NMCA Newsletter (02/17)

Phyllis Gilreath Local Business, Meetings, Public Safety Committee

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*Normally the NMCA Board of Directors meets the first Tuesday of most months at 6 PM at the Bobby Pearse Community Center on Townes St.    Members are welcome to attend board meetings.  Please email northmaincomm@gmail.com  to confirm we are meeting that month.

FYI:  Please note that NMCA never gives or sells our email list to anyone!

Meet our Newest Business Members

 

1st and Main Investment Advisors.  “In business for over 30 years 1st & Main Investment Advisors is a dually-registered independent investment advisory and financial planning firm committed to helping you and your family 1stmeet your financial objectives. We do this in a professional, yet homey environment in which we strive to educate in terms that those who work with us can understand, take home, and apply to their everyday lives.”  Alex Schaefer is the partner located in Greenville.  He began with 1st & Main Investment Advisors in 2008 and relocated here in August of 2013 to open a 1st & Main Investment Advisors office in the Southeast.  Located at 135 S. Main Street Suite 103, he can be reached at Tel: (864) 990-2805 or info@1standmaininvest.com. You can also check out their online newsletter.

 

 

Keller Williams Greenville Central. Theresa Ford is a licensed realtor for KW Greenville Central.  After over 25 years in the country music business, she moved to Greenville in 2014 and pursued another kwcareer doing what she likes best…helping people.  She believes in “putting my client’s needs front and center and making sure I am always doing what’s in their best interest. Get a positive, helpful partner for buying or selling a home.”  Keller Williams mission: “To build careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living.”

 

Reminder…Time to Renew Your NMCA Membership

2017 North Main Community Association dues are due now!  Thank you to those who have already sent in their dues. Please, please consider renewing now and not waiting to receive a renewal notice from us or pay at the Spring Social as has been the past practice of some.  We are attempting to ease the administrative burden on the Membership Secretary position.   Dues are $20 per calendar year for residents and $30 per calendar year for businesses.  Just go to our membership page (http://northmaincommunity.org/membership/) and print and mail the membership form with a check or use Paypal.  If you choose Paypal, then after you’ve donated, please click on return to North Main Community Association to provide additional information. New members will receive a small decal for your car, your door, or wherever you want to put it, to let folks know that you support your community by being a member of NMCA.  There are different decals for residents and businesses.  They will be sent out soon.

We do have some members that have previously paid for multiple years beyond 2016.  If you think you are one of them, please send an email to Dave Modeen, djmodeen@gmail.com, our new Membership Secretary, to confirm.  Also, if you know someone who is a member and is not receiving emails, please tell them to email Dave.  We have about 10 that bounce each time we email.  We thank you for your membership and support!

Note: We are in the process of updating our website, so for the next couple of weeks, we apologize if you have problems.  If you can’t access PayPal, please try later.  If you need a renewal form, just let us know.

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Development Update 

  • The City of Greenville Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 4:00 PM in the 10th Floor Council Chambers at City Hall. Two of the applications being considered are listed below for those interested. If you click on the link it will take you to the application which has diagrams, maps, etc.
  1. SD 16-875. Application by Southern Investments and Dev LLC For A SUBDIVISION Of 0.8 Acres For 18 Townhomes Located At 109 And 117 W STONE AV In OD, Office and Institutional And C-2, Local Commercial Districts (TM# 000900-04-01900; -02000; -02100)
  2. SD 16-875 APPLICATION BY SOUTHERN INVESTMENTS FOR 18 TOWNHOME SD AT 109 AND 117 W STONE AV.PDF
  1. MFD 16-877. Application by Southern Investments and Dev LLC For MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT Of 18 Townhomes Located At 109 And 117 W STONE AV (TM# 000900-04-01900; -02000; -02100)
  2. MFD 16-877 APPLICATION BY SOUTHERN INVESTMENTS FOR MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AT 109 AND 117 W STONE AV.PDF
  • In case you haven’t noticed, clearing is well underway for the new development between W. Hillcrest and W. Mountainview.
  • Groundbreaking for NorthPointe is still on target for February or March.

