ROAN MOUNTAIN, Tenn. — Kathy Vorce huddled in a U-Haul truck with her 24-year-old son, 21-year-old daughter, and five cats as Hurricane Helene passed overhead. The heavy rains turned the Doe River that wove through the town of Roan Mountain into a torrent. The Vorces’ rental home on Main Street flooded along with most of the surrounding area.
Vorce and her family escaped the rising waters thanks to that U-Haul truck, which they had used to retrieve belongings from storage the day before. With her home given up for lost and her husband traveling for work, she had nowhere to go. With spotty service, Vorce scoured for updates on her phone when she read that the First Baptist Church of Roan Mountain was accepting refugees from the storm.
“And I went, oh, my goodness, I know where that is. I had come to a service here one time,” Vorce told The Daily Wire in the church library. “I said, okay, guys, we&#8217;re gonna go there and we&#8217;re gonna tell daddy that&#8217;s where we are and, you know, at least they&#8217;ll have toilets there, they&#8217;ll have people there, and it should be good.”
Helene made landfall in Florida as a category four hurricane. By the time it reached Tennessee on September 27 it had downgraded to a tropical storm. But the rain compounded on heavy rains in preceding days and caused massive flooding across east Tennessee beyond anything seen there in nearly 30 years.
Locals compared Helene’s flooding to the flood of 1998, which <a href="https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/helene/church-destroyed-in-1998-flood-is-giving-back-to-community-after-2024-flood/article_7979243c-8103-11ef-8797-affd7e0a68c0.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caused</a> widespread damage across the community, destroying the First Baptist Church building. After the flood, the church was rebuilt on the hill where it sits today, safe from flooding and at the center of the community&#8217;s aid efforts.
<div id="attachment_812185" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812185" class="wp-image-812185 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-front-300x169.png" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-front-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-front-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-front-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-front-1536x864.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-front.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
Pastor Geren Street has managed those efforts for about two weeks. The church has been a home for about half a dozen families who lost their homes to flooding, and became the nexus for area recovery efforts after the Red Cross station set up at the local high school lost power.
On the morning of the flood, Pastor Street noticed that the Doe River, which ran behind his house, had started to swell. Within hours, it was in his backyard. He loaded his dogs into his truck and drove to the church.
The church began to feed people almost immediately, using food purchased for a homecoming celebration that was supposed to take place that weekend.
“We had already bought the hams and meats and stuff that we were going to cook, so we said we&#8217;ll just go ahead and use them tonight. Cook a hot meal for people that need it,” Street told The Daily Wire.
“About Saturday at lunch time, we had been asked if we could start being a place to gather supplies and start getting it out to people that needed it, which, of course, the whole reason we started was to love our neighbor,” Street said. “It just began to pick up more and more momentum from there.”
Street’s congregation on Sundays numbers about 100 people. Since Helene, the church has been feeding several times that number on a daily basis — Street estimates that in the course of three days, roughly 1,200 families had grabbed a hot meal at the church.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been absent from Roan Mountain. Nearly two weeks passed before a FEMA worker arrived at the church to deliver forms impacted residents can use to apply for assistance. It was the first and only interaction the First Baptist Church had with FEMA.
The residents of Roan Mountain were left largely to fend for themselves in the first few days after the storm, though they were helped by the officers of the Carter County Sheriff Department and crews from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
After the storm passed and the floodwaters receded, the extent of the damage across Roan Mountain was still being assessed. The flood damaged scores of homes, gashed roads, demolished bridges, toppled power lines, and left residents of Roan Mountain shocked and desperate.
In the immediate aftermath, the residents of Roan Mountain looked after themselves. Anyone with heavy equipment worked to clear roads, rebuild bridges, and rescue those trapped by flood. Orange cones and caution tape now mark spots where the flood took chunks out of the town’s streets. In some patches, the road has disappeared altogether, only to be replaced by dirt and rocks by locals with the equipment to manage the rushed repairs.
<div id="attachment_812189" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812189" class="size-medium wp-image-812189" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-back-300x169.png" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-back-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-back-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-back-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-back-1536x864.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/First-Baptist-Church-%E2%80%94-back.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
<div id="attachment_812197" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812197" class="size-medium wp-image-812197" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Hallway-with-supplies-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Hallway-with-supplies-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Hallway-with-supplies-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Hallway-with-supplies-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Hallway-with-supplies-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
<div id="attachment_812201" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812201" class="size-medium wp-image-812201" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Room-filled-with-supplies-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Room-filled-with-supplies-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Room-filled-with-supplies-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Room-filled-with-supplies-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Room-filled-with-supplies-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
The church is now a well-stocked aid center with supplies crammed into every spare room and hallway, and more stored in the gymnasium of Cloudland Elementary School located nearby. The supplies are almost entirely donations from private groups, individuals, and churches. Aid has come in from as far away as Texas and Oklahoma. The church is accepting donations through its <a href="https://fbcroanmountain.com/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=943060981195831&amp;id=100064758126221&amp;_rdr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Venmo</a>.
Aid and recovery has been largely a volunteer operation. With schools in the area shut down, educators and administrators have made up a heavy percentage of volunteers. Erica Preswood, a principal for Carter County Schools, has organized school staff volunteering at First Baptist.
<div id="attachment_812205" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812205" class="size-medium wp-image-812205" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Ruined-bridge-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Ruined-bridge-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Ruined-bridge-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Ruined-bridge-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Ruined-bridge-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
<div id="attachment_812207" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812207" class="size-medium wp-image-812207" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Rebuilt-road-and-bridge-300x169.png" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Rebuilt-road-and-bridge-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Rebuilt-road-and-bridge-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Rebuilt-road-and-bridge-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Rebuilt-road-and-bridge-1536x864.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Rebuilt-road-and-bridge.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
<div id="attachment_812209" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812209" class="size-medium wp-image-812209" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Damaged-road-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Damaged-road-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Damaged-road-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Damaged-road-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Damaged-road-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
“The organization was the easy part once we got going because we all just take our own leadership skills and do what we need to do. You know, I&#8217;m the queen of gab, so I&#8217;m out here on the corner, directing traffic,” Preswood told The Daily Wire.
Preswood lives in Roan Mountain and, while her home is located high enough to have avoided serious flood damage, she still has no power nearly two weeks after the storm.
“We have no power or water. Cell phone signal is very limited. The Internet is nonexistent. But, you know, we count ourselves fortunate. It&#8217;s just an adventure at this point,” Preswood said.
Street and Preswood are both concerned about the future of Roan Mountain, and worried about how recovery and rebuilding will play out the months and years to come. While aid is plentiful now, both worry that donations will not continue at the current levels much longer while the need in the area remains great.
Housing may be the most daunting long-term issue. It was already a concern among locals who have seen the price of property skyrocket as people have moved into Roan Mountain in recent years. Street said the price of a house he and his wife had looked at purchasing in 2019 had doubled in five years – and that was before the storm rendered dozens of homes unlivable.
With so many houses lost to the flood, and few people with insurance to help rebuild, the situation is dire, especially with winter approaching. Street is concerned that people may be forced back into homes not suitable to live in.
<div id="attachment_812203" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-812203" class="wp-image-812203 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/House-damaged-by-flooding-300x169.png" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/House-damaged-by-flooding-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/House-damaged-by-flooding-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/House-damaged-by-flooding-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/House-damaged-by-flooding-1536x864.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/House-damaged-by-flooding.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Tim Pearce/The Daily Wire</div>
Some residents are moving out of town altogether. One man who lost his home to the flood and has lived at the church since plans to move to Florida with his sister. Vorce wants to move her family to Manassas, Virginia, where her other daughter lives.
“I would love to stay here, but our situation would likely not allow us to find a good rental. We have the cats, which can be an issue. And poor credit, which is another issue,” Vorce said.
Despite the grave situation the residents of Roan Mountain have found themselves in, the community has rallied around a mutual concern for each and an acute sense that, lacking the resources of wealthier and more urban areas, they must look after themselves.
“That&#8217;s one of the things about people who live in the Appalachia region, a lot of them have tractors and excavators and skid steers and chainsaws. And there are guys that just, when there&#8217;s a need, guys and gals go out there to work, to help,” Street said.
“This was always a close knit community,” Street said, “but it’s a much closer knit community since September 27. I mean, absolutely. And it was people in this community with the resources they had doing what they could do in order to meet people’s needs.”

