Welcome to our Newest Business Members
Michael Oliver State Farm Agent is located at 301 E. Stone Ave. “The Michael Oliver Team exists to serve and meet the financial service and insurance needs of the Greenville, and greater Upstate area. Our office has 
grown since 2003, while the spirit of service and being a good neighbor continues to thrive each day. As our company evolves, we face many choices, yet we always do our best to take care of our policyholders, our people, our community, and our environment.” You can reach them at (864) 233-7779 or at his website.
Liz Berry State Farm Agent is located at 1004 W Georgia Road Suite G, Simpsonville. “Our mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their 
dreams.” You can reach Liz at (864) 228-6300 or at her website.
Tara Pickens with Keller Williams Upstate lives here in the North Main area and provides real estate service around the upstate. “We stand by our clients from start to finish and promise the most professional service 
available. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to make your new home with Greenville SC real estate, Greer SC real estate, or all areas around and in between, the Tara Pickens team of SC real estate experts gets the job done.” You can reach Tara at (864) 901-9644 or at her website.
June is Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month
Many shelters are running adoption specials this month. Each spring during “kitten season,” thousands of newborn kittens join the millions of cats already in shelters across the country. That means your local shelter has tons of cute, cuddly newborns, in addition to all the mellow, older cats and everything in between. And the shelter staff are ready to help you adopt your very first cat — or to bring home a friend for another beloved cat!
The Greenville Humane Society is also running a special in June. Get your kitten or puppy fixed for only $20. Help reduce the number of unwanted and homeless animals roaming the streets, hungry and at the mercy of predators. We keep seeing more and more photos of lost cats. We also know that there are coyotes in this area and many areas of Greenville, as well as roaming dogs. Please keep your cats and other small pets indoors if at all possible. If your pet does stray, let us know and we’ll try to alert our members. The Greenville Police Dept. has begun posting photos of lost pets on its facebook page. Also, check out the lost and found page at Animal Care Services in case someone has found them and turned them in. The first thing that is checked for is a microchip which if kept up to date will be traceable through their database. We had a dog found recently that had only a collar rabies tag. Several members wrote in to let us know that you can call the number on the rabies tag (usually the vet who gave the vaccination) and give them the id number to find out who the owner is.
North Main Community Yard Sale
Reminder: North Main Community Yard Sale. Saturday, June 15 (that’s this Saturday!) from 7am till 2pm. Back parking lot of the Northgate Soda Shop. Sell your items and keep the money. No cost for space. Items not wanted can be given to Judy McBrearty for donation to charity. She will be in the grey truck behind the Soda Shop at the light pole.
If you are planning on participating, please come early and set up around the perimeter of the back parking lot. Please keep the center of the parking lot clear! Bring your own tables and anything you need for displaying and don’t forget to bring change! See you there!
Bicycle Safety and Courtesy
Now that summer is here and there are more bicycles on the road (especially kids), it’s a good time to review the ‘rules of the road’ for both motorists and bicyclists.
MOTORISTS
• Under SC law, bicycles are vehicles and should be treated as such on roadways. • Give at least three feet of passing space between your vehicle and the bicyclist.
• Reduce your speed when passing bicyclists, especially if the roadway is narrow. • It is illegal to harass bicyclists.
• When a road is too narrow for cars and bikes, a bicyclist may ride in or near the center of the road.
• Do NOT pass a bicyclist if oncoming traffic is near. • When parking on the street, check for a bicyclist before opening your car door.
• Do not pass bicyclists if you will be making a right turn immediately.
BICYCLISTS
• Bicycles are vehicles and should act and be treated as such on the roadways. Laws that apply to motorists apply to bicyclists as well. (That means stopping at stop signs and red lights!)
• Ride in the right-most lane that goes in the direction that you are traveling.
• Obey all stop signs, traffic lights and lane markings. • Use hand signals before all turns.
• Look before you change lanes or signal a turn; indicate your intention, then act.
• Identify hazards and adjust your position on the roadway. • If the lane is too narrow or you are going the same speed as the traffic, “take the lane” by moving to the center of the lane.
• Be visible and predictable at all times.
• When riding at night, bicyclists are required by law to have a white front light and rear red reflector. A rear red blinky light is recommended for additional visibility.
