Morning Minute: Wednesday, October 28, 2020

News About Town: The McKee Road Extension between Pleasant Plains and John Street has been paused while NCDOT addresses budget shortfalls. Meanwhile, the Town is pursuing Bonus Allocation (BA) dollars for underfunded projects. This past Monday night, the Board approved seeking BA dollars for the McKee Road Extension project. The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) expects to have over $26 million in BA funds to award to projects in the Charlotte region this January.

News Around Town: Bibliophiles brace yourselves—the Matthews Library will be closed for a few days. Carpet in the library will be replaced, so the space will be closed Monday, November 2, through November 11. Other branches will be open, and online options will be available for those with an immediate need to read.

Morning Minute: Tuesday, October 27, 2020

News About Town: Starting tomorrow night, October 28, between 11 pm and Thursday, October 29 at 5 am, John St. will be closed in both directions under the I-485 bridge . The closure will reoccur October 29 at 11 pm and reopen on Friday, October 30 at 5 am. Access to the interstate exit ramps will remain open, but construction underneath the bridge will prevent through traffic.

One Good Thing: Matthews Police (and police departments around the county) are participating in Cops With Locks on November 14 from 10 am to 1 pm as part of Project ChildSafe. The event, taking place at the police station (1201 Crews Road), is an opportunity for gun owners to obtain a gun lock or two while learning about the responsibilities of gun ownership.

Morning Minute: Monday, October 26, 2020

News About Town: Tonight’s Board of Commissioners meeting starts at 7 pm. A livestream of the meeting will be available via the Town of Matthews YouTube Channel, as well as Zoom. To listen live, call toll free 888-788-0099 and enter meeting ID 927 9940 8752. For the full agenda and the process for public comment, visit the town website. This meeting will be slightly different, as some commissioners will be at Town Hall and some will participate via Zoom.

News Around Town: There’s less than a week left of early voting and so far 86,318 absentee ballots have been approved by the Mecklenburg Board of Elections. Butler High School reports 7,048 early votes over the past 11 days, while another 7,070 early votes were cast at Matthews Elementary. In total 244,950 people have voted at early voting locations in Mecklenburg County. All in all, 43.1% of voters in Mecklenburg County have already voted. For some perspective (though not apples to apples), after 11 days of early voting in 2016, 166,952 early voting ballots were cast in Mecklenburg County. That same year the number of absentee ballots totaled 25,254.

One Good Thing: Drop by Matthews Fire Station 1 (236 S. Trade St.) on Saturday, October 31 from 5 pm to 8 pm, for some treats. Firefighters will have candy and fire safety materials to give out.

Another Good Thing: Today is the last day to get your application in for the CARES Act Funding Relief grants to be awarded by the Town of Matthews.

Morning Minute: Thursday, October 22, 2020

News About Town:  The Board of Commissioners meeting agenda for Monday, October 26, is available online. The Board will receive a COVID update from Emergency Operations Center Commander Rob Kinniburgh. The Board will also discuss legislative priorities to use when advocating for the town with the NC General Assembly. Corey King, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources, will also present the recommendations provided by the Parks, Rec, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board for tourism grants.

News Around Town: A handful of Matthews businesses have taken extra training for COVID safety compliance through The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association’s (NCRLA)Count On Me NC program. Included in the list are the AMF Bowling Alley, the Collective Cafe, Golden Corral, Key Signature Entertainment, the Loyalist, Mac’s Speed Shop, OHM Hotels (Holiday Inn Express & Suites Southeast - Matthews), and Tree Top Catering. If you have a concern or see a business not complying, call 311 to file a complaint with Mecklenburg County Health and Human Services.

One Good Thing: Two Good Matthews Policemen are working hard to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Donate to Officer Tim Aycock’s fundraiser here and Chief Clark Pennington’s fundraiser here.

Morning Minute: Wednesday, October 21, 2020

News About Town:  The leaves are falling so it’s time for our annual yard waste reminders—unless you want to leave the fallen leaves for the critters. Please be courteous to neighbors and don’t block the sidewalk or street with your bags. 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: COVID numbers in NC hit records this past Thursday and Friday, each day topping more than 2,500 cases. Over the past week the number of tests completed has increased as well as the percentage of positives.

One Good Thing: Once again Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist, 381 Crestdale Rd., will host drive-through COVID testing today. Atrium staff will be at the church from 8 am to 2:30 pm (October 21) offering free testing.

Morning Minute: Tuesday, October 20, 2020

News About Town: During the October 12 Board of Commissioners meeting the board approved Option 1 at the approach for NCDOT’s Bonus Allocation Funding for Greylock Extension Road. The Town was presented with three options that would allow staff to move forward with Section A, hopefully putting Matthews in a place where NCDOT would release Bonus Allocation dollars to fund the project. Option 1 puts no town funds toward the project. The extension is part of a network of connector roads planned throughout Matthews that will alleviate congestion on arterial roads.

