ECA 1-18 by Elizabeth Community

ECA Officers

ECA Board Members

Paul Shipley President 704 651 5897 Kenmore Avenue paul.d.shipley@gmail.com

West Bryant Communications Chair 704 898 5044 East Fifth Street west.bryant@gmail.com

Rusty Gibbs Vice President 704 345 8209 Pecan Avenue rusty@thenicholscompany.com

Paul Freeman Beautification & Trees 908 272 6465 East Fifth Street paul@ freemanlandscapearchitecture.com

Diana Watson Secretary 704 996 9776 Kenmore Avenue diana.watson3@gmail.com Kelly Jaworski Treasurer 828 446 0243 Clarice Avenue kellyruthanne92@gmail.com

The ECA Newsletter The ECA newsletter is published quarterly (March, June, September and December) and delivered to homes and businesses in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte. The production team: John McBride editor Rob Hall advertising czar Susan Green editorial assistant and proofreader Little Shiva designer Sir Speedy printer A. Carter Arey and Raj Natarajan distribution czars

Beth Haenni Zoning & Real Estate 704 562 5152 Greenway Avenue beth.haenni@gmail.com Laina Kafiti Home Tour 216 577 7232 East Fifth Street lkafiti@cchrealtors.com Kathy Kennedy-Miller Historian 704 614 1314 Clement Avenue kathykennedymiller77@gmail.com John F. McBride Newsletter 704 375 8977 East Eighth Street john.f.mcb@gmail.com Claire M. Short Children’s Social 813 326 3223 Greenway Avenue claire.m.short@gmail.com Robert Zabel Elizabeth 8K Road Race Chair 917 873 8028 Pecan Avenue nycrcz@yahoo.com

Story or photo idea? Email john.f.mcb@gmail.com. Want to buy an ad? Email rob@pridemoremail.com. ECA BOARD MEETINGS

When and where? 6:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month at Studio K Gallery, E. 7th St. – all are welcome. THE PEOPLE PAGES 22024

M VOLUNTEER M elizabethcommunityassociation @gmail.com

On the cover Elizabeth’s own Big E Elivs, always on the hunt for a jelly donut, will be on hand to get the annual Elizabeth 8K Road Race started again this year. Look for more coverage of the race in this issue, and please be sure to thank the sponsors (whose ads also appear in this issue) for their support of Charlotte’s oldest road race. The 32nd running will be March 24 at 8 a.m. Register at Elizabeth8K.com. Elivs will be glad you did. Photo by Jim Dimitroff. Back cover There are two things Elizabethans can count on when snow falls in Charlotte, as it did January 17: Bread and milk will fly off the shelves at the Harris Teeter on Central and kids on sleds will fly off the wall in Independence Park. Photo by Anne McBride.

LaTeaDa’s reincarnated? Back in July, hundreds of you perused a collection of items taken from the LaTeaDa house on 7th Street, looking for something cool to repurpose from the purple house as it was being torn down. The site’s developer, Faison, graciously donated the items to the ECA and the ECA offered the pieces of history and remembrance to fellow Elizabethans on July 23 at a “pop-up” sale at 7th and Ridgeway. Everything must go! And most of it did! But what has become of these objects? Have you found a good use for an odd box? Completed a project with a purloined piece of a purple house? Figured out how to dress up those old windowpanes? If so, we want to hear about it. Send a photo and short explanation by May 5 to John McBride: john.f.mcb@gmail.com. LaTeaDa’s lives! Photos by Kris Solow

contributors Nancy O. Albert Oakland Avenue noalbert@ carolina.rr.com

Anne McBride (East 8th Street) was born in Elizabeth and is currently home from college.

Chelsea Bren Chelsea Bren Designs chelseabrendesigns @gmail.com

Kay Minor (East 8th Street) is a gardener.

Dumont Clarke Kenmore Avenue Dumont.clarke@ mecklenburgcountync .gov

Jen Rothacker TreesCharlotte jen@treescharlotte.org

Jim Dimitrof (Pecan Avenue) lives in Elizabeth.

