Morning Minute: Wednesday, February 20, 2019

News About Town: The Planning Conference for the Board of Commissioners starts Friday. Pursuant to NC open meeting laws, the meeting is open to the public but there will be no portion for public comment. Items of note include: Properties of Significance with Existing “By Right” Zoning; Residential Construction and Overcrowded Schools; 4-Year Terms for Mayor and Board of Commissioners; and Hiring a Lobbyist. The full information packet can be found here.

News Around Town: The third annual Sandy Marano Memorial Build is underway with Habitat for Humanity. Sandy, an employee of Habitat and active volunteer in the Matthews community, lost a battle with breast cancer in 2016. Each year, in honor of Sandy, the Greater Matthews Habitat hosts a Women Build event, a program for women to become more involved in building affordable housing. More details to volunteer are here. Purchase a tee shirt to support the build here.

One Fun Thing: Last week we asked if you, dear readers, if you’d watched a Board of Commissioners meeting online. We received a very small sample of responses (high five to those of you who participated!) and the responses were across the board: two (40%) people said yes, one person (20%) said no, one (20%) person said they didn’t know about it, and another (20%) said not yet, but they’d like to. The video is now posted on the Town website beside the meeting agenda and minutes or on the Town’s YouTube Channel.

2810[top]5: Barns Around Matthews

One of the charms of Matthews, apparent by the continued success of Renfrow Hardware, is the remnants of the farm community it once was. While farmland becomes housing tracts, there are still symbols of the past dotted throughout the community.

McEwan Moore Farmhouse: Built in 1887, probably moved to its current location. Designated historic site, currently owned by LibertyHealthcare Properties of North Carolina LLC.

The Howie Barn:
Built in 1977 by Jack Riley using lumber from the Howie Gold mine

The Overcash Barn: Presumably built circa 1921, at the same time as the home next to it. The barn sits on a parcel rezoned in 2018 (application 2017-663) and now owned by Willton-BB Matthews Owner LLC. The property was approved to become a 350 unit multifamily development.

The Helms Farm: This farmland was bought in the 40s from the Stillwell family, originally owned by the Harkeys. The barns were probably built around the same time.

Hickory Hill Barn: There’s little on public record about this structure, but probably was built around 1960.

I.T.S. Athletic Training: The Extra Mile is Built on Character

Follow Fit.by.Felando on Instagram

In 2014 Felando Clark was at a crossroads in his life. His pastor asked him a few questions: 1) What do you dream of doing? 2) What do you feel when someone else does something really poorly? (And, in what field would this be?) 3) What would you do even if you could do it for free? The answer was simple. Within days he quit his job and became a personal trainer. He opened I.T.S. (Impact Training Systems) Athletic Training.

Today, at 50, the Mint Hill resident has numerous successes under his belt – all won through I.T.S.

Last year, one of his clients was a first-round draft for the NFL; this year, three of his clients/kids are entering the NFL draft. Another client was just signed to play professional arena football.

In 2014, he started an eighth-grade football training program designed to help athletes prepare for high school football. Of the 13 kids enrolled in that program, eight of them went on to play football in college.

During football season (July – October), he helps train kids who come from all over the country to attend the nearby Jireh Prep School, hoping to shore up their sports or academic skills necessary to transfer to a Division I team.

His current success? A female middle school student who is one of the top middle school soccer players in North Carolina, playing on a state team which travels to and competes with other state-teams. Felando believes she’s so good that she might end up qualifying for the USA soccer team, in a future Olympics.

Although Felando clearly has a fire in his belly to win (as do many of his kids), he places as much emphasis on the character and leadership qualities he has helped instill in them. He says he knows that talent, alone, will not take them very far (or give them longevity) in the professional leagues – it is the innate qualities which will also help make sports stars. And, in many cases, both he and they are aiming for the top.

But, Felando does not just measure success by his client’s professional achievements, he also helps senior citizens, and dozens of other adults get fit, find confidence and become healthier. He takes innate pleasure in assisting them to reach their own goals and seeing them push through to conquer their personal challenges.

