Look yourself up to find out if you are registered, where you vote, which party you are registered as and more! You can also see sample ballots - they are tied in with the voter lookup!Look yourself up to find out if you are registered, where you vote, which party you are registered as and more! You can also see sample ballots - they are tied in with the voter lookup!
Unaffiliated voters, remember... you may vote in any recognized party’s primary, but you may only participate in one.
Early Voting locations (through May 5):
Find other election news at buncombecounty.org/vote or call 250-4200 anytime day or night.
We've made a few changes to our system - finding out which County Commission District you are in is now even easier!
Have you been wondering how the new political districts will affect you?
Buncombe County GIS and the Office of Election Services have teamed up to make that information easier for you to find.
The new district information, as approved by the North Carolina Legislature for Congress, State House and State Senate districts, is now searchable by your address or Parcel Identification Number (PIN).
Find the location of your polling place and your current representative.
You'll also find the boundaries of State House Districts, State Senate Districts and more by clicking the theme tab and checking the box.
Today Buncombe County Department of Health received final test results from the NC Department of Public Health laboratory confirming that the unopened bag of culture that was added to the tempeh tested positive for the matching strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B linked to the current disease outbreak.
Today Buncombe County Department of Health received additional test results from the NC Department of Public Health laboratory confirming that the bacteria found in the tempeh is a match to the Salmonella Paratyphi B that is making people sick in the current disease outbreak.
BC Department of Health has just received positive news related to the Salmonella outbreak. Based on continuing testing of laboratory results following CDC recommendations, lab test results today confirmed that the bacteria associated with the Buncombe Salmonella outbreak is Salmonella Paratyphi B but the good news is that it is a particular strain that causes symptoms that are less severe and doesn’t require control measures that are quite as strict.
As of May 2, BC Department of Health reports 38 cases of Salmonella Paratyhpi B infection with numbers likely to continue rising. At this point in the outbreak, communicable disease investigations indicate that person-to-person transmission is becoming more prominent as we approach the next wave of the outbreak. We are beginning to see more cases that are spread by someone who has the illness rather than from a food source.
As of May 1, BC Department of Health reports 37 cases of Salmonella Paratyhpi B infection and continues to test and investigate people coming forward with symptoms of salmonella infection, some who ate tempeh and others who did not eat tempeh. The case interviews indicate that the disease transmission is linked to the outbreak in one of three ways: those who have eaten tempeh, those who have connections to others who have been ill with Salmonella Paratyphi b (person-to-person) and others that are under further investigation to determine if there are other sources of contamination associated with the outbreak.
RALEIGH – Smiling Hara of Asheville is voluntarily recalling 12-ounce packages of unpasteurized soybean tempeh because of possible contamination with salmonella. The company is recalling tempeh manufactured this year between Jan. 11 and April 11. The containers are marked with a best-by date of 7/11/12 through 10/25/12. Tempeh is used as a meat substitute in vegetarian cuisine.
The BC Department of Health reports that 5 more cases of Salmonella Paratyphi B were identified over the weekend, bringing the total to 34, as of Monday, April 30, 2012.
The BC Department of Health is currently investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B infection in Buncombe County. Communicable Disease Nurses and Environmental Health Specialists are conducting interviews with people who currently have or have had the infection, reviewing laboratory reports and inspecting food sources that may be linked to the outbreak
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Candler residents have recently reported being approached by door-to-door magazine sellers, so it's only a matter of time before they start hitting the rest of Buncombe County.
The sellers, usually young people, use emotional and high-pressure tactics to try to sell magazine subscriptions. Some door-to-door magazine sales are legitimate, but many are not. The Better Business Bureau has designated door-to-door magazine sales as a “highly suspect” industry.
The young sellers may claim to be local, but often they are bused into North Carolina from out of state. Companies like The Harvest Group and Trinity Public Relations are known to import groups of young people, instruct them on the use of emotional sales pitches, and then drop them off to go door-to-door in neighborhoods. Sellers may claim that they are working to better themselves and their families, or support some charitable cause. However, many people who buy a magazine subscription from a door-to-door seller never receive a single issue.
Beware of sellers who use sob stories to sell magazines, and remember your three-day right to cancel. In North Carolina, you have three days to cancel certain purchases such as door-to-door sales even after you sign a contract and pay. To cancel your order, you’ll need to notify the company in writing by midnight on the third business day following the purchase.
If you see these people in your neighborhood, call the Sheriff's Office at 250-6670, or the Asheville Police Department at 252-1110.
If you’ve had a problem with door-to-door magazine sales, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office online or by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina.
This message brought to you on behalf of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper.
The Better Business Bureau Serving Asheville and WNC invites the WNC Community to the BBB “Shred Day/Secure Your ID” Day Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Executive Park – 
College Street parking lot, Asheville, North Carolina from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The co-sponsors for this event are OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling and American Security Shredding. Residents and small businesses are encouraged to attend the event and take a key step in identity protection by shredding and properly disposing of their sensitive documents. BBB staff will be on-site to provide expert advice and tips for identity theft protection.
“Shredding sensitive paper documents is an important step, but it doesn’t end there,” said Norma Messer, President of the Better Business Bureau serving Asheville and Western North Carolina.
“This is largely a crime of access,” added Messer. “Our goal here is to make the information less accessible and empower people to be their own first line of defense against identity theft.”
Bring up to three boxes or bags (weighing no more than 50 pounds) of documents with confidential information to be shredded and take home the tips and resources you need to help protect yourself. Documents to be shredded should be removed from binders.
The Better Business Bureau Serving Asheville and WNC serves 17 counties and is supported by approximately 1,600 businesses. Consumers may call the bureau at 253-2392 from Buncombe County or 800-452-2882 from other counties in WNC.