Remember…Greenville is a bicycling community….let’s all Share the Road. http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/trails/forms/BikevilleBrochure.pdf
Weather Tidbits
According to climate data, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in June is 85.5°F, the average low is 64.6°F and the average precipitation is 4.49”. The record maximum temperature for the period 1962-2006 was 100°F on June 5, 1985. The record minimum was 40°F on June 1, 1972. Record high rainfall was in 1994 with 10.12” following a year with minimum precipitation of 0.17” in 1993. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
As most of you have heard, NOAA’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook says there is a 70 percent likelihood of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 7 to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). “This year, oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic basin are expected to produce more and stronger hurricanes,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “These conditions include weaker wind shear, warmer Atlantic waters and conducive winds patterns coming from Africa.” http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/20130523_hurricaneoutlook_atlantic.html
June Yard and Landscape Tips
Trees and Shrubs – apply a second, light fertilizer application to trees in June if there is sufficient moisture and conditions promote good growth. Do not apply if growing conditions are poor or if there is a drought. 
See Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs for more information. Now is another good time to prune most trees and shrubs. July and August are the months to prune azalea, dogwood, forsythia, redbud and rhododendron. They should be pruned after they bloom, but before bloom set in the fall. Oakleaf hydrangea and late-flowering azalea cultivars might also be considered now. Avoid any pruning in the spring and fall if at all possible. See Pruning Trees and Pruning Shrubs for more information.
Lawns – you should apply nitrogen to Bermuda lawns this month. You can also apply a slow-release fertilizer to St. Augustine lawns to help reduce chinch bug problems. See Fertilizing Lawns for more information. If you have not yet broadcast fire ant baits apply your first treatment any time this month. Be sure to apply fresh bait, and do it at the correct time of day (fire ants only forage actively when the ground temperature is between 70 and 95 degrees F). See the Fire Ant Management in the Home Lawn and the State Fire Ant website for more information. Any time your warm season lawn is actively growing is a good time to aerate. See Aerating Lawns for more information.
If you plan to plant a warm-season (centipede, zoysia, Bermuda, St. Augustine) lawn, the best time to plant is in the spring and summer. It’s too late to plant Bermuda by seed (unless you seed with unhulled seed in the fall). Wait until fall for cool-season grasses (fescue). See Lawn Establishment for more information. Make the second attack on your war with crabgrass and goosegrass this month. You will need an application of a pre-emergent herbicide to compliment the one applied in March. See Grassy Weeds for more information.
Your irrigation cycle should be in full swing by this time, based on how much help Mother Nature is. See the Home and Garden Center’s irrigation publications for more information, especially the publication on Irrigation Time of Day. One inch per week is the appropriate amount for most lawns and vegetables (except sweet corn and yellow squash, which may require up to two inches depending on growth stage). Include rainfall in this amount, and see How Much Water to determine how much water you are actually applying. And make sure that you adjust your water applications with plant growth stage and time of year – one size definitely does not fit all for the entire year. Also see Determining When to Irrigate to help determine when your plants need water. Do not irrigate every day! There are a few exceptions to this rule (such as potted plants), but only a few. http://www.clemson.edu/extension/county/laurens/yard_garden/06_june.html
Invasive Alert: Fig Buttercup Documented in SC
Fig Buttercup has recently been found in Greenville County. Never heard of it? Try Lesser Celandine. It may be in gardening magazines, promoted as an easy-to-grow alternative to the rare native Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris). This is SC’s first documented sighting of Ficaria verna growing outside of cultivation. It is a vigorous plant that emerges in early spring before most natives, forming a green blanket which, once established, native plants cannot penetrate. Toothworts, Dutchman’s Breeches, Trout Lily, Trillium and Bloodroot are some of the natives most at risk.
It produces numerous tubers and bulblets, each of which can grow into a new plant when separated from the parent by animals or well-meaning weed-pullers, or carried downstream. Its bright buttery yellow flowers were in full bloom here in early April, growing in low open woods, floodplains, meadows and waste places. After flowering, its above-ground parts die back and are mostly gone by June; it survives the winter as thickened fingerlike underground stems.
