Planning a trip to Italy to celebrate a special anniversary? Have a child in school that needs extra practice in a foreign language? Just want to brush up that language you studied for four years in school, but somehow can’t seem to remember at all? We’ve got you covered.

Buncombe County Public Libraries now offers Transparent Language Online free to all library cardholders. Whether you’re starting at the very beginning or you’re an intermediate learner looking to enhance your vocabulary, Transparent Language Online can help. With over 110 languages to choose from, including English for non-native speakers, there is something for every learner. With mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, learners can enjoy the freedom to learn at home, in the library, or on the go.

Transparent Languages includes learning for kids of all ages. KidSpeak introduces children to English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese. The program teaches words and phrases suitable for learners’ age, needs, and interests. More than 40 activities, puzzles, and songs guide young learners through the basics, along with a cartoon friend who speaks the language.

Transparent Language will be available on NC LIVE beginning Jan. 1, 2021. For all library services, your ID is your library card number and your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number. Contact your library with any questions.

Gardening in the Mountains Presents:
Creating and Managing Pollinator Habitat

This presentation by Bryan Tompkins, Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service covers specific details about prepping, planting, and maintaining pollinator gardens as complete habitats. It will also discuss different opportunities and methods for implementing other pollinator-habitat components into your area—from assessing and developing a habitat suitable to your site to working with others in your neighborhood to create connected and contiguous habitat components. Bryan takes a deeper look into the elements and factors that are needed to go beyond just creating a nice flower garden. Armed with the information in this talk, you can create a habitat!

North Carolina YMCAs are joining forces with the NC Department of Health and Human Services and organizations across the state to educate people in the community about COVID-19 vaccines as part of a summer get-out-the vaccine campaign. The Bringing Summer Back initiative is a community centered approach that creates a space for every organization and individual to roll up their sleeves and do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19. YMCAs across North Carolina will be participating in the initiative and elevating the importance of vaccinations.

COVID-19 vaccines are our best shot to bring back summer and get everyone safely back to the people, places and activities they love. So, we are launching the Bringing Summer Back initiative, a fun, flexible, community-centered approach to help every organization and individual stop the spread of COVID-19 by urging friends and neighbors to get vaccinated.

Bringing Summer Back will run during the following weeks:

• June 6-12
• June 20-26

• Register your organization below. Registered partners will receive an introductory toolkit of resources and materials—from flyers to stickers—to help the people in your community bring summer back. Access a detailed guide for ways to participate and download the toolkit as well.

  • Registration Form

  • List of Partners

  • Version en Español

Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), has reopened all adventure activities and river outposts for the 2021 season featuring new food and beverage venues, expanded courses, and the return of events and live entertainment to main resort campus in Bryson City.

• Launched whitewater rafting on seven rivers in the Southeast and aerial adventures to high demand
• Two new food and beverage venues launching on NOC’s 500-acre campus including a renovated coffee and donut shuttle bus as well as a beer venue featuring New Belgium beer and custom beer blends
• Expanded courses at NOC’s Paddling School for kayakers to learn new skills and experience Southeastern rivers
• Full calendar of live music from local and regional bands, and the return of events like Women’s Paddlefest and river releases
• Relia’s Lost Kitchen dinner series kicking off this month with a sold out Orin Swift Wine Dinner; more to follow through October.

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Energy Savers Network The Energy Savers Network works with volunteers to empower people and restore the climate through free home energy-efficiency assessments and upgrades. They also provide education resources and referrals to other programs. Click the link below for more information if you or someone you know could benefit from these services during the hot summer months. ESN-Flier-email-english-1.pdf (eblencharities.org)

If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s to be ready…
Sign up for BC Alerts, and you’ll get emergency information sent directly to you in real time.

Buncombe County residents have a new, customizable solution for receiving notification and emergency alerts. Buncombe County Government is in the initial phase of migrating to the CodeRED community notification system to send important alerts and time-sensitive messages to staff members and residents. Along with emergency and critical messages, the CodeRED notification system will also enhance community engagement via the release of important but non-emergency information such as vaccine site notifications, inclement weather closures and schedule changes, and other county service information.

