I suppose there are different definitions of "bad," DWG. That initial list of missing with 1000 dropped to 600 the next day, as people found each other and duplicates were identified. Even the number of deaths has dropped since I wrote this piece, though the county has been very reserved about numbers of deaths and missing since the first week.

But this week I read a price tag of $55B as the damage estimate in North Carolina, and probably $30B of that is Buncombe County. Also this week we learned that we are unlikely to have potable water in our homes until mid-December at the earliest. The lost tourist revenue, the loss of jobs, loss of homes, and other cascading effects will go on for a while. That's pretty bad.

That "no money for contracts" sounds like one of insidious bits of disinformation that the conspiracists spread early on: "FEMA's out of money, spent it all on immigrants," and similar falsehoods. Fortunately we had plenty of help, both governmental and volunteer, and it's been heartwarming to see it all, despite the hardship.

Thanks for reading and responding, my friend. All best to you.