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Tag: hurricane Helene

  • Helene interrupted this town’s outdoor tourism makeover. How businesses are doing a year later

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    OLD FORT, N.C. — Morning mist is still burning off the surrounding mountains when they appear: Small groups of helmeted riders on one-wheeled, skateboard-like contraptions, navigating the pitched streets, past the 30-foot granite Arrowhead Monument on the town square.

    They are among the 400 or so people converging on this Blue Ridge foothills town for FloatLife Fest, which bills itself as “the ORIGINAL and LONGEST RUNNING” gathering dedicated to motorized Onewheel boards. Swelling Old Fort’s normal population by half, the mid-September festival is injecting much needed money and hope into a town still recovering a year after it was inundated by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

    “We should definitely come back again,” says Jess Jones, a 34-year-old marine biologist from Edinburgh, Scotland. “The vibe and the welcome that we got there was really nice.”

    That the festival occurred at all is a tribute to the area’s natural beauty, and the resilience of its people.

    Signs of progress are mixed with still-visible scars from Helene in this town about 24 miles (39 kilometers) east of Asheville. Most of Old Fort’s shops have reopened, even as workers continue clawing away at a debris pile downtown and some homes remain unlivable.

    Like other businesspeople in this tourist-dependent mountain region, bike shop owner Chad Schoenauer has been banking on a strong fall leaf-peeping season to help get him back on track after Helene. But many seem to assume Old Fort is still a wasteland.

    “‘Oh, I didn’t know that you were open,’” he says is a typical reaction.

    When Helene swept through, Old Fort was well on its way to remaking itself as an outdoor destination, especially after furniture manufacturer Ethan Allen laid off 325 workers when it converted its factory there into a distribution center in 2019.

    “When the Ethan Allen layoff happened, local leaders started coming together and saying, `How do we use these beautiful natural assets that we have to diversify the manufacturing economy?’” says Kim Effler, president and CEO of the McDowell Chamber of Commerce.

    Named for a Revolutionary War-era stockade, the town decided to become a world-class destination for hiking, running, horseback riding and, most notably, mountain biking.

    “We have a red clay that makes some of the best trails in the country,” FloatLife founder Justyn Thompson says. “The trails are epic.”

    In 2021, the G5 Trail Collective — a program led by the nonprofit Camp Grier outdoors complex — got the U.S. Forest Service to agree to 42 miles (68 kilometers) of new multi-purpose trails. The effort began paying dividends almost immediately.

    “For every trail that we were able to open, we saw a new business open up in town,” says Jason McDougald, the camp’s executive director.

    The collective had just completed the 21st mile (34th kilometer) of trail when Helene, in Schoenauer’s words, hit “the reset button” by washing away trails and damaging businesses.

    When the storm blew through on Sept. 27, 2024, the Catawba River converged with the normally placid Mill Creek, leaving much of downtown under several feet of muddy water.

    Schoenauer, who opened his Old Fort Bike Shop in 2021, says it took two days before he could make it to town to assess damage to the business housed in a refurbished 1901 former general store.

    “I was numb coming all the way here,” he says. “And as soon as I got off the exit, I started crying.”

    The water rose more than 3 feet (1 meter) inside the shop, leaving behind a 10-inch (25-centimeter) layer of reddish-brown mud. The beautiful heart pine floors buckled.

    Schoenauer says he suffered about $150,000 in uninsured losses.

    At the Foothills Watershed mountain biking complex along the Catawba, the storm took 48 large shade trees and an 18,000-square-foot (1,672-square-meter) track built with banks and jumps.

    “We had a septic field, a brand-new constructed septic field for the business that was destroyed,” says Casey McKissick, who spent the last three years developing the bike park. “Never been used; not even turned on yet. And it all went right down the river.”

    McKissick says the business didn’t have flood insurance because it was too costly, and the threat of a catastrophic event seemed too remote.

    The damage amounted to $150,000. Worse yet was the loss of eight months of business, including last year’s foliage season.

    “We lost that really critical fourth quarter of the year, which is a beautiful fall,” McKissick says.

    Gov. Josh Stein recently announced that travelers had spent a record $36.7 billion in the state last year. But that boom eluded the counties worst hit by Helene.

    Visitor spending in Buncombe County — home to Asheville — was down nearly 11% last year compared to 2023, according to the state Department of Commerce.

    In McDowell, tourist spending dropped nearly 3% in that same period. Effler says this June and July, foot traffic at the county’s largest visitor center was down 50% from last year.

    She blames much of that on damage to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is consistently one of the most-visited of the national parks. About 35 miles (56 kilometers) of the North Carolina route — including long stretches in McDowell County — aren’t slated to reopen until fall 2026.

    McDougald says nearly every trail in the Old Fort complex was damaged, with landslides taking out “300-foot sections of trail at a time.”

    They’ve managed to reopen about 30 miles (48 kilometers) of trail, but he says about that many miles remain closed.

    Schoenauer reopened his shop in December, but traffic was down by about two-thirds this summer.

    “My business, revenue-wise, has shifted more to the repair side,” he says. “People trying to still recreate, but use the bike that they have just to keep it going and have some fun.”

    The Watershed complex opened in June, but without the planned riverfront gazebo and performance stage. And they’ve moved the bike jumps to higher ground.

    “It’s changed our way of looking at the floodplain, for sure,” McKissick says.

    ___

    The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

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  • St. Pete officials talk Helene, one year later, and show off high-water vehicles

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Pete Fire Rescue says its new high-water vehicles will allow for faster and safer vehicles for when the next hurricane hits the area.

    What You Need To Know

    • City officials showed off the new high-water vehicles on Friday. The city bought three for $300,000.

    • The city calls it a significant upgrade which is a much safer and stable way to transfer residents in the event of a major storm.

    • Mayor Ken Welch talked about the city’s progress one year after Helene.


    City officials showed off the new vehicles on Friday. The city bought three for $300,000.

    That brings the total fleet to four vehicles, which means dump trucks from other departments won’t have to be borrowed from other departments for high water rescues.

    “These vehicles are true game changers. Designed specifically to meet the unique needs of our community in high water conditions,” said Fire Chief Keith Watts.

    During Helene, 430 residents were rescued.

    The exhaust on the new vehicles is snorkeled out, allowing the trucks to drive through four feet of floodwater.

    “This investment directly addresses the lessons of Hurricane Helene, ensuring that … when our city faces rising waters again, your St. Petersburg Fire Rescue is more capable, more flexible and more resilient,” Watts said.

    The city calls it a significant upgrade and a much safer and stable way to transfer residents.


    Mayor Ken Welch talked about the city’s progress one year after Helene.

    “To date, we’ve secured approximately $40 million in reimbursements from FEMA,” Welch said. “We received reimbursements for projects that included debris removal, emergency protective services and other actions taken from the hurricanes.

    “In addition to our FEMA reimbursements, we’ve received approximately $13.9 million in insurance payments to date. Today, that’s a total of approximately $54 million secured to help our city recover.”

    Helene revealed problems with the city’s infrastructure, with parts of the sewer system shut down with little notice. The permitting office was backed up big time, and many residents got unusually high water bills. Welch said the city is committed to fixing the water bill problem.

    “We think we’ve got a handle going forward and also the changes that we made in the code with city council’s support give us a much more flexibility in dealing on those one-off cases that seem illogical,” he said.

    Welch added that the city launched the Sunrise Saint Pete program with $159.8 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program will support housing, infrastructure and community recovery, the mayor said.

    He also talked about repair efforts at Tropicana Field. The roof of the stadium was torn off when Hurricane Milton arrived, just two weeks after Helene.

    “We anticipate that the roof installation will be completed by the end of the year and we’ll start on turf installation and other major interior work at that time,” Welch said. “And again, we anticipate the entire project will be completed by April 2026.”

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    Josh Rojas, Spectrum News Staff

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  • How western N.C.’s tourist dependent businesses are surviving after Helene

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    OLD FORT, N.C. (AP) — Morning mist is still burning off the surrounding mountains when they appear: Small groups of helmeted riders on one-wheeled, skateboard-like contraptions, navigating the pitched streets, past the 30-foot granite Arrowhead Monument on the town square.

    What You Need To Know

    • Old Fort, like many other towns in western North Carolina, have reopened since Helene but are still struggling to get the word out to tourists 

    • Old Fort has been transitioning to a tourism based economy since furniture manufacturer Ethan Allen, one of the town’s largest employers, laid off more than 300 people in 2019 

    • Biking trails became one of the town’s biggest draws, but flooding from Helene washed many of them away and damaged nearby businesses like Old Fort Bike Shop which suffered $150k in uninsured losses 

    • Tourism has been slowed down by the 35 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway that sit closed for repairs and aren’t slated to reopen until fall 2026


    They are among the 400 or so people converging on this Blue Ridge foothills town for FloatLife Fest, which bills itself as “the ORIGINAL and LONGEST RUNNING” gathering dedicated to motorized Onewheel boards. Swelling Old Fort’s normal population by half, the mid-September festival is injecting much needed money and hope into a town still recovering a year after it was inundated by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

    “We should definitely come back again,” says Jess Jones, a 34-year-old marine biologist from Edinburgh, Scotland. “The vibe and the welcome that we got there was really nice.”

