Important Voting Dates - Take Note and Vote, Greensboro!

We always focus on what's good in Greensboro, and voting is very good, indeed! From the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement, here are the most important dates on the calendar for this year's election:

5:00 p.m. Friday, October 12th - Regular Voter Registration Deadline
Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to your county elections office by 5pm in order to vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 6th). However, if for some reason you cannot get your registration form in by this date, you can still vote! If you attend One-Stop Early Voting, you may register then.

Wednesday, October 17th - Beginning of One-Stop Early Voting 
You may register AND vote at any One-Stop Early Voting Location in the county in which you live. For locations and hours of the One-Stop Early Voting locations, you can call your county elections office or check here: vt.ncsbe.gov/OSSite

5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 30th - Deadline to Request a Mail-In Absentee Ballot
Requests must be received by your county elections office by 5pm on this date (not just postmarked, received).

Saturday, November 3rd - End of One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration

Tuesday, November 6th - ELECTION DAY
Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Your polling place is listed on your voter registration card, or check here: vt.ncsbe.PPLkup

Voting is a duty, a right, and a privilege. Please exercise it and make your voice heard!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit - https://pixabay.com/en/vote-generic-2016-america-campaign-1286584/

Recycling Standards for Greensboro Will Be Enforced

Recycling can help save the environment, but you have to do it right.

It's fantastic that Greensboro has curbside recycling, because so many places don't. However, the City's contamination rate, which means regular trash found in the recycling bin, is a whopping 21%, as opposed to the national average rate of 5%. That's not what's good in Greensboro!

The City isn't going to stop the recycling program, thank goodness, but it is going to have to carry out new measures to try to keep trash out of the recycling stream. Recycling carts will be inspected and tagged if they contain trash, and a notice will be sent to you if your bin had trash in it. If multiple notices are necessary, the City will take your recycling cart. Please don't let that be you! If you're not sure what is and what is not recyclable, you can see the breakdown in this article:
http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2014/11/city-issues-recycling-guidelines-for.html

You can also download the City of Greensboro's waste collection app, explained in this article:
http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2018/04/another-new-app-to-help-greensboro.html

If you want more detailed information about what is or what is not allowed in the recycling bin, you can also visit https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/field-operations/recycle

Here's lots of ways to recycle other things that the City might not collect:
http://bucketofuseful.blogspot.com/2016/02/how-to-recycle-if-you-dont-have.html

Trash can cause major problems in the recycling stream--it can even endanger workers at the sorting facility. Let's keep everyone safe and do it right!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit: Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/recycle-bin-container-recycling-24543/

Another New App to Help Greensboro Residents

The City of Greensboro has developed a new app for your smartphone to help organize your trash, recycling, yard waste and bulk waste collection. Simply download the free app from the iOS or Google Play stores or access it at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Collects and use it to:

• Sign up for collection reminders
• Download your collection schedule to your device's calendar
• Send texts to your family members to take your bins out to the curb
• Report any waste-related issues

So, no more searching for that calendar that was supposed to be on the fridge, trying to remember whether you are “red” or “blue”, or missing a collection because of a holiday you forgot. Get the app now, and get your garbage achievements unlocked!

For more apps that are handy for Greensboro residents, check this out!

http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2017/10/apps-that-help-people-get-around-in.html

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Truck image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/truck-heavy-weight-vehicle-trash-3321672/

Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department Offers Boat Tours on Lake Townsend

Have you ever seen people out on a pontoon boat and thought, “That looks like fun!”? Well, you can get in on the fun with Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department's pontoon boat rides on Lake Townsend to look for wintering or migrating waterfowl. This is a fun and educational event for young and old alike. Get to know the local bird community while enjoying the brisk air and fresh new foliage. Dress warmly and bring binoculars and cameras to see what birds you can spot!

Tours are being held this Sunday, March 18^th and on Sunday, April 1^st. They begin at 3:00 pm and will be leaving from 6332 Lake Townsend Road in Browns Summit. Cost is a very reasonable $7. 00 per person. You do need to call ahead and let them know you're coming, though, so call 336-373-3741 to reserve your spot.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image of Lake Townsend from Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_Townsend_-_panoramio.jpg

2018 Greensboro Parks and Recreation Fundraising Calendar on Sale Now

The Friends of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting programs, services, and facilities that enrich the lives of Greensboro residents, is currently selling their 2018 Parks and Recreation fundraising calendar. This calendar can be purchased online at www.paypal.me/2018ParkCalendar/15 or in person at the Parks and Recreation office, 1001 Fourth Street, from 9:00 am - 4:45 pm. The cost of the calendar is $12.00 if purchased in person and $15.00 if purchased online, which includes the $3.00 cost of shipping and handling. 

Money raised from the sales of this calendar helps to provide financial assistance for children to participate in the City's parks and recreation programs. For more information about the various programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department, you can visit their section of the City of Greensboro's website. You can also read more in-depth about some of the programs that have been covered on this blog: 

Great Summer Programs for Teens and Kids in Greensboro

Greensboro City Public Outdoor Pools Will Open Memorial Day Weekend

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Parks and Recreation website: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1042

Wreaths Across America to Honor Military Veterans on Saturday

Greensboro is once again participating in Wreaths Across America, a program that places wreaths at the graves of military veterans to honor their service and to observe the season. This year's wreath-laying will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery, at 3901 Forest Lawn Drive in Greensboro, on Saturday, December 16th. Volunteers will place donated wreaths at veterans' graves starting at 10am.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Free use image of wreath from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/en/grave-headstone-wreathe-snow-1866193/

Apps that Help People Get Around in Greensboro

Three smartphone applications, or apps, make getting around Greensboro easier than ever!

For drivers, there is Parkmobile, an app that is now being accepted by downtown meters and at three city-owned surface parking lots. Download the app for your Android, iPhone, or Windows phone, follow instructions for setting up payment method, and then you can simply use the app wherever you see the green Parkmobile sign on the meter or nearby the pay point. Learn more at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Parkmobile

For riders, you can use the Transloc app to get real-time information on GTA (Greensboro Transit Authority) and HEAT (Higher Education Area Transit) buses. Transloc will let you see the estimated arrival time of your bus. For more information, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/BusTracker

You've also probably seen the nifty new yellow-and-green LimeBikes zipping around town or hanging out on handy street corners. These are rental bikes that are easy to pick up and go simply by using the LimeBike app. Great for short trips around town with no having to buy or maintain a bike of your own. Great exercise and good for the environment, too! Find out how it works at https://www.limebike.com/#lime

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Smartphone image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/iphone-smartphone-apps-apple-inc-410311/