Top Stories for July 10, 2024

Several people on canoes in a lake.

Mecklenburg County provides this weekly rundown of top stories from the Board of County Commissioners meetings and the Public Information Department’s newsroom. The Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. The agenda will be available online and the meeting can be viewed on MeckTV.  

1. Beating the Heat: Here in the dog days of summer with the heat index consistently rising above 100 degrees, Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management, and other partners are making resources available to help vulnerable residents keep cool. Residents without shelter can cool off and get other services at day services centers hosted by Roof Above and Block Love Charlotte. Mecklenburg County’s pools, spraygrounds, recreation and senior centers, and library branches are also open to the public.  

2. Tales of the Lake: Lake Norman might get more attention, but its little sister Mountain Island Lake is just as vital in providing Charlotte-Mecklenburg with electricity and clean drinking water. This year marks 100 years since Mountain Island Lake was created along the Catawba River. Residents can celebrate the anniversary with a history lesson from Mecklenburg County legend Rusty Rozzelle. Rozzelle has spent more than 40 years watching over Mountain Island Lake and other waterways in his role with the County’s Water Quality Program. His family settled in the area more than 200 years ago and became known for operating Rozelle’s Ferry. On Saturday, July 13, he’ll share tales and stories from his ancestors in an anecdotal program at Quest Nature Center at Latta Nature Preserve.

3. Cutting the Ribbon on Torrence Creek: Park and Recreation will host a ribbon-cutting for the newest section of greenway in Mecklenburg County. It will be held on Monday, July 15, at 6 p.m. at 10300 Compass St. in Huntersville. This segment of Torrence Creek Greenway has been developed in partnership with the Town of Huntersville, extending the greenway to the Huntersville Gateway Park and Ride. It ties into the existing Torrence Creek Greenway and forthcoming Ranson Rosedale Nature Park, plus serves as an important regional connection of the Carolina Thread Trail. The new section also houses “State of Flow,” a public art piece that blends abstract representations of movement, liquidity, and ephemerality with the region’s natural history, influenced by Lake Norman, Torrence Creek, and McDowell Creek. 

4. Hope and Resilience on Stage: Public Health is holding auditions for residents to share their stories of resilience on the stage. “This Is My Brave” is a show where individuals can share their stories of living with mental health struggles and sharing hope, empowerment, and healing through artful expressions. It’s being put on by Public Health’s ReCAST II program and the Office of Violence Prevention. Individuals are invited to share their story in five minutes or less and be a part of a powerful movement through a show that raises awareness for mental illness and community violence. Auditions are July 10-13, with shows scheduled for Sept. 27-28. 

5. Recycling Right in the Summer: Summertime means lots of fun in the sun, whether at the beach, pool, or backyard. But remember to recycle right while enjoying those summer activities. Besides the items residents can drop into their curbside bins, here are some seasonal items that anyone can bring to a Mecklenburg County full-service recycling center all year long. They include foam, swimsuits, ashes, grease, lawn equipment, pool chemicals and more. Check Blog.MeckNC.gov for more stories about Mecklenburg County’s work in the community.