FIND INFO AT:  https://www.lwv.org/blog/100-days-and-100-ways-get-ready-election-day?utm_source=MonthlyHighlights&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=July2020

AVL Shares Space, the City of Asheville’s outdoor expansion program to help businesses add capacity during Covid-19, has been extended until January 3, 2021. AVL Shares Space includes curbside pickup zones throughout downtown, and expansions of private property, public property (sidewalk, on-street parking, parklets). The program has been instrumental for many downtown businesses.
The winter guidelines for temporary outdoor expansion spaces are available here. They include requirements for use of outdoor heaters, sides for tent/shade structures, outdoor lighting and additional maintenance considerations like snow and leaf removal. The guidelines also include staff contact information for questions and a frequently asked question section. City staff has been working directly with the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) on this rollout and will continue providing one-on-one support to businesses as-needed.

In addition, the City is providing materials to assist with temporary parklet installation and has partnered with the American Institute of Architects Asheville (AIA) to improve accessibility into these spaces. Businesses owned or managed by people of color are especially encouraged to contact City staff for assistance.

Businesses and organizations can find applications for new temporary outdoor expansion and amend current applications with winterization changes through the City’s Development Portal here.

The public can provide feedback on these initiatives by emailing [email protected] and checking the project page for updates and input opportunities.

The City will make adjustments to the programs as-needed based on public health guidance, and will continue working with businesses and organizations to respond to critical needs, while considering new initiatives for the winter and spring and possible continuation of some opportunities longer term.

The BOOsters are happy little friendly ghosts sold throughout the month of October in area banks, restaurants, cleaners, convenience stores, and many other businesses. For only $1.00, anyone can purchase a BOOster, place his or her name or business card on it and have it displayed. This is a great way to decorate area businesses for the holiday while providing fun, friendly competition, and funds to help continue the outreach of the Eblen Charities.

Eblen Charitable Group Pumpkin Sales: Much like the BOOster sales, these bright paper pumpkins are sold for $1.00 during the month of October in area schools and Ingles Markets. This program sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, Ingle’s Markets, Pepsi, and Clear Channel radio stations benefits the programs of the Eblen Charities  and helps provide a community program to the area schools with the premise of children helping children. Schools also have the opportunity to win prizes and equipment for their school. The school with the most over all sales is awarded the Frank Lewis Memorial Award, named in memory of our long time friend and Buncombe County educator, Frank Lewis.

Flat Rock Playhouse is proud to partner with The Breath Project to create an archive of 8 minute and 46 second works of live theater from multidisciplinary theater artists of color who are responding to this moment in history. All submissions that meet the Breath Project guidelines will be featured in the archive, and as partners in the project, CJ Barnwell will be the curator from our theater who will help select pieces from the archive to feature in a virtual festival in Fall 2020. For those who do not have access to video recording equipment, the Playhouse is able to offer the use of the Mainstage and video recording support. If you are interested in recording on the Mainstage, please email [email protected].

To be considered for the Fall 2020 virtual festival, please submit your piece by Sept. 14, 2020. For more information on the submission process, the mission of the Breath Project and other partner theaters, visit www.thebreathproject2020.com.

The message is simple – COVID-19 has made a severe impact on the blood supply and The
Blood Connection is asking the community to donate blood as soon as possible to support the
critical need of blood for local hospitals in this area.

To find a blood drive: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/zip
To find a center (5 in Upstate, 2 in Western NC): https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/centers
Those interested in hosting a blood drive in the community: thebloodconnection.org/host-a-drive<http://thebloodconnection.org/host-a-drive>

What is the wait? Buncombe County Website tracks waiting time for Early Voting in Buncombe County!

Through our efforts of informing Buncombe County about Reappraisal 2021 so far, we have received many questions from community members. So, we decided to compile them into this FAQ. Do you have more questions that aren’t covered here? You can email them to [email protected]. Otherwise, visit buncombecounty.org/MyValue2021 for everything you need to know about the reappraisal process.

WHY IS BUNCOMBE COUNTY REAPPRAISING PROPERTY?

North Carolina law requires counties to reappraise all real property once every eight years but also allows Counties to advance the reappraisal to less than eight years. Buncombe County Commissioners voted to conduct reappraisals every four years. The county must assess 127,000 parcels. The effective date of the reappraisal is Jan. 1, 2021.

