Vilas
LATEST NEWS
N.C. mountain town wonders how to face tourism season after Helene
BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Freddie Pell helps lift a vintage wooden chair off the sidewalk and back inside his art gallery. It’s starting to rain in downtown Boone, and he doesn’t want it to get soaked — again. Inside, vast muddy puddles spread across the room...
AVERY STRONG: County resilient in face of unprecedented disaster
AVERY COUNTY — Strength can be defined in many ways. From “the capacity of an object or substance to withstand great force or pressure,” to “the emotional or mental qualities necessary in dealing with situations or events that are distressing or difficult,” to “the good or beneficial quality of a person or thing.” Following the utter devastation that has befallen Avery County since the arrival of Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Helene, the word “strong” has been repeated countless times from the officials and residents who are efforting...
Community steps in to help Helene victims in Ashe County
ASHE COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — It’s a source of beauty and solace, but the New River and its creeks carved a path of destruction through the northwestern portion of Ashe County that people have never seen before. “The last couple of days have been unreal,” said Paula Fox, a leader at the Lansing Volunteer Fire […]
Ashe County provides updated list of resources
ASHE COUNTY — Ashe County has shared a list of current resources for residents dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Official County Shelter Ashe County High School Food/Water Distribution Sites and/or Hot Meals (please contact directly for details) Ashe...
Nearly all Northeast Tennesseans ordered to conserve water
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has issued a mandatory water conservation order for Northeast Tennessee. TDEC issued the order on Tuesday night and stated in a news release that it applies to the entirety of six counties in Northeast Tennessee. All residents of Carter, Greene, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi […]
First look: Ashe County's small town of Lansing hurting from Helene flooding
Helene's devastation was widespread, reaching many western North Carolina communities, including the small town of Lansing in Ashe County. Residents on Tuesday told WRAL News the draw to living in a place like Ashe County is isolation from a fast pace of life. Those who live in Lansing said the isolation now feels more like an island, with community members banding together to help the many businesses flooded by Helene.
Multiple areas to have extended outages in Watauga, Ashe
Even with hundreds of crews working 24/7, Blue Ridge Energy has announced that due to the extent of growing system damage being uncovered by line technicians and damage assessment as repairs progress, some of the hardest hit areas will take another week or longer to restore. “The damage is even more extensive than we first thought,” said Renee Walker, director of public relations. “This is not the news any of us want to hear. However, we are working to keep members informed with the latest...
Johnson County getting resources together to help those in need
MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Johnson County is working to get resources together to provide for those in need. The county’s 911 office said it has been without internet since Friday, making it very difficult for them to get in touch with first responders. Kevin Colson, 911 Director for Johnson County, told News Channel 11 […]
Carter County Schools providing disaster relief meals, laundry services and more
CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Carter County Schools are providing hot meals, laundry services and more to those impacted by severe weather and flooding. Meals can be picked up from the following schools Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. until further notice: Those needing laundry services are asked to contact the Director of Federal […]
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.