Roan Mountain damaged road

How A Small Tennessee Town Survived Helene After The Emergency Response Floundered

How Roan Mountain Residents Survived Helene After The Emergency Response Floundered

Hurricane Helene

Tennessee

One person was killed and nine others were injured Saturday in a shooting in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nashville" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nashville</a> near Tennessee State University (TSU), which was holding its homecoming celebration, according to local authorities.
On X, Metro Nashville PD said all the victims were taken to area hospitals. Five gunshot-wound victims were transported by the Nashville Fire Department and five others were driven by private vehicles. Police also said a 24-year-old man is dead and at least one person who was injured is suspected to have been &#8220;involved in the gunfire.&#8221; Their identities were not immediately known.
Nashville police said evidence showed two groups fired shots from opposite sides of the street at the intersection of Jefferson Street and 27th Avenue North a little after 5 p.m. local time, The Tennessean <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2024/10/12/multiple-injured-in-shooting-on-jefferson-street-in-nashville/75651597007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, adding that the homicide unit was leading the investigation and detectives were interviewing the victims at hospitals.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A total of 10 gunshot wound victims are now at area hospitals. 5 were transported by NFD. 5 arrived by private vehicles. A 24-year-old man is deceased. 3 non-critical juv victims are at Vandy Peds. At least 1 of the injured is suspected to have been involved in the gunfire.
&mdash; Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1845264391035367663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
City authorities offered more details on the shooting during <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9kTTjN9fa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press briefing</a> in the evening.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Metro police, Nashville Fire Department hold briefing after 1 killed, 9 injured in shooting near TSU" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s9kTTjN9fa4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Nashville Fire Department Public Information Officer Kendra Loney said that fire department crew members had already been in the area helping with homecoming festivities when the shooting happened.
These crew members recounted how they initially thought they were hearing fireworks before realizing there was gunfire and &#8220;then they quickly got into action,&#8221; Loney said. She also said the crew members relayed how they did things such as use their belts as tourniquets because they did not have their medical bags.
&#8220;While we don’t wish any ill on anyone, we are upset, we are angry about that disruption, we are angry that there were persons whose days were disrupted, that the innocence in this event was taken away, and that lives were endangered,&#8221; Loney said.
Nashville Police Commander Anthony McClain, who noted he graduated from Tennessee State University, said he and his family were &#8220;enjoying&#8221; the school&#8217;s homecoming celebration when tragedy struck.
&#8220;It’s unfortunate that a few folks pretty much ruined it for everybody, okay? So we have to come to the point where we stop this violence,&#8221; McCain said. &#8220;Fortunately for us, we had quite a few officers working the area. I think they were able to mitigate the carnage, so to speak. We appreciate their efforts. We appreciate the efforts of the fire department as well.&#8221;
Nashville Mayor Freddie O&#8217;Connell, a Democrat, posted about the shooting on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Earlier today, hundreds of us marched down historic Jefferson Street for homecoming.
What was a joyous atmosphere is tonight very different because of a senseless act of violence carried out by people who didn’t care who else might be caught in the crossfire.
&mdash; Freddie O’Connell (@freddieoconnell) <a href="https://twitter.com/freddieoconnell/status/1845277699897467291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Earlier today, hundreds of us marched down historic Jefferson Street for homecoming,&#8221; he said. &#8220;What was a joyous atmosphere is tonight very different because of a senseless act of violence carried out by people who didn’t care who else might be caught in the crossfire.&#8221;
The mayor added, &#8220;Sadly, many in our community are familiar with the pain inflicted by gun violence. It hurts anew every time. We’re grateful for our first responders who quickly rendered aid and secured the scene &#8211; and sorrowful and prayerful for the victims.&#8221;

Crime scene

1 Dead And 9 Injured In Nashville Shooting Near Tennessee State University

Crime

Nashville

Shooting

U.S.

Today should be “American Girls in Sports Day,” a commemorative time to celebrate all of women’s contributions to athletics.
In many ways, October 10 is the perfect date for this occasion: As the 10th day of the 10th month of the year, it represents the Roman numerals XX — the same numerals as the female sex chromosome. Earlier this year, I introduced a resolution to establish this holiday, garnering support from female athletes, prominent women’s organizations, and <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/669/cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">38 of my Senate Republican</a> colleagues.
In a divided government, however, you need support from both sides of the aisle to accomplish almost anything. And for today’s Democratic Party, recognizing women’s accomplishments is unacceptable. For them, my resolution runs afoul of their far-Left agenda to blur the line between the sexes — and ultimately erase women from public life.
In fact, when I <a href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-170/issue-144/senate-section/article/S6075-2?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22American+Girls+in+Sports+Day%5C%22%22%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> for the resolution’s passage last month on the Senate floor, a Democratic colleague spoke out against it, <a href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-170/issue-144/senate-section/article/S6075-2?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22American+Girls+in+Sports+Day%5C%22%22%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling</a> the legislation “shameful” and “designed to build a culture of fear and mistrust.”
In reality, American Girls in Sports Day should draw the support of every single Tennessean and American and unite our country around women&#8217;s incredible athletic accomplishments since the passage of Title IX, the landmark civil rights law that opened the door for so many women and young girls to participate in sports.
Don’t take my word for it: I encourage everyone to <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/669/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read the text</a> of the resolution. If you do, you might be wondering how anyone could oppose American Girls in Sports Day. But while Democrats’ opposition to the commemorative holiday is disturbing, it is far from surprising.
For years, the Biden-Harris administration has worked to eliminate women&#8217;s-only spaces, facilities, and sports by attacking Title IX protections.
Since its passage in 1972, Title IX has led to an explosion in women’s participation in athletics — with the number of high school female athletes <a href="https://answers.childrenshospital.org/female-athletes-qol/#:~:text=Before%20its%20passage%20in%201972,girls%20and%20college%2Dage%20women." target="_blank" rel="noopener">increasing</a> more than tenfold to more than 3 million — by guaranteeing equal resources for facilities, training, recruitment, and scholarships for female athletic programs. In the name of its radical agenda, however, the administration has tried to roll back this progress.
On the 50th anniversary of Title IX in 2022, for example, President Biden announced his administration would <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/23/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-title-ix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reinterpret</a> the law to allow biological males to play on female teams. Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris administration <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-dismantles-trump-era-title-ix-rules-sidesteps-issue-trans-athletes-girls-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued another</a> Title IX revision that allows males to access women’s locker rooms, bathrooms, and other private facilities.
As a result, more and more girls and women <a href="https://www.shewon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are losing out</a> on scholarships, records, and medals to males who have inherent biological advantages that undermine fair competition.
On the Senate floor, my Democratic colleague dismissed this erasure of women’s accomplishments, <a href="https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-170/issue-144/senate-section/article/S6075-2?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22American+Girls+in+Sports+Day%5C%22%22%7D&amp;s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claiming</a> that female athletes are more likely to be “killed by a falling object in this country” than face a biological male in competition. Apparently, that’s supposed to comfort the many women and girls across our country who have endured the humiliation, demoralization, and unfairness of losing to male competitors.
These young women deserve so much better. Thankfully, many are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-didnt-you-protect-us-riley-gaines-demands-accountability-from-georgia-tech-president" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speaking out</a> to defend their hard-earned places and accomplishments in sports. Although today isn’t officially American Girls in Sports Day, we should all take a moment to reflect on all they have accomplished. In the meantime, I will continue to fight to ensure that our nation’s female athletes have the recognition, honors, and opportunities that they have worked so hard for — and deserve.
* * *
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn represents the state of Tennessee and serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 1

Why October 10 Should Be Designated ‘American Girls In Sports’ Day

Why October 10 Should Be Designated 'American Girls In Sports' Day

Marsha Blackburn

Opinion

Senate Democrats

Title IX

Transgender

U.S. Senate

Women

Women's sports

Tennessee asked the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supreme Court</a> on Tuesday to uphold its policy shielding minors from irreversible transgender procedures as the Biden administration seeks to have the law ruled unconstitutional. 
In a <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-477/327730/20241008130915048_23-477%20Respondents%20Brief.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">58-page filing</a>, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti argued that the state&#8217;s law prohibiting doctors from performing transgender surgeries as well as administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors should be upheld as constitutional. The Justice Department has asked the court to block the law, saying it violates the Constitution&#8217;s Equal Protection Clause. 
Skrmetti said in his filing that the DOJ was attempting to “short-circuit” Tennessee’s democratic right to make laws on public health. 
“The people of Tennessee, through their elected representatives, took measured action with Senate Bill 1 to protect kids from irreversible, unproven medical procedures,” Skrmetti said. “Lawmakers recognized that there is little to no credible evidence to justify the serious risks these procedures present to youth and joined a growing number of European countries in restricting their use on minors with gender-identity issues.” 
In addition to the DOJ, the law was challenged by the ACLU and several transgender-identifying teenagers seeking to block enforcement. A federal judge temporarily blocked most of the law before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-appeals-court-upholds-tennessee-kentuckys-bans-on-transgender-treatments-for-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">upheld</a> it in September 2023. 
Skrmetti responded to claims of discrimination by saying that the law is focused on age and use restrictions, not sex. He also pointed to the negative health outcomes that have been associated with transgender procedures for children. 
Puberty blockers can <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gender-dysphoria/in-depth/pubertal-blockers/art-20459075" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affect</a> bone growth and density and cause sexual dysfunction, voice damage, and infertility, among other issues. Cross-sex hormones can <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transgender-young-people-in-u-s-have-nearly-doubled-recently-report-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cause</a> infertility, deadly blood clots, heart attacks, increased cancer risks of the breasts and ovaries, and liver dysfunction.
Skrmetti also discussed how many European countries have walked back approval of transgender interventions on children. 
“Many doctors, States, and countries share Tennessee’s view on gender-transition interventions for minors; the federal government and others do not,” he wrote. 
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Tennessee’s ban on transgender procedures on minors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gov-signs-bills-protecting-children-from-sex-change-procedures-drag-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was signed</a> into law by Republican Governor Bill Lee in March 2023. 
The law was passed just months after Daily Wire host Matt Walsh released an investigation showing staff at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville discussing how transgender surgeries “make a lot of money.” Skrmetti referenced the investigation in his filing, saying that “lawmakers examined this live medical dispute” after media reports flagged VUMC&#8217;s activities. 
The Supreme Court will likely hear oral arguments in the case in December.

