Buncombe County, North Carolina, overcounted Helene deaths by as many as 30, sheriff says
645. IT’S TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES. TRAFFIC AND WEATHER. ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR THIS MORNING WE START WITH FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S VISIT TO ASHEVILLE IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HELENE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS BEEN TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA SINCE THE STORM PASSED. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SPOKE IN SWANNANOA, SAYING HE SUPPORTS CONGRESS HOLDING A SPECIAL SESSION TO PROVIDE MORE FEDERAL RELIEF TO HELENE VICTIMS. I’M WITH YOU AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE WITH YOU. WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE ELECTION. AND WE’RE ON JANUARY 20TH. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A, I THINK, A NEW CREW COMING IN TO DO IT PROPERLY. AND HELP YOU IN A PROPER MANNER. THE FORMER PRESIDENT ALSO CRITICIZED FEMA’S RESPONSE TO THE STORM AND CONTINUED TO PUSH DEBUNKED RUMORS ABOUT THE AGENCY. FEMA RELEASED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS, SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, FEMA TEAMS HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND IN NORTH CAROLINA SINCE BEFORE HURRICANE HELENE HIT THESE COMMUNITIES, AND OUR AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO BE FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO RECOVER. NO MONEY HAS BEEN DIVERTED FROM OUR DISASTER RELIEF FUND, NOR IS MONEY BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM HELPING PEOPLE RECOVER FROM THIS STORM. END QUOTE. I THINK IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND I HAVE SAID PUBLICLY, DONALD TRUMP IS AN UNSERIOUS MAN AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIM EVER BEING. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND SEVERAL OTHER BATTLEGROUND STATES, ALONGSIDE FORMER REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN LIZ CHENEY. THE DUO IS TRYING TO REACH UNDECIDED REPUBLICAN VOTERS IN PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN. VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS WRAPPED UP HER THIRD STOP OF THE DAY IN WISCONSIN WITH A TOWN HALL MODERATED BY CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR CHARLIE SYKES. THEN TONIGHT, THE VICE PRESIDENT WILL SIT DOWN FOR AN EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW WITH ANCHOR AND SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON. YOU CAN WATCH THAT INTERVIEW RIGHT HERE ON NBC NIGHTLY NEWS AT 6:30 P.M. ON WYFF NEWS FOUR. IN NORTH CAROLINA, OVER 1 MILLION VOTERS HAVE CAST THEIR BALLOTS, AND WE’RE TOLD THAT’S ABOUT 13% OF THE STATE’S NEARLY 7.8 MILLION VOTERS. IT INCLUDES BOTH IN-PERSON VOTES AND ABSENTEE BALLOTS. THE NUMBER IS LOWER THAN AT THIS POINT IN 2020, WHEN OVER 1.5 MILLION NORTH CAROLINIANS CAST BALLOTS, BUT IT’S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN IN 2016, WHEN NEARLY 479,000 VOTERS HAD CAST BALLOTS. THE PANDEMIC SORT OF CHANGED THE WAY WE VIEW EARLY VOTING DROP BOX BALLOTING, ALL ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO RECORD THEIR VOTES. NOW, A LOT OF THOSE WAYS STARTED IN THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY’VE JUST SORT OF CONTINUED BECAUSE PEOPLE FOUND THEM CONVENIENT. IT IS IT DOES SEEM TO BE A WAY TO RAISE VOTER TURNOUT. ACCORDING TO DATA FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, ALMOST 15% OF THE BALLOTS HAVE BEEN CAST BY REGISTERED DEMOCRATS, ALMOST 15% BY REGISTERED REPUBLICANS AND ALMOST 11% BY UNAFFILIATED VOTERS. MEANWHILE, VOTERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE TURNING OUT IN LONG LINES AS EARLY VOTING GETS UNDERWAY. OUR NICO PINNOCK JOINS US LIVE FROM ANDERSON COUNTY WITH THE LATEST. GOOD MORNING. TANIQUA. GOOD MORNING ERIN. THE LINES WERE LONG, BUT THAT DID NOT STOP PEOPLE FROM CASTING THEIR BALLOTS HERE AT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE IN ANDERSON COUNTY. AND HERE IN ANDERSON COUNTY. THEY WEREN’T THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED LONG LINES. THERE WERE ALSO LONG LINES AT MCALLISTER SQUARE IN GREENVILLE. NOW, REMEMBER THE LAST DAY FOR EARLY VOTING IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND. POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 8:30 A.M. TO 6:00 PM. REPORTING LIVE IN ANDERSON, TANIQUA. PENNIX WYFF NEWS FOUR. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING WHAT IT CALLS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. IT WOULD GIVE EASIER ACCESS TO OVER-THE-COUNTER CONTRACEPTION LIKE PLAN B, SPERMICIDE AND O PILL. RIGHT NOW, MOST PRIVATE HEALTH PLANS COVER THE COST OF CONTRACEPTION, BUT THEY OFTEN REQUIRE A PRESCRIPTION. THE NEW RULE WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR A PRESCRIPTION. INSURERS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO COVER ALL FDA APPROVED DRUGS AND DRUG LED COMBINATION PRODUCTS. THIS ELECTION CYCLE, REGISTERED VOTERS WILL ALSO HAVE THE CHANCE TO DECIDE ON A LOCAL BALLOT MEASURE ON ROADS. ISABELLE MARK JOINS US FROM ONE OF THOSE ROADS WITH A REMINDER ON WHAT A VOTE YES WOULD MEAN. ISABELLE REPORTER. ERIN, GOOD MORNING. WE ARE LIVE HERE ON LAWRENCE ROAD, WHICH IS JUST ONE PART OF MANY PROPOSED PROJECTS ON THAT BALLOT. SO A VOTE YES WOULD MEAN THAT GREENVILLE COUNTY WOULD CHARGE A 1% SALES TAX FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS TO REPAIR DOZENS OF ROADS IN THE REGION, JUST LIKE THIS ONE. GREENVILLE COUNTY ALREADY HAS A 6% SALES TAX, SO THAT WOULD BRING THE TOTAL UP TO 7%. THIS SALES TAX WOULD NOT IMPACT GROCERIES OR MEDICINE AS WELL AS RENT, MORTGAGE, GAS, UTILITY OR PHONE BILLS. IF VOTED IN, THOUGH, IT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE. IT WOULD CHARGE A PENNY AN EXTRA PENNY ON EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN GREENVILLE COUNTY OUT SHOPPING AT RESTAURANTS, THAT SORT OF THING. REPORTING LIVE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. I’M ISABELLE MARAK FOR WF NEWS FOUR. WELL, THANK YOU ISABELLE. HEY GOOD MORNING 650. IT’S A COLD, CLEAR START TO THE DAY. 40 DEGREES IN PICKENS, 46 IN SPARTANBURG, 47 IN CLEMSON AND IN ANDERSON. WE’VE GOT 48 DEGREES HERE IN GREENVILLE FROM THE MOUNTAINS. LOOK AT THAT. ALL THE ASHEVILLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO GREENWOOD AND EXTENDING EVEN INTO THE COAST. WE’VE GOT CLEAR SKIES, LOTS OF SUNSHINE ON THE WAY TODAY GOING BACK INTO THE MID 70S FOR DAYTIME HIGHS FOR GREENVILLE IN THE UPSTATE. WERE GOING INTO THE LOW AND MID 70S FOR ASHEVILLE RUTHERFORDTON AND THE MOUNTAINS LOOK AT THAT THIS MORNING. GOING TO BE NICE AND BRISK THOUGH NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. AND THIS AFTERNOON NICE AND MILD WITH A WHOLE LOT OF SUNSHINE. WE’VE GOT A COOL DOWN THIS WEEKEND AND THEN RAIN CHANCES NEXT WEEK. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FOUR DAY PLUS WITH ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IN THERE COMING UP IN ABOUT 6 OR 7 MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. FIRST, THOUGH, ERIN IS KEEPING AN EYE ON OUR ROADS. YOU’VE GOT SOME NEW NEWS FOR US. WHAT’S GOING ON? YEAH, PARELLA A COUPLE SLOWDOWNS HERE. BOTH OF THOSE ON INTERSTATE 85 RIGHT NOW. YOU’RE LOOKING AT INTERSTATE 85 NORTH NEAR PELHAM ROAD. YOU CAN SEE THE SLOWDOWN THERE. THERE WAS A CRASH THERE EARLIER. IT HAS SINCE CLEARED. BUT OBVIOUSLY WE’RE COMING UP ON 7:00. MORE CARS HITTING THE ROAD. SO YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW SLOW THOSE ARE GOING THERE. ALSO WANT TO TAKE YOU A LITTLE FURTHER UP THE ROAD. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS 85 NEAR AIRPORT ROAD. FIRST RESPONDERS THERE AS WELL. SO IT’S SLOW GOING ESSENTIALLY FROM AIRPORT ROAD ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN TO ABOUT THE 385 INTERCHANGE. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING THAT WAY, GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME. THAT’S REFLECTED IN THE TRAVEL TIMES. LOOK AT 85 SOUTHBOUND FROM AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD. USUALLY AT SIX MINUTES. IT’S AT 14 MINUTES RIGHT NOW. THE GOOD NEWS IS IF YOU’RE TRAVELING. 