Holiday 2018 Newsletter

Phyllis Gilreath Beautification Committee, Local Business

 

                                     

                                    Welcome to Our Newest Business Member

Angela Reid is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Caine.  She moved to Greenville in 2004 after working in the realty business in Colorado. She works with her mother, Karen Mascaro, and their combined experience and skill provides clients top level service through every transaction. “With patience, hard work and trustworthiness, my clients know I will do everything in my power to help them have the best experience possible. Through Coldwell Banker Caine, I have a strong team of professionals behind me.  Let me take a determined, results driven approach to buying your dream home or selling your home at the best price possible”. Angela can be reached by email at areid@cbcaine.com or by phone at 864.350.6670.  She also invites you to visit her website.

Santa’s Workshop – December 8

Santa Claus is coming to the Sears Recreation Center (100 E Park Ave) on Saturday, December 8 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Bring the entire family to Santa’s Workshop to enjoy the festive atmosphere, the craft-making stations and the warm cider and cookies. Plus, take a free picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus! For more information, call (864) 467-4326.    For a list of Holiday Happenings in Greenville, visit their website.  Kidding Around Greenville has listed two driving routes where some of the best Christmas lights can be seen.

 A Note From our President

2018 was marked with many successes for our neighborhood.  Your Board took on the initiative of improving the North Main Rotary Park. We partnered with the City and others to improve one of the great gems in our neighborhood by providing the City with park improvement recommendations, most of which will be implemented. A lot of board and volunteer hours also went into making improvements.

Also led by the Board and volunteers, we were able to provide neighbors with social opportunities for the community to gather with old friends and make new ones, such as the Spring Social at the Community Tap where over 250 of our neighbors enjoyed the day together.

Sharing important information with residents is also an important mission for the NMCA.  This fall, the NMCA in partnership with The Greenville News hosted a Town Hall meeting where nearly 100 neighbors engaged with members of Council about important issues such as traffic, trees, development, commercial creep and parks.

The welcome sign at Rutherford and N. Main was completed, giving our neighborhood a more welcoming entrance.  The NMCA also spent a great amount of time and effort to inform neighbors about important issues and meetings that were occurring in our area.

Looking ahead to 2019, there is much work to be done. As Greenville continues to grow, it is vital to ensure North Main and surrounding neighborhoods are protected and supported. We know that with your help, we can accomplish great things for our neighborhood.  (John DeWorken)

 

Development & Other City News

  • Northpointe is moving along as fast as any of us can during this muddy season.  We are on track to start moving in residents next summer, and retailers to begin opening in the fall.  On behalf of the City, Duke Energy has started installation of the street lighting on the west side of Wade Hampton and the east side of Church Street.  The lights being installed on the existing power poles will go in first, then additional street lights and pedestrian lights will follow.  In December, YPS will be pouring an elevated concrete slab at the corner of Wade Hampton and Stone Avenue.  You can see the forms and rebar that are being placed now.  This elevated slab will provide a solid barrier between the retail and the apartments for fire containment (knock-on-wood that it never has to be used for that) and will also have the added advantage of helping keep the noises and smells of any restaurants from penetrating the apartments above. (Tori Wallace-Babcock, Project Coordinator)

  • Town Hall Meeting. Thanks to all those who braved the rain to come out to the NMCA Town Hall Meeting.  And thanks to Council Members Amy Ryberg Doyle and Lilian Brock Flemming, and to Eric Conner and the Greenville News for moderating and livestreaming.  We received many positive comments on the meeting from audience members.  A number of topics were addressed in too much detail to summarize here.  Some of those were:
    • Crosswalks, sidewalks and speeding and how to improve pedestrian safety. What steps Council will take to address these. Looking at trying to ‘take back’ 20 streets from the State.  North Main is one of these.  Looking at idea of “Slow your Roll” – roads without yellow lines will have lowered speed limits similar to school zones…just one of many options to slow traffic.
    • Notification of development, including improved signage, increasing notification radius for neighbors and better online information. Focus was on Wade Hampton Storage Unit project and the emphasis on mixed use…not two storage units within close proximity.
    • Transit and affordable housing. Budget for expanding transit to make it more available to those who need it.  Pressure from business community for better system for their workers.  How is city working with county on the economics of improving transit system?  Discussion of need for more affordable housing and can there be a dedicated annual funding source. How to pay for it?  Housing Trust Fund.  Currently a 2500-unit shortage of affordable housing in Greenville.  Much of the development has displaced people who are in the low-income category.  Where do they go.  How to keep them in their homes.  Discussion of Unity Park and issues faced there.
    • Clearcutting and what the city can do to better enforce current ordinances and implement new, stricter ordinances, especially for existing residences.
    • City has begun work on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. They encouraged residents to get involved. The question was asked about the possibility of a separate North Main comprehensive plan or neighborhood plans for the 40 neighborhoods in Greenville.
    • Dog parks. Are there any plans to find a new location since the one at Cleveland Park was lost?
    • Parks and Community Center.

