North Carolina

Samaritan's Purse continues to lead North Carolina relief efforts in wake of devastating Hurricane Helene

Published

1 year ago

October 20, 2024

Samaritan's Purse continues to lead North Carolina relief efforts in wake of devastating Hurricane Helene

Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian aid ministry, is not slowing down its relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Helene in its home state of North Carolina.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Edward Graham, COO of Samaritan’s Purse and an Army veteran, urges Americans to pray in the aftermath of storms like Helene and Milton.

“The greatest need that western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee need is prayer. We need a country praying,” he said.

But on the ground, Samaritan’s Purse is doing more than sharing the gospel with its teams of “orange shirts” volunteers.

SAMARITAN’S PURSE CONTINUES HELENE RELIEF EFFORTS WITH THREE WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS IN NORTH CAROLINA

Samaritan’s Purse has already coordinated the largest civilian airlift operation in U.S. history in its continued efforts to relieve those affected by Hurricane Helene, with 210 missions delivering emergency supplies completed according to numbers from an Oct. 11 release.

Graham and his wife, Kristen, are based in Boone, North Carolina, with their three sons and daughter. Their community was directly impacted by Helene. Edward’s father and president of Samaritan’s Purse, Franklin Graham, also lost power and heat. Edward Graham is the grandson of the late Rev. Billy Graham.

Samaritan’s Purse, based in Boone, N.C., got hit by Hurricane Helene in its own backyard last month. (Fox News Digital)

Part of the continued efforts to bring generators and heaters to North Carolinians as the temperatures drop is inspired by Graham’s experience in the cold.

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26, is the second-deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since 2000 — Hurricane Katrina in 2005 remains the worst.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 95 verified storm-fatalities have been recorded so far in the Tar Heel State, with 42 in Buncombe County alone.

THOSE SUFFERING FROM HURRICANE HELENE’S IMPACT GET HELP FROM REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM AND SAMARITAN’S PURSE

With the presidential election taking place in just over two weeks, national attention on the hurricane’s aftermath and the people it affected has waned.

“The vice president, the former president, aren’t going to solve the problems of North Carolina people living and serving their neighbor,” Graham told Fox News Digital. “That’s what’s going to change North Carolina here and the help that is needed. So I just ask the audience, be praying. And if you’re willing, go to samaritanspurse.org, you can find a way to sign up and volunteer.”

Samaritan’s Purse volunteers have brought emergency supplies and the gospel to those in need across North Carolina and Tennessee after Hurricane Helene. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)

The majority of the relief missions flown by Samaritan’s Purse start from an airfield in its backyard in Boone.

“This is unprecedented. It’s a testimony to what can be done when people work together. It’s nothing short of a miracle and we give God the glory,” the Rev. Franklin Graham said in a news release. “We are thankful to God for bringing all of these people and groups together to help those who have been devastated by Helene.”

HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE HELENE HERE

Samaritan’s Purse is behind the largest civilian airlift operation in American history, delivering needed supplies across hurricane-hit North Carolina and beyond. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)

Added Edward Graham: “So please, don’t take your attention off this. There’s a lot of work to be done. And if people really want to help, I need volunteers for the long haul.”

“I need volunteers right now, but I need volunteers showing up in January, December, November, when it’s cold over the holiday season, when you’re warm with your family over the holiday,” he said. “Think about those in western North Carolina that aren’t.”

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Volunteers with Samaritan’s Purse are serving victims of Helene as well as Hurricane Milton across North Carolina, parts of Tennesee, Georgia and Florida.

Jasmine is a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse based in New Orleans. Stories can be sent to jasmine.baehr@fox.com

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North Carolina

These 4 Western NC towns are among WorldAtlas favorites for 2026

Published

8 minutes ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

These 4 Western NC towns are among WorldAtlas favorites for 2026

A new list from WorldAtlas named the publication’s top 10 favorite North Carolina towns of 2026, including several locations located in Western North Carolina.

Founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, WorldAtlas publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel.

Previous Citizen Times articles have covered numerous mentions of Western North Carolina from WorldAtlas, including “idyllic” and “unpretentious” towns, scenic drives, a favorite downtown area, and more. In the new list, published March 9, WorldAtlas writers chose their all-time favorite North Carolina towns ― almost half of which were located in the western region of the state.

Here’s what WorldAtlas had to say about mountain North Carolina towns, plus the full list and more.

What to do in Banner Elk, N.C.

WorldAtlas noted the range of activities offered in Banner Elk throughout the year. The town sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains between the Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain ski resorts. Writers highlighted the following locations and activities in Banner Elk:

Wildcat Lake, which has a lifeguarded white-sand beach and is used for swimming, non-motorized boating and fishing for largemouth bass, trout, and bluegill
Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum, a museum located at Grandfather Mountain
The Mile High Swinging Bridge, the highest suspension footbridge in the United States, which visitors can cross on foot

What to do in Blowing Rock, N.C.