26 EASTBOUND OR 385 NORTHBOUND, THOSE LOOK GREAT AT 11 MINUTES AND 14 MINUTES. THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE IS HIRING. IS HOSTING SPECIAL EVENTS THIS MONTH TO FILL VACANT RURAL CARRIER ASSOCIATE AND ASSISTANT RURAL CARRIER ROLES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. WE’RE TOLD THOSE ARE IMMEDIATE OPENINGS. AND USPS SAYS IT OFFERS HEALTH AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS. THERE’S AN IN-PERSON HIRING EVENT AT THE SIMPSONVILLE POST OFFICE TODAY FROM 11 A.M. TO 1 P.M., OR YOU CAN ATTEND THE VIRTUAL JOB FAIR ON OCTOBER 29TH FROM 11 A.M. TO NOON. YOU CAN APPLY FOR A JOB OR EVEN LEARN MORE ON USPS.COM/CAREERS. NEW THIS MORNING CHICK FIL A IS STEPPING INTO A NEW ENTERTAINMENT VENTURE THAT WILL BRING MORE THAN GOOD FOOD TO FAMILIES. THE FAST FOOD CHAIN IS LAUNCHING A NEW APP CALLED CHICK FIL A PLAY, DESIGNED FOR PARENTS AND KIDS IN MIND TO HAVE THE ULTIMATE DIGITAL PLAYGROUND EXPERIENCE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS. IT WILL INCLUDE ORIGINAL ANIMATED SHOWS, GAMES, PODCASTS, KID FRIENDLY CRAFTS, AND E-BOOKS. CHICK FIL A PLAY APP STARTS TO BE AVAILABLE ON NOVEMBER 18TH, AND IT WAS A BATTLE OF THE CAROLINAS LAST NIGHT ON NBC’S THE VOICE TEAM. SNOOP’S CHRISTINA EAGLE OF CATAWBA, NORTH CAROLINA WON HER BATTLE ROUND AGAINST GAIL BLISS OF LITTLE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA. THE SINGERS PAIRED UP ON GRETCHEN WILSON’S REDNECK WOMAN. BLISS WAS ELIMINATED. YOU CAN WATCH THE VOICE RIGHT HE
Buncombe County, North Carolina, overcounted Helene deaths by as many as 30, sheriff says
Updated: 3:16 PM EDT Oct 22, 2024
The North Carolina county that is home to Asheville overcounted deaths caused by Helene by as many as 30, according to a statement from its sheriff’s office and data from the state, significantly reducing the death toll from the historic storm.(Above video is the Tuesday morning headlines for Oct. 22, 2024.)Buncombe County officials, who previously reported 72 deaths, are now deferring to a state tally of 42 deaths for the county.The county’s number dates back to an Oct. 3 news release in which county officials reported that “72 lives have been lost due to Hurricane Helene,” repeating a number cited by Sheriff Quentin Miller at an earlier media briefing. But state officials, relying on reviews by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh, have consistently reported a number lower than that for the county.The number for Buncombe County included in the state’s tally has stood at 42 since at least Oct. 10. On Tuesday, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s office acknowledged in a statement that the number of deaths in the county was lower than the number it provided. The statement attributed to Public Information Officer Christina Esmay cited factors ranging from updated causes of death to communication challenges after the storm knocked out cell service and electricity in multiple mountain counties. “In the early aftermath of Hurricane Helene all deaths were being classified as storm related and from Buncombe County. However, as the days progressed BCSO was able to identify who had passed away due to the hurricane, who was, in fact, from Buncombe County, and who passed away from other causes,” the statement said. “Compounded with the lack of consistent communication, due to widespread outages, the Buncombe County fatality number that was initially provided to Sheriff Miller has decreased.”The sheriff’s office did not provide additional information on how they arrived at their tally, and spokesman Matt Marshall said any other questions about how deaths have been investigated and counted should be sent to state officials. In response to a request to interview the sheriff, Marshall said he would look into his availability.The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh typically reviews weather deaths and makes a ruling on cause before reporting numbers through state officials, a process it has used in