Top Stories for Aug. 30
Mecklenburg County, N.C.—Mecklenburg County provides this weekly rundown of top stories from the Board of County Commissioners meetings and from the Public Information Department’s newsroom. The Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. The agenda will be available here. View the meeting at Watch.MeckNC.gov.
1. Monitoring Hurricane Idalia: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office (CMEMO), Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte are monitoring Hurricane Idalia and any potential impacts to the community. There are no plans to activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at this time. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services is checking high priority areas in creeks, road crossings, culverts, sewer line crossings, and bridges. They also remind residents to stay safe. Never walk or drive through flood waters—turn around, don’t drown! Storm Water Services is asking residents to safely check for and clear debris from storm drains in their neighborhood.
2. Cleaning Our Streams: Come help us keep our surface waters pollution-free! Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services hosts a volunteer event the Second Saturday and Last Thursday of every month, as well as some additional events throughout the year. Residents can find an activity or date that works best for them: stream cleanup, storm drain marking, and tree maintenance. For more details on these programs and other ways to volunteer please visit Storm Water Services’ volunteer web page.
3. Helping Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: According to May 2023 data, there are nearly 800 single older adults (55+ years old) experiencing homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. That’s more than a third of the overall single adult homeless population. These older adults face unique challenges and vulnerabilities compared to their younger counterparts. In 2022, Mecklenburg County invested $13.6 million dollars of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to buy and renovate a 90-unit hotel to provide permanent, affordable, supportive housing for this vulnerable population. Phase One of the renovations are complete and residents are now living in the apartments.
4. Saving Siloam School: The historic Siloam School will soon make a nearly 10-mile journey to a new location on the campus of the Charlotte Museum of History. The Siloam School is one of Mecklenburg County’s oldest remaining African American schoolhouses. Built in the 1920s, the building was designated a Historical Landmark in 2006 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Having fallen into a state of disrepair, the Charlotte Museum of History and the Save Siloam School Project spearheaded a campaign to raise funds and move the school. Once relocated and restored, the school will become a community resource and a center for history education, including exhibits about the 20th-century Black experience and the region’s history of racial discrimination and injustice.
5. Closing Time for Pools: This weekend is the last chance for Mecklenburg County residents to splash around in a public outdoor pool. Labor Day closes out the summer season for Park and Recreation’s spraygrounds, Cordelia Pool, Double Oaks Aquatic Center pool, and Ramsey Creek Beach. Indoor swimming facilities will continue to operate year-round.