Watching people in unaffected areas making a joke or a political point about WNC, while other folks are still trying to locate their loved ones and keep them alive…
Explain to me why I should continue to have ANY shred of respect for you at that point. Go right on ahead:
It’s Sunday and I have decided to talk about God.
We all need prayer right now in my own opinion. I know I sure do. And I am praying every day and every night.
And I just came from WNC on a Sunday, and boy, people are praying today.
But I’ve always said, prayer without action is a gamble at best. God gave us hands and feet to work with, brains to put to work, eyes to see for ourselves, ears to hear what others tell us, gave us speech and told us the truth would set us free. There are people of all backgrounds, all faiths, certainly all political viewpoints, and they are all pulling together to do the work that needs to be done. A person doesn’t need to be a Christian to be a good person. But looking out for our neighbors and doing to others as we would have done to us, WILL see us through this. I’ve never understood why some things happened in my life that I still have a hard time explaining, but now I understand. This is the most important and meaningful work I will ever do, and I needed to become a person who could do this. Sometimes I’m not so sure I am. But seeing the strength and resilience in others keeps us all going right now.
I just dropped some supplies at the Rutherford County Health Dept with my partner. He’s not a Christian. He’s not an Appalachian either. But by God he has stepped up for a community that he don’t even claim, spending hundreds of dollars on food and water and Gatorade and diapers and even a big bag of candy for the kids. There were so many donations from all over the country, probably the world – and more will be needed, we’re not out of the woods yet – but every single donation was love. Someone, somewhere, loved a stranger enough to send supplies. To say “You survived hell, and you will continue to survive. You deserve to be here.” That’s what’s going to save the mountains and the people I love so much. So much love. So many heroes among ordinary people.
If that last dam at Lake Lure had failed like it was expected to, I would be a refugee instead right now, if we would have even made it through.
I am so incredibly grateful to every single person who has stepped up for the community. My faith in both God and humanity has never been stronger. And God bless every single one of ya’ll out there and keep you safe through every storm to come, of every kind.
We will make it through – together.
I am so, so incredibly proud of a city I grew up in.
God bless Concord, NC, and God bless Operation Airdrop, who were absolutely critical in moving supplies to WNC when the roads were too damaged for any kind of travel.
Meanwhile in Spartanburg… oh we holdin’ it down, baby. 
By this point, I had established my own rhythm for running carloads of supplies up to WNC from Spartanburg. I kept an eye on the road closures on navigation apps, and as a highway was opened up from one town to the next, I would try to make contact with locals up there, determine the needs and a safe supply drop location, and make my way up there.
As I drove, I passed by convoys of line trucks, utility crews, construction, haulers, heavy materials, more equipment than I’ve ever seen in my life – and I’ve seen a good bit, living and working in the industrial jungle that is Spartanburg County, which was providing a lot of those resources directly to the mountains. I even passed by convoys of National Guardsmen on the interstate on my daily work commute, which was… surreal, to say the least. And it’s something I’ve grown accustomed to since, in my travels from one supply location to the next.
Spartanburg, South Carolina has long been a logistical and industrial hub to the mountains, and the entire country. We were stabilized by crews first so that we could provide support and access to WNC – and I am so proud to say that we, as a community, rose to that challenge as soon as we were able to do so, organizing our neighbors and co-workers to get volunteers and supplies up north before some of us even had power back in our own homes.
PLEASE COPY/PASTE/SHARE WITH VOLUNTEERS
Warning signs of a bad actor in WNC: (sent from a friend)
I wanna tell you some of the warning signs I’ve seen for bad actors while doing work in WNC:
1. Can they clearly describe the route they took, even if it was blocked at parts? It’s crucial to know what roads are safe right now, and some people are describing taking flatbeds and 250 gallon tanks on roads that are completely destroyed and inaccessible.
2. If they were turned away with supplies, where were they sent to or where did they drop the supplies eventually? There is ALWAYS another drop, and I think some emergency depts would even probably take the supplies at the roadblock if they can’t let you through with em.
3. Do they know the region? People are pretending to be locals. Do they pronounce the names of the cities and towns correctly? Do they know the location geographically?
4. Are they more focused on politics or conspiracies than the immediate need to provide support to people? No legitimate volunteer is gonna waste time or downplay how critical the situation is for survival right now.
5. Do they claim that the smaller communities are self-sufficient and don’t need help right now? That’s a distraction to move the conversation to something else. Everyone with their boots in the mud is saying to keep the supplies coming in, but the need is greater right now for cold weather gear, PPE and cleanup supplies. Every community has its own situation and its own needs, but I don’t know of a single one actually turning away help.
