Free Tax Assistance Through April 15

Taxes are complicated. Do you need help? Tax Assistance begins the first week of February and will continue through April 15th.

Certain Zicam Cold Remedies Linked to Loss of Sense of Smell

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia).

Woodstoves: Tax Credits, Safety, Efficiency and More

Heating efficiently with wood requires three things: a good stove; a good source of dry, seasoned, wood cut to the right size for your stove; and a dedication to making it work.

Backyard Composting

It won’t be long before many WNC gardeners will be ready to get out and start working up that garden soil. When you shove your shovel into the ground, are you faced with sticky red clay, rather than the nice loamy soil you envision?

Don't Forget to Order Your Rain Barrel by March 22!

Plan ahead and order your rain barrel today!

Easily Create a Home Recycling Center

Wondering where you are going to find space for storing recyclable items? You don’t need an extravagant recycling center. Here are three steps to create a recycling center in your home.

How to Get Help in a Crisis

Many families and individuals are struggling to make ends meet and are facing increasingly hard times.

"I Refuse to Get Old!" - Essay Contest for Seniors

The Friends of the Black Mountain Library are sponsoring an essay contest for people over the age of 50.

When Is It Best to Prune Shrubs?

A nice winter day will send a lot of gardeners out with the pruners. But is it the best time to prune your shrubs? It depends on the plant.

Pet Pictures of the Week - Do You Have Room for One of Us?

Please consider giving a home to one of these wonderful pets! The shelter is okay, but they would love to have a home of their very own!

Recipe of the Week - Creamy Rigatoni with Spinach

Congratulations to Jeremy McBride of Asheville for his Creamy Rigatoni with Spinach recipe!

The average person in the U.S. uses more than 20,805 sheets of toilet paper annually. Unfortunately, recycled-content paper makes up less than 2% of the toilet tissue used each year.

Recycled-content tissue products, including toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissues, are readily available at grocers, pharmacies, and national retail chains. Not only does recycled-content tissue reduce the demand on forests and tree farms, but it also provides an essential market for our recyclable mixed paper. Next time you shop, give recycled-content tissue a try.

Buncombe County will focus on recycling, reusing and reducing in 2010 with the theme of "Growing Greener Together." To help promote this theme, the County is looking for high quality photos of citizens enjoying the outdoors, participating in recycling, litter cleanup or just walking the dog.

The photos must be high quality (at least 300 dpi) and will become the property of Buncombe County.

The best photos could be featured on the County's website, in promotions and in the 2010 editions of Buncombe Life magazine. The grand prize winner could be featured on the cover. Prizes will be awarded for all photos chosen for use by the County.

Submit your photos here.

With family members getting ill from the cold or flu, it is all the more reason to keep the house disinfected. Since product labeling can sometimes be confusing, an explanation between a disinfectant and a disinfectant cleaner or antibacterial cleaner may be necessary.

Disinfectants contain antimicrobial ingredients that kill germs if surfaces are free from heavy soil. Disinfectant or antibacterial cleaners contain ingredients for removing soil, as well as antimicrobial ingredients that kill germs. Also remember - household bleach disinfects when used according to label directions.

Questions? Call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.

The library storyline phone number has changed.

Children wishing to hear a story read to them can call 250-KIDS (250-5437). It is accessible 24 hours a day, everyday.

The story selection changes every week. Each story is about five minutes long and some include a few songs.