By that, I mean it makes me ask a lot of existential questions, such as:
Do airlines know how to tell time?
Do airlines understand what size most American adults are these days?
Why do airlines load passengers from the front of the plane to the back of the plane, when the reverse would clearly be more efficient?
How did my life choices lead to me sitting in this impossibly uncomfortable chair with my shoes stuck in my backpack straps below the seat in front of me while a grown-ass woman behind me drunkenly yells at her boyfriend to, “Shut the (bleep) up!” at least a hundred times during one three-hour flight?
Why hasn’t anyone invented a conveyor system for carry-on baggage that would just zip it right off the plane to the waiting area?
And finally, when will we just be able to beam ourselves to the desired destination, a la Star Trek, preferably without our DNA getting all scrambled up?
You may have deduced that I’ve been doing some flying lately, and you are correct. My wife Grace and I have recently taken two trips — a long weekend excursion in March to see our son who lives in San Antonio, Texas, and a weeklong adventure in early April to three national parks in Utah.
Two drunks behind me, and yes I got tickled
The Utah trip was uneventful as far as connecting flights and being on time, so kudos to United Airlines for a job well done.
The San Antonio trip was another matter entirely.
On Thursday, March 20, we were trying to fly from Asheville to Charlotte, then on to San Antonio, all via American Airlines. We arrived in plenty of time at the Asheville airport — two hours ahead of boarding, as is recommended — but the plane was an hour late arriving at AVL because of “crew issues,” the gate employee said.
We had about a 40-minute connection in Charlotte, and as we had to trek two terminals away, we figured we were not going to make the connecting flight to San Antonio. So we canceled the flight and rebooked for the next morning.
But as we prepared to leave, a very nice and professional manager assured us our flight would arrive in Charlotte only 10 minutes behind schedule, in plenty of time to make our connection to San Antonio. He also went on the public address system to tell the other passengers the same information — that everyone should make their connecting flights.
So we then rebooked again our original plan.
We did indeed land in Charlotte about 10 minutes late — but then we had a long wait on the tarmac to reach a gate, with two planes in line ahead of us.
The clock was ticking, and not in our favor.
You may have deduced from my affinity for beer that I’m not exactly a runner, as I’m six feet tall and let’s just say well over 220 pounds. Still, my wife and I, who are both 61 years old and unwisely scrappy, attempted to run/jog/awkwardly speed-walk to the gate, pulling suitcases, backpacks and my trusty CPAP machine.
We missed the San Antonio flight by three minutes. The flight attendant walking away from the gate said curtly, “The flight is closed.” We could see the damn plane still at the gate, with the jet bridge still attached, but no dice — once it’s closed, you’re spending the night in a hotel.
American did pay for our hotel that night and gave us each $12 meal vouchers, which I’ll note covered 11 French fries and the top of the sandwich bun. Really, do they not realize that even Taco Bell runs about 15 bucks a person these days (and that comes with a voucher for Immodium)?
The rebooked morning flight was a doozy, leaving at the crack of dawn. We had to arrive at the airport at 3:30 a.m. for a flight departing at 5:30 a.m., so obviously, we didn’t sleep much.
At the gate while we waited, I noticed an extremely drunk couple who were constantly arguing with one another and generally being annoying. I told my wife, “I guarantee you they’ll end up right behind us.”
I was half right. Grace was seated a few rows ahead of me and on the opposite side of the aisle, so she missed all the fun. Besides the woman constantly cursing at her boyfriend, she also flipped out while the plane was taxiing, running down the aisle in fright and hollering.
I kid you not.
Even before that the captain had come back to talk to them, asking if they were OK to fly and noting that if he had to divert the plane because of their behavior, that would be a federal offense. They offered assurances they would behave.
These folks looked to be in their late 20s, maybe early 30s, so it’s not like they were kids.
After the taxiing incident, the flight attendants made numerous appearances, telling the couple firmly to calm down and extracting promises that they would behave. The dude, who I must note was wearing pajama bottoms in public, had an annoying habit of adding “Mum” to everything he said to the female attendants, as in, “We won’t be a problem, Mum,” and “Thank you, Mum.”
I strongly wanted to smack him at this point and scream, “You’re not British, you bloody plonker!”
They continued to make a scene during most of the flight, eliciting another philosophical question for me: Why can’t drunk people who’ve been up all night just go the hell to sleep? Trust me, it feels great.