6. Does their story involve showing up in WNC while all roads were still closed (destroyed), driving large distances from town to town with a lot of heavy supplies and no plan whatsoever, and arguing with people at roadblocks? There was absolutely no gasoline, GPS/cell service, or access to NC in the first couple of days.
7. Are they nonchalant while discussing death and destruction in a place they supposedly have such strong ties to, they immediately rushed out with support? Going into absurdly and unnecessarily graphic detail about the bodies, I think trying to trigger an emotional response. But also seeming completely emotionless about the whole thing.
8. Are they up front about where they are going, who they are working with, and what they are doing? There’s absolutely no need for secrecy with your own team, this isn’t a war against an enemy. Nobody with genuine intentions will ever argue with you about going off into the woods alone with people you don’t know. There is an increasing need to verify identities as looters have been caught in Red Cross tees and such – and it works to their benefit to claim it’s Red Cross or another org stealing resources, not people in disguise.
9. Are they asking personal questions that have nothing to do with rescue efforts? Such as political affiliation and religious beliefs?
10. Are they trying to dissuade you from your plan or your team for any reasons besides immediate safety?
If any of these questions are yes, you may be dealing with a bad actor.
If you’re not from the Western Carolina region, and you are driving around on the roads – especially back roads – for reasons that are NOT actively involved with relief/rescue efforts, please read below. Disaster tourism is causing problems for recovery in the region.
This is an email the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce sent out yesterday:
“Good morning Blowing Rock Chamber members,
“It is with heavy heart that I must inform you that we have cancelled Art in the Park and the Alair Concert scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. This decision was not made hastily or without consideration of both the business community, the artists, and the community at large.
“As you know, the message to the general public has been to delay or postpone travel to the area temporarily until it is safe to do so. Several business owners and many visitors in Blowing Rock have questioned why this must apply to the Town since we are up and running. There are many reasons, not the least of which is that the State of North Carolina has issued a directive that no one who is not a resident or delivering supplies and materials to the area should travel into Western North Carolina (from Hickory North and West) until further notice. Additionally, Watauga County is in a State of Emergency and as such has directed all municipalities to not allow any road or street blocks in order to have full access for emergency and recovery vehicles to move through the area. This means that a festival such as Art in the Park could not close Park Avenue which is primary access to the Blowing Rock Police Department.
“The Chamber and Visitor Center has not and will not tell anyone NOT to come up here. In fact, we tell people who inquire that our downtown shops are open for business, our restaurants are open for business and our hotels (not being used for recovery workers) are open for business. We recommend that visitors contact the destination lodging facility to confirm they are open and accessible. Please be mindful that some restaurants may have limited menus or hours due to their staffing levels. We encourage business owners to use social media to promote your individual business and to let the traveling public know about your limitations if appropriate. We have also suggested that that those who travel here should bring donations to help with the relief efforts locally.
“Furthermore, we are acutely aware of disaster tourism which, believe it or not, is a real thing. We tell all our eager visitors and leaf lookers that if they come up here, they should not venture out of the downtown business district. Shop in our unique shops, dine in our wonderful restaurants, walk around the parks but do not go beyond the city limits as our neighbors are dealing with serious losses and are still searching for missing people and trying to survive at the most basic level. Boone, Avery County and northern Ashe County are completely off limits for leisure travel for the foreseeable future. We also let leaf lookers know that the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed and will be for quite some time.
“Please visit our website or Facebook page to learn more about the opportunities for financial relief that are available to you as a business owner through FEMA, SBA and other relevant resources.
“My prayer is first that you are safe and have food and shelter. If you are, I hope that you will volunteer or donate funds to help with relief efforts to assist with the High County’s recovery. Remember, it is not about us individually, we are all in this together.”
HOW FEMA WORKS
From a person familiar with FEMA.
Source: Pamela Plotkin Bernardo [from Roan Mountain] It is a clear explanation of what FEMA does.
Good morning! I have lived in RM for 20 years and love this place and it’s ppl. I want you all to get the resources you need for longterm recovery and this is what motivates me and this message.
I spent the last 12 years working in Texas, helping small communities like ours respond to and recover from disasters like hurricanes. I did not work for FEMA, but I did partner with them. I am retired now, living here full time, I do not work for anyone but I do want to help my community anyway I can.
Here is what I do know based on my work with FEMA:
1. FEMA does not set up offices in every town impacted. They typically have one centralized office in an area. I suspect they are in Elizabethton. (Author is from Roan Mountain)
2. FEMA is not a first responder. So I would not expect to see their trucks or ppl driving around now. If they are driving around, I suspect they are scoping out places where they should set up new offices.