past storms for years. But in the chaos following Helene, a number of counties reported fatality numbers independently of the state. The state’s tally has gradually increased through Tuesday, but the climb has slowed as bodies have been examined.State Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Kelly Haight Connor told the Citizen-Times in Asheville on Monday that all storm-related deaths found in the mountains have been examined and accounted for, but she couldn’t rule out the possibility of the number increasing.Haight Connor didn’t immediately respond to several follow-up questions from The Associated Press on Tuesday.The state reported 96 deaths from Helene statewide on Tuesday. Another county, Henderson, had previously reported two more deaths than the state, but said on Tuesday that it agrees with the state’s tally.
The North Carolina county that is home to Asheville overcounted deaths caused by Helene by as many as 30, according to a statement from its sheriff’s office and data from the state, significantly reducing the death toll from the historic storm.
(Above video is the Tuesday morning headlines for Oct. 22, 2024.)
Buncombe County officials, who previously reported 72 deaths, are now deferring to a state tally of 42 deaths for the county.
The county’s number dates back to an Oct. 3 news release in which county officials reported that “72 lives have been lost due to Hurricane Helene,” repeating a number cited by Sheriff Quentin Miller at an earlier media briefing. But state officials, relying on reviews by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh, have consistently reported a number lower than that for the county.
The number for Buncombe County included in the state’s tally has stood at 42 since at least Oct. 10. On Tuesday, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s office acknowledged in a statement that the number of deaths in the county was lower than the number it provided. The statement attributed to Public Information Officer Christina Esmay cited factors ranging from updated causes of death to communication challenges after the storm knocked out cell service and electricity in multiple mountain counties.
“In the early aftermath of Hurricane Helene all deaths were being classified as storm related and from Buncombe County. However, as the days progressed BCSO was able to identify who had passed away due to the hurricane, who was, in fact, from Buncombe County, and who passed away from other causes,” the statement said. “Compounded with the lack of consistent communication, due to widespread outages, the Buncombe County fatality number that was initially provided to Sheriff Miller has decreased.”
The sheriff’s office did not provide additional information on how they arrived at their tally, and spokesman Matt Marshall said any other questions about how deaths have been investigated and counted should be sent to state officials. In response to a request to interview the sheriff, Marshall said he would look into his availability.
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh typically reviews weather deaths and makes a ruling on cause before reporting numbers through state officials, a process it has used in past storms for years. But in the chaos following Helene, a number of counties reported fatality numbers independently of the state. The state’s tally has gradually increased through Tuesday, but the climb has slowed as bodies have been examined.
State Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Kelly Haight Connor told the Citizen-Times in Asheville on Monday that all storm-related deaths found in the mountains have been examined and accounted for, but she couldn’t rule out the possibility of the number increasing.
Haight Connor didn’t immediately respond to several follow-up questions from The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The state reported 96 deaths from Helene statewide on Tuesday. Another county, Henderson, had previously reported two more deaths than the state, but said on Tuesday that it agrees with the state’s tally.
