*WONDERING WHAT THOSE FOLKS armed with hand-held computers are doing in your neighborhood? | They are US Census workers. They began their local work in the field on April 6, 2009. They are cross-checking address information and entering the data into hand-held computers. Each census bureau worker, officially known as a "Census Enumerator," should be identified by a name badge and windshield tag. DowntownAsheville.com has learned from an "enumerator" firsthand that they (1) WILL be knocking on doors to verify the street number and (2) WILL question whether there is a separate living quarter within the building; i.e., one that has a separate entrance to the outside and does NOT have access to the other part of the home/building.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Despite updates by US Census officials, BuncombeCounty.org remains incorrect in its current article, stating census workers will NOT be knocking on doors. They, in fact, WILL be knocking on your door. FYI: Also, they have been instructed to avoid unfriendly dogs, so keep your wild beasts tied up (canine and otherwise) so they can do their important job; Buncombe officials say that the census count is important because it impacts the amount of federal money received by local government and could also impact the number of congressional seats, which ensures the citizens have the proper voice on Capitol Hill. | FYI: The official census count day will be April 1, 2010. | For more details about the local canvassing, such as info that will be gathered at this time, contact: Andrea Robel, US Census partnership specialist, at (828) 423-4633 or email: andrea.robel@census.gov | For Buncombe County's published (incorrect) notice, Click Here>