North Carolina
Tornadoes in Tennessee, North Carolina Kill Three, Damage Properties
High winds, hail, heavy rain and tornadoes battered Southern states from Alabama to North Carolina Wednesday and Thursday morning, leaving three people dead and hundreds of properties with heavy damage.
USA Today, CNN and other news outlets reported that the strongest storms hit central and northeast Tennessee and into North Carolina. In Claiborne County, Tennessee, a 22-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle. Near Nashville, another person was killed.
In Gaston County, North Carolina, near Charlotte, a tree fell on a car, killing one person and injuring another. Kentucky also saw hailstorms and possible tornadoes.
Bloomberg news reported that up to 22 million people, from Dallas to Atlanta, in coming days could face another round of severe thunderstorms, bringing downpours, hail and possibly tornadoes.
For the last week, the central and Southern parts of the country have been battered by ferocious storms and flooding that all got their start from a Pacific system that dumped heavy snow across parts of California and the West over the weekend, said Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center.
Since then, the Great Plains, Midwest and South have been pounded by a deadly outbreak of heavy rains, high winds and tornadoes that have delayed air travel and knocked out power.
Photo: The same massive storm system that hit the South also a damaged FedEx facility in Portage, Michigan. (Brad Devereaux/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
Topics
Catastrophe
Natural Disasters
Windstorm
North Carolina
Tennessee
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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — The Myrtle Beach Police Department announced Monday the arrest of a man wanted in North Carolina.
Officers arrested Leko Jones, 46, who was wanted by authorities in Burlington, North Carolina, according to the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Jones is charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault by strangulation.
The arrest resulted from a coordinated effort between the Myrtle Beach Police Department’s Patrol Division and Investigations Division, working alongside the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Investigators said they safely located Jones and took him into custody.
A section of E. 4th Street in Washington will close next week for sewer line replacement work.
According to the city, E. 4th Street from Hudnell Street to Aycock Street will be closed to local traffic on Tuesday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 15, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
PINE KNOLL SHORES, Carteret County — A longtime Pine Knoll Shores public servant is preparing to begin a new chapter after nearly two decades with the town.
Ryan Thompson announced he will leave his full-time role with the Town of Pine Knoll Shores on August 12 after 18 years of service.
Thompson said he first came to Pine Knoll Shores in 2008 and has served the town in several roles, including police officer, chief of police, assistant town manager and most recently interim town manager.
In a message shared by the Pine Knoll Shores Police Department, Thompson said serving the community has been the greatest honor of his professional career.
Town of Pine Knoll Shores announces Ryan Thompson to depart after 18 years
He reflected on working alongside first responders through several hurricanes and coastal emergencies over the years, including Irene, Arthur, Matthew, Florence, Dorian, Isaias, Ophelia and Debby.
Thompson also highlighted the community’s response after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of western North Carolina in 2024. He said Pine Knoll Shores helped raise nearly $20,000 to support people impacted by the storm.
Thompson said Pine Knoll Shores has also been a special place for his family. His son served as a part-time firefighter with the Pine Knoll Shores Fire Department, and his wife served as the town’s tax collector.
Although he is leaving his full-time role, Thompson said he is not saying goodbye to the town.
He will begin serving as a public safety risk management consultant with the North Carolina League of Municipalities. He said the new role will allow him to work with cities and towns across the state to help support public safety and local governments.
Thompson also said he will remain with the Pine Knoll Shores Police Department as a part-time police officer.
He said he will also continue helping the town during its transition as Pine Knoll Shores begins the search for its next police chief and works through the town manager transition.
Captain Eric Tellefsen will become interim chief of police after Thompson’s departure.
Thompson said he is confident in the department’s leadership team and thanked the Pine Knoll Shores community for its trust, support and friendship over the past 18 years.
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