I live in the Hickory, NC area. At the moment I am in Spokane, WA, due to an auto accident in Aug. The family got hit but everyone is ok and all houses in good shape. they started getting power back around 2:00pm. Yesterday for some reason I was able to communicate with everyone but the people that live within 10 miles of each other could not. Hopefully dad will be able to travel soon and we can get back home.
My wife just talked to her mother in Conover, NC; they got power back yesterday evening. Some trees down around the neighborhood but no damage to the house. Her other relatives in the area are also OK.
I hope everything works out all right for you and your family to get home.
Ive contacted friends via FB and e-mails but Verizon (+200 cell repeaters offline) there is basically no local phones.