Crime Info

  • We have not received direct reports of local crime issues. According to the Neighborhood Watch Report, there have been burglaries on Wilton, Westview and Cary Street within the last month.  Also, some of you may have heard that there were two men escorted in handcuffs from the North Main Rotary Park on Thursday, Feb. 9. They were intoxicated and were also suspects in a car or home burglary.
  • We do seem to be having more foot traffic in some areas…several reports of a man wanting to clean gutters for money to pay for a rent. In one case, he reportedly said he was alone but there was a van parked on the street with another man in it.  It never hurts to be cautious. As one resident commented: “Call the Greenville Police’s non-emergency number 864-271-5333 to report any activity that doesn’t seem legitimate. This will also help to keep a record in the case of any additional criminal activity that it could be linked to”.  Another resident mentioned a concern about liability if he should fall off the roof.  Someone suggested no solicitation signs which should be legal on private property, but how effective???

Other City Items

  • The city of Greenville has experienced a fire fatality less than one month into the new year. According to Will Broscious, Greenville City Fire Department’s community risk reduction and education coordinator, the man who lost his life in a residential fire last night was cooking when the fire started and his home did not have working smoke alarms. “In the wake of this terrible tragedy, we certainly want to remind residents of the importance of having working smoke alarms, but we also want to share some startling statistics regarding kitchen fires,” said Broscious.   Based on 2010-2014 data from the National Fire Protection Association, cooking equipment was the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, causing 46% of home fires that resulted in 19% of the home fire deaths and 44% of the injuries.

Remember, The Greenville City Fire Department provides smoke alarms and installation, free of charge, to city residents. You may use the city address locator to verify you live in the city limits.
To request a smoke alarm please request one with a Smoke Alarm Request Form. If you feel your smoke alarm is not functioning properly, you cannot afford an alarm or do not have an alarm, call 864-232-2273 to request a smoke alarm appointment.  Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and the batteries changed annually. If your alarm is sounding continuously, call 911.

  • Regarding the status of the proposed trolley route changes, according to the department director, the city is still receiving public feedback regarding the proposed routes. From here, the staff will incorporate input into the final drafts of the proposed routes and present those routes to both City Council and the GTA Board of Directors for formal adoption.  Their hope is that the routes will begin this summer, but they are at the mercy of the trolley manufacturer and therefore won’t be able to start service until the vehicles have been delivered.
  • You’ve probably noticed new speed humps in our neighborhood. A 70% affirmative vote is required after a lengthy process.  (If you are interested in traffic calming near you, see the entire process at this website.)  Recently, speed humps were approved and installed near 710 and 724 Bennett St.,109 Parkwood Dr., and 304 Gallivan.  All received positive votes of 80% or higher.
  • Did you Know? If just one percent of all South Carolina households was to recycle an additional eight newspapers per month, the extra effort could generate an annual gain of up to $3.8 million in economic activity. And, during positive market trends, recycling can cost less than landfilling.

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Does Weird Weather Confuse Plants?

The awareness of the time of year results from a plant’s ability to track daylength or photoperiod. There are long day, short day and day neutral plants. It’s interesting just to know that plants run on a 24-hour cycle. Many plants will go into a night cycle with the lights fully on. Think of these plants as jet lagged. (For you scientists out there, plants really tell time by how long the nights are by the reaction of the red pigment phytochrome in their cells to the dark.)

Why do trees near street lights still change color and lose their leaves? Most street lights are of the wrong color spectrum, direct their light downward, and are too weak to affect trees. As the days get shorter in the fall, plants get their earliest cue from the change in lighting that they need to begin winter preparations.  Changes in temperature are the other part of the process that plants use to mark the time of year.  Steadily dropping temperatures during the fall into early winter help plants acclimate to the coming cold weather. Before woody plants can go dormant their tissues harden as they acclimate to the changes in conditions. In the hardening process: buds desiccate partially by dropping from 80-90% water to approximately 40% and sugars increase and soluble proteins increase in plant storage tissues.  Both fertilization and pruning before plants are completely dormant will delay this process since both practices stimulate new, tender, growth, and may thus cause winter damage.

