News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
‘She didn’t get to be a grandma or see me get married’ • Asheville Watchdog
Asheville Watchdog is bringing you the stories behind the staggering loss of life from Helene, the children, parents, grandparents, multiple generations of a single family, all gone in one of the worst natural disasters to hit the mountains of western North Carolina. This is the 10th installment.
Makayla Russell remembers her mom, Cathy Jo Blackburn Minish, as “really funny and outgoing” and who loved nothing more than having a bunch of cousins and nieces over to pile into her bed and watch movies.
“She was really big on family — that was her big thing,” Russell, 24, said of her mother. “That got her excited the most — being able to spend time with family. As long as she was around family, she was at her happiest.”
Minish, a homemaker and mother who lived in Marion, died from landslide injuries, including drowning, during Tropical Storm Helene, according to a death certificate.
Read previous installments of The Lives We Lost.
Born in Burke County in 1972 to Dianne Elizabeth Benge Minish and the late John Franklin Minish, Minish was 52. She is survived by her mother; her only child, Russell; and four siblings, according to her obituary.
Russell said her mom loved crafts, travel and trips to the beach in Florida or on the coast of North and South Carolina.
“Cathy had an incredible sense of humor and will be remembered for her ability to bring laughter to all situations,” her obituary said. “She loved to shop, and Cathy was a gifted crafter. It brought her great joy to make all kinds of crafts particularly during Christmastime.”
Russell said this holiday season will be particularly tough to navigate. Russell was 23 when her mother died, and she never thought she’d have to inform her grandmother that her daughter had died.
“My great grandma lived to 94, so I was for sure that I’d have my mom for a long time,” Russell said. “And she didn’t get to be a grandma or see me get married or anything like that. So I’m having a really hard time with that.”
Russell, a care management support assistant at a local medical office, lives in Fairview, which is where Minish died. The family has not received details of how Minish died, Russell said.
Minish had traveled to Fairview to stay with her best friend since high school during the storm.
Russell cherishes the many good memories she has of her mother.
“She just was full of life, always happy,” Russell said. “She just always found the good in everything. She tried not to let anybody see if she was worrying or having a hard time. She always wanted everybody to remember her happy and smiling and laughing. She was awesome.”
– John Boyle, Asheville Watchdog
Lula Jackson
Lula Jackson, 63, died at her Asheville home Sept. 27. Her death certificate lists chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as the primary cause of her death, with Tropical Storm Helene noted as a secondary cause.
Jackson had dealt with COPD for at least seven years, according to her death certificate.
Her obituary said she loved her pastor and church, Worldwide Missionary Baptist, where she was a “faithful attendee,” part of the choir and part of the anniversary committee.
“When she could not attend [church], her heart was always there,” the obituary said.
“Lula was preparing her song on Friday night, September 27, 2024 when hurricane Helene blew into Asheville and she ascended to her heavenly home,” the obituary said.
Jackson, 63, was the mother of two daughters, according to her obituary. She had at least two grandchildren, a brother and a sister, and a “host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends,” the obituary said.
Her sister and daughter said none of the family wanted to speak to the media. “It’s too soon,” her daughter Nichole Mayfield said when reached by phone.
Jackson graduated from Asheville High School in 1979, according to her obituary. “She was active in the Cougar band and excelled as the drum majorette. Lula loved music and regularly performed in talent competitions,” her obituary said.
She had a music scholarship to Mars Hill University, but decided to start a family instead, the obituary said.
“It is with a heavy heart and fighting tears I must unfortunately inform you all of the passing of my first wife Lula Jackson (Nance),” a Facebook account belonging to Rojam Mayfield posted Oct. 2. “There is never a good time for God to call a loved one home but this is… particularly hard [due] to the tragic situation with hurricane [Helene]. … Lula we loved you, God loved you more. No more pain. I’ll see you on the other shore.”
Asheville Watchdog could not reach Rojam Mayfield.
Nichole Mayfield, Jackson’s daughter, posted a slideshow video showing her dad in her youth and adulthood. He is smiling in each image, sitting on a couch or standing with family, all accompanied by the song “Still Here,” by R&B artist Anthony Q.
On his Facebook account, Rojam Mayfield commented on the video:
“Lula Jackson is looking down smiling.”
– Andrew R. Jones, Asheville Watchdog
Gabriel Gonzalez
Gabriel Gonzalez had gone to work in driving rain at the Ingles distribution center near the Swannanoa River when floodwaters swept him away, according to the Catholic News Herald. Gonzalez’ co-workers called him “the happy one,” the article said, because he was always singing as he loaded tractor-trailers for the regional grocery store chain.
