#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the news week of March 2 through March 6, 2020.

News Around Town: The Census is coming, Make sure you’re counted. Starting March 12, fill out the form online, by phone, or by mail. The results produce a snapshot of America—one that determines how congressional seats are divvied up and how state and federal dollars are distributed.

News About Town: Did you hear the daffodils whispering that it’s a good time to sow peas? Did you know, it’s a general gardening rule that forsythia blooms when it’s time to plant lettuce? Turns out there’s something to old farm lore and the kinds of observations that make a correlation between plants. It’s called Phenology, the study of periodic plant and animal life cycles and their interaction with variations in climate and seasonal changes. Sow your seeds, the flowers are giving their permission.

News About Town: If you’ve noticed the bare landscape around I-485 and John Street, it’s part of the I-485 express lanes project. NCDOT has planned improvements for the interchange. The I-485 Express Lanes project will add one express lane (an optional toll lane with congestion-based rates) in each direction along I-485 between I-77 and Independence Boulevard. The project also includes a new interchange at Weddington Road. Learn more here.

News About Town: The proposed LYNX Silver Line, a 26-mile-long light rail corridor with 28 stations, will connect Matthews to downtown Charlotte, the airport, and to Belmont in the west. Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is hosting a public meeting at Matthews Town Hall on Tuesday, March 10 at 7:00 pm to kickoff the Pre-Project Development portion of the project. The meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the Silver Line design, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), and Rail Trail (a parallel cycling/pedestrian-focused trail) opportunities.

News About Town: The March 9 Board of Commissioners meeting agenda is available online. Item 14 A includes a list of items discussed at the recent Planning Conference. These are items and actions that the Board expressed interest in pursuing and may or may not come up during the remainder of the 2020/21 term. Items include collaborating with UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, pursuing additional park space as it may become available, and exploring land acquisition for a future fire station.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week including December 16 through 20, 2019.

News Around Town: The Student Government (SGA) at Butler High School recently raised funds for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. SGA partnered with Butler’s Key Club, National Honor Society, the school’s baseball and softball teams, local businesses and the greater community to achieve the honor of being the first CMS school to reach the $10,000 goal.

The funds will help four-year-old Sophia, who is battling an autoimmune disorder, take a trip to Disney. The SGA is also giving Sophia a princess experience at Butler (which will include a carriage ride) at the school this Friday, January 20, at 1:45 pm.

News

News About Town: The next Board of Commissioners meeting will be held on January 13 at 7 pm at Town Hall. This will be a regular board meeting and will have rezoning actions, including several deferred from December 9. Board of Commissioners (also known as Town Council) meetings are held the second and fourth Mondays of every month at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 232 Matthews Station Street. These meetings are open to the public and there is a public comment period near the beginning of each meeting. To speak, each individual is entitled to four minutes on any topic and must sign up on the sheet is in the lobby before the meeting to address the board.

News Around Town: In November, John LeGrand,principal at Butler High School, was promoted within CMS to executive director of the Central 2 Learning Community. This week CMS named Vincent Golden as the new principal for Butler. Vincent has 13 years of experience with CMS, most recently as principal for Northridge Middle School.

News About Town: Inspired by the Love Matthews campaign, artist Tom Risser created a new sculpture for the Town of Matthews. The newly installed sculpture is located near the railroad parking lot and Seaboard. The artwork, welded in stainless steel, is a fanciful depiction of the word "love." Take a tour of three of Tom's sculptures in Matthews, starting with "Public Display of Affection" in Stumptown Park. Then follow Trade Street to the new Love sculpture, and end at KP Park (320 E. Matthews St.) for the horse sculpture he created in memory of Kay Plyler, the former Town of Matthews Assistant Town Manager.

News About Town: The Matthews Gives Back campaign ended on December 13, and Town Hall was transformed into a temporary toy store with rows of tables stacked with toys. The gift drive allowed 75 families a place to shop for holiday gifts, serving 172 children in the community. The drive was a partnership among Matthews organizations, including the Town of Matthews, Matthews Police, the HELP Center, Matthews Kiwanis, Butler Dream Team, and Matthews United Methodist.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week including December 2 through 6, 2019.

