This Saturday—Sept. 27, 2025—marks one year since Hurricane Helene flooded Western North Carolina with five months of rain in just three days.
Local leaders face significant challenges and argue Washington and Raleigh could do more to help them recover from the $60 billion storm.
This week, as we approach the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene–one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit western North Carolina–it’s important to take stock of how we’re doing. Where do we stand and what do we still need?
Hurricane Helene left at least 108 people dead, over 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, and over $60 billion in total costs. A year later, communities across western NC are still picking up the pieces.
Last fall, communities across western North Carolina were devastated by Hurricane Helene. A year later, the town of Marshall has reopened and is forging a path forward.
In the mountains of western NC, local renewable energy company Sugar Hollow Solar is already working through contingency plans to avoid laying off staff.
In Murfreesboro, North Carolina, a local bookstore wants to be a 'third place'—somwehere in town that's not your home or your workplace. The idea is to bring people together.
A community-based organization focused on drug use harm reduction turned its headquarters into a refuge for all seeking help in the face of a hurricane.
As Congress looks to cut SNAP, better known as "food stamps," we go inside Greensboro, North Carolina's "People's Market," which runs on vendors and customers who rely on the federal aid.
About two years ago, tents started to show up in my neighborhood along the creek beds and in small stands of trees. Most only became visible when the leaves fell, exposing their orange rainflies and blue tarps. This increase in houselessness didn’t feel surprising...
| September 26, 2025
| September 26, 2025
| September 24, 2025
| September 23, 2025
| August 21, 2025
