Arriving
On cue
they begin to
rise just above the ground
a birth without a cry, springs first
flowers
by Lorraine Stark
Image via Unsplash photographer @chaurasia
Morning Minute: Wednesday, May 5, 2021
News Around Town: Restaurants still struggling as the economy reopens may have another boost of monetary relief available. The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) provides funding to restaurants equal to pandemic-related revenue loss. Repayment isn’t required as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. Register for an account here, applications are accepted in tiers. Find more information here.
One Fun Thing: ASC’s Southeast Virtual Block Party is coming up next week (Thursday, May 13 at 6pm). An online version of the popular Culture Block series, the East Charlotte, Mint Hill & Matthews Block Party will include dance and musical performances. After the performances, ASC will facilitate a conversation to learn more about the kinds of arts, science and cultural events that are desired in east and southeast Mecklenburg. This conversation will directly result in ASC’s collaboration with libraries, recreation centers, community members, cultural organizations and artists to start providing activities based on the feedback provided. Registration required. Want more Culture Blocks? Virtual options are listed here, including pottery, music, and even The Rainbow Fish presented by Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts.
Don’t Forget:
CMS Relief School Community Information Session, May 5, 6pm.
Milkweed for Monarchs Plant Sale, May 22, 9-11am.
Morning Minute: Monday, May 3, 2021
News About Town: Over the past several decades, monarch populations have been in decline and Matthews won't sit idly by. In March of this year, Mayor Higdon signed a Monarch Pledge with the National Wildlife Federation promising to urge the community to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants. He also issued a Proclamation to raise awareness about the decline of the monarch butterfly and the species’ need for habitat. One of the easiest ways to support monarchs is to provide nectar and a host plant for their annual migration. Conveniently, the Town of Matthews Appearance & Tree Advisory Committee is hosting a native milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) sale on May 22 from 9 to 11am in the Matthews United Methodist Church parking lot. The cash only drive-thru plant sale will provide COVID-safe precautions while supporting pollinator populations. Don't get greedy with your butterfly weedy: plants are $5 each and there's a limit to 10 plants per customer.
News Around Town: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is hosting a Community Engagement Session via Zoom this Wednesday, May 5 at 6pm. Hosted by the Office of Student Assignment and School Choice, the meeting will provide information about the relief school for Bain, Lebanon Road, Piney Grove Elementary Schools, and, due to proximity, will likely also provide relief for Matthews and Crown Point Elementary Schools.
One Fun Thing: Venture up Monroe Rd this Saturday to the McAlpine Business Park barn (8300 Monroe Road, Charlotte) in MoRa for the Carolina Clay Matters Spring Pottery Festival. This is your chance to snatch up some of Matthews artist Jennifer Stone Carroll’s ceramics. Jennifer will be one of 50 artists selling wares at the incredibly popular festival.
Morning Minute: Wednesday, April 28, 2021
News About Town: This past Monday, at the Board of Commissioners meeting, Becky Willard and Paula Lester updated the Board on recent activities by the Matthews Historical Foundation. The Foundation has been busy repairing and revamping the Reid House. They've also been digging into the history of the as Roseland Cemetery while Hoke Thompson worked hard to revitalize the property. Under Hoke’s leadership, 75 volunteers have removed seven tons of debris from the land. He and members of the Historical Foundation have also identified more headstones than were previously realized. The project has a few items to be completed before opening for the public, including a battlefield style fence and installation of an informative sign.
News Around Town: International Sculpture Day was on April 27. If you also missed the opportunity to celebrate “advancing the creation and understanding of sculpture and its unique, vital contribution to society,” take a self-guided tour around Matthews. Don’t miss Tom Risser’s steel Love sculpture between Seaboard and the railroad parking lot, the crane in front of the McDowell Arts Center, and Selma Burke’s sculpture in the lobby of Town Hall. If you’re in the mood to combine a bike ride and art appreciation, there’s plenty to see along the greenway!
One Fun Thing: Matthews Park and Rec (fun things two days in a row…they’re busy!) is hosting a Par 2 Disc Golf Tournament on May 15 and registration closes tomorrow, the 29th. The tournament, presented by Prodigy Disc, will be at Squirrel Lake Park, 1631 Pleasant Plains Rd. The $30.00 entry fee includes one full round of play, and a players pack of discs. A Replay Round is an additional $5.00. The Squirrel Lake course is 12 holes, so six temporary baskets will break up some of the longer holes in order to create 18 holes. Register here.
Morning Minute: Tuesday, April 27, 2021
News About Town: As of May 3, the Town of Matthews today will have a new finance director: Teresa Fulk. Ms. Fulk has worked in municipal finance for the past 12 years, and finance-related fields prior. She comes to Matthews via the Town of Newport, NC and Carteret County before that. According to the town website, Ms. Fulk has a B.A. in Accounting from Winston-Salem State University. and is a certified Local Government Finance Officer, a certified Budget & Evaluation Officer, and a certified Local Government Purchasing Officer.