This is only a brief listing of some of the topics covered. Some attendees were disappointed that more concrete answers were not given to some questions.  We always welcome suggestions  You can still view the meeting at the Greenville News site.

  • Historic Survey Meeting. For those who missed the Nov 27 neighborhood meeting (Thanks to Daybreak Community Church for hosting), the following is a brief summary:

In 2017, the city received a grant and contracted with a consultant who walked the neighborhoods to identify historically significant properties citywide, focusing on the following areas: West End, Village of West Greenville, Greater Sullivan, Cleveland Park, Nicholtown, North Main, Augusta Road, Sherwood Forest and Parkins Mill. In North Main, there were two areas, Buist Circle and Stone Academy.  Part of the selection criteria was areas most threatened by development. The goal was to identify properties that are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as for potential historic designation locally. They identified 1600 properties, structures, etc. which they researched and documented based on criteria such as the date of construction, exterior architectural details and style and historically significant owners/events.

They will be looking at establishing overlays for these areas. This is a process which will involve public meetings (those in the potential overlay areas will receive notification) as well as presentations to the Design Review Board, Planning Commission and City Council.  If adopted, there will be a balance.  It could mean some level of protection but in return you may have to abide by some restrictions, the level of which will be based on these meetings. This could be anything from posting a 30-day notice when demolishing a residence, paint color selection to restrictions when modifying your home. It is Very Important that interested residents attend these meetings and make your feelings known, whether you are in favor or opposed!

The fastest timeline could be adoption by the end of February, but this is unlikely considering how involved the process is. Please remember that nothing is decided yet.  This was just an informational meeting.  Additional information can be found at the City’s website which also has answers to commonly asked questions.  More information on design guidelines for overlay districts can also be found at  http://www.greenvillesc.gov/180/Design-Guidelines

The last survey was done in 2013. A copy can be found at this website   It includes photographs of different architectural styles, etc.


Weather Tidbits

The average maximum temperature for Greenville in Dec is 54°F, and the average low is 34.  The average rainfall is 4.11”.  The record monthly high was 79 on Dec 10 & 11, 2007.  The maximum low temperature was 67 on Dec 2, 1991.  The minimum high temperature was 18 on Dec 31, 1917 (all-time record).  The minimum low was 3 on Dec 30,1917.  Maximum precipitation (rain) in a 24-hour period was 3.83” on Dec 29,1901.  The wettest December was in 1931 with 12.56”.  Record daily snowfall was 14.4” on Dec 17, 1930.  The last time we had a white Christmas was 2010.  (Records are from 1884 to present.  Normals are from 1981 to 2010.   http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php .

Many feel November has already been colder earlier than normal.  Prolonged November cold and early snowfall are helping to raise the odds of a persistently cold winter in the East, according to the latest outlook from The Weather Company, an IBM Business. The United States has had its most expansive November snow cover in almost three years due to a plunge of the jet stream centered over the central U.S.  November’s big trough across the eastern U.S. gives us some idea that the polar vortex – the semi-permanent low-pressure system that can reconfigure our nation’s weather pattern – will be weaker this winter.  At first glance, you would think this is a good thing if you like a quiet winter, but a weaker polar vortex allows for more arctic blasts to surge southward.

The colder air and increased snow cover may set the stage for frigid weather to take over a good section of the country this winter.  The overall trend calls for a colder-than-average winter in the eastern half of the country while the West remains warm, according to The Weather Company’s latest winter outlook.

