BURNSVILLE, N.C. — School buildings in the mountains weren’t spared from the impacts of Helene. One elementary school in Yancey County had to close permanently.
“A little creek that’s, you know, barely a trickle on a good day was the full raging river down the road,” Alexandra Karlos said.
The beloved Micaville Elementary School has been a staple in the Yancey County community since 1936. While the landmark stone building is still standing, it wasn’t fit for students after Helene.
“Water came rushing in from multiple sides and filled up the school,” Karlos said. “Going in now, after the fact, the blackboard is all warped, and the carpets are destroyed, and tiles are destroyed. It just wasn’t really salvageable.”…