Gonzalez was an Ingles employee who worked in truck loading, according to his death certificate.
He was a Catholic and a mass for his death was celebrated Oct. 25 St. Eugene Catholic Church in Asheville, according to his obituary.
According to his death certificate, the 52-year-old died as a result of landslide injuries. His body was found on U.S. Highway 70 in Swannanoa, next to the Swannanoa River.
The story includes a picture of Gonzalez in front of his red Jeep, standing beside best friend Ulises Garcia, a friend from Swannanoa.
Gonzalez will be laid to rest in his home country of El Salvador, his obituary said.
– Andrew R. Jones, Asheville Watchdog
John David Keretz
John David Keretz, 69, a financial planner who lived in Fairview, drowned during Helene, according to a death certificate. Keretz’s body was found Oct. 1 near Echo Lake about a mile from his home.
Asheville Watchdog made numerous efforts to reach family members but did not hear back by deadline. The funeral home that handled arrangements said no obituary for Keretz was published.
Keretz was an armed services veteran and lived in Fairview, according to his death certificate. He is survived by his spouse, Laurie Ninness Keretz, according to the document.
– John Boyle, Asheville Watchdog
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. John Boyle has been covering Asheville and surrounding communities since the 20th century. You can reach him at (828) 337-0941, or via email at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org. Andrew R. Jones is a Watchdog investigative reporter. Email arjones@avlwatchdog.org.The Watchdog’s local reporting during this crisis is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
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The post ‘She didn’t get to be a grandma or see me get married’ • Asheville Watchdog appeared first on avlwatchdog.org
News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
What is Chronic Venous Insufficiency? Will Trump be okay?
SUMMARY: President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in people over 70 causing leg swelling due to blood pooling in veins. The White House confirmed no deep vein thrombosis, arterial disease, or heart issues were found, with normal cardiac function and no signs of systemic illness. Despite visible ankle swelling and bruised hands, attributed to frequent handshaking and aspirin use, the president remains in excellent health and experiences no discomfort. At 79, he stays active, working continuously. The White House emphasized these symptoms are minor and consistent with his busy public engagements and cardiovascular prevention measures.
Swollen legs led to President Donald Trump being diagnosed with what’s called chronic venous insufficiency. It’s a fairly common condition among older adults but requires a thorough checkup to rule out more serious causes of swelling in the legs. Here are some things to know.
Chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI, happens when veins in the legs can’t properly carry blood back to the heart. That can lead to blood pooling in the lower legs. In addition to swelling, usually around the feet and ankles, symptoms can include legs that are achy, heavy feeling or tingly, and varicose veins. Severe cases could trigger leg sores known as ulcers.
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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
US House votes to yank funding for NPR, PBS, foreign aid, sending bill to Trump’s desk
SUMMARY: On July 2, 2025, the U.S. House approved legislation to cancel $9 billion in previously authorized spending on public broadcasting and foreign aid, marking only the second time in over 30 years Congress approved a presidential rescissions request. The 216-213 mostly party-line vote sends the bill to President Donald Trump for signature. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will lose $1.1 billion in funding for NPR, PBS, and local stations. The bill also cuts $8 billion in foreign aid but protects HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal health programs. This follows Senate approval with some adjustments and reflects the White House’s push to focus spending on American interests.
The post US House votes to yank funding for NPR, PBS, foreign aid, sending bill to Trump’s desk appeared first on ncnewsline.com
News from the South - North Carolina News Feed
Missing voter information the objection of NC search
North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes is setting off on a mission to correct 103,000 North Carolinians’ voting records from which some information is missing.
He maintains that the process, dubbed the Registration Repair Project, will not remove any eligible voters from the state’s voter rolls.
According to the state elections board, 103,270 North Carolina registered voters have records that lack either their driver’s license number, the last four digits of their Social Security number or an indication that they have neither.
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Last year, this missing information became the stuff of headlines, lawsuits and the high-profile election protest of Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin, who lost his bid for state Supreme Court to the incumbent justice, Democrat Allison Riggs, by 734 votes.
In April, the North Carolina Supreme Court declined to remove ballots from the count based on missing identification numbers; they said the state elections board, not voters, was responsible for a faulty voter registration form that didn’t make it abundantly clear that this information was required.
While Griffin lost, the issue he raised remains salient for a newly Republican elections board and the U.S. Department of Justice, which promptly sued the state board over alleged violations of the federal Help America Vote Act’s voter registration provisions.
Thursday, Hayes told reporters that a process he unveiled in late June to gather these missing identification numbers had begun in earnest.
“We must put this issue behind us so we can focus our attention squarely on preparations for accurate and secure municipal elections this fall,” he said.
The plan to collect missing information
There are two groups of voters under Hayes’ plan.
The first group includes registered voters who have never provided a driver’s license, the last four digits of their Social Security number or an affirmation that they lack both. The state elections board has asked county election boards to check their records for these numbers, in case they were provided but not correctly entered into the voting system.
In early August, the state elections board will send letters to the remaining voters in this group requesting the missing information. If affected voters do not comply, they will vote provisionally in future elections. The elections board will create a flag on these voters’ records for poll workers.
The second group includes registered voters whose records do not show that they’ve provided an identification number, but have shown additional documentation at the polls proving their identity and eligibility under HAVA. These voters may vote a regular ballot.
However, the elections board will still send them a letter in a second mailing asking for the missing identification number to bolster the state’s voter records. Even so, if they do not oblige, they still will not be at risk of being disenfranchised, NCSBE General Counsel Paul Cox said.
County election boards have already made progress, and their work will continue as the mailings go out, Hayes said.
Voters can check to see whether they’re on the list of those with missing information by using the Registration Repair Search Tool. If voters don’t want to wait for the August mailing, they can submit an updated voter registration form using their driver’s license through the online DMV portal or visit their county elections board in person with their driver’s license or Social Security card.
“We anticipate the number of voters on the list will decrease quickly as word spreads about this important effort,” Hayes said.
The State Board of Elections unanimously approved the plan last month, despite some concerns from Democrat Jeff Carmon about putting up an extra obstacle for voters because of a problem with missing information that the voters didn’t cause.
“It’s hard to understand starvation if you’ve never felt the pangs of hunger,” Carmon said. “It’s the same situation with voting obstacles. Your perspective of an obstacle may not be the same as someone who’s consistently had their identity and their validity questioned.”
Nonetheless, Carmon and fellow Democrat board member Siobhan Millen ultimately voted in support of the plan.
Same ballot, different rules
Normally, when a voter casts a provisional ballot, the county elections board determines whether their ballot counts by the post-election canvass, held nine days after an election.
Voters may have to provide documentation or information to prove their eligibility to vote in order to be accepted.
The same process applies to the 103,000 affected voters, with a catch. Their vote may be accepted for federal contests, but not state contests, due to a difference in law.
According to the DOJ’s interpretation, the National Voter Registration Act requires all provisional votes of “duly registered voters” to count, Cox said.
But the state elections board has interpreted the state Supreme Court and North Carolina Court of Appeals’ decisions in the Griffin case as requiring a driver’s license, the last four digits of a Social Security number or an affirmation that a voter has neither before accepting their votes in state and local contests.
Under a recent election law change, county election boards have three days to validate and count or reject provisional ballots.
But sometimes, mismatches happen during validation due to database trouble with reading hyphenated names or connecting maiden and married names, for example, Cox said. The board has designed a “fail safe” in case this comes up.
When there’s a mismatch during the validation process, state law allows voters to provide additional documentation — like a driver’s license, bank statement or government document with a voter’s name and address — to prove their eligibility.
“A big chunk of these voters will have already shown HAVA ID, and that’s because in the past, when this information was not supplied, the county boards would still require these voters to show that alternative form of HAVA ID when they voted for the first time,” Cox said.
Poll workers will ask provisional voters to provide this additional documentation so that they can mark it down for later, if validation doesn’t work, he added.
Democrats threaten countersuit
Last week, the Democratic National Committee threatened the state board with litigation if they went ahead with their plan regarding those with missing information.
The letter claimed that the plan would remove eligible voters from the rolls illegally.
Hayes disagrees. In his view, he’s just following the law.
“It’s not the fault of the voters,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re required by the law to go back and collect this information, which should have been done at the time, and it certainly should have been done in the intervening time.”
He also clarified that North Carolina’s photo voter ID requirement won’t suffice for the impacted voters. They still have to vote provisionally so that their identification numbers can go through the validation process, he said.
As for whether his fully fleshed out plan will appease the DNC?
“We hope so,” Hayes said.
This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The post Missing voter information the objection of NC search appeared first on carolinapublicpress.org
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article presents a balanced and factual report on North Carolina’s voter registration issue, focusing on the administrative process and legal context without overt editorializing. It includes perspectives from both Republican and Democratic figures, highlights legal rulings and procedural details, and covers concerns from Democrats alongside the state elections board’s explanations. The language is neutral, aiming to inform about the complexities of voter ID requirements and the Registration Repair Project without endorsing a particular political stance or framing the issue through a partisan lens.
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