A message of hope from the Fine Arts Theatre. | Photo by AVLtoday
In the weeks following Helene’s devastation in WNC, with each day that goes by we see the community stepping up to support each other, whether it be through neighbors helping neighbors, grassroots organizations providing aid, or businesses transforming into recovery hubs, among countless other examples.
In our newsletter and on social media, we invited you to share your stories of how you’ve seen the community come together — and today, we’re sharing some of the stories that have kept us all going in this time of crisis.
If you’d like to share what has inspired you, shout out a neighbor, or anything in between, you can submit stories through our survey — we’ll continue to share more responses in future newsletters.
Your stories of support
“My husband is a nurse at an NC long-term care facility. He was at work a lot overnight for days then helped evacuate 80 high-needs patients to other areas of NC, then went to check on them east of Raleigh. I was home alone a lot. I am in two poetry groups not currently meeting, so I’ve been writing a poem a day about the hurricane/recovery since the beginning. It’s keeping me sane and grounded, and I plan to publish the poems in two volumes, one for the first 30 days, and then a second volume for the next 11 months of hurricane recovery. Both will largely be fundraisers for recovery efforts.” — Kelly R.
“It feels little, but when asking how you are, people mean it! They really want to make sure you are good. And have a list of resources if you are not good!” — Hannah C.
“Lo and Behold Stitchery in Black Mountain has an incredible, uplifting story. The owner put out a call to her online customers to send any extra quilts they had to her so she could distribute them in the community. So far, she has received over 900 quilts!!!” — Mary Margaret J.
“Budgie’s Bakeshop fed Candler fresh bread and became a hub of recovery items and supplies.” — @evlyngo
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The city and its partners are advocating for additional resources from the state and federal government. In the meantime, Asheville City Council has approved around $4 million in reallocated funding to be used as grants for home repair, business restabilization, and rental assistance. Next, nonprofit partners will be identified to distribute the community grants. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Regional
Part of the Blue Ridge Parkway has reopened near Blowing Rock, from milepost 285.5, at Bamboo Gap to milepost 305 near Beacon Heights. The 20 miles mark the first NC section of the parkway to reopen since Hurricane Helene. Certain facilities and trails in this stretch will be closed, and the NPS urges visitors to use caution as hazards could be encountered on trails.
Learn
The city’s water services recovery website has been updated to include information on understanding the water sampling plan specific to recovering from Helene. Here, you can see the results of daily water testing. Note: Water Resources PIO Clay Chandler recently reiterated that the boil water notice in effect is due to sediment.
Open
After serving as a World Central Kitchen site distributing thousands of hot meals, Botiwalla by Chai Pani - Downtown has officially opened its doors at 22 Battery Park Ave. — the former Chai Pani location. You can visit Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Seasonal
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, Hatchworks Coworking, Hatch Innovation Hub, and Linked4Life are coming together to host Hatch-O-Ween 4 HOPE on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. at Asheville Sports Club. The 21+ celebration will feature live music, a costume contest, games, and food + drink specials — proceeds benefit All Souls Counseling.
Edu
A-B Tech will reopen to students on Monday, Oct. 28, resuming in-person and online instruction. Students and staff should monitor text alerts about any changes to class formats or schedule changes. Additionally, the college is conducting an online survey to let students + staff share how they were personally impacted by Helene so well-being can be prioritized.
Arts
Local artist Gus Cutty has created a series of T-shirts and sweatshirts featuring his art that adorned buildings devastated by Helene. You can purchase apparel with the artwork displayed on Level 42, 12 Bones Smokehouse, and Pleb Urban Winery, with 100% of proceeds going towards the GoFundMe for each business.
Wellness
Guardian Recovery is offering a free, weekly virtual support group for those affected by Hurricane Helene, led by licensed trauma specialists. The first session is tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 25 at 12 p.m. — sign up to reserve your spot.
Civic
Parking enforcement surrounding ADA parking, loading zone time limits, and illegal parking related to public safety (like parking in a crosswalk) will resume today, Oct. 24. City parking garages and meters will remain free until further notice.
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Community
Updates + need-to-know information
NPS crews have been working hard to clear Asheville corridors of the parkway. | Photo via National Park Service
The following article is being updated on our website daily. Click the button at the bottom of this section to read the full story.
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Status of the Blue Ridge Parkway
National Park Service representative Jana Friesen McCabe gave insight into the team’s response to the disaster, first assuring that there was no injury or loss of life among parkway staff.
NPS began initiating a phased reopening of the parkway on Oct. 11, beginning with the first 200 miles in VA, where less damage was sustained. As of this morning, Oct. 23, the first NC section was reopened near Blowing Rock.
In NC, there were at least 30 rock and mudslides, with 10 identified as “major,” resulting in loss of the roadway. Initial assessments also revealed additional smaller rock slides, tens of thousands of trees in roadways, and the destruction of the Linville Falls Visitor Center along with other campgrounds and picnic areas.
Right now, crews are working to open transportation corridors and clear the parkway here in the Asheville area — additional updates will be provided in the coming weeks.
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I had to show you the other side of the Fine Arts Theatre’s marquee to make sure you got this info. After reopening earlier this week, the theatre is offering $5 tickets through today, Oct. 24. Catch a showing of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “The Substance,” or “Conclave.”