News Around Town: The Matthews Heritage Museum will receive a “Preserving and Sharing Community Histories Online” consultation from the State Archives of North Carolina in 2021. Through the State Archives’ Traveling Archivist Program, a portion of the Dr. Henry V. Massey collection will be organized and digitized. Containing over 700 documents and 70 letters, the Dr. Henry V. Massey Collection was given to the Museum by Dr. Massey’s great-great grandchildren.
The Massey-Clark House serves as the home for the Matthews Heritage Museum.
One Good Thing: The Town of Matthews Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resource Department has extended the Call for Artists deadline for the Crestdale Heritage Trail Street Mural to Monday, May 3, 2021. ToMPRCRD seeks an artist to create a mural inspired by the historic Crestdale community. Implementation will be a collaborative process with community members involved. Find out further details here.
Morning Minute: Friday, April 23, 2021
News About Town: The Town of Matthews has several job openings:
Grounds Maintenance Worker: Hiring Range: $33,373 - $42,550, Salary Range: $33,373 - $51,728. This person performs routine unskilled and semi-skilled work in the maintenance, landscape and care of Town grounds, rights-of-way, and related Town property.
Special Events Team Member: Part-time; $10 an hour. This person works for the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department by working with the general public, assisting the recreation staff at events, programs, concerts, assisting with the maintenance and safety of parks and/or community center, and other related activities as required.
Police Officer: Hiring Range: $40,564 - $51,719, Salary Range: $40,564 - $62,875. With our ultimate goal of keeping Matthews safe, The Matthews Police Department is dedicated to attracting, recruiting, training and developing employees who meet and maintain the department’s strong hiring standards.
News Around Town: It’s time to choose your own Parks and Rec summer camp adventure . With a full array of camps for kids and relatively affordable tuition, these camps fill up fast. A few favorites won’t be happening this year (we’ll miss you, Muggsy), but there are so many other really cool options. Themes include fiber arts, printmaking, Legos, and STEAM—there’s something for every interest. See the brochure for more information.
One Good Thing: Save some cash, and give back to the community when you shop Fullwood Market this Sunday, April 25. 10% of your purchase dollars will be donated to the Matthews HELP Center.
Morning Minute: Thursday, April 22, 2021
Happy Earth Day!
News About Town: The Monday, April 26 Board of Commissioners meeting agenda is available online. The Board will meet via Zoom (link here, meeting ID 910 4857 8544). To listen live, call toll free 888-788-0099 and enter the meeting ID 910 4857 8544. A livestream of the meeting will also be available via the Town of Matthews YouTube Channel. For more information, including the process for public comment, visit the town website.
During the 6:30 pm closed session, the Board will meet with Town Attorney Charles Buckley. Closed sessions are limited by state legislation regarding which topics are acceptable in G.S. 143-318.11.
Items of note during the regular 7 pm meeting include:
Consider Exemption from Qualification-Based Selection Process for Design Work for 335 East Matthews Street.
FHWA Request for Experiment for Advisory Shoulder on Matthews Chapel Road.
Consider Town Takeover of Maintenance for East McDowell Street and Overcash Drive.
News Around Town: Some estimates say dog adoptions increased twofold during the pandemic. For those late to the game, Mac’s Speed Shop (142 East John St) has what the (pet) doctor ordered: Bark & Brew Pet Adoption Day. In honor of National Pet Adoption Day, South Charlotte Dog Rescue will bring a few eligible pups to Mac’s from 5 -8 pm on Friday, April 30th. Get ahead of the curve by filling out an adoption application here.
One Good Thing: Matthews Police Chief Clark Pennington wrote a thoughtful response to the Derek Chauvin trial. Read it here.
Morning Minute: Wednesday, April 21, 2021
News About Town: Free Shred Day is coming up this Saturday, April 24 from 9 am to noon in the back parking lot of First Baptist Church, 185 South Trade St. The Town of Matthews and Record Storage Systems are hosting this FREE document shredding event with COVID safety in mind. Place bags/bank boxes (limit 4) of papers in the trunk of your car then head on over to the Baptist Church. Remain in your vehicle while shredding staff unloads your documents and you can be on your way while your papers are shredded under HIPAA-compliant security measures. Only paper (paperclips and staples are ok) is allowed. A Certificate of Destruction will be provided to you.
Photo by Mabel
News Around Town: In honor of Earth Day, your local tree-hugging Habitat and Wildlife Keepers* want you to open your arms even wider and give the Earth a big hug! You, too, can “Hug the Earth” by going to HAWKncwf.org and printing an activity form to complete. On Saturday, April 24, stop by the HAWK table at Squirrel Lake Park, 1631 Pleasant Plains Rd, between 11 am and 1 pm for a prize!
