Tropical Storm Helene saw to that, leaving a trail of destruction in these mountains the likes of which no one alive had ever witnessed. The Sept. 27 storm particularly pummeled Buncombe County, where 43 people died, and it really drew a bullseye on Swannanoa, a modest community of hardworking folks about 10 miles east of Asheville.
Everyone can still see the devastation along U.S. 70, but if you swing back a block off the main road into Beacon Village, named for the former blanket factory that housed its workers here, you can tell Edwards Street took it particularly hard. About two dozen houses are gutted to the studs, and little blue tarps still dot rooftops where people had to be chopped out of their homes by rescuers.
John Zara, 41, his wife Stephanie, 39, and their two boys, 2-year-old Jack and 7-year-old Luca, lived through it, somehow.
“Around 8 a.m., 8:30, within say 30 or 45 minutes, it went from being some water in the road and a little bit in our front yard to waist high,” Zara said, standing near his home Thursday. “So it happened really quickly.”
Zara started putting computers and other valuables up as high as possible, thinking the water certainly wouldn’t top the kids’ bunk beds.
“We ended up getting my wife, our pets and two kids up into the attic,” Zara said.
When they realized the water just kept rising and they might get trapped, they decided to make a swim/dash for it. They clambered over the washer and dryer to a small back porch with a handrail, trying to get on top of the house and out of the floodwaters.
Beacon Village resident John Zara stands near the small window that he, his wife and two young children used to escape their flooded home on Sept. 27. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
“So I’m standing on the handrail, I got one arm on that other rail up top there, and the baby in my arm,” Zara said. “We kind of make our way around the corner to the side of the house. There’s a tree there. My wife gets in the tree, she’s on the roof, and then she’s able to help get the kids up on the roof. And I get up on the roof.”
His wife and kids were rescued by kayakers about three hours later, Zara by the National Guard in the early afternoon. Their dog and three cats also survived.
Zara said he’s still amazed at how fast the Swannanoa River, which is normally on the other side of U.S. 70 and maybe 40 feet wide, was moving that morning.
“Those gentlemen, they saved our lives,” Zara said of the kayakers. “I mean, otherwise, you know…”
The water inside their home crested near the ceiling, so everything was ruined, although the framework of the 100-year-old structure is sound. They also lost two cars in their driveway.
After a stint in the emergency shelter at the WNC Ag Center, the family has been staying with Zara’s mom in South Carolina.
‘We feel blessed’
Zara, who works in graphic design and marketing, says they’ve been cobbling together resources to begin the gargantuan task of rebuilding the house they’ve called home for 10 years. They paid well under $200,000 for the three-bedroom, one-bath house. Try finding property at that price in Buncombe County these days.
Residents in their 80s say that that part of Beacon Village has never flooded, so Zara feels it’s safe to rebuild. He and his wife also have a mortgage, limiting their options.
“I got a guy who’s gonna donate some countertops; I got somebody that’s donated windows and exterior doors,” Zara said. “And so it’s kind of like this logistical thing of like, ‘OK, now where can I get some drywall and try to find somebody to handle some labor?”
Someone has offered materials and labor on the roof, and they’ve gotten help from the savebeaconvillage.org folks that organized after the storm.
Right now their biggest problem is water that keeps accumulating in the backyard and around the house after it rains. A natural spring runs in the backyard, and Zara suspects a drain pipe that used to keep it in check is clogged or broken.
The moisture is making it difficult to get the 1,200-square-foot house completely dried out inside for the rebuild. He and his family hope to get back in the house by early spring, if they can tame the moisture issue.
John Zara says he and his family hope to be back in their Beacon Village home by early spring, but they’ve had to entirely gut the badly flooded home. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
But Zara is not one to complain — about any of this.
“We feel blessed,” Zara said. “We’re alive. We have somewhere to stay. When you go out of here — and you’ve probably seen it before, there’s people in tents — so, you know, my story is pretty (bad), but there’s people out there that are a lot worse off.”
He says they’ve also been touched by how the community has pulled together. Immediately after the storm, a throng of church groups and Samaritan’s Purse volunteers arrived and helped gut all the homes and clear out debris.
“The very first few weeks, it was hot and heavy in here,” Zara said. “There were so many people here. You could hardly park. It was insane.”
Some good souls have also helped out with the holidays.
“We have been blessed by some churches and other folks that have taken care of Christmas for the kids this year,” Zara said. “So that’s one less thing for us to worry about, and we can keep saving money towards getting this thing put back together.”
The Zaras have a Gofundme page set up, too, and anything helps. They operate a small soap company, Bella & Oliver, and they have an offshoot company called Beacon Village Candles.
They lost a lot of supplies and inventory for the businesses, but Zara said they’ve rekindled the candle business and are donating $5 per candle sold to savebeaconvillage.org. So even when they’re in need, the Zaras are helping their community.
