Visits Green River Cove area near Saluda to speak with local officials
SALUDA—North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper visited Polk County Friday morning to survey damage in the Green River Cove area and to speak with county officials and others impacted by Tropical Storm Helene.
The area was one of the hardest hit in the county. The storm downed hundreds of trees, leaving many sections of the cove only accessible by foot or by air for days. Floodwaters and mudslides displaced dozens of residents and destroyed homes and vehicles, piling tons of debris across properties along the Green River.
Cooper spoke directly with County Manager Marche Pittman and Polk County Emergency Director Bobby Arledge, hearing details of the local response.
“People from across North Carolina are thinking about you,” Gov. Cooper said from a site devastated by the storm about a mile below the Fishtop access point. “When the cameras go away and reporters go away, continuing to focus on the recovery [is key]. One of the things I’m focused on is opening as many avenues of funding as we possibly can right now, to get as many commitments as we can right now.”