At one point, the woman kind of tickled me in the ribs — swear to God. I turned around with a look that would burn holes in space shuttle tiles, and she apologized. So I let it go.
“Watchdog columnist shares flight with drunk couple” illustration by OpenAI’s DALL-E image generator and Peter Lewis
When we landed in San Antonio about two and a half hours later, the pilot came on to say we had a long taxi and to keep your seatbelts fastened. The ding dong then realized she hadn’t had hers fastened for the entire flight and proceeded to flip out again, wailing, “I don’t feel safe! I don’t feel safe!”
At this point, the guy next to me had had it, stood up and firmly told her to just be quiet, that she had ruined the entire flight for everyone around, we were five minutes from the gate and she just needed to chill. Oh, also she had apparently been tapping him on the back of head during the flight.
He was way nicer than I would’ve been, Mum.
The upshot is we arrived in San Antonio exhausted and really frustrated. Two days in we just crashed and slept in until 10:30 a.m., which is pretty much unheard of for us these days.
I sent American Airlines media relations folks a long list of questions about this experience, but I didn’t hear back by deadline. Yes, they were late again.
One of my questions was, “What does ‘crew issues’ actually mean? Someone called out sick? Crew got delayed?” An American Airlines employee at the gate said it could include a range of issues, including sickness, being stuck in traffic or being involved in a car accident.
Fine. But they really should have a backup plan. And they also shouldn’t tell people they’re going to make their flight when the chance of actually making it is pretty small.
When we missed ours in Charlotte, about two dozen fellow travelers were in line with us rebooking flights, including one family with three kids. That’s a lot of people to inconvenience.
Late flights are all too common
It’s clear that airlines are understaffed, and we Americans are flying more than ever — not a great combination. Airlines for America, the trade association for the leading U.S. airlines, says more Americans are flying now than ever before — a record 158 million passengers are expected to take to the skies during this spring’s travel season.
So airports are crowded and flights get “stacked up” — we witnessed this at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, where we taxied for about two days to get to the terminal, and at the Charlotte and Salt Lake City airports, where you’re lined up for take off like hungry customers at a taco truck.
Depending on your point of view, airlines are doing a pretty good job of getting us to and from the far distant places we like to vacation in. The federal Bureau of Transportation tracks all this, and here’s their chart on annual airline on-time rankings from data gathered from 2003-2024.
Hawaiian Airlines: 83.58 percent.
Delta Air Lines: 82.02
United Airlines: 79.14
Southwest Airlines: 78.57
Alaska Airlines: 77.43
Allegiant Air: 76.77
American Airlines: 75.91
Spirit Airlines: 74.48
JetBlue Airways: 73.06
Frontier Airlines: 69.50
The average for all carriers came in at 78.10 percent, which is about the grade that I passed high school chemistry with, so that seems not horrible-ish to me. But that still means they’re not on time 22 percent of the time, which ain’t great, either.
I realize that all of this is a first world problem — well, sort of. Airlines for America tells us, “Nearly 90 percent of Americans have flown commercially, with adults aged 18-24 having had the highest propensity to fly in 2024.” And, “More than two-thirds of Americans with household incomes under $75,000 have flown in the past five years.”
So we’re all flying more and dealing with all of these frustrations.
In the aviation world, lateness refers to any flight departure or arrival that’s more than 15 minutes late. The Sheffield School of Aeronautics in Florida notes that reasons for lateness include extreme weather, heavy airplane traffic at airports (which can often cause a ripple effect down the line), waiting for connecting passengers, or baggage and mechanical problems.
Clearly, some factors, like weather, are out of their control. But I also feel like airlines need to hire more people, which would likely involve boosting salaries.
And Lord knows whatever those wonderful American Airlines flight attendants were being paid on our nightmare flight to San Antonio was woefully inadequate.
Some tips, and a word about improvements coming to Asheville Regional
I love to bother Asheville Regional Airport spokesperson Tina Kinsey with any and all flying questions, even though the airport does not control the airlines, an important point to remember. Sure, Asheville Regional is a bit of a nightmare itself in some regards these days, as it’s going through a major renovation — more on that in a minute.
First, I asked Kinsey for some perspective on flying and the seemingly inherent frustrations. Of course she offered a positive take.
“I love my air travel days, even if my itinerary gets changed, because even after all these years of working in aviation, I am still amazed by the accessibility of the world within just a few hours of time,” Kinsey told me. “How else can we experience new far-away places, adventures, cultures, experiences?”