US-JUSTICE-POLITICS-SUPREMECOURT

Tennessee Asks SCOTUS To Uphold Ban On Trans Surgeries For Minors Amid DOJ Challenge

Biden Administration

Bill Lee

Courts

Department of Justice

SCOTUS

Supreme Court

transgender surgery

Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dolly Parton</a> announced a massive donation to help the victims of Hurricane Helene following the devastation to the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
Speaking at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CLV6GETecI&amp;t=1153s">press conference</a> held at a Walmart in Newport, Tennessee, the 78-year-old country singer said &#8212; just as during the 2016 wildfires when she and others stepped up &#8212; this is another time to do the same.
“We all have seen the devastation,” Parton said. &#8220;I mean, who knew in our little part of the country here, where I was born, raised just right down the road, that we would have this kind of devastation?”
“And I look around, and I think these are my mountains, these are my valleys,” she added. “These are my rivers flowing like a stream. These are my people, these mountain-colored rainbows. These are my people. And this is my home.&#8221;
“Today, I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I&#8217;m donating $1 million dollars today. But also with my Dollywood companies and all the people I’m involved with … [Dollywood Foundation, etc] and we’ve added another $1 million to that,” the country singer continued, saying it’s going to take a lot of money and a long time.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Hurricane Helene Press Conference" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6CLV6GETecI?start=1153&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
During a Q&amp;A with local reporters, Parton said watching people suffer is “personal because I have a lot of my own relatives that live here. When we heard about this, it was devastating, not just because it was my family, but all these people feel like my people. We all feel related, and we are in some sort of way.”
“It just devastated me just to know that we had to suffer like that. You don’t want to see anybody suffering, especially me, so anything that we can do to help,” she added. “I was heartbroken like everybody else, just amazed and devastated by it.”
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&#8220;I know it&#8217;s easy for us to say, &#8216;Oh, things are going to get better&#8217; when things are still really bad,&#8221; the country singer continued. &#8220;All we can say is that we are with you. We love you. We hope that things get better real soon, and we&#8217;re going to do our part to try to make that possible. We love you, and we appreciate you. And we thank you. And I think that with God&#8217;s help and all the help of all these good people, we&#8217;ll make it. We’ll be better than ever, one of these days.”
At least <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-helene-death-toll-approaches-180-as-hundreds-still-missing">180 people</a> across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia have already been confirmed dead in the wake of the hurricane, with the death toll expected to rise. Millions were left without power, internet access, and cell phone service.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-not-government-its-us-chris-pratt-issues-plea-for-hurricane-victims-following-donation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘It’s Not Government, It’s Us’: Chris Pratt Issues Plea For Hurricane Victims Following Donation</a>

Dolly Parton

‘These Are My People’: Dolly Parton Announces Massive Donation To Help Hurricane Victims

'These Are My People': Dolly Parton Announces Massive Donation To Help Hurricane Victims

Celebrities

Country Music

Georgia

North Carolina

The death toll from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane-helene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Helene</a> has risen to at least 180 people across the southeast U.S. as emergency workers continue to conduct search and rescue operations for hundreds of missing people. 
Deaths from Helene have been <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-helene-damage-north-carolina-10-02-24/index.html?t=1727875795795" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> across six states, including Florida (17), Georgia (25), South Carolina (36), Virginia (2), Tennessee (9), and North Carolina (91). Surpassed only by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Helene is one of the <a href="https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/helene-north-carolina-florida-southeast-recovery-dead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deadliest</a> hurricanes to hit the mainland United States in the last 55 years, according to Fox Weather. 
Additionally, the death toll is expected to increase as hundreds have been reported missing, with roads and communications being destroyed in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. The latest update from North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s office <a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/01/rescue-relief-and-recovery-operations-continue-western-north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that search and rescue teams from 16 states have rescued 440 people and evacuated 4,700 others, with the North Carolina National Guard rescuing another 400.
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&#8220;Our emergency responders are continuing to rescue people and rush aid to the mountains,&#8221; Cooper said. &#8220;The challenges are immense, but our joint response effort has and will continue to be massive.&#8221; 
In North Carolina, large portions of Asheville, Chimney Rock, Swannanoa, and Biltmore Village were wiped out by flooding after the area was rocked by torrential rain. President Joe Biden is expected to make a stop in Asheville on Wednesday as part of a tour of storm-ravaged areas. 
“God willing they&#8217;re alive, but there&#8217;s no way to contact them,&#8221; Biden said on Monday of those still missing. 
Duke Energy, which provides power in the region, <a href="https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/power-restored-to-1-35-million-customers-in-carolinas-workers-continue-efforts-to-access-damage-and-repair-and-rebuild-grid-in-s-c-upstate-and-n-c-mountains">said</a> on Monday that “major portions of the power grid” were “simply wiped away.” The company said it expects there will have to be a complete rebuild of energy infrastructure due to the storm. 
As of Wednesday morning, more than a million residences and businesses in the storm-impacted regions were still out of power. According to <a href="https://poweroutage.us/">PowerOutage</a>, there are 341,091 customers out of power in North Carolina, 493,006 in South Carolina, and 365,541 in Georgia. 
Officials expect that repairing the region will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and will take months to repair damaged infrastructure. 
&#8220;In most neighborhoods, the whole infrastructure has been destroyed. Poles have been knocked over. Lines are all down, so they’re going to have to rebuild the whole system. This is not going to be a quick fix,&#8221; Patrick Fitzsimmons, the mayor of Weaverville, North Carolina, told CNN on Wednesday. 
Roads throughout the southeast have been destroyed, including a portion of Interstate 40 connecting Tennessee and North Carolina. The Tennessee Department of Transportation <a href="https://www.tn.gov/tdot/news/2024/10/1/tdot-storm-damage-update.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it expects some routes in eastern Tennessee to require a &#8220;total rebuild&#8221; and some routes to be closed for the immediate future. North Carolina officials reported that there were around 400 roads closed in the state.
There are a <a href="https://www.vpm.org/news/2024-10-01/hurricane-helene-donations-relief-western-north-carolina-blue-ridge-public-radio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">variety of organizations</a> providing relief to victims of the hurricane&#8217;s destruction including ministries like <a href="https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/pray-for-those-in-helenes-path/?utm_source=Ggl&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=m_YGND-B24V&amp;utm_content=HurricaneHelene&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD2XO8dfI-fIJgeQmVfQ4iwr1_w0p&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw3vO3BhCqARIsAEWblcCrnImjJQgMaTra_gaqh_n52tQqWNeePu11lgvq6_oeO37Ld1gQ9OkaAoIHEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samaritan&#8217;s Purse</a> while other aid is being organized by local political officials. Conservative activist Robby Starbuck is <a href="https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840821376833503535" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working</a> with Tennessee state Reps. Jason Zachary and Jeremy Faison to collect water, toilet paper, non-perishable foods, and other supplies to help those hit in East Tennessee.

