NMCA Newsletter (7/15)

*The Board of Directors now meets the first Tuesdays of most months at 6:30 PM at the Bobby Pearse Community Center. Members are welcome to attend board meetings. Please email pgilreath@aol.com in case there is a location change and to insure we are meeting that month.

Welcome to Our Newest Business Members

Shinola – Art, Antiques and Funk is an eclectic antiques shop chock-full of unique, vintage, and retro decorative arts. As one customer said, “The most intriguing and bizarrely fantastic place in Greenville, I love getting lost and spending a few hours rummaging through the mazes of organized chaos! A must see, something for everyone.” Located at 19 Mohawk Drive, call them at (864)414-2691, or come browse…but plan on spending a little time there.

Next Step Counseling was created to provide counseling, consulting and education for the Greenville community. The goal is to be a resource for those in the community dealing with strained or conflicted relationships, emotional pain, anxiety, faith crisis, grief, job stress, or other inner struggles. A resident of North Main, Andrew Johnston offers counseling services for both individuals and couples at his office on Pettigru St. His specialties include helping men find ways through anxiety, depression, or anger, and working with couples looking for greater trust and intimacy. You can reach him at 864-990-4442 or nextstepgreenville@gmail.com.

River Falls Spa provides the perfect retreat for men and women, locals and visitors, groups and individuals. Experience luxurious services where passion and attention to detail provide unparalleled relaxation and rejuvenation. Owner Lauren Siddons, a native of Greenville, had a goal of providing the perfect spa – a place where the ultimate experiences were simple and easy to attain. Located in the heart of downtown Greenville, River Falls Spa is a place where cosmopolitan flair and historic charm are captured. And relaxation begins! Contact them at their website or call 864.240.2136.

MarbleLife of the Carolinas MARBLELIFE is the world leader in stone and tile care. Launched more than 30 years ago to provide marble restoration services, we now have a wide spectrum of services for residential and commercial surfaces such as marble, stone, granite, terrazzo, ceramic, porcelain, grout, concrete, vinyl and more. Today MARBLELIFE has more than 50 locations in the US and internationally, and does more stone restoration than any other company in the world.

City Council Candidate Forum

The North Main Community Association welcomes neighbors and friends throughout the City for the Greenville City Council Candidate Forum presented by The Greenville News. Incumbents Amy Ryberg Doyle and Susan Reynolds will join challengers Bob Beam, Gil Crouse, and George Fletcher for the evening to discuss important issues facing our community. Join us at Stone Academy on 115 Randall Street on July 22, beginning at 6:00pm for a ‘meet and greet’ with the candidates, with a 7:00pm start for the forum. There is no charge to attend. Also sponsoring is Coca-Cola; the SC Beverage Association is providing soft drinks. RSVP by email John DeWorken at JDeWorken@gmail.com.

Although there is no real substitute for being there in person, live streaming is planned. We will be emailing and posting how to access the link to get the live streaming.

Development Update and Other News

The proposal for the development between W. Mountainview and W. Hillcrest is back on the Planning Commission Agenda for this Thursday, July 16, at 4PM n the 10^th floor Council Chambers at City Hall. You can find the agenda and download the documentation at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Commission-4/

Also on this same agenda is D.Z 20-2015. Application by the City of Greenville for a TEXT AMENDMENT to establish 3 new single family residential zoning classifications: R-4: 4,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size; R15: 15,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size; and R-20: 20,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size. This is noteworthy as it would allow developers to build homes on even smaller lots than the current R-6 zoning which is common in this area.

NMCA will be hosting a neighborhood meeting with the developer of the property across from Canal Insurance, dubbed “North Pointe.” The developer would like to meet with neighborhoods to provide more information and get feedback. The planned development requires a rezoning and the public meeting will be posted. The meeting is TENTATIVELY scheduled for Thursday, July 16, at 6:30pm at the Bobby Pearse Community Center on Townes Street. We will email the membership if this changes.

From Amy Doyle: the MOST frequently asked question by citizens is “when will my street be repaved?” On average the city streets are repaved every 50+ years. Each street in the city is measured by a private company with a PQI (pavement quality indicator). The city’s policy is to address the “worst first”. The city has budgeted $5000k for this upcoming year to repave streets. Unfortunately, this does address the true need of the road resurfacing projects.

