Performances by a group of Ugandan dancers and the Davidson Community Players, town hall meetings, a fundraising breakfast and auction and the next installment of the Cornelius Concert Series highlight this week’s activities across the area. The group Spirit of Uganda — 22 young Ugandan dancers and drummers — will perform Tuesday night at Davidson College’s Duke Family Performance Hall as part of the college’s Smith Artist Series. The Davidson Community Players continues its run of “Children of a Lesser God” at the Armour Street Theatre, with shows Thursday through Saturday night and a Sunday afternoon matinee. Details about those and other events in THE GUIDE»

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

CHARLOTTE - The Red Line Task Force is looking to extend the deadline it set for reviewing plans for a commuter rail line north of Charlotte to give local governments, the state, Charlotte Area Transit System and Norfolk Southern Corp. more time to analyze financial and operational assumptions.

The task force had hoped to get feedback from the seven local governments along the line, CATS and the N.C. Department of Transportation by the end of March. The plan then would be revised and sent to back local governments for approval in June. But recent feedback from Norfolk Southern Corp., which owns the tracks between Charlotte and Mooresville, has thrown a wrench in the original plans. Read the full story

The N.C. Department of Transportation’s top official working on the Red Line Regional Rail Project has sent a written response to Norfolk Southern Corp. welcoming the company’s “active role” in the project and requesting a meeting where Red Line Task Force and railroad officials can “share new information” that will help planning the project. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS and CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

Updated 5:18 p.m.
Norfolk Southern Corp. has taken another big swipe at the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Project, saying in a letter to the N.C. Department of Transportation Tuesday that while the company “stands ready to study” the project, it believes the current plan to bring commuter rail to the Lake Norman area is “fatally flawed” and based on outdated assumptions. Read the full story

Ross Lackey's dog Cooper gazes at Lake Norman near the Davidson College Lake Campus, off Langtree Road. (Ross Lackey photo)

For more animal-related news today, see our Pets & Animals page.

HAVE PHOTOS?

We’re always looking for good photos of Davidson, people and events. Send us your photos for consideration at editor@davidsonnews.net. Read the full story

Davidson firefighters over the past week helped Mount Mourne Volunteer Fire Department with a major accident on I-77 and assisted Cornelius and Huntersville units at an early morning house fire on Brinkley Street. Other calls included a smoke alarm at the Homewood Suites triggered when a resident tried fry a whole fish in his suite’s kitchen. Details on these stories and more (along with a tally of the week’s medical calls) may be found below. Read the full story

An alient attack? Nope, just lights and fog at the Harris Teeter, of Jetton and Griffith streets, early Friday. See another photo below. (Jay Wilson/DavidsonNews.net)

HAVE PHOTOS?

We’re always looking for good photos of Davidson, people and events. Send us your photos for consideration at editor@davidsonnews.net. Read the full story

Updated Friday, Feb. 17, 7:21 a.m.
MI-Connection Communications System said Friday it will “assist” internet customers whose connections have been slow this week because of a damaged network cable over Lake Norman. The company’s chief executive said customers could apply for credits via a special email address set up to handle requests. Read the full story