“We’ve been really fortunate to have a lot of family and friends and community support, and those kinds of things have all come together to create a bigger effect,” Zara said.
A gift bag and a prayer, and a feeling of humble gratitude
As if on cue, while we were standing under a carport behind Zara’s home, a church group walked up the driveway with a gift bag for his family and him. Zander Neuhaus and Josh Rose were from Real Life Church in Montrose, Michigan, and Vincent Scauzzo, from Washington, D.C., had met up with them in the morning to help deliver the packages.
As John Zara talked about surviving Tropical Storm Helene and how important the outpouring of support has been after the storm, a small church group arrived to bring a Christmas gift bag and pray with him. Zander Neuhaus, from Michigan, led the prayer. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
Scauzzo noted that he met the church group in a morning carpool.
“This was not on my agenda,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been down here for about a week, and I just sort of opened myself up to spontaneity, I guess, in the spirit of Christmas.”
Zara, who’s spiritual but not a regular churchgoer, agreed to pray with the group. And Neuhaus brought the goods, with a solid three minute prayer that touched on the themes of resilience and community, and of course, Jesus and his message that’s so important to many of us this time of year.
As dusk settled over us and a light rain fell, it was a genuinely nice moment.
After they left, Zara talked about how the events of Sept. 27 and its aftermath have made him think more deeply about God and good fortune, about how so many people are truly kind and care about one another.
“We’re really super-appreciative of that community, family and friend system that has gotten us to this point where we can hopefully start putting the house back together and rebuilding,” Zara said.
Sure, Helene brought out the worst in some people, but overwhelmingly it’s brought out the best in all of us. It’s been humbling, too, but that’s come with valuable lessons about just how close we all are to losing everything.
“We’re definitely not people to ask for help,” Zara said. “Being that vulnerable — dropping that shield — has not been the easiest of things to do. It’s kind of refreshing. It feels good to feel that love.”
Not too far from where the Zaras live, an overturned trailer on U.S. 70 in Swannanoa has become something of a landmark, so locals took it upon themselves to decorate it for Christmas. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
On my way home on U.S. 70, I passed by the overturned trailer that’s become something of a landmark since Helene. Lying on its side, debris still entwined in its wheels, it’s a reminder of the destruction and hardship the storm visited on Swannanoa.
But now, people have decorated the trailer for Christmas, complete with lights, a gaudy tree, blowups and illuminated candy canes. If that’s not turning overturned trailers into Christmas cheer, I don’t know what is.
It’s resilience, with a dash of hope. Stay strong, everyone, and have a great holiday season.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
SUMMARY: Steven Tan, charged with stabbing two women and assaulting a child in Nightdale, made his first court appearance today. Tan allegedly stabbed his wife and another woman early Sunday and assaulted his wife’s seven-year-old daughter, though the child was not stabbed. He later rammed his car into a police vehicle, injuring an officer. Tan faces multiple charges, including assault and attempted murder. One victim sustained life-threatening injuries, but both are recovering. Tan, who had a recent conviction for sexual battery and assault, has a court date scheduled for May 16. His bond was denied.
A man faces multiple assault charges, including child assault, after two women were stabbed Sunday morning in a Knightdale neighborhood.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-29 07:02:00
(The Center Square) – Increasing trade policy activity by the United States and other countries has left 8 in 10 Americans with rising concerns on the cost of things they buy, a poll originating out of North Carolina says.
“Much higher” prices are expected by 43% of respondents when asked “How much do you think the new tariffs imposed by the United States will affect the cost of things you buy?” Another 37% said they expect “somewhat higher” prices, according to a segment of the Elon University Poll released Tuesday morning.
Those results are in line with a poll released last week from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About half expect prices to go up a lot and another 30% say somewhat higher. Most poll results released in the last week indicate some kind of question related to inflation, higher prices and trade policy, and answers reflect growing concern.
Elon University said 1,149 adults age 18 and older were interviewed April 10-17 and matched down to the 1,000 sample. Margin of error is +/- 3.58%. The university funds and operates the poll “as the neutral, nonbiased information resource.”
The demographics split was balanced for those expecting trade policy to cause “much higher” consumer prices. That includes income levels of less than $50,000 (44%), $50,000 to $100,000 (40%) and $100,000 or more (44%); Blacks (55%) and white or non-Hispanics (38%); women (49%) and men (37%); age 45 and up (44%) and ages 18-44 (42%); and those with a four-year degree (45%) and those without (42%).
Party allegiance was different for the “much higher” answer. Democrats (75%) were more represented than independents (42%) or Republicans (14%). Of those saying “somewhat higher,” 51% were Republicans, 38% independents and 21% Democrats.