One Good Thing: This Saturday, December 7, at 10 am, Greater Matthews Habitat invites you to join them to celebrate the completion of the 2019 Faith BUILD home. Committed to making sure everyone has an affordable and safe place to live, the newest Habitat home belongs to Moulay and Samia. It is the 108th Habitat-built home in the Matthews area.

News Around Town: If you're new in town, have family visiting, or simply want to get to know Matthews better, pick up the second annual "Welcome to Matthews" community guide. If you can't find a hard copy (they're available at Town Hall in the foyer, at the Chamber of Commerce, and a few other locations), you can also view it online. In the guide, you'll find new places to explore and resources for everyday living.

News Around Town: Craft store AC Moore will close up shop in 2020, after 34 years in business. The craft store giant cites being unable to compete with online retailers as its reason for pulling out of brick and mortar operations. Michael’s will take over stores and hire employees in markets where their brand is not represented; this is presumably not the case in Matthews, with a Michael’s in Sycamore Commons and an AC Moore in neighboring Windsor Square.

News Around Town: This week, Butler High School announced the retirement of Cierra Burdick's jersey. Cierra, a professional basketball player and Matthews resident, led the Bulldogs to the state championship in 2010. She responded to the news via Twitter, "Earlier today, Butler announced they'll be retiring my jersey. Five minutes ago, I nearly injured myself trying to open a jar of pickles. Life comes at you fast, people."

News Around Town: NCDOT, the City of Charlotte, and the Town of Matthews are partnering to identify pedestrian safety improvements along I-74/Independence. The three agencies are studying the history of pedestrian crashes to find ways to decrease those crashes. Through the study, they hope to find ways to increase pedestrian safety. In addition, the agencies have posted a two-question online survey to learn Independence travelers' firsthand observations.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week ending November 8, 2019.

News About Town: Tickets for annual holiday festivities at the Community Center are already on sale and are moving fast. The Nutcracker runs Saturday, November 30 at 2 pm & 7 pm, and Sunday, December 1 at 3 pm (with the option to add on the Sugar Plum Party); Saturday, December 7at 2 pm & 7 pm; and Sunday, December 8: 3 pm (with the option to add on the Sugar Plum Party). Tickets for the always popular Breakfast with Santa are sold out, but you can add your name to the waiting list.

Tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Matthews Community Center, or by calling 704-321-7275.

One Good Thing: Anthony Carter Jr, the number 38 offensive guard in the country and 22nd-ranked prospect in North Carolina, from Butler High School is in talks with several prospects for college football. According to Carter, NC State, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Michigan State are all possibilities.

News About Town: Sigh of relief, everyone, the 2019 election cycle is finally over! John Higdon wins the mayoral race with 53.59% of the vote. Incumbent commissioners Jeff Miller, Barbara Dement, and John Urban won reelection. They’ll be joined on the dais by Larry Whitley, Dave Bland, and our own Renee Garner, who earned the highest number of votes among commissioner candidates. Congratulations to our new representatives!

News Around Town: This past Monday, November 4, Matthews Animal Control caught a sick raccoon on the Four Mile Creek Greenway near East John Street. The raccoon tested positive for rabies. As of September (the most recent Mecklenburg Health Department report), there have been 11 confirmed animal cases of rabies. In 2018, there were 15 cases total.

News Around Town: Many businesses are offering extra discounts and freebies for veterans on Monday, November 11. Applebees, Golden Corral, IHOP, Texas Roadhouse, and Cici’s Pizza (among many others) are offering a free meal to veterans with an official ID. (Conditions vary, double-check before you go.) BJ’s Wholesale, Publix, Rack Room, Walgreens, and Home Depot have special discounts for veterans this Monday. Check the Department of Veteran Affairs’ list of discounts; we’ll keep an eye out for local businesses offering specials as well.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round-Up is for the week including September 30 through October 4, 2019.

News Around Town: Butler High School Principal John LeGrand was recently named Southeast Learning Community Principal of the Year. Now in his sixth year at Butler, LeGrand was principal at Bain Elementary before moving to Butler.

News About Town: This past Saturday, September 28, the Town, Matthews United Methodist Church, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the American Legion, Edward Jones Investments (Desi Dufresne), and Matthews Habitat for Humanity’s Tim Long worked together to collect difficult-to-dispose-of waste. {Town staff showed up in force with members of the Fire Department, Animal Control, and civilian members of both the Police and Fire Departments present.} Many hands made light work, and the crew collected 7,000 pounds of paper, over 2,200 pounds of electronics, and 73 American flags to be retired. Two driving forces organized the event, which kept thousands of pounds of waste out of the landfill: Ron Davis and Corporal James Flack, both of the Matthews Police Department. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to make the event a huge success!

News About Town: The Matthews Mayoral Primary early voting is ongoing at the library through Friday, then election day is October 8 at your regular polling location. If you’re interested in learning about the General Election candidates (including the two remaining mayoral candidates), attend one of the several upcoming forums. The first, October 10 at the Levine Senior Center, is hosted by Matthews Mint Hill Weekly (love you gals!) from 6 to 8 pm. The Matthews Women’s Club Service League is hosting a forum at the Community Center on October 15 at 7 pm. Several communities are hosting forums for their residents as well, including Plantation Estates and Polo Club.

News About Town: If you visit the Matthews PD’s Facebook page you’ll notice a slightly different badge as a profile image. Their profile shows a department badge with pink lettering in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Remember the tee shirts from last year?) According to the CDC, breast cancer is the second most common cancer for women (first is skin cancer). NC women have a 1-in-8 chance of developing breast cancer.

News About Town: If you haven’t noticed, Trade Street construction has been moving a little faster lately, and just in time for the Friday morning commute, NCDOT is shifting the traffic pattern. The shift will allow Blythe Development crews to complete structure and roadway work. Eventually, Blythe will widen that portion of Trade Street to four lanes. A concrete median will extend from Weddington Rd. to just past Brenham, preventing left turns to and from Brenham Ln. NCDOT did not release an end date for the traffic shift.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of September 23 through 27, 2019.

News Around Town: Yesterday afternoon, motorcyclists from all over NC rode in a fundraiser to benefit North Carolina State Trooper Christopher Wooten. Officer Wooten was paralyzed from the neck down when his motorcycle was struck by another vehicle while he was on duty. The benefit run, a 50 mile escorted ride, started at zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC, and finished at Independence Harley Davidson in Matthews. Those who witnessed the procession stated it was miles long.

News About Town: At last night’s Board meeting, the council discussed locks on the bathroom doors at area parks. At the end of FY19, funds for programmable locks accidentally rolled back into the general fund. The budget amendment at the board meeting would recover those funds for use by Park and Rec. The locks have already been purchased and for installation in three park restroom doors. The locks cost $3,964 and can be controlled remotely by both police and park employees, minimizing the need for police to perform the task. If the locks function well, the town plans to replace the remainder of the park facility bathroom locks.

News About Town: Thanks to Volkswagen's shady practices, Matthews may cash in on some benefits from a grant in the settlement the company made with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). On Monday night, the Board approved Public Works the Fire Department to send in a proposal application for the replacement of older, diesel-powered vehicles and equipment. The two departments will apply for a grant that will cover 25% of the total cost to purchase four pieces of equipment that need replacing: an excavator, front end loader, dump truck, and rescue truck. Because the grant is a reimbursement, the upfront cost for the town is expected to be $1,070,000, with a reimbursement of around $267,500. After the grant, the calculated financial impact for the town would be approximately $802,500.

News About Town: Town staff has been working on a Reduced Continuous Flow Intersection design to replace the Partial Continuous Flow Intersection at John St. and Highway 51. The design was presented during Monday night’s meeting. The Board decided the designs need further consideration before an approval is made.

News About Town: Charlotte-based D3 Construction will soon begin renovation improvements to the Matthews Police Station. As the lowest bidder, D3’s quote came in at $75,566.00. The upgrades, included as a line item in the Capital Improvements 2019/20 budget, were approved by the Town Council at the September 23 meeting. The project will focus on an enhanced level of security to our employees and visitors by closing off the bathrooms, including a hallway between building sections, a secured entry point to administrative offices, closing off of the Records Section with a security glass partition, and the addition of an interview room for walk-in complaints.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round-Up is for the week including September 9 through 13, 2019.