3. FEMA provides multiple types of financial aid. The $750 you have heard about is immediate assistance to help you quickly. There is also additional funding to help with damages you suffered to home, car, etc. There is also housing assistance which is money to help pay for rent if you are displaced.
4. FEMA is not perfect, but they try.
I have been bringing paper flyers to different businesses in town the last few days, asking to tape them to windows so that our ppl can take a photo with their phone. These flyers provide details about how to apply for FEMA assistance. There is also a flyer from the USDA about applying for livestock and bee hive assistance. Next week I will distribute the FEMA rental assistance flyer
I want my community to apply for funds. I want you all to have the resources you need to recover. I have hundreds of friends who have received assistance from FEMA after hurricanes. It works.
***
BOTTOM LINE: Apply for FEMA assistance. It is there for YOU, but you MUST apply.
Conspiracy theorists are literally jumping into local FB groups in disaster affected counties and trying to convince the locals not to apply for FEMA relief. Then they’re jumping into everyone else’s statuses and trying to convince them not to donate supplies up north.
These people aren’t affected; have no ties to this region; don’t qualify for FEMA aid; wouldn’t have any firsthand knowledge; and have absolutely no interest in helping anyone at all.
The point seems to be to prevent resources from getting to WNC and further destabilize the region.
Fighting disinformation is a matter of national security at this point, and NEEDS to be taken that seriously.
I had to convince a good friend today that donations are, in fact, coming into her area and not being seized by FEMA. Because I dropped them there myself yesterday.
So if any of ya’ll are wondering why I am LOSING my mind over the internet rumors today.
You really shouldn’t be wondering.
These posts and comments are actively doing harm, all for the sake of attention and entertainment.
“Disaster tourist” is about to be the new carpetbagger lol
I live in Spartanburg, about 12 miles from the state line. The vortex came directly over us from the southwest but I didn’t see on the radar where it went from there. Based on the tornado damage along 221, my guess is it went north through Chesnee, but might have veered slightly west again. The storm damage extends as far east as Cherryville, around Buffalo Creek, and the tornado damage I think starts about 20 miles further west. There are lines of damage and snapped/uprooted pines and oaks, which appear to signify tornado damage:
– Hwy 29, West Cowpens into Zion Hill got absolutely F’CKED
– Hwy 29, Spartanburg along East Main Street, Converse College is decimated (we still got a pole at like a 30 degree angle hanging over East Main lmao)
– I-585 by the Miliken Arboretum – yeah a loooot of those big oaks got uprooted, thank God there’s no houses there.
– Hwy 221 between Mayo and Chesnee, you got big trees down on like every single house
– Hwy 101 in Greer and/or Woods Chapel in Duncan
And luckily my home wasn’t taken out by the flooding, although we will have to leave soon due to the water damage. Well… I’ll take that, I guess.
–
Alright, now up into NC. The route to Rutherfordton was cleared last week by FEMA crews, I watched em take a 100 ft pine tree off a power line right over the highway. They’ve been gradually restoring everything. The health department in Spindale is the main hub for distributing supplies to the rest of the county, including Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, which are totally inaccessible still because of the landslides. Shockingly, well maybe not, people have stayed there. The supplies are getting to them. My friends in Green Hill and Mill Springs ALL are okay thank God. And my coworker came back to work today 
I don’t think they’re getting much help, but not seeming to need it right now either. A lot of those folks work in SC.
McDowell County has opened up 221 to Marion, and they’ve mostly got churches and community leaders handling their donations and distribution. I’ll let you know what it’s looking like out there. I know some real real good folks out by Nebo to Morganton who are going around helping rebuild houses and anything that needs to be done – if you know folks out there who need help I will put them in touch.
Polk County has opened up Tryon, I just need to figure out the safest way to get there, lol. I’ve got some folks I just need to give real real big hugs to. Hwy 176 thru Valhalla is my favorite drive in the world, but I’m sure Saluda Gorge is NOT safe right now. Saluda itself still seems pretty inaccessible, though it’s closer to I26, so at least they’re getting supplies in right now. Hwy 25 back down into Greenville should be clear – I haven’t taken it yet, but FEMA needed it cleared quickly so they could use Greenville County to access the mountains as well as Spartanburg County.
Hendersonville and Fletcher took some really bad flooding. Hendo was already underwater, like 24 hours before Helene even showed up. I’ve got extended family out there, and I keep hearing about the yellow jackets. Arden has struggled to get volunteers and support because so much of it is going to Asheville, I think. Maybe ya’ll can redirect some tourists to the bucket brigade at the nursing home down there?
