There are two ways to download ebooks and audiobooks from Buncombe County Public Libraries.

All library card holders can download books from the North Carolina Digital Library with the Libby app. In addition, you can now download the Hoopla digital mobile app or visit Hoopla from our web page to begin enjoying thousands more items available to borrow 24/7. Your User ID is your library card number with no spaces, and your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number.

If you don’t have a library card, you can contact your library to get one free of charge. Use your library anytime, anywhere with our digital resources.

October 1 – November 3, 2022

The Opportunity

Named for social justice champion Isaac Coleman, the Isaac Coleman Economic Community Investment Grant calls for targeted investments in our communities that are currently working to champion equitable opportunity and eliminate racial disparities in Buncombe County. Robust community engagement and commitment to community-driven initiatives are essential in improving and increasing economic and educational opportunities. Our goal with this investment is to rebuild the health, safety, and well-being of our communities.

This program includes $500,000 in total annual grants to community-based organizations. The Isaac Coleman Review Team will analyze and select Isaac Coleman grantees, provide additional support and review throughout the 3-year grant period via regular meetings facilitated by Buncombe County staff.

Review Team members must be Buncombe County residents and will be appointed by the County Manager based on responses from submitted applications.

Click here to learn more about Isaac Coleman grants.

 Committee Expectations

• Have a vested interest in contributing to the advancement of equitable opportunity and eliminating racial disparities in Buncombe County.
• Able to analyze grant applications effectively.
• Able to use grant software and express comments and knowledge of each application clearly.
• Able to listen attentively to the input of other reviewers, engage in discussion and acknowledge differences.
• Ethically review all applications and maintain confidentiality.
• Disclose any conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest include close professional or personal relationships with grant applicants.
• Able to attend all scheduled Review Team selection meetings, site visits, and quarterly meetings

How to apply

Apply online by clicking this link: https://forms.office.com/g/DLYDyNKe76

The deadline to apply is Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.

Between federal, state, and local elections, there are nearly 7,000 seats up for grabs across the country in this year’s Midterm elections on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. These elections will set the tone of the nation for years to come. Oct. 20 – Nov. 5: Early Voting Nov. 1: Deadline for Board of Elections to Receive Absentee Ballot Requests Nov. 8: Election Day! Action Plan STEP 1: REGISTER TO VOTE! YWCA USA has partnered with When We All Vote to make registering to vote and encouraging others to register as easy as possible. Scan the QR code or click here to get started! Tip: When We All Vote and YWCA USA want to make spreading the word and encouraging others to vote as easy as possible: Post this printable flier in public spaces to encourage others to be sure they’ve registered. If you’re already registered to vote, you’ll need to check your voter registration to confirm it is still active. Make sure to update your registration if you’ve moved or your name has changed since you last voted.   STEP 2: GET TO KNOW THE ELECTION PROCESS IN YOUR STATE! The 2022 General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 across the United States, but the voting process varies widely by state. Check your state or local election office’s website to find registration deadlines and early voting information, to request an absentee ballot. Tip: Make sure you’re up to speed with the rules and requirements for your state (remember: they may have changed since the last time you voted!. JOIN US FOR An Asheville Mayoral Candidate Mix & Mingle Forum At the YWCA on Thursday, Oct.13 at 6 pm Meet your Mayoral Candidates in a mix-and-mingle forum that offers the opportunity to get to know our potential Mayoral Candidates. This casual meet and greet give you direct access to getting to really know who is running for office. This event is hosted by the Delta Sigma Theta Alumni Sorority Chapter of Asheville at the YWCA of Asheville. Click here to share the Facebook event with your networks. STEP 3: DEVELOP YOUR PLAN TO VOTE! Will you be voting early in person? By mail? On Election Day? If you’re voting in person, do you know how you’ll get there? Tips: If you need help getting a ride to the polls, campaign offices in your neighborhood may be able to help!  Consider adding reminders of upcoming deadlines to your calendar!   REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT HERE LOOK UP YOUR SAMPLE BALLOT DEMOCRACY NC’S NONPARTISAN VOTER GUIDE BUNCOMBE COUNTY EARLY VOTING DATES AND LOCATIONS   STEP 4: SPREAD THE WORD! Share the GOTV tools and resources above with everyone you know digitally, through social media, text, or email, and use the hashtag #YWomenVote to amplify your efforts! Consider contacting your neighbors to share the tools above, joining phone or text banking efforts, or printing and posting the resources, like this flyer,  in well-frequented places such as your local library, laundromats, or grocery stores — it’s time to get creative! Because together we can help build political power in our communities and make sure women get to the polls and that our experiences and needs are valued, represented, and made a priority to those we elect to public office. This is your voice. Your vote. Your future. #YWomenVote!

