Month: September 2018

James Smith, the S.C. Democratic nominee for governor, was released from his National Guard duties on Monday, helping deal with Hurricane Florence, and resumed his campaign. “It was important to pause the campaign and set politics aside and work together as one South Carolina to keep each other safe,” Smith said in an emailed statement. “It was a privilege to serve again in response to a threat facing our state.” Smith and Republican nominee Gov….

North Carolina’s chief lawyer says he’s looking into accusations that retailers are bilking customers through exorbitant prices as Hurricane Florence and the storm’s remnants have crossed the state. Attorney General Josh Stein said Sunday his office has received 500 complaints so far alleging price-gouging for essentials like gas and water, as well as excessive hotel prices for evacuees. Stein says investigations of gas stations have already begun. The price-gouging law took effect when Cooper declared…

Coast Guard rescue swimmer investigates truck in dangerous flooding Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Jordon Shevlin, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Atlantic City, NJ., gets battered and buffeted to investigate a truck caught in dangerous flooding in the wake of Hurricane Florence, Sept. 16, 2018.

Coast Guard rescue swimmer investigates truck in dangerous flooding Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Jordon Shevlin, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Atlantic City, NJ., gets battered and buffeted to investigate a truck caught in dangerous flooding in the wake of Hurricane Florence, Sept. 16, 2018.

Florence is still a dangerous storm and is dumping excessive rainfall on wide areas of North Carolina, South Carolina and beyond, causing historic flooding. Downloading the ABC11 app is the best way to stay up-to-date on the latest conditions from Florence. THE LATEST ABC11 has live nonstop coverage of Florence and the tornado warnings. Regular programming has moved to 11.2. On Monday the National Weather Service has been issuing multiple tornado warnings throughout the area….

After Florence swept through the Palmetto State over the weekend, President Donald Trump declared a major disaster exists in South Carolina, according to a statement from the governor’s office. The state was approved for Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements, which help local governments, state agencies, non-profits and electrical nonprofits get back on their feet after major disaster events, according to the statement. S.C. Gov. McMaster requested the declaration Sept. 9, as Florence eyed the South…

The powerful, sprawling storm called Florence continued its assault on North Carolina even as it headed northward out of the state Monday morning, triggering tornadoes, continuing to flood communities and submerging interstate highways. The confirmed death toll in North Carolina is 11, and the storm has taken at least 17 lives overall. Nerves remained on edge as the day began with the National Weather Service issuing tornado warnings throughout the central part of the state….

If recent history is any guide, we’ll still be hearing about the Hurricane Florence recovery effort well into 2020. The recovery from Hurricane Matthew — which flooded large parts of Eastern North Carolina in October 2016 — was still creeping along as Florence hit the state. Just a week before Florence, Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration announced the hiring of three state-funded employees to help the small town of Fair Bluff rebuild. Before life could return…