You probably know already, Swannanoa took some of the worst flooding. Honestly I wonder if the Asheville Reservoir burst, because they’re downstream. I do not know. What happened along that river gorge will haunt me forever. If the Lake Lure dam had given way, on top of the flooding we already had in my neighborhood, there would be no East Spartanburg right now if that dam had burst. (And we were told it was imminent right before we lost cell communications 
I actually thought it already had.)
Watauga County is trying to ease tourism back into places like Blowing Rock while begging the same tourists not to venture outside the business district. They are not listening. It is a problem in a lot of places apparently. Marshall is also having issues with disaster tourists showing up and getting in the way. Amos McGregor has been moving f’ing mountains out there, the cleanup is incredible.
Avery County is in real rough shape, with the deadly mudslides they had and 19E and 221 fucked to hell. They’re desperate to get those main roads fixed up so they can get equipment in to fix everything else. Leisure travel is off limits right now in both Avery and northern Ashe County.
Hickory seems to be doing fine, according to people in Hickory. Their airport has been running donations non-stop to Asheville. Cleveland County is doing fine, there was a shelter in Kings Mountain. Only thing is they have to pull police right now to do security for the damn lithium plants, because of those conspiracy rumors about Chimney Rock. (DAMN people are stupid.)
I haven’t heard much about the western end of the state, but East TN near the border has some of the most isolated communities right now. Obviously Erwin took massive flooding and the Impact Plastics disaster. They are requesting cadaver dogs and trauma counselors out there, though, so it really can’t be good. A group called Grindstone Ministries is helping with the search and recovery effort out there.
Northern VA took some flooding from the New River, but I think the boil water advisories are mostly over.
Ya’ll stay safe and have a good night.
Good morning friends
Be safe today in all things!!
At this point in the recovery effort, larger towns are trying to sort all of the supplies they’re receiving from thos big shipments, but smaller communities aren’t getting as much of what they still really need. I’m staying away from Asheville personally and heading for the smaller towns. Here’s what I consider best practices for a supply run:
1. Reach out to the community first. Local FB groups are a fantastic way to do this. They will absolutely let you know what the need is, and who the organizations are that are providing real assistance to their communities, and will be for the months to come. This is different from week to week and from holler to holler.
2. Plan a route. Talk to the locals about what roads are currently safe and cleared, as this changes day to day. Many roads in WNC are NOT stable enough right now to take large vehicles or large amounts of traffic without crumbling, which is why you get roadblocks. Plan through Google Maps because it stays updated with closures. Bring a road map though in case you lose signal. The further into elevated terrain you go, the worse the roads generally are right now.
3. Take no resources from communities in need. Do not fill up gas in WNC. Fill up in Gastonia or Gaffney instead. This also means bring your own snacks, water, and PPE if necessary. Don’t touch that mud. Wear a mask if you’re in an area where flood mud is drying up and turning to dust.
4. Don’t become a rescue. Appalachia is still Appalachia. Get the supplies as far as you can safely, to someone who will absolutely get them the last mile to those who can’t get what they need right now.
Thank ya’ll for keeping this region in your thoughts and especially your good deeds, and God bless ya’ll 
Things I wish I had done before I lost power for a week and my city got turned upside down:
1. Planned several all-else-fails escape routes to higher ground if we got a emergency flash flood warning.
2. Stocked up on AMBIENT TEMP STORAGE food. Not just non-perishables, but fruits, veggies, bread.
3. Fully charged my phone, phone banks, laptop, and camping torch. (Even handheld video game consoles can be used as flashlights.)
4. Downloaded some resources for offline access, like maps, apps, and even playlists.
5. Saved the emergency phone number for the electric company, and the non-emergency numbers for first response.
6. Put some more ice packs in the freezer and filled up the cooler with ice.
7. Taken one last hot shower, lol. Maybe even a bubble bath. Pamper yourself tonight if you can.
PLEASE add any I’m still not thinkinf of, I’m sure there’s lots.
Ya’ll in Florida right now are in our prayers tonight. Truly we are one nation and we will find a way to pull through these hard times together.
Today I rode up I26 for the first time in a long time – because I tend to avoid the interstate. I would much rather drive an extra hour each way for a pretty route with less traffic, and that’s why I know these roads so well. They have the road well cleared. The conspiracy theorists will be relieved, I’m sure, to hear that FEMA did not chase me down in a helicopter and pirate the cases of water and plastic bags from my car.