Also from Amy: “I have received many calls about Summit Place apartments. There is a potential new owner under contract. They are finishing due diligence. Their expected closing date is August 3. If they do not close, the city will need to proceed with judge’s orders. I am waiting to hear from the legal dept on next steps following August 3.”

Crime Issues

At the last Board Meeting, a letter from Lt. Gary Rhinehart, Greenville Police Department was discussed. Lt. Rhinehart has been patrolling a large area of this part of town, including North Main. He saw several things, not predominantly in any one area, that worried him and he wanted to make us aware of them:

Front doors to residences left open with no evidence of anyone around
Vehicles with doors and/or windows open with GPS units, etc., visible from the road
Garage doors left up with lawn equipment in plain sight and no sign of anyone being home

He suggests obvious tips that we often forget: Lock doors and windows, lock cars and remove or place valuables out of sight, make sure no one can see through your blinds or curtains when you are not home, do not post on social media that you are going out of town, etc. The city has officers trained in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). This is using the area around your home to your benefit and reduce criminal opportunities. If you would like an officer to come to your home and make suggestions to improve security and safety, contact Lt. Rinehart at grhinehart@greenvillesc.gov and he will make sure an officer contacts you to schedule this free service.

Also… tis’ the season for home repair frauds. Most of us know who is vulnerable on our street. If you see suspicious activity, please call 271-4273. Never think you are “bothering” the police. They have caught people in the act of burglary by neighbors calling in suspicious activity. If you see unrecognized vehicles or ‘repair vehicles’ parked in front of someone’s house on several occasions over just a few weeks, be wary. The elderly are especially vulnerable to what are called “woodchucks”, so-called because they typically start with an offer to trim a tree. From there it just mushrooms…even going so far as taking a bottle of water to the attic to wet the insulation to “prove” that the roof leaks. What they look for are homes with wheelchair ramps, handicap placards on cars, lawn figurines and unkempt yards. Be a good neighbor and help be their eyes and ears. (AARP)

Confederate Flag Vote

Regardless of your position on removing the confederate flag from the state capital, we thought it would be interesting to see how our representatives voted. The representative covering the North Main area, Wendy Nanny, voted NO. Pictured here is the SC House board on that vote. Those in pink voted NO.

Membership Renewal Reminder

Have you renewed your membership for 2015? If you lost your form or forgot, you can renew via Paypal or print a form from our website www.northmaincommunity.org/membership. If you need additional decals for your car or business, or have just joined and did not receive one, please email membership secretary, Leah Tollison, at leahtollision@gmail.com and she can help you. Additional decals are $5 each and the proceeds go into a special beautification fund. Some at the social did not have money and were going to send in their dues. Please do that today…if you do not renew, you will be removed from the email list. Thanks!

We still have a few NMCA T-shirts available. Proceeds go toward our beautification fund, specifically for the proposed wall that will frame the sign on the right as you come up North Main from Stone Ave. Email northmaincomm@gmail.com and let us know and we’ll see if we still have your size and color. (They come in yellow and light blue.)

Surprise! Living Near Trees is Good for You!

In a recent Nature magazine a team of researchers present a compelling case for why urban neighborhoods filled with trees are better for your physical health. The large study builds on a body of prior research showing the cognitive and psychological benefits of nature scenery — but also goes farther in actually beginning to quantify just how much an addition of trees in a neighborhood enhances health outcomes. They found that “having 10 more trees in a city block, on average, improves health perception in ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $10,000 and moving to a neighborhood with $10,000 higher median income or being 7 years younger.” (Berman notes that self-perception of health is admittedly subjective, but adds that it “correlates pretty strongly with the objective health measures” the study considered.)

Trees are known to improve urban air quality by pulling ozone, particulates, and other pollutants into their leaves and out of the air, and thus, partly protecting people from them. Now they also believe that the mental effect of being around trees translates into physical benefits. In this study, they felt the reason street trees seemed to have a greater benefit than private trees was explained by the fact that they are “more accessible to all residents in a given neighborhood”. As one of the researchers stated “People have sort of neglected the psychological benefits of the environment. (Thanks to Mayor Knox White for passing this article along.)

Tennis, Anyone??

