1. Western NC went offline during Helene. Can the state stay connected in future disasters?
Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline When Hurricane Helene tore through western Yancey County, Steve Boyd was one of thousands in the area who lost internet access. The 70-year-old retiree, who lives outside of Burnsville, knows he got lucky. He didn’t lose his house, or his belongings — just a couple nearby trees that knocked out the power. […]