Retelling his four-year journey, Felando marvels at his fork-in-the-path story, his subsequent life-choice, and his well-deserved happiness with its successful outcome.

What are Felando’s favorite quotes? “Go the extra mile – the lines are shorter,” and “I can’t’ is not an option!”

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

I.T.S. Athletic Training
640-E Matthews Mint Hill Road/Matthews Executive Park
704-449-8843
Facebook: @ITSCoachClark

Morning Minute: Tuesday, February 19, 2019

News About Town: Tomorrow (Wednesday, February 20) at least four members of the Board of Commissioners will be present at the North Carolina League of Municipalities Town and State events in Raleigh. The League’s events include programming about affordable housing, broadband, an update on their Legislative Agenda, and a dinner with members of the legislature.  

News Around Town: Today the North Carolina State Board of Elections is holding the second day of an evidentiary hearing for Congressional District 9. The purpose of the hearing is to provide evidence gathered since the November election to the Board to determine whether unlawful activity occurred, and whether it justifies calling for a new election. On Monday, investigators provided clear evidence of unlawful ballot activity in Bladen and Robeson counties, but no proof Republican Mark Harris was aware of the activity.  After further facts are presented, the Board may either certify a winner, order a new election, or the US House of Representatives may step in as the final judge of the election.  

One Important Thing: If there’s more action on Wile E. Coyote’s Tinder account than usual, know that it’s because it’s coyote mating season. Coyotes are fairly common to the area, so watch out for your indoor-outdoor pets; mating season means the wild canines will need more calories than other times in the year. During mating season, with hormones running amok, they may be somewhat more aggressive than usual. Use precautions when outdoors, particularly at dawn and dusk.

Navigating the Town Website: Looking for Council Agendas

In a fair amount of research for the Beacon we often cross-reference our own notes with Board of Commissioner meeting agendas and minutes. If you’re unfamiliar with the website, here’s a quick tutorial to find the agendas for Board of Commissioners (also called Town Council) meetings.

Go to the Town of Matthews website: matthewsnc.gov

You can either:

• Click on “Government” in the top, horizontal menu bar. A drop down menu will give you further options. Click “Agendas and Minutes.”

• Or click on the dark green circle at the bottom for “Agendas and Minutes.”

Select “Board of Commissioners.”

The most recent agenda will be on the landing page. If you’re looking for archives of past meetings, click “Show More” at the bottom of the right hand column.

Here you will find Agendas (the to-do list for the Board during the meeting), Minutes (annotated notes from the meeting), Packet (information given to the Commissioners prior to the meeting with back up material for line items on the agenda), Audio (mp3 files of the meeting), and Video (a visual and audio recording of the meeting). Video is also available on the Town’s YouTube page.

RAW to Reclaimed Woodworking

“I do love the smell of wood. All wood does something: it reacts differently, cuts differently, smells differently.”

— Ryan Watkins

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

To Matthews resident, Ryan Watkins, owner of “RAW (his initials) to Reclaimed Woodworking,” each piece of lumber, each piece of wood has a story to tell. “You can [often] feel the history of the wood,” he says as he looks around his new 2000 square foot warehouse (4002 Matthews Indian Trail Road) with wonderment and pride. On this day, he’s looking at pieces of ash, maple, walnut, oak, and antique pine.

As he’s working with these pieces, he says, he imagines the pilots standing around smoking cigars – a recycling of history and of raw materials, now used in another place and time.

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

He’s most proud of the 1840s pine planks resting in his shop, which came from Minnesota after being torn down from a barn originally used for WWII glider pilot training. As he’s working with these pieces, he says, he imagines the pilots standing around smoking cigars – a recycling of history and of raw materials, now used in another place and time.

“I do love the smell of wood. All wood does something: it reacts differently, cuts differently, smells differently,” he said. For Ryan, utilizing all his senses when creating something out of wood gives him both fulfillment and purpose. It is now also his undeniable passion.

In 2017, Ryan hung up his Matthew’s Fire Department captain’s uniform and fireman’s gear for the last time. With 17 years on the force, he was tired, injured and in need of a Plan B. He had a wife and two children; their well-being was foremost on his mind.

