10.05.2024

Today’s Forecast

82º | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:27 a.m. | Sunset 7:09 p.m.

Editor’s Note

Hey, Greenville. City Editor Danielle here. I hope you and your family are safe. I know some of you are still without power, and I hope it comes on soon. While it’s been a really long and difficult week for so many, I have been constantly reminded by how good our community is. I keep thinking of the Mr. Rogers quote about looking for the helpers. This week, I saw a whole bunch of helpers, and I am proud to call you all my neighbors.

10 questions with Greenville Mayor Knox White

10 questions with Greenville Mayor Knox White after Helene

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We spoke with the mayor near the city’s debris site. | Photo by GVLtoday

Mayor Knox White has spent the week on the streets of Greenville, meeting with residents in neighborhoods hit hard by Helene, driving around with city leadership to assess damage, and meeting with state + federal officials.

Yesterday, we met White behind the Greenville Downtown Airport, where contracted crews will haul large trucks of debris. We brought our questions — along with yours — to discuss how Greenville leadership responded to the challenges of this week + what’s next.

GVL_Debris_Hauler_Helene_OCT2024 — The debris site is near the Greenville Downtown Airport.
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Video by GVLtoday

What did the City of Greenville do well in its response to Helene?

I think the city did a lot of things really well. The early preparations we made had paid off in dividends to this day. We’re so grateful for all the early stuff that took place. Teams were in the field right away to do assessments, even when the storm was still going on. We knew our first priority was to clear the streets and open up streets, and in just a couple days we had all the streets open with the exception of those few areas where the live electric wires are still wrapped around the trees. That’s been a problem, not just here, but around the whole state to get Duke Energy to address those first.

GVL_Knox_White_Mayor_Helene_OCT2024 — Mayor Knox White helped make sandwiches at The Well.
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Photo by The City of Greenville

The vast majority of our questions from readers were about moving utilities underground, which isn’t something that can happen overnight. Is this a priority for the city moving forward, and — if so — what do the next steps look like?

I’ve always been about burial of underground utilities. I’ve always felt like burial of underground utilities has to be a long-term goal of any community. There are pros and there are cons, but the pros outweigh the cons. To do that, we’re going to have to get help from the state of South Carolina. The hundreds of millions of dollars that it would cost can’t be put on local governments. We do have ideas on that, and like everything else we do in the City of Greenville, I think we get a lot more bang for the buck than most communities.

8 more questions + answers

Top Stories

GVL_Marissa_Craft_Helene_Damage_SEPT2024

Next steps: What to do if your home or business was damaged by Helene | Greenville County Emergency Management is sharing next steps for anyone needing assistance if their home or business was damaged by Helene.

What to do with your storm debris after Helene | If you have trees and limbs to get rid of, here’s what officials say you need to do with storm debris.

Neighbors helping neighbors in the aftermath of Helene | Greenvillians have come together to help support one another during this unprecedented storm, and we could all use a little positivity, so here are some highlights.

Events

Editor’s note: Some events may be canceled, changed, or postponed due to Helene.

This Weekend

TD Saturday Market | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Main Street | Free entry | Support 40+ local vendors and bring donations for United Way of Greenville County.
Lichtenfelt’s Fall Festival and Market | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. | Lichtenfelt’s Nurseries, Greer | Free entry | Shop plants, local goods, food truck fare, and craft beer + cider as the family enjoys festive fall activities.
Weirdo Arts and Community Flea Market | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Paper Moon Studios | Free entry | Shop eclectic wares from jewelry to clothes to art.
Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9" | Sunday, Oct. 6 | 3 p.m. | Peace Center | Free | Bring your chairs and blankets, gather at the TD Stage amphitheater, and enjoy the Greenville Symphony’s concert live on screen.
Distinguished Lecture Series: David Sims | Sunday, Oct. 6 | 3-4:30 p.m. | Sigal Music Museum | Free | Spend an afternoon learning from the museum’s executive director.

There's plenty more to do

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Number

64,000. That’s about how many Greenville County residents were without power as of yesterday afternoon. Duke Energy says it hopes to have everyone back online by Sunday, two days later than their original goal.

Edu

Greenville County Schools will remain closed on Monday after the district says 300 of its team members drove 9,000 miles assessing the roads.

Festival

The City of Greenville has postponed Bank of America Fall for Greenville from Oct. 11-Oct. 13 to Nov. 8-Nov. 10. Organizers say there may be changes to the lineups, but it will still be the festival you know and love.

Featured

ABC World News Tonight with David Muir featured Happy Helicopters and Comal 864 (along with some video taken by yours truly, GVLtoday). The “Persons of the Week” segment highlighted relief efforts after Helene’s devastation.

Cause

If you’re looking for ways to give back and support relief efforts after Helene, we’ve put together a list of donation and volunteer opportunities.

Community

Do you follow us on Instagram? We’ve shared daily updates + stories of Greenville coming together in the aftermath of Helene.

Feel Good

Speaking of good news, we have an article we’ve been updating with feel good stories that make us smile.

Finance

Which card now features 0% APR Into 2026? This card. (ICYMI, experts say balance transfer cards are one of the best-kept secrets for managing credit card debt.)*

City Guide

Giving back in Greenville

35 volunteer opportunities in Greenville

Volunteer with Mill Village Farms. | Photo via @millvillagefarms

As our community comes together in the aftermath of Helene, we’re reminded of organizations doing a whole lot of good in Greenville.

Whether you’re an animal lover, an artsy type, a natural mentor, or a healthcare enthusiast — there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you. Here are 30+ ways to get involved in the Upstate.

United Way of Greenville County | Find meaningful volunteer opportunities that change lives and move Greenville County forward.

Mill Village Ministries | Help out this Greenville institution with food share, farming, and youth programming.

Greenville Humane Society | Become a foster cat or dog parent, or help out at the adoption center and medical center.

Meals on Wheels | Pack nearly 1,500 meals every Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 10:00 a.m.

Project Host | Volunteer as an individual or as a group in the Soup Kitchen or Gardening for Good programs.

United Ministries | Sort, organize, and collect non-perishable food items for the food pantry.

30 more ways to volunteer

The Buy

The Buy 10.05.24 (Affiliate)

An autumn door wreath made of silk. Crafted with life-like foliage, berries, and pumpkins, this wreath will welcome the fall season and give a festive touch to your home.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

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