Happy New Year

January 5 is the LAST day to pay before interest is added to your unpaid tax bill.

Buncombe County and its Aging Coordinating Consortium (ACC) are seeking proposals and funding applications from agencies and organizations to provide aging services.

All those gifts you and your children received for Christmas... are they safe?

Don't lose your focus. Keep your holiday healthy eating and activity goals going into the new year.

Bobcat fans -- attend a home game against the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics.

The Buncombe County Law Library will be temporarily closed for renovations beginning Monday, January 5.

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

Congratulations to Will Litzenburger of Alexander for his Breakfast Sausage Casserole recipe!

Buncombe County now sells surplus property via the Internet. The property is auctioned through an online auction service called GovDeals. You might find an old filing cabinet, chairs etc.

In order to find out what surplus items Buncombe County currently has available for auction, simply visit the GovDeals homepage, select "click here to go directly to the GovDeals auction," choose "advanced search" on the next page, and then select Buncombe County from the list of sellers. If Buncombe County is not listed, there are no surplus items currently available for auction.

Have a safe New Year's -- for you and your pets! Keep in mind that the following could be hazardous to your pet/s:

• Balloons and Confetti - These fun New Year’s party decorations can cause your pets to choke or obstruct their intestines if ingested. Keep an eye on your pets when they’re around these items or move them to an area that is not decorated.
• Loud noises - New Year’s is typically a noisy holiday. Unfortunately, loud noises frighten pets and can cause them to run off. Keep your pets in a separate room, away from noisemakers, music, and other loud sounds that may startle them.

Source: ASPCA.org

• Eating noodles at midnight is customary at Buddhist temples in Japan. 
• A German/Pennsylvania Dutch tradition is to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day for good luck.
• It is the tradition of Bosnia & Croatia (both of former Yugoslavia) to eat what is called "Sarma" or beef wrapped tightly in cabbage to bring good luck in health and wealth for the upcoming year.
• It is a Cuban tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. The 12 grapes signify the last twelve months of the year.
• German folklore says that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will bring luck for the next year.
• Eating pickled herring as the first bite of the New Year brings good luck to those of Polish descent.
• In the southern United States, it is believed eating black eyed peas on New Year's Eve will bring luck for the coming year.
• Also from the south comes the custom of eating greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale or spinach to bring money.
• One more from the Southerners: eating cornbread will bring wealth.
• The Southern custom of eating greens can be found in other cultures as well, although the cabbage can take many forms, such as sauerkraut or even kimchee.
• Boiled Cod is a New Year's Eve must in Denmark.

It's easy to find out.  The FamilyWatchdog.us has made it very simple to find the offenders in your area. 

Simply go to their website and put in your address.  The offenders will be indicated.  You can select the red boxes to see their profile.