It’s a quiet news day, so make some #art_stayathome!
Catnap - Dizain by Lorraine Stark
Catnap
How beautifully she displayed the flowers
Each one gracefully enhanced the bouquet
Even the housecat checked it each hour
If it could speak, I’d wonder what it say
As its long whiskers brushed by on the way
To the backyard garden where roses grew
Between pine trees arching to a sky blue
He’d carefully step between the new blooms
Settle down take a nap and sleep right through
The wind carrying new scents of perfume
By Lorraine Stark
Photo by Unsplash photographer @8moments
Morning Minute: Tuesday, August 18, 2020
News About The School Year: After a rough first day back at CMS, the second day should have fewer hiccups. If statewide issues continue with NC EdCloud , CMS has a few tips: keep CMS chrome books logged in to receive updates. If NC Ed Cloud is down and students cannot access Canvas, students may use their Google account instead. Also, this link points to Canvas directly.
News Around Town: In the most recent round of shuttering retail, Stein Mart filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and has announced it is closing all of its stores. The 36,000 square foot Matthews location, in Matthews Festival Shopping Center, is located a few doors down from the recently closed Hallmark store. Both are in a building owned by ECHO Realty LP based in Pittsburgh, PA.
Parents, you may still want to have these numbers to have handy:
CMS Student Technology Helpline: 980-343-8001
Crown Point Elementary: 980-343-6535
Elizabeth Lane Elementary: 980-343-5700
Matthews Elementary: 980-343-3940
Crestdale Middle: 980-343-5755
South Charlotte Middle: 980-343-3670
Butler High School: 980-343-6300
Providence High: 980-343-5390
Morning Minute: Monday, August 17, 2020
News About Town: Several advisory board meetings are coming up. The Appearance and Tree Committee will meet at 7 pm tonight via Zoom. The Economic Development Advisory Committee will meet online at 4:30 pm this Wednesday. At 7 pm on Wednesday the Silver Line Task Force will meet to further discuss the prefered alignment for the future light rail path through Matthews. Then, on Thursday at 7 pm, the Transportation Advisory Committee will meet remotely.
If you need a car seat checked for safety, there’s a clinic this Wednesday, the 19th, starting at 8 am at the Police Station, 1201 Crews Road.
News Around Town: Arriving a week or so early this year, it’s the first day of school for CMS students. Going back is a little (lot) different with remote learning. A few things to keep in mind: easy tech issues can be addressed by your child's teacher. For more advanced needs, contact the CMS tech helpline: If your school-issued computer (iPad or Chromebook) aren’t working, call the school office to have it switched out. If Canvas is bewildering, CMS has provided a YouTube tutorial (también en Español).
A few numbers to have handy:
CMS Student Technology Helpline: 980-343-8001
Crown Point Elementary: 980-343-6535
Elizabeth Lane Elementary: 980-343-5700
Matthews Elementary: 980-343-3940
Crestdale Middle: 980-343-5755
Butler High School: 980-343-6300
Morning Minute: Friday, August 14, 2020
News About Town: In partnership with the county, Matthews Fire Department is giving away cloth masks. Get your free mask this Saturday, August 15, by pulling into the fire station parking lot between 9 am and 12 pm. Someone with the department will bring one to your car. 236 South Trade St. (to the right of the building…don’t block the truck drive).
News Around Town: COVID -19 can’t stop the annual Sandy Marano Memorial Women Build. Groundbreaking for Celestin and Marie's home will be viewable on Facebook Live on Saturday, August 22 at 10 am. This build honors the legacy of Sandy Marano, a dedicated Family Services Coordinator for Greater Matthews Habitat who died from breast cancer in 2016. This year the build has been partially funded by a Wells Fargo Foundation $15,000 grant.
One Helpful Thing: Weaver, Bennett, and Bland are offering discounted estate plans, power of attorney, and healthcare power of attorney services in appreciation of your continued dedication to education in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morning Minute: Thursday, August 13, 2020
News About Town: According to the most recent amendment to the Mecklenburg County Second Revised and Amended Joint Declaration of Emergency, restaurants and restaurants with bars in Matthews may now use the bar space to serve food and beverages. Mayor John Higdon signed the amendment for those businesses within the Town to serve food and beverages at the bar. Safety protocols must still be in place, including social distancing between groups.