News About Town: It’s time for another Town Council meeting. On the agenda is a Proclamation for making the week of September 17 Constitution Week, a few rezoning items, and the possible addition of two more speed/ message board trailers for the Police Department. The Board will, once again, consider revitalization projects through tourism dollars in preparation for the 2020 Republican National Convention.

News About Town: Matthews Police have issued an alert for a missing child. Talayeh Diann Joel (DOB - 08/14/2003), was last seen in the 2500 block of Fitzpatrick Ln. on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at approximately 11:00 p.m. She is 5’ 3” tall, about 110 lbs, with brown eyes and brown, curly shoulder length hair. She may be wearing tie-dyed Crocs.

Update on yesterday’s missing person report: Talayeh Joel has been safely found. Matthews teen Vanessa Romero, last seen one week ago today, is still missing.

News Around Town: After a two-year campaign, Congressional District 9 has a new representative. North Carolina lawyer and State Senator Dan Bishop will be singing Bye Bye Bye to the NC General Assembly all the way to Washington.

Image via NC Historic Sites website.

News Around Town: In honor of September 11, Hemby Bridge firefighter Tyler Kaul took to the Brace YMCA Stairmaster. Kaul dressed in full turnout gear to climb 120 floors, representing the number of stories climbed by emergency responders in NYC on 9/11.

Image via Brace YMCA Facebook

News About Town: On July 6, 2019, at approximately 1:10 am, Matthews police officers responded to a shooting at Paces Commons Apartments. Jonathan Swierski of Monroe died on the scene, resulting from a gunshot wound. Since then, the Criminal Investigations Division investigated the incident and released a determination today that no charges will be filed. The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office agreed that no charges should be filed.

According to police, the evidence showed the gun discharged during a physical altercation among several people. Evidence and corroborating witnesses provided insufficient proof whether this individual ever intentionally pointed the gun at anyone.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week including September 3 through 6, 2019.

News Around Town: We reported two weeks ago to be careful about algae; at the time, there were no confirmed instances in Matthews. Last week it was announced that the highly-toxic cyanobacterial algal bloom was detected in the Squirrel Lake pond. It is essential to observe the “No Swimming” signs. Please keep pets out of the water.

News About Town: The Pita Kebab property sale took a sharp left when the financial schedule was put to the vote. Rather than creating a payment schedule, the Board voted 6-1 (Higdon opposed) to schedule an appraisal on the property. Currently, the town states the property could be redeveloped or become parking, but has no immediate use of the property. Council deferred the payment schedule decision until September 9.

News About Town: Jazz fans rejoice! This winter, Parks and Rec will host a Cool Vibes Winter Music Series in the Fullwood Theater at the Community Center. The cool vibes will be especially strong during the concerts when the Community Center becomes a speakeasy, with era-appropriate decor and staff dressed in 1920s apparel. No need for bathtub gin, you can purchase beer and wine. The two scheduled dates are January 10 and March 13, 2020.

News About Town: This past Tuesday evening an aggressive raccoon was reported on the 2700 block of Briar Trail Ct. (near Matthews Charter Academy). The raccoon was removed by animal control and later tested positive for rabies. So far, there have been no reports of human exposure. If you or a pet may have come into contact with the rabid rascal, call the Mecklenburg County Health Department immediately at 704-614-6512 or 704-589-3242. If your pet is not up to date on its rabies vaccine, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control offers free rabies vaccine clinics the second Saturday of every month.

According to the NC Department of Public Health, there were 14 cases of rabies in 2018, and eight confirmed cases in 2019, including a rabid cat found near Novant Hospital Matthews.

News Around Town: This news bit we're hoping is no longer relevant by publishing time. A Matthews teen is missing, and Matthews Police want your help in finding her. 15-year-old Vanessa Romero was last seen yesterday morning at her home on Ablow Dr. in Matthews.

According to the police, she is an Hispanic female, 5'08" tall, weighing approximately 200 lbs., with dark red hair, and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black tank top, a long black knit sweater, grey spandex shorts, and black air Jordan shoes with silver and pink on them. She could be in the Union County area riding in a white 2013 Honda Accord (four-door) with a North Carolina registration plate number of FJL-7670.

If you see Vanessa, please call 704.847.5555 or 911.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of August 26 - 30, 2019.

News About Town: At Monday’s Town Council meeting (August 26), the council will approve the payment of the Pita Kebab property at 131 East John St. The Board approved the purchase during a closed session of the August 5 council meeting (item 15). The acquisition is for the tax value, $1,668,000, to be paid over five years. The town has agreed to the purchase price with a 1% due diligence deposit of $16,680 and 45 days to complete. The .58 acre lot is adjacent to a town-owned parcel that is 1.072 acre (tax value $739,700). The agenda item does not describe plans for the lot, but the Downtown Master Plan includes the area in the future build-out. ETA: The Board originally voted to buy the property, but voted down moving forward with the purchase at Monday’s meeting.

News About Town: Those familiar with the speed humps on Trade at Matthews Station know the design is problematic. Last year the town hired Alta Planning + Design to tackle the intersection to make it more functional as well as safer for pedestrians. Alta presented a proposed solution with long-term plans to the Board at the meeting last night. Changes include a shorter crossing distance by adding curb extensions, hi-visibility crosswalks, and better lighting.

News Around Town: NCDOT is on a budget freeze at least in part due to Map Act lawsuits. These lawsuits deemed one of the property acquisition approaches by NCDOT to be unconstitutional. NCDOT, in the past, has claimed land for future projects without buying the property and locking landowners into ownership without the option to sell. Some property owners have been waiting for decades for NCDOT to purchase their land. Property acquisition, legal fees, and inflation could bring settlement costs in excess of $1 billion. What does that mean for Matthews? Without money, plans are delayed, including the NC 51 widening, McKee Rd. extension, and rerouting a portion of Northeast Pkwy.

News About Town: Next time you’re in downtown Matthews, check out the newly installed mural on the side of the Planet Ballroom building. The mural is a vinyl print from an original by Matthews artist Carol Hambridge, showing off the small town joys of Matthews during Matthews Alive. With hints of the festival in the background and the parade in the foreground, the phrase inscribed in the heart (“Where love grows from the heart of the American dream.”) is a nod to the original intention of the Labor Day celebration.

News About Town: Yesterday morning the Town hosted a Coffee with Commissioners at Brakeman’s on Trade St. The conversation covered a spectrum of issues including affordable housing and the status of the relationship the Commissioners have with the CMS School Board. The gathering was not all town business, as the group paused to try and picture a college-aged Mayor Pro Tem John Higdon doing aerobics.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of April 15 through April 19, 2019.

News About Town: Watch out for falling speed limits. Several roads in Matthews will have reduced speeds: Sam Newell, Charles Street, Sardis Road, and Weddington Road. Sam Newell at Crestdale Middle School will become a 25 mph school zone. Trade Street currently picks back up to 35 mph leaving town past the greenway crossing. The 25 mph limit will extend beyond the crossing to allow safer pedestrian access to and from the greenway. East Charles St is currently 35 in a portion of the road but will, instead, be 25 mph along the entire length, even after the name change to Tank Town. NCDOT suggested a change on Sardis Road to 40 mph, five mph less than the current posted limit. Speed limits on portions of Weddington Road will be reduced to 35 mph, making the length of the road 35 through to the county line. The City of Charlotte oversees this portion of the road.

News Around Town: IRS scam calls seem to be on the rise once again. One of our readers wrote and warned us about them, then several other people said they’d had the same call in the past couple of days. We asked Officer Aycock with the Matthews Police about the calls and what to do. He graciously explained. The scam starts when someone calls (Red Flag 1) saying they’re from the IRS and demand immediate payment. They usually ask for it payment to be made on a prepaid card (Red Flag 2). The IRS likes to communicate old school, via snail mail. Odds are good they’re not going to be calling. They’re also not going to tell you how to pay, they want their money and aren’t going to specify mode of delivery. Think it could be the IRS? Hang up and call the IRS yourself.

