IN GOD WE TRUST
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Our 33rd Year • Over 25,000 Weekly Readers ISSUE NO. 39 • September 25, 2025 • RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408
A year after Hurricane Helene resilience brings communities together Article by Jean Gordon. a family. And families stand (Writer’s note: There are together through the storm.” several one year anniversary Pritchett continued, ceremonies planned this week “There were definitely to commemorate the resilience moments when the weight of of Chimney Rock, Lake Lure it all felt unbearable - when the and Western North Carolina. skies grew dark, not just with Check details inside.) weather, but with uncertainty. When a 30 foot wall of water But what pulled me - and all of came rushing down the Rocky us - through, was the resilience Broad River in Chimney Rock rooted deep in this town. Village on September 27, 2024, In every handshake, every the Village and Lake Lure were neighbor helping another, devastated as Hurricane Helene every small gesture of hope, I destroyed the infrastructure, found a reason to keep going. homes were lost, lives were Lake Lure has always been forever changed and it would be more than just a place - it’s a the costliest flood in history for spirit. And when that spirit is the area. tested, we don’t walk away. We Hurricane Helene “peeled rise,” said Pritchett. them up one by one,” said Village A year later, as O’Leary Councilman and firefighter and Pritchett look ahead, they Buck Meliski, describing the see a bright future. businesses and restaurants in “My hope is that we the Village as he saw them wash continue to find balance down the river a year ago. between growth and From the fire department preservation, between where he was that morning, welcoming visitors and Meliski witnessed the brewery, nurturing the soul of our Highlands Restaurant and other community,” Pritchett began. structures demolished and The Rocky Broad River after the storm when all bridges and much of the road was washed away “The Hickory Nut Gorge is a washed away. It was beyond (Jean Gordon photo). place of ancient beauty, and belief and description. it deserves careful protection. “When I first saw the devastation...my Island with his family when the storm hit. Residents were being I want to see us remain good stewards heart sank. It was like a part of our town’s “I got a call from Buck (Meliski) at about evacuated, some literally running up of the exquisite splendor of our land the street to the fire station, before Main 10am Friday saying ‘Main Street was a soul had been torn away. The beauty of while creating opportunities for future raging river.’ It was hard to comprehend Lake Lure-our infrastructure, homes, Street was four feet under water. generations to live, work, and flourish The hurricane tore out all the bridges and understand because that was not businesses, our beloved Flowering here with a sound infrastructure.” in Chimney Rock Village, including the something we had ever seen before,” he Bridge, our history, our communityhad been battered in a way that words entrance to Chimney Rock State Park, said. Continued on page 12. When he arrived in Chimney Rock can hardly describe,” Pritchett said. and destroyed all infrastructure leaving residents without power or water for Village, “The first sights were unbelievable “But even in those first days. The fire station was the only and surreal. I had seen pictures but moments of heartbreak, to actually see the devastation was what struck me most structure with power and water. Barbara Meliski was at the couple’s something else. Ann (wife) and I had was the quiet courage home on Boys Camp Road as the rains many emotional conversations about the of our residents and our continued and as she watched the future of our business, Bubba O’Leary’s staff. First responders waters rise in the lake, she knew the General Store, and whether we could risked their lives to save others without hesitation. rebuild,” O’Leary said. storm was “going to be bad.” Neighbors helping “It was a process but the support of There was no communication Volunteers between the Meliskis that day and not everyone throughout this year has been neighbors. until Friday evening near dark, when amazing and is what has convinced us from all over the country Buck was able to walk the distance from and the whole Village that the future can came to Lake Lure to the fire station back home, did he know be rebuilt and Chimney Rock will come lend a hand, cook a meal, clear roads, and restore Barbara was okay and the house was back stronger than ever.” Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett, homes. That’s when I standing. On the walk home, Meliski said he had to dodge fallen trees and utility who is from Louisana and Texas, was knew: we would rebuildaccustomed to the impact of many not just the structures, lines that were across the roads. Chimney Rock Village Mayor Peter hurricanes, but she had never seen but the spirit of this town. O’Leary was on vacation on Tybee anything to compare to Hurricane Because Lake Lure is Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett just days after the Hurricane more than a place. It’s Helene. hit (Jean Gordon photo).
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