?August 28, 2013

City of Charlotte Labor Day Service Schedules

City of Charlotte offices will be closed on Monday, September 2.

On Monday, September 2, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) will operate on its Sunday schedule. 

For the complete CATS holiday schedule, click here.

Solid Waste Services will provide Curb It! collection services - garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulky waste - according to the normal collection schedule on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. 

For the complete 2013 holiday collection schedule and more information on the Curb It! program, visit http://curbit.charlottenc.gov. 

Business Opportunity and Outreach Symposium

Beginning this fall, CATS will begin soliciting bids for several contracts for the LYNX Blue Line Extension and will conduct a Business Opportunity and Outreach Symposium to provide an opportunity for  small, socially or economically challenged local businesses to learn about publicly funded contracts by participating in the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs. 

The symposium will include a “Meet and Greet” for potential prime and sub-contractors to learn about each other’s abilities and to develop working relationships for future contracts. Representatives from Engineering & Property Management and Charlotte Business INClusion will be on site to provide information about programs and upcoming contract opportunities.

Tuesday, September 10
9 a.m. – Noon
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center (Chamber Room)
600 East 4th Street

The following breakout sessions will begin at 10:30 a.m.:

Room 266: Navigating the Federal Regulations
Room 267: Meet and Greet for potential prime and sub-contractors
Room 274: Am I a SBE or DBE? How do I become a SBE or DBE?
Room 278: Getting the Business: Bidding, Contracting and other Hoops I have to go through!

Registration and event details are available at www.ridetransit.org.

Seventh Annual Runway 5K

CLT’s Seventh Annual Runway 5K Run will be held on Saturday, October 26 at 8 a.m. Last year’s run drew 2,300 participants and raised more than $20,000 for LifeSpan. Runners and walkers can register now to be guaranteed t-shirts and a reduced rate.

Through Monday, October 14

5K Run & 5K Walk: $25

Tuesday, October 15 – Friday, October 25

5K Run & 5K Walk: $30

Registration prices are for adults and children. 

Race proceeds will benefit LifeSpan’s Community Activity and Employment Transition Program (CAET). LifeSpan is a nonprofit organization that assists children and adults with developmental disabilities by providing education, employment and enrichment opportunities. Fifteen LifeSpan participants currently work at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

To register for the event, visit www.sportoften.com or Runway5K.cltairport.com. 

Safety Tips for the School Year

The new school year has begun, which means an increase in vehicles on the roads and pedestrians along the streets. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) is asking all drivers to pay extra attention and reduce speeds in school zones. CMPD will monitor area school zones before and after school to ensure motorists are obeying school zone speed limits. 

Motorists should plan ahead and leave earlier than normal to allow for increased traffic during morning commutes, and look out for crossing guards, walkers and bicyclists. Below are some other tips to help get you through the school year safely.

• Never pass a stopped school bus that has its lights blinking and signs showing
• Pay extra attention to lower speed limits in school zones
• Don’t pass other cars, change lanes, or make U-turns in school zones
• For those riding the bus, wait in a safe place at the bus stop for it to arrive
• If you have to cross the street, walk at least 12 feet in front of the bus and never walk behind it
• Never run out in the street or cross between parked cars
• Get off the bus only at your assigned stop
• Never speak to strangers or get into someone’s car without your parent or guardian’s permission
• Never text and drive
• When backing out of driveways makes sure there aren't any kids behind your car.

For more youth safety information from CMPD, click here. 

Volunteer for Tailgate Recycling

Solid Waste Services is teaming up for a fifth year with the Carolina Panthers, Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful, Bojangles' and Charlotte Center City Partners to sack waste and score big for recycling with the Tailgate Recycling Program. Volunteers are being recruited to assist parking lot operators in distributing yellow recycling bags and sharing information with fans about how to recycle.

Before heading into the stadium, tailgaters are instructed to leave the bags - and collapsed cardboard if not in the bag - at the curb to be collected by Solid Waste Services. Tailgating generates close to 10 tons of waste on most game days. Last year during the 12 game season, 8,845 bags of recycling were collected. As a result, more than 30 tons of recyclables were diverted from the landfill.

For more program and volunteer information, click here.

Bottle Cap Recycling

To recycle or not to recycle…That’s the dilemma you face when you’re ready to toss out the plastic cap that came on your soda or water bottle. Bottle caps are not accepted in the City’s Recycle It! program and instead, should be disposed of in the garbage cart. Leaving caps on bottles creates problems at the sorting facility. When bottles are crushed, caps can shoot off at high speeds, causing a safety hazard for recycling workers If you don’t wish to dispose of your caps in the garbage, check out the following options:

Bottle Cap Drop-off options:

• Aveda stores and salons: Take your bottle caps to one of Aveda’s stores or salons, where they will recycle the material into new caps for their own products.
• Whole Foods and other natural food stores: Recycle your plastic bottle caps on your next grocery shopping trip.

For more information on the Recycle It! program, visit http://recycleit.charlottenc.gov. 

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