MURFREESBORO, TN - A local church in Murfreesboro is collecting goods to be taken to Newport, TN, which is an area that was devastated by the recent flooding that was caused by Hurricane Helene. Brittany Bailey told WGNS about some of the items church members collected throughout the day on Thursday...

One of the church members of Fellowship Bible Church in Murfreesboro is from Newport...

As damage assessments and recovery efforts continue after Hurricane Helene, the Consolidated Utility District (CUD) of Rutherford County has deployed its first team to assist with water service restoration.

On Wednesday, several CUD workers were sent to Newport, TN, to help install main lines and restore water services.

The team, led by Maintenance Manager Brian Worley and Foreman Aaron Faith, includes Maintenance Technicians Cole Adams, Riley Hansen, Logan Maynard, Jacob Stevenson, and James Thomas. They will be stationed in Newport for several days assisting with recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) crews continue to work in East Tennessee and the Carolinas, repairing downed utility lines. MTE Public Relations Coordinator Amy Byers said... Initially, MTE assisted Appalachian Electric Cooperative (AEC), headquartered in New Market, Tennessee. More than 25% of their members were left without power in the wake of the historic damage caused by Helene. 

Byers stated, “After completing their work with AEC on Monday, they were reassigned to Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation in North Carolina, headquartered in Forest City...” also dispatched four two-man service crews to assist Holston Electric Cooperative in East Tennessee, but were later sent to work with Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative in North Carolina.

“These MTE team members who volunteered for this have hearts of service and come from our Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Williamson, and Wilson offices," Byers told WGNS on Thursday afternoon. "We are very proud of them and the work they are doing.”

In addition, emergency workers from Rutherford County are assisting with land search and rescue operations in East Tennessee following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Deployed by the Rutherford County Emergency Management Agency, teams from La Vergne Fire and Rescue, Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue, Murfreesboro Police, and Rutherford County Fire and Rescue are contributing to recovery efforts.

 Drop-Off Items Locally

DROP-OFF ITEMS LOCALLY: Church members will be on hand to receive goods to be transported to Newport, TN on Thursday night up until 7pm. The tractor trailer truck will then leave Thursday evening, to make the trek to Newport and surrounding areas. Anything dropped off later, will be taken to East Tennessee within the next few days. You can also call to make arrangements to donate. The phone number is 864- 346-5755...

The Drop-Off Location is at Fellowship Bible Church at 4236 Veterans Pkwy in Murfreesboro, TN 37128. Anything that is dropped off past 7PM, will be driven to Newport over the next few days.