This is a very serious and challenging pest. Its short life cycle offers very little time to attempt control. Chemical pesticides can be effective, but are best used early before natives and amphibians have emerged. Small infestations can be tackled by hand digging with a small trowel, but soil disturbance can encourage further infestation. If digging is attempted, care must be taken to bag every scrap of plant, and make sure they are completely dead before delivering to a landfill.
Learn more at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/rafi1.htm , To see the Greenville County infestation, which spreads along 1.5 miles of Reedy River floodplain, download Conestee~Ficaria.pdf http://scnps.org/invasive-alert-fig-buttercup-documented-in-sc
North Main Park Update
Our resident hawks who call our neighborhood their territory once again have a huge nest in the top of the poplar tree on the south hillside at the park. If you walk in the park or live near there, you can hear the shrill calling…there are probably young on the nest and you hear them and their parents calling to each other.
The hawk’s nest is a platform of sticks, often high in a pine or oak tree in a dense stand of woods. A mated pair of red-tails may use the same nest from year to year, adding new lining of moss and cedar twigs each spring to cushion the eggs during incubation. While incubation takes about a month, by day 10 after hatching, nestlings emit high whistling notes (usually in response to their parents overhead). Within a month after hatching, the young begin stretching their wings and exercising regularly prior to leaving the nest about a week after that. They typically stay in the area after hatching, so keep your eyes and ears open. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-tailed_hawk/id
As summer approaches, the park seems overcome with weeds. Both the city and NMCA volunteers are trying to tackle them but it takes time and it’s no fun in this heat. This week, volunteers 
did some weeding in the triangular bed by the baseball field. Next time you walk past, you’ll see ‘Green-and-Gold’ plants around the outside, and native red salvia in the middle. Once in bloom, the salvia is a particular favorite of hummingbirds. Also, you’ll notice that new mulch and plants have been added on the hillside near the amphitheater.
This Month’s Trivia
Did you know that in Washington state where recreational marijuana use is legal, growers are scrambling to figure out how to dispose of the excess stems, roots, and leaves from their plants, according to Reuters. Pigs whose feed was supplemented with potent plant leavings during the last four months of their lives ended up 20 to 30 pounds heavier than the half-dozen other pigs from the same litter. The medical marijuana grower who provided the pot leavings for the pigs, says he hopes the idea expands with the likely impending expansion of Washington state’s marijuana industry. http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/pot-eating-pigs-gain-weight/2013/05/21/id/505635
Crime Update
Since our last crime update email, we’ve had a couple of other reports. In one, a resident’s mother was home alone and a young man (late teens, clean-cut) told her that his mother said he could come to talk to her about something he was selling (the mother wasn’t clear what he was selling). When she told him she wasn’t interested, he tried to coax her, through the locked storm door, to come “sit on the front porch and talk about it”. Wisely, the mother ultimately shut the front door and he left. Though the resident does have a friend with the same name he used, who lives in the North Main Area, she confirmed that it was not her son. She emphasized to her mother to never unlock the door for anyone and to not hesitate to call 911 if someone comes to the door and is persistent or makes her nervous. Good advice!
This past Wednesday morning, a member’s home on North Main was burglarized. Someone entered around 8:45am. They were not home – they were only gone for about 30 minutes. Regardless, the burglar took items, including the resident’s bag with valuable items. They had seen the email alerts about break-ins in our area and wanted to emphasize to all to keep your doors locked and call the police if you notice anything out of the norm. They are now investing in a good home security system!
Please keep your property secured and keep an eye out for suspicious activity. This is the time of year when we often begin to hear more about these problems, as school is out and folks go on vacation. If you plan to be gone, be sure to let one or more of your close neighbors know so they can keep an eye on your home and property. Also, if your neighbor is not a member of NMCA, please encourage them to join so they can get these emails on a timely basis. Thank you!
Parking on N. Main Street
One of our members asked about guidelines or regulations for parking on N. Main where there are two lanes on each side of the median, particularly when a resident has a party, etc. and is short on parking. The 
information we got from the Greenville Police Dept. apparently gives you two solutions. The first and most preferred solution is this: “Since parking in the residential section of N. Main Street can be a bit tricky, the Traffic Engineering division of the Department of Public Works will provide cones to residents that allow for on street parking. They ask that you assess the number of visitors you may have so that they may assess the number of cones you may need. Typically, you would need to contact them 30 days in advance to avoid conflicts with other residents wishing to have similar events (but if that’s not possible, just let them know as soon as you can). You would be expected to pick them up and subsequently return them. There is an agreement they will ask you to sign that promises the return and costs for any missing or damaged items. You may contact them at 467-4360.”
