We Are Mitchell

Many are wondering what the future may hold for areas of Mitchell County. A group of interested citizens in Bakersville are meeting Thursday and Friday, February 20 and 21, to talk with the Design Assistance Team, a group of experts who are working with the community in rebuilding and the recovery process. Andy Palmer, co-owner of In Tandem Gallery and a Bakersville Town Councilman, joins us to talk about the meeting and what DAT is and will be doing to help the town recover from Helene.

Homelessness has been a big problem in our region for quite some time, and Helene has only made it worse. Today, we talk with Sean Morris and William Holley of the Hospitality House, a Boone, North Carolina-based agency that works with the homeless in Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey Counties. They share what their organization does, how to get help, and talk about a recent survey they conducted in our area of the homeless. It's an important topic and we hope we can shed light on it and how Hospitality House can help.

One of the most impressive feats pulled off during the recovery from Helene has been how rapidly the North Carolina Department of Transportation got roads opened and functioning again. On this program, we get an update on the roads in Mitchell County with DOT representatives Gabriel Johnson & David Uchiyama. In addition to the update, they note upcoming closures of roads in the county to complete repairs.

Helene’s wrath was surprising to many people, and Mark Sudduth who is a professional researcher of hurricanes and other weather, along with a serving as a reporter on Fox Weather, joins the podcast to share his thoughts on the storm. Mark’s parents, Doug and Billie Ruth Sudduth, lived in the Ledger area for 30 years, so he has been to our region quite a bit and has interest in what happened and in our recovery. The program is a bit long (37 minutes) but it is chock full of information on the storm through the eyes of a professional.

Mark has several social media accounts where he publishes videos and other comments on weather. His handle on social media is @HurrianeTrack and you can find his work here:

McDowell County dealt with three wildfires on Wednesday, January 29th which rapidly intensified due to both windy conditions and the fact that there is so much tree and vegetative debris on the ground due to Helene. County Fire Marshal Andrew Brewer joins us to talk about why we will see more fires like this and how you can help prevent their spread.

Businesses and local leaders will gather on Thursday, February 13 at 8 a.m. at Cross Street in Spruce Pine for updates on recovery efforts from Helene focused on tourism and the businesses and locations that depend on it. Kelly Jones, Mitchell County Tourism Development Authority Director, joins us on the program to talk about the meeting and what will be discussed. The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in tourism. Please email [email protected] with questions or to RSVP for the meeting.

As extremely cold weather arrives in Mitchell County later this weekend, now is the time to make preparations to protect you, your family, pets, and to be prepared if you lose power. County Fire Marshal Andrew Brewer joins us to discuss The Next 72 - how to prepare by having supplies to survive for 72 hours in an emergency situation.

The coldest weather in Mitchell County in several years is coming this weekend, with lows near zero and highs in the single digits at least a couple of days the week of January 20, 2025. WLOS Meteorologist Jason Boyer shares information about what is coming and how you can prepare for the extreme conditions.

Residents and businesses in central and northern Mitchell County have two new opportunities for grants to help rebuild and recover from Helene. Steve Rowland,  Executive Director of the Mayland Business Institute, joins us to talk about these programs and how to apply for them. The deadline for applications in Monday, January 20.

Hazard Mitigation is a program that provides grants for homeowners who have had flood damage from Helene. A meeting to discuss the program and help those who want to apply will be held at the Mayland Community College Main Campus in Spruce Pine January 16 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Brian Haines with North Carolina Emergency Management joins us to talk about the program and about the meeting.