News Around Town: Farmers, homesteaders, and amateur professional gardeners, the Matthews Community Farmers’ Market is accepting applications for the Market next season. Growers and crafters must be within a 50-mile radius of the market to meet the mission of the market. Going into its 30th season, the Matthews Community Farmers’ Market is known throughout the region and among farmers’ markets of being high-quality. Apply before January 15, 2021 for a booth next year.

Morning Minute: Monday, October 19, 2020

News About Town: The Town of Matthews received CARES Act funding to disperse to Matthews businesses impacted by COVID-19. The Town is offering grants of up to $10,000 in reimbursement funds. All funds must be spent and receipts submitted by December 18, 2020. There are limitations to the funds, so familiarize those first, then follow the instructions online to apply. Eligible applications will distributed through a lottery until available funds are exhausted. A complete grant application must be received by 12:00 pm on Monday, October 26. 

News Around Town: Early voting has started and the numbers are astounding. Butler High School reported 2,978 votes over the past 4 days, while another 2,921 have voted at Matthews Elementary. In total 98,303 people have voted at early voting locations in Mecklenburg County. Another 66,386 absentee ballots have been approved. More than twice as many people have voted at this time compared to 2016.

Morning Minute: Monday, October 12, 2020

News About Town: Two advisory board meetings are coming up this week and next. The Matthews Committee on Education (6:30 pm) and the Environmental Advisory Committee (7 pm) will meet tomorrow, October 13 via Zoom. The Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Committee meets remotely on Wednesday, October 14, at 6:30 pm, and the Transportation Advisory Committee will hold a remote meeting on Thursday, October 15, at 7 pm. The following week, on October 19, the Appearance and Tree Committee will meet at 7 pm and on Monday, October 21, the Silver Line Task Force will meet at 7 pm on Wednesday, October 23.

News Around Town: Charlotte Independence played Charleston Battery this past Saturday in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs at the Matthews Sportsplex. Charleston scored in extra time, winning the match 2-1 and will continue in the playoffs.

One Important Thing: Early voting starts this week and is available only at limited library locations. Usually the Matthews Library is an early voting location, but this year it is not. However, Mecklenburg County residents can vote at any of the 33 locations throughout the county, including Matthews Elementary School and Butler High School. Make sure you have a plan. 

Morning Minute: Friday, October 9, 2020

News About Town: Looking for something fun to do to celebrate Halloween? The Parks and Rec Department will hide a dozen plastic jack-o-lanterns all over town throughout the month of October. The Halloween Heist begins October 16 and goes through October 30. They’re hiding four each week, and it’s up to you to find them. If you do, you’ll get a $50 gift card. Find out all the finer details here.

News Around Town: Today is the deadline for eligible voters to register to vote this November. Register online on the DMV website. Voters may also register during one-stop early voting from October 15 to 31. In Matthews early voting locations are Butler High School and Matthews Elementary. Mail-in ballots can be dropped off at the Board of Elections office or delivered to an election official at a one-stop early voting site during any time that site is open for voting.

Morning Minute: Thursday, October 8, 2020

News About Town: The Board of Commissioners meeting agenda is available online. Once again, the meeting will be conducted remotely. To watch live, the meeting is available via Zoom (link here, meeting starts at 7 pm, Monday, October 12). A livestream of the meeting will also be available via the Town of Matthews YouTube Channel. To listen live, call toll free 888-788-0099 and enter meeting ID 989 1602 5713. For more information, including the process for public comment, visit the town website. One item of note is the consideration of endorsing the Cultural Diversity Committee's 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge.

One Good Thing: We can all use a little fun these days and Backyard Birds (1819 Matthews Township Pkwy #800) is providing. This Saturday, October 10, Lisa Tomkins of Carolina Heritage Nursery will have a selection of native plants for sale. She will share her expertise to help you make the best selection for your landscape. Habitat Steward, Central Carolinas Master Naturalist, and Beacon contributor Debbie LeBlanc Foster will also be at the shop. Debbie will explain the need for native plants as part of the process of certifying your yard as a wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.

Morning Minute: Wednesday, October 7, 2020

News About Town: It’s National Fire Prevention Week. The Fire Department usually wraps this week up with an open house, but this year things are looking a little different. Check out the department’s Facebook page for informative videos and important information. Hear an introduction from Fire Chief Rob Kinniburgh then hear from two firefighters, Brandon Logan and Dulce Bravo, discuss safe use of space heaters. This video is in English and Spanish. El video de hoy es en los dos ingles y espanol.

News Around Town: Mecklenburg County’s Air Quality Commission (AQC) was formed in 2002 to promote the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the ambient air resources in the county. The commission needs qualified applicants to fill vacant seats for the position of attorney, industry, public, and transportation. This Commission provides input to the County Commission, county staff, and local municipalities. Applicants must reside in Mecklenburg County. Apply online.