Sign up for BC Alerts by texting BCAlert (not case sensitive) to 99411 or visit buncombecounty.org/codered to sign up for the new system.

Notice: If residents have previously signed up for BC Alerts, they will need to re-register in order to continue receiving notifications after June. If you have Spectrum as your wireless provider please select Other from the provider list, and scroll down for more frequently asked questions. 

“Upon evaluating our previous notification system and other available options, we chose CodeRED for its innovative features, user-friendly platform, and wide-spread adoption rates across the country,” said Communications and Public Engagement Director Lillian Govus. “Their company-owned redundant data centers help ensure every resident’s data is safe and that messages are delivered quickly and reliably to thousands of individuals within minutes. We’re excited to expand our communication channels with residents to include text, phone, email, and social media platforms, providing the information they need to know to make better informed decisions during an emergency.”

CodeRED Key Benefits

CodeRED will deliver several benefits for residents and enable staff to more efficiently manage and distribute notifications before, during, and after emergency and non-emergency events:

• Registration for this notification service is customized, allowing residents to choose which alerts they’d like to receive, as well as their preferred channel.
• Residents can select several different methods including landline, cell phone, email, text message, TTY, or even a combination. These alerts can be specific to streets, neighborhoods or regions, so individuals within affected areas are sure to receive relevant information.
• Residents and visitors can keep track of alerts in Buncombe County with the CodeRED Mobile App, which notifies smartphone holders of real-time alerts in the area. Similar to the online registration, users choose which notifications they’d like to receive via the app.
• Staff members can also use the system to communicate emergency information with one another. This will help us ensure our emergency response and daily operations are even more efficient.

All residents are encouraged to visit buncombecounty.org/codered or text BCAlert to 99411 to enroll in the CodeRED system. For more information on the CodeRED notification system or registration, please contact [email protected]. or call CodeRED support at 1-866-939-0911.

About CodeRED from OnSolve

OnSolve is a leading global provider of SaaS-based critical communication solutions for enterprise, SMB, and government customers. The company’s CodeRED™ solution provides high-speed notification services capable of reaching millions of people in minutes and has applied its mission-critical capabilities to government, commercial, healthcare and other end markets. More information can be found on the company’s website at www.onsolve.com.

Unique outdoor sculptural works by environmental artist Patrick Dougherty, known as “Stick Man,” will reside in Antler Hill Village. Renowned worldwide for his monumental creations, Dougherty weaves saplings and branches into intricate artworks, fashioning whimsical forms ranging from gigantic snares and cocoons to sculptural interpretations of notable buildings. The visual appeal of these large-scale artworks may be appreciated up close as guests are encouraged to walk through and around the creations, affording the opportunity to admire the artistry and technical skills required to make the sculptures.

Summer is coming and that means fans! We will begin distributing fans to those who are in need very soon. Each fan is purchased at a cost of around $20. If you would like to help cover the cost of a fan to keep someone cool this summer, please visit our website to make a donation or mail a donation to Eblen Charities, 50 Westgate Parkway, Asheville NC 28806

Get ready to go wild at the library for our annual Summer Learning Program. Join us for Tails & Tales – an exploration of wildlife and fantastical folktales. We’ll have an activity sheet with lots of fun adventures for all ages. You can pick up a sheet at any library starting June 1, or download it HERE. Check our calendar to find our most up to date list of programs all summer long.

The 2021 Summer Learning Program is open to young people, preschool through teen, with books and activities for every age. All library programs are free and open to children of all abilities. Come in and see what the library has for you!

This year’s sensational summer season features an exciting, in-depth performance schedule spanning 5 weeks from July 9 through August 8. Highlights include Beethoven@251 “Festival Within a Festival,” the acclaimed BMC Presents series, performances by Brevard Music Center’s Janiec Opera Company, esteemed Artist Faculty, and more!