Once a plant goes dormant, the buds will not respond to mid-winter warm spells until they accumulate enough chilling hours. Chilling hours are typically described as a range of hours below a specific temperature. Most researchers agree to a model that measures hours below 45°F, but above 32°F.  What about warm winters like we are seeing now?  If buds do not receive enough chilling hours during winter, the plant may experience one or more symptoms: 1) delayed leaf growth, 2) reduced fruit set, and 3) reduced fruit quality.

crocusLet’s focus on the perennials we are seeing in the landscape now…some seemingly a little earlier than usual. Many perennials require specific periods of cold to flower the next season. This process is known as vernalization and as in light response, varies considerably among plants. This cold treatment generally requires weeks of temperatures below 50°F. Some plants require no cold period and will simply flower when the plant has grown enough or in response to daylength.  Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocus, Dutch iris and Scilla we are seeing now all require vernalization before they can bloom. As soon as they receive enough cold, they can begin growth and bloom. These bulbs respond well to ‘forced’ blooming indoors by keeping them at 35°F to 45°F for 12 weeks or more, then planting them and bringing them to room temperature so they can begin growing. It will take at least 4 weeks for these ‘forced’ bulbs to flower.  http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fact-sheets/general-gardening/timepieces-in-our-plants

Weather Tidbits

According to climate data, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in February is 57.0°F, the average low is 35°F and the average precipitation (rainfall) is 3.97”.  As you know, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, meaning 6 more weeks of winter.  Looking at records from 1890 to the present, the maximum high was 81 on Feb 27th, 1996.  The max low temperature was 60 on Feb 2nd,1923.  The minimum high temperature was 20 on Feb 14th 1899 and the minimum low was -5 that same day.  Maximum precipitation (rain) in a 24-hour period was 3.42” on Feb 28, 1987.  Maximum snow was 15” on Feb 15th back in 1902, making that Greenville’s snowiest winter on record.  Greenville has had up to 9” of snow as late as March 24 (1983).  The snowiest winter was in 1935 when we had a total of 21.4” of snow.  http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php .

According to the National Weather Service Greenville County was still in a moderate drought at the end of January.  Unfortunately, they don’t expect this to change dramatically as we head into spring.  They also anticipate a milder than average early spring…sorry, Phil.

Winter in Your Garden

Some gardeners are unsure whether to tidy up the garden now by removing dead plants. We’re all getting a little antsy with these periods of warm weather. The neat freaks among us insist that the landscape must be prim, so dead, unattractive stalks must be removed; however, others argue that seed heads add interest to the garden in winter. Sunflower stalks, grasses, and some perennials provide food and cover for wildlife. Birds can’t eat seeds that we cut down and relegate to the garbage or compost. Overwintering butterflies may also be removed with the debris. Also, remember that the dead foliage and stems provide a layer of insulation that will protect the crown and roots of plants during freezing weather. Read more at Dave’s Garden Website. And remember, our risk of frost continues till mid-April. And we have recorded a trace of snow on April 3, back in 1925.  (Obviously prior to global warming…but you never know!)

As we have said, winter is by far the best time to plant trees and shrubs, so you have another good month before it starts getting iffy. Be sure to plant no deeper than the plant came out of the pot, or the top of the root ball if ball-and-burlap.  Mix a little phosphorus in the soil where you plant. This encourages root growth which will help the plant get established so it will be ready to put out top growth come spring.

It’s also time to start cleaning out bird houses and putting up new ones. Bluebirds and some other songbirds start scouting for spring nest boxes in February. Other birds may not nest until later in the season, but they may still usebb the available houses as shelters from predators, cold temperatures and poor weather both before and after the nesting season. Birds that raise multiple broods each season often nest earlier as well. If a house is not up when these birds are ready to lay their first eggs, they may still investigate it as a nesting site later in the season.

 

                 For Our Four-legged Friends

Animal Care Services and NMCA are actively promoting their Community Cat Program. It’s a great program.  If the cat meets the qualifications, you can pick up a humane, live trap from Animal Care any time M-F between the hours of 12pm-4pm. Once the cat is trapped, (one cat per trap) you may bring the cat in the trap to their clinic.  No appointment required when bringing in community cats. Instead, drop-off time is between 10am-4pm, (closed for lunch from 12-1) Monday through Thursday, (No Friday drop offs). If you arrive after 12pm the cat may not be spayed or neutered until the following day.  The cat will be vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and ear-tipped (the humane, universal symbol of a sterilized cat). Then you will return the cat to the location or vicinity of origin.  To find out more about our community cat diversion program, call our info line at 864-467-3981.

cat and dogMark your calendars for March 1 from 6-8pm at the Bobby Pearse Community Center. NMCA is holding an informational program with Paula Church, Community Relations Coordinator with Animal Care Services (ACS).  She will talk to us about how ACS differs from the Humane Society and help dispel some long-held myths about ACS.  They are making great strides to become a no-kill shelter, a goal shared by all shelters and rescue groups in Greenville County.  She’ll also tell us more about the Community Cat Program and how you can help.  Hope to see you there!

