Morning Minute: Friday, February 8, 2019

News About Town:  Monday, February 11 is the first Board of Commissioners meeting for February.  As it’s the first meeting of the month the Board will focus on Planning and Zoning business for much of the meeting. Other items of interest include reports from the Mecklenburg Education Advisory Committee, Tree & Appearance Committee and the Historical Preservation Committee. Of note on the Consent Agenda (a list of items on which the Board generally votes ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ as a group) is the Budget Adoption Schedule for Fiscal Year 2019-2020. If you’re curious about how the Town will address new property tax valuations, the meetings on that schedule might be worth attending.

News Around Town: “Tank Town: A Good Place to Live” opens next week (February 16) at the Matthews Heritage Museum, 232 N. Trade Street. On display will be a year’s worth of research and findings about Crestdale, a portion of Matthews formerly known as Tank Town. The area, settled by freed slaves and post-Civil War freedmen. Learn how the area was settled by former slaves and freedmen after the Civil War, about the segregated schools, and the significant community organizations of the neighborhood.
Open Thursday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entry fee: $4 for adults, $2 for children 10 to 17, and Free under 10.  The first Saturdays of the month are free.

One Good Thing: This Sunday, February 10, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bright Blessings will hold their annual Baby Shower and Open House. Members of the community are welcome to drop in and learn more about Bright Blessings’ work serving homeless and impoverished children, in particular their Bless-a-Baby program. Attendees may also partake in refreshments, games, and service projects. Donations will be collected for Bless-a-Baby, which must be new and unused: Diaper bags, Bottles (8 oz minimum), Hooded Baby Towels, 0-3 month outfits, and 0-3 month onesies. Bright Blessings is located at 1150 Crews Rd, Suite C, in Matthews.

Morning Minute: Monday, January 14, 2019

News About Town:  Matthews Police officers Detective Chris Duryee and Officer Dustin Ay work hard for the Town. After completing more than 900 hours of continuing education both men received their Advanced Law Enforcement Certificates. 

Photo courtesy Matthews Police Department

News Around Town:  The Federal Transit Authority awarded The City of Charlotte a $920,000 grant for planning the proposed LYNX Silver Line. The Silver Line, a CATS project, is a light rail extension from Gaston County through Matthews to Union County. The budget for the total project is expected to be $1 billion.

One Fun Thing:  There are just a few more days to check out “Christmas Past” at the Matthews Heritage Museum. The show of early- to mid-century Christmas decor runs through January 19.

The People of Downtown Matthews: Resolution Edition

A few familiar faces from Downtown Matthews shared their thoughts and hopes for 2019:

"I don't really ever make New Year's resolutions. If I need to fix it, I do it then and there. I'm grateful and thankful, every day. Every year."

~David Blackley, Owner, Renfrow Hardware

"To continue to serve the community of Matthews through celebration of local history."

~Barbara Taylor, Director, Matthews Heritage Museum

"Mine is basically to spend more time with my kids (who live in Florida)."

~Derry Poulos, Server, Seaboard Brewing

Morning Minute: October 25, 2018

News About Town: Have you voted yet? Early Voting for the 2018 Elections continues at the Matthews Library this week. Voters are coming out this year with turnout approximately two times 2014 totals after 5 days of voting. Polls will be open daily until November 3. Check the Board of Elections website for hours.

News Around Town: The Matthews Heritage Museum, 232 North Trade Street, recently opened a new holiday-themed exhibit. “Christmas Past” displays holiday ornaments, books and memorabilia from the early to mid-twentieth century. Tour the museum and warmly embrace the nostalgia of Christmas past. The exhibit closes January 19, 2019. Admission is $4 per person, $2 for ages 11-17, children 10 and under are free.

One Fun Thing:  The Loyalist, 435 North Trade Street #102, is celebrating their One Year Anniversary this Saturday from noon until 9 PM. To celebrate they’re offering discounts on cheese and charcuterie boards, $1 off drafts and wine by the glass, and raffling off a year of free cheese (tickets are $5). Raffle proceeds will be donated to the The Joe Martin ALS Foundation.

Little Free Libraries

The Chopas Family’s Blessing Box. Photo by Cyma Shapiro

Dotted throughout Matthews, you can find about ½ dozen small house-style boxes on stilts proudly displaying free books for the taking.  Called “Little Free Library” boxes or little book boxes, owners report many reasons for building and displaying their boxes - some love books and reading, others find commonality with other readers and still others feel they are contributing to a greater sense of community in and around their neighborhood.

