News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
North Carolina sees record turnout on first day of early voting | North Carolina
SUMMARY: North Carolina experienced a record-breaking first day of early voting, with 428,299 ballots cast, including absentee votes. Despite concerns about Hurricane Helene’s impact, state election officials reported high voter enthusiasm, with over 353,000 people voting on Thursday alone, surpassing the previous record of 348,000 in 2020. Currently, 5.5% of the state’s 7.7 million registered voters have participated. Long lines were reported but no significant issues arose. Election officials anticipate increased in-person voting this year compared to 2020. Early voting will continue until November 2 at 419 locations statewide, as North Carolina remains a key battleground state.
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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
With Asheville water nearly restored, workers focus on stabilizing leaks, breaks in system โข Asheville Watchdog
Asheville Water Resources has restored running water to almost all of the city, but three weeks after Tropical Storm Helene, workers are still playing catch up with breaking or difficult-to-access areas, as well as water purity.
โWe’ve gotten service to 90-ish percent of our system, probably pushing 95 by now,โ Asheville Water Resources spokesperson Clay Chandler said at the Oct. 18 Buncombe County Helene recovery briefing. โWe understand that there are still pockets that don’t have service. We understand that that’s frustrating for the residents. It’s frustrating for us, too.โ
Those areas include the Bee Tree area, which has a line needing backfilling and stabilization before it can be pressurized; Reynold’s Mountain, which has a higher elevation and is therefore more difficult to restore; and parts of Candler.
โThere’s going to be pockets that get water service after others, and that’s due to a couple of factors,โ Chandler said. โThe primary factor being elevation. I don’t think that applies to Candler, but, you know, we found some leaks and some breaks that we would find only once pipes were pressurized.โย
Officials have predicted these breaks since they started fixing the system and may see more in the coming days.ย
โWe’re working as quickly as we can to get those fixed,โ Chandler said. โThere’s a leak somewhere (in the Bee Tree area) that our staff is trying to find.โ
ย There’s no exact timetable for restoration at Bee Tree, where 40 homes are waiting for water. There’s better news on Eastmoor Road, west of Asheville, where 75 homes are waiting for water.
Water should be there by Friday night, Chandler said.
As the city tries to stamp out smaller issues across the system, bigger ones regarding water purity remain.
A boil water notice remains in effect for everyone on the system. Getting rid of particles in the water after Helene whipped it up into a chocolate milk-like soup of sediments is key to removing the notice and making the water safe to drink again.
Up at the North Fork Reservoir, the city is treating the water with a mix of aluminum sulfate and caustic soda. Workers have used a boat to dump tote bags full of chemicals into the reservoir in an effort to purify the water.
Aluminum sulfate is a โsalt-ishโ mineral the department uses to regularly treat the reservoir, as it makes clay particles coagulate and sink, leading to clearer water for filtering and treatment.ย
The water department also will treat the water with additional caustic soda โ another chemical it regularly uses โ which regulates the water’s pH level so the aluminum sulfate can work most effectively.
More rounds of treatment are on the way, and Chandler said he didn’t know how many would be needed.ย
He said that the city is treating the lake with 10 parts aluminum sulfate and caustic soda per million.
โWe generally treat between three and four parts per million,โ Chandler said. โNow, I know that sounds like an astonishing increase, but for a little context, the reservoir in Mississippi, where I moved here from, routinely is treated with this same process at 15 to 20 parts per million. Some drinking water reservoirs that are especially turbid can be treated between 50 and 60 parts per million.โ
The city plans to install curtains to help sift the water to remove particulates.
Asked about the timeline for installing these, Chandler said, โUnknown.โ
A boil water notice, according to the city’s official guidance, means any water intended for consumption โ drinking, cooking, brushing teeth โ should be boiled for at least one minute beforehand. Water out of the tap is safe for handwashing (unless hands are being cleaned for food preparation), showering (be careful not to swallow water while showering) and laundry. The water is safe for washing dishes, as long as a dishwasher’s temperature reaches a minimum of 170 degrees, which typically happens when the โsanitizeโ setting is activated.ย
โOur plan now is to lift the boil water notice when the entire system has potable water,โ Chandler said.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Andrew R. Jones is a Watchdog investigative reporter. Email arjones@avlwatchdog.org. The Watchdog’s local reporting during this crisis is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go toย avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
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The post With Asheville water nearly restored, workers focus on stabilizing leaks, breaks in system โข Asheville Watchdog appeared first on avlwatchdog.org
News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
FAA investigating after American pilot makes emergency landing at RDU
SUMMARY: The FAA is investigating an incident involving American Airlines flight 1460, which had to turn back to RDU shortly after departing for Chicago O’Hare due to concerns over a possible open cargo door. The crew reported the issue around 9:30 AM, but an American Airlines spokesperson clarified that it was a faulty cockpit light indicating a loose door, which was not the case. The plane safely returned to RDU, where maintenance addressed the faulty light, and it subsequently continued its journey to Chicago.
An American Airlines pilot left RDU heading to Chicago and shortly after takeoff returned to RDU after a light indicated a door of the plane was open, the FAA says. An American Airlines spokesperson said it was a faulty light.
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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
Active search underway for remaining juvenile escapee in Rocky Mount
SUMMARY: In Nash County, a search is underway for a teenage escapee from the Rocky Mount Youth Detention Center, where four juveniles fled last night. Three have been recaptured, while one, Eric, remains on the loose, raising public safety concerns due to his unpredictable behavior. Investigators have set up a command post at a Sheets Gas Station, deploying both foot teams and drones in the search. Local law enforcement and state troopers are collaborating in the effort. Authorities urge anyone with information on Eric’s whereabouts to call 911. A press conference is scheduled for 2:00 PM for further updates.
An active search is underway for the remaining juvenile escapee in Rocky Mount Friday. On Thursday, four escaped from the Edgecombe Youth Development Center just after 6:30 p.m., according to the NC Department of Public Safety. Three of them were found just before midnight
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