March/April 2022 Newsletter

NMCA Community Development Committee, Local Business, Newsletters, Social Events

 

 

 

 

It’s time to register for the 2022 NMCA Spring Member Social

All residents in the North Main Community should have gotten a postcard invitation.  For some it’s been a little confusing, but we’ll try to explain here.  Our socials are one way we let folks know about us and attract new members.   If you paid for the 2021 Fall Social or paid your dues in 2021 or 2022, just go to this website and click on free tickets. If you did not come to the fall social or have not paid your dues in 2021 or 2022, then on that website, click on the appropriate category, i.e. residential or business, to purchase tickets which is also your membership for 2022.

 

Good food, good friends and great music from North Main’s own musician… Brian Heinbaugh.

 

A special thanks to all our sponsors without whose support, this event would not be possible.  Please thank them when you see them!

 

 

 Looking forward to seeing everyone there!!

 

 

 

City and Development News

  • City Council approved a $38M bond that will accelerate infrastructure projects in District 1 and throughout the City. Below you will see the projects that were approved for District 1. To view the full Neighborhood Infrastructure Bond slide deck, click here.
    • Sidewalks

Install a 5’ wide sidewalk on Lowndes Hill Road in Overbrook from East North Street to Keith Drive

Install a 5’ wide sidewalk on Chick Springs Road from Lotus Court to Mohawk

Install a 5’ wide sidewalk on Mohawk from Chick Springs Road to Wade Hampton Boulevard

Install a 5’ wide sidewalk on Gallivan, from Parkwood to Mohawk, with a pedestrian crossing over Mohawk and a safe pedestrian crossing on Mohawk over Richland Creek (near the back of The Community Tap)

  • Pedestrian Crossings

Install a high-tech pedestrian crossing on E. North Street in Overbrook

Install a high-tech pedestrian crossing on West Stone Avenue (at Wilton)

Install a pedestrian crossing across Mohawk at Gallivan to the new sidewalk

  • Parks

Holmes Park – Parking lot renovation, New shelter, Tennis court reconstruction

Correct drainage and restore field at North Main Rotary Park ball field

Rehabilitate the tennis courts at McPherson Park

(Council Member John DeWorken March Update)

  • Many of you have asked us what is going on at the old Rite Aid site. From what we have heard, and we don’t have positive confirmation on this, it will be some type of medical facility, possibly connected to Prisma.  We have asked that the mural on the side of the building be saved if possible and Council Member John DeWorken checked and reported that as of now, there are no plans to remove or destroy the mural.  (As many parents know, this was done by a group of Stone School students several years ago).  Time will tell if they are able to save it.  Thanks for your efforts on our behalf, John!

 

  • Also, some have asked what is going on at the corner of Stone and Bennett. We understand that this will be a bank, likely a Fifth Third Bank.

 

  • Development Code Open House: A few of our North Main residents participated in the Open House last Thursday at the TD Center.  There will be other opportunities to learn more about the new Development Code as foundational elements will begin to emerge over the next few months.  The next opportunity to learn will be Code Connection Sessions on April 13 and May 11.  Click here for more information.  . The City identified area representatives who will help guide code testing in five locations: Augusta-Mauldin-Pleasantburg, Stone and Main district, Greater Sullivan neighborhood, McAlister Square and North Laurens Road.  NMCA President Steve Mills is a member of one of the working groups, but he is just one voice.  We need more residents who care about the future of our neighborhood to be a part of the process and voice concerns and comments.

 

  • Scams: Statistics show that an increasing number of people are falling victim to scams. Part of the problem is that scammers are highly adaptable and can mimic legitimate communications from romantic partners, tech support staff, and government employees. They can be phone scams, email scams or social media scams.   One group particularly affected by this issue is the elderly. Those homeowners with healthy financial savings, good credit scores, and a trusting nature often prove to be attractive targets for scammers.  But it’s not just the elderly who fall for scams.  While many of us don’t consider ourselves in the category (although technically some of us are), most of us have an elderly loved one that we need to care for and watch out for.  The Greenville Police Department has a Fraud and Identity Theft Resources Page with good information about who to contact if this should happen to you.  Recently Detective Mike Dean, one of three Detectives on the Fraud detail, gave a presentation about Scams and the Elderly.  This video is long but has some very good information.  Click here to watch it.  For more information on scams check out this SC Dept of Consumer Affairs website.

 

  • E-Waste Recycling & Shredding: Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The City of Greenville holds Shredding & E-Waste Recycling Events in spring and fall, at the Public Works campus, located at 475 Fairforest Way. At this free event, citizens can dispose of unwanted electronics and have their sensitive documents destroyed and recycled securely.

All paper to be shredded must be bagged or boxed, and each person is limited to three large trash bags or three small boxes of paper. Four shredding trucks will be onsite, and paper will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until they are full.

