News About Town: We discussed tonight’s council meeting on the Morning Minute this past Friday. This evening at 5:30, prior to the regular meeting, Commissioners will meet to discuss zoning for the box supply storage warehouse on East John St. (433 East John St., zoned I-1 Light Industrial). Currently there is no zoning action filed with the town for the property. The property owner, Hood Container Corp., is currently redesigning the entrance and loading docks toward the Charles St side of the property.

The meeting is scheduled to give councilmembers a chance to learn about taking action on “straight zoning” (no conditions associated with the zoning code) properties within Matthews.

News Around Town: The Snow and ice felled trees all over Matthews yesterday causing accidents and power outages. Duke Energy reports thousands in Matthews and more than 51,000 people without power in Mecklenburg County. Duke Energy has around 9,000 employees prepared to resolve power issues. Fallen trees were reported on Courtney Lane, Sam Newell, Matthews Township Parkway, and Rice Road. A tree that fell on John Street caused a vehicular crash that resulted in the death of the driver and minor injuries for the passenger.

One Fun Thing: With the holidays in full swing we’ve been in the mood to give gifts. Friday we announced a giveaway for Facebook friends: a 2019 calendar (made with illustrations by Beacon co-founder Renee), a Beacon mug for use specifically while catching up with your favorite Matthews news, and a laser-cut snowflake ornament that delicately catches the light just so. Stay tuned for another giveaway coming up later this week for newsletter readers!