*We <3 tree-huggers, BTW.
One Good Thing: SHOUT! Charlotte is an obviously Charlotte-centric event, but that doesn’t mean Matthews creatives can’t benefit. Festival planners have an open call for singers, dancers, musicians, visual artists, chefs, and more to round out the SHOUT! 2021 experience. View the full information packet and application process here. Have questions? The organizers are hosting info sessions according to area of focus:
Music: Thursday, April 22, 10 – 11 am
Food and Ideas: Thursday, April 29, 10 – 11 am
Art: Thursday, May 6, 6 - 7 pm
Music: Thursday, May 13, 11 am – 12 pm
Morning Minute: Tuesday, April 20, 2021
News Around Town: Earth Day is later this week (Thursday, the 22nd) but Mecklenburg County is celebrating all month long. Print the Restore Our Earth Passport and further connect with nature through planned activities you can do around the county. Some of the fun includes strolling on a Greenway, participating in a clean up, and watching wildlife at a nature preserve. Complete five activities then stop by a prize giveaway site for a prize! The closest one is just across the town border in Mint Hill at Stevens Creek Nature Center (15700 Thompson Rd., Mint Hill).
News Around Town, Pt II: Approximately half of eligible adults in the US have received at least one COVID vaccination shot. If you’ve been looking for your own Fauci Ouchie, Matthews United Methodist, 801 South Trade Street, is hosting a clinic on Monday, April 26. Held in partnership with Vax Van, registration is needed for an appointment (age 16 and over). Thanks for the tip, Shannon!
One Good Thing: Applications for the 2021 Mary Doctor Performing Arts Scholarship are being accepted now through April 25 for high school seniors in the Charlotte region. The $10,000 annually renewable award is awarded to up to two students with a demonstrated ability in the performing arts to pursue an undergraduate degree in a related field.
Yellow Smiles - A poem by Lorraine Stark
Yellow Smiles
They cover now once
Barren hills
Soft petals, curly edges
Yellow daffodils
They make the first frost
A past memory
And from each bloom
A ray of hope
Yellow like the sun
Brings smiles upon faces
To the old and the young
By Lorraine Stark
Morning Minute: Friday, April 16, 2021
News About Town: Recently a new scam has reared its ugly head and Matthews residents have been victims. The Matthews Police Department wants you to be on alert where fraudsters open a checking account in your name at PNC Bank. How do you know? You’ll receive a debit card in the mail from PNC. Although the scam has, thus far, been limited to PNC Bank recently, be on the lookout for any suspicious activity regarding any financial institutions. The police also suggest you:
Open all junk mail, especially from PNC Bank.
Closely monitor your banking accounts with notification alerts set.
Sign up for a credit monitoring service so that you will be immediately notified when a line of credit or account is applied for in your name.
Notify your bank ASAP if you detect any suspicious activity.
Notify police ASAP if you detect any suspicious activity.
News Around Town: Restaurants are feeling relief as the COVID vaccine becomes more accessible. With the Governor’s latest Executive Order they are open at 75% capacity and must adhere to required social distancing & masks. With the new order come new job opportunities here in Matthews.
Grace O’Malley’s has openings for servers, bartenders, hosts, and bussers/food runners.
Jekyll and Hyde have online listings for servers and line cooks.
The Loyalist is hiring a weekday, midday dishwasher to work Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4pm.
Portrait Gallery is hiring kitchen staff, servers, bussers, and bar staff. For more information, email info@pgmatthews.com or call 704-369-9982.
One Good Thing: The town wide litter sweep is tomorrow. Register to volunteer to spiffy up the streets of Matthews. Join your neighbors between 8 am and noon tomorrow, April 17 to “Keep Matthews Beautiful.” Some neighborhoods have organized groups, but the town will assign an area and give you supplies if you're not part of another organized effort.
Don’t Forget: The Matthews Chamber’s Week of Wellness starts today!
Matthews Cooks: Vivian's Sort Of Greek Chicken
It’s dinner time, and if you’re in a dinner rotation rut, Vivian’s Victuals has your back. Love the flavor-loaded dishes of the Mediterranean? This Sort of Greek Chicken recipe might just be the recipe you’ve been looking for.
Vivian’s (Sort Of) Greek Chicken
Eight pieces chicken or one whole one cut up
Jar of artichoke hearts, drained
About six fresh mushrooms, sliced
Jar of black or green olives, drained
¼ cup diced onion
4 (more or less) cloves garlic, diced
Greek seasoning, or thyme and oregano
2 TBSP lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Spray a baking pan with oil and put the chicken pieces in the pan, with space between the pieces.
