Over the past week, Davidson firefighters assisted Cornelius emergency personnel with a furnace fire and investigated an odor of gas inside a River Run home. Units also responded to several calls on the Davidson College campus, including a stalled elevator in the Chambers Building, where they extricated two passengers  stuck between floors.  Details on these stories and more (along with a tally of the week’s medical calls) may be found below. Read the full story

Two people were taken to the hospital Thursday after a car wreck at N.C. 115 and Catawba Avenue in downtown Cornelius. See a story and photos on CorneliusNews.net.

The N.C. 73/U.S. 21 intersection east of I-77 exit 25 has been re-engineered to eliminate some left turns. Here’s an N.C. DOT video explaining how drivers will use new intersection.

See a related story on the changes, “Intersection redesign to end left turns on NC 73 at US 21″

Can’t see the video? Go directly to the DOT page on YouTube.com.

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

When completed in 2014, the project will link I-77 north of Charlotte with I-85 northeast of Charlotte. (NC DOT map)

By JULIE ROSE
WFAE

Construction crews are well on the way to completing one of the most long-awaited road projects in the Charlotte-region. By the end of 2014, I-485 will finally offer drivers a continuous loop around Mecklenburg County. Read the full story