Paul Shipley Kenmore Avenue paul.d.shipley@ gmail.com

Beth Haenni Greenway Avenue beth.haenni@ gmail.com

Kris Solow East Fifth Street kjsolow@gmail.com

Danielle Kleinrichert Pecan Avenue dkleinrichert @gmail.com

Robert Zabel (Pecan Avenue) organizes the Elizabeth 8K Road Race.

This could be you! To contribute a little of your time and talent to the ECA newsletter, write to john.f.mcb@ gmail.com THE PEOPLE PAGES

From the president: Updates on issues and thanks to our volunteers by Paul Shipley

connectivity with that great pocket of our neighborhood.

Martha Washington apartments: The owner of the Martha Washington apartments Welcome to 2018! As you all put the property up for sale know, much is going on within earlier in 2017 with Pulte our neighborhood since our last Homes ultimately going under issue. Many neighbors attended contract to purchase the site. our Holiday Party this year. Many The Elizabeth email/google thanks to longtime neighbors groups have been updating Elaine Scott and Jerry Tylman and discussing this project for for hosting a terrific evening some time. The ECA Real Estate with fireplaces and campfires and Zoning committee has met crackling, an abundance of good with the city and the builder, food and festive Elizabethans. and will continue to work to Thanks to all involved. make the project as much a part of the neighborhood as Your Elizabeth Community possible. Look for more on Association continues to try to this topic elsewhere in this keep in front of the various real estate-related issues and projects issue and of course watch for more detail via the email lists. that are impacting several (To sign up, go to http://www. pockets of our neighborhood. elizabethcommunity.com and A brief update on a couple click on “Email Groups”.) of the major issues:

Hawthorne Lane construction: Many thanks to neighbors Morgan Williams and Charis Wilson who stepped up to tackle the road and bridge construction issues that continue to impact many residents along and around Hawthorne Lane. Thank you for what you are doing to assist your neighbors with mitigating the noise, work hours and safety issues surrounding this site. Let’s also make sure to not forget our neighbors on the far side of the bridge on and around Sunnyside – we miss not having our previous 4

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On ECA Board matters, we have comings and goings. I’d like to welcome West Bryant, who has agreed to serve on the board as our Communications Chair. West will be a great addition to our board and already has some great ideas on how to better streamline the way we communicate. As part of this effort, we will be upgrading our website. More to come on this exciting project. Get prepared for the Elizabeth 8K Race this spring. Rob Zabel and his committee are once again putting on a great event. Please walk — or

run — to the sign-up table and join Elizabeth and Big E Elvis at the starting line. We also would like to thank Lauren Briggs, who has served on our board and has been our Social Chair since September. Lauren has done a terrific job starting with our annual meeting and its inventive “Taste of Elizabeth,” the “Mother’s Night Out” at the Oasis Day Spa, and the terrific Holiday Party. Lauren will be leaving Elizabeth in March, and we will miss her. And of course that means we now need a new Social Chair who can jump right in for our upcoming Progressive Dinner in May. January went by quickly, and 2018 will be over before we know it. Thanks again to all for making Elizabeth such a great neighborhood to be a part of. Martha Washington, CPCC expansion and more: An update on neighborhood projects by Beth Haenni Would you believe that when my house was built on the corner of Greenway and Ridgeway in 1922 that the Charlotte limit ran through our back yard? Fast forward to today, and you can appreciate that Elizabeth has a rich history of development and change. Writing in early February, these are the projects the ECA

is focused on (some of the information may have changed by the time you read this): Martha Washington apartments: We have bid

photos: Kris Solow (tree canopy) and Nancy O. Albert (steps)

farewell to the last Martha Washington residents, some of whom had lived there for more than 30 years. Walking under the vast tree canopy now feels a little eerie and lifeless — but not for long. Expect massive changes to this site as builder Pulte will soon erect 124 fourstory townhouses. This is an increase of 50% over Martha Washington density. The zoning allows an increase of up to 175%. Pulte is building legally, by-right on land that is zoned for far higher density. No neighborhood meetings are required, no city council vote, no rezoning request, no rezoning protest petition (remember those were outlawed anyway). As long as Pulte complies with the “R-22MF” zoning ordinance, then they submit their plans to the city and start demolition.

