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INSIDE ▼ McCool calls out state politics
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PAGE 4A Friday, July 17, 2026 • Vol. 26 • No. 28
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Conway wins community service award by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
MATTHEWS – The Matthews Human Services Council has presented Sandra Conway with the Nancy Glenn Community Servant Award. Conway serves as executive director for the Matthews HELP Center, directing a staff of 17 people and 400 weekly volunteers. “When our neighbors walk through our doors facing a
crisis, it’s our collective team that provides support, safety, resources and, most importantly hope,” Conway Conway said. “This honor is a direct reflection of their hard work, their sacrifices and their unwavering compassion.” Bill Helms, president of the Matthews Human Services
Council, said that under Conway’s leadership, the Matthews HELP Center has provided food, housing and transportation assistance to those in need, including unemployed and displaced families. Conway used words from her nonprofit’s founders, June Hamrick and Iris DeVore, to echo the importance of volunteers. She also credited the award’s namesake, Nancy Glenn. “She poured her soul, her time
and her boundless energy into supporting our local nonprofits,” Conway said, noting it was humbling and inspiring to receive an award that preserves Glenn’s spirit. KT Harcourt-Medina, vice president of the council, said Glenn helped those in need by supporting many nonprofits and the award is presented annually to someone who demonstrates such “inspiration, dedication and commitment” to the Matthews
Queen's Feast Charlotte Restaurant Week returns for summer CHARLOTTE – Diners can treat themselves to three-course menus at more than 120 restaurants from July 24 to Aug. 2 during Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week. Restaurants across the metro area will showcase their cuisine via multi-course dining deals, ranging from $30 to $55 per person. Customers can visit CharlotteRestaurantWeek. com to view the list of participating restaurants and their special Queen’s Feast menus and make reservations. Participating restaurants this month can be found in nine counties, including Cabarrus, Gaston, Cleveland, Union, Lincoln, Catawba, Stanly and York. Several neighborhoods in the South Charlotte area are represented, such as Arboretum, Ballantyne/Stonecrest, Providence Crossing/Waverly and SouthPark. This month’s restaurant lineup features 11 first-time participants, including Italo and Packard Tavern in Uptown; Frida’s Mexican Cantina in Pineville; Half Shell Raw Bar in South End; Henrietta’s in LoSo; Reid’s Fine Foods in Ballantyne; Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Promenade on Providence and X Brazilian Steakhouse in MoRa. The semi-annual Charlotte Restaurant Week provides restaurants a spotlight for their food and hospitality. Participating restaurants see trial business from local diners checking out new places as well as visitor traffic every January and July. “Queen’s Feast gives diners the perfect reason to trade the same old routine for a fresh table and a great meal,” said Bruce Hensley, a partner in Hensley Fontana Public Relations,
(The Center Square) – An environmental oversight program in North Carolina created in 2007 hasn’t investigated nearly 8 in 10 landfills, a state audit says, and 80% of those sites are within 1,000 feet of homes, schools, daycares, churches or drinking water wells. The performance audit analyzed the Department of Environmental Quality’s Pre-Regulatory Landfill Program. Identified were 688 landfill sites where municipal solid waste disposal occurred without regulatory oversight, including 534 never investigated by the department’s program. In the Division of Waste Management, the program was created 19 years ago to identify, assess and remediate sites that accepted a wide range of waste prior to 1983. That’s the demarcation point for what are considered modern environmental regulations. “The Pre-Regulatory Landfill Program is a complex issue that creates challenges from a regulatory, legal, funding and administrative standpoint,” N.C. Auditor Dave Boliek said. “But the bottom line is there are hundreds of potentially hazardous
Mayor not a fan of new state law by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
Participating Restaurants
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Promenade on Providence is a first-time participant. Photos courtesy of Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar
which owns and operates the promotion. “Whether you want to get fancy or have some laid-back fun, we have restaurants of all vibes ready to roll out the red carpet and become your new favorite.” On the web: charlotterestaurantweek.com
Some of the restaurants in The Weekly’s coverage area include: • Ballantyne/Stonecrest: C&W Steakhouse, Hestia Rooftop, Juniper Grill, Napa Bistro & Wine Bar, North Italia, Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Reid’s Fine Foods, Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar, Tap & Vine and The Club House Bites & Booze. • SouthPark: Aqua e Vino, Cafe Monte French Bakery and Bistro, Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, DTR, Mizu, Moon Thai & Japanese Restaurant, Oak Steakhouse, Palm Restaurant, Red Rocks Cafe, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Southern Pecan Gulf Coast Kitchen. • Pineville: Frida’s Mexican Cantina; Margaux’s Wine, Pizza & Market; and The Garrison, A Cocktail Bar & Restaurant. • Indian Trail: Tap & Vine.