One Good Thing: The Matthews Heritage Museum is taking the quiet opportunity provided by the pandemic to do some research. As Roseland Cemetery undergoes preservation efforts, the museum is seeking information about the slaves and freed People of Color who were buried there. Barbara Taylor and the museum will build a database of the information gathered. Please send the person's full name, their birth and death dates, your name and your relationship to that person, and a phone number in case we have questions to Matthews Heritage Museum info@matthewsheritagemuseum.org. You may also call 704-708-4996.
Morning Minute: Wednesday, August 12, 2020
News About Town: A series of earthquakes shook North Carolina Saturday and Sunday. The sixth and strongest of the quakes registered at a moderate 5.1 magnitude originating near Sparta, NC, shaking homes in Matthews just after 8 am on Sunday morning.
News Around Town: Matthews Artist Guild is currently exhibiting in the Novant Matthews lobby. Though the show is only open to employees, patients, and their families, it can be viewed online here. The exhibit features the artwork of 30 MAG members, including several new members.
Morning Minute: Tuesday, August 11, 2020
News About Town: During the Monday, August 10 Board of Commissioner’s meeting, the Board authorized Chief of Police Clark Pennington to establish and move forward with a Matthews Police Advisory Committee. According to the memo on the agenda, the focus of the Committee will be to continue the process of building trust and legitimacy with the Matthews community through an audit of policies, protocols, and practices.
News Around Town: Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that it would be ending its in-person operations earlier than expected, but will increase staff to compensate for the difference in census-taking hours. The program will end on September 30, for households to self-respond to the Census by mail, email, or phone, a month earlier than previously cited.
Currently 59.4% of North Carolinians have responded to the census; in Matthews 74.7% of people have responded.
One Good Thing: It’s getting hot out there and the summer heat can be serious when there’s no relief in sight. The Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services - Services for Adults is providing free fans to qualifying seniors (ages 60+) and adults ages 18-59 who receive disability income. Limit one per household, while supplies last. For more information, please contact Yvonne Brown at Yvonne.Brown@mecknc.gov.
City of Light - Poem by Lorraine Stark
City of Light
The last time she saw Paris, it was in her dreams
as she was eating an eclair with extra cream
The last time she saw Paris it was in a history
book and the twirl of a globe
The last time she saw Paris she was atop the Eiffel Tower
Ah! the last time she really saw Paris was on the travel channel
as she pretended to dance ballet at the Champs Elysees and the
music played on in her head, has her imagination no end, the last
time she saw Paris, she stopped by in the rain to see the Seine River
and then she woke up, once again
By Lorraine Stark
Painting by Matthews artist Prudy Weaver
Morning Minute: Monday, August 10, 2020
News About Town: Don’t forget the Board of Commissioners meeting is tonight at 7 pm. Watch on YouTube or Zoom. Several advisory board meetings are coming up. The Matthews Committee on Education meets remotely on Tuesday at 6:30 pm, then the Environmental Advisory Committee meets at 7 (also remote). The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Advisory Committee will meet Wednesday, August 12, at 6:30 pm via Zoom.
One Good Thing: The City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and The Housing Partnership have are collaboratively providing options for rent, utility, and mortgage relief to those who have been impacted by COVID-19. Applications are available for property owners as well as tenants, and may take 48 hours to process once all information has been provided.
Morning Minute: Friday, August 7, 2020
News About Town: As the first day of school draws closer, the Town of Matthews wants to know about parents’ needs. Parks and Rec is busy developing programming for the 20/21 school year and recognizes there will be families with differing childcare needs. Fill out this survey to help the department make decisions about fall offerings.
News Around Town: Yard Art Day is coming up September 7 (Labor Day). Created by Charlotte photographer Deborah Triplett, Yard Art Day engages the public in the realm of art in a COVID-compliant manner. To participate, there are a few rules: someone in the household must be the art maker, it should be viewable from the street, it can be any medium (performance and music included), and no selling. Registration is now open, and Matthews residents are welcome to participate.
One Good Thing: Although we’ll be away from each other tomorrow, it’s an important day for every community: August 8th is National Zucchini Day. How does one celebrate? By sneaking some zucchini onto your neighbor's porch, of course. It’s Zoodle time, y’all!