(which, of course, benefit Elizabeth homeowners) also affect development. Developers pay massive amounts of money for small parcels and are forced to build higher density to please their investors. Elizabeth’s urban location, culture and beauty are very attractive, and we should expect more in-fill developments throughout our neighborhood.

The ECA has met with the city planning department and with Pulte twice. We are working to establish some wins for the community, including saving as many trees as possible, seeking benches and plantings for the small slivers of open space, re-working some of the architecture to better blend with the neighborhood and capping the home owners association rental allowance. Pulte does have a tree plan, which will save approximately 15 of more than 35 of the large maturing trees and will also preserve the woods/ natural area along Deacon Avenue. Pulte will be using the existing streets and adding sidewalks and planting strips throughout the property on both sides of the streets. CPCC parking deck:

The Martha Washington site features a mature tree canopy.

For several months now the Central Piedmont Community College parking deck at 7th and Charlottetown has been

The Elizabeth Area Plan states: “Any redevelopment of this site should maintain a similar amount of open space, as well as preserving the mature tree canopy.” But the area plan is trumped by existing zoning and city/county ordinances. Why is this change happening? The short answer is: Rising Elizabeth land prices Martha WashingtonPAGES apartments5 THE PEOPLE

closed. Our understanding is that CPCC is evaluating cracks in the concrete and other issues at the deck. If there are structural deficiencies, that will require additional studies before they can allow use of the deck. Elizabeth has been experiencing some parking congestion as a result of the closure of this deck.

several smaller parcels of varying ownership/zonings along 5th/Charlottetowne/ Elizabeth, seeking a rezoning to Mixed Use Development District (MUDD-O). This is the property that was formerly Cuisine Malaya and other small businesses. CPCC’s petition, if approved by city council, would allow CPCC to construct two buildings totaling 250,000 square feet with a maximum building height of 100 feet.

The ECA is opposing the rezoning because CPCC has not provided conditional plans showing exact details of what they propose to construct. All other developers who have petitioned for such a rezoning submit plans, elevations, materials, etc., with very specific conditions that govern what can be built. These conditional documents are part of the rezoning petition and protect the neighborhood by holding the developer accountable to build what they said they would build. 6

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Dollar General Shopping Center

In addition, CPCC’s plans do not include adequate parking. The first building is a proposed 88,000-square-feet with 10 surface parking spaces. CPCC stated in the community meeting that they have 800 vacant parking spaces in Elizabeth. However, after closing the 1,000-parking spot deck, they appear to be 200 spaces shy. Given the additional construction plans beyond this project, they should not be allowed to rezone the property until they can provide adequate parking. City council could vote as early as March on this rezoning. Caldwell Rose rezoning at 3rd/4th/Baldwin: This

section of the neighborhood straddles Elizabeth and Cherry and includes the shopping center that includes a couple of restaurants, a fitness center, a paint store and a medical office. Developer Caldwell Rose is seeking a rezoning to build a 250-foot tall glass building with

550,000 square feet of office space and a spot for a hotel. By comparison, the Charlotte Marriott City Center in uptown Charlotte is 252 feet tall. The ECA and surrounding neighborhoods are opposing this rezoning, especially considering the building height and existing traffic congestion along 3rd and 4th streets. Draper Place at Randolph/ Dotger/Vail: SunCap is build-

ing a Randolph-facing, four-story, 47-unit, luxury apartment building alongside eight new Vailfacing townhomes built by Alan Simonini. The site work phase of the development, inclu-ding footings and foundation, is well under way. The project should be complete by Jan. 2019.

Faison Development at Caswell and 7th: The site

has been cleared and is ready for construction. The project has stalled because Faison’s contractor left the multi-family

photo: Melanie Sizemore

CPCC expansion and rezoning: CPCC has assembled

business, forcing Faison to find a new general contractor. Earliest construction could begin is April.

Eight reasons to run the Elizabeth 8K by Jen Rothacker

Dollar General Shopping Center at 7th and Pecan:

1. It’s all about the trees! The race has a long history of supporting the replenishing of our tree canopy, and for the last five years TreesCharlotte has been a beneficiary. What better way to say thank you than to run the race!

Asana Partners is wrapping up its facelift of this shopping center, having reworked and paved the parking lots (thank you!) and performed cosmetic improvements to the storefronts. We eagerly await the next restaurant, The Stanley, from James Beardnominated chef Paul Verica and the establishment next door from mixologist Gary Crunkleton.

photo: Jim Dimitroff

Food for thought: In 100 years, Elizabeth has evolved from sitting partially outside the city limits to being a bustling urban center. Elizabeth is no stranger to change. We always seem to find opportunities and silver linings.

2. You can get a free tree. We’ll have 25 mystery trees there (OK, we just haven’t decided what we’ll bring yet, but you know they’ll be good). If you have a Charlotte address, you might just walk away with one of these beauties.

6. Elvis, aka The Big E, will be in the house. Well, he’ll be on the course. Elvis officially starts the race – and does some serenading to get you all shook up. 7. Really crafty beer. Not only does the race have a launch party at Legion Brewing, but the launch party will feature a beer Legion specially brews just for the Elizabeth 8K — aptly named The Big E. The party is March 15, 6-9 p.m.

But it gets even better. Trees Charlotte is the Adventure Tap beneficiary at Legion Brewing for the entire month of March, which means Legion will donate $1 to TreesCharlotte for every pint purchased from the Adventure Tap.

3. A true Charlotte tradition. 8. Good neighbors. This race The Elizabeth 8K is Charlotte’s is organized by a committee oldest road race. That’s a social of regular folk who live near media-tidbit you can share Elizabeth and just want to do a when you register. cool community event. That’s 4. Put that hard work in. This worth supporting. The 32nd isn’t your run-of-the-mill 5K. No, The ECA’s job is to serve the this is an 8K. By our calculations, Elizabeth 8K will be run community’s best interests. that’s a full 3K more. Think of the March 24 It is with that in mind that calorie burn (something like 70 beginning at we choose to take a stance to 8 a.m. calories a kilometer!). Of course, support or oppose development if running isn’t your thing, you projects. Regardless of the can walk the course or choose to outcome of each project and run/walk the 1.5-mile fun run. the change that is inevitable, we 5. Get your jam on. In hopes are ultimately called to welcome of drowning out those voices in the people who are our new your head telling you how hard neighbors with open arms, as this race is (why can’t it be a is the Elizabeth way. 5K?!?), get distracted by the live music, which will range from VOLUNTEER Opera Carolina singers to the elizabethcommunityassociation @gmail.com School of Rock band.

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Four additional things to know about this year’s Elizabeth 8K by Rob Zabel

4. Supporting those in need: For the second consecutive year, we are partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina who supplies food Ed. note: Rob Zabel is the director and essential grocery items to more than 700 agencies of the Elizabeth 8K Road Race. feeding hungry people in 1. The course: Due to con19 counties. We encourage struction on Hawthorne Lane, everyone to support our we’ve rerouted the course, which neighbors in need and offer allows us to explore new areas three opportunities to donate of the neighborhood, including new and unopened shelf-stable upper and lower Independence food and household items: At Park, Bay Street, Pecan Avenue, the March 15 launch party 7th Street and 8th Street. Be of the “Big E” beer at Legion sure to check out our website Brewing Co.; during packet for a full view of the course. pick-up at Hawthorne’s on March 22 and 23; and at the 2. Post-race festivities: We race on March 24. are re-locating the post-race festivities, including the awards From the commissioner: ceremony, to the parking lot It’s been an honor to in Independence Park near serve Elizabeth and the Rose Garden. Here you District 4 will have the opportunity to by Dumont Clarke visit with our sponsors and partners and celebrate with It has been my honor to your neighbors and fellow serve for many years as a participants with “The Big E” member of the Board of County beer from Legion Brewery in Commissioners from District 4, the beer garden. which includes all of Elizabeth. 3. First place medals: We As you may have read or heard, are continuing with our new I have decided not to run for retradition of partnering with a election and will retire when my local Elizabeth resident and current term ends in December. artist to create custom medals I will miss serving the people for our first-place male and female overall, masters and age of Mecklenburg County and group finishers. We thank Tom particularly those who live in District 4, which is by far the Thoune, a multimedia artist, most diverse of the six county sculptor and painter, who is commission districts. And I will applying his creative talents particularly miss serving my and inspirations to create this neighbors in Elizabeth, where year’s awards. 8