Although Ryan had always tinkered with his hands and with materials like wood, about one year earlier, a designer-friend asked him for his help with some small custom projects. This would be a weekend and night’s project.

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

Later that same year, he was offered the opportunity to make 24 table tops with oak veneer plywood, for a South Carolina group opening a restaurant. He was game, but only had his 250 s.f. of work space in his garage. A scramble to find an appropriate location landed him in his new warehouse and his new life-path was soon carved out. Joined by his wife, the office manager, this became a team effort.

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

To Ryan, using both new and reclaimed wood, recycling has become a metaphor for starting over.

“Taking a pile of lumber and turning it into something, that’s where the satisfaction is,” he said. “A lot of it is to put it on the workbench and see what you can do with it.”

He is working hard and diligently to chase his dream. “I’m nowhere near the peak where I want to be,” Ryan said, adding that he watches other long-time woodworkers who are successful and is following their lead. “We’re going to grow; we’re going to reach for the stars. Watch out IKEA!” he said with a laugh.

We’re watching.

RAW to Reclaimed Woodworking
R2Rwoodworking.com
704-200-5374
@raw2reclaimedwoodworking

Morning Minute: Monday, February 18, 2019

News About Town: The opioid epidemic has grown in staggering proportions and hasn't left Matthews untouched. Matthews emergency service responders see the effects of this routinely, and thanks to Mecklenburg County Medic, the Police Department has a line of defense against opioid overdose. Medic provided Naloxone, an opioid "antagonist", and the necessary training for the entire Matthews Police force to safely administer it.

Officers, and their canine counterparts are in danger of being exposed to drugs during search and arrest. Not only will having Naloxone on-hand benefit those who have overdosed, but will be an aid in keeping officers (and police K-9’s) safe.

The Matthews Police Department urges anyone with an opioid addiction to please seek help immediately.  For more information on addiction and available resources, please see the links below.

Opioid Crisis Information (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Naloxone Information (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
How to find Treatment (U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services)

News Around Town: The Greater Matthews Business Expo, organized by the Matthews Chamber of Commerce, is coming up tomorrow, February 19, at CPCC Levine (2800 Campus Ridge Rd.) from 4 to 7 p.m.
Don’t miss the speed networking event, an opportunity to make lots of connections with no time for awkward lulls. (Is it just me?)

The expo is free to the public, just show up ready to meet new people and learn about the many things the Matthews business community has to offer.

One Fun Thing: Proving there’s no rest for thespians, Matthews Playhouse has another show opening this Friday! The Playhouse is bringing The Jungle Book (based on Rudyard Kipling’s collection of stories) to Fullwood Theater under the artful eye of celebrated Charlotte director Sidney Horton.

This musical tells the familiar story of Mowgli, a precocious boy raised by wolves, as he journeys through the jungle to escape the ferocious tiger Shere Khan.  February 22 - March 3, 2019. Suitable for 5-year-olds and older. $14 Adults - $12 Students & Seniors.

#FiveForFriday: A Morning Minute News Round Up

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

News About Town: Tonight the Board of Commissioners will consider entering into contract with Bloc Design for streetscape improvement design work for the downtown portion of Trade Street through North End and a portion of the downtown area of John Street. The cost for design work has been estimated by Bloc Design at $37,000 and, if approved, may not exceed $41,250. Their suggestions might include sidewalk improvements, traffic calming measures, and a cohesive design. The planned design will function as a schematic for future reconstruction of sidewalks and aesthetics within the study area.

Previously the Board hired McGill Associates for a streetscape design. The 2016 renderings and document detailed designs and improvements that projected up to twenty years in the future. It is unclear why another design is being sought now.

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: If you have a costly erosion problem at your home or business, the county may be able to help. The Urban Cost Share Program, a Mecklenburg County grant, provides funds for projects that will improve local water quality. Property owners throughout the county are welcome to submit applications for projects to stop stream bank erosion and address other water pollution issues. The grant may cover up to 75% of allowable costs (maximum of $7,500) for installation and implementation. More information is available here, and the application is available here.