That is a fair point — it is pretty amazing to be in Asheville in the morning and in Arches National Park in Utah by evening, like we did. Kind of crazy if you think about it.
Honestly, I don’t know why the Mormons didn’t just fly out there back in the 1800s.
Kinsey also offered a few tips for improving the flight experience.
“For instance, when you book your flight, pay attention to the connection time at your connecting airport,” Kinsey said. “If you don’t want the stress of possibly missing your connection if your originating flight gets delayed, pad your itinerary with a longer connection time.”
We’ve learned that the hard way.
Kinsey also suggested downloading your airline’s app for immediate updates about changes to your flight’s itinerary. I can confirm that this is excellent advice, and that United was really great about sending text updates about upcoming gates and where our luggage was (American…not so much).
Kinsey also suggested bringing snacks, comfort items and some entertainment.
“My favorites are my iPad and headphones with downloaded movies or podcasts, my oversized wrap that I can use as a blanket, a few snacks and my empty water bottle that I can fill before boarding,” Kinsey said. “If my husband and I are traveling together, we always have a deck of cards and have even made temporary ‘airport friends’ over friendly games of poker, euchre or hearts.”
If she’s traveling for business, Kinsey brings a laptop and has projects ready to work on. I’m assuming this includes answering incessant Answer Man questions from yours truly.
She’s also a fan of walking about the airport and people watching, which I must admit I do, too.
“And last, I find that the airport and airline employees I encounter when traveling are generally very helpful, especially if I approach them with courtesy,” Kinsey said. “I work with so many local aviation team members, and I can tell you that they are dedicated and helpful. They are our friends and neighbors, doing work that they care about, and smiles and courtesy in both directions go a long way.”
I do salute the employees, especially the flight attendants, because at times they’ve got a really tough gig.
More parking shuttles
Now, as some of our suffering does begin at Asheville Regional, I also asked Kinsey when the enormous renovation project is going to be done, and if they’ve done anything to alleviate parking woes. The airport has an ongoing $400 million expansion, called AVL Forward, that will increase terminal size by 150 percent, boost the number of gates to 12, from the current seven, and provide new bathrooms; a food, beverage and retail plaza, and multiple mini-galleries to display local art.
Kinsey said phase one of the project opens this June — ticketing by June 11, new north concourse on June 25. The first phase of an expanded baggage claim will open in early 2026.
Phase two is slated to open in late 2027, with phase three final construction for back-of-the-house areas completed by spring 2028.
An airport spokesperson says parking improvements are on the way. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
On parking, Kinsey mentioned they recently added the Shuttle Lot South, with about 600 spaces, “and the addition of more shuttles has improved the parking experience significantly.”
‘Additionally, the real-time parking availability data that we publish on the home page of our website has helped customers make parking decisions ahead of arriving at the airport,” Kinsey said. “We are continuing to add more surface parking in anticipation of future growth, to accommodate passengers until we construct a second parking garage.”
Grace and I traveled in fair weather, so we were just cold walking to and from the planes, as AVL right now doesn’t have covered jet bridges. We both said it must be miserable if you’re traveling in the rain and have to dash from the covered area by the gate and up the zig-zag ramp to get on the aircraft.
“The airport provided long covered walkways for our customers, and in inclement weather, most airlines typically stagger boarding in the uncovered areas and provide umbrellas,” Kinsey said.
In conclusion, I’d like to ask airlines to hire more people, make the seats more comfortable, be realistic if your flight isn’t going to make it, and give drunken fools the boot instead of the benefit of the doubt.
Oh, and please don’t force tubby 61-year-olds like me to run through airports. It’s just undignified.
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Tropical Depression Chantal caused record-breaking flooding across central North Carolina, leading to property damage, road closures, and multiple water rescues. At least two deaths were reported, including an 83-year-old woman in Chatham County, while two boaters remain missing. Key affected areas include Alamance, Orange, Chatham, and Moore counties, where flooding damaged homes, businesses, farms, and infrastructure. Over 120 roads were closed with ongoing recovery and power outages affecting 18,000 customers. Emergency shelters were opened, and schools closed or shifted operations. Officials emphasized the need for improved prevention and climate change action amid increasing storm impacts. Search and cleanup efforts continue.
by Staff Reports, Carolina Public Press July 7, 2025
Record-breaking flooding from Tropical Depression Chantal in North Carolina’s central counties led to multiple water rescues, road closures and damage to property Sunday and Monday.
