Raleigh North Carolina News

It was a strange vacation — it began with a bit of guilt. I had just gotten off a plane in Seattle and rented a car. Cindy and I were driving to Mount Rainier on our way to Oregon when my cell phone rang. It was WRAL-TV asking if I could help cover Hurricane Florence. When I told them that Cindy and I had just begun our long-awaited retirement vacation to the Pacific Northwest, the…

Eleven days ago, Lee Gantt was at a Hurricane Florence party in her neighborhood in Georgetown, where the story goes that some houses haven’t flooded from the Sampit River since they were built before the American Revolution. She will spend Tuesday with sandbags, watching the nearby river rise from Florence’s heavy rains and seeing if the luck finally runs out on her home built on Front Street in 1737. “We thought this might be coming….

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Healthcare workers are warning victims of Hurricane Florence that they could encounter health problems during the cleanup. Fifty local, state and national groups came together in Raleigh to help hurricane victims avoid those risks. The meeting launched a three-day event featuring Healthy Hoops, a health program targeting asthma, one of the many potential health risks associated with surviving a flood. Don’t play in the floodwater, health director warns Cumberland County’s health…

By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter Kelly, N.C. — As North Carolina continues to recover from the relentless pounding delivered by Hurricane Florence, there are parts of the state that remain completely cut off from everyone. Some rural areas of North Carolina have been hit hard by Florence and they’re still not free from the threat of flooding. According to Bladen County Emergency Services, residents of Kelly were still being evacuated Sunday. Getting into Kelly has…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) — The new Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has said on several occasions that he’s committed to helping the “Carolina Community.” Those words are being backed up to help Hurricane Florence victims. Close to 80 staff members and players spent the beginning of the team’s off week packing relief boxes. That included David Tepper, himself, alongside Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly. The assembly line style effort produced 1,500 boxes. The plan is…

KINSTON, N.C. (WTVD) — it’s cleanup time for many businesses along the Neuse River in Kinston that were flooded by Hurricane Florence. Laura Pressly and her crew are hard at work cleaning up her children’s store. She’s owned La Petit Boutique for more than 35 years. Hurricanes Floyd, Matthew, and Florence have each wrecked her shop. “I’m still here. Ready to go again.” Pressly’s merchandise is in storage and will be back on display by…

School district employees affected by Florence shouldn’t have to worry about pay and students shouldn’t have to make-up instructional days, state leaders said Monday. Most public school students in North Carolina missed at least some school time because of the storm. Several southeastern North Carolina school systems were closed for a week or more after Florence hit. Some, including New Hanover and Robeson counties, closed school through the end of this week. State law requires…

By Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporter Wilmington, N.C. — More than 16,000 University of North Carolina at Wilmington students have been in limbo since Hurricane Florence hit their campus 10 days ago. The campus remains closed, although administrators said Monday that faculty and staff can return Wednesday and students will be welcomed back Saturday. There’s still no officials word on when classes will resume, although it could be as early as Oct. 1. Florence knocked down…

By Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporter Wilmington, N.C. — An untold number of renters find themselves homeless after Hurricane Florence damaged the homes or apartments where they lived. Candy Self and Steve Satterfield were forced from their Wilmington home after a tree came crashing through the roof, followed by a stream of rain. “We heard a big crash. The tree had come through, and a few minutes later, we heard gushing water coming through,” Self said….

The congregation that worships at Living Water Baptist Church in South Carolina has given extra meaning to the church’s name. Since Hurricane Florence hit South Carolina more than a week ago, they have been living with the water that has risen and flooded parts of their community in Longs, S.C. It has forced them to adjust their lives in many ways. For some, that meant taking a boat to church Sunday. Many neighborhoods and homes…

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina’s top insurance regulator is urging victims of Hurricane Florence to swiftly file their insurance claims to avoid being left in the back of a line that’s growing exponentially every day. “The message is – do not procrastinate,” Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey told the ABC11 I-Team. “We don’t know how many claims each insurance company may have to process.” Causey’s office at the North Carolina Department of Insurance is reporting…

Some colleges in Eastern North Carolina have yet to open their doors, 10 days after Hurricane Florence flooded large parts of the state. Community colleges in the region were beginning to get back on their feet. Wayne Community College will restart classes Tuesday, and Brunswick and Southeastern community colleges will hold classes Wednesday. Others are waiting until Oct. 1 to open to students, including Cape Fear, Pamlico and James Sprunt community colleges, and possibly campuses…

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — Residents who lost their homes and valuables to Hurricane Florence are hoping to get relief right away. If you have insurance then you should first file a claim with your insurance company, whether that be homeowners, renters or flood insurance. You will not know if you qualify for FEMA assistance unless you apply for aid. When it comes to FEMA relief, the agency has already approved more than $20 million…

With last week’s arrival of fall, some Charlotteans might be planning one final trip to the beach — but wondering how to get there with many roads still underwater due to Hurricane Florence. The good news is that portions the Carolinas’ coasts can be reached from Charlotte, though it will probably take longer than usual to get to some spots. And some highly popular areas, like Myrtle Beach, might be inaccessible with floodwaters expected to…

NASA images show Florence flooding polluting Carolina rivers flowing into ocean Sep 24, 2018 A NASA satellite is tracking flooding in the Carolinas after Hurricane Florence and its images show that rivers and streams near the coast and spilling dark, discolored water into the ocean. By