Area residents flocked to Birkdale Village for the annual Independence Day celebration Thursday. The day included kids activities including face painting, a bounce house and splashing in the fountain, as well as the annual bicycle parade. Editor David Boraks was there to capture the scene.

RELATED LINK

July 4, 2013, “July 4 in Davidson: Parade, downpour, concert canceled.”

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Contractors for the N.C. DOT on Monday, July 8, will begin resurfacing 16-miles of roads in north Charlotte and north Mecklenburg under an $3.8 million contract to be completed over the next year. The resurfacing includes a section of Catawba Avenue in Cornelius, several roads on both sides of Huntersville, and Shearers Road in east Davidson, among others. Read the full story

Here’s an update on a story we brought you a couple of weeks ago, about plans for a public swimming beach on Lake Norman, at Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius. It now appears that the new beach may not be open in Summer 2014, as originally reported. Read the full story

Fireworks were blasted off at Bailey Road Park Saturday night, the first in a week of events for the holiday. See more in The GUIDE.

More than 20,000 people are expected for Wednesday night’s Lowe’s YMCA Summer Celebration and fireworks in Mooresville. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Symphony, which played Saturday at Bailey Road Park, is back in the area Tuesday night, for a concert and fireworks in Kannapolis. And don’t forget Davidson’s small town parade and Concert on the Green on Thursday, July 4, with the New Grass sounds of the New Familiars. For a list of holiday events, see THE GUIDE»

Jessi Figard checked out the storm damage on a bike ride Sunday morning. This tree fell across the Southeast Greenway near the Hudson Place neighborhood. (Wendi Amos photo)

House on East Rocky River Road Davidson. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Public works crews and utility workers across the region are still cleaning up after Friday night’s big storm, which brought high winds and some of the heaviest rain in recent memory. Up to seven inches of rain fell in a couple of hours, flooding streams and even washing out roads. Trees also toppled onto yards and streets and, in one case, on a house on East Rocky River Road in Davidson. And storm damage forced River Run Country Club shut down golfing for the weekend.

Meanwhile, there’s more rain ahead in the forecast, straight through to Independence Day. Read the full story

This murky water is covering the parking lot of the Lake Norman YMCA, at right. (Michael Young photo)

Updated Saturday, 7am
Heavy rains fell across the Lake Norman area Friday night, leading to flooding in some low-lying areas and closed roads. High water stranded vehicles and blocked both back roads and main roads, from River Run in Davidson to NC 115 to Sam Furr Road in Huntersville and even I-77 in Cornelius, according to reader reports and emergency dispatches. Meanwhile, the storm also caused power outages, including one that began just before 10pm in the Antiquity Cornelius neighborhood and along NC 115 in Cornelius. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

MOORESVILLE – MI-Connection Communication System’s board of directors on Thursday approved a restated 2013 budget that reflects lower than anticipated revenues and higher expenses. The board also approved a plan to pay directors a token fee for attending quarterly board meetings. It was the final meeting for two departing directors and the first for two more. Read the full story

Walt Everitt Jr. and Enik (Gayle Shomer photo)

Enik is the star and he loves the spotlight.

When Walter Everitt Jr. takes his dog, Rocky, a Great Pyrenees, for his daily walk on Langtree Road, Enik gets the attention.

A Veiled Chameleon, he sits on Walt’s shoulder and seems to enjoy having his photo snapped. Read the full story