SNEEDVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Hurricane Beryl has been wreaking havoc on the Caribbean Islands. Strong winds and heavy storms destroyed towns and made life very hard on residents of the affected areas.

Here in East Tennessee, a local nonprofit is helping those affected people by supplying them with water purifiers.

“Clean water is a non negotiable, you have to have it,” Joe Hurston, the president and founder of Air Mobile Ministries said. “After a few days you’re sick and dying. We know this. Hurricanes destroy whatever source of water you had, it is going to be damaged.”

Air Mobile Ministries has been providing water purifiers to people affected by national and man-made disasters since 1978. They reach those people by a small plane, piloted by Hurston and his co-pilot, loaded up with all the water purifiers they can haul.

“When we land, we’re going to have 10 water purifiers on board. Any of which a single unit can give 1000 people a day drinking water,” Hurston said. “We’re loaded for bear. We can bring a lot of people clean water right now and that’s that’s our mission.”

Hurston planned to fly down to Puerto Rico first so he can help the area that was hit by the storm. After that, he plans to stop at other islands to continue dropping off his purifiers to different locations.

“It’s going to be a 1000 mile flight from Titusville to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. We’ll land, we’ll fuel. We’ll make our contacts and then we’ll we’ll go to the next phase of the mission from there,” Hurston said.

Hurston said the lord inspired him to help those in need. He does not know how long his journey will be, but he knows it won’t end until he helps all those that can.

“I’ve been doing this kind of work for 45 years, so it’s just living the life and you know, doing what we do. We fly and bring people clean water,” Hurston said.

To follow along with Hurston’s relief mission, you can check out his blog.

Copyright 2024 WVLT. All rights reserved.

Christian Moore wrote a lengthy farewell to Tennessee baseball on Instagram on Friday.

The Vols second baseman, who had one of the best offensive seasons in Tennessee history, thanked everyone involved in the program following UT winning its first national title.

“These last 3 years have changed my life,” Moore wrote. “Thank you to this amazing coaching staff for believing in me, taking a chance on a kid that should have never been in this situation. Trusting me to lead a team and allowing me to be me. I will forever be grateful for all the long talks, countless hours of work and most important the memories shared!”

Moore is considered a first-round draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, which starts on July 14.

Christian Moore rewrote Tennessee baseball record book in 2024

Moore slugged a program-record 34 homers in 2024, while setting the career record with 61 after a stout three-year career.

He focused on thanking his teammates for being by his side throughout his career.

“To my teammates … y’all have seen me grow up a lot these last few years,” Moore wrote. “Thank you all for taking me under your wing, allowing me to grow up and mature. Without you all I am not the player I am today. Always remember Chuck T “Hang out type” . Love y’all boys, thank you for all the memories and moments it will heavily be missed

The Brooklyn native hit .375 with 74 RBIs, which ranks seventh in a single-season in Vols history. He had 19 doubles and two triples. Moore hit for the cycle in Tennessee’s opening game in the College World Series, going 5-for-6 with a pair of doubles, a triple and a 440-foot homer in the 12-11 walk-off win. He had a three-homer game to lead UT to a series win at Kentucky in April.

The 6-foot-1, 216-pound Moore garnered multiple first-team All-America honors.

Christian Moore thanked Tennessee fans for their support

Moore also thanked Tennessee fans for their support.

“Vol nation, you guys are unbelievable,” Moore wrote. “Talking for the rest of the team, you guys were the heartbeat of this thing. Thank you for always being there for us, cheering us on through the good and bad. We are forever thankful for you all and I will miss you guys! GBO forever!”

Moore hit .304 with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs as a sophomore. He had a big performance during the Clemson Regional to help push Tennessee toward a College World Series berth.

ROSTER: What to know about Tennessee baseball roster 2025, transfer portal, draft for Tony Vitello

He was a steady presence as a freshman, playing in 51 games and starting 29 on Tennessee’s standout 2022 team. He hit .305 with 10 homers and 36 RBIs in 118 at-bats.

Moore ranks sixth in UT history with 160 RBIs and third in slugging percentage with .697.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

As we have reached the middle of the summer, the time for outdoor activities is at its peak with a variety of activities to choose from to do.

With over 61 million people in the United States hiking at least once a year in 2023, there are plenty of people on the hunt for a new spot. East Tennessee has some of the most attractive hiking spots, ranging from higher altitude climbs to scenic overlooks to places where you can take a cooling dip to beat the heat.

Here are some places to try this summer:

Higher-altitude hikes

It’s hot in Tennessee, and sometimes the only way to cool off is to get high up into in the Great Smoky Mountains. Here are some trails that will get you up where the breezes will give you a break from the stifling heat.

Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the highest peak in Tennessee, and the Appalachian Trail runs right over the top. The peak is 6,643 feet.

There are a variety of long trails to take to reach the peak, including Forney Creek Trail, Noland Creak/Forney Ridge Trail, Noland Divide Trail, Little River Trail/Goshen Prong Trail, Sugar Mountain Trail and the Appalachian Trail at Fontana Dam.

You can also drive to the parking lot at the top and explore from there. The half-mile paved trail to the observation tower is an easy one. Andrews Bald is another trail from the Clingmans Dome parking lot. It’s 3.6 miles round trip and has gorgeous views.

Mt. LeConte is the third highest peak in the national park at 6,593 ft. The trails leading up to Mt. LeConte vary in difficulty.

The six trails leading to Mt. Leconte are the Alum Cave Trail, Boulevard Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail, Trillium Gap Trail, Bullhead Trail and Brushy Mountain Trail. They vary in length, too, but all reach the cool, breezy top. As a bonus, the LeConte Lodge has snacks, souvenirs and outhouses.

Hikes with views, even in the summer

Winter hikes in Tennessee have sweeping views when the lush trees lose their leaves. In the summer, you have to plan to make sure you’re able to catch those gorgeous sightlines.

House Mountain is the highest peak in Knox County and rises to an elevation of 2,064 feet. There are four main trails for hiking this wooded mountain ,and they add up to about 4.5 miles. The hike should take approximately 3 to 4 hours to complete so make sure to be well prepared and have some good hiking shoes. The view of surrounding communities and mountain ranges is at the top.

Sharp’s Ridge Loop Trail at Sharp’s Ridge Veterans Memorial Park in Knoxville is known for having one of the best views of the Smoky Mountains (without having to go there). The unpaved trail is 5.4 miles long and loops back to the start, averaging about an hour and 30 minutes. The high ridge takes you high over downtown for amazing city views.

Hiking trails where you can swim, too

After a hike through the woods, it is nice to have a place for a refreshing swim.

River Trail Loop at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville is an excellent mix between forest and water as the trail travels in the woods and alongside the Tennessee River. The trail is 1.3 miles long at a low elevation with an average of 30 minutes to complete. The location provides easy access to swimming opportunities with kayaking at the Ijams Riverside landing nearby Mead’s Quarry Lake for a cooling dip in the water. There are no lifeguards, however, and jumping of the cliffs is prohibited.

Littler River Trail in Townsend is another great opportunity for those looking for an easy hike and a fun place to swim. The trail is an easier one at about 5 miles with an elevation of just 412 feet. This location also offers excellent opportunity for swimming and tubing as the trail is located all along the Little River. It’s a summertime must for families and a place where childhood memories are made.

Metcalf Bottoms Trail an easy trail located in Gatlinburg with at a 100-foot elevation gain that should take less than an hour to complete at 1.2 miles round trip. Hiking is optional for those visiting Metcalf Bottoms because of its excellent picnic and swimming locations for those wanting a more relaxing ‒ and wetter ‒ excursion.