UPDATE Western NC Helene Recovery w/ Judson Carroll

[00:00:19] Obviously, it's been a rough week here. We are by no means recovered from Hurricane Helene.

[00:00:29] It will be a year at least before the main parts of the county, the places people visit, whether it's tourism or if you have to go to the county seat to go to the courthouse or do your banking or something.

[00:00:46] It will probably be a year before Newland, North Carolina looks normal and out in the rural communities where entire families were swept away and killed by the flood, entire homes went down river, entire neighborhoods disappeared, you know, covered and buried in mud.

[00:01:08] It will be years. We'll be finding bodies for years. So keep us in your prayers, please.

[00:01:17] Most of Avery County still does not have any power or cell service or running water.

[00:01:24] And the federal government is making things so much worse.

[00:01:30] You know, yeah, the National Guard's helped stop the looting and everything, but FEMA's not allowing private citizens to come in and help anymore.

[00:01:42] And, you know, we've got temperatures going down to the 30s next week.

[00:01:46] People are going to starve to death. People are going to freeze thanks to the federal government,

[00:01:51] who is stopping private citizens from coming in and helping the people of Appalachia.

[00:01:57] And you notice when you turn on the television and listen to one of these like FEMA briefings or somebody in D.C.,

[00:02:03] they don't even know how to pronounce Appalachian.

[00:02:06] You know, it is Appalachian. It's not Appalachian.

[00:02:09] Okay. Appalachian is actually a somewhat of an insult.

[00:02:14] It's actually an intentional pronouncing that way began as an intentional insult to the people of Appalachia.

[00:02:23] It's like, you know, we're the educated Yankees and y'all are, you know, poor dumb hillbillies.

[00:02:28] It is actually Appalachia.

[00:02:32] You should know that because you're listening to the Southern Appalachian Herbs show.

[00:02:37] But I'll move on to the plants.

[00:02:38] You know, you've got to focus.

[00:02:40] I mean, I keep trying to talk with people.

[00:02:43] You know, you've got some that are still in shock.

[00:02:47] You've got some that are experiencing a lot of anxiety.

[00:02:52] And so, you know, I've been recommending ashwagandha to people.

[00:02:55] You know, they are actually allowing us to go to the grocery stores now.

[00:02:58] So you can buy ashwagandha from two of our local grocery stores, which is nice.

[00:03:03] And the drugstore in the county seat downtown.

[00:03:07] When I say downtown, okay, there's one stoplight.

[00:03:10] Okay. I mean, it's a town of like, I think 4,000 people.

[00:03:13] You know, but anyway, we do have a couple grocery stores and we do have a drugstore.

[00:03:19] Valerian, of course, if you can take Valerian.

[00:03:21] Some people have an issue with ashwagandha.

[00:03:23] And it usually gives them nightmares.

[00:03:27] But the best thing you can do, say a prayer, hope for the best, and focus.

[00:03:32] Focus on something pleasant, something to distract you.

[00:03:35] I mean, do the work you've got to do.

[00:03:37] You know, clean up your yard, clean up your road, try to recover from the storm.

[00:03:42] But find something enjoyable, a funny movie.

[00:03:46] I know this sounds stupid, but it will really keep you sane.

[00:03:51] I mean, I play my mandolin every day for about an hour while I'm listening to the news headlines in the morning

[00:03:59] and play a little guitar before I go to bed at night.

[00:04:02] But the main thing, actually, it's kind of funny.

[00:04:06] You know, I am one of the few around here actually getting a little internet.

[00:04:10] And I can download videos from YouTube.

[00:04:15] And it's not something I would normally do.

[00:04:17] But they put the full run of the Midnight Special TV series on from 1973, I guess, to the end of the show,

[00:04:24] which is something like 400 episodes.

[00:04:26] And, yeah, that's basically been keeping me sane.

[00:04:29] When I, you know, I need a break.

[00:04:32] It's the evening.

[00:04:33] I can't do any more outside.

[00:04:35] I need to turn my mind off.

[00:04:37] I'm putting on these old Midnight Special episodes from 1973, and they're fantastic.

[00:04:42] I mean, the one I watched last night, I mean, check out this lineup.

[00:04:46] The Bee Gees, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Jerry Lee Lewis, all on the same show.

[00:04:52] I mean, I'm a huge fan of all three.

[00:04:55] I'm blanking out on the other guy that was on there, and that's a shame.

[00:04:58] He was really good.

[00:04:59] He was one of the first people to popularize reggae.

[00:05:02] You remember his song, I Can See Clearly Now, The Rain Is Gone.

[00:05:05] He did that one.

[00:05:06] That's classic.

