Morning Minute: Tuesday, February 12, 2019

News About Town:  Matthews Playhouse, in conjunction with the Town Parks & Recreation Department, and the Charlotte Post, are putting on a special performance of “Sweet Jenn” February 23rd at 7:30 pm. The play was awarded Festival Favorite at The Atlanta Black Theatre Festival in October 2018 and tells the poignant story of Jenny Butler, an emancipated woman in the antebellum south. Tickets are $5 and are on sale now. 

News Around Town:  ​Have you ever had a sudden urge to play the piano, learn Finnish, or master excel spreadsheets? Lucky for you, all of that information - and so much more - is available at your fingertips through the library! Hit up the library’s e-resources and check out eBooks from Overdrive and Hoopla, online courses from Lynda and Universal Class, and enough knowledge databases to keep you busy learning for at least a hundred years.

One Fun Question: Every once in a while fun topics come up around Beacon HQ, and we wonder what our readers think. Recently we were discussing the ability to watch the Board of Commissioners meetings online.

Morning Minute: Wednesday, February 6, 2019

News About Town: Monday, February 11 the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resource Department will host a workshop with MSW Robert Hughes on the “Seven Habits for Parents.” The workshop draws from Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits for Effective Families” among other resources. If you (like some Beacon writers) feel like you could use some more tools in your parenting toolbox, registration is $10 for Matthews residents and is open now on the Parks & Rec website.

News Around Town: Many of us leave limbs and bagged leaves at the curb for waste pick up. If pick up is delayed or if you have more yard waste than the town’s service collects (20 bags per week), you can take it to Compost Central (140 Valleydale Rd., Charlotte). This Mecklenburg County facility accepts leaves, grass clippings, and brush (should be unbagged or in clear or paper bags); clean pallets less than 5' in length; limbs and bamboo less than 5' in length; and logs over 5 inches in diameter. Curbside collection will not accept logs over five inches diameter. Other no-nos include food waste; yard waste with items contaminated with paint, plastic, or metal; tree stumps, large root balls, sod, or dirt. Root balls smaller than a basketball are acceptable.

One Fun Thing: This one is so much fun we posted a full article about it, so mark your calendar. Join Tony Lombardino and Backyard Bird store owner Laurie Horne on Saturday, February 9, 2019, at 8:00 AM, for a bird walk at Colonel Francis Beatty Park. Bring binoculars, a camera, and be ready to learn a few things. Tony has led many bird walks at the Rockefeller University Field Research Center and knows the unique spots for interesting finds around the park.

Morning Minute: Wednesday, January 23, 2019

News About Town: It feels a little early to think about summer, but registration opens Friday, February 1, for Park and Rec Summer Camps. With a full array of camps for kids ages 4-16 and relatively affordable tuition, these camps fill up fast. Themes include arts, science, design, and even magic; there’s something for every interest. See the brochure for more information.

News Around Town: The Stronghaven paper storage warehouse at 433 E John St. has been shuttered. The original brick warehouse was built in 1960 and the metal addition was constructed in the early 80s. The building is a holding space for rolls of blank paper, soon to be sent to the Stronghaven factory on Monroe Road where it is made into boxes for national brands such as Build-a-Bear and Dominos.We have no further details on the closing, aside from the sign on the door from the Fire Marshal posted Tuesday morning.

One Fun Thing: Mark your calendar for the next HAWK meeting, Tuesday, February 5. Kim O'Shea, beekeeper, archaeologist and master gardener will change the way you see bees. Her own videos and photos provide a unique glimpse into the way bees interact with their surroundings. Kim will explain methods for gardening for and with bees through year-round sustainable practices. 7 p.m. at the Community Center.