Hurricane Helene North Carolina

Hurricane Helene Death Toll Approaches 180 As Hundreds Still Missing

Hurricane

Severe Weather

South Carolina

Robby Starbuck took it upon himself to call on his &#8220;X Family&#8221; to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene — which made landfall in Florida on Thursday night as a Category 4 storm — when the heavy rains, flooding, and devastation spread across much of the southeastern United States over the weekend.
Starbuck focused his efforts on eastern Tennessee, where high winds caused power outages while floods and debris flows left families stranded as roads and bridges were washed out or rendered impassable by fallen trees.
&#8220;Alright 𝕏 family, here’s how we can all help the people who were hit hardest by the storm in TN. I’m working with state reps @JasonZacharyTN and @JeremyFaison4TN to make sure the supplies get to those who need it most. We also have 10 @Starlink’s on the way right now!&#8221; Starbuck posted, adding a list of needed supplies. &#8220;It may be a good idea to reply to this with a screenshot of what you bought so others try to mix it up with what they purchase. If you can’t afford to help right now we totally understand. Just share this post so others have a way to help!&#8221;
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Alright 𝕏 family, here’s how we can all help the people who were hit hardest by the storm in TN. I’m working with state reps <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonZacharyTN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JasonZacharyTN</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyFaison4TN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeremyFaison4TN</a> to make sure the supplies get to those who need it most. We also have 10 <a href="https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Starlink</a>’s on the way right now! 🇺🇸
It may… <a href="https://t.co/jD2Ojsaiuh">pic.twitter.com/jD2Ojsaiuh</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840821376833503535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Starbuck followed that with a number of updates along with photos of some of the damages in areas where he and others were working to get supplies.
&#8220;This is the condition of Trade, TN right now. We’re coordinating with @blainelipford1 for my ground operation team to get them a Starlink setup. Blaine had to drive 30 mins to get service to send these photos out. Pray for the people there!&#8221; he posted along with a series of photos showing washed out roads and bridges and homes surrounded by still flowing flood waters.
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This is the condition of Trade, TN right now. We’re coordinating with <a href="https://twitter.com/blainelipford1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@blainelipford1</a> for my ground operation team to get them a Starlink setup. Blaine had to drive 30 mins to get service to send these photos out. Pray for the people there! <a href="https://t.co/waEG4e0GVA">pic.twitter.com/waEG4e0GVA</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840825780982439946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Starbuck took a jab at the federal government&#8217;s lackluster response — undertaken while President Joe Biden spent the weekend at his beach house and Vice President Kamala Harris attended a Hollywood fundraiser — saying, &#8220;Not joking: Between @nicksortor and I, I think we’re legitimately installing more Starlink’s than the federal government is. This is ludicrous.&#8221;
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Not joking: Between <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nicksortor</a> and I, I think we’re legitimately installing more Starlink’s than the federal government is. This is ludicrous. <a href="https://t.co/FjndJrXJ4f">https://t.co/FjndJrXJ4f</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840841346090770889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Roan Mountain is absolutely devastated from the storm. @RepHarshbarger just visited Roan and called me when she got back to let me know there’s no service up there. I directed my team to send 2 of our Starlink’s there so people will have a way to communicate. Pray for them,&#8221; Starbuck posted, attaching a video of the flood waters still raging in Roan.
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Roan Mountain is absolutely devastated from the storm. <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHarshbarger?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepHarshbarger</a> just visited Roan and called me when she got back to let me know there’s no service up there. I directed my team to send 2 of our Starlink’s there so people will have a way to communicate. Pray for them. 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/Nx7udZ00rD">https://t.co/Nx7udZ00rD</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840863862486135225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After several hours, as the supplies came pouring in, he paused to thank everyone who had donated to the cause. &#8220;The response to this has been incredible. I don’t think you guys realize what a difference you’re making for East TN with your orders. The power of @X is truly incredible and y’all never cease to amaze me. I forgot to add rakes, diapers, wipes and batteries to the list but that can help too! Keep this going by sharing this post below.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The response to this has been incredible. I don’t think you guys realize what a difference you’re making for East TN with your orders. The power of <a href="https://twitter.com/X?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@X</a> is truly incredible and y’all never cease to amaze me. I forgot to add rakes, diapers, wipes and batteries to the list but that… <a href="https://t.co/6JOBirLukn">https://t.co/6JOBirLukn</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840874869040562307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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And the updates just kept coming:
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My amazing guys on the ground in East, TN just met up with <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyFaison4TN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeremyFaison4TN</a> and got a Starlink up in Del Rio, TN. It’s free for anyone to use at the Fox Den. Address and password ⬇️ 
790 S HWY 107 Del Rio, TN 37727
Network name: Fox Den Starlink Password: foxden12 <a href="https://t.co/cMutcyV52U">pic.twitter.com/cMutcyV52U</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840893276624175556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Let’s hear it for these absolute rockstars who went on a wild goose chase for me today to buy every Starlink the Home Depot’s had, drove across the state to East TN and are now doing installs. None of them wanted a dime for helping. These guys are what makes America great. 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/eD4tFE8BEN">pic.twitter.com/eD4tFE8BEN</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840895865247912319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Another one of our <a href="https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Starlink</a>’s is up in East, TN in an area that didn’t have service. It’s free for anyone in Hartford to use. Location ⬇️
Amoco 3155 Big Creek Rd. Heartford tn 37753
Network: RV Bus Password: 8003531075
More will go up early tomorrow in other areas! <a href="https://t.co/xBwRZbTe6Y">pic.twitter.com/xBwRZbTe6Y</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1840933043583713403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina

Robby Starbuck Enlists ‘X Family’ To Get Boots On The Ground In Hurricane-Ravaged Tennessee

Robby Starbuck Enlists 'X Family' To Get Boots On The Ground In Hurricane-Ravaged Tennessee

Floods

Hurricane Helene may have come and gone, but the remnants of the powerful storm — which first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-helene-to-hit-florida-with-life-threatening-20-foot-storm-surge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made landfall</a> on Florida&#8217;s Gulf Coast — traveled up the eastern seaboard and triggered heavy rains and flooding as far west as Tennessee.
As predicted, Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane just west of Perry, Florida, late Thursday night — and set a new record for the strongest storm to hit the state&#8217;s Big Bend region.
While the strong winds were devastating, massive storm surges caused life-threatening flash floods and devastated entire towns. Almost every property saw some damage when the storm surge left Horseshoe Beach, Florida.
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Heartbreaking scene as catastrophic storm surge leaves Horseshoe Beach, Florida destroyed. Almost every house sustained damage. <a href="https://twitter.com/MyRadarWX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MyRadarWX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hurricane?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hurricane</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Helene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Helene</a> <a href="https://t.co/LcfXADRnEB">pic.twitter.com/LcfXADRnEB</a>
&mdash; Jordan Hall (@JordanHallWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanHallWX/status/1839776840640238069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The National Hurricane Center warned before Helen hit Florida that conditions were ripe for flooding and landslides in the southern Appalachians. &#8220;This rainfall will likely result in catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with significant river flooding. Numerous landslides are expected in steep terrain across the southern Appalachians,&#8221; a statement read.
In the days since, that prediction has also proved true as photos and videos of the floods and damages have continued to crop up on social media into the weekend.
&#8220;Massive debris flow traveling at lightning speed in eastern TN! The preceding drought conditions followed by days of rain ahead of Hurricane Helene set the stage. This is incredibly rapid for a debris flow,&#8221; meteorologist Reed Timmer posted.
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Massive debris flow traveling at lightning speed in eastern TN! The preceding drought conditions followed by days of rain ahead of Hurricane Helene set the stage. This is incredibly rapid for a debris flow. <a href="https://t.co/LhT2Dzos6B">pic.twitter.com/LhT2Dzos6B</a>
&mdash; Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReedTimmerUSA/status/1840090638718579055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Flooding also caused major damage to roads in North Carolina, leaving some major highways — particularly in the western part of the state — impassable.
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🚨 REMINDER: 𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙍𝙊𝘼𝘿𝙎 in Western North Carolina should be considered 𝘾𝙇𝙊𝙎𝙀𝘿.
I-40 and I-26 are impassable in multiple locations.
⚠️ Travel in this area for non-emergency purposes is hindering needed emergency response.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ncwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ncwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Helene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Helene</a> <a href="https://t.co/jtK2ZMJW9T">pic.twitter.com/jtK2ZMJW9T</a>
&mdash; NCDOT (@NCDOT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NCDOT/status/1840092022717157657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;All roads in and out of Asheville, NC are still closed! It sounds like Asheville is still only accessible by air unless you head up from I26, and even then you will encounter closures before the city. This is an absolute mega disaster for western NC on the order of Hurricane Katrina,&#8221; Timmer posted.
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All roads in and out of Asheville, NC are still closed! It sounds like Asheville is still only accessible by air unless you head up from I26, and even then you will encounter closures before the city. This is an absolute mega disaster for western NC on the order of Hurricane… <a href="https://t.co/4llZNEx0Ae">pic.twitter.com/4llZNEx0Ae</a>
&mdash; Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReedTimmerUSA/status/1840088474587652470?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Chimney Rock Village also saw devastating flooding that took out major roads leading in and out.
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Chimney Rock village is devastated. It is now “a road to nowhere.” <a href="https://t.co/ptBamNJURx">pic.twitter.com/ptBamNJURx</a>
&mdash; Nikolias Goninus (@nikoliasgoninus) <a href="https://twitter.com/nikoliasgoninus/status/1839762504584486959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Boone, N.C., was also hit with dangerous flooding and debris flows.
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Life-Threatening Major flooding and debris flow in Boone. 
Video is from my friend Aidan Haas at App State <a href="https://twitter.com/spann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spann</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JimCantore?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimCantore</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ncwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ncwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Helene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Helene</a> <a href="https://t.co/ybWFEmZPYg">pic.twitter.com/ybWFEmZPYg</a>
&mdash; Ethan Clark wx (@EthanClarkWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/EthanClarkWX/status/1839710296778387925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Miles of Tennessee farmland were also left underwater as the ground quickly saturated and heavy rains had nowhere to go. &#8220;Tennessee farmland and the devastation hard working farmers must face. Pray for the farmers. They work so hard as it is and many can&#8217;t afford flood insurance and virtually none have hurricane insurance,&#8221; one posted. &#8220;#Helene took their livelihood.&#8221;
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Tennessee farmland and the devastation hard working farmers must face. 
Pray for the farmers. They work so hard as it is and many can&#39;t afford flood insurance and virtually none have hurricane insurance. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Helene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Helene</a> took their livelihood. <a href="https://t.co/Dfd8tj0486">pic.twitter.com/Dfd8tj0486</a>
&mdash; Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoffindafferFBI/status/1840036080403226730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Video from Afton, Tennessee, showed flood waters taking out the Kisner Bridge over the Nolichucky River.
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Powerful floods from Helene collapsed the Kisner Bridge in Afton, Tennessee, into the roaring Nolichucky River. <a href="https://t.co/MkE20hm559">pic.twitter.com/MkE20hm559</a>
&mdash; AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/1840075335959769377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Some major roads in Tennessee were also rendered impassable due to floods and debris.
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Interstate washed away in Tennessee. 
So many lives and so much devastation.
I can&#39;t recall a hurricane that caused this much inland devastation.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Helene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Helene</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hurricane?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hurricane</a> 
Photo credit: VA State police <a href="https://t.co/aizGmSP0pU">pic.twitter.com/aizGmSP0pU</a>
&mdash; Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoffindafferFBI/status/1840009553456369930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Remnants Of Hurricane Helene Continue To Wreak Havoc On Southeastern U.S.

