2nd Annual Scarecrow Festival & Craft Show at Lake Julian

Buy a craft, see McGruff, get your face painted and/or enter the scarecrow contest -- all at the 2nd Annual Scarecrow Festival and Craft Show at Lake Julian!

Hemlock Woolly Adelgids

Hemlock woolly adelgids are now widespread throughout western NC. If you have infested hemlock trees, fall is a good time to treat with organic sprays or systemic insecticides.

Gardening in the Mountains: Plants for Fall Color

Many trees and shrubs can liven the fall landscape with great color.

Lunch at Pisgah Inn

Enjoy lunch at the Pisgah Inn overlooking the Pisgah National Forest.

Visit to Old Salem Town

If you enjoy history and like to walk and visit quaint shops this is a great trip for you.

Pet Picture of the Week

Congratulations to Robert Whitener of Asheville for the picture of his dog, Piper.

Recipe of the Week

Congratulations to Kim Baker of Asheville for her Black Beans/Rice & Feta Salad recipe!

As you are looking for fun things that will help you reach your physical activity goal, try dancing. There are many places that offer opportunities for adding dance to your life.

There are classes you can take in Ballroom Dancing, clogging, Irish Dance, Ballet or other forms of structured dancing. Join one of these with a friend. You can also join others at Contra Dancing for a night out full of fun and movement.

If you are a little shy about dancing with others, then you can always just turn up the volume at home and add some dance steps into your daily routine. This can be a fun way to straighten and clean the house. Have your kids join in and make it a family affair.

Music will often cause us to put an extra swing or step into what we are doing. Even in your car you may find that your favorite songs get you tapping the steering wheel or feet. It is an activity that you can do sitting down if you need to. So, next time you need a quick energizer, turn on the music and let your body move to the tunes.

Work First Family Assistance is an employment program for families that offers a variety of services such as training, work experience, and supportive casework services to enable recipients to become self-sufficient and self-supporting. This program is administered by the Buncombe County Department of Social Services (DSS).

Every two years DSS is required to update and take public comment on their Work First Plan. It’s time to get those public comments now.

Until October 6, citizens can submit their comments on the 2006-08 Work First Plan. A copy of this plan can be found below. Please call Alice McClure at 250-5709 with any questions.

DRAFT - Buncombe County Work First Plan for 2007 - 2009  (PDF 82KB) 

During the month of November, Pack Library will host an exhibit from the Center for Diversity Education, "Coming to the Mountains: Immigration and Western North Carolina." Told through the stories of immigrants who established businesses in Western North Carolina since the early 1800's, the exhibit tells the impact of these new residents on the fabric of daily life in Buncombe County. The exhibit will be on display in the lower corridor of Pack Library and is sponsored by the Friends of Pack Memorial Library.

For more information, call Pack Library at 250-4700.

Jews have called Asheville home since at least 1880 when Solomon Lipinsky and his brother-in-law Solomon Whitlock appear in the Buncombe county census of that year. From that time, and for much of the twentieth century, Asheville had the second largest Jewish population in the state. Many Jewish merchants began their careers along Asheville’s South Main Street, now Biltmore Avenue. A twelve panel exhibit documenting the history of Jewish owned businesses in Asheville is now on display in the former and current locations of these shops, documenting some of the hundreds of Jewish businesses that existed here during the period from 1880 to 1990.

Join Sharon Fahrer and Jan Schochet at Pack Library as they discuss “The Family Store: A History of Jewish Businesses in Downtown Asheville 1880-1990.” This lecture will use photographs, maps and oral histories to tell the story of Asheville’s vibrant, yet invisible, Jewish past. The program will begin at 3pm in Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library on Sunday, October 8. There is no admission charge and anyone attending the lecture is invited to bring photos or memorabilia from Asheville’s history to share with the group. For more information call Pack Library at 250-4700.