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Heavy early voting turnout in Asheville, Buncombe termed ‘amazing,’ as Nov. 5 Election Day looms
Sunday, 27 October 2024 12:09

From Staff Reports

A record 5,700 residents cast their ballots in Buncombe County on Oct. 17 during the first day of in-person early voting in North Carolina, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Oct. 17.

“There’s a lot of people out there — it’s really amazing,” Corinne Duncan, the director of elections for Buncombe County, told News 13.

Duncan also told the TV station that she believes that community members are eager to make their voices heard in the aftermath of Helene.

Further, she pointed out to News 13, “This perhaps motivated people to come out and, I think, that there’s a lot of feelings of community and coming together after a crisis like this and voting is another example of people coming together, and they are definitely showing that today, heading out to the polls.”

Those who missed the deadline to register to vote may register at an early-voting site during the early voting period. 

“You can also ‘same-day register’ during early voting and so if you missed the registration deadline that was on the 11th, you can bring a photo ID and your proof of residency to early voting,” Duncan  told News 13.

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Recovery update tells of water, power gains, 3 wks. after storm
Sunday, 27 October 2024 12:05

 From Staff Reports

Three weeks after Tropical Storm Helene ripped through Western North Carolina with record flooding and wind damage, Buncombe County and Asheville city officials met on Oct. 18 to provide several updates on the recovery progress, focusing on the water crisis and power outages, as water and electricity are being restored throughout the area.

(In a separate report, as of Oct. 16, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 95 verified storm-related deaths in the state from Helene, with 42 deaths in the Buncombe County, seven in Henderson County and five in Haywood County.)

At the Oct. 18 storm recovery update, Duke Energy reported that 469 of its customers in Buncombe remained without power, as of Oct. 18.

Further, Clay Chandler, a public information officer for the City of Asheville Water Resources Department, noted that a temporary waterline was connected in Swannanoa, as crews were able to clear debris from the Swannanoa River.

Chandler said the connection provided water to roughly 75 homes within the area, and crews aim to make a second waterline connection on Oct. 18.

Crews have also poured several water treatment chemicals into the North Fork Reservoir, he said, noting that they aspire to reduce the amount of sediment in the water, so that it can be treated and pumped into the system as drinkable water. 

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Upstate S.C. still assessing damage wreaked on Sept. 27 on area by Tropical Storm Helene
Sunday, 27 October 2024 12:03

From Staff Reports 

GREENVILLE, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster held a media briefing on Sept. 30 to share a report on the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, noting that there were 29 storm-related deaths in the state as of that afternoon.

Other state emergency officials shared updates on ongoing safety and health efforts.

Andrew Bateman with the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff said the top three counties impacted by power outages are Greenville (over 200,000), Spartanburg (over 154,000) and Anderson counties (over 72,000).

Mike Callahan, president of Duke Energy South Carolina, asked all drivers in the Upstate to move over for utility workers working to restore power.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved individual and public assistance for several counties including Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, Spartanburg and Oconee counties. The individual assistance is for residents whose properties received uninsured damage. The public assistance is for debris removal and emergency protective measures.

Fire officials remind residents that a “burning ban” is in effect for yard debris.

On Oct. 11,  a Disaster Recovery Center was opened in Greenville County to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene.

The Greenville County Center location is at the Freetown Community Center, 200 Alice Avenue in Greenville. It is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Additional Disaster Recovery Centers will be open soon in other affected areas. One may visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. To find other center locations, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362.

Homeowners and renters — in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Chester, Cherokee, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Kershaw, Jasper, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties, as well as tribal members of Catawba Indian Nation — may apply for federal disaster assistance, the governor noted at the briefing.

He added that the quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. One also may apply by using the FEMA App for mobile devices or by calling toll-free at (800) 621-3362. 

The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages, McMaster said  If an individual uses a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, one must give FEMA his or her number for that service. 

 
Trump’s Oct. 21 visit to Asheville? To view Helene damage, give remarks to the press
Sunday, 27 October 2024 12:01

From Staff Reports

Former U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled a visit to Asheville on Oct. 21 to tour the devastation of Helene, three weeks after the tropical storm ripped through the region.

 Trump noted that he will visit Asheville to view the damage in the area left by the tropical storm and to deliver remarks to the press at noon Oct. 21, according to an Oct 18 press release.

“Trump’s visit comes just over three weeks until the presidential election, where he and Vice President Kamala Harris will battle over a handful of states, including North Carolina,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) noted in an Oct. 18 story. 

“Parts of Asheville, along with much of Western North Carolina, were hit hard by the Sept. 28 storm. Catastrophic flooding and strong winds caused serious damage to power grids, water systems, and roadways.

“Nearly three weeks later, hundreds of roads remain impassable, including the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee state line. Asheville’s water system is still recovering and all customers remain under a water boil advisory.”

 
Leftist (allegedly) takes shortcut to buy major radio network just before election; critics outraged... Deal includes many conservative ‘talk’ radio stations (including Greenville’s 98.9 FM) that fear censorship — or a format change
Sunday, 27 October 2024 11:58

From Staff Reports 

WASHINGTON — George Soros’ “unprecedented’ purchase of Audacy Inc.’s more than 230 radio stations just weeks before the Nov. 5 General Election is being investigated by lawmakers, who are alleging that he has found a “new shortcut” to gain political clout, the New York Post reported on Sep. 30.

In the aftermath, “the U.S. House Oversight Committee is investigating why the Federal Communications Commission fast-tracked a deal that allowed a billionaire Democratic donor to buy a wide swath of American radio stations just weeks before the presidential election,” the Post noted.

The major radio company Audacy Inc. fell into financial straits, but through a complex business deal, Democratic mega-donor and billionaire George Soros has gained control of the stations. Deals of this size require FCC approval, but in this case the FCC expedited the approval process.”

In Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina, there are a number of Audacy-owned radio stations, but the only one that features “news-talk” is 98.9 FM (WORD)  in Greenville, S.C.

The 100,000-watt 98.9 FM station, billing itself as “The Voice of the Carolinas,” features a “talk lineup” — at least for now — featuring what are billed as “stimulating” and politically conservative local talk-show hosts, including locals Tara Servatius (“The Tara show”), Bill Frady (“Straight Talk With Bill Frady”) and Charlie James (“The Charlies James Show”). 

While Servatius and Frady live in the Upstate, James is based at Charleston, S.C.’s conservative WTMA News Talk (1250 AM), which is owned by Cumulus Media and that station is billed as “The Low Country’s Big Talker.”

Among other talk shows broadcast by 98.9 FM is a syndicated one featuring Mark Levin.

(As the sale to Soros just recently cleared and no changes have been made at – or announced by — 98.9 FM, the Daily Planet will follow up with a story in the near future on whether Soros, a Hungarian-born, progressive-liberal billionaire and major Democratic donor, changes the station, which also bills itself as the conservative voice of the Upstate and WNC, changes it to a far-left — or some other — format.)

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