    That the festival occurred at all is a tribute to the area’s natural beauty, and the resilience of its people.

    Signs of progress are mixed with still-visible scars from Helene in this town about 24 miles (39 kilometers) east of Asheville. Most of Old Fort’s shops have reopened, even as workers continue clawing away at a debris pile downtown and some homes remain unlivable.

    Like other businesspeople in this tourist-dependent mountain region, bike shop owner Chad Schoenauer has been banking on a strong fall leaf-peeping season to help get him back on track after Helene. But many seem to assume Old Fort is still a wasteland.

    “‘Oh, I didn’t know that you were open,’” he says is a typical reaction.

    Helene’s floods and landslides interrupt outdoor tourism makeover

    When Helene swept through, Old Fort was well on its way to remaking itself as an outdoor destination, especially after furniture manufacturer Ethan Allen laid off 325 workers when it converted its factory there into a distribution center in 2019.

    “When the Ethan Allen layoff happened, local leaders started coming together and saying, `How do we use these beautiful natural assets that we have to diversify the manufacturing economy?’” says Kim Effler, president and CEO of the McDowell Chamber of Commerce.

    Named for a Revolutionary War-era stockade, the town decided to become a world-class destination for hiking, running, horseback riding and, most notably, mountain biking.

    “We have a red clay that makes some of the best trails in the country,” FloatLife founder Justyn Thompson says. “The trails are epic.”

    In 2021, the G5 Trail Collective — a program led by the nonprofit Camp Grier outdoors complex — got the U.S. Forest Service to agree to 42 miles (68 kilometers) of new multi-purpose trails. The effort began paying dividends almost immediately.

    “For every trail that we were able to open, we saw a new business open up in town,” says Jason McDougald, the camp’s executive director.

    The collective had just completed the 21st mile (34th kilometer) of trail when Helene, in Schoenauer’s words, hit “the reset button” by washing away trails and damaging businesses.

    When the storm blew through on Sept. 27, 2024, the Catawba River converged with the normally placid Mill Creek, leaving much of downtown under several feet of muddy water.

    Schoenauer, who opened his Old Fort Bike Shop in 2021, says it took two days before he could make it to town to assess damage to the business housed in a refurbished 1901 former general store.

    “I was numb coming all the way here,” he says. “And as soon as I got off the exit, I started crying.”

    The water rose more than 3 feet (1 meter) inside the shop, leaving behind a 10-inch (25-centimeter) layer of reddish-brown mud. The beautiful heart pine floors buckled.

    Schoenauer says he suffered about $150,000 in uninsured losses.

    At the Foothills Watershed mountain biking complex along the Catawba, the storm took 48 large shade trees and an 18,000-square-foot (1,672-square-meter) track built with banks and jumps.

    “We had a septic field, a brand-new constructed septic field for the business that was destroyed,” says Casey McKissick, who spent the last three years developing the bike park. “Never been used; not even turned on yet. And it all went right down the river.”

    McKissick says the business didn’t have flood insurance because it was too costly, and the threat of a catastrophic event seemed too remote.

    The damage amounted to $150,000. Worse yet was the loss of eight months of business, including last year’s foliage season.

    “We lost that really critical fourth quarter of the year, which is a beautiful fall,” McKissick says.

    Blue Ridge Parkway closure slows visitors’ return

    Gov. Josh Stein recently announced that travelers had spent a record $36.7 billion in the state last year. But that boom eluded the counties worst hit by Helene.

    Visitor spending in Buncombe County — home to Asheville — was down nearly 11% last year compared to 2023, according to the state Department of Commerce.

    In McDowell, tourist spending dropped nearly 3% in that same period. Effler says this June and July, foot traffic at the county’s largest visitor center was down 50% from last year.

    She blames much of that on damage to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is consistently one of the most-visited of the national parks. About 35 miles (56 kilometers) of the North Carolina route — including long stretches in McDowell County — aren’t slated to reopen until fall 2026.

    McDougald says nearly every trail in the Old Fort complex was damaged, with landslides taking out “300-foot sections of trail at a time.”

    They’ve managed to reopen about 30 miles (48 kilometers) of trail, but he says about that many miles remain closed.

    Schoenauer reopened his shop in December, but traffic was down by about two-thirds this summer.

    “My business, revenue-wise, has shifted more to the repair side,” he says. “People trying to still recreate, but use the bike that they have just to keep it going and have some fun.”

    The Watershed complex opened in June, but without the planned riverfront gazebo and performance stage. And they’ve moved the bike jumps to higher ground.

    “It’s changed our way of looking at the floodplain, for sure,” McKissick says.

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    Associated Press

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  • Some homes, businesses still damaged at Helene’s 1-year mark

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Exactly one year after Hurricane Helene took the lives of 12 people in Pinellas County and damaged thousands of homes and businesses with floodwater and sand, the beach communities are slowly coming back.

    Some of the hardest hit cities include St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Maderia Beach and Gulfport.

    What You Need To Know

    • Treasure Island has issued 370+ demolition permits

    • Four major St. Pete Beach hotels have been closed for 1 year

    • Saltwater Hippie in Maderia Beach recieves building permit after 374 days 

    • Gulfport Casino remains closed


    In St. Pete Beach, four major resort hotels on Gulf Boulevard have yet to reopen. The Beachcomber and Postcard Inn expect to reopen by the end of the year, while the Bellwether and Dolphin resorts hope to reopen in 2026.

    In Treasure Island, well-loved restaurants like VIP and Ricky T’s successfully reopened. The Thunderbird, the landmark of the city for the last 68 years, will not reopen until a total renovation is complete. Just south into the Sunset Beach neighborhood, some flood-damaged homes have been demolished while others sit almost untouched a year later.

    In Gulfport, the historic Gulfport Casino remains closed. Many of the waterfront restaurants and shops have slowly come back online over the past year.

    In Maderia Beach, many John’s Pass businesses have successfully reopened. In the city’s small downtown area, the Saltwater Hippie just this week received its building permit to renovate and take over the former Brass Captain spot, which never reopened after severe damage from Helene.

    Some homes in Maderia Beach’s low-lying neighborhoods sit almost in the exact same state they did one year ago.

    One of those homes belongs to Coast Guard veteran Bill Nelson.

    “It’s heartbreaking to see everything you’ve worked for gone in one day,” Nelson said, looking at his flood-damaged kitchen.

    Insurance money, FEMA funds and permitting, Nelson says, have all gotten in the way of moving forward with renovations. His house has been stripped to the studs in many areas, while other rooms will have to wait. Nelson says a few months ago when it all felt like too much, he tried to sell the property.

    “We hired a realtor and they looked at it, and they told us if we got $500,000 we’d be lucky for both pieces of property… I was like, ‘I’m not giving this away,’” Nelson said.

    In the meantime, Nelson and his family are living in a FEMA-funded apartment in St. Pete. He has to be out of that housing by the end of the year.

    He’s hoping that with the help of a new contractor, he can be back in his home by December.

    “I’ve spent all my saving. I have nothing left,” he said. “Just waiting this out for so long like everyone else, we’ve depleted our savings.”

    Pinellas County has issued thousands of building permits over the past 365 days. Many of the beachside cities have issued a significant amount of demolition permits, including the city of Treasure Island which has topped 370.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Stein marks Hurricane Helene recovery, urges more federal aid

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The sounds of construction continue to echo through the mountains of western North Carolina, nearly a year after Hurricane Helene tore through the region.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gov. Josh Stein visited western North Carolina on Friday, nearly one  year since Helene 

    • The storm’s destruction forced more than 1,400 road closures

    • The governor highlighted progress across the state, pointing out that 97% of all state-maintained roads closed by Helene are now back open

    • Stein is pressing Congress for more aid


    “That storm’s devastation turned millions of people’s lives upside down,” Gov. Josh Stein said.

    Helene’s destruction forced more than 1,400 road closures. Stein noted the storm left behind enough debris to fill 5,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

    “Folks became totally disconnected. No communications, no water, no electricity, no means to get from one place to the other,” he said.

    Some of the most severe damage was in the Pigeon River Gorge and along Interstate 40.

    Crews work to repair western North Carolina roads nearly a year after Helene caused devastating flooding. (Spectrum News 1/Jordan Kudisch)

    On March 1, crews reopened a four-mile stretch with a lane in each direction.