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my wife, Shirley J. Linn, and I have lived in the same house on Kenmore Avenue since 1983. It’s hard to believe that our two daughters — who grew up here and still consider themselves Elizabethans (even though one of them lives in Germany) — are now in their thirties! In the past year, a number of younger women and men have approached me and shared their desires to serve on the board. This level of interest in running for elected office is unprecedented in my years of service. I am impressed by their diversity, qualifications, knowledge, energy, enthusiasm and passion to serve and the potential they each have to become a strong future leader of Mecklenburg County. I plan to support a woman named Leigh Altman, who, although she is not fortunate enough to live in Elizabeth, does live in another streetcar suburb that was built around one of the city’s oldest parks. Leigh has been active in the

community, has three children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and is an attorney who, most recently, worked at the Council for Children’s Rights. I am sure there will be other good candidates worthy of your consideration as well. If you want to have a say in who represents the people of District 4 on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, be sure to exercise your right to vote in the primary in May and the general election. Stadium update: The information that appeared in the article in the winter issue of the ECA Newsletter about the proposed plans to modernize historic American Legion Memorial Stadium needs a little updating. In late December, county commissioners approved a proposal to allocate $32 million in the county’s five-year capital improvement plan to substantially rebuild Memorial Stadium on the existing site. In doing so, the county will preserve as many of the historic features of the American Legion Memorial Stadium as possible. The proposal would involve taking down the upper deck on the CPCC side of the stadium and building a broad walkway around and above the stadium bowl.

The proposal would not require the city of Charlotte or the owners of the Charlotte Independence minor league

soccer team to participate in paying any of the capital costs. The county is, however, negotiating potential lease terms with the owners of the Charlotte Independence that would allow them to play home games there.

I expect which capital improvements will be funded will be the subject of much future and open, communitywide debate.

Please contact me if you would like to discuss any issues of concern to you. My cell But, importantly, the stadium phone numbers are 980-2154119 and 704-996-6126. would remain a county asset My email address is dumont. under the county’s control clarke@mecklenburgcountync. and available for other gov. I welcome your emails, but organizations to use for a frankly I would prefer you call variety of events throughout the year. It will take at least two me as I find that a much more satisfying way to address your years to complete the project, but the course has been set and concerns. the uncertainty arising from Will ‘iconic’ pedestrian including potential public and walkway bridge the private partners in the funding greenway gap? has been removed. by Anne McBride The earlier proposal to replace Memorial Stadium with a professional soccer stadium died last summer. But two important things came out of the negotiations between the county, the Historic Elizabeth Foundation and the Elizabeth Community Association over that proposal that fortunately did not die with it. First, the county agreed to pay for a consultant to prepare a new master plan for all of Independence Park. Second, the county included $5.5 million in its capital improvement plan to be used to fund at least some of the recommendations included in the new master plan.

The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are currently knee-deep in the continued development of the Cross-Charlotte Trail (XCLT), a 30-mile walkway that will run from the South Carolina border to the Cabarrus County line and serve an estimated 140,000 residents within walking distance. Little Sugar Creek Greenway (LSCG), a paved 7.5-mile urban sanctuary along the eponymous creek that many Elizabeth residents know and love makes up a long stretch of this cross-city artery. But even if LSCG and XCLT are married to create a longer path, it is still severed abruptly by the lively THE PEOPLE PAGES

inhabitants of all parts of the city. The word “iconic” keeps coming up in discussions about the design.

