September/October 2020 Newsletter

Phyllis Gilreath Local Business

*The Board of Directors typically meets the first Tuesday of most month. Recent meetings have been virtual and will likely continue for the foreseeable future.   Members are welcome to attend board meetings.  Please email northmaincomm@gmail.com  to find out if we are meeting that month and how to attend.

 

                                   Call for Nominations –2021 NMCA Board

In accordance with the North Main Community Association by-laws, this is the first call for nominations for the 2020 NMCA Board of Directors.  All officers must reside within the geographical boundaries of the NMCA for the entire period they hold office, Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2021.  All officers must be 18 years or older.  The President and Vice President may serve 2 consecutive terms and may then run for any office other than the one currently held.  The Treasurer, Recording Secretary and Membership Secretary will be able to succeed her or himself as elected by the members.   Any member may nominate someone for office.  The nomination must be submitted no later than November 1.  You may email the nomination to northmaincomm@gmail.com or mail to PO Box 571, Greenville, SC  29602.  The person nominated must agree to serve if elected and a brief statement of their qualifications and past contributions would be helpful for those who may not know them.  Election ballots will be emailed to all members in November.

We are currently in need of a President and a recording secretary.  If you are interested and would like more information on the responsibilities of these positions, please email norhmaincomm@gmail.com and we will get those to you. Please consider getting involved in the community by serving.  The time commitment is not that much.

 

NMCA Coming Events

All NMCA events, including the annual social, are still on hold due to the COVID pandemic.   We will keep you updated when we feel it is safe to resume activities without risking the health and safety of the community.

That said, the NMCA Board members continue to participate in many City-led WEBEX virtual meetings on a wide range of matters of importance to the community.  Similarly, we continue to highlight outcomes from those discussions and identify opportunities for members to engage, as appropriate.  The upkeep and improvements to the North Main Rotary Park and progress in repairing the Bobby Pearse Community Center remain a priority.

Due to COVID and the lack of social activities, NMCA is “carrying dues over” to 2021.  We still have decals for cars.  If anyone one would like one or more, please send an email to northmaincomm@gmail.com

           

 

 

Development Update and Other City News

  • We’ve had questions regarding whether or not the recycling materials that we put out weekly are actually going to a recycling facility or just being dumped in a landfill.  Rumors abound.  According to city staff, during this time of COVID, the City of Greenville has continued to maintain their recycling program.  However, the County’s solid waste provider, Greater Greenville Sanitation, did suspend their program, but has since then resumed service on August 31, 2020.

Many of us made good use of the large dumpsters the city placed in neighborhoods.  The solid waste department plans on conducting another neighborhood dumpster event before the end of this year.  A date has not been determined at this time; however, once the details have been finalized, they will notify the neighborhoods.

  • The draft Greenville 2040 strategic plan will be available for public review and comments sometime in October.  City representatives and steering committee members are currently discussing how to meet with members of the public to discuss the plan and answer questions.  After providing members of the City Council with the draft, Zoom meetings with neighborhood associations and other citizens groups are proposed, but the city staff and steering committee are open to other options for public outreach. Input on the draft from citizens is very important as the plan, when final, will impact decisions about Greenville’s growth for the next 20 years.  As soon as the draft is released, we will let you know.
  • On Tuesday, September 29, the City of Greenville will provide an update on proposed changes to the City’s tree preservation and protection ordinance. The meeting will consist of a review and discussion of the feedback the City received on the ordinance following the initial public meeting in July.  The meeting will take place from 5:30 – 6:30pm.  The event number is 173 237 0524 and the password is Greenville.  Join Virtual Meeting
  • We had a member ask about what most of us still call the “Baby BI-LO” site.  As of August, no one has seen any action on this site in City Hall.  The resident had heard there would be a nine-story structure, but that would take a rezoning, which has to go before staff and Council.  There would be notices if so.
  • Kudos to those 30+ hardy souls who braved the rain and came out on Saturday, August 12, to help clean up the North Main Rotary Park.  Battling kudzu, bamboo and other weeds and vines, they made an excellent start to getting the park back in shape.  Hopefully, additional clean up days can be planned for the future.

 

  

 

Have You Completed the 2020 Census?

It’s not too late!  The Census Bureau has extended the window for field data collection and self-response to September 30, 2020.North Main is doing well with close to 80% response, but other areas are not, and the stakes are high.  Please help spread the word to friends and urge them to complete the census.

When you respond to the census, your answers are kept anonymous. They are used only to produce statistics.  At the federal level, population figures from the census help determine how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each state gets and will also influence the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending.

Census data is also used by both state and local governments and the private sector to plan infrastructure projects, school locations and business openings and expansions, among many other different types of projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What You Need to Know About the November Election

November 3 will be like no other Election Day most of us have seen and no matter what…. we must vote!

