Do You Need a TV Converter Box?

At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting.

What is it? Group A streptococcus (also known as group A strep) is a bacteria most often found in the throat and on the skin.

Time to start getting ready for spring! Be prepared by doing these garden chores for February.

Bring out your inner ham and share books with children.

Do you remember playing kickball as a child? Bring back those fun memories with Adult League Kickball!

The U.S. FDA has announced a nationwide recall of all lots of heparin and saline pre-filled flush syringes manufactured by AM2 PAT, Inc., of Angier, N.C.

This week we are featuring some Asheville Humane Society animals that need a loving home.

Congratulations to Julian Noland of Asheville for her Southern Coconut Cake recipe!

A hot cup of something steamy always sounds good first thing in the morning. But which -- coffee or tea?

Both coffee and tea are chock-full of antioxidants, so feel fine about sipping either. But this might sway your decision: Tea also contains something that seems to fight nasty infections. What is it?

Bacteria Basher

It’s L-theanine, an amino acid that boosts immune responses to bacteria, including the ones that cause gut-churning food poisoning. Coffee, which lacks L-theanine, shows no such antibacterial activity in studies.

More Reasons to Sip a Cuppa

Black, green, or oolong tea all provide a nice dose of the bacteria-thwarting compound. And these fragrant brews give you a host of other health benefits, too, from helping your heart (read how tea does it) to cutting cancer risk (especially this one, which affects women). And although it’s lower in caffeine than coffee, tea still provides about as much of the pick-me-up stuff as a soda. So pour yourself a cuppa!

Did You Know?

Adding this to your tea makes it even more of an antioxidant powerhouse.

Source: www.realage.com

Downtown on the Move is a new program beginning January 30 that kicks off 6 months of FREE worksite wellness programs for downtown employees. The kick off will be:

January 30th at the YMI Cultural Center
at the corner of Eagle and Market Street
Ray Auditorium
12-2 pm and 4-6 pm

More information

The US Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting regarding current activities at the former CTS Plant of Asheville on Mills Gap Road at 6:30 p.m. on January 31 at the Skyland Fire Department.  The results of the recent well, soil and vapor tests are expected to be discussed at the meeting. 

The EPA, NC Department of Environmental Health and Buncombe County Health Center will be on hand to provide information and answer questions about the recent samplings related to the site and to give an enforcement update. Testing done at the former plant on Mills Gap Road during the summer of 2007 showed groundwater around the site to be contaminated. This prompted federal, state and local officials to perform additional testing to determine the extent of the contamination.

For more information about this meeting, contact Sherryl Carbonaro, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator at 678-575-7355 or the Buncombe County Health Center at 250-5016.

Each day, about 77 people receive organ transplants. However, 19 people die each day waiting for transplants that can't take place because of the shortage of donated organs.

Each organ and tissue donor saves or improves the lives of as many as 50 people. Giving the "Gift of Life" may lighten the grief of the donor's own family. Many donor families say that knowing other lives have been saved helps them cope with their tragic loss.

To learn more and/or to register as a donor, visit www.organdonor.gov/donor/.

Asheville City Council is hosting a community goal setting forum on January 29 at 6 p.m. in the Randolph Learning Center located at 90 Montford Avenue.

Council members will use your input to help determine goals and priorities during the city’s upcoming 2008-09 budget process. After a brief introduction, citizens will break into smaller focus groups.

Citizens will be asked to talk about the community’s needs and what issues are most important to them. City staff will facilitate and record each group’s progress. Following the meeting, a summary report containing all input will be distributed to City Council members. The report will be available at www.ashevillenc.gov.

The meeting is open to the public, and parking is available at the school. Citizens who are unable to attend the forum may submit written comments to Trisha Hardin at thardin@ashevillenc.gov by January 31.