It's an anxious time for mountain pets, too
Plus: Temperatures to dip into the 30s next week; 90% power expected to be restored by tonight; Eric Church dedicates new song to N.C.; Babies still being born at Asheville hospital
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Dogs and cats (and other pets and farm animals) have also been feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene — and I’m not just talking about the thousands of animals who were probably anxious during the storm’s raging wind and rain.
In addition to the hundreds of homes, grocery stores and medical offices damaged by the storm, many veterinary offices, animal shelters and pet stores have been closed this week as well.
In Asheville, Veterinary Emergency Group was closed for 44 hours after the storm, the Asheville Citizen Times reported. The vet office was able to reopen this week to perform emergency surgeries and distribute pet food to the community. Pet food has been on the list for supply donations needed across the area.
Last Thursday, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, which sits along the Swannanoa River in Asheville, evacuated all 137 of its animals and placed them with foster families in the community. The shelter was destroyed in the hurricane.
Charlotte offers help: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control collected pet supplies earlier this week and dropped them off in the town of Marion in McDowell County on Wednesday. The shelter is still collecting donations through Saturday. The Humane Society of Charlotte took in pets from the Asheville Humane Society this week, WCNC reported. Other pet stores in Charlotte, like Pet Wants, are collecting monetary donations to supply pet food to affected areas.
Pets have also been the reason why many people have stayed in the area, even if they have a route out — they can’t find a place that’s affordable and pet-friendly. If you’re planning to donate supplies this week, consider adding a bag of cat food or dog treats to the mix.
Here’s the latest news coming out of the mountain region:
Cold front moving in: A cold front is expected to hit Monday, dropping the temperatures in the mountains to the 40s and 50s, according to the National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg. “Some locations in the mountains may dip into the 30s. Warm clothes will be needed for relief efforts in western North Carolina,” the National Weather Service said on social media.
McDowell County reports 1st fatality: McDowell County, east of Buncombe, reported its first storm-related death on Thursday, WLOS reported. More than 200 people have been confirmed dead across several states from the storm, including 108 in North Carolina. Helene is now the deadliest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, USA Today said.
Premature baby born during Helene: Baby Phoenix was born 10 weeks premature at 2 pounds 10 ounces in the early morning hours of Friday, Sept. 27 — right as the storm was hitting. Shortly after his birth at Asheville’s Mission Hospital, a transformer exploded, but a backup generator kicked in. As the hospital struggled with limited resources, many pregnant women were urged to evacuate to safer areas. Today, Phoenix is thriving. The hospital said 33 babies had been born since the storm as of Wednesday. (Asheville Citizen Times)
Barnardsville among impacted communities: A woman shares her story in Barnardsville, a community in Buncombe County of 559 people, after floodwaters from Ivy Creek destroyed her home and several mobile homes. (Asheville Citizen Times)
Cleaning up Clyde: In Clyde, a town west of Asheville (population of 1,376), cleanup efforts are underway after Hurricane Helene caused significant flooding from the Pigeon River. Haywood County Development Services has been passing out notices on affected homes reminding residents to secure permits before rebuilding. Some residents have already decided to relocate. (WLOS)
Aid slow to reach in Latino communities: After Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina, volunteers arrived with supplies to help communities in hard-hit areas, including an immigrant neighborhood in a Swannanoa mobile home park. Many families lost their homes, and the language barrier has made it difficult to communicate needs. (New York Times)
WCU football game to play with no spectators: Western Carolina University’s football team will play its home game against Wofford College on Saturday without spectators. The university said on social media that it didn’t want to divert “much-needed resources to host a typical game-day experience” and encouraged fans “to channel their Catamount spirit in helping those who have been impacted by this historic storm.”
Update on power restoration; ‘Expect 90% of customers restored by Friday night’
As of this morning, about 170,000 Duke Energy customers in Western North Carolina are still living in the dark.
Duke Energy crews have been on the scene all week, removing fallen trees and working to restore power.
Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said on social media that Duke expects 90% of customers to have power restored by Friday night, with about 150,000 more by Sunday.
This map from Duke Energy Carolinas as of 12 p.m. Friday shows the number of power outages recorded in parts of Western North Carolina. The Asheville-Swannanoa-Black Mountain area has the most outages, with roughly 78,000 customers without power. (Photo courtesy of Duke Energy)
Country superstar Eric Church drops new single inspired by storm’s devastation; proceeds from ‘Darkest Hour’ to go to charity
Ten-time Grammy-nominated singer Eric Church, who’s a native of a small town outside of Hickory, released an unexpected new song Friday morning dedicated to “the unsung heroes, the people who show up when the world’s falling apart.”
The Charlotte Observer reports that Church wasn’t planning to release new music this year until he saw the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. Church is a graduate of Appalachian State University and is a partial owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
He said royalties from the song will go toward his charity, which will aid communities hit by the storm. “This song goes to my home, North Carolina, now and forever,” he said.
Sample lyrics:
In your darkest hour
Baby I’d come runnin’
In your darkest hour
I’d light your way
Baby don’t give up
I’ll do everything in my power
To take even a minute off your darkest hour
You can listen here:
Photo of the day: Some parts of life continue as normal — like taking dogs for walks outside
It’s the calm after the storm: Western North Carolina’s skies have been eerily sunny and blue. Some parts of life continue on as normal, like taking your pet for a long walk. This woman sits outside with her dog near Fairway Drive in Black Mountain. (Photo by Rey Castillo Jr.)
Video reveals damage to Swannanoa after flood waters receded; ‘Different town, same destruction’
How to help
I read something yesterday that said Western North Carolina’s recovery is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. While donations and supplies are needed now, chances are the need will still be just as great weeks from now.
Blue Ridge Public Radio, a public radio station based in Asheville, has a comprehensive list of local, on-the-ground organizations aiding in the recovery effort. Check it out here.
For advice on avoiding scams and finding reputable organizations, check out tips from the Attorney General’s Office.
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Lindsey Banks, a native of the Buncombe County town of Swannanoa, is a staff reporter with The Charlotte Ledger. Reach her at lindsey@cltledger.com.
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