But I’ve never taken 74 out to Coxe Road. These are highways that were absolutely wrecked by flooding, but are cleared up and back open. It’s my favorite kind of drive, this beautiful, windy country road in the foothills of southern NC, through a verdant canopy of leaves into sprawling acres of farmland, that…
Once you get down near Cleghorn Creek, suddenly, the leaves are brown up to a certain point.
There is a flat line, below which, EVERYTHING is brown. You can see it in the distance in this photo.
And the line is just above your car.
And that was really jarring to drive through today. Photos and videos aren’t the same as witnessing something firsthand.
I’ve never taken Coxe Road before today, but I cannot count the number of times I’ve crossed it and Cleghorn Creek on 221 where the road dips.
Well, I guess we gotta talk about this now. Because nobody who’s grieving and recovering from Helene wants to bicker about climate science – which means, Florida, I promise ya’ll ain’t gonna want to hear about this after the storm.
This is happening when storms form in the Gulf Coast, where we drill oil and directly release greenhouse gases, and now the ocean surface has become over 100⁰ F in the summertime. Helene stalled in that Gulf and intensified. Milton stalled in that Gulf and intensified. We’re starting to see the destructive side of climate change and pollution right in front of us. The reason we’re paying attention now is because we’re scared, after what just happened to the mountains. (Especially the ones who can’t face reality and are distracting themselves with political theories.)
I think we all know these two massive storms are no coincidence – but I’m sorry, Tiktok rabbit holes might numb the anxiety, but they won’t make this problem instantly go away. Finding one single politician to blame decades and decades of pollution on – won’t make your home, insurance, and health problems disappear. And THAT is why people WANT to believe the BS and won’t listen to a word you say.
The truth is scary: This WILL keep happening.
Take lessons from Helene and find strength in your communities in the years to come, unless we finally decide to stop releasing the gases that warm up the same air these storms are forming in.
The climatologists predicted this hurricane season back in April, and they’re calling it. Tiktok ain’t.
This one is hard. Please prepare yourself first. God bless and protect Western Carolina and every person who truly loves this land.
Original post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1G2DrSF2fc/
With all the stereotypes and nonsense flying around, I want ya’ll to know how incredible my home is and how much I love it here. I wrote this three years ago:
8/8/21
Have you ever heard of the “Dark Corner” of Western South and North Carolina? If not, strap in:
It’s hard to really define or even pinpoint the Dark Corner, and that’s just how the locals have always wanted it: most would define it as the region between Greenville/Spartanburg, SC, all the way up towards Asheville/Hendersonville, NC. This is a beautiful and mysterious region where the rugged Appalachian mountains meet the rolling foothills of the Upstate, a remote place of log cabins and family farms built along wild rivers. It’s also got a long history of moonshiners, Civil War deserters, gangs, violence, and general mayhem. The people of the Dark Corner have always been fiercely independent and hard-working, an attitude that continues to this day.
Perhaps you’ve seen the sign along Highway 11 in Spartanburg County marking “Little Chicago,” once a hotbed for moonshining, which declares “THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED – 1856 – NOTHING.” Or maybe you’ve heard of landmarks such as the extremely haunted Poinsett Bridge in Greenville County, or beautiful Glassy Mountain with trails leading up to the Pisgah Forest. Some towns, like Pumpkinville and Bat Cave, are self-explanatory. Ever tried Sugar Tit moonshine? That, too, has its roots in Dark Corner moonshine culture. Ever read about the Little Africa community, made up of former slaves after the Civil War? It still stands proudly along Highway 11 to this day.
The Dark Corner stood alone in the 1800s in its opposition to secession and nullification, a thorn in the side of pro-slavery politicians, leading one to declare that “The bright light of nullification will never shine on that dark corner of South Carolina.” During the Civil War, it became a haven for deserters of the Confederate army, many of whom built their own distilleries. One story says that a group of Federal agents once arrived to bust an operation, but did not know the way; they asked a Greenville farmer, who laughed at them as he pointed them down a road from which they never returned.
I’m blessed to have seen A LOT of the United States. I’ve seen the Grand Canyon, the redwood forests of the Olympic peninsula, and beaches from coast to coast. I believe that the Dark Corner of North and South Carolina is the most beautiful region in the US. And it has a deeper culture and history than any of us will ever really know.
Original post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B3LzgRJj2/
Florida.
Be prepared for the misinformation machine to target you as soon as the storm passes.
And definitely before your power and cell service is restored.
Warn your loved ones NOW about the misinformation campaign in WNC aimed at preventing those people from getting aid. It seems there are outside influences who want to see our region unstable and struggling, instead of recovering. They will want to see it in yours as well.
But you’re stronger than that, and that’s what these un-American assholes will fail to understand. No community on Earth is better prepared to survive a hurricane than Florida. You’re proud of your home, more than a little wild, and for those who could not or would not evacuate and are facing what is to come, God bless and protect ya’ll as you recover and rebuild.
We see you. (Because we got the better view, lol.) And we’re praying for ya’ll tonight. We are one nation, ultimately, and unity keeps us strong when all else falls apart.
Please – do yourselves one big favor – read up from legitimate sources NOW about FEMA aid so that you know your own options as you navigate the days ahead. It’s not a game anymore. Politics and other petty nonsense won’t matter to you when survival is at stake.
The feeling of seeing someone for the first time in weeks, and saying, “Oh God, I am so glad you’re okay.” And then finally asking each other’s names. And sharing in… everything, the trauma and the hope and the loss and the anxiety.
The feeling of receiving food and assistance, in exchange for nothing at all, from people in a community that has suffered greatly.
The feeling of strangers asking to pray over each other, and praying over me too.
The feeling of seeing rickety, battered trailers with the porch light back on and the flowers out on the porch.
The feeling of walking over muddy ground and seeing the rivets that the water drove into that soil, while children skip through the boxes of donation supplies, skipping and laughing and squealing excitedly over a baby blanket someone had left for them.
The feeling of passing by a flooded, destroyed car – and seeing it the next day with a tarp over it and all that a person has left strewn about.
The feeling of ten utility trucks in a row passing you on a narrow, two-lane road, on their way to turn the next holler’s lights back on.
The feeling of passing by people as they walk down the street, and just looking at their faces for a moment. Those in downtowns walking their dogs, or those on the highway wandering with nowhere to go.
The feeling of seeing line after line after line of downed trees, all the way back two hours to your own neighborhood.
The feeling of driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains, the same range my mother’s ancestors settled over 300 years ago, as the leaves are just starting to turn and the sun is just starting to set, and the sky is so beautiful and massive, and you are so tiny, passing through on windy roads as if almost nothing had ever happened…
I don’t know how to describe any of this.
But there is something very beautiful happening in the WNC mountains, and you should be a part of it. I feel blessed to be here and to experience firsthand how amazing these communities are.
I hope you were able to see the sunset in the mountains tonight, because it was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever witnessed.
I’m hearing either military or rescue aircraft overhead flying SOUTH right now.
Pray for Florida. 
As we wait to hear from the parts of Florida which have now gone dark – and who knows when those communications will be back up – I remember how it felt the night before Helene. Here in the Upstate, we also lost communications as well as power and road access. As these things were restored to us and the cell towers started to be repaired in the mountains, days after the hurricane, posts from our friends in Asheville and beyond started to trickle into our feeds. Please try not to make any assumptions about what’s happening in Florida until we hear from the folks who are actually there. I hope they’ve been paying enough attention to our situation to have an idea of what is to come, as far as the nation’s response.
If you just survived a hurricane, you MIGHT not want to read this post below. This one’s for the folks staying warm and dry. This is a political post.
These are two different situations, due to the terrain, and that’s why the federal response will look very different in each. This is going to be confusing to folks who aren’t familiar with terrain.
Mountain folks – this part might be really hard to read.
The flash flooding was the deadliest in the lower regions of the mountains, but the landslides were worse the further you get up into the elevation. Boulders hit people’s homes. Flooding drained quickly in the mountains, because of elevation. Even the mountains themselves are full of underground rivers. That’s why the Midlands flooded a few days later – all of that water draining to the sea. I’m not sure if the Lowcountry flooded or not, since you do actually have swamps and marshes and Edisto and Conestee and Congaree and etc etc.
Down in Florida, the land is flat and the flooding may not drain as quickly. More concerning is the development where they have paved over miles and miles of their swamps and marshes with concrete surfaces that do not hold the water.
Standing water can create a LOT of issues, as everyone with a flooded basement is probably dealing with, and can quickly spread disease and contamination. The mosquitoes will be terrible, and they also transmit disease. There will be bugs flooded out of underground nests, animals displaced.
In the mountains, we saw it flood down highways and stand in downtowns – but there’s a lot of rural space besides Asheville itself. There are hundreds of streams, rivers, and creeks. And yes, we need to preserve those natural spaces and the farmland. Even the parks.
Everyone’s insurance rates are about to skyrocket to cover these payouts, unless Congress starts regulating insurance rates at a federal level. There’s at least 7-8 states in literal major disasters. You can’t handle that state-by-state.
You have a lot of businesses being destroyed right now which will not recover, and will file bankruptcy. You will have a lot of unemployment. I’m hoping we shift this to re-employment, if we provide opportunities to people to help and get involved while being able to pay their own bills.
The corporations whose carelessness has created horrifying environmental conditions in our beautiful land and needlessly cost the lives of our neighbors, friends, and family, now or in the years to come from cancer and disease: Silverline chemical factory, Impact Plastics, Duke Energy with the coal ash, Ingles Markets forcing employees to work in Black Mountain that night, ExxonMobil and Shell USA and every other gasoline company who pushed misinformation global warming to keep their own pockets lined with profits:
That’s where the federal aid is going right now.
The gasoline to keep those line trucks and cargo shipments moving.
The diesel fuel to run the generators.
The propane for the heat lamps.
I wonder if Duke charges a premium on services provided in declared disaster zones?
And here’s the thing: this HAS to happen right now. Absolutely, 100%, the trucks need to get up the mountains and fix those roads, the helicopters need to get down to Florida and rescue those people in the standing floodwaters.
BUT. When we sit down as a nation and ask ourselves who is going to pay to feed these kids, keep them warm through the winter, and get a permanent roof back over Americans’ heads, we better go follow the money right down the pipeline.
The billionaires and the corporations need to step up the way you and I are. I’m talking down to the shirts on their backs. If they can’t do that,they have abandoned us while demanding from us, and why have we as a proud society decided to tolerate this?
Today, the people in disaster zones are not thinking about party politics, viral memes, or silly Joesiden theories. They are thinking about survival and their loved ones in the immediate here and now, as they need to, and as they should.
But when hurricane season passes, we’ll have to face the new reality that as long as the Gulf keeps being pumped full of disgusting chemicals, these storms will continue to form and swell in that part of the ocean before destroying us over and over again.
We cannot hurricane-proof the mountains from the erosion that a storm this powerful causes.
We have to reverse this now, and we have to stop selling out this land and its people to those who only hoard its resources from everyone else.
Their survival is more important than your profit margin, sir.
I drove through a mud/dust area with the window down and ended up with small blisters on my hands. I never left the car. Please be mindful of the dust and try to avoid it unless you are a volunteer with full PPE.
There are towns in WNC you can visit right now that have open downtowns, open businesses, and are safe to travel: Tryon, Marion, Rutherfordton to name a few.
This does a really good job of explaining why it’s taking a long time to get power back to some people right now. It’s not a money issue, it’s a logistics issue, basically:
Mountain Electric Cooperative Update- Hurricane Helene Restoration Efforts -October 8, 2024
MEC wants everyone to know, we have plenty of materials (including poles) to work with and trucks are arriving daily. We ask that you drive carefully in our work zones so workers stay safe and do their jobs efficiently. Please don’t stop to report your outage, this only holds up progress they are trying to make to get your power back on.
Status for Mtn City service area:
We currently have an estimated 1,500 members out of power. This estimate did not change from yesterday, as we are in the restoration phase where it takes extended time periods to build new lines back that were damaged by the storm and replacing broken poles that were torn down by trees. Repairs like these take many hours in some cases and the result is only getting a few customers on once the job is completed. We are still working the same schedule of 15 hour days, and are making progress, although the numbers do not reflect that. (Trade and Hwy 321 communities that we cannot access yet make up approximately 1,000 of the members reported in the above number) Today, we are dividing some of the larger crews into smaller ones to perform service repairs, which will help increase restorations of individual services without power.
General Area Crews Working: Forge Creek, Laurel, Neva/Butler (including Locust Gap, Draft), Butler (Dry Hill, Goose Bradley, Sink Valley and Grindstaff Rd, Fish Springs, Hwy 321) Doe (Sprucey area), Liberty Church Rd area and Trade area.
General Area Tree Crews Working: Tree crews are working in Sandy, Mining Ridge, Goose Bradley, and West Holy Hill areas today.
The Poga / Hwy 321 area has many access roads that have received damage as well. Electrical infrastructure has been washed out in several areas.
Status of Newland and Roan Mtn:
We currently have 5,000 members out of power in Newland and 750 members in Roan Mountain.
We are getting lots of questions why underground utilities have not been restored yet. Please understand we have lots of junctions, transformers and wires that have been washed away and will take extended amounts of time to make these repairs. Even if you have underground lines serving your home, there may be an overhead line serving the underground transformer that has not been repaired yet.
ROW crews are working on Hwy 105 today. We are working with the NC DOT and Avery County Road Department to direct traffic while our crews are clearing the right of way. On Thursday, October 10th, Hwy 105 will be closed so we can install poles and wire in portions that were damaged from the Linville area to Invershield. Although closing the road is inconvenient, it is the only safe and efficient way to get the lines built back.
General areas crew are working in Newland and Roan Mtn:
Newland: Crews have started working up Old Beech Mtn Rd. Other areas crews will be working today are Heaton, Beech Mtn, Hickory Nut Gap, Highland Hills, Banner Elk/Dobbins Rd, Crossnore, and Linville areas.
Roan Mountain: Crews are in Simerly Creek, Tiger Creek, Buck Mountain and Bear Branch areas today.
If you have a medical need (oxygen, dialysis or other medical conditions), please find a local emergency shelter. The electricity and the essential needs are being supplied at these shelters.
I am out of the office surveying damages to our system. Please call your local office first and see if they can assist you before leaving me a message. I know there are several members without electricity still and can assure you all the MEC crews and contractors are working. These individuals have worked 15 hours (or more) daily for 12 days straight and will continue to do so.
We are getting reports that wire is being stolen in certain communities which is holding up progress. If you see someone stealing wire, please get their tag number and report it to the police.
I would also like to give a heartfelt “thank you” to all of our communities in MEC service area. MEC appreciates the meals, food donations and prayers going up for us as we continue to restore power to all our members.
Rodney Metcalf, General Manager
Mountain Electric Cooperative
C: 423.727.1810
Fax: 423.727.1822
rmetcalf@mountainelectric.com
Unfortunately the Foothills were too far south to see the northern lights very well. My friends up in Asheville had some beautiful shots, though, especially with the lack of light pollution.
Okay. Wanna help out the mountains?
WNC towns that are open and accepting business in their downtowns:
– Blowing Rock
– Marion (lots of music shops!)
– Rutherfordton
– Spindale (nice biking trails)
– Columbus (lots of cafes and small shops, stuff I couldn’t get in Spartanburg)
– Tryon (lots of local goods)
– Hendersonville (
)
Consider also in SC:
– Landrum
– Travelers Rest
– Chesnee
– Pumpkintown 
Please feel free to add to the list if there are any you can confirm!
Plan your route in advance, fill up with gas and snacks before you come up, stay to the downtown business districts and major highways that have been cleared. Never try to bypass a roadblock, it’s there for a reason. Bring a truckload of old jackets or other items to donate to a local church or organization!
BE RESPECTFUL TO LOCALS, VOLUNTEEES, AND ROADSIDE CREWS. Imma get you if you don’t! These people been through enough!
But while some areas are still being stabilized and basic needs met, other towns are honestly going to WANT the tourism business back to some extent, because this storm decimated the peak tourism season that is a main source of income for this entire region. They do need an economy. This can be done safely and respectfully without disaster touristing. Support the local businesses that supported their own communities through terrible times. Help people feel a little more normal again. Help generate some tax income to make up for all the economic loss this year. .
There are many, many ways to help right now.
Ya’ll be safe and have a wonderful weekend 
(4 am thoughts)
I know God hasn’t abandoned Appalachia because He keeps calling us back to help.
And even if you don’t know God, you may know that call.
And even if your faith is struggling, or feels washed away by the floods… you may still know that call.
Do good things because they’re good. Let the rest follow. And don’t hound or harass grieving people for the source they draw their strength from in these times. I know two things will save us:
1. Love thy neighbor.
2. Do unto others as you would have done unto you.
Local churches in Appalachia and beyond – and other religious groups, and non-religious groups – are saving so many lives every day right now. If you ask me, they’re all doing God’s work. Some might not see it that way, but I think we can ALL agree that the work needs to be done, and that we can’t walk away until it is.
Have faith that the community will pull through for each other this winter.
Look for God in the most desperate places and people, and you will discover something in yourself instead.
For some bizarre reason, it feels… almost nostalgic to look back on these awful times. There was so much turmoil, but there was also a sense of hope and optimism, less drama and infighting, in the early weeks as we organized local efforts towards assisting our neighbors. There was no room for partisan politics, because there was one goal that everyone could agree on, no matter what you believed:
folks need help, and we need to help them.
The closest anyone came to making a political comment to me in WNC during that time was: “We can’t wait around and rely on the government for this.”
) to run on groceries and gasoline at the only functioning businesses for miles. I walked the neighborhood with a few neighbors and we got snacks at the corner store, which deserves a medal for their efforts by the way. We gawker at the flooding river. The Greenway was completely gone, brown waters gurgling over the pedestrian bridge that normally sits 20 feet above them. The neighboring apartment complex had flooded buildings.
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