Florida

Weather

A 59-year-old woman said she just wanted to hold her new grandson as she was given time to speak during her sentencing in federal court in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nashville" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nashville</a> on Friday over her participation in a peaceful protest in March 2021 at a Tennessee abortion facility.
Heather Idoni was sentenced to eight months in prison over her conviction on violating the FACE Act and conspiracy against rights. Judge Aleta Trauger said Idoni will serve the time concurrently with the two years she is currently serving for a conviction on similar charges out of Washington, D.C. She will likely serve little extra time due to the new sentence because she has about one year left on her D.C. sentence. She was also given three years of supervised release followed by one year of probation.
The Biden administration’s Justice Department had hoped for the eight month sentence to be added to the end of her D.C. sentence so that she would be incarcerated for 32 months total. However, Trauger ruled against their petition for the time to be served consecutively.
Idoni was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-demonstrators-found-guilty-face-up-to-11-years-in-federal-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted in January</a> over a sit-in protest at the Carafem Health Center in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. During the protest, Idoni and a group of others sang, prayed, and urged women not to get abortions.
The conspiracy against rights charge was originally a Reconstruction-era statute intended for use against members of the Ku Klux Klan that could be punished by over ten years in prison. The Biden admin has been using it to prosecute pro-lifers across the country.
Idoni, wearing a green jumpsuit and leg shackles, was given an opportunity to speak in court, during which she spoke of her Christian faith and the hardships she had already endured in federal custody. She began by reading from Proverbs 24:10-12, which talks about rescuing “those being led away to death” and holding “back those staggering toward slaughter.”
Idoni also said that federal marshals had mistreated her since she entered federal custody back in August 2023. She said that some marshals had put chains so tight around her waist that she struggled to breathe when she sat down and that one marshal told her she would tighten it more if she complained again.
Since entering federal custody, Idoni has also had three stints put into her heart, complicating her treatments as she has been transported across the country to at least eight different prisons.
“I would love to be home with my family,” she said. “I would love to hold my new grandson.”
DOJ lawyer Wilfred Beaye argued that the sentence should be tacked onto her current time because she has a “history of disrespecting the law” and said that eight months was low on what they could have asked for due to federal sentencing guidelines.
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William Conway, Idoni’s lawyer, requested that she be sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release.
Trauger said that she took Idoni’s history of charitable work, including mission work to Ukraine and adoption of kids, as well as her difficult childhood and health problems as mitigating factors. She said that aggravating factors were that she had a “blindspot” for her beliefs that led her to “inflict emotional damage on other people.&#8221;
After sentencing, a group of supporters waited outside the courthouse to wave signs as she was driven away by federal marshals to a federal prison in Kentucky where she is currently incarcerated. A few held up signs saying “happy birthday” because Idoni will be turning 60 on Saturday.

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59-Year-Old Grandma In Prison Over Pro-Life Protest Says She Just Wants To ‘Hold My New Grandson’

Abortion

Pro-Life Movement

A 75-year-old pro-life Christian has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison over his participation in a peaceful protest at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> abortion facility.
Chet Gallagher was sentenced to prison in at federal court in Nashville on Thursday afternoon for his conviction on violating the FACE Act and engaging in a conspiracy against rights. The convictions stemmed from his role in a peaceful sit-in at a Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, abortion facility in March 2021 and the Biden administration brought charges in October 2022.
The government had asked for a 20 month prison sentence, but Judge Aleta Trauger ended up giving Gallagher 16 months on the conspiracy charge followed by three years of supervised release. On the FACE Act charge, she gave him six months, which will run concurrently with the conspiracy charge sentence. Gallagher was ordered to report to prison in February, but that may be delayed due to pending sentencing on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-89-year-old-woman-convicted-faces-over-a-decade-in-prison-for-peaceful-pro-life-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar convictions</a> in Detroit.
During the protest, Gallagher and other pro-lifers sat and stood in a hallway outside the entrance to the Carafem Health Center while singing, praying, and urging women not to get abortions.
Jodie Bell, Gallagher’s lawyer, asked for no prison time to be imposed due to his age and health problems, and emphasized his Christian faith. She also submitted a letter in support of Gallagher from Tennessee state Senator Mark Pody, a Republican from Lebanon where Gallagher lives.
Gallagher was able to speak for about 19 minutes, where he talked about his background and how he came to be involved in the pro-life movement, during which Trauger told him, “just don’t preach to me.”
“It is not enough for me to have sincerely held religious beliefs,” Gallagher said during his allocution, adding that he was “a servant of the most high God” and his faith compelled him to action.
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Much of his testimony discussed his move from working in law enforcement to pro-life activism.
Back in the late 1980s when he was serving as a motorcycle cop in Las Vegas, Gallagher said that he became convinced that action had to be taken to stop abortion. He said that he showed up as a police officer to a pro-life protest at an abortion facility in Vegas and urged his fellow officers not to arrest the pro-lifers who were sitting in front of the facility’s doors.
“As a police officer, I cannot walk away from a murder in progress,” he said, noting that his actions led him to his suspension and departure from law enforcement. After leaving law enforcement, Gallagher started engaging in pro-life activism across the country and speaking about his faith.
At the end of his testimony, he said that he recognized that he might be sent to federal prison, but that it may be a place of “fruitful ministry” for him.
DOJ lawyer Kyle Boynton fully pinned the Mt. Juliet protest on Gallagher, saying that “this blockade would not have occurred” with him. He said that Gallagher had a “uniquely concerning roll” and that there “must be consequences” for his actions.
Trauger largely agreed with the government, asserting that Gallagher and his fellow pro-lifers caused “terror and pain.”
When speaking with supporters outside the courthouse after the sentencing, Gallagher prayed for Trauger and said that it was “amazing” that a judge could justify “sending believers to federal prison for rescuing the lives of children.”
Heather Idoni, one of Gallagher’s co-defendants, is set to be sentenced on conspiracy and FACE Act charges on Friday afternoon.