News Around Town: Over the past decade, Arts and Science Council funding has dropped 48% due to less giving (by both individuals and businesses). As a result, a study committee created by the ASC examined ways to keep the cultural sector funded and determined dedicated funding through sales tax is the best approach. ASC is asking for 1/10 of one cent from authorized-yet-unused sales tax (a portion of the quarter-cent increase approved by the NC General Assembly in 2009) as the dedicated funding. This use of sales tax requires approval and will be put to a public vote. Matthews groups that receive funds from ASC include, but are not limited to, Matthews Playhouse, Project Art Aid, and the Town of Matthews Parks and Rec department. Previous IRS Form 990s may be found here.

News Around Town: On February 19, four Matthews churches - Matthews Baptist, Matthews Presbyterian, Matthews United Methodist, and Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist - are combining resources to host the next in a series of Community Forums on Racial-Bridge Building. WBTV's Tonya Rivens will moderate the discussion. Representatives from town staff, the Matthews Board of Commissioners, and housing professionals form the panel. Discussion will focus on the topic of affordable housing. Tuesday, February 19, 7:00 p.m., Brace Family YMCA, 3127 Weddington Rd.

Black History Month at the Library

In honor of Black History Month, staff at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library have some suggested reading (and viewing) to help you learn about and explore the people and moments that have shaped our collective past.

HistoryMakers

Check out The HistoryMakers Digital Archive, an oral history collection highlighting the accomplishments of individual African Americans and African-American-led groups and movements.  It is unique among collections of African American heritage because of its large and varied scope, with interviewees from across the United States, from a variety of fields, and with memories stretching from the 1890s to the present.

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Adult Nonfiction

• In A Girl Stands at the Door: The Generation of Young Women Who Desegregated America’s Schools, Rachel Devlin tells the story of young black women who led the movement to integrate schools.

• Read the true story of Josiah Henson, immortalized in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in The Road to Dawn: Josiah Henson and the Story That Sparked the Civil War by Jared Brock.

• Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by Ibram X. Kendi, winner of 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction, exposes the origins of racist ideas and their role in rationalizing policies that promote racial inequality.

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Adult Fiction

• Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, the story of a young slave woman’s bid to escape the Antebellum South, won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

• Jesmyn Ward won the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction for Sing, Unburied, Sing, an exploration of history and racism through the lens of a multiracial family in the rural South.

• Another Brooklyn, by Jacqueline Woodson, was a 2016 National Book Award finalist; it is a picture of life for a young African American woman growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970s.

• Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers, winner of the 2017 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, tells the story of a Cameroonian immigrant’s pursuit of the American dream in Harlem in 2007.

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Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction

• Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down, longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, takes place during an elevator ride of a 15-year-old boy determined to avenge his brother’s shooting death. 

• Monster, Walter Dean Myer’s classic, tackles issues of race, class, gender and the judicial system with a 16-year-old black teen on trial for murder.

• Dreamland Burning, by Jennifer Latham, tells intersecting stories of present-day Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.

• Tony Medina’s I Am Alfonso Jones is a tale of police brutality and Black Lives Matter told in graphic novel format.  

• Presented in graphic novel format, the March Trilogy is Congressman John Lewis’ narrative of his experiences in the civil rights movement.

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Pre-Teen Fiction and Nonfiction

• Learn about Depression-era life in the South in Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper.

• Mildred D. Taylor’s classic Logan Family series is set in post-Civil War Georgia and features classics The Land and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. 

• Linda Williams Jackson’s Midnight Without a Moon gives readers a glimpse of race relations in rural Mississippi in the 1950s.

• In Freedom on the Menu: the Greensboro Sit-Ins, author Carole Boston Weatherford envisions the 1960 Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-ins through the eyes of a young African American observer.

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Young readers

• March Forward, Girl: From Young Warrior to Little Rock Nine by Melba Beals

• Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Stephen Alcorn

• What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld

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Picture Books

In the Resources section of our website you’ll find Books & Authors, where you can browse the complete list of winners of the Coretta Scott King Award, which recognizes African American authors and illustrators who express the African American experience in works for young people.