If selected as a project that will have “significant impact on the nation,” the grant could cover 80% of construction costs. One of the proposed designs for a proposed pedestrian walkway. The remaining cost would be financed by city transportation intersection of 7th Street and Each of the three proposed bonds. Charlotte officials should Kings Drive/Central Avenue. bridge designs includes a scenic know within a few months the Independence Boulevard adds overlook intended to present status of the TIGER grant; if givto the crisscross of roads, expansive vistas of uptown en the green light, construction creating an impassable quarter- Charlotte’s growing skyline. could start soon. But don’t hold mile gap between the LSCG and The design is undoubtedly your breath, Elizabeth residents the rest of the trail. intentional – an introduction – even upon immediate approval to the official report notes that this project will likely take years. Charlotte has a plan to address this missing link: A massive “the idea that a pedestrian Residents are encouraged to bridge would capture the eyes “iconic” pedestrian bridge that text “charmeck xclt” to 468and imagination of people as stretches across the Indepen311 to receive construction dence Boulevard/I-77/John Belk they passed by on the highway updates and public meeting Freeway interchange, connect- or traversed its innovative design is critical to the success notifications. ing 7th Street and 10th Street. of the project.” Meet the new newsletter The proposed project would circulation czars: Carter link the neighborhoods of So far, reaction to the plan Arey and Raj Natarajan Belmont, Optimist Park, Villa at public hearings has been Heights and NoDa to Midtown, largely positive, with residents by John McBride Carolinas Medical Center, expressing desire to see the Freedom Park and, of course, greenway gap bridged (so to Editor’s Note: For many years, Elizabeth. Developers hope speak), combating barriers Gregg Lockhart of Kenmore Avenue to use the pedestrian bridge to employment, educational directed the circulation of the ECA not only to connect areas of attainment and physical activity newsletter. Thank you, Gregg, for Charlotte, but to serve as a in traditionally underserved your fine efforts over the years! Now signature destination for city communities and green Carter Arey and Raj Natarajan of residents and visitors alike. transportation opportunities to Oakland Avenue have agreed to 10

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photo courtesy City of Charlotte

The bridge would come at a cost of $16.7 million for design, construction and continued maintenance. To help meet those costs, the city has applied for a TIGER grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

become the newsletter circulation coczars. Here’s a quick introduction to our newest volunteers: Q: What do you two do for a living? A: We are both attorneys. Q: What do you twodo in your spare time? A: Hang out on our porch or other neighbors’ porches – and chase after our four kids. Q: Tell us about your family. A: We have four children:

a nine-year-old, two sevenyear-olds and our two- (almost three-) year-old caboose. Q: How long have you lived

in Elizabeth?

A: Four years, but we bought

our house and renovated for about a year and half prior.

Q: From where did you move? A: NoDa. Q: Why Elizabeth?

photo: George Lainis

A: We always loved the charm

and history of Elizabeth – cute bungalows mixed with larger stately homes, tree-lined streets, people out walking – and the location. In addition, Elizabeth has a good mix of people, with lots of different backgrounds; it’s not a cookie-cutter, homogenous neighborhood. We also found a great old house on Oakland and Sunnyside Avenues that needed lots of love. It was an exciting project for us… and Peter Vasseur [of Vasseur Home Design]!

Front (from left): Bodhi and Jude; Ren on Carter’s lap, Violet in front of Raj. Q: How did you come to volunteer

for the ECA?

A: We have been looking for a way to get more involved with the neighborhood, and the newsletter circulation opportunity came about. We are excited to meet more folks in the neighborhood. Q: What do you think are the

three most important issues facing Elizabeth today? A: Being open-minded to change, the balance between development and preservation and dealing with construction. Q: Favorite Elizabeth moment? A: Getting married in our front yard and taking a horse carriage ride over the Hawthorne Bridge to our reception at Customshop. Q: One thing you wish everyone knew about you two.

A: Our family is passionate

about the housing and stability issues facing our city, and we strongly believe that the miserable economic mobility here is a problem that every Charlottean must address. Yard Yak: The decline and fall of one forest pansy redbud by Kay Minor Picking out landscape plants for other people can be a tricky business. One’s idea of a tree with character may well be another’s offensive eyesore. Case in point, the “misshapen” forest pansy redbud that came to live at Minor Manor. Unceremoniously dropped from the tailgate of our Ford truck onto the front yard, the curvaceous hula girl trunk grew into a welcomed addition, THE PEOPLE PAGES