At least two storm-related deaths were reported. One was in the Alamance County town of Mebane. In the Chatham County town of Pittsboro, the State Highway Patrol confirmed that an 83-year-old woman died in floodwaters Sunday night around 11:30 p.m., when her car became submerged on Farrington Point Road near Hinton Road.
“My thoughts are with Sandra’s family after these floods devastated our community yesterday,” State Sen. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, tweeted. “Please be careful on the roads and listen to local authorities who are providing updates on safe travel in Chatham County and the broader region.”
An active search also remained underway for two boaters last seen Sunday afternoon after taking a canoe out on Jordan Lake, according to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
Their unoccupied canoe was recovered later in the evening, but the boaters remained missing.
Lee County Emergency Management, the North Chatham Fire Department and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission were assisting in the search efforts.
“We are doing everything we can to bring these individuals home,” said Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson. “Our hearts are with their loved ones during this difficult time, and we are grateful for the assistance from our neighboring agencies.”
While there were no confirmed fatalities in Orange County, Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said in a call with the press Monday afternoon that the department received more than 60 requests for rescues Sunday evening into the morning.
To the south in Chatham County, the 9-1-1 Center had processed 32 water rescues and 21 traffic collisions related to the storm as of Monday morning.
Even as flash-flooding in many places Sunday subsided, many rivers and creeks were still rising Monday. While rivers crested in some places, those waters will be headed further downstream where they could cause flooding in additional areas.
Among the most severely impacted areas from Chantal portions of Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Moore, Durham, Person, Caswell, Lee and Hoke counties. Significant flooding events occurred on portions of the Haw River, Eno River, Deep River, Little River, Rocky River, Booker Creek and Morgan Creek, among many other bodies of water.
A fallen tree leans against the bridge on Eno Mountain Road as the swollen Eno River flows just below the bridge in Hillsborough on July 7, 2025, after Tropical Depression Chantal. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press
Chantal came ashore from the Atlantic Ocean as a Tropical Storm in South Carolina, before weakening to a tropical depression and moving northward through North Carolina Sunday and early Monday.
The center of Chantal continued into Virginia. Unfortunately, the slower winds of the storm did little to reduce the rainfall from the system and its slower forward speed resulted in lingering rainfall over waterlogged areas.
While rain stopped by midday in most of North Carolina, forecasts called for thunderstorms almost daily this week throughout the region.
Damage and disruption from Chantal
More than 100 roads remained closed across Central North Carolina as of 3 p.m. Monday, down from about 120 at noon. The majority of storm-related closures were in Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Moore, Orange and Person counties, according to the DriveNC road tracker maintained by the state. The site also reported additional closures in Lee and Scotland counties.
Several of those counties have declared states of emergencies, which in most cases authorizes those local governments to seek assistance from the state.
Both eastbound and westbound lanes of I-40/85 in Alamance County closed early Monday morning because of flooding on the Haw River, but both lanes have since reopened, a communications officer with the NC Department of Transportation said.
Once the water dropped sufficiently, NCDOT bridge maintenance teams inspected the area and confirmed it was safe to reopen the interstate.
State crews are assessing conditions across the region and will continue to reopen roads as soon as safety permits, communications officials said.
Tropical Storm Chantal caused 400 outages impacting 18,000 customers in Central North Carolina as of 10 a.m. Monday, according to Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks.
“It is going to be a busy day,” Brooks told Carolina Public Press.
Flooding will complicate powerline repairs, Brooks said. Crews will have to wait until water levels recede in order to safely access some lines. In many cases, crews will have to move fallen trees off the line before they can begin repairing the infrastructure.
A fallen tree blocks the southern end of Exchange Park Lane in Hillsborough on July 7, 2025. The area had severe flash-flooding on July 6 as Tropical Depression Chantal moved through with heavy and sustained rains. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press
With wind events like Chantal, Duke sees many smaller outages rather than a few large ones, making repairs more time-consuming. Some of the smaller outages are in hard-to-reach neighborhoods, Brooks said.
“Wind does not discriminate between a main road and a small neighborhood road,” Brooks said.
Several communities including Graham and Burlington in Alamance County and Hillsborough in Orange County reported that their water treatment plants weren’t operational and issued boil water warnings for drinking, cooking or handwashing.
Flash-flooding Sunday devastated several areas of Chapel Hill, leaving residents and businesses owners trying to clean up and salvage what they could on Monday.
Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange, said he is frustrated. Storms keep coming, North Carolina continues to have to do recovery work, but there’s not enough emphasis on prevention, Meyer said.
Mud and debris cover many buildings and roads at the Camelot Village Apartments in Chapel Hill on Monday, July 7, 2025, after severe flash-flooding Sunday from Tropical Depression Chantal. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press
Camelot Village Apartments were coated in mud and dirty water Monday morning, in addition to limbs and other debris. Some vehicles there sustained serious damage Sunday night when the flooding was at its worst there.
Multiple residents were trapped in Camelot Village, in a known flood-prone part of Chapel Hill, Meyer observed, but opposition from property owners has killed attempted FEMA buyouts of the apartments in recent years.
Across Estes Road from the apartments, a cinema, shops and restaurants were closed to clean up water and mud at University Place on Monday.
A short distance away at Eastgate Commons, the scene was similar. At Trader Joe’s there, crews worked to dispose of damaged produce and other food items caught in the flooding.
State Rep. Allen Buansi, D-Orange, spent the morning assessing damage. Some businesses in Eastgate got four to six inches of flooding, he said.
Seeing inventory strewn across the ground and cars flooded out was a “pretty devastating sight,” he said.
“I’m really thankful that here in Chapel Hill, thankfully, we did not have any loss of life,” Buansi said.
“But still, the devastation of losing a home, the devastation of losing a business or losing business inventory, I mean, that can’t be measured.”
Crews work to clean up water and mud at Trader Joe’s in Chapel Hill on Monday, July 7, 2025, following Tropical Depression Chantal. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press
Orange County opened an emergency shelter at Smith Middle School on Seawell School Road. Displaced residents can request transportation to the shelter by calling Orange County Public Transportation at (919) 245-2004.
“It is too early to accurately assess the negative impacts in terms of job loss, property loss and then the ripple effects,” Orange County commissioner Jamezetta Bedford told CPP.
In Alamance County, traffic from I-40 was diverted through downtown Mebane for several hours, causing intense traffic this morning, according to Mebane Mayor James Hooks. The Amtrak line through Mebane is also not running.
An influx of untreated water flooded into the Mebane water treatment plant. The town is asking its residents not to use water unless absolutely necessary, Hooks said.
There was a voluntary evacuation for homes near Lake Michael due to concerns that a temporary dam might break. However, it held.
State Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, is still in analysis mode, she said. She’s concerned about damage to some schools, but isn’t sure whether the legislature will be able to help. Getting some of the more isolated public roads back open will be another challenge, she said.
Galey thinks Alamance County’s investment into emergency services, including a partially publicly funded rescue unit, helped prepare them for a storm like Chantal. Years of experience responding to people getting caught in the Haw River also helped.
“That’s sort of a training ground that bears fruit in situations like this, where you have more motorists getting stranded,” Galey said.
While some communities saw more damage in commercial areas, others saw more neighborhoods flooded. The worst flooding in the Alamance County town of Elon took place in residential areas rather than downtown areas, according to mayor Emily Sharpe.
Other places saw more widespread damage including to industrial, agricultural and government property.
Some areas were less affected, even as areas around them suffered.
Damage is limited in Carrboro compared to Chapel Hill, Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee told CPP. “This is just the power of Mother Nature,” Foushee said. “This wasn’t even a hurricane, and still, our community just can be inundated with flood water in a matter of hours.”
Several towns with parks along their rivers reported closures with time needed to assess the damage and make repairs.
Rides at the amusement park in Burlington, Burlington City Park, experienced flooding and damage, according to town spokesperson Morgan Lasater. Many rides will require repairs.
In Hillsborough, Gold Park and the Riverwalk were closed due to severe flooding from the Eno River.
Gold Park is closed due to severe flooding from the nearby Eno River in Hillsborough on July 7, 2025, following Tropical Depression Chantal.
In Chatham County, the county seat of Pittsboro didn’t suffer severe damage to public infrastructure, Town Commissioner John Bonitz told CPP, but major roads were inundated with water through Sunday night.
“This storm is a wake up call for municipalities statewide about the urgency of our changing climate,” Bonitz said.
“It is a wake-up call about the constraints that keep us from protecting the public and the public property with more stringent stormwater protections and better infrastructure.”
On the western side of Chatham County, much of the flooding in Siler City had receded by Monday afternoon, but in several places small road repairs will be required, according to Town Manager Jack Meadows.