Audit: Nearly 8 in 10 landfills haven't been investigated by Alan Wooten Contributor
area and nonprofit community. “At the end of the day, our work at the Matthews HELP Center is fueled by two simple things: a deep compassion and love for this community,” Conway said. “This award is a spark and a reminder of why we do what we do, and a call to action to keep pushing forward, finding new ways to serve and ensuring that every neighbor in the greater Matthews community has a place of dignity to turn to when they need a helping hand.”
landfill sites across North Carolina, and despite tax dollars supporting a program meant to investigate these sites, 78% haven’t been examined. This audit lays out the facts, giving taxpayers a reliable update on a longstanding government issue.” Boliek’s office said program management estimates an average cost to investigate, assess and remediate a site at $1.9 million. Applied to uninvestigated sites, the cost would be in the $1 billion neighborhood. Over 19 years, 97 sites have been probed – or about two per year. The Division of Environmental Quality secured 370 acres of waste, sampled 1,642 water supply wells and provided alternate water to 30 homes. Local landfills ranked by risk priority The report showed risk priority scores for 688 landfills in North Carolina as of April 2025. The scores determine which sites are prioritized for investigation, based on historical information and surrounding land uses, such as homes and schools. Other factors include landfill size and proximity to wells. Mecklenburg County • McAlpine Creek Park (Charlotte): 49 • Davidson Sanitary Landfill: 95 • Davidson Landfill: 112
• Statesville Rd. Landfill (Charlotte): 117 • Southside Park Landfill (Charlotte): 176 • Pineville Dump: 278 • Old Charlotte Landfill/Vanguard Center (Charlotte): 395 • Double Oaks Landfill (Charlotte): No further action Union County • Waxhaw Dump: 34 Waxhaw • Union County Landfill (Monroe): 124 • Monroe Landfill: 130 • Marshville Dump: 318
MATTHEWS – Don’t expect Matthews Mayor John Higdon to lead any pep rallies for a state law that prevents local governments from setting minimum parking requirements for development. House Bill 162, which also includes some tweaks to stormwater rules, was signed into law July 7 with nearly unanimous support from both chambers of the N.C. General Assembly. Sen. Todd Johnson and Rep. David Willis recorded absences during the vote (Willis was one of several sponsors) but everyone else representing Mecklenburg or Union counties voted for the bill. “This is another example of local control being taken away,” Higdon said during the July 13 town commissioners meeting. “That’s a really silly bill, in my opinion, because Higdon it could have a lot of really bad unintended consequences.” The issue came up during the Matthews meeting because town staff had been working with Charlotte Allstar Gymnastics and Cheerleading on a text amendment that would reduce parking requirements for privately owned indoor sports instruction facilities. A public hearing was scheduled for July 13. With the law taking effect in January 2027, town staff had discussions with Town Attorney Daniel Peterson about what to do. They went ahead with the public hearing. Charlotte Allstar Gymnastics and Cheerleading, which has been serving the area for more than 30 years, plans to relocate from Monroe Road to Independence Commerce Drive. Getting the text amendment moves the company closer to obtaining permits so it can start construction at the new site, according to Brittany Lins, a partner at Charlotte-based Alexander Ricks PLLC. The proposed text amendment calls for one space per 300 square feet of gross floor area. “The old rule was that we would need about 250 spaces,” company founder Kevin Brewbaker said. “We’ve never used more than 100. In our new space, we’d still have 125 spaces. So we’re still going to have parking. We just don’t need 250 spaces of parking.” Town staff and planning board are recommending approval of the text amendment. Commissioners are scheduled to hold a vote in August. “I guess at this point we’re at your mercy to build that many you think you need,” Higdon told the applicant. “My concern is if there’s not enough, then people tend to park illegally. They park in the street. They cause accidents.”