We asked about folks just getting cones and doing it on their own and were told they would prefer that you go through Traffic Engineering, but using your own cones “would be permissible. Since there is technically no prohibition by sign or curb marking, anyone can park on the outer-most portion of the asphalt. The cones are simply meant to aid the passing motorists in recognizing those vehicles that are not in motion so that they may take proper evasive action.”
50 Things
We’re working to finish up the list of 50 things our residents love about the North Main neighborhood. Submission deadline has passed so we’ll put the list in order and get it out as soon as we can. Thanks to all who passed on their choice(s) for what makes our neighborhood great!!
Flash From the Past
From Last Month:
This building was miss-identified by the editor last month as the Cannon Building in Fountain Inn. A Fountain Inn native informed us that it is actually The Carolina Supply Company Building. The building is a four-story brick commercial structure constructed in 1914 in a utilitarian Renaissance Revival design with more simple architectural elements than many of the surrounding historic buildings. The Carolina Supply Company was incorporated in July 1899 as a textile and industrial supply company for the purpose of supplying mills with equipment and supplies. Carolina Supply’s association with the textile industry led to a natural business relationship with Joseph Emory Sirrine, the region’s leading mill architect and engineer residing in Greenville. Subsequently, J.E. Sirrine and Company was hired to design a new building for Carolina Supply Company in 1913. Listed in the National Register July 3, 1997.
Thanks to NMCA President Bob Bainbridge for this photo and to member Bill Henley for the history. “The signs were placed on the corners of North Main/Fairview Avenue and Bennett Street/Fairview Avenue
about 1940. They were made in E. H. Henley’s wrought iron shop. His house was the only house on the street at the time. The name change was made because of the problem with two Fairviews (the other is off Cleveland Street). The marker that was on Main Street was destroyed in a wreck several years ago. The street west of North Main has always been Montclair Avenue. The name change was to (East) Montclair Avenue that is now east and west of North Main.”
This chapel was one of two chapels at the Greenville Army Air Base. Greenville Army Air Base was the third major military installation in Greenville, South Carolina and was operational from 1942-1950, when it became Donaldson Air Force Base. The base was instrumental in training World War II bomber pilots and crews and sending them to fly combat missions in Europe. After WWII, the base sent Globemaster transports to aid the Berlin Airlift. There was apparently some discussion about the name of the base. A Mr. Marshall Moore requested the base be named “McSwain Field” after the late South Carolina congressman John J. McSwain, but Captain Charles J. Himes of the AAFNB decided the base would be called “Greenville Army Air Base”. http://greenvillearmyairbase.yolasite.com/
Do you recognize these photos….one taken recently and one old?
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 June Calendar.
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. Discover this magnificent collection of works by America’s iconic watercolor master. Highlights include Four Poster and Dusk.
June 5 – Century BMW Reedy River Concerts series begins. 7-9pm. Peace Center Amphitheater. Music fans can enjoy live musical entertainment all summer long at the Concert Series. The free concert series, features a wide array of performances including jazz, country, rock & roll, blues and reggae.
June 15 – North Main Community Yard Sale. See article above.
June 15 – Dinner and a Movie. Silver Screen Café. Tickets Still Available for this month’s showing of “Royal Wedding”. Visit their website or call 283-0888.
June 15 – Caine Halter Family YMCA Triathlon. 7am – 10:30am. Triathlon to raise money for the Caine Halter YMCA. the event will be a 300 meter swim, with a 9 mile bike and a 5k run. The event is open to the public and scholarship entry fees are available for qualifying events.
June 18 – Native Plant Society Upstate Program. 7-9pm. ‘Standing Up Mountains: Conservation and stewardship practices for a better tomorrow.’ Greenville Tec University Center, Multipurpose Room #2. How far would you go to save a mountain in your own backyard from imminent destruction? For one group of conservationists there was no limit, and after years of fighting, they finally won. Jay Erskine Leutze recounts this fascinating and inspiring story in his book, Stand Up That Mountain. The mountain in danger was Belview Mountain, a wild and scenic location just 1.5 miles from the famed Appalachian Trail, near the North Carolina and Tennessee border.