The Greenville Humane Society is currently offering $20 neutering for your male cat or dog.

“The Humane Society is “full steam ahead” with a South Carolina standards-based curriculum for grades K-5. In addition, we offer case studies for STEAM-based initiatives at the middle school level. Lasting less than an hour, our hands-on lessons include a live puppy to enrich the learning experience. Topics focus on responsible pet ownership, character development, societal and medical animal issues, dog behavior, and human safety around our pets. We would love to collaborate with Greenville’s teachers to enhance curriculum through innovative humane education!”  Click here to view our Humane Education Brochure for detailed information and to see what teachers who have had this program in their classroom are saying.

We still have an ongoing problem with lost cats and dogs.  PLEASE make sure your pet is either micro-chipped or has a collar and tags with information (better yet, do both). It makes it so much easier to help them find their way home.

Summit Drive Pizza and Bingo Night

SAVE THE DATE – Friday, February 24th from 6-8 PM.   Go to Summit Elementary for a fabulous family night out. They are in need of prizes for this event.  They will be collecting gently used/new games,puzzles, books and gift cards in the office.

DYK you can also support Summit Drive Elementary with your Amazon Purchases? AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you choose your charity and shop on AmazonSmile, 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to that charity and one of the choices is Summit Drive Elementary.

grow your communityThank You to our Business Members                                  

Keep your dollars in your community. The following companies are committed to preserving the beauty and economic well-being of the North Main Community and the greater Greenville area.  Please thank them and give them your business when you can. Hover your cursor over each company name to read a brief description or click to go to their website:


 

Gardening and Plants

 Law Firms/CPAs/Financial

Insurance

Retail/Home Décor

 Realtors

Food/Drink/Catering

Personal Health/Well Being

Home Improvement/Builders/Architects

Miscellaneous Professional Services

If you would like to see your company listed here, please join the NMCA today!  Businesses do not have to be located in the North Main Neighborhood to be members.  They only need to provide services to North Main residents.

Calendar

City Council Formal Meeting and Work Session schedules can be found at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_government/meet.asp

  • The Hughes Main Library has numerous programs for adults and children. Check out their February and March calendars.
  • The Children’s Museum has great programs for kids. Check them out at their website calendar
  • Check out the current exhibits and other programs at the Upstate History Museum.
  • Don’t forget about a great local resource for family activities. Macaroni Kid lists all kinds of local activities for kids and families.

For other events in this area bookmark Go-greenevents  for a listing of various events with registration, etc., handled online to save needless waste of paper. 

Greenville County Museum of Art – The Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm and on Sundays 1 – 5 pm. As always, admission is free.  The Greenville Collection is now the largest and the most complete collection of Andrew Wyeth’s watercolors owned by any public museum in the world. The GCMA boasts a particularly strong collection of works by South Carolina artist Jasper Johns.

Currently featuring the work of Grainger McKoy.  He initially produced realistic carvings of birds in flight, but slowly began transforming his intricately carved birds into gravity-defying sculptures that played with form and space, while continuing to accurately render each species in detail.  Also being unveiled on Feb 15 is “Masterworks of Color: African-American Art “More than fifty works are included in this exhibition which explores the viewpoint of African-American artists.

Michael McDunn with McDunn Studio has released his 2017 schedule of classes.  To view it, check out his website or FB page.  There he describes the dates and times as well as the projects.  He is still accepting class applications.

Dance Ventures has also released their 2017 classes in jazz, ballet and tap.  Classes are starting now but it’s not too late to sign up.  Check the website for dates and times.  Or call Sandra at 864-271-7701.  Classes range from beginner to intermediate and advanced.  She’ll help find the right class for you.

Feb/March –  Check out the classes at the Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery.