Tree Trivia

Why do trees shed their leaves. Shedding leaves helps trees to conserve water and energy. As unfavorable weather approaches, hormones in the trees trigger the process of abscission whereby the leaves are actively cut-off of the tree by specialized cells. The word abscission shares the same Latin root word as that in scissors, scindere, which means “to cut.” At the start of the abscission process, trees reabsorb valuable nutrients from their leaves and store them for later use in their roots. Chlorophyll, the pigment that gives leaves their green color, is one of the first molecules to be broken down for its nutrients. This is one of the reasons why trees turn red, orange, and gold colors during the fall. At the end of the abscission process, when the leaves have been shed, a protective layer of cells grows over the exposed area.  The shedding of leaves may also help trees to pollinate come springtime. Without leaves to get in the way, wind-blown pollen can travel longer distances and reach more trees.

As you can tell, trees shed leaves at different times. Deciduous tree species lose their leaves at different times because each species is genetically timed for the cells in the abscission zone to swell, thus slowing nutrient movement between the tree and leaf.  Environmental issues such as sunlight exposure, day length, colder air temperatures, early or late frost, high winds, soil, and water differences influence leaf drop. Depending upon exposure, such issues may even cause a difference in leaf drop between two trees of the same species growing within one hundred feet of each other.  A tree planted close to a busy street may lose its leaves earlier than a tree of the same type growing in a park a few blocks away.

Interestingly, some trees, especially American beech, American hornbeam, sycamore and many oaks, do not develop entire abscission layers to cause their leaves to drop. Rather, they tend to hold their dead, dry, brown leaves. Harsh winter winds or heavy snow can tear the leaves off, but usually it’s not until early spring when all leaves finally drop. The swelling buds on the branch twigs help complete the separation in the spring.

Greenville Fire Department Offers Free Safety Programs

Safety Programs:  If you would like to have a firefighter speak to your school or organization, please fill out the online Public Education Request form.  They also offer fire extinguisher classes, and classes on other topics.  They typically consist of a 20 to 25-minute video and Questions and Answers session. This will be followed up by a hands-on practical demonstration. Class length is determined by the number of participants. Hosts are responsible for providing a meeting room, television, and a DVD machine. Participants must be 18 years or older.

More home fires occur during the winter season than at any other time…over half of those are heating related.  Download these winter heating safety tips from the state fire marshal.

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.  Fill out this Smoke Alarm Request to request a smoke alarm for your home, at no cost to you.

Smoke Alarms for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing:  These smoke alarms, commonly called “bed-shakers,” are not smoke alarms. Rather, they work with smoke alarms in the home to notify deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals of a possible life-threatening fire emergency. Fire Safe South Carolina is currently able to provide this life-saving technology to qualified applicants.  download the Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Smoke Alarm Program Application.

 

Local Food Drives

Currently we know of three business members holding food drives.  Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dental Studio is collecting items until Dec 14 for Harvest Hope Food Bank.  Most needed items include canned meat and veggies, beans, rice and pasta, and diapers and wipes.  Check out their website for more information and other needed items.  Daybreak Community Church on E. Hillcrest also has a food drive all year for St. Anthony’s Food Pantry Ministry every 1st Sunday.  Just leave food at front door.  The Northgate Soda Shop is collecting non-perishable items, blankets, gently worn coats and sweaters for North Greenville Crisis Ministry.  There is a container in the Other Side.  Please bring items no later than December 21.

If you know of other food drives this holiday season, please email northmaincomm@gmail.com and we’ll add them to our FB page.

Remember Charities This Holiday Season

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children recycles used greeting cards and creates new holiday and greeting cards for any occasion.  The program is beneficial to everyone – customers receive fun, “green” holiday cards they can feel good sending to their friends and loved ones, and the children at St. Jude’s Ranch receive payment for their work and learn about basic job skills and the importance of recycling.  To learn more go to http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled–card–program/   And if you’re considering donating to charity in someone’s name, check out Charity Navigator to see just where your money will go.  Donations to a charity make a great gift.  And remember, if you shop on Amazon, please use AmazonSmile and pick your favorite charity to receive a small portion of your purchase amount.

 

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?  (Dr. Seuss)

 

For Our Four-Legged Friends

During the holiday season, eating seems to be a common component of celebrating.  Don’t forget your pets and the dangers of some foods.  We all know about chocolate being a no-no, especially dark chocolate.  The Humane Society of the United States has a comprehensive list of foods that may be dangerous.  There are also many plants which have parts that are poisonous.  Some common houseplants include poinsettias (ALL parts are poisonous), caladiums, Easter lilies (all parts poisonous to cats), hyacinth, and philodendrons.  For a complete list, check out this website.  If you must have these plants, locate them where your pet cannot have access.