News Around Town: On the theme of continued learning, the Levine campus of CPCC (2800 Campus Ridge Rd, Matthews) is expanding their weekend course offerings, this fall. High-demand classes will be offered more frequently on weekday evenings, Fridays, and Saturdays to meet student need.

News About Town: The Town of Matthews recently purchased 11 new Cardiac Science G5 Defibrillators for the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program, thanks to a $15,000.00 grant from Novant Health. The older defibrillators these replace were heavier with outdated parts. “When Novant Health found out that we were looking at ways to start upgrading our AEDs, they immediately asked how they could help,” said Matthews Police Chief, Clark A. Pennington. “It’s such an overwhelming feeling when you have community partners that are willing to help provide lifesaving equipment to our officers. We all benefit when our officers have the best tools possible.” Novant stated it’s crucial for these machines to be available for police in emergency response roles. Accessibility and response time dramatically increase chances of survival for a person who experiences sudden cardiac arrest.

News About Town: Want to learn more about town functions and have the time to invest on a weekly basis? Matthews 101 applications should be live shortly. Matthews 101 is a 6-week course that will teach you the ins and outs of local government. You’ll tour both the police station and fire station (no comment which one is more fun), learn about municipal finances, how streets are managed and maintained, and more. The deadline to apply is August 26, and while we usually wait closer to the day-of to post things, seats for this course go quickly. Have you taken Matthews 101 and want more? The League of Women Voters provide a Civics 101 course that covers county level operations.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of May 13 through May 17, 2019.

News About Town: We’ve already mentioned the Budget Presentation and the Town’s motion to rezone several properties. The evening will be action-packed (read: long) at the Board of Commissioner’s meeting. There’s a public hearing for rezoning property adjacent to Butler High School, an update from the Planning Board followed by council members voting on (or deferring) a few rezonings, technology reimbursements, and discussion of a hairy issue about the Town taking over a private street at the residents’ request.

News About Town: Wednesday, May 15, is Peace Officers Memorial Day. Sponsored by the National Fraternal Order of Police, Peace Officers Memorial Day pays tribute to officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. John F. Kennedy signed the proclamation into law in 1962, and it has been observed nationally ever since.

News About Town: Last night the Board of Commissioners had two Public Hearings for rezonings. With Zoning Application 2019-697/Harkey the Board unanimously voted to continue the public hearing at the June 10 meeting. For the town-initiated Rezoning Motion 2019-2 (downzoning three separate parcels), the Board talked heavily about finding a compromise. Lawyers representing two of the parcels spoke and requested the town cease the motion and work with the owners for a solution.

News About Town: The Town Manager's Recommended Budget is available online. Of note is the addition four new positions in the police department, 24 firefighter positions as part of the 24-hour staffing model, and $20,000 funding for Red Brick Partnership (as of today they are not recognized in an IRS search). The public hearing for the budget will be Tuesday, May 28 at the Board of Commissioners meeting.

News Around Town: Yesterday, during their regular Thursday meeting, the Matthews Kiwanis Club presented their first-ever Community Partners in Service Grants. As one member joked, the club gave away $10,000 in 45 minutes. In truth, the club worked for several years to raise money for their foundation, which was, in turn, presented to seven local nonprofits that "serve the children & youth of our community." Club leaders also recognized the work Mark Jones and Eran Weaver put into organizing and administering the grant process. Representatives from each group were present to accept the grant and explain how the monies will benefit their organizations. The recipients are: Bright Blessings, BSA Troop 118, COS Kids, Matthews Playhouse, Sur de Charlotte, Turning Point, Inc., and ZABS Place.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of May 6 through May 10, 2019.

News Around Town: As the Highway 51 widening project moves forward, NCDOT recently sent out a postcard with a description of the updates they’re making to the design. Following the link on the postcard does not take you to the project; this is the correct link and this is the map. Some of the changes include: *

Realigned Lois St to create a signalized intersection at John, eliminating one home, and possibly the adjacent office building on West Charles. (Lois connects John and Charles near the Shell station.) *

Added a U-turn bulb on Sardis Road as an additional turn around point for those coming from the west side of Sardis Road. *

Added a smaller U-turn bulb (suitable for cars) at Deveraux. *

Added pedestrian crossover at Reid Hall Lane. *

Fullwood Lane shifted west, eliminating the home on the corner of Fullwood and 51.

