Morning Minute: Friday, March 22, 2019

News About Town:  Monday night’s council meeting will see the introduction of a new, especially furry member of Matthews Police Department as the town welcomes a new police canine. The council is also expected to approve retiring police pup Castor’s sale to his human partner, Officer Kevin Osuch, for the sum of $1. Castor has served Matthews for more than seven years and is surely looking forward to a relaxing retirement. They’re good dogs, Matthews.

News Around Town: For the flower lovers (and growers) out there, according to Renfrow Farms we’re smack dab in the middle of peak tulip season. With another week of tulips blooming here in Matthews, this is your chance to get locally grown ones either at the Farmer’s Market or Renfrow Hardware.

One Good Thing: If you like ukulele lady perhaps you’d like to be a ukulele person too? The Music Makers (Kathy and Justin) are starting a 10 week Beginners Ukulele course at the Community Center starting Thursday, March 28. Join the fun, learn some tunes, and strum your way to musical confidence

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of March 11 through March 15, 2019.

News About Town {updated}: Matthews police have identified the body found on East John St. as Mr. Shawn Antonio Horton (DOB – 07/14/1972) of Charlotte, NC. His body was found in a ditch on the 1800 block of E. John Street (the outer side of John St. past I-485). A damaged silver and purple Huffy bicycle was found nearby. The victim seems to have died several weeks ago. As police piece together Mr. Horton’s last few days, they’re asking for tips and leads. If you have any, call Matthews Police Department at 704-847-5555.

News About Town: Last night’s council meeting, in the absence of Mayor Paul Bailey, was led by Mayor Pro Tem John Higdon. It was a rapidly moving meeting with lots of Town business covered, though perhaps most surprising was regarding the recent land-clearing on Monroe Road for Residences Galleria, a 250-unit apartment complex to be built across from Family Dollar. During the rezoning process, the developer and nearby residents agreed upon specific areas for tree save. This week as land clearing began, approximately 200 trees marked to be saved were cut down. Taft Development Group is facing a $50,000 zoning violation fine from the Town and will pay a self-imposed fine of $100,000 in addition. Taft will also plant trees approximately 6-inches in diameter when construction is complete to repopulate the tree save area.

News About Town: According to the Town website, the Trade Street widening at the culvert (where Trade forks off to Weddington and Pleasant Plains) is supposed to be complete this spring. At Monday night’s Council meeting, NCDOT representative Stuart Basham provided updates and a revised completion date. Currently, the contractor, Blythe Construction, has increased the size of the crew but is incurring liquidated damages of $1,000 per day. According to Stuart, the project is expected to be completed by Labor Day.

News About Town: During the NCDOT updates at the Monday Council meeting, some conversation centered on the John St. Widening. Even the Town has been formulating their own approach, NCDOT has continued moving forward with design from Matthews to Monroe. According to Mayor Bailey, NCDOT and the Town are on the same page to delay construction on the portion from I-485 to Trade. The part of John St from I-485 eastward will continue with design and ROW acquisition. Now the Town must present this preference to the CRTPO (the municipal governing body for Charlotte area transportation) to amend the official STIP (a scheduled list of funded transportation projects). It’s a bureaucratic process to change the NCDOT budget in order to delay the downtown Matthews section.

News About Town: Matthews residents have a new park option. The playground equipment at Rice Road Park, a 9.5 acre parcel at 2530 Rice Road, has been installed and is ready for play! The work recently finished, Phase I, included driveway access into the park, an on-site walking trail, one sidewalk connection from Rice Road into the park, playground facilities, parking lot, lighting, benches, and picnic tables, as well as landscaping. According to the Town’s Facebook page, Phase II of the park will include a picnic shelter, additional seating, and enhanced natural areas around the walking trail.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

This #FiveForFriday Morning Minute News Round Up is for the week of March 4 through March 8, 2019.

News Around Town: Gov Roy Cooper appointed Donald Cureton to Judicial District 26 (Mecklenburg County) on February 28. Judge Cureton, an incumbent who lost his District 26A seat to Judge Paulina Havelka in November, fills the seat vacated by Judge Louis A. Trosch, Jr. Judge Trosch now serves the Superior Court of NC.

News About Town: Child Passenger Safety Seat Technicians will perform a safety check for children’s car seats tomorrow, March 6, at the Matthews Police Station, 1201 Crews Road. From 8 a.m until 11:30 a.m. certified technicians will check seat installation for free, no appointment necessary. Bring the vehicle, seat, and child, if possible. The process will take about 20 minutes. If you can’t make it on the 6th, Safe Kids Char-Meck provides this service every other week in Matthews.

One Good Thing: One Good Thing: According to SafeHomes.org, Matthews ranks as the seventh safest city in North Carolina. Admittedly not a well-known website, the site used what appears to be a comprehensive methodology to arrive at their list. We know the Police Department is continually striving to provide a safe town for Matthews and it shows. Congratulations are in order!

News About Town: At Monday’s Town Council Meeting, the Council will have a Public Hearing regarding a change to the Unified Development Ordinance. This change is to the  Approved Tree List and Shrub List (Zoning Motion 2019-1). Changes to the list include the addition of several native species of trees, shrubs, vines, and groundcovers and the exclusion of the most invasive species, such as Chanticleer pears, a cousin to the shallow-rooted, ornamental Bradford pears commonly planted throughout subdivisions of the 70s and 80s.

News About Town: As we indicated yesterday morning, the Monday (March 11) night Board of Commissioner’s meeting agenda is available online.  Items of note include allocating funds for Conceptual Downtown Streetscape Design Work (approved at the last meeting for the amount of $41,250.00), as well as the formal initiation of Zoning Motion 2019-2 to rezone the Stronghaven warehouse property on John Street and Brigman property in the ENT District. There will also be updates on NCDOT projects, Red Brick Partnership, and Republic Services (the Town’s solid waste provider).

Morning Minute: Thursday, January 17, 2019

News About Town: This morning at 7 a.m. the Economic Development Advisory Council will meet. On the agenda: EDAC will continue to discuss open broadband for the town, installing murals with funds from facade grants, and a Matthews-based website built in partnership with developer Lat Purser, the Matthews Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Matthews. 

Image via Wikipedia (Creative Commons)

News Around Town:  Started in 1982, The North Carolina Botanical Garden and the Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. created the North Carolina Wildflower of the Year program. This year’s flower, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, is a tenacious little plant commonly known as narrow-leaf mountain-mint. A pungent, natural insect repellent, but a friend to native bees, mountain mint grows easily in Matthews. Look for plants at the Farmers Market this spring and at the Renfrow Farms plant sale later in the year.

One Fun Thing:  Did you know, when you give to the Arts and Science Council you’ll receive a Connect with Culture Card? Show your card when you purchase tickets to the Matthews Playhouse shows and receive BOGO for regular priced adult admission (limited to Opening Weekend only). More details here.