News About Town: The Town of Matthews Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resource Department is hosting a Menorah Lighting Thursday, December 26. All are welcome to join in the special ceremony, lighting a new outdoor menorah in front of the Community Center. The event starts at 5:30 pm will also have Chanukah sand art, a photo op with Judah the Maccabee, and, of course, chocolate Chanukah "Gelt." This year, Chanukah begins the evening of Sunday, December 22 and ends the evening of Monday, December 30.

News Around Town: Have guests in town for the holidays? Skip the mall and enjoy Black Friday with the Matthews Heritage Museum, 232 N. Trade Street. Open next Friday, November 29 (and Saturday, November 30) from 10 to 4:30 pm, enjoy a tour or the current exhibit, The House with a Heart, 40th Anniversary of the HELP Center.

One Good Thing: National Adoption Day brings awareness to the more than 125,000 children in the United States in foster care, more than 20,000 of whom will age out of the foster care system without being adopted. Learn about adoption and celebrate National Adoption Day this Saturday, November 23 (starting at 9:00 am), in the Mecklenburg County Courthouse (832 East Fourth Street, Charlotte). District Court Judge Elizabeth Thornton-Trosch, will preside over the presentation, recognizing 90 youth adopted between October 2018 and September 2019 through various area adoption agencies.