One of our members is the Director of Tennis at GVCC (Green Valley Country Club) and would like to offer a free 7-day trial to North Main residents. . This offer consists of a 7 consecutive day free trial to use the courts -1^st day activation valid 6/24/15-8/24/15. Courts are featuring brand new clay and tape on the 3 clay, new windscreens, and a new net on 2 hard. GVCC is located within a beautiful setting, and only 15 minutes from downtown Greenville at 225 Green Valley Drive. Check out their website at www.GreenValley.cc Tennis shop and racquet services are available on-site. E-mail Scott at tennis@greenvally.cc or call (864) 246-8574 with any questions or to sign up for a class! Ask for a sample schedule for classes, free socials, and tournaments that you may participate in during the 7 day free trial (there will be fees for classes and tournament entry).

Ideas for ‘Recycling’ Magazines

If you’re like me, you just hate reading a magazine once and then tossing it in the recycling bin. Seems such a waste. Recently on the North Main Next Door page, this was discussed and some great ideas were presented. Residents suggested Open Arms Hospice (they include magazines in bags of items that can help families with the imminent loss of a loved one), assisted living facilities or retirement homes for the residents, The Nearly New Store which gives them free to their customers, libraries which don’t already have that particular subscription, and teachers during the school year who use them for projects. Concerned that your name and address are stamped on the front? Just cut that small square out with scissors.

Gardening in July

Don’t assume the yellow leaves you are seeing on some plants indicate a lack of fertilizer. Look closely on the underside with a hand lens and you may find spider mites (much enlarged in photo at right). Most insects favor hot, dry conditions and can infest many different plants, including evergreens. For these piercing, sucking type insects, a 1-2% solution of a mild dish detergent in water will help (that’s about 2 Tbsp. per gallon of water). But remember mites are on the underside of the leaf so coverage is critical (use a sprayer to direct the spray under the leaf and don’t spray in sunlight…wait until evening to avoid burn. It also stays wet longer and has a greater chance of suffocating the insect…which is how it works.

Another problem is leafminers, tiny larvae (worms) that develop from eggs laid by tiny flies just under the leaf surface. They then tunnel in the leaves between the leaf tissue which protects them from contact sprays. A plant is able to withstand a certain amount of leafminer damage and with so much insecticide resistance, you may do more harm than good by spraying, as you will also be killing the parasitic wasps that prey on the larvae.

As the leafminer larvae feed they leave a trail of dark fecal material in the mine. Look closely and if you see a yellow worm at the end of the trail, the leafminer larvae is alive (see photo at right)…if it’s a dark spot at the end of the tunnel, you may have very small predator wasps around that are killing the larvae for you. You can pick off leaves which have live larvae and discard to prevent adults from hatching and laying eggs on other leaves. For more information, check out Clemson University’s publications on flowers, lawn care, shrubs and trees.

Powdery mildew is here. I’m seeing it on my bee balm and garden phlox. It looks like you’ve dusted the plant with baby powder. To control it, use a fungicide that is specific for powdery mildew. Wind can carry powdery mildew to other host plants so it is often hard to control, especially if the plant is in shady conditions. The good thing is that very hot, dry conditions with temperatures over 95° will often inhibit growth of the fungus.

Weather Tidbits

According to climate data from 1884 to the present, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in July is 90°F, and the average low is 69°F. The average rainfall for the month is 3.8”. The maximum high was 106 on July 18, 1887. The maximum low temperature was 80 on July 12 and 14, 1937 and 1932. The minimum high temperature was 64 on July 12, 1999 and July 27, 1888. The minimum low was 53 on July 2, 1899 and July 26, 1911. Maximum precipitation (rain) in a 24 hour period was 4.89” on July 7, 1898. The wettest July was in 1902 with 14.45” and the driest was 2007 with only 0.58”. http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php .

The June contiguous U.S. average temperature was 71.4°F, 2.9°F above the 20^th century average, second only to June 1933 in the 121-year period of record. Record and near-record warmth stretched from the Rockies to West Coast. The June precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. was 3.53 inches, 0.60 inch above average. This was the ninth wettest June on record, and marked the third consecutive month of above-average precipitation for the Lower 48. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/summary-info/national/201506

Golf Cart Safety

How many of us have seen kids in golf carts weaving in and out of roads and driveways, often not watching for on-coming vehicular traffic? According to the SCDMV, golf cart permits are available at any SCDMV branch office. The permit allows a licensed driver to operate a golf cart during daylight hours on a secondary highway or street within four miles of his residence or place of business.

In essence, golf carts aren’t allowed on streets with highway numbers — Stone Avenue (U.S. 76), Wade Hampton Boulevard and Church Street (U.S. 29), Academy Street (U.S. 123), Pendleton Street (State 124) and Woodruff Road (State 146).

Golf carts also aren’t allowed on any street that has a speed limit in excess of 35 mph.

Golf carts can only be driven during daylight hours, which is subjectively defined but relies on common sense.

Drivers can’t consume alcohol over the legal limit or possess an open container of alcohol and must be at least 16 with a valid driver’s license and registration.

Law enforcement can’t enforce seat belt use because state law requires a seatbelt be used only if a vehicle manufacturer includes them.

According to a 2014 media report, Greenville was considering how to further limit legal use, but determined the only thing they could do was reduce the radius of 4 miles, which to date has not been done.

To obtain a golf cart permit, you must complete Form GC-2, Golf Cart Permit Registration, provide proof of insurance for the golf cart, provide a valid driver license number for the operator, and submit a fee of $5.00

For Our 4-Legged Friends

Animal Care Services has a new Facebook Page for lost and found pets. This is just one more tool to help find your lost pet or the home of a pet you found. Don’t forget to post on Pets Lost and Found of the Upstate Face book page. A picture is a must. And you can always send the information and a picture to northmaincomm@gmail.com and we’ll get it out to our members. And don’t forget to post on our Facebook page. Not a Facebook user, that’s ok…we’ll post it for you.

ACS is offering fee waived cat and kitten adoptions all summer long. The Greenville Humane Society is offering $10 off cat spays for July only. And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the August 22 Mutt Strut presented by Papa John’s. It’s South Carolina’s largest dog-friendly race.

Flash from the Past

As we said last month, instead of identifying old photos, this month we will take a brief look at Greenville’s mill history. There are textile mills and towns scattered throughout Upstate South Carolina, but Greenville saw many more mills developed along the five railroad lines that converged on the city. “Most of the towns worked hard to keep competition out”. But in Greenville, it was the opposite, with mill owners not only welcoming each other but serving on one another’s boards, even though some were making the same kind of cloth. By the 1950s, the city’s Chamber of Commerce launched a campaign to brand the area as the “Textile Center of the South.” By 1960, Greenville grew more audacious and started billing itself as the “Textile Capital of the World.”…a fact that was not disputed.

Perhaps the mills’ history has not been publicly popular because for many of the early employees – known then as “operatives” – working in a mill was a form of indentured servitude. Before 1930, many mill workers received an envelope instead of a paycheck, and it listed their wages and then deducted their rent, utilities, spending at the company store and other deductions. If those deductions didn’t erase all the earnings, mill workers would receive tokens for use at the store. If they did, then their pay envelope was empty and contained a written squiggle, which became known as “drawing the worm.” At a lot of these mills, the employees all became indebted to the company store.

The peak and valley of Greenville’s textile industry may best be seen in the career of John. T. Woodside, who built a mill with two of his brothers in 1902, and it could hardly keep up with demand. It expanded twice before 1914 and was the largest textile mill in the world under a single roof -about 300 yards long and five stories tall. “You tell the size of the mill by the number of spindles. Woodside had 112,000 spindles.” Woodside Mill was sold and continued to operate until 2006. Today, it is one of several historic Greenville mills that are endangered because of their age and condition – and the sheer size of investment needed to bring them back to life. The mills’ decline stemmed from a number of reasons. Even before cheaper foreign competitors emerged, the old, multi-story mills had not been modernized and were no longer as efficient.

To draw attention to this part of the city’s history The Greenville Textile Heritage Society formed in 2006 with representatives from six mill villages, and it has grown into a nonprofit with more than 200 members from 12 mill villages. It collects artifacts, documents and photographs, holds Christmas concerts, networks with individual mill historical societies, and runs the website scmillhills.com. Many of the mills have been converted into other uses, but a few of the mills are still in business. One of them, Southern Weaving, made the special strapping used to hoist the Confederate submarine Hunley to the surface off Sullivan’s Island in 2000. (Excerpted from The Post and Courier, March 29, 2014.)

In the interest of space, we have limited our discussion. For a more detailed history, the city has a story at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1317

You can find much more history about the North Main area written by NMCA members Bob and Judy Bainbridge at our website by clicking here.

For Next Month: Do you recognize where these photos were taken?

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. This month we will begin listing them by services provided. Please thank them and give them your business when you can. Click on a business name to take you to their website. (And a note to our business members…if you have a special event planned, send us the info or post it on our FB page.)

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 service 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 calendar.
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.

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 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. Cost – $5 (Greenville City Residents -$4)

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

Now till Aug 11 – Summer Yoga Session. Monday evenings from 6:30 – 7:15. Bobby Pearse Community Center on Townes St. (North Main Rotary Park). $5 per class (Greenville City Residents $4). You can come to single sessions or as many as you have time for. Come start the week out feeling great!

June 3 – August 26 – Music fans can enjoy live musical entertainment all summer long at the South Carolina BLUE Reedy River Concerts. 7-9pm. The free series returns to the TD Stage behind the Peace Center and will showcase 13 weeks of local and regional musical entertainers.

Every 2nd Thursday of the month, March–October – Yappy Hour at the Greenville Humane Society. 6-8pm. For $8, you and your friends can unwind with cold brews and live music from local artists. Meanwhile, your dog (neutered and vaccinated) can run off leash in our canine courtyard and take a dip in our “doggie pools”. For more details or in case of inclement weather: consult their Facebook page or event calendar. (Don’t be confused with the one at NOMA square. The HS Yappy Hour is at their facility on Airport Road.)

July 16 – (and every third Thursday through Nov 19). Earth Market. 2 – 6pm. They have moved!! New Place: The corner of I-85 and Roper Mountain Road.

July 17 – Karaoke with BJ the DJ. 8:30 PM – 1 AM. Northgate Soda Shop. Food served until 9 pm

July 18 – Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery. 9am. Free. Join barre3 for their unique workout combining the benefits of yoga, pilates, and ballet. Be sure to bring your yoga mat!

July 21 – Lake Jocassee: Jewel of the Upstate! Upstate Native Plant Society Program. 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Founder’s Hall Dining Commons, Southern Wesleyan University, Central, SC.

July 22 – City Council Candidate Forum. See information in previous paragraph earlier in this newsletter.

July 27 – Summer Camp – Everything Art. 2015-7-27T9:00 AM9:00 AM - 12:00 PM @ The Children’s Museum of the Upstate. Every child is an artist when inspired and given tools for creativity. Daily workshops include traditional arts like play in clay, fiber arts, drawing and painting. Camp ends at 12 noon for ages 4 and 5 and runs until 5 p.m. for the older age group. Camp ends July 31.

July 28 – Public Charter School Expo. 5:30 – 7:30pm. Homewood Suites by Hilton. There will be multiple charter schools attending this Info Expo to answer questions and provide handouts about their public charter school. Sponsored by the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina.

July 28 & 29 – First session of Basic Woodworking Series offered by Michael McDunn at his studio on the corner of N. Main and Rutherford. Call or email for more information. 864.242l0311 or mpmcdunn@bellsouth.net Also, check out his FB page for photos and information.

August 1 – Run2Overcome. 7:15am – 9:30am. Cleveland Park. Julie Valentine Memorial.

August 8 – Innoskate. 9am – 5pm. Children’s Museum of the Upstate. In collaboration with The Smithsonian, TCMU is hosting a day to teach all ages the science behind skateboarding and other roller sports. There will be professional and amateur skaters with trick contests, workshops and more! Check out their website for more things to do.

August 15 – 1^st Annual Great Futures 5K. 8am -12pm. Kroc Center. The Great Futures 5K was created to support the life changing programs of The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club and to ensure that all children in Greenville have Great Futures.

The Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery Summer Outdoor Movie Series. July 18 – American Graffiti. July 25 – The Wizard of Oz. August 8 – Back to the Future – plus a season finale after party.

Admission is $5 in advance and $7 at the door. There will be dinner and drinks for sale beginning at 6:30 pm, and the movie will start at sundown (~ 9 pm) outside the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery. Click here to purchase tickets!

For a list of July and August events at the Upcountry History Museum, check out their website listing.

For other community events including info on Main Street Fridays, Shakespeare Festival, Downtown Alive, TD Saturday Market, Reedy River Concerts, and other special events, check out the City Calendar.

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 (7/15)

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