    “I’m glad we have this sound of traffic through this press conference, because it means people can get from North Carolina to Tennessee and places beyond,” Stein said.

    The governor highlighted progress across the state, pointing out that almost all state-maintained roads closed by Helene are now back open. “Just a year later, 97% of all state-maintained roads closed by Helene have been reopened,” Stein said to applause.

    But Stein also issued a warning — the money secured so far isn’t enough.

    “I’m grateful for every federal dollar that the state has received. But to be frank, it isn’t enough. The average federal contribution to a state after a major storm as a percentage of the total damage is about 50%. Today, North Carolina has received 11%,” he said.

    Stein is pressing Congress for more aid.

    “I am calling on Congress to pass a new $13.5 billion appropriation to send more support our way. The people of western North Carolina deserve their fair share,” he said.

     

    Gov. Josh Stein visits western North Carolina on Friday, almost a year since Helene struck. (Spectrum News 1/Jordan Kudisch)

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    Jordan Kudisch

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  • Charlotte man reflects on neighborhood changes since Helene

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Despite his neighborhood being hit by Helene last September, Christopher Olivares feels blessed.

    What You Need To Know

    • With the one-year anniversary of Helene this weekend, a community in Charlotte is reflecting on the past 12 months 

    • A neighborhood on Riverside Drive on Mountain Island Lake experienced damage and flooding last year

    • After Helene, the area was a hive of activity, every house seemed to have people at it cleaning out and assessing the damage  

    • Today, some of the damage remains, but only a few families are left living in these homes 


    “As much as it kind of sucked for us, we are the lucky ones. We could rebuild, and it was expensive, but we have a home,” Olivares said.

    The neighborhood on Riverside Drive on Mountain Island Lake in Charlotte was once filled with dozens of homes and a sense of strong community. It now stands with some empty lots, damaged homes and only a few families who decided to rebuild and stay.

    “I mean you feel very alone, it’s quiet, which has its pros and cons,” Olivares said. “But at the same time, it’s so empty that you’re kind of the last man standing.” 

    It’s been 12 months since Helene’s impacts swept through this neighborhood. Olivares says he had no idea what was coming.

    “You never expect it to be as bad as what they were saying. We ended up having from the base of our garage to the height 11 feet, 8 inches of water, so almost 12 feet from the bottom of the garage,” Olivares said. “Not including the elevation of water depth in the yard where the river normally is to the house. There’s probably another 6 feet there.” 

    This neighborhood flooded before in 2019, so neighbors warned him it was best to evacuate.

    “More than anything though, I’m a husband and a father and trying to get everybody out of the house, but also not panicking and trying to reassure everybody that it’s going to be OK, that was the primary goal in the moment,” Olivares said.

    It took eight months to rebuild, but there’s still work to be done in his backyard.

    “Coming up on the one-year anniversary, everybody has their own way of dealing with stuff. For me I just didn’t want to think about it,” Olivares said. “I’m ready to just move on.”

    As for what’s next, there’s still some uncertainty.

    “We’re still dealing with it truthfully. I mean the fact that there’s still houses standing that are going to go down. We have to think, how long until it doesn’t feel like a post-disaster area down here. I don’t know. Is that going to be another year? Is that going to be three more years?” Olivares said.

    One year later, his neighborhood is different.

    “Now there’s no community, except your like one or two neighbors that you’ve gotten really tight with and that’s great. But the community that was here won’t exist again,” Olivares said. 

     

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    Melody Greene

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  • Thousands of meals distributed for families still recovering from Helene

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    Thousands of meals distributed for families still recovering from Helene

    One year after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, families in the region are receiving much-needed food assistance thanks to efforts from organizations in Charlotte.

    Volunteers from Channel Nine, along with MANNA FoodBank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, and Food Lion, distributed 1,800 food boxes to families near Asheville.

    ALSO READ: Neighbors’ compassion shines in storm-stricken North Carolina towns

    “Neighbors feeding neighbors, helping out, you know, a neighbor in food bank and we’re honored and privileged to be here helping out,” said Kay Carter, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

    Hundreds of cars lined up to receive the food boxes, highlighting the ongoing need for assistance in the area.“It’s expensive to do, you know, food’s expensive and supplies and it helps out quite a bit,” said Eric Adler, a resident impacted by the hurricane.

    Claire Neal, CEO of MANNA FoodBank, noted the unprecedented demand for emergency food assistance, stating, “And what we’re seeing is the highest need for emergency food assistance that we’ve ever seen in our 42-year history.”

    Faye Butler, another resident, expressed gratitude for the support, saying, “Your heart feels so overwhelmed with love and joy that we have people that care for us.”

    >>Click here to donate

    The distribution event not only provided essential supplies but also reinforced the community’s resilience and the importance of continued support.

    “And that they’re going to make sure we’re okay one way or the other,” Butler added, reflecting the hope and solidarity among those affected.

    VIDEO: FEMA homes continue to provide temporary relief for Helene survivors

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  • Raising Hope: A record number of homeowners are elevating

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    Pinellas County, Fla. — The look and feel of hurricane recovery and rebuilding started changing dramatically in 2005 after the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Hurricane recovery and rebuilding has changed dramatically since 2005 after Hurricane Katrina

    •  After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, homeowners on the coast are opting to elevate their hurricane-damaged homes in record numbers

    • St. Petersburg-based JAS Builders has nearly 100 projects approved in Pinellas County primarily, but also in Citrus and Manatee

    • The entire process of lifting a home takes 10 to 12 months, and the total price can range from $200,000 to $2 million depending on several factors


    The house lifting industry gained national visibility in the years that followed and expanded further following other major storms, including Superstorm Sandy, that devastated the northeast in 2012, and the historic flooding in Texas after Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in 2017.

    “Once Katrina hit, we started learning about the whole industry, and there really wasn’t an industry before that hurricane,” said JAS Builders Co-owner and CEO Jeff Trosclair.

    “When Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey and Long Island, the industry started migrating in that direction and lifting homes up there, but it really has not been something we’ve seen in these numbers here in Florida until recently,” Trosclair continued.

    Over the past 12 months since Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Bay Area homeowners in coastal communities and beyond have been opting to elevate their hurricane-damaged homes in record numbers, according to building officials.

    “Before the hurricanes, we may have only received calls for a few houses a year, but following Helene and Milton, we received thousands of calls for help from homeowners wanting to protect their property from future storms,” said JAS Builders Founder and Co-Owner Albert Jasuan.

    “Now, we’re transforming communities. It’s not just one or two houses per neighborhood. We’re transforming whole neighborhoods and whole streets. Everyone is calling us because they see what their neighbors are doing to stay connected to their communities, and they want to do it as well,” Jasuan added.

    Currently, St. Petersburg-based JAS Builders has nearly 100 projects approved in Pinellas County primarily, but also in Citrus and Manatee. The entire process to lift a home takes 10 to 12 months, and the total price can range from $200,000 to $2 million depending on several factors, including the size of the home, structural upgrades and plumbing and electrical modifications.

    “Some of these homes have flooded multiple times, and people are tired of dealing with extensive damage and ready to get them up to mitigate their risks,” said Jasuan standing in front of a Treasure Island home where JAS crews are almost done elevating the structure 14-feet high.

    “We don’t just lift the home. We get it out of harm’s way forever for the lifetime of the home and the lifetime of the person that wants to be there,” Jasuan continued.

    Every project is deeply personal for his co-owner, whose childhood home in New Orleans, where his mother still lives, flooded four times and was eventually elevated with help from FEMA after Hurricane Katrina in 2006.

    “Each storm left scars: favorite toys that were lost, family treasures ruined, and my parents shouldering the crushing stress of starting over again. So, this type of work really hits home for me,” said Trosclair.

    With a mission of building community resiliency, the co-owners of JAS Builders, along with nearly 200 employees, strive to bring safety, peace of mind and hope to hurricane-damaged communities.

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    Erica Riggins

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  • South Pasadena couple gives update one year after Hurricane Helene

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Hours after Hurricane Helene sent floodwaters and storm surge into homes all over the Bay area, families were clearing out their homes and assessing the damage.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Winkler and his wife, Connie, had a lot of damage in South Pasadena from Hurricane Helene
    • The couple had just finished renovating their South Pasadena home right before Helene. A year later, and their house is a shell
    • They were fortunate to be able to purchase a new home after living in a rental property all year

    Dave Winkler and his wife, Connie, had a lot of damage in South Pasadena. We watched as they washed their shoes that had been floating in floodwater. The couple cleared out everything they owned. A year later, and their house is a shell.

    Dave can still picture the kitchen, then and now. “It looked like the spin cycle on a washing machine, refrigerators upside down, couches floated and displaced themselves,” he said.

    Their bedroom and bathroom on the day of the storm and 12 months later are empty without the water-soaked carpet and bedroom set.

    Then there’s the pool. It was dark green when we were here last; now, crystal clear.