Among the Matthews boxes we found include:

• 1718 Privette Road

• 2140 Greenbrook Pkwy

• 125 Edgeland (empty)

• 1042 Kensrowe Lane

• 232 North Trade Street

For the Chopas Family (Privette Road), their book box was a way to share with the neighbors, promote literacy and give back to the cul de sac which had embraced them when they first arrived in Matthews three years ago. “This was a ‘Hallmark’ neighborhood,” said Debbie Chopas.  “They embraced us when our baby was born…..this was (intended) to keep the thread of meeting moving forward.”

Passionate about literacy, Debbie added that they also wanted to compliment the local library by encouraging reading throughout the summer. “Reading is the most valuable tool we can foster with this generation,” she said. “It’s a lost art. I wanted to help instill it in (children).”

To sweeten the goodies inside and continue paying it forward, the Chopas have combined purposes, by also calling it a “Blessing Box” –  and have chosen to add magazines, puzzles and other surprises for the takers.

Julie Tippett’s Little Free Library was a Christmas gift. Photo by Cyma Shapiro

The Little Free Library box was a 2016 Christmas present for Julie Tippett (Lightwood Road).  “I wanted it because I love my neighborhood,” she said noting that in neighborhoods like hers, with large lots and space between houses, she “wanted to do something so that we would have some form of community.”

“I wanted it because I love my neighborhood,” she said noting that in neighborhoods like hers, with large lots and space between houses, (I) wanted to do something so that we would have some form of community.”

“I love to read and loved reading out loud to my children (as they grew up),” said Julie. “(So) I love the fact that kids come by and get books….If I can put a book in the hands of a mom to read to her children,” Julie said, she will feel like the box and her endeavor has “served a purpose.”

And, what will she do when she moves away? “When I buy my next house at the beach, I will be sure to put a box up there, too!”  

Tina Marlowe’s library has been a labor of love. Photo by Tina Marlowe

To Tina Marlowe (Kensrowe Lane), her Little Free Library box of four years has been a “labor of love.”  “Literacy is our passion,” said Tina, “so sharing the joy of reading is so much fun!”A former volunteer tutor for elementary age children, her box combines purpose and intent. Tina purchases adult/children/teen books from Goodwill, The Book Rack, and book consignment shops around the area.  “Children’s books are my priority (and) the reason for our Little Free Library journey,” said Tina. “This has truly been a labor of love.”

“Children’s books are my priority (and) the reason for our Little Free Library journey. This has truly been a labor of love.”

The most public of Matthews’ book boxes is firmly visible and ensconced in front of Matthews Heritage Museum (232 N. Trade Street) – a joint effort between townspeople and the museum, it was built to “serve Matthews citizens in different ways when (the museum) wasn’t open to the public,” said museum Director Barbara Taylor. Originally intended to offer historical fiction/nonfiction, the box is well stocked with books of all types, now.  “(The box has allowed us to) have (another) successful interaction with the public,” she said.

The first Little Free Library was built in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, WI. He mounted a wooden container designed to look like a one-room schoolhouse (hence, the design) and filled it with books as a tribute to his mother, who was a book lover and school teacher. In 2012, the Little Free Library became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The original goal was to create 2,150 Little Libraries, a number which would surpass the number of libraries founded (and funded) by Scottish businessman and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. As of November 2016, there were 50,000 registered Little Free Libraries worldwide, with a significant amount located in the United States.

Like other public bookcases, anyone passing by a box can take a book to read or leave one for someone else to find. The organization relies on volunteers to construct, install, and maintain book exchange boxes. For a book exchange box to be registered and legally use the Little Free Library brand name, volunteers must purchase a Library box kit or a charter sign which reads, “Little Free Library” and displays an official charter number.

At present, there are several hundred Little Free Libraries in North Carolina; six are shown as registered in Matthews. There are countless additional boxes which have not been registered.

Little Free Library Stats

3 out of 4 people report they’ve read a book they normally would not have read because of a Little Free Library

73% of people say they’ve met new neighbors because of a Little Free Library

92% of people say their neighborhood feels like a friendlier place because of a Little Free Library