Police have confirmed only one missing person remains in the Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Asheville. At one point, more than 500 people were unaccounted for, officers with the Asheville Police Department said.

Cape Cod Times photographer Steve Heaslip made a return trip to a North Carolina town devastated by Hurricane Helene in September.

An irrigation sprinkler system about 300 feet long lay overturned in a field, its steel pipes bent and welded joints broken. The mangled remains of a grain bin sat crumpled by a road. On a Friday in early December, Hopkins dragged burly limbs from the path of the tractor-like machine that picks his cotton crop six rows at a time.

When Hurricane Helene tore through parts of North Carolina in September, it caused a world of damage, and homeowners are still grappling with the aftermath. It's not just the cleanup they have to worry about.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announces $15.5 million raised for long-term Hurricane Helene recovery, with additional funds from the NC Community Foundation aimed at supporting local nonprofits in western North Carolina.

The storm upended the Christmas tree industry in the state’s western region. Now, farmers and residents are eager for the comfort of the season’s rituals.

Typically, the winter months draw millions of visitors to the Blue Ridge Mountains, inviting hiking trails and live music venues. But all that is over for now.