    “I had fish in the pool, and when I tried to drain it a few weeks later we actually had barnacles growing on the side of the pool,” Dave said.

    Dave said he used chemicals to clean and cut drywall to prevent molding. But there’s no real remedy to wash away the pain Hurricane Helene’s storm surge left behind.

    “It’s just sad. All of that effort, time, money and memories,” he said.

    The memories that date back decades in their house.

    “I gave the house to my mother, and she lived here for 20 years,” Dave said. “And when she passed, I came over and of course 20 years had gone by, and it needed a little bit of remodeling again and I decided to really expand the footprint of the house.”

    The couple had just finished renovating their South Pasadena home right before Hurricane Helene.

    “As you can see from my permitting in South Pasadena, my final, final inspection was on Sept. 12, 2024, just weeks before the storm,” he said.

    When they think about what their house looked like one year after the storm, there’s still a flood of emotions. Especially when they think about what was lost.  

    “I don’t care if you’re at Home Depot or out to breakfast; they’re still talking about it. It was absolutely traumatic for mostly everybody. It’s just how you deal with that afterwards,” Dave said.

    They were fortunate to be able to purchase a new home after living in a rental property all year.

    “Our entire lifetime now fits in half of a bedroom. That’s all the stuff we were able to save,” Connie said.

    They’ve tried to sell their South Pasadena home as is — but they want what it’s worth, so they’re going to renovate once again.

    “We just recently signed an agreement to hire a contractor because I didn’t want to go through it again. It was just too difficult,” Dave said.

    The only work they’re doing this time around is keeping their spirits up and remaining optimistic.

    “Let’s hope it’s a onetime thing and that we can put this behind us,” Dave said.

    They’re putting it behind them and on the market for someone else to enjoy.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • On N.C.’s rivers and streams, the cleanup of Helene’s fury seems never-ending

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    WOODFIN, N.C. (AP) — Bracing himself against the current in waist-deep water, Clancy Loorham wrestles a broken length of PVC pipe from the rocky bottom of the French Broad River and peers inside.

    What You Need To Know

    • It’s been only a year since Hurricane Helene hammered the southeast U.S. from Florida to the Carolinas

    • Some of the heaviest damage came from flooding in the North Carolina mountains, where some 30 inches of rain turned gentle streams into walls of water that swept away anything in their path

    • In the understandable haste to rescue people and restore their lives to some semblance of normalcy, some fear the recovery efforts compounded Helene’s impact on the ecosystem

    • Contractors hired to remove vehicles, shipping containers, shattered houses and other large debris from waterways sometimes damaged sensitive habitat


    “I got a catfish in the pipe,” the 27-year-old with wispy beard and mustache shouted to fellow cleanup workers floating nearby in rafts, canoes and kayaks piled with plastic pipe and other human-made detritus. “He’s right here. I’m looking him in the eyes!”

    It’s been just a year since floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Helene washed these pipes out of a nearby factory with such force that some pieces ended up in Douglas Lake, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) away in Tennessee. But they’re already slick with algae and filled with river silt — and creatures.

    Debris is strewn on the lake in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 2, 2024, in Lake Lure, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

    Helene killed more than 250 people and caused nearly $80 billion in damage from Florida to the Carolinas. In the North Carolina mountains, rains of up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) turned gentle streams into torrents that swept away trees, boulders, homes and vehicles, shattered century-old flood records, and in some places carved out new channels.

    Related: One year after Helene: Western N.C.’s ongoing journey to recovery

    In the haste to rescue people and restore their lives to some semblance of normalcy, some fear the recovery efforts compounded Helene’s impact on the ecosystem. Contractors hired to remove vehicles, shipping containers, shattered houses and other large debris from waterways sometimes damaged sensitive habitat.

    “They were using the river almost as a highway in some situations,” said Peter Raabe, Southeast regional director for the conservation group American Rivers.

    Conservationists found instances of contractors cutting down healthy trees and removing live root balls, said Jon Stamper, river cleanup coordinator for MountainTrue, the North Carolina-based nonprofit conducting the French Broad work.

    “Those trees kind of create fish habitats,” he said. “They slow the flow of water down. They’re an important part of a river system, and we’ve seen kind of a disregard for that.”

    The Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement that debris removal missions “are often challenging” due to the large volume storms can leave behind across a wide area. The Corps said it trains its contractors to minimize disturbances to waterways and to prevent harm to wildlife. North Carolina Emergency Management said debris removal after Helene took into account safety and the environment, and that projects reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency met that agency’s standards for minimizing impact.

    Battered first by the storm, and then by the cleanup

    Hannah Woodburn, who tracks the headwaters and tributaries of the New River as MountainTrue’s Upper New Riverkeeper, said waters are much muddier since Helene, both from storm-related vegetation loss and from heavy machinery used during cleanup.

    She said it’s been bad for the eastern hellbender, a “species of special concern” in North Carolina. It’s one of only three giant salamanders found in the world, growing up to 2 feet (61 centimeters) long and weighing more than 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms).

    “After the storm, we had so many reports and pictures of dead hellbenders, some nearly a mile from the stream once the waters receded,” said Woodburn.

    Of even greater concern is the Appalachian elktoe, a federally endangered mussel found only in the mountains of North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Helene hurt the Appalachian elktoe, but it also suffered from human-caused damage, said Mike Perkins, a state biologist.

    Perkins said some contractors coordinated with conservation teams ahead of river cleanups and took precautions. Others were not so careful.

    Michael Perkins, an aquatic wildlife biologist holds a brook floater mussel Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, near Marion, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

    He described snorkeling in the cold waters of the Little River and “finding crushed individuals, some of them still barely alive, some with their insides hanging out.” On that river, workers moved 60 Appalachian elktoe to a refuge site upstream. On the South Toe River, home to one of the most important populations, biologists collected a dozen and took them to a hatchery to store in tanks until it’s safe to return them to the wild.

    “It was shocking and unprecedented in my professional line of work in 15 years,” Perkins said of the incident. “There’s all of these processes in place to prevent this secondary tragedy from happening, and none of it happened.”

    Andrea Leslie, mountain habitat conservation coordinator with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, said she hopes the experience can inform future recovery efforts.

    “To a certain degree, you can’t do this perfectly,” she said. “They’re in emergency mode. They’re working to make sure that people are safe and that infrastructure is safe. And it’s a big, complicated process. And there are multiple places in my observation where we could shift things to be more careful.”

    Humans along the river are still recovering, too

    Like the hellbender and the Appalachian elktoe, humans cling to the river, too.

    Vickie and Paul Revis’ home sat beside old U.S. 70 in a bend of the Swannanoa River. As Helene swept through, the Swannanoa took their home and scraped away a big chunk of their half-acre lot.

    With the land paid for and no flood insurance payment to move away, they decided to stay put.

    “When you own it and you’re not rich, you know, you can’t,” Vickie Revis said, staring across the river at a row of condemned commercial buildings.

    After a year in a donated camper, they’ll soon move into their new house — a double-wide modular home, also donated by a local Christian charity. It sits atop a 6-foot mound that Paul Revis piled up near the front of the property, farther from the river.

    Using rock, fill dirt and broken concrete dumped on his property by friendly debris-removal contractors, Paul has reclaimed the frontage the Swannanoa took. His wife planted it with marigolds for beauty and a weeping willow for stability. And they’ve purchased flood insurance.

    “I hope I never see another one in my lifetime, and I’m hoping that if I do, it does hold up,” Vickie said. “I mean, that’s all we can (do). Mother Nature does whatever she wants to do, and you just have to roll with it.”

    Tons of debris pulled out, tons still to go

    Back on the French Broad, the tedious cleanup work continues. Many on the crew are rafting guides knocked out of work by the storm.

    MountainTrue got a $10 million, 18-month grant from the state for the painstaking work of pulling small debris from the rivers and streams. Since July, teams have removed more than 75 tons from about a dozen rivers across five watersheds.

    Red-tailed hawks and osprey circle high overhead as the flotilla glides past banks lined with willow, sourwood and sycamore, ablaze with goldenrod and jewelweed. That peacefulness belies its fury of a year ago that upended so many lives.

    “There are so many people who are living in western North Carolina right now that feel very afraid of our rivers,” said Liz McGuirl, a crew member who managed a hair salon before Helene put her out of work. “They feel hurt. They feel betrayed.”

    Downstream, as McGuirl hauled up a length of pipe, another catfish swam out.

    “We’re creating a habitat, but it’s just the wrong habitat,” crew leader Leslie Beninato said ruefully. “I’d like to give them a tree as a home, maybe, instead of a pipe.”