Eliada works hard to make the holidays a special time for the children in our care. You can help bring a smile to their face by fulfilling their holiday wishes! Sponsor a Child: When you sign up to sponsor a child for the holidays, you’ll receive a Wish List that a young person created. Wish Lists include their favorite things, clothing sizes, and most needed and wanted items. The value of a Wish List is around $150. You can divide that cost with friends, or even sponsor several children. For most of Eliada’s children and youth, the gifts they receive from sponsors are the only gifts they will get during the holiday season. To sign up to sponsor, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at [email protected]. Sponsor Multiple Children: We also have Wish Lists which include items that children will need here at Eliada depending on what program they are in. Cottage wish lists for youth living at Eliada, for example, include toiletries, bedding and towels, books, games, art supplies, suitcases and kitchen utensils. Many children come to Eliada with a few clothes in a garbage bag. Together we can provide them things that every home should have! Other wish lists are for our Child Development programs, Foster Care program, Farm program, Summer Camp program, and Recreation programs. Our Equine Therapy program also has some needs this holiday season! We never know when we’ll get a call for a child in Foster Care who needs a home immediately. Let’s help Foster Parents provide these children everything they deserve! Sponsor a last minute wish: Some youth living at Eliada won’t arrive until right before the holidays! We won’t receive their wish lists until mid-late November. Can you sign up to help one of these teens at the last minute? If you don’t have time to shop, Eliada will use your donation to purchase gifts for children who may arrive at Eliada very close to Christmas or right after Christmas. It shouldn’t matter when you arrive at Eliada–your wishes should be fulfilled! You can make a donation here. In the comment field, write “holiday wishes.” To sign up to sponsor multiple children or a teen at the last minute, please contact Rebecca Boline by email at rboline@eliada.org or by phone at (828) 254-5356, ext. 306.

the City of Hendersonville will begin their fall bulk leaf collection service for City residents. Bulk leaf collection will continue throughout the fall season and conclude on December 30.

During bulk leaf collection, City residents should pile loose leaves as close to the street, curb, or sidewalk as possible without placing the leaves in the roadway or on the sidewalk. Leaves should not be bagged by City of Hendersonville residents.

Residents can help prevent safety hazards by keeping leaf piles out of the sidewalks. Obstructed sidewalks may force people to walk into the street and pose a danger for pedestrians and motorists. Keeping leaf piles out of the roadways and sidewalks also helps prevent debris from being washed into the storm drains which can cause flooding.

The bulk leaf collection process is separate from brush collection crews; therefore, residents will need to keep their brush and leaves in separate piles until bulk leaf collection has concluded at the end of the year. Leaf piles should be free of tree limbs or other objects that may damage collection equipment. Spring bulk leaf collection typically occurs during the month of March.

It is not necessary for the public to contact Public Works with leaf pick-up requests as this service is automatically provided to City residents. Leaf piles are picked up from homes every ten to fourteen days but, depending on the volume of leaves placed out for collection, the piles could be picked up sooner or later than that time frame.

After hearing feedback from the public on its Early Voting Plan around locations and weekend hours, Buncombe County Election Services has finalized 12 in-person early voting sites.

Early Voting Locations:

• Black Mountain Library – 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain 28711
• Elections Warehouse – 50 Coxe Ave., Asheville 28801
• East Asheville Library – 3 Avon Road, Asheville 28805
• Enka-Candler Library – 1404 Sand Hill Road, Candler 28715
• Fairview Library – 1 Taylor Road, Fairview 28730
• Friendship Community Center – 142 Shiloh Road, Asheville 28803
• Leicester Community Center – 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester 28748
• North Asheville Library – 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 28804
• South Buncombe Library – 260 Overlook Road, Asheville 28803
• Weaverville Community Center – 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville 28787
• Wesley Grant Southside Center – 285 Livingston St., Asheville 28801
• West Asheville Library – 942 Haywood Road, Asheville 28806

North Carolina’s in-person early voting period begins Thursday, Oct. 20, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. See the attachment for dates, times, and locations in English, Spanish, and Russian.