News About Town: Matthews Police arrested Jeremiah Elijah Harvey this past Saturday in connection with the car theft at the Comfort Inn by Windsor Square. Harvey was one of several wanted suspects featured in the most recent Find ‘em Friday video.

News About Town: During Monday's (May 13) Board of Commissioner's meeting, the Board will hold a public hearing for three properties the Planning Department noted as "may not be appropriate from either a current or future land use perspective." These three properties under consideration include the Stronghaven warehouse on East John (I-1), the AMF Bowling Alley on Brigman Road, and a vacant parcel adjacent to the Woodspring Suites on Matthews-Mint Hill Road. The parcels are currently Industrial and Highway Business. The motion would downzone the properties to R-12 and R-15. Two properties are within the ENT zone, which calls for higher density residential than R-12 and R-15.

News Around Town: Atrium Health and the Greater Charlotte YMCA have partnered to create the Wellness on Wheels program (@WOWCLT). WOWCLT covers territory all over the greater Charlotte area and “provides health screenings, nutrition education and lifestyle management to prevent high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases” for free. The unit will stop at Mount Moriah Church (381 Crestdale Rd., Matthews) from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 16 (and the third Thursday of every month at that same time). No appointment is necessary.

News About Town: At 5:30 this Monday, prior to the regular town council meeting, Town Manager Hazen Blodgett will present his recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2019/20. Creating a municipal budget is a lengthy process that typically starts in February when individual town departments generate a budget to meet their needs. Those budgets are then submitted to the Assistant Town Manager and the Finance Director, who advise the Manager. The Town Manager, as Budget Director, creates a recommended budget to present to the Town Council. As of November 30, 2018, the town has had a vacancy in the Finance Director position.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of April 8 through April 12, 2019.

News About Town: Prior to [the April 8] BOC meeting, the Board had a special meeting in the Jordan room to hear the results of a workload analysis for the Matthews Police Department. The Center for Public Safety Management performed the analysis. CPSM's report details 74 recommendations to improve the safety and efficiency of MPD. The full report is available here. The presentation from the meeting is here.

News Around Town: As the weather warms and outdoor activities pick up, so will snake sightings. Many snakes are beneficial to have around, eating mice and other snakes. If you find one in your home or garage that needs removing, Carolina Waterfowl of Indian Trail will come to Matthews and remove it. Text and send a photo of the snake to 704-684-9247 for help.

News About Town: The Mayor and Town Council recently sent a letter to the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) asking them to amend the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to divide the Matthews portion of the NCDOT project into two portions (Trade St. to I-485 and I-485 to the Stallings line) and to delay work on the Trade to I-485 portion of John St. until after other funded and scheduled area transportation projects have been completed. Those projects include improvements to Independence Blvd., McKee Rd. Extension, Weddington Rd. I-485 ramp, among other projects. The CRTPO will vote during their April 17 meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. in Room 267 of the CharMeck Government Center (600 E 4th St, Charlotte, NC 28202).

News About Town: On March 29, Chief Clark Pennington attended a ceremony with regional community leaders to recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Mecklenburg County. Hosted by the Mecklenburg Child Abuse Prevention Team, the ceremony was well-attended by many regional community leaders.
At Monday's Council meeting, Mayor Paul Bailey proclaimed April 2019 as Child Abuse Prevention month. Heather Johnson, the Director of Operations for Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center, was at the meeting and accepted a certificate for the proclamation.
Blue pinwheel gardens have been placed at parks, schools, and homes throughout the county, with several in Matthews. The web address on the accompanying sign has links to report abuse, and local resources for both prevention and healing.