[00:05:07] And then he did a Bob Marley song, you know, before anybody knew who Bob Marley was.

[00:05:12] The night before that, I think it was Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Earl Scruggs.

[00:05:19] So, I mean, these lineups are like crazy diverse.

[00:05:21] And, I mean, nobody would put a show together like that anymore.

[00:05:25] You know, this is, you know, it was still that kind of way when I was a kid.

[00:05:28] You turn on, like, Top 40 radio, and it wouldn't be all one genre of music.

[00:05:33] You'd hear some rock.

[00:05:34] You'd hear some country.

[00:05:35] You'd hear some soul music.

[00:05:36] And I always thought that was great as a kid.

[00:05:38] I guess that changed really in the 90s.

[00:05:40] I mean, by 2000, everything was so stratified into categories of strict genres that people that listen to one genre of music never hear another genre.

[00:05:51] And that is such a shame.

[00:05:53] I mean, I grew up listening to, oh, I mean, so much Motown and soul music.

[00:05:58] That was my mom's favorite thing.

[00:06:00] Motown and soul music.

[00:06:01] Plus Southern rock.

[00:06:02] A lot of Allman Brothers.

[00:06:04] Janis Joplin.

[00:06:05] She was a huge Janis Joplin fan.

[00:06:08] And plus, you know, country music.

[00:06:11] Jazz.

[00:06:13] Rock.

[00:06:14] I mean, there was tons of rock on.

[00:06:15] And, I mean, the older kids were really into punk rock.

[00:06:19] So, I grew up with a huge love of punk rock.

[00:06:21] And, after that, it was the, oh, what do they call it?

[00:06:25] New wave music.

[00:06:26] The 80s.

[00:06:27] You know, like the music from the Breakfast Club.

[00:06:29] That's phenomenal music.

[00:06:31] There was, you know, a little bit of disco.

[00:06:34] There was a lot of, gosh, bluegrass.

[00:06:39] Sometimes there'd be like some Tejano music on.

[00:06:42] I mean, beach music.

[00:06:43] That's huge in North Carolina.

[00:06:45] That's a, beach music was born in the Carolinas.

[00:06:48] So, I mean, you know, shagging at the beach.

[00:06:50] That's what people love to do around here.

[00:06:53] You know, not really in the mountains.

[00:06:54] But, that's a little coastal thing.

[00:06:56] You know, anyway.

[00:06:58] I miss that mix of music.

[00:07:00] And, these midnight special shows are fun.

[00:07:02] So, if you're looking for a distraction.

[00:07:04] I'm just saying it's really important for your mental health.

[00:07:07] If you're not resting your mind, you're going to burn out.

[00:07:12] And, if you're getting anxious.

[00:07:14] And, every time it rains, you start having a panic attack or something.

[00:07:17] And, that's not going to help anybody.

[00:07:19] So, my advice, if you're in one of these affected areas.

[00:07:22] Or, if something like this comes down the road.

[00:07:24] Always remember.

[00:07:25] Put on a funny movie.

[00:07:26] Grab a Marx Brothers movie.

[00:07:28] Listen to some music.

[00:07:29] Find some.

[00:07:31] If it's just for 15 minutes.

[00:07:33] Distract your mind.

[00:07:35] And, give yourself a mental rest.

[00:07:37] And, there are herbs.

[00:07:38] Like I said.

[00:07:39] Ashwagandha.

[00:07:40] Valerian.

[00:07:41] Skullcat.

[00:07:42] Passionflower.

[00:07:44] So many herbs that can help kind of relax you.

[00:07:47] And, deal with the situation.

[00:07:49] Because, you know.

[00:07:51] I mean, we're really kind of sitting here thinking.

[00:07:55] Nobody's coming to help us.

[00:07:57] If we don't do it on our own.

[00:07:58] We're all going to die.

[00:08:00] Because, I mean, like I said.

[00:08:02] It's going in the 30s this week.

[00:08:04] And, you know.

[00:08:05] People don't have heat.

[00:08:07] People don't have electricity.

[00:08:09] People don't even have running water.

[00:08:11] And, you know.

[00:08:12] At least the main roads are open now.

[00:08:14] So, we can get to the grocery store.

[00:08:15] But, if you're down a back mountain road.

[00:08:18] You're probably getting close to starving at this point.

[00:08:20] And, nobody's helping us.

[00:08:23] I mean.

[00:08:24] Woohoo.

[00:08:25] Biden says we can have $750 direct deposit into your bank account.

[00:08:29] Well, that's great.

[00:08:30] Isn't it?

[00:08:31] What if your bank's closed?

[00:08:32] The ATMs are off.

[00:08:34] You can't withdraw the money.