Let's talk snakes: The Copperhead Edition
It's time to have THE TALK again! The everysnakeisnotacopperhead talk. The don’tgoaroundkillingsnakes talk. The snakesarebeneficialtotheenvironment talk.
I saw a report recently from a local news station, talking about snakes being seen more frequently and that we have six venomous species in North Carolina.
My experience has been that it doesn't take a lot to send folks off the deep end when it comes to snakes, and a lot of beneficial snakes end up being killed as a result.
So let's talk snakes!
If you want a really good resource, buy a copy of Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, 4th edition. I found used copies on Amazon for around $11 and new ones for about $13. This science-based book tells how to identify snakes, provides pictures, and has range maps showing where different species are found.
Did you know NC is home to about 40 species of snakes? That's a lot! The information that people really want to know about is how many are venomous (poisonous is not the correct term to use). The answer to that is six. How many of those are in this area? Only one. Yep, the copperhead is the only venomous snake we have here.
So let's talk about copperheads. If you know what they look like, some of their habits and how to avoid being bitten you don't have to be so afraid of them. And we'll look at what you can do if you have a snake of any kind in your yard.
According to the book, copperheads are the most common venomous snake in most parts of our state. I spotted one on a sandbar in the creek on the greenway just last Sunday, and I've seen several over the years on my weekly walk.
“Copperheads are in the pit viper family, with a heat-sensing pit located between and slightly lower than the eyes and the nostrils. This helps them locate warm-blooded animals as they are hunting for food.
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Identifying copperheads
What do they look like? At maturity they are around three feet in length. According to Grover Barfield, Director of Carolinas Reptile Rescue and Education Center, baby copperheads can be a grayer shade of brown color when born and juveniles have a pale yellow to bright yellow to lime green tail, which they wiggle to attract prey. The tail stays that color for around a year. Copperheads usually have a Hershey kiss, or hourglass, pattern from the neck to near the end of the tail. Like many animals there can be a variation in coloring and patterns. The head is somewhat triangular and the eyes usually have a vertical pupil, but in low light conditions at night they can be more round. You probably don't want to get close enough to see that, but it's easy to see with binoculars. By the way, Barfield says that a Google search of copperhead photos does not provide reliable information for our area. Instead he recommends the Peterson’s Field Guide discussed above.
Copperheads are in the pit viper family, with a heat-sensing pit located between and slightly lower than the eyes and the nostrils. This helps them locate warm-blooded animals as they are hunting for food. They will eat mice, insects, frogs and small birds. One of their favorite insects are emerging cicadas, they can and will climb trees and shrubs to capture and eat them.
Don't want copperheads in your yard? Eliminate potential habitat, like wood piles and other places to hide, and keep the grass cut short so that you can see them. Be extra careful when you start moving pieces of wood around. Copperheads, and lots of other snakes, will vibrate their tail against an object as a warning. They also release a musk that Barfield describes as smelling something like a male cat sprays to mark his turf. Some resources describe it as a cucumber smell.
It's not unusual to see these snakes basking on rocks or pavement, absorbing the warmth. They can be seeing during the day or at night. According to Barfield, their habitat is "being destroyed at an exponential rate," so it's no wonder that we see them.
According to Greg Stringer, a NC Damage Control agent and local volunteer who relocates snakes, avoid using glue traps and netting. All kinds of animals are trapped in those materials. Also, moth balls and Snake Away aren't effective in deterring snakes from coming onto your property.
Now for some really useful information. How can you avoid being bitten?
First, if you see a copperhead, leave it alone. They do not chase people, as I've heard more than once. More people are bitten trying to kill or move the snake. so simply walk away. Cornering a snake is never a good idea, as you leave it few options.
Wear gloves when you're gardening and avoid reaching into or under something when you can't see what's there. Leaf litter provides good camouflage for copperheads, making it very difficult to see them.
Next, don't walk around in your yard barefoot after dusk. Remember those heat-sensors we talked about earlier? The snake doesn't differentiate between your foot and a mouse. It senses heat and strikes. So put your shoes on and use a flashlight!
What happens if you are bitten?
Adult snakes may elect to release the entire venom load, or inject a partial load, or deliver a dry bite which releases no venom. You may have heard that the venom of juveniles is more potent, but that is not true. Juveniles can control the amount venom injected just as adults do. However, they have smaller venom glands and therefore don’t have the same amount of venom as adults.