Feb/March – Check out the Community Tap calendar of events.

Every Tuesday.  Line Dancing at the Sears Shelter at McPhearson Park from 6:15 – 8pm.  Dances are taught in a fun and easy way with a variety of music – Hip Hop, R&B, Rock & Roll, Latin, Country, Shag, and Swing. Party dances include Electric Slide, Cupid Shuffle, Bikers Shuffle, and Cha Slide. Second hour moves into mainstream dances -Good Time, Tush Push, R&B Boogie and more. No partner or dance knowledge required. Two left feet are fine. Bring your friends and have some fun.

Now – April 3 –  Yoga at the Bobby Pearse Center.  Monday evenings: 6:30 – 7:45pm. This 75-minute class is taught once a week, and all levels are welcome; however, you do not need previous yoga experience to enjoy this class. Participants may pay per class upon arrival or register for the entire 8-week session for less!  Please bring your own yoga mat.  Cost is only $6 per class (Greenville City Residents – $5).

Feb 17-20 – Great Backyard Bird Count. The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that occurs across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy – and it helps the birds.  The 2016 GBBC was epic.  An estimated 163,763 bird watchers from more than 130 countries joined in. Participants submitted 162,052 bird checklists reporting 5,689 species–more than half the known bird species in the world and 599 more species than last year!

Feb 20 – President’s Day – All City Offices Closed.

Feb 24 – Summit Drive Bingo Night.  6-8 pm.  See info in newsletter text.

Feb 25 – 2017 Cardboard Regatta. Westside Aquatic Complex. Start time is 2:00 pm. Cost: Corporate Sponsored boat: $100. Scouts/Schools/Family boats: $15. Build it. Race it. Love it. Race inside the box. Get started now! You bring the boat with you! Build a boat out of cardboard with friends, family, or co-workers to race in a pool for prizes!

Feb 25 – GHS Half Marathon & 5K. 7:30am – 11:30 am @ TD Stage at the Peace Center. Half marathon and 5K events finishing in downtown Greenville.

March 1 – Animal Care Services (ACS) Meeting.  6 – 7 pm.  Bobby Pearse Community Center.  Townes Street.   Paula Church, Community Relations Coordinator with ACS, will talk to us about how ACS differs from the Humane Society and help dispel some long-held myths about ACS. They are making great strides to become a no-kill shelter, a goal shared by all shelters and rescue groups in Greenville County. She’ll also tell us more about the Community Cat Program and how you can help.

March 3-5 – Upstate: Southern Home & Garden Show.   Featuring 125,000+ square feet of exhibits, the Southern Home & Garden Show is the largest and most popular home and garden event in South Carolina.  You will find landscape displays, lawn and garden equipment, interior decorators, kitchen designers, windows and window treatments, flooring, decks, home entertainment and automation, hot tubs, saunas and pools, outdoor living and much more.  Adults $7.00, Seniors (55+) $5.00, Children Under 12 Free

$1.00 off with your Ingles Advantage Card or $1.00 off with your Sunday church bulletin!  (*Show discounts cannot be combined.)

March 11 – Space Day.  Roper Mountain Science Center.  9am – 3pm. Join us on Space Day for a Journey to Other Worlds! This fun-filled event will feature a wide range of hands-on activities, crafts and demonstrations for all ages. Enjoy a moon rock display along with other NASA exhibits and artifacts. Flight simulators, rocket launches, remote control planes and more! Special solar eclipse activities will help you get ready for the big event happening in August. The fun will be out of this world!

March 12 – Daylight Savings Time Starts.  Set your clocks ahead 1 hour….spring forward.

March 12 – St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 2-6pm.  Main Street between Falls Park to North St, Broad St Falls St and Main St, North St between Richardson St to Spring St, Main St, from North St to Beattie Place.

March 18 – St. Paddy’s Day Dash and Bash .  Check their website for event details.

April 1 – Community Yard Sale at the Northgate Soda Shop.  8 am. Clean out the house and bring your ‘stuff’ to sell.  No charge for space but bring what you need…tables, chairs, change, etc.  More details to come.

 

The use of trade names or advertisements in this publication does not constitute endorsement or discrimination by the North Main Community Association.

 

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NMCA Newsletter (02/17)
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