[00:08:35] And, your phone doesn't work.

[00:08:37] Because, there's no cell coverage.

[00:08:39] How does that help somebody down a mountain road?

[00:08:42] Now, it's going to help.

[00:08:43] It's going to help a lot of people.

[00:08:44] And, eventually.

[00:08:45] I mean.

[00:08:45] You know.

[00:08:45] Immediate help.

[00:08:47] Immediate help was all these private citizens flying in.

[00:08:49] And, doing airdrops of groceries and bottled water.

[00:08:52] And, for some reason.

[00:08:54] FEMA and the National Guard are not allowing private citizens to do that in many areas.

[00:09:00] Now, in some areas they probably are.

[00:09:03] Our horrible, jackass Senator Tom Tillis.

[00:09:07] I mean.

[00:09:08] Who is nothing but a pure sellout from day one.

[00:09:11] I mean.

[00:09:12] I actually called his office one time.

[00:09:14] As a constituent.

[00:09:15] Asking.

[00:09:16] Saying.

[00:09:17] Could you please ask the Senator to vote this way on a certain legislation.

[00:09:20] And, the person who answered the phone cussed me out.

[00:09:23] I mean.

[00:09:23] I was polite.

[00:09:25] You know me.

[00:09:25] I'm polite.

[00:09:26] Right?

[00:09:26] Started cussing me out.

[00:09:27] This is our U.S. Senator.

[00:09:29] Well, he's over there in Asheville just praising FEMA.

[00:09:31] Oh, they're doing a great job.

[00:09:33] Yeah.

[00:09:33] They're not.

[00:09:36] And, I hope.

[00:09:37] I don't care.

[00:09:38] I don't care.

[00:09:38] I mean.

[00:09:38] He's a Republican.

[00:09:40] He's worse than any Democrat we've ever had in that office.

[00:09:42] He's worse than.

[00:09:43] I don't care if he's a flag waving Marxist.

[00:09:47] I take a flag waving Marxist.

[00:09:49] Who was honest and actually cared about his constituents over Tom Tillis any day.

[00:09:54] He's been a sellout from day one.

[00:09:57] He was essentially installed by the Chamber of Commerce and the National Republican Party.

[00:10:02] And, he does not care at all about the people of North Carolina.

[00:10:07] And, I'm telling you, he is the sorriest piece of crap sitting in Washington, D.C.

[00:10:15] And, yeah, I'm serious.

[00:10:17] I called just, could you please ask the senator to vote this way?

[00:10:21] And, the person started cussing me out.

[00:10:22] I said, wait a minute.

[00:10:23] I'm a taxpayer.

[00:10:25] I'm a voter.

[00:10:27] He works for me.

[00:10:28] And, they said, no, it doesn't work that way.

[00:10:29] He doesn't work for you.

[00:10:31] And, I'm like, no, I'm a resident of North Carolina.

[00:10:34] He's my senator.

[00:10:34] I don't care.

[00:10:35] And, I don't work for you either.

[00:10:36] And, starts chewing me out.

[00:10:40] That's, that's the person sticking up for FEMA.

[00:10:42] So, yeah.

[00:10:46] Anyway, now let's get on to the herbs.

[00:10:47] I mean, that, let me tell you.

[00:10:51] When Jesse Helms was in that seat.

[00:10:54] I could call up Senator Helms.

[00:10:55] And, he would do anything.

[00:10:58] Anything.

[00:10:59] He was a friend of my grandfather's.

[00:11:00] He knew my family name.

[00:11:04] Boom.

[00:11:04] Taken care of.

[00:11:06] When there were, what was her name?

[00:11:09] Kay Hagan.

[00:11:10] She was responsive.

[00:11:11] She was a Democrat.

[00:11:13] Gosh.

[00:11:14] Blue.

[00:11:15] So many people have filled the two Senate seats here in North Carolina.

[00:11:18] I can't remember.

[00:11:19] You know, they say they took somebody's seat.

[00:11:21] You know, it's interchangeable.

[00:11:23] No.

[00:11:25] Tom Tillis does not represent the people of North Carolina.

[00:11:28] He represents the Chamber of Commerce and interests in Washington, D.C.

[00:11:33] Military industrial complex.

[00:11:36] Big money.

[00:11:38] Yeah.

[00:11:39] I mean, his whole goal of being in that office is to flood the country with illegal immigrants to work basically slave labor jobs for big corporations.

[00:11:48] He's a total 100% sellout.

[00:11:52] And, I mean, I would put, I'd rather have a dog in that office than Tom Tillis.

[00:11:57] I have much more respect for dogs, as you know.

[00:12:00] All right.

[00:12:00] Now let's get into herbs.

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