Also included on the WorldAtlas list, Blowing Rock takes its name from a rock formation where the wind appears to blow upward. The list highlighted the following locations and activities in Blowing Rock:

The town’s namesake, “Blowing Rock,” is a rock formation known for views of Johns River Gorge and the surrounding forest
Fishing, spelunking and rock climbing opportunities in the area
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, also known locally as “Cone Park,” which has hiking trails and is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Memorial Park on Main Street, where town events and concerts often take place

What to do in Brevard, N.C.

Brevard, also known as the “Land of Waterfalls,” is home to more than 200 waterfalls located across Transylvania County. WorldAtlas highlighted the following locations and activities in Brevard:

Museums, trails, rock climbing and the surrounding area’s many waterfalls
Guided Jeep and hiking tours to view waterfalls throughout Transylvania County
Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas, a museum displaying artifacts from U.S. military conflicts
Transylvania Heritage Museum, a museum focused on local history and genealogy

What to do in Hot Springs, N.C.

Hot Springs’ name comes from the natural springs that attract visitors from across the state and region. The springs are commonly visited by hikers seeking relief after traveling along the Appalachian Trail, which runs through the town. WorldAtlas highlighted the following activities and events:

Kayaking on the French Broad River
Trailfest, a celebration of hiking typically held in April
French Broad River Festival, a celebration of the French Broad River held each year on the first weekend of May
White-water rafting and ziplining opportunities in the area
Fishing, skiing, sport shooting, golf, disc golf, biking and horseback riding opportunities throughout the area
A range of accommodations including campgrounds, privately owned cabins, apartments, suites and cottages, with options from basic to luxury experiences

WorldAtlas’s best towns in North Carolina

The full list of WorldAtlas’s favorite North Carolina towns of 2026 included:

Banner Elk
Beaufort
Blowing Rock
Brevard
Davidson
Edenton
Hot Springs
Seagrove
Manteo
Wrightsville Beach

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

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North Carolina

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

Published

12 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

An North Carolina State University professor is back home Monday night after he was trapped in the Middle East as war with Iran broke out.

Rich Spontak was stuck in Qatar while traveling from Bangkok to Spain and was forced to stay in the country for about a week. Several travelers were trapped for days in the Middle East after Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several defense leaders were
killed in joint strikes by the United States and Israel.

Spontak, like many travelers, found himself stranded in the Middle East after the initial attacks, which quickly entangled more surrounding countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where seven U.S. service members were killed in retaliatory attacks from Iran.

Spontak said there were times he thought he wouldn’t make it out.

“I would just keep looking out and looking for the missiles,” Spontak said. “Some people that I met along the way were hit by shrapnel from the missles. It was dire.”

Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria remained closed, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Azerbaijan also shut the southern sector of its airspace on Thursday after accusing Iran of a drone attack that injured four civilians and damaged an airport building.

Lilia Austin, a Chapel Hill woman who was part of a group of 100 women who went to Israel for a trip the day before Khamenei was killed, also returned home on Sunday after she left Israel through Egypt.

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North Carolina

Gov. Stein proposes $1.4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Stein proposes .4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — With North Carolina still without a new state budget, Gov. Josh Stein is urging state lawmakers to approve a $1.4 billion “Critical Needs Budget.” Stein says this budget will address the state’s most urgent priorities while the General Assembly works on a full spending plan.

“North Carolina has gone nearly two and a half years without passing a new state budget – the only state in the country to finish 2025 without one[…]This budget invests in critical public safety, education and health care services for the people of North Carolina that cannot wait,” Gov. Stein said in a press release Monday.

A major part of Stein’s proposal is $319 million to fully fund Medicaid, which provides health coverage to over three million North Carolinians. This program also supports rural hospitals, nursing homes and statewide health care providers, per the release.

JUDGE ORDERS FEMA TO REINSTATE $200M STORM RELIEF PROGRAM, ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS

The “Critical Needs Budget” would target public safety staffing and pay. According to the governor’s office, North Carolina currently ranks 49th in starting salaries for state troopers and correctional officers, and low pay has contributed to staffing shortages and vacancy rates. This budget would bring pay raises to correctional officers, law enforcement officers, probation and parole officers and more.

Stein’s proposed budget calls for raising starting and average teacher pay, as well as increasing pay for senior teachers and other education staff. The governor’s office said the state remains in the bottom 10 nationally in average teacher pay.

The budget proposal also includes pay increases for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees, citing rising inflation costs and increasing health care premiums. Stein’s plan also includes targeted funding to maintain essential services, such as support for child care access and affordability.

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