One of the hardest hit areas was Moore County. While no loss of life has been reported there, it felt the impacts of the storm since early Sunday. Late Sunday night, County Board of Commissioners Chair Kurt Cook issued a state of emergency to extend through Wednesday evening.
Thousands of Moore County residents lost power temporarily. A pair of highways and many smaller roads closed down due to the flooding, and several people were rescued from trapped vehicles, said State Rep. Neal Jackson, R-Moore.
In Southern Pines, Long Leaf Lake Dam failed, forcing some apartment evacuations. Several water mains washed out in Pinehurst, leading to low water pressure and a boil water advisory. A retaining wall also failed, flooding a shopping center on Brucewood Road.
“It was tough, but we’re just grateful that we are so much better off than Texas,” Jackson said. “All that stuff is stuff we can work through, and the great thing about living in Moore County is neighbors help out neighbors, and neighbors look after neighbors, and so that’s what’s been happening all over the county.”
Jackson applauded emergency services for going “above and beyond” in clearing roads. He’s not thinking about pursuing any legislative action until getting an initial assessment of the damage and needs across Moore County.
In recent years, no part of North Carolina has been spared from storms. Jackson said they’ve learned how to handle catastrophe from their neighbors.
“Tough times make you tough,” he said. “North Carolina has been hit now numerous times, and while they have been difficult, they’ve also made us stronger and more prepared for the next one when it comes.”
State Sen. Sophia Chitlik, D-Durham, was on the phone all Monday morning talking to constituents, she said. They recounted stories of rescuing their elderly neighbors at 3 a.m., and having firefighters knock on their doors to warn them of the incoming weather in the absence of emergency alert texts.
It’s going to be a long haul for about 100 to 200 families in northern Durham County, which includes several historically Black middle class neighborhoods, Chitlik said.
One of her first orders of business is finding out why emergency alerts didn’t go out, she said. Chitlik imagines federal cuts to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offices may have contributed on some level to inadequate forecasting. The recently passed national budget reconciliation bill will further cut local resources that could be used to prepare for future situations like this, she added.
Another priority is reforming the flood insurance system. For people outside federally recognized floodplains, getting flood insurance is often prohibitively expensive.
“But more and more people need flood insurance, and it’s often hard to predict who those people are,” Chitlik said. “We also need to get really clear that moving forward, we need to be extremely rigorous on a local level, about where it is safe to build, not just now, but in the future.”
Faribault Road in Hillsborough is underwater near the Eno River on July 7, 2025, following the passage of Tropical Depression Chantal. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press
In Orange County, Meyer expressed concern about state legislation related to climate change. At this point, it’s clear more storms will come, Meyer said. But instead of adopting policies to mitigate climate change, North Carolina Republicans chose to renege on 2030 climate goals this session.
The Power Bill Reduction Act would remove an interim carbon reduction goal on the way to carbon neutrality by 2050. While it was recently vetoed by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, Meyer isn’t sure that Democrats will be able to sustain that veto.
“We don’t have the loss of life that they have in Texas or that Western North Carolina had in Hurricane Helene,” Meyer said. “But this is just the beginning of hurricane season, and we see the impact of climate-related weather disasters again and again and again. I wish we would do more to try and turn the tide.”
US Rep. Valerie Foushee, a Democrat who represents much of the affected area, issued a statement Monday: “My heart is heavy seeing the widespread damage across Chatham, Durham, and Orange Counties caused by the severe flooding from Tropical Depression Chantal.
“I am incredibly thankful for the swift actions of our first responders who have been conducting water rescues and are working tirelessly on recovery efforts. I urge everyone in the impacted areas to prioritize safety by heeding official notices and avoiding travel on flooded and damaged roads. In the coming days and weeks, I will work closely with local officials and emergency management teams to ensure every resident and business affected receives the support they need to recover from this devastating storm.”
Farming impact of Chantal
Wind and water took out fencing on many farms near Saxapahaw in Alamance County.
So far, it seems nearly all farms in Alamance County were able to move livestock to higher ground before flooding began.
Farms in Snow Camp received 11 inches of rain and experienced flash flooding, power loss, fallen trees and down fences. Farms are waiting to see how quickly the floodwater will recede. If water remains in the fields, crops will see more severe damage.
So far, damage to farms seems limited, according to Orange County extension agents, though they have seen damage to fencing.