Asked about summer vacation plans due to the economy, 47% anticipate little or no change and 33% plan to spend less and stay closer to home.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This content presents poll data related to trade policy and its perceived impact on consumer prices without taking a clear partisan stance. It reports factual information from a university poll and highlights various demographic and party affiliations objectively. The language is neutral, focusing on the polling results and public opinion without editorializing, making it centrist in nature.
by Jane Winik Sartwell, Carolina Public Press April 29, 2025
The State Health Plan is deeply in debt. To get out of the red, the 750,000 employees who receive coverage will experience something many were hoping to avoid: the first significant premium increase in nearly a decade.
It’s part of the strategy from Brad Briner, North Carolina’s treasurer, to pay off a $507 million shortfall the State Health Plan has accrued due to dramatic increases in the cost of health coverage — a deficit which is projected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2027.
State employees will face a minimum $20 increase in monthly premiums for their health insurance starting in 2026. Those premiums could reach an additional $110 per month. Deductibles and co-pays will increase as well.
The premium hike will affect even the lowest-paid state employees at a time when many North Carolina agencies face staffing shortages and recruitment challenges.
It all comes after a potential problem was foreshadowed last year by former Treasurer Dale Folwell, who said the State Health Plan — which covers about 8% of North Carolina residents who have medical coverage — may be unable to stay afloat by fall 2026 due to the aforementioned rising costs in care. North Carolina ranks No. 1 in health care costs by state and has the most expensive health care in the nation, according to Forbes.
But Briner doesn’t intend to let the State Health Plan drown in debt.
Paying the price
Folwell’s solution was to have the General Assembly open its wallet.
However, Briner’s plan requires state employees to open theirs as well.
The base premium for state employees will rise from $25 to $45 monthly next year. Increases will reach $110 for the highest-paid employees. Deductibles will increase anywhere from $3,000 to $9,000. Co-pays will rise between $20 and $45 per visit.
All together, it will bring $100 million back into the plan, Briner said.
But he isn’t stopping there. He asked for another $100 million from the legislature, and lawmakers delivered in this year’s proposed Senate budget.
State Treasurer Brad Briner is faced with a $507 million deficit in the State Health Plan due to dramatic increases in the cost of medical coverage. Office of the State Treasurer / Provided
“The Senate gave us everything we hoped they would give us, and we are really, really appreciative that they found the money in a year that everybody knows is really tight,” Briner told Carolina Public Press. “Their number one priority is not the State Health Plan right now. It’s not the State Pension Plan. It is rebuilding Western North Carolina, and we certainly understand that.”
The $100 million could be a boon — provided the House approves the budget and it crosses Gov. Josh Stein’s desk in one piece.
Additionally, $25 million of it is earmarked to bring weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro back into the plan.
In 2023, as a cost-cutting measure, the plan stopped covering the blockbuster drugs. Now, those drugs will be covered once again for state employees who qualify.
“I tend to think about drugs — the useful ones — in one of two ways,” Briner explained. “Either they have a profound impact on a small population or they have a small impact on a profound population. It’s rare that you have a medicine that is both profound in impact and enormous in population, and (these drugs) are that.”
State Health Plan increase ‘significantly high’
But the premium increase is a disturbing development for state employees.
Low salaries are a problem across agencies. At the NC Forest Service, for example, there are 100 vacancies, due in part to a lack of competitive pay. Now, those who chose to work for the service will face higher costs for health insurance.
And it’s not just firefighters. Teachers, too, have been dealing with pay issues.
“We are against any increase to the premiums for public school employees because we know that this increase will take more money out of our educators’ paychecks in a state where our educators are very much underpaid,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, which represents public school workers across the state. “We know that it could be one of the many things that continues to drive our educators out of a profession in a time where we are facing an educator shortage here in North Carolina.”
Recently, the North Carolina Public Service Workers Union held a statewide protest over the price hikes, which they characterized as “attacks on the State Health Plan.”
“As public workers,” union leader Charles Owens said in a statement, “we aren’t being taken care of by our lawmakers.”
While Briner frames the monthly increases as a necessary measure to save the health plan, Walker Kelly sees it as a financial burden on those who receive coverage.
“A $20 increase is significantly high, especially when we are talking about educators who have not seen a significant increase in their base pay from the state of North Carolina in quite some time,” she said. “Twenty dollars is whether or not I can put gas in my car to take myself to and from work.
“It may seem like a relatively low number on paper, but it provides significant challenges to the economic well-being of our educators throughout the state.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The content presents a critical view of premium increases impacting state employees, emphasizing the financial burden on low-paid workers like educators and public service employees. It highlights concerns from union leaders and employee representatives, which aligns with a center-left perspective focused on labor rights and social welfare. However, it also fairly presents the fiscal challenges and responses from state officials, reflecting a balanced approach without extreme partisanship. The article advocates for protecting workers’ economic well-being while acknowledging governmental budget constraints, typical of a center-left stance.