Consumers may obtain reports on companies and charities, file a complaint or get consumer tips by going to the website, www.asheville.bbb.org.
Come on out, cast a line, and catch a fish! The Kids Fishing Tournament at Lake Julian Park is Saturday, May 5 and is open to all children 
ages 15 and under.
The Tournament begins at 8:30 a.m. and is over at 11:30 a.m. Preregistration for the Tournament or register the day of the Tournament starting at 8:00 a.m. at Lake Julian Park. The cost is $5 per child. (No fishing license is required for children under 16 years of age.)
Lake Julian Park will supply a bucket for each competitor’s catch. After the fish has been weighed and measured, it is released back into the lake. Participants bring their own pole and bait, and any type of pole and bait is permitted.
Fishing is allowed anywhere inside the Lake Julian Park boundaries. No boat fishing is allowed. Children must be accompanied by at least one adult.
Prizes:
Children will be grouped into one of five age categories and prizes will be awarded in each of the age categories for the following:
In addition, children in every age group will have an opportunity to show off their casting skill. Casting poles and targets are provided by Lake Julian Park and children can demonstrate their ability anytime during the Tournament. There are prizes for the winners of the casting competition, too!
For more information, contact David Blynt at 684-0376 or
david.blynt@buncombecounty.org.
Sponsored by Buncombe County Parks, Greenways and Recreation Services.
Buncombe County Parks, Greenways and Recreation Services will host another round of public meetings for the Greenways and 
Trails Master Plan.
The meetings will be drop-ins so you may arrive and leave at your convenience. We will have the preliminary maps to show and take your comments.
A Blue Ridge Parkway representative will be there to discuss trail heads for the parkway within the Asheville Corridor and of course, we will have the “Greenways, Please” photo booth ready to help you show your support of greenways.
We welcome families and participants of all ages. Light refreshments will be served.
The meetings will be held from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the following dates and locations:
This series of classes is open to anyone who is interested in living tobacco free! A trained facilitator will conduct the American Lung Association’s “Freedom From Smoking” program, one of the most successful group cessation programs based on years of research and experience.
The program is FREE!!! To enroll, contact Sean Geran at (828) 254-7206 ext. 101 or sean.geran@ywcaofasheville.org.
“Successful Aging 10 – Never Too Old To Play!” will be held Monday, 
May 14 at the Crowne Plaza from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The day-long event features two sessions of one-hour workshops on a variety of fun and educational topics, including gardening in small spaces, wealth management, yoga, Tai Chi, Medicare, Cognitive health, and other topics. Humor columnist/Feldenkrais ‘Diva’ Lavinia Plonka and Conductor/Pianist Lenora Thom join forces at the end of day to present “Playing to Learn, Learning to Play”, billed as a “Body/Mind Romp into the Third Half of Life.”
Successful Aging is presented by The Buncombe County Aging Coordinating Consortium with support from The Council on Aging of Buncombe County and CarePartners Health Services, with organizational support from ResCare Home Care, OnTrack Financial Counseling, and Land of Sky Area Agency on Aging.
The registration information can be found below, on the Council on Aging website, www.coabc.org, or by calling the Council at 277-8288.
The American diet is broken and much advice about improving it focuses on what to cut out, limit, or lower to make it better. Whether it’s less fat, added sugar, or sodium, Americans are continually being told that they are getting too much from what they eat, but there’s at least one exception to the cut back rule. Americans need to eat more fiber.
The Institutes of Medicine suggests total fiber intake for males and females between ages 19 and 50 to be 38 grams and 25 grams respectively or about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories a day.
Currently, Americans get only about 15 grams a day with less than 5% of all US workers meeting the daily requirement. While it may seem as though 
adding fiber is just about keeping you “regular,” fiber intake is inversely correlated with reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. That is, the more fiber you eat, the healthier you’re likely to be
A Day's Worth of Fibrous Foods
Below is about a day’s worth of fiber for men at about 39 grams of fiber. Women need about 13 grams less per day, but remember, more is better than not getting enough.
Source: caloriecount.about.com/healthy-eating-bc1
FurEver Friends is having a special on adult cat adoptions. Adopt any adult cat (defined as a cat 1 year or older) for only $35 - this is less than half the normal adoption fee!
Come and look at all of the wonderful cats just waiting for homes. Some of them have been in the shelter or in foster homes for over a year.
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Upcoming Petco Adoption Days:
Petco is located at 825 Brevard Road in Asheville (across from the Biltmore Square Mall). There are also cats available for adoption in the store at Pet Supermarket on Tunnel Road. So drop on by! |
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All of the cats have been:
If you have any questions, call (828)-670-6723 or email fureverfriends@att.net.
Visit the FurEver Friends website to see some of the animals available for adoption.
Dietitian's tip:
This soup is a good source of potassium, vitamins A and C, iron, folate, magnesium and selenium. If you prefer, you can substitute broccoli for the asparagus.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
Directions:
Nutrition Information per serving (serving size 1 1/2 cup):
Calories: 145
Total Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 12mg
Sodium: 71mg
Total Carbs: 23g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Protein: 6g
Source: MayoClinic.com
Learn about the benefits of propane autogas as a fuel (including significant cost savings), the vehicle & fueling options, & local success stories.
Come on out for the Spring Herb Festival at the WNC Farmers’ Market! This is an opportunity to buy plants, herbal products, crafts, get garden information, and enjoy educational programs.
For more information, Call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522.
Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan Update – comments accepted from May 1 through May 14.
On May 21, the city’s bus system, currently operating as Asheville Transit, will begin operating as ART (Asheville Redefines Transit).