Don't buy into those old legends that say to cut the area and suck out the venom - not true and not helpful! Also, don't use a tourniquet or ice; these can cause a lot of damage. Just head for the hospital. While copperhead bites are painful, there are very few deaths resulting from them on an annual basis, and those result from pre-existing health conditions. Animals which are bitten require immediate veterinary treatment
When you see a copperhead, what do you do?
And now for the last bit of information that I bet you're going to find very useful. Let's say you spot a copperhead (which you can now reliably identify). What are your options?
You can do nothing. Trying to capture or kill a venomous snake puts you at risk. Simply move away.
You can squirt them with a strong stream of water from a safe distance.
If you have children and animals you may not love those ideas. There are people you can call who will come and relocate the snake for you. That includes both venomous and nonvenomous snakes, both of which have a place in the environment. Here are a couple:
Greg Stringer (336-212-1673) - Greg volunteers his services. He asks instead that you make a donation in his name to Carolina Waterfowl Rescue (cwrescue.org).
Jay Bell - Jay is a former Animal Control officer who has an educational business called Reptiles 101. He charges $25 for calls in Union County and $40 for surrounding counties. He can be reached at 704-906-7524 or you can message him on Facebook at Reptiles 101.
Want more resources on snakes? Here are some good ones: Name That Snake, Herps of NC, Carolina Herp Atlas, and NC Snake Identification & Education Group on Facebook.
This concludes my sometimes annual article on snakes. I hope you found it educational and useful. Maybe, just maybe, someone is now interested in snakes! At least I hope you are no longer suffering from acute ophidiophobia, or fear of snakes.
Photos provided by Grover Barfield: adult, juvenile with tail color, adult in leaf litter
Morning Minute: Thursday, August 6, 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, June 8). 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 925 6543 2799. For more information, including the process for public comment, visit the town website.
News Around Town: Matthews seniors (ages 60 and above) are entitled to one free COVID-19 Home Disinfecting Service, sponsored by Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and Bio-One.
Bio-One will complete a one-time COVID-19 disinfecting service, applying a Centers for Disease Control/EPA approved chemical to surfaces within the home including doorknobs, handles and light switches. The chemical is safe for children and pets, but residents are asked to leave their homes for a three hour window. With many variables in home settings, this disinfecting service can not guarantee coronavirus eradication but may help reduce the spread.
For an appointment (required), call 980-314-6800, or email SFA-Events@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov.
Morning Minute: Wednesday, August 5, 2020
News About Town: If you’re not familiar with Town Advisory Boards, these boards provide an opportunity for community members to play a role in the creation of town-wide policy. Advisory Boards discuss relevant topics and provide a consensus opinion to the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners takes the consensus under consideration for their decision-making. The Citizen Participation Handbook gives the who/what/where. If you are interested in serving, submit an application to Town Clerk Lori Canapinno before end of business on August 21, 2020.
News Around Town: Opioid use doesn’t limit itself to city or town boundaries and Matthews is not immune to the crisis. This Thursday, August 6, at 8:30 am, Mecklenburg County’s Substance Use Disorder Task Force will participate in the Opioid Response Project, an online forum sharing the methods local communities are using to address the opioid epidemic. The task force is one of ten agencies statewide to participate and will aid in developing a countywide policy and response to the opioid epidemic. For additional information call (919) 966-4414.
One Good Thing: So far 2020 hasn’t been so fun, so if you have a good thing or fun thing we should highlight, let us know. We’re ready to shine a light on all that is good and fun in 28105!
Morning Minute: Tuesday, August 4, 2020
News Around Town: Mystery seeds from China are making their way to mail boxes across the US, including right here in Matthews. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investigating this and asks that you DO NOT plant the seeds. Also, contact either the State Plant Regulatory Official or the State Plant Health Director. Here in Matthews, also share the info with local police on their non emergency phone line.
One Good Thing: Missing the bounties of summer but can’t make it to the Farmers’ Market? Stop by Renfrow’s this week. They’ll have tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, potatoes, beets, carrots, okra, garlic, and flower bouquets. Plus, Renfrow’s has a well-planned social distancing process for in-store shopping.