Tobacco fields near Southern Pines have seen some damage, according to Moore County extension agent Deborah McGiffin.
Multiple farmers in Person County have reported that more than 40% of their tobacco, soybean and corn crops are destroyed, according to extension agent Mikayla Berryhill.
A 50-acre soybean field is completely underwater in the area, she said. Acres and acres of corn blew over and are now unable to be harvested. It will take days to determine how much of the tobacco crop drowned.
Any Person County farmer that had not yet harvested their wheat will not be able to salvage what was left in the field, Berryhill told CPP.
Additional damage is expected in other areas that CPP has so far been unable to reach.
“We’re right in the middle of blueberry season, and farms in Central North Carolina are very busy,” regional extension agent Chip Simmons told CPP.
“This storm could not have come at a worse time.”
Health care
Roof leaks sprung at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, according to UNC Health spokesperson Alan Wolf, but patient care was not interrupted.
The UNC Health hospital in Hillsborough is relying on bottled water for drinking, cooking, and handwashing due to the boil water advisory in town.
Some staff members at Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington were not able to reach the hospital due to flooded, impassable roadways, leading to staffing shortages at the facility, according to Cone Health spokesperson Tyler Hickman.
Those staffing issues have now been resolved, he said.
UNC Health Chatham in Siler City was unscathed, according to hospital president Jeffery Strickler. The hospital had no significant emergency department arrivals on account of the storm, despite significant flooding and road closures in Chatham County.
Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst reported minor leaks and flooding, both in the hospital and outpatient clinics and buildings, including the Child Development Center.
Schools and colleges
Orange County Schools were closed to the public Monday and asked only essential staff to report to work in-person. A message on the OCS website said New Hope Elementary, Grady A. Brown Elementary, A.L. Stanback Middle and Cedar Ridge High are without power.
Chatham County Schools posted an update in advance of the storm canceling summer school programs and normal school operations Monday.
Moore County Schools suspended summer programs including Read to Achieve and sports camps Monday to allow maintenance staff to assess storm damage. MCS Director for Communications Charlie Batchelor told CPP just a few of its campuses are experiencing minor leaks and flooding, and the district will operate as normal Tuesday.
Despite significant flooding at Hyco Lake near Person County, Public Information Officer Tracy Scruggs said the district’s only current summer offering is a daycare program that was not impacted, and the district saw no damage to school buildings.
UNC-Chapel Hill media relations told CPP its campus is operating under normal conditions and experienced only minor damages leading it to temporarily close the Student Recreation Center until July 15.
“There was minor flooding in some campus buildings and residence halls, but this hasn’t impacted academic operations,” a spokeperson said. The Student Recreation Center (SRC) and the Finley Track and Field Complex are currently closed due to flooding and water damage.”
Elon University in Alamance County was able to continue operations Monday morning after addressing minor damages, said Avery Craine Powell from University Communications.
“We quickly addressed about a dozen small building leaks across our main campus,” Powell wrote. “One road that flooded near a construction site didn’t damage nearby buildings because of sandbagging (and the water immediately subsided once the rain stopped). A small tree that fell was able to be moved away from a building egress by one person.”
Classes at Alamance Community College were conducted virtually and employees operated remotely Monday.
Sandhills Community College in Moore County said operations were continuing as normal Monday, but encouraged students to exercise caution when traveling to campus.
A spokesperson said Durham Technical Community College’s Hillsborough campus is also operating as normal.
Central Carolina Community College reported that its Pittsboro campus did not have any damage to facilities or infrastructure related to Chantal and was operating on its normal summer schedule.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated. Kate Denning, Sarah Michels, Jane Winik Sartwell, Frank Taylor and Lucas Thomae contributed to this report.
Crews work to clean up the Frame and Print Shop at the University Place shopping center in Chapel Hill on July 7, 2025, following Tropical Depression Chantal. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public PressThe rampaging Eno River in Hillsborough rushes under the Exchange Park Lane bridge in Hillsborough on July 7, 2025, following Tropical Depression Chantal. A footbridge from the Hillsborough Riverwalk is partially submerged in the distance. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press
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: Center-Left
The article primarily delivers factual reporting on the impact of Tropical Depression Chantal, including detailed descriptions of flooding, rescue efforts, and local government responses. The inclusion of a Democratic state senator’s critique of Republican legislators’ climate policies introduces a mild policy critique, emphasizing concern over environmental and climate-related issues. This perspective aligns with center-left priorities that favor climate action and government intervention. However, the article maintains a largely neutral tone overall by balancing local official statements from both parties and focusing extensively on disaster reporting without partisan framing, supporting an overall center-left rating.