In primary elections, a voter must choose a political party and vote only in that party.  In the general election, however, a voter may split the ticket among various political parties and candidates of their choice.

Here are some important dates in Greenville:

NOW – Registered voters may request applications for Absentee ballots for the November General Election (last day for ballots to be mailed upon receiving a signed application is October 30th, 5 pm)   You can request a ballot online.  Once your absentee ballot has been mailed to you, you cannot vote in person absentee or at the polls on Election Day.  You can deliver your ballot in person to the voter registration office at County Square rather than mailing it if you prefer.  You can check the status of your absentee ballot at scVOTES.gov  If you don’t receive your absentee ballot by the first week of October, call the Election Office at 864-467-7264.   Since the state can’t seem to make up their mind about signatures on mail in ballots, please check a reliable source before you mail yours.

October 4th — Last day to register to vote for the November General Election (In person registration will end at 5 PM on Friday, October 2nd).  Click here to find out how to register.

October 5th—“In-person” absentee voting begins at County Square continuing through November 2nd.  There will also be a number of satellite locations, as there were for the primary, throughout the county. Registered voters in South Carolina can cast an absentee ballot this year due to Covid-19. On Wednesday, Sept 16, Gov. McMaster signed a bill into law that basically allows “no excuse” absentee voting.

October 20th — Last day to correct an address within the County for the November General Election

November 3rd – GENERAL ELECTION DAY
– US President, Federal Offices, State Offices, Local Offices

Polling places open from 7 AM to 7 PM on Election Day.

Additional Information:

Masks cannot be required at polling locations, according to Election officials, because there is no state mandate. However, masking will be strongly encouraged, and social distancing will be maintained at County Square and at all the satellite locations (TBA).

Poll workers will be masked and have face shields. To add a layer of comfort, take your own pen to sign in, and a swab or other device to use to interact with the voting machines.

To find information on the candidates, polling places, sample ballots, etc. go to https://www.scvotes.gov/south-carolina-voting-information-page  If the information regarding polling locations changes, we will let you know.

 Fall in Your Yard

Fall is definitely here.  Temperatures are more pleasant, leaves are starting to turn, holly berries are changing color along with all the other changes fall brings.

October is a great time for planting pansies and purchasing spring bulbs to plant in late October or November.  Limit pruning of shrubs to sniping stray branches and removing dead or damaged stems.  Be sure your plants don’t get stressed, especially shallow rooted plants like camellias and azaleas that are getting ready for winter and spring bloom, and everything in containers.  In our area the risk of frost is from October 28 through April 12 with the average date being October 30.  And leave those dried flower seed heads.  They are a source of food for birds.  It’s a good time to aerate and seed cool season lawns.     DON’T fertilize warm-season grass lawns late in the fall!

The city has asked us to remind residents that grass clippings and leaves should NOT be in the same pile as shrub and tree prunings.  They are picked up separately and may get left if they are in one pile.  The city does not have a list of lawn maintenance companies, so it’s up to those who hire companies to insure they know the rules.

“From a wild animal’s point of view, our annual autumn rituals of raking leaves and cleaning up yards and gardens are a major blow: Just when the going gets tough, we’re removing prime sources of food and shelter.   So, do the animals (and yourself) a favor and skip the raking, bagging, trimming, and other yard chores this fall—it might just help your neighborhood wildlife survive the coming cold weather. Want an easy (and cheap) way to clear your yard of stray branches and twigs? Build a brush pile to provide a safe spot for ground-nesting birds, chipmunks, rabbits, and hibernating reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Put it in an out-of-the-way corner of your property, preferably close to food sources and away from buildings. Start with a layer of larger limbs and stack branches loosely, adding grasses and leaves to create nooks and crannies.

As fall arrives our backyard birds are going through even greater changes in their lives than we are. They may change the foods they eat, their social arrangements, plumage and even where they live. Most of our backyard birds have been eating protein rich insects in summer and feeding them to their young. In fall, they may change to feeding on the ripening seeds and berries, partly because of the abundance but also because insects are becoming scarce as winter approaches.  Fall is a season of active bird migration in South Carolina. Much of this migration; however, is seldom noticed by observers because it occurs at night. During the clear quiet predawn hours in fall it is often possible to hear various flight call notes from the passing parade of migrant thrushes and wood warblers overhead.  Other birds migrate by day, being consequently more visible and sometimes spectacular, as a few species congregate in large numbers during their flight south.

Fall Foliage

If you’re thinking ahead and wondering when to see fall colors, then here are some insights about the best dates for each part of the state – as determined by the experts at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.   The current map shows the Upstate to be near peak around Oct 20.   If you’re traveling and want a look at predictions for the entire country by date, click here.

According to another site:

Second Week in October: Peak time for areas above 5,000 feet. For the best fall color, go to Waterrock Knob, Graveyard fields, Black Balsam, and Max Patch.