Introduce little ones to important figures in African American history with picture books like: 

• The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, A Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson

• Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison

• Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson

• Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

• Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simon by Alice Briere-Haquet

Creating a Wildlife Habitat, Part III: When Critters Get Thirsty

Photo courtesy Unsplash

Now that we’ve covered where to create wildlife habitats, what the requirements are, and looked at how to provide food for wildlife, let’s turn our attention to how to provide water. 

This is one of my favorites, because there are so many different ways to provide it, and because you can accessorize your water features!

As with the other elements, this can be naturally occurring or provided by you. Examples of natural water sources include ponds, lakes, streams, creeks, wetlands and even low places in your yard which hold water.

Man made water sources include bird baths, which come in a variety of sizes, materials and styles. Consider having more than one and varying the heights. If you want something to double as a water feature and yard art check out the beautiful glass models and metal baths with sculptures of birds. 

Another idea is to use the saucer from a terra cotta or plastic pot. You can set these on the ground, on a stump, or on a deck rail - or all three of those. Remember, some wildlife will stay close to the ground while others will drink and bathe higher up.

One thing to consider is placement. Avoid putting a water feature close to bushes where predators, like outdoor cats, can hide.

Now for the accessories! Water wigglers are battery-operated devices that agitate the water very slightly. This keeps the water fresher longer and discourages mosquitos from laying their eggs. Genius!

Another accessory is a dripper/mister. Birds are attracted by the sound of water, so you can set this for a very slow drip or a faster one that you can use to fill the bird bath. Put water-loving plants around it to catch overflow. Or you can use the mister, which puts out a very fine spray, cooling the area around it and some birds, like hummingbirds, will flit back and forth through the mist.

A similar idea is to use quarter inch tubing and snake it up a tree. You can purchase different ends which will allow different levels of spray. You’ll need a splitter to attach to the faucet, and will attach the tubing to that. You might notice birds bathing by rubbing against the wet leaves. 

Think about adding several different water features to really ramp up your habitat!

Photo by Debbie Leblanc Foster

Morning Minute: Friday, February 15, 2019

News About Town: If ever there were a case for “See something, say something” this is it. This past Wednesday (February 13) someone called the police department to alert them to a vehicle break-in near Independence Pointe Parkway. When officers arrived, they found the suspect, Kyahjay Kirkatrick of Charlotte. Kirkatrick had outstanding warrants for his arrest, but was also charged with vehicle break-in, possession of stolen goods, and carrying a concealed handgun.

News Around Town: On February 19, four Matthews churches - Matthews Baptist, Matthews Presbyterian, Matthews United Methodist, and Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist - are combining resources to host the next in a series of Community Forums on Racial-Bridge Building. WBTV's Tonya Rivens will moderate the discussion. Representatives from town staff, the Matthews Board of Commissioners, and housing professionals form the panel. Discussion will focus on the topic of affordable housing. Tuesday, February 19, 7:00 p.m., Brace Family YMCA, 3127 Weddington Rd.

One Good Thing:  If you don’t have kids in school but want to contribute to community schools, donate your Box Tops for Education. The labels, on many popular brands of food and household items, are worth ten cents each to schools. Most local elementary and middle schools have collection drives for the Box Top label. Just clip them, collect them, then drop them off in the school office. Box Tops for Education also has an app. Use the app on your smart phone to scan your receipt to collect bonus Box Tops. Of local schools participating, Elizabeth Lane Elementary leads with $808.10 in earnings, followed by Matthews with $657.30, and Crown Point with $258. Crestdale Middle has raised $153 while Mint Hill Middle has $0.

Meet Your Neighbors: The Milledges

Photo courtesy Sarah Milledge

In 2011, when Sarah Milledge (née McAuliffe), now 37, met Jermaine Milledge, now 34, the disparity in their lives couldn’t be greater. She came from a small town. He came from a big city. Sarah is Caucasian and petite and loves to talk. Jermaine is 6’7”, was working on a Master’s Degree (she had her BA), is African-American and doesn’t love to talk. He is also a few years her junior.