Mix the mushrooms, artichoke hearts, onions, olives, garlic, lemon juice and seasonings in a bowl and spread evenly over the chicken pieces. Cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes. Take the foil off, baste the pieces, and cook another 30 minutes.
Great served with couscous, pasta, rice or roasted potatoes.
Greetings from Matthews Cooks! We’re a ragtag group of home cooks submitting original recipes from our own kitchens and sharing the adventure with Matthews Beacon readers. If you’d like to add your own, please send them to renee@matthewsbeacon.com , and she’ll forward them to me (Vivian). When you send in recipes, add your family story, if there is one. It can add new dimensions to a dish. Please do not use recipes from cookbooks, as we need to respect copyright laws. If you first got a recipe from a book, then changed it over the years to suit your kitchen, that would be fine.
Morning Minute: Wednesday, April 14, 2021
News About Town: It’s budget season! Almost as much fun as pollen season, municipal budget season has Town of Matthews department heads itching to get important initiatives funded. The process has been ongoing with staff, and this Saturday the Board of Commissioners will begin the process of prioritizing funds for Town of Matthews’ operations.
According to the UNC School of Government, department heads must have their requests to the budget officer by April 30; in Matthews the budget officer is the town manager. The Board of Commissioners should have a recommended budget by June 1. The budget should be finalized to be enacted by July 1, when the 2021/22 Fiscal Year begins. Matthews generally begins the process with staff in February, bringing the budget before the Board in April, followed by budget workshops in May and possibly June. In June, a public hearing is held before finalizing the budget.
The Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Saturday, April 17 starting at 10:30 am at the Matthews Town Hall. A limited number of the public may attend the meeting in person and is required to wear a mask and follow social distancing protocols.
The meeting will be available via Zoom (meeting ID 938 0767 0308), the Town of Matthews YouTube channel, or listen live by calling 888-788-0099 (Toll Free) and entering meeting ID 938 0767 0308.
News Around Town: The Matthews Chamber is kicking of a hybrid Week of Wellness this Friday, April 16. Register online to receive access to online events and participate in Novant’s Bingo Challenge. Join in online cooking demos, virtual Tai Chi, or take a selfie on the greenway and tag #HLweekofwellness. A few in-person events are super tempting (we’re looking at you, CycleBar with socializing afterward). Each of these fun, healthy events will get you one block closer to BINGO while building healthier habits. Earn bingo and email proof to the Chamber to be entered for a chance to win a prize! See the full schedule here and register by clicking links on the bingo board.
One Good Thing: Bambino Buddy Ball is coming to MARA (Arthur Goodman Park) most Sundays between April 25 and June 6. This free program serves boys, girls, and young adults, ages 5-20*, living with special needs (mental and/or physical) that want to play organized non-competitive baseball. Players are paired with MARA volunteers to learn baseball skills, experience the thrill of team play, and enjoy camaraderie in a safe, loving, and fun environment. Learn more here!
Dogwoods - A cinquain by Lorraine Stark
Dogwoods
Dogwoods
Petals cover
Bare grounds once winter’s white
With delicate little napkins
Floating
By Lorraine Stark
Morning Minute: Tuesday, April 13, 2021
News About Town: At last night’s Board of Commissioners meeting, several planning items were presented.
The Godwin Homes project (2020-725) on Pleasant Plains had a continuation of their public hearing from March. The developer presented a new approach to the property: 10 single-family homes instead of 8 duplexes (16 units total), with a lower price point per unit. The project will go to the Planning Board and then back to the Board of Commissioners at the May 10 meeting. The new elevations are not yet on the town website but can be viewed on the YouTube recording starting at time stamp 1:13:15.
The Board also voted to not approve Zoning Application 2021-727/Greylock Ridge Townhomes. The plans consisted of 75 townhomes, 11 of which would be priced at 60% Matthews annual median income ($1,100). The Board was split in a tie with three commissioners voting for the project (Bland, Miller, Whitley) and three commissioners voting against (Garner, Higdon, McCool). With a tied vote, the determination is determined not to pass. Commissioner John Urban served as a consultant to the developer and recused himself from voting.
News Around Town: Even though we’re a full year into a pandemic, recognizing milestones is still new-ish territory. If you have kids graduating from fifth or eighth grades, Cotton Gin Printing can help. Cotton Gin has teamed up with the Matthews PTO and Crestdale PTO this year to offer personalized yard signs to celebrate graduates. Check them out for Crestdale and Matthews online.
One Fun Thing: Who doesn’t love a Good Cup? The hometown artisan coffee shop on wheels will be parked at Fullwood Market, 131 E John St B, this Wednesday (April 14) and Friday (April 16)! Stop by between 11 and 1pm either (or both) days for a handcrafted sip of delicious. Follow @GoodCup to find them each week.