News Around Town: Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Superintendent Clayton Wilcox, in conjunction with the CMS Board of Education, decided to close schools May 1 and make the day an optional teacher workday. There will be no make up day for students. The decision came after nearly 2,000 CMS staff members opted to use May 1 as a personal leave day in order to rally in Raleigh for greater support for public education. Nearly 3,000 hourly employees may seek options from CMS so as not to be impacted by wage loss. For parents in need of child care assistance, Wilcox explained CMS “will do our best in this community to collaborate and coordinate with area partners to support our families.”

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of April 1 through April 5, 2019.

News About Town: The Great Easter Egg Expedition begins this Friday, April 5, and runs through Sunday, April 21. In the past the Town has hosted an egg hunt at Stumptown Park, but this year they’re going bigger and better by hiding several thousand eggs throughout town parks (Stumptown, Squirrel Lake, Windsor, and Sardis Parks) and Four-Mile Creek Greenway (between John Street and Chesney Glen). The eggs will contain toys and the chance to win bigger prizes if you find a Golden Egg. Consider it a town-wide game of Gamete-mon Go!

News Around Town: According to the NC Constitution Article IX, Section 7, “the clear proceeds of all penalties and forfeitures...for any breach of the penal laws of the State, shall belong to and remain in the several counties, and shall be...used exclusively for maintaining free public schools." In relation to recent news, the Article dedicates the fines incurred by Taft Family Ventures along Monroe Road to Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, rather than for replanting trees cut down within the dedicated tree save area. The voluntary fee provided by the developer (in the amount of $100,000) may be used for replanting or as the Town deems appropriate.

News Around Town: Windstream Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for financial reorganization under Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection. Operations are expected to continue as normal, and employees will continue to receive their usual pay and benefits. Windstream is one primary internet service provider for Matthews.

News About Town: The agenda is online for the Monday (April 8) Town Council Meeting. There are dogs on the agenda! At the beginning of the agenda is an introduction of retired Police K9 Castor, and later, under the Consent Agenda, the Town Council may approve the retirement of Police K9 Willow and sale to his/her handler. Also, the Entertainment District Small Area Plan Overlay is once again on the agenda.

News Around Town: Niche.com, a website dedicated to giving insight on places to live, recently unveiled their ratings of suburbs around Charlotte. Matthews received #5 for most desirable Charlotte suburb, #23 for most diverse suburb, and #10 for best suburb to raise a family in the Charlotte area.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of March 25 through March 29, 2019.

News Around Town: The ruby-throated hummingbirds are heading through the area, if not now, at least in the near future. April is really when they arrive en masse, but a few early birds are here to get the nectar. If you make your own, mix 1 part sugar to 4 parts boiling water, let cool and fill your feeders. As the weather warms and babies hatch, the newborn hummingbirds depend on insects for protein. Make sure you’re not spraying your yard and depleting their food source.

News About Town: There was no reason to doubt the Board would approve the addition of a new K9 to the Police Department, but we’re here to make sure you’re left with zero doubt whatsoever. With approval byt the Board of Commissioners, Matthews PD officially welcomes Benny, a 15-month old black lab. He is a single-purpose pup (sniffing out illegal drugs), passed his certification, and has been in action with 2 arrests under his belt!

News About Town: At Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting the board voted on facade grants for two early-twentieth-century properties on West John Street. The owner of the first property, 455 West John St., requested $2,500 toward a total exterior painting cost of $7,860. Other improvements include architectural work for an ADA compliant entry, which will be designed by Commissioner John Urban (Urban recused himself from the facade grant vote). The property owner of 501 West John Street requested $2,500 which will be used for replacement of damaged siding and repainting of the exterior.

News About Town: At Monday’s meeting the Town Council discussed ways to increase tree canopy despite short-term loss through development. Suggestions for future consideration include:
•Consider increasing required canopy percentage in certain districts.
•Commit to using allocated landscape funds to plant/maintain a set amount of trees on town-owned properties and rights-of-way.

News Around Town: On April 5 more than 300 realtors will volunteer around the Charlotte area for the 11th Annual Realtors® Care Day. The purpose of the event is to provide and repair homes for safe, affordable housing for those in need. A portion of the time will be spent in Matthews when the group partners with Habitat for Humanity Greater Matthews onsite for a new build.