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​One Network of Trails. One Hundred Counties.

​The Great Trails State Plan will draw upon existing plans and new recommendations to identify a network of shared-use paths and trails that connect​​​ every county in North Carolina, with a focus on connections between population centers and North Carolina State Parks.

The primary outcome of this planning process is to develop a statewide trail map coupled with an action-oriented network plan and 5-year implementation strategy.

The Great Trails State Plan is being led by the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division, in coordination with the NCDOT Transportation Planning Division and North Carolina State Parks.​​​

We’re hiring!  We’re now hiring a Controller to join the Hickory Nut Gap team. The position is remote, but our new team member must be available to work during standard EST work hours. If you’re eager for your next challenge, HNG Meats is ready to welcome you to the team!

Buncombe County is diverse. Playgrounds should be, too. The spirit of inclusion is straightforward in a recent partnership that has brought swing access for persons of all abilities to the three largest parks in the County’s Recreation Services system.

With support from Dogwood Health Trust, Sand Hill Lions Club, and the citizens of Buncombe County, wheelchair swings can be found at Buncombe County Sports Park, Charles D. Owen Park, and Lake Julian Park that adhere to Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Front and rear ramps allow easy access onto and off a 32 inch wide platform (the same as standard doorway entries). Wheelchairs can easily navigate on specially engineered mulch that also acts as a safety feature in case a user should fall.

Create, share, and discover with Buncombe County Public Library’s newest resource, Biblioboard.

BiblioBoard Library is an easy-to-use platform of high-quality digital content. Biblioboard offers books, articles, documents, images, audios, and videos. BiblioBoard Library is host to content from traditional publishers, indie authors, cultural institutions, and local thought leaders. Users can access BiblioBoard Library through the library’s website or on the device of their choice.

Some features of Biblioboard:

• No waitlists or holds
• Streaming audio and video are available on a wide variety of topics
• Check out curated collections of the best indie authors.
• Available for desktop, iOS, and Android devices

Local authors can submit their work for inclusion in the library catalog or publish books with Press Books. You can submit and share your work locally or nationally.

The North Carolina Forest Service is accepting tree seedling orders as part of its annual sale.

Each year, the NCFS Nursery Program produces millions of quality seedlings for nearly 50 species of conifers, hardwoods and native understory plants, including eastern and Carolina hemlock seedlings, as well as an expanded selection of genetically improved third cycle loblolly pine seedlings.

How can you order tree seedlings from the NCFS Nursery Program?

• Tree seedlings can be ordered from the online seedling store at www.buynctrees.com.
• Tree seedlings can also be ordered by phone at 1-888-NCTREES (1-888-628-7337).
• Tree seedlings can be ordered using the order form found in our current catalog. Complete the form and mail to Seedling Coordinator, 762 Claridge Nursery Road, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
• A user-friendly catalog is available at the “Tree Seedlings & Nursery Program” link located at www.ncforestservice.gov. Catalogs are also available at local NCFS offices located in all 100 North Carolina counties. Inside the catalog, landowners can find information about the types of tree species, quantities and costs to order. Each tree description includes information about ideal planting locations and whether a species is typically used to benefit wildlife, restore habitats or as marketable timber.

Distribution of tree seedlings will occur December through mid-April, depending on weather conditions. Seedling orders can be shipped to one of 12 distribution centers statewide for a small fee or via UPS for a charge. Seedling orders are also available for pickup from the NCFS Claridge Nursery in Goldsboro or the Linville River Nursery, near Crossnore. For information on planting trees, people are encouraged to contact an NCFS county ranger. Contact information for your local NCFS county office and nursery locations is available at www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.

The N.C. Department of Transportation wants your feedback for the NC Moves 2050 Plan, NCDOT’s update to the state’s long-range transportation plan. Participate by November 9 to provide comments on the recommended actions designed to provide a responsive, connected and inclusive transportation system. Your feedback will help guide North Carolina’s future transportation policies and investments. Take the quick survey.

Persons who do not speak English or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English may receive interpretive services by calling 1-800-481-6494.

Vulnerable North Carolinians can request free PPE as they head to the polls.

BallotTrax by i3Logix is a unique, patent-pending solution that tracks the status of every mail-in ballot and sends a series of proactive alerts to voters telling them where their ballot is in the election process from printed to accepted! This gives voters peace of mind knowing their vote remains private and has been counted!