With so many pets being reported lost or found, please try and keep your pets either inside or in a fenced yard.  Have them microchipped and make sure they have a collar with ID tags and contact info. And remember, when we are celebrating the New Year with fireworks, this can be a terrifying time for animals, so be mindful of our furry friends.  There are tips on keeping animals calm during these times. Here are some from PETA:

  • The most soothing thing for scared dogs is to have their guardians close by. Distract your pet with games, brushing, petting, or food, and make sure that you act upbeat and calm to reinforce the idea that he/she doesn’t have a reason to be afraid.
  • Drowning out fireworks with white noise or, even better, with “Through a Dog’s Ear” CDs, which are specially created by a sound scientist, a veterinarian, and a concert pianist to calm anxious dogs, makes the loud booms seem less frightening, and shutting the curtains and keeping the lights on helps to camouflage any sudden bursts of light.
  • Melatoninis the best calming natural supplement for dogs, and you can find it at any health food store. Give your dog from 1 to 4 mg, depending on bodyweight, and try to give it a little ahead of the fireworks, if possible.
  • A Thundershirtmight well be the best solution of all. This snug garment (based on the same principle as swaddling a baby) has a very high success rate at calming anxious dogs. Some have said even a snug T-shirt also works.

If you’re thinking that a cute puppy or kitten might be a great gift for the little ones in the house (or the adults, too), please keep in mind that owning a pet is a responsibility and commitment not to be taken lightly.  Hopefully, he/she will become a family member. There are lots of animals that need homes, but they need good, forever homes.  First time pet?  Please considering fostering.  Just a little love and time is all it takes.  No cost at all!  Lots of animals only have the equivalent of a cold, and they get better faster in a home than in a cage.  And if you fall in love, you can always adopt but there are no obligations.

Check out Humane Society’s wish list for more ways to help.  Animal Care Services (ACS) also has a wish list of items they need.

And if you have stray cats in your neighborhood, try and provide some type of shelter, preferably in a dry, protected area not too close to the house.  Even a cardboard box on its’ side with a wool blanket in it can work. And if you have outdoor pets, please provide them with a warm place or bring them inside.

We talk and hear about a No-Kill Community for cats.  That’s the goal of the Community Cat Diversion Program at Greenville County Animal Care (GCAC).  Here is what we heard in a meeting earlier this month: “We partnered with Target Zero in December ’15 for the purpose of building a no kill community here in Greenville.  They provided us with a roadmap to building programs and protocols for the purpose of life saving.  Since we began, we have decreased our intake by 50% and increased our live outcomes by over 25%.  Additionally, we work with other shelters across the country to help share our successes and let them know what we are doing to impact life- saving.  It is easier to share ideas when you are sharing with facilities that face the same challenges.  As an open admission shelter, we completely understand their role in the community, the obstacles they face and the high number of animals that come through their doors.  We are almost there!  It’s important for people to understand that no kill is a mission and not a brand…that it takes a community working together for the purpose of helping our animals most in need.  If you are thinking about adoption, consider one of our large dogs.”  (Paula Church, GCAC Community Relations Coordinator)

To clarify, an open-admission shelter means they must take in all animals. Their save rate so far for 2018 is 88%.  They are so close to 90% which is the number considered to be ‘no-kill”.  Their issue continues to be large, over 40 lb. dogs. Please consider adopting a large dog.  All animals at GCAC are only $35.

 

 

 

For the Birds

Don’t forget about feeding birds in winter.  Water is often more critical than food…especially if this drought continues. Keep bird baths filled with clean water, and most important…keep a clean, thawed source of water available!  Though they can extract some moisture from their food, most birds drink water every day. Birds also use water for bathing, to clean their feathers and remove parasites. After splashing around in a bath for a few minutes, a bird usually perches in a sunny spot and fluffs its feathers out to dry. Then it carefully preens each feather, adding a protective coating of oil secreted by a gland at the base of its tail.

