News About Town: With the abundance of yard debris from the wind storm and yard work, Republic Services is running behind. Expect them to be caught up by Friday.
A view from reader Becky Thompson’s front garden.
News Around Town: CMS Schools are closed, and teachers are heading to Raleigh. But why? The formally organized group Red4EdNC has five bullet points of action that are their focus this year:
Provide $15 minimum wage for all school personnel, 5% raise for all ESPs (non-certified staff), teachers, admin, and a 5% cost of living adjustment for retirees,
Provide enough school librarians, psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses, and other health professionals to meet national standards,
Expand Medicaid to improve the health of our students and families,
Reinstate state retiree health benefits eliminated by the General Assembly in 2017,
Restore advanced degree compensation stripped by the General Assembly in 2013.
If you support Red4EdNC initiatives, local tee shirt printer Cotton Gin Printing & Graphics has your gear.
One Good Thing: It’s not uncommon to see swarms of honeybees this time of year. If you have one in your yard or nearby, no need to call pest control, and definitely don’t spray pesticides. The bees are actively looking for a new hive and mean no ill will. What can you do? Call a beekeeper friend or a Mecklenburg County Beekeeper from their swarm removal list. Several Matthews residents are on the list, so you can even keep them local! Honeybees can travel and pollinate vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees as far as two miles from their hive, so even if they’re no longer in your yard they may come back and thank you for the rescue.