North Carolina
Popular North Carolina destinations still working to recover from Hurricane Helene's impact
HURRICANE HELENE NC RECOVERY
This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached a milestone in western North Carolina, removing 5 million cubic yards of debris.
Hurricane Helene devastated towns across the south in September, causing record rainfall and triggering historic flooding.
Seven months later, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is still on the ground leading the clean-up effort in western North Carolina – one of those towns being Lake Lure.
A waterpark in the town, which would normally be busy prepping for its peak season, currently has no running water to fill pools or operate watersides as water has been cut off, so that debris can be removed.
Engineer George Minges said there is close to ten feet of debris under the silt and sand in some areas of Lake Lure.
NORTH CAROLINA TOWN DESTROYED BY HURRICANE HELENE HOPING TO WELCOME TOURISTS BACK BY MIDSUMMER
Hurricane Helene left a waterpark destroyed when it wreaked havoc in western North Carolina, and the park remains closed as the area prepares for peak summer season. (FOX News)
“It’s this avalanche of soil and trees and rocks and homes. All these came down the river here and were deposited in the lakes,” Minges said.
USACE Col. Brad Morgan said his team has spent months cleaning fragments of storm-damaged trees and other debris from waterways.
“At least 75% of the storm-generated debris from Hurricane Helene had found its way into some type of waterway within Western North Carolina,” Morgan said. “We’ve got some specialized equipment we brought in from the Gulf of America. It’s been out here working since November.”
The USACE has also cleared roadways and is still hauling debris from homes and businesses.
This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached a milestone in western North Carolina, removing 5 million cubic yards of debris. (FOX News)
“We probably have 7,000 private property parcels that we’ll clean up. L.A. has about 9,000. So just that one part of this disaster response is equal in the size of that of L.A.,” Morgan said.
HURRICANE HELENE CLEANUP IN EAST TENNESSEE FACES STIFF DEADLINE
Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett said the town relied on contractors for the first three weeks, but the USACE has brought the town much further along.
“With the Army Corps of Engineers, they actually began three weeks after Helene, and it was a God-send. We would not be where we are today, truthfully, without them,” Pritchett said.
Pritchett said the town has a great emergency management plan in place for hurricanes, but the power of Hurricane Helene was unexpected.
“We had a great emergency plan,” Pritchett said. “It was based on and predicted on what the general perspective of what a hurricane has always meant to someone in these western North Carolina mountains … This was just not that hurricane.”
Workers have been clearing debris from storm-damaged trees for months. (FOX News)
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The Army Corps of Engineers has removed more than 5 million cubic yards of debris in western North Carolina since helping with clean-up efforts in the area. Officials said the goal is to remove all debris by July.
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a young program across the board next season, with well over two dozen freshmen and numerous additions from the transfer portal this offseason. Expectations for the 2026 season are lowered dramatically after a disastrous first season for head coach Bill Belichick, though those expectations could help the Tar Heels fly under the radar.
As the Tar Heels approach the end of spring ball, it is time to look at the veterans of the team—the ones who have the experience to lead, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s look at three underrated seniors for the 2026 football season.
Ade Willie, Cornerback
Willie joins the Tar Heels program after four years with Michigan State, as the former 4-star player in the 2022 recruiting class gets an opportunity to not only provide depth to the secondary, but potentially start Week 0 against TCU.
Willie played in over 30 games with the Spartans and brings experience in the secondary at cornerback and safety, along with quality length and closing speed to the football. For a defense that needs players to step up, the redshirt senior from IMG Academy will be asked to do so.
Isaiah Johnson, Defensive Lineman
The defensive line is beginning to look like one of the Tar Heels’ strengths for the 2026 season. Johnson, a former transfer from Arizona, enters his redshirt senior year looking to add another year of production after 40 tackles and two sacks this past season.
North Carolina has an impressive group of starters with Malkart Abou-Jaoude, Leroy Jackson, and incoming transfer Jaylen Harvey. Johnson adds value to the group as a run defender with the ability to penetrate the pocket. While not discussed as a key player, Johnson’s name will be used plenty during the regular season as a potential standout for the program’s defensive front.
Coleman Bryson, Safety
Bryson was a reserve player for the Tar Heels’ secondary last season as a big nickel defender in the rotation. Heading into his redshirt senior year, the former Minnesota Gopher is looking to become a full-time starter in the secondary.
It wasn’t long ago when Bryson was making plays as the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl Defensive MVP. His special teams abilities were valuable for North Carolina last season, and he flashed at times in coverage against tight ends, including a pass breakup in the season-opener against TCU. The Waynesville, North Carolina, native could be a key defender on the back-seven in 2026.
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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
Posted
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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