Birds are attracted to moving water. You can buy one of the commercially available products that drips or sprays water into a birdbath. Or recycle an old bucket or plastic container by punching a tiny hole in the bottom, filling it with water, and hanging it above the birdbath so the water drips slowly down.  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/notes/BirdNote09_ProvideWater.pdf

 

 


 

 

Crime Awareness

This is the time of year when we are all busy and many will be out of town.  It’s a good idea to let friends and neighbors know so they can keep an eye on your house.  If you have security systems or security cameras, be sure to arm them.  Keep valuable items out of site.  Set timers for lights to make it look like someone is home.  Either stop your mail and paper or have a neighbor pick them up each day.  And remember that at night, even though you cannot see out, if your blinds or curtains are open, those outside, including potential thieves, can see very clearly into your house.

And with Christmas not far away, remember NOT to put those big screen TV or other boxes out on the street after you open them…that’s just advertising to criminals.  Tear them up and place them face down on the curb or take them to the closest recycling site.

If you have a theft at your home, when you file a police report, you can also ask for extra patrols in your area.  Keep your eyes open, please.

According to Officer Michelle Lentz, Greenville’s Crime Prevention Officer, “although doorbell cameras are popular right now, they will not necessarily deter a thief (although it may help us catch them later).

We recommend that packages be picked up by a neighbor until you can get them, that you have packages delivered to your work or another secure area, or that you contact the package carrier and schedule the delivery date and time, if the carrier offers that service”. In some areas, Amazon has lockers for package pick-up.  For more information about the Amazon Locker program, click here.  At this site, you can also find a Locker near you.  There are several in Greenville.

 

 

 

Shop Local

 

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 mouse 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.  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 several programs for adults and children during the holidays. Check out their 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 a list of Dec events at the Upcountry History Museum, check out their website listing.
  • For other community events including info on Main Street Fridays, Downtown Alive, Reedy River Concerts, and other special events, check out the City Calendar.

Dance Ventures is accepting Adult Students for New Classes in Tap, Ballet and Jazz and cardioTapdance® that will start in January, 2019.  See the ad in this newsletter for more information.

Dec – There’s always lots going on at the Community Tap.  Check out their calendar.

Dec – The Children’s Museum of the Upstate has lots of holiday events for kids.  Check out their calendar for more information.

Ongoing – Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Line Dancing, Lindy Hop and International Folk Dance at the Sears Shelter at McPhearson Park.  Dances are taught in a fun and easy way with a variety of music. No partner or dance knowledge required. Two left feet are fine. Bring your friends and have some fun. Check out the Parks and Rec website for times and registration for each.

Check out the events at the Carolina Music Museum at Heritage Green.

Dec 1 – 30 – St. Francis Festival of Trees.    In its 32nd year, this event offers holiday magic and many surprises! Enjoy the beauty of the holiday season by strolling through spectacularly decorated trees lining the interior of four hotels in downtown Greenville.

Dec 8 – Peak Building Material Auction.  9am – 5pm.  Greenville Convention Center 1 Exposition Dr Greenville, SC 29607 Fixing up a room or your entire home, you should not miss this auction! The products are all new and the name brands of the industry. If you are REMODELING YOUR HOME, building a home, a professional Home Builder, then plan to attend this Peak One Day Auction. More than 30 years of selling Building Materials. Open to the public. Doors & Registration open at 7:30am • Sale begins at 9:00am ONE DAY AUCTION ONLY!

Dec 11 – Fellowship Bible Church would like to invite the NMCA community to our 2nd Annual Winter Recital at 115 Buist Ave on Tuesday, December 11, at 6pm. The recital is free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception with finger foods in the church’s fellowship hall.  This year’s recital will feature cellist Yuriy Leonovich, presenting a program of Bach cello suites 1, 3, and 6.

Dec 15, 6pm and Dec 16, 2pm.  The Daybreak Singers presents “One Silent Night”. Daybreak Community Church.  37 E. Hillcrest Drive.

Now through Jan 21– Ice on Main. United Community Bank Ice on Main is located next to the Courtyard Marriott and City Hall on the Village Green at Main@Broad. Admission is $10 per adult and $8 per child (12 and under), which includes skate rental. For daily updates visit their FB page.

Jan 11-13, 2019.   Don’t miss the newest cars, trucks, crossovers and SUVs as they cruise into the Greenville Convention Center for the South Carolina International Auto Show .  Close the loop on your auto research, experience the latest in-car technology and see customs, classics and exotics that most can only dream about. Show goers are also invited to take their favorite vehicle for a spin, with dozens of the latest models available for test drives!

 

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

 

The NMCA board and committee Chairs would like to wish you all a very safe and happy New Year!

Holiday 2018 Newsletter
Tagged on: