Dave Garbrick loves his new “wheels!”

Memorial Day weekend is upon us. Picnics, pool parties and pleasurable pastimes like sleeping in, swinging in the hammock and savoring the aroma of burgers on the grill. It is also the time to enjoy those country roads in a favorite convertible. Just ask Dave Garbrick! He is a fixture on any road in and around Davidson, zipping around with the top down. According to his wife, Alice, a little rain or sleet might force him to raise the top but otherwise, Dave loves the open air in his snazzy new “nebula gray pearl” Lexus (his sixth convertible since his “college Mustang  years” with most of those owned in the 18 years he and Alice have lived in River Run). Love the sporty look, Dave. We’ll wave when we see you!

May is certainly a time for celebrations. Today Around Davidson has wedding news from Matt Murphy and Erica Espino, graduation news from Kristen McDonald, plus congratulations to Joan and Allen Sutton on a new arrival. There is also a trip report from Missy and John Kuykendall and much cheering for a new water hook-up in the Community Garden. Read the full story

Bees are in the news and Around Davidson has lately pondered their plight. Bees are the most important pollinating insects. Area farmers tell us that one of every three bites the average American eats is directly attributed to honey bee pollination! Honey bees are responsible for the pollination of more than 100 crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, providing 80 percent of the country’s pollination services. Of course, honey bees also produce food for humans…honey! To get the local bee-attitudes on honey bees, Around Davidson met with bee keeper Keyne Cheshire, Associate Professor and Chair of the Classics Department at Davidson College. Around Davidson loves a good play on words and this apian article has many opportunities to beedazzle and beewitch. We will try to restrain ourselves and not drone on! Today we first take a walk with Lucy, a Jack Russell Terrier owned by Cristina, Matt and James Shaul. Then we go for a run with Maryline Roux who is returning from Nationals with personal bests!
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North Meck IB 10th grader Emma Boraks with her Chinese students at Davidson Elementary.

It is Commencement Weekend at Davidson College. How we all look forward to the happy smiles on the members of the senior class as they process this Sunday morning from Chambers Building to the front campus. Young and old, big and small are there to cheer each graduate as his or her name is read. What an exciting time for all. Congratulations to the Class of 2013! All that is missing is the Lake Davidson fountain needed to welcome commencement visitors. According to Doug Wright of the Town of Davidson, it is due to be operational any minute.

There will be lots of graduation news in coming weeks in Around Davidson so be sure to send us your photos. Today we focus on some young people as we hear about the Chinese Club meeting at Davidson Elementary School, a chance to catch up with “rowing sensation” Forrest Daugherty and news of Thomas Christy’s new job in New York. We also introduce you to newcomers Susan and David Wittmann. In addition there is a Noteworthy Note about a noteworthy member of our community, David Boraks, who turned another year “young” last week. Read the full story

Darin McIntosh

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson fire chief Josh Peklo has stepped down and handed off his duties to an interim chief, Darin McIntosh. Peklo told town officials and fellow firefighters this weekend he’s moving to Minnesota.

Town Manager Leamon Brice announced the unexpected personnel shift at Tuesday’s Davidson Town Board meeting, where commissioners welcomed McIntosh as chief. Brice said later that he learned only over the weekend that Peklo, who also works in the theater department at Davidson College, had taken a new job in Minnesota. Read the full story

Helloooo! Around Davidson is always willing to bike for food…or walk for food…or even write for food. We are happy to announce that Friday May 17 is “Bike to Work and School Day” in Davidson and here are some of the incentives being offered: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream: Free topping to anyone who bikes to their store. Davidson Chocolate: Free salted caramel with a $5 purchase to anyone who bikes to the store. Campania Café & Trattoria: 10% off the check for those who ride a bike and join them for lunch. Carrburritos: Free chips and salsa with purchase for bike riders.

Today we meet Anne Arms and her sweet Daisy Girl Scout Troop #159, we explore the dusty Davidson College archives with Taylor Thomson to research his family history, and we bid adieu to Michael Rowland at DCPC. Read the full story

Beautiful pink rhododendron blossoms grace the Jetton home (now Betsy’s Hazelton’s) on Concord Road

“Hey! No one told me we really lived in Seattle!” was the overheard comment last Sunday as the rain poured down and sweaters reappeared yet again this spring. Hard to dig in red clay that is waterlogged in our gardens but in spite of the lack of sunshine, the rhododendrons are at their prettiest this week and we rejoice in their beauty.

Around Davidson today celebrates a new baby for Tate and Amy Gardner. In addition, we introduce you to some interesting participants in last Saturday’s Town Day. Read the full story

Gosh, this is a busy time of year. There are so many wonderful events to choose from without even leaving town! Around Davidson will need to build more book shelves to accommodate our new found treasures from the library book sale. That is a highlight of Town Day for us. We love running into old friends at the market AND we had a choice of TWO concerts on the green this past weekend. We met with Sherry Latten to talk about her team in the Charlotte Asian Festival and Dragon Boat Races. Gary and Lib McGregor Simmons hosted an author birthday party at their home for all the residents of Harper Lee Street in the New Neighborhood. We go to the four corners of the globe to catch up with Pam and Steve Mange and their daughter Dulce Mange. And our day is not complete without a dog story; today we meet Henry who walks with Garret Freymann-Weyr. Read the full story

Child’s delight……Gardener’s Fright……weeds are loving this Spring weather!!

Welcome May! That means that summer is just around the corner. Hooray! In the meantime we welcome the cleansing rain to address the pollen and water our beautiful azaleas and iris. Now we labor to eliminate dandelions and chickweed from our yards…so much easier to pull when the ground is wet.

Around Davidson focuses on celebrations today. Walt and Liz Pierce welcome a first grandbaby; Cindy and Kevin Turner rejoice in ten years of marriage; Margo Williams and John Williamson blow out birthday candles; Herb Jackson hangs paintings in a Dallas Art Fest, and Hugh and Brenda Barger return from travels in Eastern Europe. There are also a few Noteworthy Notes to consider. Read the full story