Tax Bills Go Out Friday, August 22

The Buncombe County Tax Office will put property tax bills in the mail on or before August 22.

Is Radon Lurking in Your Granite Countertops?

The Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Office reports an increase in calls asking this question.

Got An Old Mobile Home That Needs To GO?

Buncombe County can help -- and it's free!

Youth Share Their Stories

Older youth living in foster care share their stories, hopes and fears about adoption.

Celebration of Courage

In September, more than 1,000 irises, tulips and daisies will line Biltmore Avenue as NAMI of Western Carolina, in partnership with Mission Hospitals, sponsors The Celebration of Courage.

Voting Guide

Download this informative Voting Guide from your Buncombe County Board of Elections.

Basic Home Maintenance – 5 session course

Want to learn how to do some basic repairs around the house? This course is for you!

Preserving Snap Beans and Italian Beans - Pieces (Green & Wax)

Beans are coming in season and you may want to start putting some back for the winter months.

Pet Pictures of the Week - I Could be Your Purrr-fect Pet!

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!

Recipe of the Week - Funnel Cake

Congratulations to Libby Parker of Leicester for her Funnel Cake recipe!

A cool wedge of watermelon on a hot summer day? Refreshing, for sure. But watermelon is more than just a seasonal treat. Here are three great health reasons to dig into this juicy fruit:

1. It's loaded with lycopene. Watermelon juice actually gave tomato juice a run for the money in a recent study of lycopene levels. That’s good news for your body, because early research suggests that lycopene may be a cancer crusher.
2. It can make your skin pretty. Watermelon is loaded with a key compound credited with helping skin's healing and regenerative processes. Say no more -- bring on the melon! 
3. It's practically calorie-free. With fewer than 50 calories in every cup, watermelon is one smart way to satisfy a sweet tooth. And with a whopping 141 grams of water per cubed cup, watermelon will keep you hydrated, too.

Which is better for your watermelon -- chilled or room temp?

Watermelon: Best Not Chilled 
Ice-cold watermelon on a steamy summer day really hits the spot. But you'll be best served by keeping it on your countertop until cutting time.

Whole watermelons stored at room temperature deliver more cell-protecting antioxidants (specifically lycopene and beta carotene) than refrigerated or freshly picked melons. Here's why.

A Chilling Effect
After it's picked, watermelon continues to ripen and build up antioxidants. Cold temperatures appear to cut this process short. So leave your watermelon out, as long as you haven't sliced it. After it's cut, it should be stored in the refrigerator for food-safety reasons.

For an ice-cold treat, chill the fruit right before serving. And don't forget to wash your watermelon before cutting it!

Source: RealAge.com

Increasing numbers of people are installing and using rain barrels this summer. Here are a few tips we’ve picked up along the way.

• Install the barrel on a solid surface, with a slight tilt forward so that if the lid overflows water will spill away from the house.
• To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in a rain barrel put ¼ of a “Mosquito Dunk” in the barrel every 4 to 6 weeks. This is a bacteria, (Bacillus thuringiensis, var .Israelensis), that kills the mosquito larvae.
• The spigot at the bottom of most barrels does not completely drain the barrel, leaving enough water for mosquitoes and stagnant water. Periodically dump and rinse out the barrel.
• Clean the screen as often as needed to keep water flowing in freely. You may want to just remove the lid and hose the screen from the back side.

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.

Can’t get enough fresh vegetables? August is the month to plant the fall vegetables, including all those healthy crucifers – cabbage family crops. Here is a look at what some of your favorite vegetables supply:

• Asparagus: vitamin C, potassium
• Broccoli: vitamins C, A, B, potassium, calcium, iron
• Brussels Sprouts: Vitamins A, C, iron, calcium
• Cabbage & Greens: vitamins C, A, iron, calcium
• Carrots: vitamin A, beta carotene
• Green Peas: protein, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, iron
• Sweet Peppers: lots of vitamin C, vitamin A
• Tomatoes: vitamin C, potassium
• Winter Squash: phosphorous, vitamin A, riboflavin, minerals

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.

The final phase of construction on Pack Square Park has been underway for almost a month.

They have been working in what will be Roger McGuire Green, and citizens will soon begin to see the beginnings of features such as Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage and the interactive water fountain.

The fountain will be centered in front of the stage.  To get up to date information on the downtown construction contact info@packsquarepark.org.

Citizens can call the office of the Pack Square Conservancy (PSC) at 828/252-2300 with questions or concerns. PSC says that the Pack Square Park will be completed in only seven months and they plan to hand the park over to the City by the end of March 2009. Reuter Terrace in mid-park and Roger McGuire Green will be completed by the end of September 2009, weather permitting.

It’s August already and that means it’s time for the kids to head back to school. This is a hectic time -- getting out of Summer mode and back to the daily schedules of getting the kids to school and still getting to work on time. That’s why it’s extra important that we all take a deep breath and slow down.

Remember that speed limits change in and around schools. Most school zones are very well marked with lines on the road and yellow caution signs to let us know to slow down and pay attention. Know where the schools are located in your community and be extra careful for children who may be walking or even riding bikes in that area.  You will be ticketed if you get caught speeding in a school zone.

Look out for school buses that are stopped - receiving passengers or discharging passengers, lights can burn out and stop arms can quit working so pay attention. Passing a stopped school bus is a crime - if you are convicted, you may lose your license and your insurance could go up.

Think Safe, Drive Safe.

Source:  Buncombe County Sheriff's Office