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75-Year-Old Pro-Lifer Sentenced To Over A Year In Prison Over Peaceful Protest

An 89-year-old woman gave powerful testimony about her experience in a Communist death camp Thursday morning as she was sentenced to three years probation over her FACE Act conviction for a peaceful protest in Tennessee in March 2021. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/god-wins-in-the-end-89-year-old-pro-life-activist-speaks-out-ahead-of-high-stakes-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eva Edl</a> spoke at her sentencing hearing of how her Christian faith and childhood experience in a Yugoslavian concentration camp inspired her to pro-life activism. She was convicted in April of violating the FACE Act, a Clinton-era law that made it a crime to sit or stand in front of the doors of an abortion facility. 
“I have been rescuing babies since 1988,” Edl told federal Judge Chip Frensley in a court filled with dozens of supporters. “What I’m doing is for the love of Jesus alone, no other benefit.”
Edl was charged by the Biden-Harris administration for her participation in a protest in a hallway outside the Carafem Health Center Clinic in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. During the sit-in, Edl sang hymns, prayed, and urged women not to get abortions. 
“I’ve paid the price,” Edl said of her pro-life work. “It hurts deeply when you do what God says and you’re totally misunderstood.” 
Holding up a well-worn Bible in the courtroom, Edl said, “I believe in this book,” saying she took it as her guide. Edl referenced the Book of Genesis, saying that “human life is made in the image of God.” 
Edl also spoke of her own experience as a child “when I was declared to be inhuman.” 
When she was 9 years old, Edl and her family were imprisoned by Communist dictator Josip Tito because they were ethnic Germans. She said that she and her family were crammed into cattle cars and forced into camps to die. 
“I wish Christians or caring people would have stood on the tracks,” to stop the train that was taking her family away, she said. Edl survived her imprisonment and moved to the United States, where she became involved in the pro-life movement. 
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Justice Department lawyer Kyle Boynton pushed for Edl to get three years probation, saying that the case was not about her faith or political views, but about “compliance” with federal law. Edl’s lawyer asked for just one year of probation, pointing to “devotion to her faith” and peaceful nature. 
Edl was eligible for a prison sentence of up to six months for her conviction. 
Frensley said that while he acknowledged Edl’s beliefs, she had engaged in a “clear violation of the law.” He said that following religious beliefs doesn&#8217;t excuse violations of federal law. 
Prior to sentencing, Edl gathered with supporters outside the courthouse to sing hymns like “It is Well with My Soul.” She told the group that all she wanted for the day “is for the Lord to speak through me.” 
Another protester who was with Edl at Carafem is set to be sentenced Thursday afternoon.

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‘I’ve Paid The Price’: 89-Year-Old Pro-Life Activist Speaks At Sentencing

Hurricane Helene is expected to increase in strength as it approaches <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a>, bringing with it dangerous storm surges, flooding, and torrential rain.
The National Hurricane Center <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/261139.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Thursday morning that Helene is expected to move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and cross Florida’s Big Bend coast later in the evening or early Friday morning. Currently a Category 2 hurricane, Helene is expected to increase in power before it slams into Florida. 
&#8220;Additional strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast this evening,” the National Hurricane Center announced. “Weakening is expected after landfall, but Helene&#8217;s fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.”
After landfall, Helene is expected to go northwestward and head toward the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday. 
Authorities are warning Floridians about a “life-threatening storm surge” that “will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.”
In some areas of Florida, like from Carrabelle to Suwannee River, the surge could produce a wall of water 20 feet high. Other areas could get surges as high as 15 feet, while Tampa Bay is expected to see a surge of somewhere between 5-8 feet. 
“Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials.”
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott warned Floridians on Wednesday that the storm surge could be deadly.
“In the Big Bend, they’re talking about possibly 18-foot of storm surge,” he <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/live-blog/storm-helene-live-updates-rcna172604" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I’m a little over 6 feet — that’s three times my height. None of us are living that.”
“You’re not going to survive. I mean, you’re not going to live through this stuff,” he added. 
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Helene is also predicted to bring heavy rainfall over portions of the Southeastern United States and the Southern Appalachians, with rain totals expected to be between six to 12 inches, with isolated areas getting around 18 inches. 
“This rainfall will likely result in catastrophic and potentially life-threatening flash and urban flooding, along with significant river flooding. Numerous landslides are expected in steep terrain across the southern Appalachians,” the National Hurricane Center warned. 
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, pointing people to get <a href="https://www.floridadisaster.org/disaster-updates/storm-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">current guidance</a> from Florida’s disaster management division. 
“Florida is preparing for widespread impacts from Hurricane Helene,” DeSantis s<a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1839055250298122751" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aid</a>. Wednesday. “Do not get wedded to the ‘cone,’ as hazards such as tornados, flooding, and storm surge can create dangerous conditions far beyond the cone.”

Floridians Prepare As Tropical Storm Helene Heads Toward State’s Gulf Coast

Hurricane Helene To Hit Florida With ‘Life-Threatening’ 20-Foot Storm Surge

Rick Scott

Ron DeSantis

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