TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1954, Hurricane Hazel made landfall near Calabash, North Carolina, packing winds of 140 mph near Oak Island. Hazel is considered the strongest and only known Category 4 hurricane to ever hit North Carolina’s coast.

Even though Hurricane Helene had been downgraded to a tropical storm by the time she hit western North Carolina, the impact on Asheville’s famed River Arts District was catastrophic. Learn more in Top Stories.

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Voting in Western North Carolina

The N.C. Board of Elections reports that 90% of early voting sites in the 25 western North Carolina counties impacted by Hurricane Helene will open as originally planned Thursday when early voting begins statewide.

A combined 75 of 80 early voting sites can open thanks to state emergency election funding and a partnership between elections officials and emergency management personnel to secure portable restrooms, generators, and internet access at those sites.

The General Assembly’s commitment of $5 million exceeded the NCBOE’s original request of $2.1 million.

North Carolinians can look up early voting sites here.

Bostic Man Arrested for Making FEMA Threat

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jacob Parsons, 44, of Bostic Monday for “going armed to the terror of the public” after dispatchers were told he was holding a rifle while making comments about harming FEMA employees.

Parsons has been released on a $10,000 secured bond.

On Sunday, a FEMA spokesperson stated the agency was making “operational adjustments” in western North Carolina to ensure the safety of staff and survivors of Hurricane Helene.

Several national media outlets published information from anonymous sources who referenced email messages about federal responders being advised to “stand down” and “evacuate.” The outlets also published unsubstantiated reports of “armed militias” threatening FEMA agents.

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that those rumors were unfounded and that Parsons acted alone.

ArtsAVL Strives to Save the River Arts District

Hurricane Helene destroyed an estimated 80% of Asheville’s famed River Arts District, an area fueled by artists in a county where the creative economy accounts for $1 billion in annual sales.

Buncombe County’s designated art agency, ArtsAVL, will work toward rebuilding the district, which previously accommodated 26 warehouses and was home to 300 artists.

The organization is launching an emergency relief grant to provide $500 stipends for impacted artists, and it asks those who would like to help rebuild the district to support Love Asheville From Afar, an initiative promoting Buncombe County businesses.

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➤ Charlotte: The Charlotte Regional Transporation Planning Organization board will vote Monday on a public-private partnership plan to build express lanes on I-77. (See Details)

➤ Western NC: Two women have created a website called Supporting WNC that features a dashboard where donation centers can list needs in real time. (Visit Website)

➤ Bakersfield: Volunteers with the nonprofit Footprint Project deployed dozens of large solar microgrids, solar generators, and other equipment to 33 western North Carolina sites recovering from Helene. (More)

➤ Fort Liberty: Military officials issued a warning that members of the 82nd Airborne Division are firing rocket launchers during artillery training through Oct. 25, causing loud explosions to be heard in the area. (More)

➤ Statewide: N.C. Board of Elections data shows that 4% of the state’s registered voters—more than 300,000 people—checked the Hispanic box when registering. That’s a 300% increase since 2004. (More)

➤ Former UNC quarterback Drake Maye recorded his first NFL touchdown pass on this impressive deep ball to Kayshon Boutte. (Watch Video)

➤ UNC legends Vince Carter and Walter Davis became the seventh and eighth former UNC basketball players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday. UNC has more basketball Hall of Fame inductees than any other school in the nation. (More)

➤ Four-star offensive tackle Takhyian Whitset has committed to play football at N.C. State. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | NBA | NHL

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➤ Belgian mining company Sibelco, which suffered damage from Hurricane Helene, has restarted operations in Spruce Pine, a town known to contain the world’s highest-purity quartz. (More)

➤ NASCAR is expanding its Campus Lab Program to Winston-Salem State University, the first North Carolina university to offer it. The lab provides hands-on experience to students interested in pursuing sports industry careers. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports and Speedway Motorsports are collaborating on a new 100-acre complex next to Charlotte Motor Speedway that will include a lighted road course, special event facility, garage, and off-road driving trails. (See Details)

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➤ Three App State students have received North Carolina Space Grants funded by NASA to conduct STEM research. (More)

➤ North Carolina ranked 10th for “Best Representation on Election Day” according to a new, interactive map. New Jersey took first place and Oklahoma came in last. (See Map)

➤ Great American Beer Festival 2024 gold medals were awarded to four North Carolina Breweries: Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Pilot Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and Resident Culture Brewing. (See All Winners)

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➤ Flyover North Carolina has proudly collaborated with a host of remarkable American companies and has now diligently compiled a list of their top 12 American-made products. They stand as a testament to our nation’s ingenuity, directly addressing the everyday challenges faced by our fellow Americans. See the List Here!