Check Out the Wait Map before you head out for Early Voting

During scheduled Early Voting, Buncombe County offers a tool that tells you in real time how many voters are in line at each location. The wait map will only be available during Early Voting. Check it out here before you head out the door.

The General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 8 – here’s what you need to know

Absentee by mail

Voters may request absentee ballots any time through Nov. 1. Requested absentee ballots will begin going out in the mail on Friday, Sept. 9 and must be returned by Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. in person or Nov. 14 by mail (postmarked by Nov. 8). Request an absentee ballot at www.buncombecounty.org/vote.

Voter Registration

The deadline to register or change party affiliation for the midterm election is Friday, Oct. 14. Same-day registration will be available at in-person early voting locations. National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, Sept. 20. Election Services Director Corinne Duncan will join the NC Trusted Elections Town Hall at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

I Voted Sticker Contest

We’re extending the deadline for our I Voted sticker contest to Friday, Sept. 9, and the contest is now open to all Buncombe residents under age 18. Read more here.

Pollworkers Needed

Are you interested in earning money while helping support the democratic process? Being a poll worker is a rewarding way to help our community while supplementing your income. If this sound interesting, click here to learn more about the perks of working the polls, eligibility requirements, pay scales, and more.

Elections Q&A Sept. 29 at East Asheville Library

The Buncombe County Board of Elections, Election Services, and Buncombe County Public Libraries are teaming up to offer free Voting Q&A sessions.

• Thursday, Sept. 29 – 5 p.m. at the East Asheville Public Library, 3 Avon Road, Asheville
• Tuesday, Oct. 4 – 5 p.m. at the Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester
• Thursday, Oct. 6 – 5 p.m. at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville

If you have questions about the voting process, we have answers. How can I find my polling place? What’s the difference between a primary and a general election? How do I find a sample ballot? Do I need an ID to vote? Get answers to these questions and more. Learn about how elections work, how to exercise your right to vote, and tips to make the process faster and easier. Add the event to your calendar and get updates here.

For more information about voting in Buncombe County, go to www.buncombecounty.org/vote.

Have you ever wondered how the team at Flat Rock Playhouse creates our unique productions like

West Side Story or Million Dollar Quartet?

Did you know that Flat Rock Playhouse provides arts education experiences to thousands of local students?

Would it surprise you that we maintain 12 acres of property and 12 working buildings?

Check out our Gift Registry for a back-stage sneak-peek of what goes into
building a show from scratch.

Our registry includes everything from hair products to lumber, class supplies to monthly utilities, laundry detergent to airline

tickets. We hope you’ll consider making a one-time, 100% tax-deductible donation to support these resources that truly make the magic happen. As a non-profit organization, Flat Rock Playhouse depends on ticket sales and meaningful gifts to bring you the thrill and joy of live theater.

Your unrestricted gift supports these example expenses as well as many, many more!

We couldn’t do it without you!

If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.

The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.

Eligibility requirements

Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.

For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.

Are You Ready to Take the Challenge? Are you looking for a challenge that will build your sustainability skills while helping the world around you? You’re in luck, October is Zero Waste Month! As defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA), “Zero Waste is the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.” These lifestyle changes and policy updates can not be implemented without special regard to social equity and environmental justice issues, so now is our time to fight with compassion and understanding for systemic change. Here are your three easy steps to take the Zero Waste Challenge: Sign up by joining the challenge Subscribe to the Race to Zero Waste YouTube Channel to get action ideas from our expert interviews Share your zero waste actions on social media using the hashtag #ZeroWasteMonth

• Recognition in our Pebbledash Newspaper, reaching 7500 homes twice a year
• Recognition in our monthly eBlast, reaching 2500 people
• Listing and link on PSABC website
• Early invitations and discounts to PSABC events

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Could you be the pick of the patch? The WNC Nature Center is having a virtual costume contest this Halloween! Entering is easy – take a picture of your child, pet, and/or family in their Halloween costume and email it to [email protected]. All submissions are due by November 3. Voting will start November 7 on the Nature Center Facebook