Third Week in October: Peak time for elevations from 4,000 – 5,000 feet. Explore all Blue Ridge Parkway locations and the majority of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well.

Fourth Week in October: Peak time for lower elevations from 3,000 – 4,000 feet. This is when we’ll start seeing color in Haywood County’s towns and valleys. Remember that some parts of the towns do lie within the above-mentioned higher elevations.

Fifth Week in October: Peak time for elevations 2,000 feet and below. If Fall is running long, this can be a spectacular week for viewing and can run well into November.

Keep an eye on the color closer to home with the live Table Rock webcam.  And there’s always a lot of color right here in Greenville.

The weather is just one factor that influences their color. The “best” fall color for an area occurs when days are bright, sunny, and cool; when nights are cool but not below freezing; and when there has been ideal rainfall through the growing season. Wet, cloudy, warm weather or exceptionally low temperatures in early fall tend to mute the autumn display.                  

 

The Sooner Masks are Worn, the Better

South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control has released data before touting declines in coronavirus cases in areas where local governments have required residents to wear face masks. Now, the agency is saying that the earlier such ordinances were implemented, the better.

In its daily COVID-19 update Friday, DHEC broke down the 11 counties and 61 cities and towns where masks are currently required, splitting them into five groups according to the weeks that they implemented their mask ordinances.

In the earliest group, between June 23 and 29, cases decreased 66.5% more over the following month than in areas without ordinances. The latest group to implement ordinances, in the week of July 21-27, recorded no greater decrease in cases than those without them, DHEC reported.

The five groups broke down as follows:

  • Week of June 23-June 29: 66.5% greater decrease
  • Week of June 30-July 6: 39.2% greater decrease
  • Week of July 7-July 13: 6.1% greater decrease
  • Week of July 14-July 20: 3.5% greater decrease
  • Week of July 21-July 27: no greater percent decrease

 

The History of the Yellow (now Blue) Ribbon Sculpture

Many of you have noticed that the big yellow ribbon sculpture previously at The Waco F. Childers, Jr. Sculpture Garden, which is at approximately 200 East Stone Ave, was moved.  But do you know the history of the sculpture and garden?

According to his obituary, Childers was an Upstate native who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and earned a Purple Heart.  Childers was born in Liberty. After serving in the war, he was a member of the American Legion Post #3 and was a National President of the American Humane Society. Childers died in 2011 at age 90.

Now to the garden named after Childers – the sculpture garden was a small square that faced E. Stone Avenue. The property is not owned by the city.  It is privately owned, and the city merely leased it.

The owner filed an application for subdivision of the property and three other pieces of property along the 200 block of E. Stone Ave.  The plan is for the subdivision to include 18 lots.

But the sculpture is not lost.  It was relocated to the Sue Simpson Sculpture Garden at 200 E. Camperdown Way and has been painted blue.

 

For Our Four-Legged Friends

The 2020 Mutt Strut presented by Papa John’s is going virtual! All registrations include a free large one-topping pizza from our presenting sponsor Papa John’s, this year’s awesome t-shirt, a race bib, finisher medal and more!  Packets will be mailed in mid-October!  The official date is November 7th but if you aren’t competing you can strut when you want with (or without) your pup, in the place of your choosing, for as long as you want or not at all! The Mutt Strut is our only major fundraiser each year and the proceeds of your registration will still help Greenville’s vulnerable homeless pets!  Current participants will be automatically switched to the virtual event but can request to donate their registration fees or request a refund by clicking the button below!  Register now at www.ghsmuttstrut.com

The Greenville Humane Society is now open for adoptions, spay/neuter and vaccines by appointment only!

All Greenville County Animal Care adoptions and fosters are by appointment only. Call 864.467.3950 to make an appointment.

Greenville County Animal Care has added a new service to help pets find their way home:  Chances are, someone is looking for that lost pet you found.  Most pets are lost within a few blocks from home. Help them find their way back sooner. Our Lost 2 Found texting service will walk you through the right steps to take to get them home.  *Standard texting terms and conditions apply. Click here to learn more.

Their new Home-to-Home program gives people who can no longer keep their pets the opportunity to find new, loving homes without having to drop pets off at the shelter. Pets go from one home right into another.

Animals in need of new homes are searchable on this website and posted to our Facebook page.

What are the benefits?

  • Reduces stress on animals by keeping them out of the shelter.
  • Leaves more shelter resources available to animals with no other options- stray, abandoned or suffering from neglect.
  • Gives potential new owners a chance to learn more about the animals directly from the current owner.

