Popular town service: Town will pick up leaves left at curbside.

Sept. 24. Many of us would be up a tree if the Town of Cornelius didn’t offer free leaf collection every year. It starts Nov. 4 thanks to four leaf vacuum trucks which comb neighborhood streets. Leaf vacuuming will begin on Nov. 4 and will run through the end of January 2025.

Cornelius is the only municipality in Mecklenburg County offering leaf vacuuming.

Davidson has an enlightened approach to leaves.

The “Leave the Leaves” initiative encourages people to leave their leaves to promote soil health, enrich plants and provide habitat for wildlife.

“This is the best choice for the local ecosystem as it allows nature to do what it was designed to do.,” according to a press release from the town.

The first 100 Town of Davidson residents who commit to leaving their leaves between Oct. 1 and Nov. 22 will receive a custom “Leave the Leaves” garden flag.