SUMMARY: A flooding emergency is unfolding across Orange and Durham counties after Tropical Storm Chantal’s remnants. In Durham’s Ripley Stream community near the Eno River, floodwaters have risen significantly, submerging cars and entering homes, forcing multiple evacuations. Residents face ankle-deep water inside homes, and emergency services have been active since early morning. Meanwhile, Chapel Hill’s Camelot Village apartments were inundated, with water reaching chest-high on first floors, displacing 60 people and prompting 50 water rescues. Debris and erosion blocked roads, and cars were swept away in parking lots. Recovery and cleanup are expected to take months as the community begins to assess damage.
Crews saved a total of 80 people by boat near homes close to flooded Eno River.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-07 07:52:00
On Independence Day, Elon Musk proposed creating the America Party as an alternative to the traditional two-party system, supported by a social media poll showing 2-1 favorability. For recognition in North Carolina, the party must meet criteria such as achieving 2% of votes in the last general election, collecting signatures from 0.25% of registered voters by May 16, or fielding candidates in 70% of states during presidential elections. The America Party could qualify for the 2025 municipal elections. Musk’s platform emphasizes debt reduction, tech advancement, free speech, and centrist policies. Currently, four parties are recognized in North Carolina, with a large unaffiliated voting bloc.
(The Center Square) – After an Independence Day question on his social media platform, the world’s richest man offered Americans an alternative political party independent of Democrats and Republicans.
For North Carolinians, that means one of three criteria will have to be met before the America Party – or any other creations – can be officially recognized for purposes of being on the ballots.
Musk, a 53-year-old space and automotive industry phenom, served Republican second-term President Donald Trump in the Department of Government Efficiency. Reviews were mixed. On Friday, the 249th celebration of the Fourth of July, Musk asked on social media, “Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party?”
For recognition by the North Carolina State Board of Elections, as outlined in the General Statutes, the three ways involve the options of a party’s voters getting at least 2% of the entire vote cast in the most recent general election; signature petition of at least 0.25% of all registered voters who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election; or a group of voters showing documentation the group had their candidate on the general election ballot in 70% of the states (35) in the most recent presidential election.
The first and third of those are moot at this point; the America Party was not in existence for the 2024 cycle. In fact, Musk was a significant campaign piece for Trump.
For petitions, they must be filed with the state board before noon on June 1 of the year of the election the party wishes to participate in. There’s also a stipulation that, so that counties can verify, the signatures must go to them 15 days before being due to the state. That’s May 16.
The 2025 cycle is known as municipal elections in the state, and 2026 is the midterms – second-longest ballot of the four cycles for the state. The America Party could get into place for next year.
Last year’s governor’s race drew 5,591,547 votes among Democrat Josh Stein, Republican Mark Robinson, Libertarian Mike Ross, Vinny Smith (Constitution Party) and Wayne Turner (Green Party). A quarter of 1% would be 13,979 (rounded up).
More than once, Musk reposted a question on party platform that listed reduce debt, responsible spending only; modernize military with artificial intelligence/robotics; pro tech, accelerate to win in artificial intelligence; less regulation across the board but especially in energy; free speech; “pro natalist,” a form of pronatalism or belief in human reproduction and a high birth rate; and centrist policies everywhere else.
Three political parties lost recognition through the last cycle and North Carolina has four recognized today. Alphabetically, they are the Democratic Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Republican Party.
By registrations through Saturday, those unaffiliated (more than 2.8 million, or 38.3%) have the largest bloc, followed by Democrats (2.3 million, or 30.6%), Republicans (nearly 2.3 million, or 30.4%), Libertarians (only 45,986, or 0.6%) and Green (just 4,024, or 0.05%).
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
The article predominantly reports factual information about Elon Musk’s recent social media initiative to form a new political party called the America Party, outlining the legal requirements for new party recognition in North Carolina, voter registration statistics, and Musk’s political background. The tone is neutral, presenting Musk’s statements and related voting data without emotive or persuasive language. While it includes references to Musk’s own political history and platform ideas, it does so descriptively rather than endorsing or criticizing them. The article balances coverage of multiple parties and election rules, adhering to straightforward reporting rather than promoting an ideological stance, thus maintaining a centrist, neutral perspective.
