Principals in the start-up so far are, Cindy Bosien, Sunny View, Bob Reuter (Green Creek), Chad Rothaug (Coopers Gap), Tim Bosien (Tryon), Tita Flack-Young (Tryon and Boulder, Colorado), Angel Cehen (Sunnyview), Jesse Thomas (Saluda), Bridgette Probst, Sunny View, Matt Martin, Mill Spring and Kacy Geyer, Mill Spring.

For more information, call Garden Savious Water Barrels at 625-9684 or 625-1216 or (828) 863-2089.

&dquo;We are available to speak to any groups at any time; churches, schools, and businesses included,&dquo; Bosien said. &dquo;Garden Saviour&dquo; rain barrel systems are available through a few select, like-minded businesses as well as directly from the company.

Carolina Water Works, LLC was formed in March to bring innovative solutions to the residents of the Thermal Belt as they look for ways to ensure that their short and long term water needs are met. As a resident of Polk County, Kathy Godsey, the founder of Carolina Water Works, LLC, began to look for answers to her personal water problems last year. Research quickly proved that the cycles of drought and related water quality and quantity issues facing our area are forecasted to continue for decades. Residents and businesses of Polk County face compromised wells, high water bills and water restrictions.

Carolina Water Works, LLC provides answers to these problems primarily through the installation of Rainwater Catchment Systems.&bsp; Cisterns have been used since the third millennium BC throughout the world. Put simply, rainwater is collected from roof surfaces to provide water for irrigation, livestock, fire fighting and all human uses. Rainwater is pure, low in salt and free of contaminates that are found in ground water due to the absorption of human and animal waste, pesticides and chemicals along with minerals and metals found naturally in soil and rock.

Texas, Arizona and California are leading the way in the use of Rainwater Catchment Systems but North Carolina is following close behind by providing economic incentives to Polk County, their residents and businesses. The EPA is aggressively working to pass legislation at a federal level to mandate the use of water conservation techniques such as Rainwater Catchment. Water quality and quantity problems are now a fact of life but answers are abundant. &bsp;

Kathy Godsey is a certified member of ARCSA, American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, and has a network of manufacturers and suppliers in order to customize solutions to meet the needs of individual residents, businesses, government, farmers and the equine community.&bsp; To &dquo;Harness Your Rain Resources&dquo;, call Kathy of Carolina Water Works, LLC at 828-817-9925.

Med Advocates has moved to Columbus Medical Park, 915 West Mills Street, Columbus, NC 28722.&bsp; Founded in 1989 by Marjorie F. Neff, Med Advocates was formerly known as M&D Medical Claims Consultants. Deborah N. Lynch has taken over full operation of the business after Neff&squo;s move into semi-retirement. &bsp;

Med Advocates provides customized, confidential patient-based medical accounting services and specializes in dealing with Medicare. Their services also include record keeping and organization of medical bills and payments. &bsp;

Although Med Advocates is a locally owned and operated service, Lynch offers the same services to the family members of Polk County residents even if they live in other states. For more information contact Deborah Lynch at 828-894-8834

Sweet Tea Restaurant in Landrum is now serving Beer and Wine. The restaurant has installed bar seating and has begun hosting karaoke on Friday nights starting at 9pm. Live music can be enjoyed prior to karaoke. For more information please call 864-457-3548

The new Hospice Thrift Barn is busy getting the old America&squo;s Country Store at the Landrum I-26 interchange on Hwy. 14 in shape for a mid-May grand opening. Hospice of the Carolina Foothills has announced that there will be an equestrian re-sale section in the new thrift store featuring new or used horse tack and rider attire.

Hospice of the Carolina Foothills has begun accepting donations such as clothing, furniture and household goods. For more information, call manager Jacquie Ziller at 457-7348.

Rachel Box, owner of Merle Norman Salon Rachelle, has recently completed training in two new features of beauty. She is now a certified keotinologist, meaning she is certified to do Keratin complex smoothing therapy, which is a non-chemical smoothing method for curly, frizzy hair. The technique insures that hair will be smooth and sleek. Box also completed certification training in eyelash extensions, the way to have long, lush, thick eyelashes.

The Polk Wellness Center is moving along, according to the non-profit clinic&squo;s president, Jim Van Hecke. &dquo;Using our first month&squo;s admissions, we are on pace to more than double the number of Polk County residents getting help for mental health and substance abuse, based on last year&squo;s figures from Western Highlands Network.&dquo; Polk County residents seeking services are asked to call 894-2222 for an appointment. &dquo;We are working with Western Highlands to become a site that offers &squo;telepsychiatry,&squo; an innovative program where a client here can converse over a live, private internet link (visual and audio) with a psychiatrist in another town…..thus expanding the number of people who can receive psychiatric care,&dquo; Van Hecke said. The Polk Wellness Center also will open its doors soon to 12-step support groups like Al-Anon and CoDA, he said.

Amal Das, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Hendersonville Orthopaedic Associates, will present &dquo;Innovations in Hip Replacements&dquo; at the Pardee Health Education Center on Friday, April 24, from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. &bsp;

Das will discuss the latest innovations and treatment options in hip replacement surgery. Registration for this free presentation is required by calling 1-866-790-WELL (9355). Das graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Das is one of the key physicians for the Pardee Hospital Center for Joint Replacement, which is dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of patients undergoing hip, knee and shoulder replacement surgery.

The Asheville Regional Airport Authority has announced that Delta Air Lines will begin daily non-stop service to New York City. Flights from Asheville Regional (AVL) to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) starting June 4, 2009, using 50-seat regional jets.

Travelers can book their tickets now at www.delta.com and www.flyavl.com. Atlanta, Cincinnati and Detroit are other destinations currently provided by Delta out of Asheville. Asheville Regional Airport is also served by AirTran (beginning June 11), Continental and U.S. Airways.

For more information, visit www.flyavl.com.