How long to water your lawn? TIMS can tell you.

The TIMS Water Management Program is a FREE online tool to help North Carolinians calculate and track irrigation use. Using the NC Climate Office current weather data, TIMS can tell you in number of minutes how long to water your lawn. Its primary purpose is to help REDUCE or ELIMINATE over-watering and wasteful watering practices.

If 100,000 people use this program to schedule irrigation, North Carolina could save millions of gallons of water and maintain healthier lawns.

Just answer a few simple questions about your lawn and start your water diary today!
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/TIMS

Randolph Republicans Hometown Governor Candidates Forum

The forum was no debate, make no mistake. However, the forum (organized by the Randolph County Republican Women) did give the largely Republican faithful crowd assembled at the Sunset Theater in Asheboro, an opportunity to see and hear the candidates answer some not so run of the mill questions.

Some examples of questions from the media panel included (paraphrased from memory):
1.) Who should pay for beach renewal?
2.) What should be done with NCDOT, reform it, zero based budgeting?

The candidates seemed to appreciate the variety of questions from the Media panelists which included: Todd Callaway, editor of the Hickory Daily Record; Elliott Potter, publisher and executive editor of the Jacksonville Daily News; and Bob Williams, senior editor of The Courier-Tribune.

By an unscientific measurement of the "applause-o-meter" this is how the final comments were ranked by the audience.

3rd: Bill Graham
2nd: Bob Orr
1st: Fred Smith & Elbie Powers (tie)

Pat McCrory was not in attendance due to his mayoral duties in Charlotte.

Maybe you'll be able to catch some video on News14, no other TV media in attendance.

Cellphone pix isn't that hot, but what the heck. I was there. Where you? What do you think?

Build Your Own Water Barrel

How To Build A Rainwater Collection System

The system is the best we could find. Uses off the shelf components. Only one thing lacking... an overflow outlet near the top.

2008 NC Governor's race, Your choice?

The campaigns are well underway.... Who's your choice and what issues will they address?

Bill Graham (R), Salisbury attorney

Pat McCrory (R), 7-term Charlotte Mayor

Richard Moore (D), 2-term NC State Treasurer

Bob Orr (R), former NC State Supreme Court Justice

Bev Perdue (D), 2-term NC State Lieutenant Governor

Fred Smith (R), 3-term NC State Senator (Johnston Co)

Some New Comments on an Old Post

Based on recent traffic looks like the talk of alcohol in Asheboro is heating up.

City of Asheboro: No Rainbarrel Sales

Calls to the Asheboro City Water department and transfers to other officials in an effort to obtain rain barrels for sale yielded this statement "No plans to sell rain barrels but, you never know what the future holds". Since we just had a water ban lifted wouldn't it be waterwise to offer residents rain barrels?
Soil & Water Board minutes research yield the following information:

• February 14, 2005 "the board voted unanimously to host a rain barrel sale during Earth Week in April"
• April 10, 2006 "Rain Barrell USA has sent the district a rain barrel for free for display. The District will be setting up a display at Garden Fest on Missy Rankin’s farm from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on May 6th – volunteers are needed to man the booth on this day."

Isn't it time the Soil & Water Board and Asheboro City Water Department made rain barrels available on a regular basis?

Vote for Local Photog in Smithsonian Mag Award

Tom Gillespie a local photographer and NC Zoo Public Affairs Specialist was informed by Smithsonian Magazine that an image he had entered in their 5^th Annual Photo Contest was one of 10 finalists in the “Americana” category. The photo was selected from more than 7,500 entries from all over the world.

The winner will be chosen by the number of votes each photo receives at their Web site: http://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/v5/finalists/americana4.html.

Asheboro Bottom Dollar Out of Stock: Bananas, Tomatoes, Green Peppers

We shopped tonight at the Bottom Dollar in Asheboro and someone clearly under ordered. If I had had a camera I would have posted pictures. There were no bananas, 4 loose & 1 bag of green peppers and NO tomatoes (of any variety). Shopping at Bottom Dollar is difficult enough. We know, we've shopped there many times before and are prepared for the bag your own, mostly "core"/staple item assortment. An out of stock position on anything is unacceptable especially the most popular and profitable banana!

Sofa Express: Going Out of Business Sale?

You've probably seen the local TV ads for Sofa Express "Going Out of Business Sale".
While the company is going out of business, the sale might not be the event you are expecting.

Be aware! There are companies that provide assistance in these sales situations (called planned furniture promotions/events) and the results might surprise you. Buyer beware!