwhile, family members who don’t have power or water access are coming over to take showers.

“We decided, let’s just get it finished,” Rich said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

In Polk county, an area along the South Carolina border that was also hit by Helene, the parking lot of the county elections board was so packed with early voters that an election worker was forced to direct traffic, with storm debris still evident.

Voter Joanne Hemmingway, who spent 10 days without power in her home near Tryon, had always planned to vote early, and was thankful that election officials were able to still pull it off after Helene struck.

“Not having it? That never crossed my mind,” Hemmingway said.

In adjoining Henderson county, officials closed lanes on a major highway to help move election traffic, and golf carts ferried voters from an auto parts store parking lot to the county’s lone voting site.

There, voter Michael Dirks said he found himself looking forward to voting after Helene, figuring it would be an important milestone in “getting back to normal, whatever that might turn out to be”.

In some places, voters stood in line for at least an hour.

Officials in the 25 counties affected by the storm were still evaluating election day polling locations, with the “vast majority” expected to be available to voters, Brinson Bell said. So far, officials have requested tents for about a dozen sites, she added.

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North Carolina

Shark strandings reported along North Carolina coast

Published

6 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Press Room

Shark strandings reported along North Carolina coast

NORTH CAROLINA- Reports of sharks washing up on North Carolina beaches are on the rise, according to a local conservation group.

The North Carolina Shark Conservancy says it’s received multiple calls in recent days about stranded sharks along the coast.

Right now, the group is working with towns and local officials to figure out the best way to handle the animals, especially those that are already dead.

They say they’re also in the process of training volunteers so they can respond to strandings in person in the near future.

In the meantime, the conservancy is asking for patience as they organize those efforts and continue tracking reports coming in.

They’re also reminding the public not to touch or interact with any sharks found on the beach. Many of the species are protected—even after death—and disturbing them could be illegal.

If you spot a stranded shark, you’re asked to report it by calling or texting the group’s hotline at 252-216-2810.

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North Carolina

Applications open for $221M Helene disaster grant for North Carolina farmers

Published

18 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Applications open for 1M Helene disaster grant for North Carolina farmers

HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — The application window is now open for a $221 million federal disaster block grant for farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Terry Kelley, director of N.C. Cooperative Extension in Henderson County, said the grant was made possible through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The money was allocated to the state last year, and on March 30, the USDA and the state’s Department of Agriculture opened the grant application period.

“This is additional help for farmers in the area affected by Helene, and it’s going to cover some specific things,” Kelley said.

The program covers four categories of eligible losses: infrastructure damage, market losses, future economic losses and timber losses.

USDA DISASTER BLOCK GRANT APPLICATIONS OPEN SOON FOR HELENE-AFFECTED FARMERS

“The apple trees that were lost, basically washed away,[…] were in full production. I mean, it’s going to take growers four or five years to get those trees back into production,” Kelley said.

Since Helene, Kelley said that farmers have received a little over $450 million from the state, and now $221 million in federal dollars on top of that.

“That sounds like a huge figure. I mean, it sounds like it’s big, but you’re looking at around $650 million, but Henderson County had around [a] $135 million loss, $135 to $150 million loss,” Kelley added.

FILE – Crops and farm land in Henderson County, North Carolina. (Photo: WLOS Staff)

He said they’re still running behind, with only being at 10% or so recovery, and farmers are still hurting. So, this grant application is an opportunity to get some money back.

News 13 took a trip to McConnell Farms in Henderson County, where farmer Danny McConnell said the last 18 months have been somewhat difficult.

“September 27th will live in my mind for many, many years to come,” he said.

McConnell said he filled out his grant application on Monday. While it’s a lengthy application, he encouraged all farmers to take the time to fill it out.

NEW DHS SECRETARY MARKWAYNE MULLIN VISITS WNC TO HIGHLIGHT STORM RELIEF EFFORTS

Kelley said that, as far as he knows, this is the last opportunity to get recovery money from Helene.

“Is it going to be the kind of money that changes lives? No, probably not. But maybe it’s going to be the kind of money that will at least help bridge the gap to get people back on solid ground,” he said.

Kelley said that with a natural disaster like Hurricane Helene, recovery will take years, but he’s hopeful that little by little, they can help get people back to close to where they were before the storm.

The goal is for all farmers to be aware that help is out there. Kelley said you can fill out the application online or go to your local extension office for help.

For more details on how to apply, visit the link here.

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North Carolina

Major Differences in 2026 Spring Camp For NC State

Published

1 day ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Major Differences in 2026 Spring Camp For NC State

RALEIGH — Throughout March, NC State football returned to its practice fields and began its preparations for the 2026 season. Things were very different for Dave Doeren and his staff this spring compared to a year ago for several unique reasons, but most of them were positive ones.

The Wolfpack had many different newcomers to integrate this season, both from the transfer portal and the recruiting class, but it seemed to go seamlessly in spring camp for Doeren and the coordinators. Continuity and a veteran presence helped NC State feel as though it could be in for a very successful 2026 season, potentially cracking that 10-win mark for the first time under Doeren.

No new coordinators

NC State defensive coordinator DJ Eliot coaches during a practice. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

During the 2025 offseason, Doeren embarked on a major overhaul of his coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson left the Wolfpack for a head coaching position at Marshall, with DJ Eliot replacing him during the offseason. Doeren elevated quarterback coach Kurt Roper to offensive coordinator to replace Robert Anae after a rough 2024 campaign.

The changes at both coordinator spots meant spring football was a bit of a mess, with two new schemes going in and the entire team learning the new systems. The complete defensive overhaul became even more difficult due to a surplus of injuries, which shortened the roster significantly. That forced Eliot and Doeren to explore the spring transfer portal for players like Cian Slone and Sabastian Harsh. With that window gone, NC State adjusted to its new reality in 2026.

NC State offensive coordinator Kurt Roper watches the Wolfpack. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

Eliot, Roper and Doeren all explained how much easier things were with the schemes installed this offseason, as there were enough players around from the 2025 season to teach some of the tendencies and points of emphasis on the field where the coaches can’t always communicate.

Doeren still finds himself coaching more of the basics than he did before the transfer portal era, but it’s been an easier adjustment than anticipated for the veteran head coach. It also seems to be igniting a new fire as he heads into his 14th season, something that became particularly evident when he shot down retirement rumors during the 2025 campaign.

Experienced transfers

NC State WR Joshisa “JoJo” Trader stretches during a practice with the Wolfpack during the spring term. | Photo credit: @joshisathe1 (X)

The other part of spring camp that made coaching easier for Doeren, Eliot and Roper was the fact that many of the transfers the team brought in had extensive experience already. JoJo Trader, Popo Aguirre and Chance Robinson all played for the Miami Hurricanes, contributing to varying degrees to a deep College Football Playoff run. Harvey Dyson also played in the CFP with Tulane.

Translating a playbook to players already accustomed to playing at a very high level is much easier than teaching it to an entirely new group, as the Wolfpack had a year ago. The hope is that those veteran players will help NC State take another step, rather than just maintaining the position they finished in at the end of the 2025 season.

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