“It was like ‘yin and yang,’ “said Jermaine.

What they did share was a common employer (State of Michigan); the fact that both had lost their fathers at an early age and, most importantly, that both are blind. Sarah suddenly lost her vision from Type I diabetes at the age of 23. Jermaine has been visually impaired since birth.

What they found, together, was love, commonality, a life dedicated to promoting awareness of the possibilities for those experiencing vision loss (and other disabilities) and the importance of community, diversity, and inclusion.

Together, they have a handful of degrees, certifications, sit on several state boards and have significant job experiences to their credit. (They both also sit on the town’s Diversity Council). Moving to Matthews four years ago for work has been a blessing. They recently purchased a new home in town which they share with Sarah’s Yellow Labrador, Echo, 12.

“Community is huge,” said Sarah. “We get a lot of help from a lot of people in Matthews. We love Matthews.”

Today, the pair knows they are role models for others with challenging disabilities. “It’s not something I tried to be,” said Jermaine, “but you just become that by having certain successes. You kind of become a trailblazer in a way. To show people that you can succeed despite barriers.”

“We advocate every day for ourselves and our clients who are also visually impaired,” said Sarah. “Living in a world with disability – that won’t stop. We’re always setting goals; I think we have empathy. We know what it’s like to be misrepresented; to overcome barriers.”

In the end, it is their love and connection that will remain. “I absolutely love my husband,” said Sarah. “We work so well together as a team…. There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. We have climbed the mountain. We feel like we have an army around us with family and friends.”

#ThrowbackThursday: June 18, 2009

With permission, The Beacon is archiving past issues of Matthews Record (also called Matthews News and Record and The Matthews Record) articles online. Throwback Thursday articles will include relevant content still facing Matthews today. This story was originally published June 18, 2009 and was written by Janet Denk.

Crestdale at the Crossroads

Group seeks to create a piece of work that will preserve the history of the Crestdale community and its people

They called it a Crestdale Reunion - and it had all the makings of one: food, family, laughter, some tears. But the gathering at the United House of Prayer was a chance for members of the longstanding Matthews community to pay tribute to loved ones gone before, honor their elders, and celebrate their journey.

The most recent journey in the Crestdale area of Matthews is The Crestdale Community Project - a collaborative effort of community and arts groups celebrating the history and cultural stew that is Crestdale. The past couple of weeks have been part of a Kick-Off event scheduled for July 11. Pastor Greg Watson of the United House of Prayer welcomed guests. The church has generously offered space to the Crestdale Community Project supporters which will include a series of workshops around town focusing on fine art, music, storytelling, film making, and more. The Matthews Community Center will also be offering work space. Project participants are hoping other groups step up to host workshops, too.

Through a grant from Crossroads Charlotte, the Arts & Science Council is partnering with the The Light Factory and fiber artist Sunya Folayan to create a piece of work that will preserve the history of the Crestdale community and its people. All of the work produced will be placed in a formal exhibit this winter in various locations throughout Matthews.

“It’s time that all the communities in the area come together in tribute to share the history and culture of Crestdale with the rest of Matthews, and the surrounding area,” said Walter Stewart, who was joined by Harvey Boyd and other life-long residents of the area who attended the first two meetings planned for The Crestdale Community Project.

The Crestdale neighborhood is one of the oldest African American communities in the nation, established soon after the Civil War. Located along the railroad tracks in Matthews, between old Highway 51 and Charles Street, the community has become home to a patchwork of different cultural communities. Habitat for Humanity Matthews is located within the Crestdale Community, including Fullwood Trace, a modest neighborhood of brick homes off Charles St. Sunrise Crossing is the newest development. Rainbow Ridge is home to many Montagnard families. Pronounced “mountain-yard,” the term is French for “mountain dweller” or “mountain people.” North Carolina is one of the largest settlements for Montagnards, who fought alongside US Special Forces during the Vietnam Conflict. Crestdale Crossing is a subdivision of one and two-story bungalow-style single family homes with green space shared by all. It was developed on land belonging to the Stewart family.