ultimately reigning over the front left corner of my garden for 15 years. Straddling the highest point in the middle of our block on East 8th Street, its vast rose-colored umbrella of shade became a favorite gathering spot for pedestrian traffic. A continuous parade of neighbors in transit, runners and amblers alike, collecting energy and dispersing energy with every howdy do. Pausing with purpose under a canopy of color. It’s unclear what caused the decline of my redbud. The lovely trunk began to split, revealing decay, looking as if it was turning itself inside out. When the amputated appendages of dead wood eventually compromised the trees integrity, it was reluctantly removed. Metamorphosing into a patch of “must have” mustard greens and native host plants for butterflies and moths, the now sunlit spot continues to attract activity on both sides of the fence. Bringing life up close and personal for those who dare to truly stop, look and listen. Sunday soup slurping soiree draws hundreds to Elizabeth More than $45,500 was raised at the “Soup on Sunday” event at Central Piedmont Community College’s Phillip Van Every Culinary Arts Center in Elizabeth on Jan. 28.

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Will McAvoy (left) and JD Dorsey of the Fig Tree restaurant on 7th Street in Elizabeth took part in the Soup on Sunday event.

Despite wet weather, more than 800 soup lovers turned out for the 18th annual event. More than 230 gallons of soup were served from 26 restaurants and four culinary schools. Proceeds from the event went to Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte. “It amazes me each year the number of soup lovers that attend this savory event,” said Nancy Cole, Hospice and Palliative Care’s director of special events. “And it wouldn’t happen without the support of the great restaurant participation and the culinary schools who come together to share and showcase their many talents.” Handmade pottery from local artists and students was also available for purchase at the event. “The pottery soup bowls are a big part of Soup on Sunday,” Cole said. “We are

tree photo: Kay Minor / soup photos: Chelsea Bren

In happier times, the Minor Manor forest pansy redbud offered shade to neighbor Hayden Shoemaker, who is now 4-and-a-half.

When I looked closer, I saw he was limping on what ended up being a broken leg.

Purveyors of fine soups offer up samples at the Soup on Sunday event at CPCC.

Archie had a cast for three months and he’s fine now. And though we still don’t know where he was or how he broke his leg, I do know this: That night, had I been using the two pet tracking tools that I use now, I’d have found Archie sooner — saving both him and me considerable pain and anxiety.

The Tabcat and the Pod GPS Tracker have become indispensable tools in managing hour passed, I walked the grateful for the many potters our cat, and I’d like to tell you neighborhood calling Archie’s who make and donate their about them and answer some of name and asking neighbors if artwork to the event.” they’d seen him. Still no Archie. the common questions I get. Mark your calendar for next Tabcat tracker – a shortCould he be at home, stuck year’s event: Jan. 28, 2019 at range locator: The Tabcat does the CPCC Culinary Arts Center somewhere? I searched the one thing really well: It finds at 7th and Kings. Hospice and house, opened up every closet your cat if it’s nearby, within and cupboard, checked the Palliative Care of Charlotte recently moved its headquarters basement and crawl space, but a 400-foot radius. How does it work? It comes in two parts no Archie. from East 7th Street in that communicate on a radio Elizabeth to South Charlotte. OK, now I’m panicking a frequency. You attach the little bit. But I think to myself, lightweight homing tag to your It’s 8 p.m.: Do you know cats like to wander. Let’s just go cat’s collar, and you use a credit where your cat is? ahead with our Christmas Eve card-sized handset to direct you by Danielle Kleinrichert dinner plans and see if he’s here to the exact location. As you when we return. get a “hit” with the handset, it’ll It was Christmas Eve a few We got back from dinner, and start beeping slowly and flash years ago and our cat Archie red lights. As you get closer, it’ll he still wasn’t home. Now I’m didn’t come home for dinner. beep faster and the lights will thinking something’s wrong. He’s so routine — never After walking the neighborhood transition from red to yellow misses a meal. So it was out of again, I started making a LOST and then to green when it’s a character for him, but I wasn’t just few feet away. CAT flyer, and that’s when I panicking… Not yet anyway. heard it: The sound of the bell The Tabcat retails for $99. on Archie’s collar. He came The weather was dry and More at www.mytabcat.com. up from our basement, but mild, so I thought I’d give Pod 3 GPS Tracker – a longsomething didn’t look right. him another hour. After the THE PEOPLE PAGES

Archie models the Pod 3 GPS Tracker.