June 21 – Greenville Chautauqua Festival. 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Falls Park – TD Amphitheater. 601 South Main. An interactive theater performance. Bring your lawn chairs and picnics and enjoy an evening of music and theater. And experience your history as you never have before. Free, fun and family friendly. Telephone: 864-244-1499. Admission: Free
June 21 – Northgate Soda Shop. Karaoke: 8 PM – 1 AM Food served until 9 PM.
June 29 – Support and Inspire 5K. 9-11 am. Start at First Baptist Church. 847 Cleveland Street. A 5K and 2 mile fun run/walk to help raise funds and awareness for injured Marines. Registration: Free.
July 4 – Earle St. July 4th Parade. 7–7:30 pm. Earle St from Robinson to North Main St. Admission: Free.
July 4 – Wells Fargo Red, White and Blue Festival. 5-10:30pm. Downtown Greenville. 206 S. Main. Free.
July 4 – Red White and Blue Shoes 5K. Join us for the exciting American Spirit 5K, the race that starts with “the shot heard ’round the world” and ends with a charge down the scenic mall at Furman University. After the race, enjoy delicious snacks and take part in the post-race activities including water balloon tossing, rope tugging, and the ever-popular pie eating contest! We have a kids run with hay bales and sprinklers, so prepare to get wet. All participants receive a BROOKS technical shirt. Overall, Masters, Grandmasters and Age Group winners receive special awards. Event Schedule: 8:00am- 5K Race, 9:15am- Kids Steeplechase, Tug of War, Water balloon toss, Musical chairs, Pie eating contest, 10:00am- Awards. Race day registration will take place onsite from 6:00am until 7:30am. Click Here to Register!
July 5 – August 3 – The Renato Moncini Story: The First Artist of Space. Opening night: July 5, 5:30-9pm. T. L. Norris Gallery. An Italian immigrant who worked for NASA from 1962-1974, he used his talent to create technical renderings and concept drawings of NASA equipment to help achieve America’s goal of putting a man on the moon. During his time at NASA, he also painted all the rocket launches at Cape Canaveral. Over the years he created a large collection of paintings from historic moments in American history.
July 9 – Protecting Yourself from Home Repair Fraud. Greenville Library. 6:30-8pm. Learn how to hire contractors, how to check them out, what should actually be in your contract, the building permit process, how to set up payment schedules, insurance issues you may not know about, how to deal with problems that may arise, change orders, lien releases and more! Free.
For other community events, check the Greenville City calendar
Or, the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau
Summer Programs at Greenville Community Centers
Program Instructors Needed
The City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department is seeking instructors to offer fun and exciting recreational and educational classes to our community. Our department offers a wide variety of recreational programs to citizens of all ages. These programs take place in city parks, community centers and other locations. For a full listing of programs visit http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/RecPrograms.aspx
Summer 2013 Program Schedule
- To view the summer calendar for the Bobby Pearse Center, go to the Parks and Rec website
- To view the summer program calendar for the Sears Recreation Center, go to the Parks and Rec website You will be able to view program information and pay directly online.
For additional information about each of the programs listed below, call the contact number or visit http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/RecPrograms.aspx
….Or pick up a program brochure at your local community center.
Community Center Rental
Both the Bobby Pearse Center and the Sears Shelter are available for rent. For information about renting the Bobby Pearse Center, email Jonathan Jones or call 467-4331.
Planning a special event like a wedding reception, birthday, anniversary or family reunion? Why not have your events at the Sears Recreation Center? It is conveniently located in McPherson Park at the corner of North Main Street and E. Park Avenue (100 E. Park Avenue).
Some of the Community Center features are:
- Kitchen
- Restrooms
- Handicapped accessible
- Piano
- Banquet tables & chairs
- Plenty of parking
- Sound system
Contact Jan Cox at 864-467-4326 or jbcox@greenvillesc.gov for more information and availability.
The City of Greenville Parks and Recreation is working with LiveWell Greenville to promote healthy eating among our athletes. Watch this short video to learn more about eating healthy snacks at youth sports!
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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Wishing all our members a very safe and fun summer. Stay cool!
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