The Light Factory promotes the power of image by informing, challenging, and stimulating audiences using photography, film, and other light-based media to see their world through a different lens. It is located in Spirit Square in uptown Charlotte.

Morning Minute: Thursday, February 14, 2019

News About Town: The Tree and Appearance Board showed their love for the trees at this past Monday’s Council Meeting. Debbie Foster presented the minutes from the previous T&AB meeting. Those minutes included suggestions for the property at the corner of McKee and Weddington Road (adjacent to Windsor Run) such as creating  a Town-owned tree nursery for future landscaping needs of the Town. T&AB also approved the tree and plant list, which moved it forward to the Board of Commissioners. (The Board of Commissioners approved the list at the Monday, February 11 Council meeting). T&AB Also presented methods for removing invasive plants such as wisteria from town property; the use of goats to eat the plants is one suggestion, another is a targeted use of Round-Up.

News Around Town: Over the past decade, Arts and Science Council funding has dropped 48% due to less giving (by both individuals and businesses). As a result, a study committee created by the ASC examined ways to keep the cultural sector funded and determined dedicated funding through sales tax is the best approach. ASC is asking for 1/10 of one cent from authorized-yet-unused sales tax (a portion of the quarter-cent increase approved by the NC General Assembly in 2009) as the dedicated funding. This use of sales tax requires approval and will be put to a public vote. Matthews groups that receive funds from ASC include, but are not limited to, Matthews Playhouse, Project Art Aid, and the Town of Matthews Parks and Rec department. Previous IRS Form 990s may be found here.

One Good Thing: The Mecklenburg County Cooperative Extension has partnered with the Matthews Library to bring Master Gardener volunteers in regularly to discuss current topics in home gardening and answer questions. Saturday, February 16th at 1:00 p.m. is the next event, where Master Gardener Hallie Walker will provide an introduction to pruning shrubs. These events are not to be missed for aspiring gardeners with less than green thumbs. Register here.

Artisen Gelato: Love by the Spoonful

“The first concept of gelato was developed by indigenous people during the Inca civilization in Ecuador. These people used to walk to the Imbabura volcano bringing packs of ice which were carefully placed between grassy vegetation (“paramo straw” or “frailejon”). They would also use rock salt to prevent the ice from melting. After they settled everything, they poured fruit juice, or sometimes milk, into a big, bronze pot (“paila”); the liquid was stirred quickly until frozen and in just a matter of minutes, they got a fresh, handmade gelato.”

— ArtisenGelato.com

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, many local businesses are offering their own special touches. At Artisen Gelato (301 West John Street), patrons can choose from the new holiday flavors of Red Velvet, Lemon Crème and Pomegranate - all great additions to the 24 other possible flavors rotated throughout the year.

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

Owned by Ramon Riofrio and Marcia Monsalve, Artisen Gelato sorbet is vegan-certified and does not contain trans fats, gluten, nuts and derivatives, soy, eggs, artificial coloring, or artificial flavors. Seven of the rotating flavors are made from 100% natural fruit pulp; the remainder are made from coconut milk. The store is a natural outgrowth of Ramon’s early Ecuadorian childhood upbringing – creating gelato with his grandfather.

This Valentine’s Day, Marcia hopes to see more of what she’s witnessed in past years – “couples sharing gelato.” (Two years ago, a teenager came in with two cups – each decorated with his and hers photos, and asked to fill them for his sweetheart.) “It’s fun to watch people here,” she said, “engaging or falling in love!” Add-in witnessing the “happiness of the kids” with severe allergies who are being treated to something which they love. “We are blessed to be here,” she said,” and blessed to help people.”

An original family run business, the couple has just opened its first franchise in Boca Raton, Florida, and hopes to add another handful of stores in the next year or so.

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

Photo by Cyma Shapiro

Artisen Gelato
artisengelato.com
301 West John Street
704-804-8160

Mon-Sat: Noon – 9 p.m.
Sun: Noon – 8 p.m.