For our readers celebrating Simchat Torah, “Chag Sameach!”

News About Town:  The leaves are falling, and with that comes some tidying up unless you want to leave them for the critters. Let this be your annual reminder for yard waste: the county has guidelines for yard waste curb collection. Please be courteous to neighbors and don’t block the sidewalk or street. If you can, bag leaves and smaller sticks in heavy-duty paper bags available specifically for yard waste. These bags can go straight into the composting piles at Compost Central, eliminating single-use plastic waste. Plastic bags should be clear, or the top must remain open so waste collectors can see the contents. Bags must weigh less than 50 pounds each, and there is a 20 bag limit per week per residence. Have branches trimmed shorter than 4 feet long and less than 5 inches thick — stack limbs in small piles for easy collection.

News Around Town: The 2019 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) rated Novant Matthews a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality. Leaders are service providers that received a perfect rating in a voluntary survey, which analyzed criteria such as sexual orientation and gender identity non-discrimination policies for patients and employees. Twelve of the 24 NC Leaders are Novant Hospitals. In total, 680 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2019 survey.

One Good Thing: Saturday, November 2, the Matthews Appearance and Tree Advisory Committee has an opportunity for you to use that upper body strength for more than curling pints. Join the group at Squirrel Lake Park from 8-noon to pull invasive weeds and give the native flora a fighting chance. The event is open to all ages and is an excellent activity for families, schools, scout troops, and anybody else who likes the outdoors! Bring some gloves, a bottle of water (refills available at the park water fountain), and any tools you want to use. Questions? Contact Debbie at fostdebbie@gmail.com.

Bonus Bite: We’ve got two pairs of tickets to the Haunted Trail! Want to win? Comment on our Facebook post with your favorite Halloween costume idea. Bonus points if you include pics.