Morning Minute: Tuesday, October 6, 2020

News About Town: On Monday, September 28, the Board of Commissioners approved a request to fund the Sam Newell multi-use path with a deferred reimbursement anticipated for October 2021. The project is estimated at $2,210,480; the Town is responsible for a 20% local match of the entire project ($442,096). With NCDOT’s financial troubles (hey big spender), the department has suspended work on Locally Administered Projects (LAP) statewide.  It is expected that when NCDOT is ready to release funds, the project will be prioritized with its advanced stages of engineering.

News Around Town: This Thursday, the Charlotte Business Journal is celebrating 40 Under 40. The annual awards recognize forty leaders in their career and community under the age of forty. Matthews resident Natasha Edwards will be recognized for her work with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. Natasha is a Matthews resident and serves on the Matthews Planning Board as well as the Silver Line Task Force.

Morning Minute: Monday, October 5, 2020

News About Town: On Friday evening (September 2), the Board of Commissioners held a special meeting to discuss ways to help bars in Matthews expand their footprints for reopening with outdoor space. The meeting ended in a resolution granting existing restaurants and bars an extension into public right-of-way under the newest Executive Order by Governor Cooper to allow maximized social distancing. Following the unanimous adoption of the resolution, the Board voted to amend the downtown guidelines adopted for restaurants at the start of Phase 2. This amendment includes adding bars to the guidelines and allowing both bars and restaurants a temporary permit for use of up to four public parking spaces for tables and seating.

News Around Town: If you’re interested in COVID contact tracing, NC Department of Health and Human Services has just the thing for you: SlowCOVIDNC. Download the app then enable Bluetooth and notifications. Your phone will have “tokens” to exchange with other phones. If you’re ever diagnosed COVID-positive at any point, enter a PIN in the app, which will examine the data and notify those who meet a set of threshold criteria of your positive, allowing faster tracing and better containment.

Morning Minute: Friday, October 2, 2020

News About Town: With the change to Phase 3 of reopening, bars are finally able to open their doors, albeit with outdoor service only. This clause leaves some local bars without outdoor space in a bind. Tonight, in a special meeting at 6 pm, the Board of Commissioners will meet to examine options for Town assistance to the business community.

News About Town: The CDC and the State of NC Health Services have released guidelines on safe practices for Halloween (CDC here, NCDHHS here), and Día de los Muertos. It’s safe to say there’s no bobbing for apples, y’all. Trick or treating and small gatherings aren’t off the table, but both agencies suggest getting creative with the process as well as avoiding large crowds. For trick or treating, one practical approach is to line up individually wrapped goodie bags for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance.

Don’t Forget: Today’s the last day to vote for COS Kids in the $25,000 Neighborhood Assist Grant contest from State Farm. Winners will be announced November 4. Spread the word—10 votes at a time can change the outcome!

Morning Minute: Thursday, October 1, 2020

News Around Town: Yesterday the Governor announced North Carolina will be moving to Phase 3 of COVID Reopening. Dr. Mandy Cohen recognized that not all metrics are perfect, but the state feels they have the capacity to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread. This Executive Order expires October 23, and if metrics continue to improve, North Carolinians can expect further easing of restrictions. So what are the new rules? Physical distancing and mask wearing are still important (as is washing hands), but a few industries will get to open this Friday at 5 pm:

• Large outdoor venues with seating greater than 10,000 may operate with 7% occupancy for spectators. 

• Smaller outdoor entertainment venues, like arenas or amphitheaters, may operate outdoors at 30% of outdoor capacity, or 100 guests, whichever is less. 

• Movie theaters and conference centers may open indoor spaces to 30% of capacity, or 100 guests, whichever is less.

• Bars may operate outdoors at 30% of outdoor capacity, or 100 guests, whichever is less. 

• Amusement parks may open at 30% occupancy, outdoor attractions only. 

• The limits on mass gatherings will remain at 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors. 

• The 11 pm curfew on alcohol sales for in-person consumption in locations such as restaurants and outdoor bars will be extended to October 23.  

News Around Town: Hooks-Orr American Legion Post 235 has been busy beautifying and rehabbing the Veteran’s Memorial at Stumptown Park. Phase I has been completed and the crews are now working on Phase II, which includes laying paver bricks inscribed with the names of veterans. Learn more about what has been done and what will be done on the Legion’s website. Aside from the painted mural, the project is expected to be complete by November 11.

Don’t Forget: Vote for COS Kids up to 10 times a day in the $25,000 Neighborhood Assist Grant contest from State Farm. The contest ends tomorrow, October 2 and winners will be announced November 4. Get your friends in on the voting action, too.