 

Weather Tidbits

 According to climate data from 1884 to the present, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in October is 73°F, and the average low is 50°F. The maximum high was 98 on Oct 3, 2019.  The maximum low temperature was 72 on Oct 4, 1991. The minimum high temperature was 41 on Oct 26, 1926. The minimum low was 25 on Oct 29, 30 & 31 in 1976, 1910 and 1893.  Average rainfall is 3.44”. Maximum precipitation (rain) 7.24” on Oct 16, 1032. We can sometimes even get a trace of snow in October.   http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php

When a monster El Niño event developed in 1998, it caused the Earth’s temperature to spike. The average temperature for the year was such an outlier that it was then the hottest year on record by a comfortable margin. But now, thanks to the inexorable rise of global temperatures fueled by human-caused climate change, even a year without an El Niño surpasses that once-remarkable milestone. Case in point: 2020. This year is virtually guaranteed to rank among the top five hottest and could even take a run at the top slot. Though as long as warming continues unabated, it too will eventually fall from that perch.

 

Did You Know?

  • Bumblebees are a resourceful bunch: when pollen is scarce and plants near the nest are not yet flowering, workers have developed a way to force them to bloom. Research published recently in Scienceshows that the insects puncture the plants’ leaves, which causes them to flower, on average, 30 days earlier than they otherwise would. How the technique evolved and why the plants respond to bumblebee bites by blooming remain unclear. But researchers say the discovery of a new behavior in such a familiar creature is remarkable and further research is planned.
  • What if a surgeon could thread a 3-D printer into a patient’s body? Scientists are studying whether such bioprinters (bioprinting micro robots, to be precise) could treat ailments such as stomach ulcers, hernias or even infertility.
  • Eleven percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are due to deforestation…comparable to the emissions from all of the passenger vehicles on the planet.
  • Only 3% of our planet’s water is drinkable. 97% of it is salt water. More than half of the Earth’s fresh water can be found frozen in the glaciers. The rest is underground.
  • Our oceans have an average depth of 12,400 feet. This means that most of the living things on our planet live in total darkness. https://www.theworldcounts.com/

 

                                      Shop Local

The city may be slowly reopening but small businesses have been hurt and are still struggling as customers are still slow to feel comfortable to shop or dine inside. Please continue to support our small and local businesses as much as possible.  Thank you!

 

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

 

You can see many city meetings and community events by going to the city’s main calendar at https://www.greenvillesc.gov/Calendar.aspx

You can also find more events listed at visitgreenvillesc.com   We have listed a few below.

Oct 1 – Full Moon Yin Yoga.  6 – 7pm.  Cancer Survivors Park.  52 Cleveland St.  Taught by Maria Kugler.  Enjoy the beauty of the park while moving your body through a breath-centered yin class. Please consider making a donation to Cancer Survivor’s Park Association.  Please note: we will be following COVID-19 policies and CDC rules for this outdoor class.

Oct 9 – 11.  Fall for Greenville,  like many events, is going virtual this year.  Check out their website to see details for this year’s event.

Oct 10 – The Greenville Woodworker’s Guild will hold their next Tool Sale/Auction on October 10, 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM, at the Education Center, 209 Holly Ridge Drive, Greenville. This sale generates income for the Guild as well as assists members and friends of the Guild redeploy tools and equipment. They have over 1000 tagged items and an estimated inventory valued at $40,000.  All items are priced, but silent bids (with a reserve) will be available on larger items.
The Catalog of items for sale can be viewed or downloaded by clicking here: http://www.greenvillewoodworkers.com/…/Catalogue200924.pdf
Guild COVID 19 Protocol apply (Mask, Handwashing, temperature check)

October…various dates – Boo in the Zoo.  Greenville Zoo’s annual family-friendly Halloween event for all ages features trick-or-treating and fun specialty areas including Dragon Alley, a princess castle, and an extinct species graveyard. Everyone is invited to dress up and join in the fun. Proceeds benefit various programs throughout the zoo and conservation efforts. Please check their website for special safety features new for 2020.  

We do not know how Halloween will be handled this year in our neighborhoods or if the Earle Street Parade will happen this year.  We’ll let you know more as we hear it.

October 31 – Full Moon Yoga @ Cancer Survivors Park. 5:30 - 7:15 PM.  Yin yoga on the Pavilion Top of the Cancer Survivors Park.

Nov 7 – 30 – Greenville Open Studios.  The 2020 self-guided tour will feature 133 artists and their studios. Studio locations vary throughout a 15-mile radius of downtown Greenville with Easley, Greer, Travelers Rest and Simpsonville included. This year, artists will choose their own hours, make appointments, or only participate virtually from November 7 – 30. Each of the artists will also have a video of their studio which will be accessible through the Greenville Open Studios YouTube channel and the app. Open Studios catalogues for 2020 can be found at all the studios from November 7 – 30, in various retail locations and in the November 6th edition of the Greenville Journal.

 

We hope everyone will be vigilant in protecting themselves and their loved ones.  Stay healthy!

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

 

September/October 2020 Newsletter
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