Common questions Q: What if my cat loses its collar? A: If your cat comes back without its collar, you can find it with the tracker or trackers that you’ve attached to the collar. (You should use breakaway collars for your cats, so it’s not uncommon to have to track down a cat-less collar.) Q: Does the cat know when you’re looking for it? A: With the Tabcat, yes! That’s the cool thing. The tag attached to your cat’s collar will beep and blink when the handset finds it, so you can, without much effort, train your cat to associate that beeping with making its way to your front door to find a treat.

A: No. The Tabcat tracker is great for indoor cats, especially those that love to range, real time multi-function pull up the app and it shows tool: A more advanced tool than your cat’s location on a map. As hide. It’s a great tool for your pet sitter when they come for the Tabcat, the Pod doesn’t just long as the Pod has access to locate your cat long-range, it a cellphone signal, it’ll tell you their visits. And if your indoor cat accidentally slips out of also shows your cat’s travels where it is. the house you can find it throughout the day and alerts If you’re curious about where immediately and bring it back you when it wanders farther your cat goes, the Pod keeps a to safety. than you’d like. 24-hour chronological history Q: Do you have to pay a of your cat’s travels. The Pod works like the subscription fee to use these tools? If you’re concerned your cat “find my phone” feature on A: Not for the Tabcat. The is wandering too far away, you your smartphone, but instead Pod requires a yearly $50 can set alerts on the app so it of strapping a phone to your subscription. lets you know when your cat has cat, you attach a device about gone past a virtual “safe zone” the size of a “C” battery to its If you have a cat and want that you set on a map. collar. The Pod has real-time to have more awareness about tracking, so if you’re wondering The Pod retails for $130. where it is at any time, consider where your cat is right now, just Find more atpodtrackers.com looking into the Tabcat and 14

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photo: Danielle Kleinrichert

Q: Are these tracking devices for outdoor cats only?

Pod trackers. Have more questions? Want to see these first hand? Feel free to email me at dkleinrichert@gmail.com or call me at 704-804-1509.

The last of the girders spanning Independence Boulevard was removed from what’s left of the old Hawthorne Lane bridge in January as the rebuilding of the bridge continues. The 25-year-old bridge is being replaced as part of Charlotte Area Transit System’s CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar expansion project. The bridge is expected to reopen in March 2019.

Here’s the scoop on Elizabeth Recycles Day 2018 by Kris Solow Elizabeth Recycles Day (ERD) is around the corner: May 19 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in upper Independence Park at the Rose Garden parking lot. See the ad elsewhere in this issue for items that we will recycle or repurpose for you.

photo courtesy CATS

In addition, Crown Town Compost is participating again this year. Save your kitchen scraps for a week prior to ERD. If you don’t have a compost pail, use a lidded pot or collect them in a plastic container and keep in the refrigerator or freezer.

If you have questions visit their website at www. crowntowncompost.com, or contact them at howdy@ crowntowncompost.com or at 704-930-6314.

Please also note for ERD: This event is for Elizabeth If you like the concept of residential recycling only (not recycling your scraps and don’t businesses). We cannot accept have a place in your yard to compost, Crown Town Compost anything bulky, heavy or leaky, offers weekly food waste pick up or anything that can go in the from your home starting at $20 city’s green recycle bin (which includes cardboard boxes and a month. trade journals/magazines/ When you sign up, they brochures). provide you with a 3.5-gallon For other items that won’t fit pail with lid that fits nicely into the city’s gray trash rollout, under the kitchen sink to call 311 and ask for a curbside collect your food waste. pickup at your house. They also offer a dropTo properly get rid of old off option at Hex Coffee on medicines, the Charlotte Remount Road on Saturdays Mecklenburg Police from 9 to 11 a.m.

headquarters on East Trade Street has a drop box at their back entrance (you can even take the trolley!). U.S. flags and fire extinguishers can be brought to any fire station. Lowe’s accepts rechargeable batteries and all light bulbs. Staples accepts all electronics, including monitors and tube TVs. Best Buy accepts most electronics and appliances: vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, hair dryers, printers, computers, cell phones, remotes, routers, etc. There’s a $25 fee for monitors or tube TVs. Home Depot accepts rechargeable batteries and compact fluorescent lightbulbs (no long tubes). THE PEOPLE PAGES

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