At the end of the day Friday, the food and water distribution sites at North Windy Ridge Intermediate School and Estes Elementary School will close to support school reopening. There will be no other changes to water and food sites or community care stations over the weekend.

Slowly but surely, the county has begun to rebuild and find a new normal. And on Friday, Oct. 18, Buncombe County Schools announced a plan to reopen its doors and welcome students. Teachers and staff (including bus drivers, TSAs, and nutrition team members) will have Return to Work Days on Wednesday, Oct. 23 and Thursday, Oct. 24.

Schools in Buncombe County, North Carolina, will reopen almost a month after Helene devastated the region, officials said.

Nearly three weeks after Helene, early voting begins in North Carolina Oct. 17. There will be fewer early voting poll locations in Buncombe County.

Buncombe County and Asheville City school officials provided an update on the status of students and staff returning to schools during a press conference on Thursday morning.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — Buncombe County Schools honored two brothers who died in Helene floodwaters. Seven-year-old Lucas and 9-year-old Felix Wisely, their mom and her fiance died when they got swept away in their car.

More than 400 of the Buncombe County school district’s students experienced a “significant impact” because of Helene.

Buncombe County Schools approved a plan Friday morning for students to return to school nearly a month after Hurricane Helene.