City residents and businesses can also drop off the following items for free during this special event: TVs, computer monitors, keyboards, mice, wires, circuit boards, CPUs, scanners and printers. There is a strict limit of 10 electronic items per person.

Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, masks will be required. For more information, visit recycle.greenvillesc.gov or call 467-8300.

 

 

Artisphere 2022

Celebrating The Arts:  Engaging, Inspiring, And Enriching Our Diverse Community.  Every year Artisphere breaks its own attendance record. With consistent growth in attendance, we continue to bring arts, culture, and a unique experience to the Upstate year after year.  This year the 18th annual Artisphere festival is back on Main Street the weekend of May 6-8th.  The festival will be back to its full footprint and will span downtown Greenville between the intersection of Broad and Main St and Wardlaw and Main St.  The festival is one of the country’s top art shows. It has been named the Best Overall Arts Fair by ArtFairCalendar.com (the #1 website for art fair event listings) and landed at the #3 spot in USA Today’s 10BEST Reader’s Choice Contest for Best Art Festival in 2015. From Kidsphere with hands-on crafting and kid-focused demonstrations to the Clemson Steam Exhibit, there is more than enough to keep you and your young ones happy throughout the day.

 

“If you erase all the mistakes of your past, you would also erase all the wisdom of your present.  Remember the lesson, not the disappointment.”   -Unknown

 

For the Birds

Mid-March marked the return of ruby-throated hummingbirds to the Upstate.  Mine just showed up this week.  So get those hummingbird feeders out and cleaned so you’ll be ready.  Hummingbirds fly by day when nectar sources such as flowers are more abundant. Flying low allows the birds to see, and stop at, food supplies along the way. To learn more go to Hummingbird Central.

Spring is also when we’ll be seeing baby birds and other baby wildlife, so it’s time to get those nest boxes cleaned out and repaired.  Chances are good you will come across an injured baby animal this spring.  Do you know who to call or what to do?  One place to start is Wildlife Rehab of Greenville’s “I Found an Animal” page.  You’ll find numbers you can call or preferably text to find out the best action to take.

 

For Our Furry Friends

The Problem with Poop:  We have written about this before, but it bears repeating as I still see poop on the sidewalks and grassy areas and bags of poop on leaf and grass piles!

We all know that pet waste left unattended is just plain gross.  But did you know that unscooped poop causes huge problems for waterways like rivers, lakes, and streams?  The EPA classifies dog waste as non-point source pollution, along with herbicides and insecticides, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals.  Not only is pet waste unsightly and smelly, but it contains an abundance of bacteria, parasites, worms, and more that wash into local waterways and pollute our natural resources.  Pet waste can also make people, pets, and wildlife very sick by acting as a vector for disease transmission.  It even attracts unwanted attention from pests.  For more go to https://greenvillesoilandwater.com/pet-waste/

6th Annual Tails & Trails 5K:  Race the trails (or go for a casual stroll) at Conestee Park side by side with your best running partner – your dog!  Saturday, May 14, 8:30 am.  $45 per person.  T-shirts are guaranteed to all registrants who sign up on or before April 30. Whether you’re racing with or without your four-legged companion or just walking the trail to support a good cause, Tails & Trails is fun for everyone. Make a difference in the lives of homeless animals and register today. All proceeds from Tails & Trails go directly to benefit the animals of Greenville County Animal Care. Post-race activities include an awesome vendor village full of great local goodies, the posting of results and award ceremony, plus tail-waggin fun with our pet themed entertainment and vendor party!

The Mutts are finally back on Main Street! Join us Saturday, April 30th at 8:30 AM for the 10th Annual Mutt Strut presented by Papa Johns, benefiting the Greenville Humane Society! Participants will enjoy a 2-mile walk/run through beautiful Downtown Greenville. Following immediately after, the Mutt Market festival and party will take place on South Main Street!

The streets will be lined with entertainment including live music, free pizza from our presenting sponsor Papa Johns, caricature artists, face painters and sponsor tents with plenty of awesome giveaways! Participants over the age of 6 will also receive a swag bag filled with goodies and a race t-shirt. Don’t forget! All proceeds from the Mutt Strut go to benefit the animals of the Greenville Humane Society.

Still Time to Register for Camp Animal Care:  Is your child an animal lover? Do they dream of one day being a veterinarian, want to make a difference in the life of a shelter animal or make their community a better place through animal service? If so, Camp Animal Care is for you! We offer your child a unique camp experience, giving them a hands-on opportunity to explore the world of animals including veterinary/medical care, animal enrichment for happy, well- adjusted pets and leadership skills to make their community a better place through service to sheltered animals.