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Projects aim to harden Pinellas utilities against next big storm

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Thursday marks one year since Hurricane Helene covered parts of Pinellas County in feet of storm surge. It didn’t just take a toll on homes and businesses — infrastructure for utilities also suffered.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County’s deputy director for utilities says infrastructure upgrades have been underway in the year since Hurricane Helene

    • One major project is the construction of a new Gulf Beach Water Booster Station to pump drinking water to homes and businesses

    • That booster station was non-operational after being flooded with storm surge during Helene, prompting boil water notices and low water pressure

    • Elevating critical equipment is something seen across projects. For instance, electrical panels were lifted during the rehab of the Oakhurst Shores Wastewater Pump Station


    “Helene showed us how dangerous the storm surge can be and how it can impact our utilities infrastructure,” said Nory Hancock, deputy director of utilities for Pinellas County.

    One example is the Gulf Beach Water Booster Station on Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach. Hancock said the teal and white building pumps drinking water to homes and businesses. During Helene, it was no match for storm surge.

    “The sea water intrusion took the station completely out. It was non-operational,” she said.

    Hancock said boil water notices were issued and water pressure was low for customers. The station is back up and running, but it’s more than 50 years old and getting some major upgrades.

    One recent project is the rehab of the Oakhurst Shores Wastewater Pump Station in Seminole. (Spectrum News/Sarah Blazonis)

    “So, we are looking at the proposed new station that will be going under construction next year,” Hancock said, referring to a rendering of another teal and white striped building – with a few differences.

    The new facility will have a second floor, and that’s where the electrical and pumping equipment will be located. It will also have a standby generator and pumps so that if power is lost, customers won’t be impacted.

    “These upgrades will provide reliable drinking water, safe drinking water, will safeguard our customers, our public health, and the environment,” said Hancock.

    Another recent project is the rehab of the Oakhurst Shores Wastewater Pump Station in Seminole. Electrical panels were lifted, and valves were raised for easier access and better safety for employees. The county is waiting on a new generator to arrive for it.

    Hancock said she understands the uncertainty hurricane season can bring but wants residents to know the utilities team is prepared.

    “I am very sure that they will be ready. We have invested. We have added additional training here to respond when the community needs us most,” she said.

    According to Hancock, the new booster station is expected to be operational in three or four years. She also urged residents to sign up for the new Pinellas County Utilities Customer Portal to get information and updates.

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Helene and Milton: Faces of Recovery

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    TAMPA, Fla. – A major hurricane had not struck the Tampa Bay area directly in more than a century. That streak ended abruptly last year with back-to-back storms, leaving behind destruction from which the region is still recovering today.

    In this special report, we’re back in the height of another hurricane season. So, we’re taking you to different communities around west Florida and over on the east coast to assess the ongoing recovery and reveal the lessons learned.

    One year ago, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm in the Big Bend region of our state. Even though the Tampa Bay area didn’t take a direct hit, the region still sustained major impacts.

    Storm surge would reach heights of six to eight feet in some areas, more than we have seen in decades and maybe more than some Floridians have seen in their whole lives.

    Then, just 13 days later, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, just five miles from Sarasota, as a Category 3 storm. It brought heavy rainfall and damaging winds to our area, further wrecking communities that were already struggling to recover from Helene. The winds even ripped the roof off Tropicana Field, damage that is still being repaired today. 

    The storm would continue to move through the state, producing an outbreak of tornadoes — the most in Florida — in a single day.

    After the storms last year, a drive down the streets of a South Pasadena neighborhood revealed countless people picking up the pieces of what was left. Now, the neighbors who are left describe it as a ghost town. A couple who lost their home right after the storm — then again, more recently — and those raw emotions are still there. 

    Connie Winkler standing in front of their pool this year and last year.

    One thing that has become more popular in beach towns is seeing more elevated homes. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the house-lifting industry gained national visibility. It expanded more through the years after other major storms hit the United States. Locally, you used to see one or two elevated homes in an entire neighborhood, but now you will see entire communities transformed.  

    Crews from JAS Builders in the final stages of elevation for a Treasure Island home (Erica Riggins/Spectrum News)

    Crews from JAS Builders in the final stages of elevation for a Treasure Island home (Erica Riggins/Spectrum News)

    On the east coast of Florida, Earl Wischmeier’s home flooded in 2022 from both Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. He has now opted to raise his home to avoid future floodwaters and opt out of coverage to insure it. Here’s what his recovery looks like and how he feels about the process. 

    Earl Wischmeier's elevated home. (Spectrum News/Asher Wildman)

    Earl Wischmeier’s elevated home. (Spectrum News/Asher Wildman)

    In Manatee County, there are some homes that look almost untouched one year later. One house was completely knocked off its stilts, and another that was pushed completely off its foundation. Those houses are pretty much in the same condition as they were left after the storm. There are signs around the property warning people to stay away, as well as part of a trailer that was crushed under the home that was next to it.  

     

    Fifteen minutes up the coast, and one Anna Maria icon is looking to make a comeback. The city is in the process of restoring the city pier. The state budget allocated more than $1 million in funding to rebuild the pier. City leaders believe it will cost between $6 – $9 million to repair the entire pier, including the restaurant. The mayor of Anna Maria says they are working with FEMA and the county to seek extra funding. The city has set a goal of reopening the pier by late fall of next year.

    But, overall, the three cities that make up Anna Maria Island — Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach — have come a long way and for some residents, it’s been a full-time job. Here’s a look at how the recovery effort for the centerpiece of the city of Anna Maria rushed to get back open.

    While Hurricane Helene caused major storm surge, Hurricane Milton dropped a record amount of rain. In St. Petersburg, 18 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. Tampa also saw about one foot of rain in one day. And just like we saw with Helene, many water rescues were performed after Milton. 

    In Clearwater, first responders rescued more than 500 people from the Standard Apartments when it flooded. In some areas, the water was neck-deep. It was Pinellas County’s largest water rescue on record. A manager at the apartment complex said they’re now renting some apartments, but other units are still being repaired.  

    In Tampa, the Forest Hills neighborhood also sustained quite a bit of flood damage, even though the neighborhood is not in a flood zone or near the coast. Nearby retention ponds overflowed, and pump stations couldn’t get the water out fast enough. We spoke to a resident to see how the last 12 months of recovery have been and what the city is doing to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

    Forest Hills, Oct. 2024 (Courtesy: Rob Seal)

    Forest Hills, Oct. 2024 (Courtesy: Rob Seal)

    While Milton caused a lot of damage along Florida’s west coast, its heavy rain also caused major flooding problems to areas inland, including areas along the St. Johns River. If you were to visit the area now, you would see people still repairing flood damage, as well as bracing for what could come next.

    People living along the St. Johns River in Seminole County brace for what could come next, while still repairing flood damage from Hurricane Milton one year ago. (Philip Petersen, Spectrum News staff)

    People living along the St. Johns River in Seminole County brace for what could come next, while still repairing flood damage from Hurricane Milton one year ago. (Philip Petersen, Spectrum News staff)

    One popular beach destination in Hernando County is back open to the public. For many, Pine Island Beach Park is a beloved slice of paradise for visitors to unwind and soak in the Florida sun, but the park was forced to close after damage sustained from the hurricanes. Here, we take a look at the newly reopened park and how it is back to helping people create new, lasting memories.

    For many, like Gabriella Schianodicola, Pine Island Beach Park is a beloved slice of paradise for visitors to unwind and enjoy the Florida sun. But the park was forced to close after damage sustained from hurricanes Helene and Milton. (Spectrum News)

    For many, like Gabriella Schianodicola, Pine Island Beach Park is a beloved slice of paradise for visitors to unwind and enjoy the Florida sun. But the park was forced to close after damage sustained from hurricanes Helene and Milton. (Spectrum News)

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • As FEMA Helene money slowly arrives, NC lawmakers wonder: Are there faster options?

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    Top lieutenants of Gov. Josh Stein’s administration overseeing Hurricane Helene recovery testify in front of state lawmakers on Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

    As Gov. Josh Stein’s top lieutenants for Hurricane Helene recovery sat before North Carolina lawmakers on Wednesday, they recited a familiar line: federal aid money was arriving far slower than the state was able to work.

    Days before the storm’s one-year anniversary, the officials told the General Assembly that applications submitted for a major grant program had been pending before FEMA for months. And although the state stood up its homebuilding program in record time, federal regulations and processes meant that the first full reconstructed home likely would not be complete until January.

    Those projections led lawmakers from both parties toward the same line of questioning: is there any way to make all of this go faster?

    “Should we really, in the state, be in the housing business?” asked Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus). Rep. Zack Hawkins (D-Durham) wondered if “maybe the state will be better off being more invested in some of the state-funded solutions.” And Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe) asked whether the state could effectively pre-empt reimbursement from the feds on a key grant program: “Is that the way it works? Or do they actually look at every (application)?”

    “All we need from FEMA is their checkbook,” Sen. Tim Moffitt (R-Henderson) said.

