Tropical Storm Archives

In Asheville, high school seniors make key life choices under the stress of Helene recovery

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — High school seniors in Asheville are grappling with several important life decisions as they still recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on their region. Schools across North Carolina’s Buncombe County have been canceled for over a month, but are now set to resume within the next week. Some seniors have tried to make the most of their time off by hanging out with friends or volunteering. But many say they feel the stress of college applications weighing on them. Some seniors are also disappointed that they’ve missed a month of their last year of high school.… Continue Reading

Russia amplified hurricane disinformation to drive Americans apart, researchers find

WASHINGTON (AP) — New research shows Russia has worked to amplify false and misleading claims about the U.S. government’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton as part of the Kremlin’s efforts to manipulate Americans before the Nov. 5 election. The research comes from the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Researchers found that posts linked to Russian state media and online accounts spread English-language content that was designed to reduce American confidence in the federal response to the storms. It’s an approach consistent with past Russian disinformation campaigns.… Continue Reading

North Carolina government calculates Hurricane Helene damages, needs at least $53B

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina officials say the catastrophic flooding and destruction from Hurricane Helene likely caused at least $53 billion in damages and recovery needs in the state. Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration generated the preliminary figure in a report released Wednesday that also includes Cooper’s request to the General Assembly for $3.9 billion. The request was disclosed the day before the legislature planned to meet for a one-day session to advance additional Helene recovery legislation. Cooper says the previous record for storm damage in North Carolina was $17 billion after Hurricane Florence in 2018.… Continue Reading

North Carolina early voters, still recovering from Helene, exceed 2020 voter turnout

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The number of people casting ballots on the first day of early in-person voting in presidential battleground North Carolina exceeded the first-day total four years ago — even as Hurricane Helene recovery continued in the mountains. The State Board of Elections said Friday that a record 353,166 people cast ballots statewide on Thursday. That’s about 4,600 votes more than the number cast on the first day of early voting in October 2020. Election officials say the numbers are preliminary and are expected to rise even further. Nearly all early voting sites in the counties hardest hit by the storm were able to open Thursday. Early voting continues through Nov. 2.… Continue Reading

Man accused of making threat says he believed social media reports of FEMA refusing to help

LAKE LURE, N.C. (AP) — A man accused of making a threat that sparked a temporary shift in some western North Carolina disaster recovery operations said he believed social media reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was refusing to help people. William Parsons told WGHP-TV that he realized that wasn’t the case when he arrived in Lake Lure. A sheriff’s office says it received a call about an armed man who commented about possibly harming FEMA employees. Officials say Parsons was identified as a suspect and charged with a misdemeanor.… Continue Reading

Federal money to help states hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton nears $2 billion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says the federal government has approved nearly $2 billion in assistance across six states to help people hit hard by hurricanes Helene and Milton. The federal government has been under intense pressure to show that it is getting help to areas devastated by the back-to-back hurricanes in late September and early October as it warns that more money will be needed to fund the response. According to a White House release issued Wednesday, about $911 million has gone toward damage caused by Hurricane Helene, while about $620 million has gone toward recovery from Hurricane Milton. Other funds have gone toward things like agriculture assistance.… Continue Reading

Many schools are still closed weeks after Hurricane Helene. Teachers worry about long-term impact

Tens of thousands of students in the Southeast are dealing with school disruptions after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc so severe — on homes, campuses and municipal power and water systems — that some districts have no idea when they will reopen. While virtual learning helped during the COVID-19 school closures, that has not been an option for this crisis because internet and cellphone service has remained spotty since the storm struck in late September. In hard-hit western North Carolina, some districts warn students will miss up to a month of school, and others say they can’t yet determine a timeline for returning to classrooms.… Continue Reading

FEMA resumes door-to-door visits in North Carolina after threats tied to disinformation

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Officials say federal disaster workers have resumed door-to-door visits as part of hurricane recovery efforts in North Carolina. The visits were temporarily suspended after reports emerged over the weekend that Federal Emergency Management Agency employees could be targeted by a militia members. The government response to Hurricane Helene has become a rampant subject of disinformation. A sheriff’s office says one man was arrested in connection with the investigation into threats, but that suspect acted alone. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says the agency isn’t going anywhere. She and Gov. Roy Cooper called on people to stop spreading falsehoods about the recovery efforts so that people who need help can get it.… Continue Reading

Small business disaster loan program is out of money until Congress approves new funds

NEW YORK (AP) — The Small Business Administration has run out of money for its disaster assistance loans, delaying much needed relief for people applying for aid in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses and people affected by disasters. The organization said earlier this month that it expected to soon run out of funding. Congress can approve more funds, but doesn’t reconvene until after the election. The SBA is pausing new loan offers until it gets more funding. SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman said people should keep applying for the loans, however.… Continue Reading

FEMA workers change some hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina after receiving threats

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Officials say federal disaster workers paused and then changed some of their hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina, including abandoning door-to-door visits, after receiving threats. The threats that they could be targeted by a militia emerged over the weekend, at a time when the government response to Helene is being targeted by rampant disinformation. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call about a man with an assault rifle who commented about possibly harming employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency working in the hard-hit areas of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, in the North Carolina mountains. The man was later arrested charged with a misdemeanor.… Continue Reading