National #EmptyTheShelter Adoption Event! May 2 – 7 @ Greenville County Animal Care Thanks to BISSELL Pet Foundation – we’ll be offering FREE Adoptions all week long in honor of their National #EmptyTheShelter Adoption Event! BISSELL is sponsoring all adoptions from this event to help alleviate the overcrowding.

 

Lost a Pet? 

 

 

 It’s Kitten Season!  What do I do when I’ve found a litter of kittens?  It is a question that gets asked hundreds of times throughout kitten season. Since kittens require overnight care, most shelters are unable to care for kittens who may be unsocial or too young to be put up for adoption.  Check the GCAC website for five easy steps to help you navigate kitten season while also making a difference in the lives of our feline friends.

As many families prepare to celebrate Easter, it’s important to keep in mind the many hazards it poses for our furry friends.  Here are the top four most common Easter Dangers, presented by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). is created equally—the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for pets. Other ingredients to keep out of your pet’s reach include raisins, macadamia nuts, xylitol and alcohol.

  1. Plastic Easter Grass. Pets cannot absorb plastic Easter grass into their bodies, which means that it can become lodged in the gastrointestinal tract and wreak havoc if consumed. Signs for concern include vomiting, diarrhea, decrease in appetite, lethargy and stomach pain. Consider using shredded colored paper or some other material if you have pets.
  2. Plants. Many plants can cause issues for pets, but during this time of year, the APCC sees an uptick in calls about Lilies and bulbs that bloom in spring. Lilies (Lilium sp and Hemerocallis sp, which includes daylilies) can cause serious concerns for our feline friends. Exposure to any parts of the plant can result in kidney injury and gastrointestinal upset.
  3. Fertilizers and Herbicides. Many people begin gardening and yardwork on Easter weekend, including the use of fertilizers and herbicides. Make sure these are stored where pets can’t chew or puncture the bottle and keep pets indoors while applying the products. Always follow label instructions and wait to let your pet out again until the product has been watered in or the ground is dry.

If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.

 

Trivia Time: What’s the difference between duct tape and Duck Tape®?

Perhaps the most widely-used and known  of all tapes is duct tape, a powerful adhesive tape known for its versatility in both professional and household applications. But what is duct tape, and why do some people call it “duck tape” instead?

Duct tape:  Modern duct tape was first invented in 1942 in the midst of World War II. Vesta Stoudt, a worker at an ordnance plant, is recognized as having originated the idea of a strong, cloth-based watertight tape.  (In 1942, she was working at a munitions plant while her sons were fighting in the war and noticed a major flaw in the ammo packaging. The tabs that the soldiers had to pull to open the boxes were flimsy—so flimsy that they would often break, leaving the men to scramble to open the boxes in the middle of the battlefield. Stout decided that a stronger material was needed. When her bosses didn’t agree, she reached out to President Roosevelt himself. Yup, moms are superheroes.)  Recognizing the utility and value the product offered, it was quickly approved for manufacture by the government. Throughout the war, soldiers made frequent use of the product.

After the war, duct tape became popular with the general public. One popular use was holding together ventilation ducts. Ironically, while this is a use that duct tape does not normally have today, the name stuck and is used to this day. Today, duct tape refers to a range of tapes manufactured using three components – a rubber-based adhesive, cloth, and a backing.

Duck Tape®:  The term “duck tape” today refers to a specific brand of duct tape. Duck Brand® duct tape takes its name from the original name of duct tape. This name came from two factors. First, the tape was originally made from an army green cotton duck fabric. And second, the water-resistant properties of the tape were said to repel water like the back of a duck.

Today, Duck Brand® duct tape is well-known – but some still inaccurately refer to all duct tapes generically as “duck tape”. However, only one brand has the original Duck Tape® – Duck Brand® – and any references to a generic “duck tape” shouldn’t capitalize the name. Just remember – duct tape refers to a broad range of tapes, while Duck Tape® refers to a specific brand of duct tape.

 

April Gardening

Finally, it’s spring!!  Daffodils and crocus are blooming and tulips are emerging.  Buds on many shrubs and trees are starting to swell with color and some trees and shrubs are already leafing out. Hopefully we won’t have any more cold snaps that could damage susceptible plants, including peach blossoms.

It’s not too late to plant woodies.  But don’t wait much longer… the warmer it gets, the more the leaves that emerge demand of the root system.  The idea of planting in the winter and early spring is to give the roots a chance to begin growing before they have to help sustain the top.  Phosphorus fertilizer can help boost root growth.

It’s time for application of nitrogen for fescue, Bermuda grass and zoysiagrass lawns that have been overseeded for the winter.  DON’T fertilize centipede or St. Augustine yet, nor warm-season lawns that were not overseeded.  See Fertilizing Lawns for more information.

For a list of March/April gardening chores, go to https://www.ggmga.org/marapr-garden-chores.html

NMCA Business Member Daylily and Hosta Gardens opened for the 2022 season Friday April 8. Over 400 varieties of daylilies and hostas. Open Fridays 12-6, Saturdays 9-4, and Sundays 12-6 through the end of June. Pet friendly garden – dogs welcome!  2396 Roper Mountain Rd, Simpsonville.  Cynthia Gibson. 864-608-8114. Www.DaylilyAndHostaGardenS.com

 

The Piedmont Plant & Flower Festival is a premier flower show in the state. This regional event is set for April 28 – May 1 in Greenville at the State Farmer’s Market on Rutherford Rd.  You can find anything from annuals to perennials, pond plants and yard art.  Something for everyone.  Free parking and admission.

 

 

Small Garden at North Main Rotary Park:   Just a brief progress report on the small garden being established next to the pavilion at the park by one of our NMCA members. What’s planned:

  • I’m going to plant impatiens along with the ajuga coming out of the “spilled” yellow pot. Annual color is my goal there.
  • I planted autumn ferns and painted fern, hope to find someone with tall evergreen fern like Christmas or Cinnamon fern to add behind those to make a little fern garden
  • Have planted a frilly elephant ear to the left of the yellow pot. I have some Caladium bulbs and cute little grasses that need dividing that I’m going to plant to the right towards the front of the pot.
  • Hope to get someone to give me some interesting Hosta to add to what I moved from my yard.
  • The Fatsia will be great winter bloom.

Several families have stopped to look and ask questions when I’ve been there.

So far, she’s paid for all of the materials and plants and the high school intern the city assigned to the project built the chalkboard. She is still looking for some annuals and perennials and perhaps someone has some leftover stepping stones they could donate.  The NMCA board will be helping fund the garden.  If you have materials or time to contribute, please contact Beth at hawkbrad@msn.com

 

What is That Plant??  Got a plant you can’t identify?  The SC Native Plant Society can help.  Send a photo of the plant along with the other information requested on this webpage.  They’ll let the experts take a look at it and post the results (or an educated guess) on their “Identified Plants” page!

*** Please submit requests and photos of plants growing in the wild… no potted houseplants or nursery plants.   You may also want to check Name That Plant, a native plant identification website created by SC Native Plant Society member Janie Marlow.  Click here to view recently identified plants.

 

Weather Tidbits

According to climate data from 1884 to the present, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in April is 73°F, and the average low is 48.7°F.  Average precipitation is 4.04”.  The maximum high was 94 on April 20, 1917.  The maximum low temperature was 70 on April 29, 1894.  The minimum high temperature was 40 on April 8, 1907, and the minimum low was 22 on both April 14 and 15, 1907.  Maximum precipitation (rain) in a 24-hour period was 3.34” on April 29, 1963.  There was 0.3” of snow on April 3, 1987.  The wettest April was in 1964 with 11.3” for the month.   http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php .

Do April showers really bring May flowers??  We’ve all heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” It turns out that there’s far more to the phrase than just a correlation between rain and plant life.  For starters, “April showers bring May flowers” is actually just one small part of a longer phrase. The full sentence actually reads, “March winds and April showers bring May flowers and June bugs.” However, even in its full form, the statement might not be entirely accurate.  Bloom is also affected by rainfall, temperature changes and other environmental stimuli.  Where May flowers do bloom, June bugs follow. These beetles are named June bugs because they tend to emerge from their underground burrows when temperatures reach the highs they do in June. However, these insects only require consistent temperatures of 50 degrees Fahrenheit to emerge from the ground, so even the name “June bug” represents another inaccuracy.

A popular Thanksgiving joke is: Q: If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? A: Pilgrims. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1959. May flowers don’t always bring Pilgrims, however. 

 

Don’t Miss the Duck Derby!

The 18th annual Reedy River Duck Derby is set for Saturday, May 7th, at 2:30 PM.  The 2022 Duck Derby will be a ‘back-to-normal’ event and an opportunity to see the kinds of projects Reedy River and Rotary International take up in our community on a regular basis. “Our club is excited to bring back this local favorite and get back into the water! We’re especially excited about what the Duck Derby provides in the way of dollars to our local charitable organizations” said Duck Derby PR committee member, Cathy Harry.

Adoptions can be made through at http://ReedyRiverDuckDerby.com for $10 per duck or $30 for five entries. (Quack-Pack) The Rotary Club of the Reedy River Greenville will once again partner with Publix for the grand prize of one year’s worth of groceries. A full list of other prizes may be found on the race website.

 

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:

Small businesses have been hurt by the COVID pandemic. Please continue to support our small and local businesses as much as possible.  Thank you!

 

 

  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.

 

 

 The North Main Community Association does not give, sell, or otherwise distribute your email or other information to third parties.

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

 

March/April 2022 Newsletter
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