    The slow trickle of aid is familiar for major disaster recovery, a years-long process that takes billions of dollars. But the Trump administration’s operation of FEMA — requiring top-level sign-off on all spending and enforcing new layers of scrutiny on all aid — has slowed the flow of money even more to western North Carolina and frustrated state officials and lawmakers alike. North Carolina has received federal funds to cover 9% of total damages; Stein has requested funding to cover 48%.

    Trump, as well as some Republican members of Congress, have on multiple occasions expressed a desire to move the bulk of disaster response operations and funding down to the state level. But for now, that responsibility remains with FEMA.

    Money for Helene does continue to flow piecemeal. FEMA greenlit an additional $48 million for North Carolina on Monday, and $64.2 million the week prior. But Matt Calabria, who leads the governor’s western recovery office, said Wednesday that the state’s applications under a specific rebuilding grant program had been waiting for action by FEMA since February.

    “That’s a good exemplar for the kinds of dynamics we’re running into right now,” Calabria said.

    That chunk of money, called the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, is designed to fund projects to prevent future disasters: relocating developments on floodplains, installing levees and floodwalls and retrofitting older buildings. North Carolina could be eligible to receive up to $1.6 billion under the program, officials said Wednesday. Both local governments and property owners can apply for grants. But “no homes have been approved” for the program as of Wednesday, Calabria said.

    FEMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the status of North Carolina’s hazard mitigation grant applications.

    Jonathan Krebs, Stein’s advisor for western North Carolina, told lawmakers the state couldn’t go ahead with projects under the program and hope for reimbursement from FEMA later. The most likely result from that, he said, would be rejection — though he admitted that would be better than the current limbo.

    Matt Calabria (left), who leads the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, and Jonathan Krebs, Gov. Josh Stein’s advisor for western North Carolina, testify for state lawmakers on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts on Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

    “We would love for them to say no, because then we could move onto other solutions,” Krebs said. “Right now, they’re saying nothing.”

    Meanwhile, the state continues to trudge toward rebuilding homes under Renew NC, the state’s homebuilding operation that will use around $800 million in federal dollars.

    State officials have kick-started casework on applicants despite still waiting on that federal money, using $120 million provided by state lawmakers. Renew NC has completed repairs on one home, and four others are now in the “pre-construction” phase, according to a state dashboard.

    Work on the first home to need full reconstruction is expected to start “fairly soon,” said Stephanie McGarrah, who leads the Department of Commerce division overseeing the program. She estimated that construction could be complete around January.

    Jones, the House majority leader, had heard testimony earlier from Samaritan’s Purse — a Christian aid organization that has been rebuilding homes in western North Carolina separately from government programs. The group is currently building 30 mobile homes and 40 fully furnished homes in the region, vice president Luther Harrison said Wednesday. Jones wondered whether the state was better off leaning on groups like Harrison’s for a larger chunk of work.

    North Carolina has received more than 3,000 applications to its Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program to help low- to moderate-income families who experienced significant storm damage.

    “Do you think it would be wise for this body to start funding the outside groups … that can move way faster than state government?” Jones asked.

    Those organizations fill valuable gaps on construction that “the federal government cannot fund,” Krebs responded. But many of the properties handled by non-government groups are often lower-cost ones; for more expensive projects, its a harder sell, he said.

    “When that average value starts getting really high, I think that’s where state and federal solutions start having to step in,” Krebs said, referencing major bridges specifically.

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  • One year after Helene: Western N.C.’s ongoing journey to recovery

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    A year since Hurricane Helene rocked the mountains, communities in western North Carolina are still reckoning with the devastation it caused.

    Buncombe, Henderson, Yancey and other counties will hold memorials on the anniversary, Sept. 27, to honor the 108 lives lost in the state due to the storm.

    The hurricane first made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26 and churned its way through Georgia and South Carolina before arriving in North Carolina the following day.

    Helene dumped a record-breaking 5 inches of rain per hour on the western part of the state, whose soil was already soaked from downpours earlier in the month, according to the National Weather Service. This led to historic flooding that triggered nearly 2,000 landslides.

    North Carolina’s Governor Office estimates that Helene caused a total of $59.62 billion in damage in the state.

    Some deadlines for individuals or businesses to apply for Helene recovery assistance passed earlier this year, but applications for a North Carolina housing rehabilitation program are still open.

    Gov. Josh Stein recently requested $13.5 billion more from Congress to aid recovery efforts. Stein said he’s grateful for $5.2 billion in federal funds the state has been allocated so far but North Carolina has not received “anywhere near what it needs.”

    The requested money would help rebuild homes, support small businesses and repair roads, he said. 

    More than 1,400 roads were closed after the storm. Now, 34 remain shut down, but the majority are back online according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s regularly updated map of roads effected by the storm.

    As roads reopen, the areas connected to them have as well, just in time for the mountains’ upcoming tourism season.

    As the leaves turn bright yellow, orange and red, many are drawn to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to take in the views of the fall foliage.

    The National Park Service has an interactive map that shows which parts of the parkway are allowing through traffic. The scenic 26-mile section from Asheville to Craggy Gardens reopened last week.

    Several other state parks reopened this summer. In June, Chimney Rock State Park welcomed back its first visitors since last year to climb the 499 steps to the American flag atop the chimney-shaped outcrop.

    Visit North Carolina has an online tourism guide with a list of autumnal attraction recommendations in western North Carolina.


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    Caroline King

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  • A year in the mountains: Mapping our coverage of Helene

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    Hurricane Helene first made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26 and tore its way through Georgia and South Carolina before hitting North Carolina the following day. Flooding from the storm left widespread devastation in its wake, demolishing homes and businesses, ripping up roads, causing thousands of mudslides and drowning infrastructure.

    Spectrum News 1 journalists came alongside these hurting communities to tell the stories of their struggles and resiliency as they grappled with rebuilding structures and communities.

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    Charles Duncan

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  • In Damascus, business is down but hopes are high one year after Hurricane Helene

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    Part of the Virginia Creeper Trail that remains closed a year after Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    As the first fall leaves drifted to the ground in Damascus Town Park on a recent warm September day, Mayor Katie Lamb spoke to an audience just off the Virginia Creeper Trail trailhead. One year ago, Laurel Creek began to rise and quickly flooded downtown — washing away homes and battering businesses.

    “Helene came in with a vengeance, and she may have damaged and destroyed our structures, but she did not shatter our Appalachian mountain virtues or our love for our town,” Lamb said.

    Picture of Damascus, VA during flooding from Hurricane Helene. (Photo courtesy the City of Damascus)

    Reportedly, 140 structures in Damascus were damaged or destroyed – bringing an estimated $12 million in damages to residential properties, businesses and public facilities. The state endured an estimated $4 billion in damage and hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of debris were strewn across the region. Three people in Virginia died as a result of the storm, as well as over 250 people in other states.

    In Damascus, home to 747 residents, the floodwaters washed out bridges and trestles, sending debris slamming into each  bridge until it gave way and the surging currents flowed down to the next. The Laurel Creek water gauge read 18 feet before it was washed away. 

    As the mayor spoke 12 months after the devastating storm, crews could be heard jackhammering away the former bridge on Orchard Hill Road. The washed out bridge still rests on the banks, evidence of the sheer force of the flood waters that came through.

    Portion of the Virginia Creeper Trail that remains closed due to damage one year after Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Portion of the Virginia Creeper Trail that remains closed due to damage one year after Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    While people were rushing to save their homes and lives, the livelihood of many in the region was being washed away farther east. 

    Multiple popular hiking and biking trails, such as the Appalachian Trail, converge near Damascus. Many of the town businesses are catered to visitors who wish to bike the 34-mile gravel trail that stretches from Abingdon to White Top along old train routes. The most popular portion is from White Top to Damascus, as it is mostly downhill and shaded in trees. Helene’s flooding almost wiped that portion off the map completely. 

    Virginia Creeper Trail sign leading into Damascus on the portion that was not destroyed by Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Virginia Creeper Trail sign leading into Damascus on the portion that was not destroyed by Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    “We lost so much the day that the trail flooded. October’s always the busiest month, and that’s how we get through the winter by having a huge October,” said Michael Wright, owner of Adventure Damascus Bicycles and another business.

    Developers are currently bidding on rebuilding the 17-mile portion of the trail that was most frequented by bikers of all ages. There is a tentative timeline of it reopening by October 2026. The project is estimated to cost $200-300 million.

    Seated in the office of one of his stores, Wright said business is down about 75% for his bicycle rental and shuttle storefront. His employees took calls in the background, explaining to customers that the popular part of the trail is going to be closed for at least another year. Hundreds of bikes are lined up in the back of the building, waiting to be taken out. 

    Wright’s other business, which outfits Appalachian Trail hikers, is down about 30% this year despite the trail being fully open. About 400 miles of the trail was closed across multiple states immediately after the storm.

    Bikes lined up in Adventure Damascus Bicycles. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Bikes lined up in Adventure Damascus Bicycles. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    He had never seen flooding like that in all his years living in the area. In all his years living in the area, Wright said he’s never seen flooding like Helene’s. His bicycle rental store along Laurel Creek had multiple inches of water in it. He had to lay off most of his employees in the wake of the storm, but has been able to hire back some of them, mostly part-time workers. 

    “So, you know, everything’s just gone, in an instant. We didn’t know what to do, where to go, but we just started cleaning up,” Wright said.

    Two homes just across the trail that runs alongside his store were washed away in the flood and have already been replaced. When Wright posted on Facebook that the bike shop doors were open again months after the flood, a couple that had been coming to Damascus for years drove all the way from Alabama to give them business and support them through tough times.

    “I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years, but over the years, people come to town and they love coming to town. I love the place so much,” Wright said. “I didn’t realize as many people had the same feeling that I did. But it makes perfect sense. That’s why they keep coming back.”

    The town has been working hard to leverage other activities and the second half of the Creeper Trail to show visitors that they are still open for business. 

    “We’re nervous about this winter for sure. We have a lot of hope now that the trail will be open next year,” Wright said.

    Down the main drag of town, Blue Blaze is another bike rental shop that has had to adjust to operating with only a portion of the Creeper Trail open. Owner Rich DeArmond, at his front desk  that still bears the water marks of Helene’s flooding, explained that he has invested in more e-bikes to help people bike the Damascus to Abingdon portion of the trail, which is not as downhill and more of a challenge for some riders. He describes this shift as a new beginning.

    Rick DeArmond, owner of Blue Blaze, in Damascus, Va., talks about Hurricane Helene impacts with a visible water line on his front desk. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Rick DeArmond, owner of Blue Blaze, in Damascus, Va., talks about Hurricane Helene impacts with a visible water line on his front desk. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    The town parks and recreation department has been emphasizing other draws to town such as trout fishing, hiking trails, and the overall peacefulness of the small community nestled in the middle of the mountains. Most of the businesses that were flooded are back open and looking for visitors to come in the door.

    “We could either sit around and be sad, or we could do something about it, and so we decided to do everything we could to bring Damascus back,” Julie Kroll, the town recreation director, said.

    Right next to where the bridge over Laurel Creek was washed out, Jennifer Walker had owned a rental home for six years. At the time of the storm she had tenants staying there who, fortunately, evacuated in time as the water quickly rose and eventually destroyed the house.

    Walker and her family live just across the North Carolina border, a state that was lashed most severely by Helene. Their home was hit with a powerful mudslide that knocked part of the house off the foundation and ripped portions off to be carried away. They did not live in a floodplain and did not have flood insurance so they’ve had to rely on a small award from FEMA and slowly put what they can back into its reconstruction.

    “In the back of our heads, we’re like, this is horrible, but we have our Damascus house. So we have a place to go … we went up to the top of our mountain, tried 81 times to make a phone call, and I got one call through to my mom. And at the same time, a video came through from the renters, and they said, ‘we’re sorry, it’s bad’,” Walker said.

    While the home that held many memories of wintering in Damascus for them, Walker is eager for her new venture to come to life. In the spirit of the Creeper Trail, she has purchased two train cabooses that will be made into a hotel. She hopes it will be a fun experience for people who come through to ride the trail that passes right next to the property.

    “You know, it’s just one of those things where you’re like, I’m glad that this town has bounced back. It’s cool. I mean, it’s just, and I’m not saying that because I have a place here, but it is a really special little town,” Walker said.

    Washington County residents were awarded $2.4 million in individual assistance from FEMA; $2.1 million of that was distributed in Damascus. The nonprofit Trails to Recovery has raised $1.7 million in private donations and aided in repairing 83 homes and doing complete rebuilds of eight houses for county residents since the storm.

    In April, Gov. Glenn Youngkin accelerated unlocking funds from the $46,670,000 allocated to Virginia by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through disaster recovery grants. A number of disaster loans were made available to southwest Virginians who were in need of assistance to build back their homes and businesses.

    With the construction of the trail set to begin in the coming months, there are efforts to have workers stay in town and utilize local businesses for transportation to work sites. Wright said there is a possibility of his shuttle being used – which would help them survive the winter financially. The Old Mill Inn operators said they hope to have some workers stay there.

    The shoreline outside the Old Mill Inn in Damascus, VA shows heavy erosion from Hurricane Helene flooding. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    The shoreline outside the Old Mill Inn in Damascus, VA shows heavy erosion from Hurricane Helene flooding. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Lamb became emotional during a tour of local businesses, explaining how hard they’ve worked to bounce back. She said they’ll never know the names of all the volunteers who flocked to the town to help people muck out their homes and rebuild structures. Damascus is hosting an event on Sept. 27, the day the waters rose, to show appreciation for those who helped them. 

    The town of Damascus has a population of less than 1,000. But during certain events that all revolve around the trails in the area, thousands of people gather there. When walking downtown now, it could be hard for out of towners to know what devastation was wrought there only a year ago. There are signs of it in the water lines on wood, the erosion of the water fronts, and the ongoing construction. But the spirit of Damascus has not diminished and residents are still welcoming visitors, whom they say are a lifeline of their community’s economy. 

    “We’re going to be better than we’ve ever been because we have each other, and we are damn strong,” Lamb said.

    Damascus, VA leaders cut the ribbon for the new Creeper Trail trailhead a year after Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Damascus, VA leaders cut the ribbon for the new Creeper Trail trailhead a year after Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)

    Another report on the rebuilding of Southwest Virginia post-Helene will be published Tuesday, Sept. 23.

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  • Mount Mitchell’s reopening signifies milestone after Hurricane Helene

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    All 13 state parks in North Carolina that were closed after Hurricane Helene have officially reopened, with Mount Mitchell celebrating with a grand ceremony on Thursday.

    Mount Mitchell, which had been closed for 356 days, welcomed visitors back as officials worked diligently over the past few weeks to prepare the park for reopening.

    SPECIAL SECTION >> Hurricane Helene stories

    “This park being 110 years old means so much to so many people. People travel from around the world to come and visit this site,” said Pam Cashwell, NC Dept. of Natural & Cultural Resources secretary.

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    The reopening of Mount Mitchell coincides with the arrival of fall, a time when the park’s natural beauty is enhanced by the vibrant colors of the changing leaves.

    “There’s nothing I enjoy more than getting to talk to people up at the summit or just in a parking lot,” said Robert McGraw, Park Superintendent.

    There are no fees to enter Mount Mitchell State Park for day use, but fees do apply for camping and certain reservations. Parking is free.

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  • USDA providing $221 million to help N.C. farmers recover from Helene

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    HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. — A new round of relief is on its way to farmers in western North Carolina affected by Helene.

    What You Need To Know

    • The USDA is allocating $221.2 million to assist North Carolina farmers who suffered infrastructure, timber and market losses in Helene

    • Helene is estimated to have caused $4.23 billion of damage to the state’s agricultural industry

    • The USDA’s funding comes after the North Carolina General Assembly allocated $478 million to farmers for lost crops


    The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced it is allocating $221.2 million to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for a program to assist farmers who suffered infrastructure, timber and market losses in Helene.

    The funding is part of the $30 billion disaster assistance relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act.

    “It’s going to keep a good many farmers in business,” Kenny Barnwell, an apple orchard farmer, said.

    “I believe it’s going to be helpful to get our growers back on their feet so that when they start in the next season, maybe they’ll be in a little better shape than they have been this season,” Dr. Terry Kelley, the director of Henderson County Cooperative Extension, said.

    Helene is estimated to have caused $4.23 billion of damage to the state’s agricultural industry, according to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, including crop, infrastructure and equipment loss. 

    Helene washed out a road on Barnwell’s apple orchard and killed over 3,000 of his apple trees. He estimates his property sustained about $500,000 in damage and expects to feel the impacts from Helene for the next six years.

    “I hope we never have another 12 months like we had this last 12,” Barnwell said.

    The USDA’s funding comes after the North Carolina General Assembly allocated $478 million to farmers for crops lost in Helene. While that money is starting to be distributed, farmers are hopeful support from the USDA will help them recoup some of their losses.

    “Until these checks get into these people’s hands, a lot of it is up in the air,” Barnwell said.

    The USDA has not announced when farmers can apply for this assistance. Officials encourage farmers to keep in contact with their local North Carolina Cooperative Extension office for more information.

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    Chloe Salsameda

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  • Hurricane Helene displaced thousands of students. Some struggled to get back on track with school

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    SWANNANOA, N.C. — When 12-year-old Natalie Briggs visited the ruins of her home after Hurricane Helene, she had to tightrope across a wooden beam to reach what was once her bedroom.

    Knots of electrical wires were draped inside the skeleton of the house. Months after the storm, light filtered through breaks in the tarps over the windows. “All I could think of was, ‘This isn’t my house,’” said Natalie, who had been staying in her grandparents’ basement.

    At school, Natalie sometimes had panic attacks when she thought of her ruined home in Swannanoa.

    “There were some points where I just didn’t want people to talk to me about the house — or just, like, talk to me at all,” Natalie said.

    Thousands of students across western North Carolina lost their homes a year ago when Helene hit with some of the most vicious floods, landslides and wind ever seen in the state’s Appalachian region, once considered a “climate haven.” Across the state, more than 2,500 students were identified as homeless as a direct result of Helene, according to state data obtained by The Associated Press.

    While storm debris has been mostly cleared away, the impact of the displacement lingers for the region’s children. Schools reopened long before many students returned to their homes, and their learning and well-being have yet to recover.

    The phenomenon is increasingly common as natural disasters disrupt U.S. communities more frequently and with more ferocity.

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    The Associated Press is collaborating with Blue Ridge Public Radio, Honolulu Civil Beat, CalMatters and Centro de Periodismo Investigativo in Puerto Rico to examine how school communities are recovering from the disruption of natural disasters.

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    In the North Carolina mountains, the challenge of recovery is especially acute. After all, many families in rural, low-income areas already deal with challenges such as food insecurity and rent affordability, said Cassandra Davis, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill public policy professor.

    “I would almost argue that they don’t get the opportunity to recover,” Davis said.

    After Helene flooded her rental home in Black Mountain, Bonnie Christine Goggins-Jones and her two teenage grandchildren had to leave behind nearly all their belongings.

    “They lost their bed, clothes, shoes, their book bag,” she said.

    The family lived in a motel, a leaky donated camper and another camper before moving into a new apartment in June.

    Goggins-Jones, a school bus aide at Asheville City Schools, struggled to heat the camper during winter. Her grandchildren kept going to school, but it wasn’t top of mind.

    The area around Asheville, western North Carolina’s largest city, still has a significant housing shortage a year after the storm.

    The family of America Sanchez Chavez, 11, had to split up to find housing. Helene left their trailer home in Swannanoa uninhabitable, and money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency wasn’t enough to cover the renovations.

    America and some relatives went to stay at her grandmother’s apartment, while her older brother lived at a friend’s house. Eventually, America moved with her mother to a room at a Black Mountain hotel where she works.

    America said she is still frightened by rain or thunder.

    “At one point when the rain actually got, like, pretty bad … I did get scared for a while,” she said.

    Helene damaged more than 73,000 homes, knocking out electricity and water for weeks if not months. The destruction of local infrastructure also closed schools for large stretches of time, and a barrage of snow days exacerbated the time out of class even more. In rural Yancey County, which has approximately 18,000 residents, students missed more than two months of school last year.

    After natural disasters, it’s common to see a surge in students living in unstable, temporary arrangements, such as sleeping on a couch, staying in a shelter, or doubling up with another family, according to research from UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools. Those arrangements qualify students as homeless under federal law.

    In Puerto Rico, more than 6,700 students were identified as homeless in Hurricane Maria’s aftermath during the 2017-2018 school year, the study found. Hawaii saw a 59% increase in its homeless student population following the 2023 Maui wildfires.

    In Helene’s aftermath, student homelessness spiked in several hard-hit counties, according to AP’s analysis of data from the North Carolina Homeless Education Program.

    Yancey County saw the region’s highest percentage increase. The number of homeless students went from 21 in the 2023-2024 school year to 112 last school year. All but 15 were homeless due to Helene.

    Some students enrolled in other school systems, at least temporarily. Others never returned.

    Terri Dolan of Swannanoa sent her two young children to stay with her parents in Charlotte ahead of the storm. After seeing the extent of the devastation, Dolan had them enroll in school there. They stayed over a month before returning home.

    “My job is to make money for our family and their job is to go to school,’” Dolan says she’d always told her kids. “Just because the school wasn’t open here, I felt like they needed to go to school and do their job.”

    Some districts receive federal money for services such as transporting homeless students to their usual school buildings and providing tutoring under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. But districts must apply in a competitive process, and they can’t request more money immediately after a natural disaster until the next application cycle. Many miss out on McKinney-Vento funding entirely.

    Helene-impacted students made up at least a fifth of the homeless population in 16 counties, but only six counties received McKinney-Vento money last funding cycle. Nationally, only 1 in 5 school districts receives McKinney-Vento money due to limited funds, said Barbara Duffield, executive director of Schoolhouse Connection, a nonprofit that advocates for homeless students.

    “If there’s a disaster, it’s going to involve districts that don’t get money from McKinney-Vento,” Duffield said.

    Gwendolyn Bode, a pre-law student at Appalachian State University, had to leave her mud-wrecked apartment complex after Helene. Told she couldn’t get campus housing, she found an Airbnb where she could stay at until her FEMA housing application went through, and then she moved into a hotel.

    She felt like she was drowning as she tried to keep up with her classes and a part-time job.

    “I can’t tell you what I learned,” Bode said. “I can’t even tell you when I went to class, because (mentally) I wasn’t there.” She found more stability after moving into an apartment for the spring semester.

    For Natalie Briggs, now 13, the grief of losing almost everything, coupled with the tight quarters in her grandparents’ basement, sometimes got to her — and to her mother, Liz Barker. Barker said it felt like a “time with no rules” because there was so much to deal with on top of her job as a health care worker.

    The circumstances sometimes led to friction. But Barker said overall, she and Natalie had “done pretty well” together.

    “She’s been a little bit more loving since all of this happened,” Barker said, smiling at her daughter.

    “I give her hugs and stuff,” Natalie said, “and I’ll tell her I love her, more than I did.”

    ___

    The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • 130 seniors left with few options one year after hurricanes

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Hundreds of seniors say they’re in a bind and could end up with nowhere to go, because of the way their storm-damaged mobile homes have been assessed.

    In March, 235 homeowners in the Gateway Mobile Home Community off 4th Street received substantial damage letters. The letters from Pinellas County gave the affected homeowners the options of moving their mobile home to higher ground, building a new home up to current flood standards, or elevating their current home. A fourth option would be to pay for home demolition and vacate the community entirely.

    The community is restricted to residents 55 and older.

    What You Need To Know

    •  130 seniors in 55+ community still affected one year later

    •  Residents given options to lift or rebuild homes or move out of community entirely 

    •  Many who recieved substantial damage letters say their homes were minimally damaged 

    • Owners of Gateway advocating for residents 


    Bonnie Sisco, who has lived in her home in the Gateway community for the past 15 years, received one of the substantial damage letters. She says her front porch and part of her roof was damaged, but flood water never made it inside of her home. Her home was repaired before she received the letter in March.

    Her inspection and assessment, she says, claims water intrusion and valued her home at $16,000.

    “My air conditioner never even went out. The flood water never made it inside,” she Sisco said.

    Sisco says due to the age of her home, it can’t be lifted or moved. Her only options would be to demolish her home, which she says is in great condition.

     


    “I put all my money into this. So if our options are to buy another place… I don’t have money to go and buy another house or pay to have this demolished,” she said. “They’re going to have a lot of homeless seniors.”

    Darna Lopez, regional sales manager for Gateway Mobile Homes, says she understands that Pinellas County needs to make things safer for the future but hopes it can be done reasonably.

    “We call on Pinellas County to reconsider its approach and adopt a more reasonable and compassionate valuation process—one that takes into account the real costs of repairs, the true condition of the homes, and the residents’ desire to remain in their homes and the community they love. We also want the County recognize the true fair market value of the homes, as they do for other types of residential dwellings, instead of valuing manufactured homes more like used cars. Our residents should not be forced out of their homes due to impractical demands or unfair assessments,” she said in a written statement.

    Lopez estimates about 130 homes are still affected. The remainder of the residents who received the letters have either moved or successfully appealed.

    Pinellas County Public Information Coordinator John Carkeet says the inspections were done under FEMA guidelines, and referred homeowners to apply for disaster recovery money that will become available in the coming months.

    “Pinellas County conducted substantial damage inspections at Gateway Mobile Home Park and other storm-impacted areas under FEMA’s federally mandated guidelines. Residents had the opportunity to request reassessments and appeals, and we continue to provide guidance on next steps. Our focus is on helping homeowners pursue  recovery plans and connecting them with resources such as the upcoming Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, which will provide financial assistance for eligible residents. For more information, residents may visit recovery.pinellas.gov for recovery resources or pinellas.gov/stormpermits for storm damage permitting,” he wrote in a statement to Spectrum Bay News 9.

    Sisco has appealed to a special magistrate and has a hearing scheduled for early October.

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    Angie Angers

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