Checking in on mountain Christmas traditions
Plus: Candlelight vigil in Asheville honors victims; More towns reopen to tourists; 2nd round of chemical treatment at reservoir; Concert food drive collects over 3 tons
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With November starting this week, normally so would some holiday traditions.
Unfortunately, because the Grove Park Inn is closed until further notice, the 32nd Annual National Gingerbread House Competition has been canceled this year. However, the hotel is planning a virtual celebration called “The 12 Days of Gingerbread” by posting some gingerbread houses on the hotel’s Facebook and Instagram from December 1-12.
In some happy Christmastime news: Christmas at Biltmore begins Saturday (Nov. 2), when the estate is expected to reopen for the first time following Hurricane Helene. The Biltmore House and Estate will be decorated for Christmas, and in the evenings, the house will be lit by candlelight, mimicking what the holidays looked like when the house was finished in 1895.
Bringing in the main tree, a real Fraser fir erected in the house’s banquet hall, is a huge event. (It takes a lot of manpower since the tree is so big. Last year, the tree was 35 feet tall.) The tree was carried in on Nov. 1 last year.
Christmas at Biltmore kicks off this Saturday. This photo was taken of the Biltmore House in December of 2023.
The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville reopened yesterday, which means its Winter Lights walk-through exhibit is still on and plans to begin Nov. 15.
In other N.C. Christmas tree news: The 2024 White House Christmas tree, a 20-foot Fraser fir named “Tremendous,” was chosen from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, in Avery County, after the farm won the National Christmas Tree Contest, WBTV reported. This marks the 16th time a tree from North Carolina will be displayed in the White House Blue Room.
Local farmers hope the tree, which will be cut on Nov. 20, reflects the resilience of Avery County following the impacts of Hurricane Helene on local tree farms.
Let’s check in with the rest of the region:
Water update: A second round of chemical treatment of the North Fork Reservoir began yesterday, WLOS reported. The reservoir serves as the main water source for most of Asheville and the surrounding area. There is still no estimate on when potable water will be fully restored.
Volunteers clean Lake Junaluska: Over the past week, debris cleanup efforts at Lake Junaluska have involved 40 volunteers removing around 7,000 pounds of waste, from propane tanks to old tires. On Oct. 28, Haywood Waterways Association led a second cleanup round, sorting wood debris separately from trash. Volunteers continue gathering debris around the lake, with plans to clear Lake Logan next weekend. (WLOS)
Concert food drive collects 3 tons: At “Concert for Carolina” (the benefit concert on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium), Food Lion hosted a food donation drive for Western North Carolina. The results are in, and fans donated 6,245 lbs. of canned food, according to senior communications director of Tepper Sports and Entertainment, Sarah Clark. That’s more than three tons!
Breweries battle water crisis: Approximately one-fourth of North Carolina’s breweries are in FEMA-designated disaster areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Many breweries are struggling without potable water, halting production and distribution. DSSOLVR in Asheville has managed to sell limited remaining kegs statewide and launched a collaborative IPA recipe, Higher Calling, with profits going to support affected brewers and their staff. (WLOS)
Grove Park Inn still closed: The Grove Park Inn in Asheville remains closed nearly a month after Helene. OMNI said in a statement to the Asheville Citizen Times that power and internet have been fully restored, but there’s only partial restoration of water and ongoing cleanup efforts on the golf course and surrounding areas. No reopening date has been set.
Breech baby delivered during Helene: On Sept. 29, Black Mountain resident Courtney Mosser was supposed to be at Asheville’s hospital getting a C-section — but the only route to the hospital was washed out, reported Novant Health staff writer Roland Wilkerson. Mosser, 40 weeks pregnant with a breech baby, was airlifted to Asheville. Despite initial panic at having to leave her family behind, she was calmed by Novant Health’s Dr. CJ Atkinson. Safely transported, Mosser later delivered a healthy daughter, Maya, on Oct. 2 via C-section at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte.
A month after Helene, light shines through
It’s hard to believe November begins on Friday, especially for those in Western North Carolina whose lives were turned upside down at the end of September. I know I’ve said this before, but the past month has been a time-warp for folks in the mountains.
But with every passing day, a little more light peeks through. Last week, the city of Asheville took that literally. A candlelight vigil was held downtown to honor victims. Hundreds of people attended.
“I think I’ve experienced the full spectrum of human emotion here tonight — from happiness and joy, to just complete sadness and helplessness,” Brandi Cane Howard told the Asheville Citizen Times at the vigil.
When my wristband turned blue at the Concert for Carolina on Saturday, the stadium also felt like a beacon for my hometown and those who have suffered unimaginable pain. More light is ahead.
Time heals all wounds, but so does having a strong community to lean on. This month has been a poignant reminder of that.
More mountain towns cautiously open to tourists; ‘Please visit respectfully,’ Asheville says
North Carolina tourism officials say that more areas are now open to visitors.
Parts of the mountains are still closed to visitors, including most of Madison, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties. Towns still listed as closed include Swannanoa, Bat Cave, Old Fort and Chimney Rock, according to Visit North Carolina.
But some are now designated as open, though tourists are advised to check ahead on specific plans. Asheville, Black Mountain, Little Switzerland and Lake Lure are now coded as yellow on Visit North Carolina’s interactive map, meaning “check website/call ahead for limitations.”
The Asheville area’s tourism bureau says on its website:
Planning is key. If you want to support local businesses, please visit respectfully, with heart and patience.
Photos of the day: A massive mudslide
Mudslides happen quickly and without much warning. This mangled vehicle in Swannana, near Cedar Cliff, shows the power of a mudslide that took out 800 yards of a mountainside. (Photos courtesy of Rey Castillo Jr.)
WATCH: Mudslide takes out one side of mountain, leaves the other side untouched
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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.
How to help
Many organizations have deployed groups across the region, tasked with distributing food, water and supplies. You can donate to their efforts at the links below.
Hearts with Hands, a local disaster relief organization, has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
United Way of North Carolina has established a fund to help residents affected by the flooding.
MANNA Foodbank, which serves 16 counties in Western North Carolina, is accepting food, supplies and monetary donations. The organization’s warehouse on Swannanoa River Road in Asheville was damaged by the hurricane.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations to help residents in the Southeast.
Samaritan’s Purse, which is headquartered in Boone, is scheduling volunteers to help with debris cleanup.
Operation Blessing has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
E4E Relief, a Charlotte-headquartered provider of emergency financial relief programs on behalf of corporations, is accepting donations for their newly established Hurricane Helene Community Fund, offering financial support to individuals with long-term impacts from Hurricane Helene.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman