Roy Alexander (left), executive director of Davidson Lands Conservancy, and Russ Gavitt hatched the idea of a jazz-and-art fundraiser. They're standing in front of a new gazebo the DLC built at the Lake Davidson Nature Preserve, off Jetton Street.

Russ Gavitt has been a longtime supporter of the Davidson Lands Conservancy, but this year, he was looking for a way to do more. Over coffee with the conservancy’s executive director Roy Alexander recently, the photographer and Davidson resident helped come  up with the idea of staging an art and music fund-raiser.

On Friday, Feb. 24, Mr. Gavitt and other artists will be selling their work while a jazz quartet performs at “Spread the Love,” an arts reception to benefit three Davidson institutions: the lands conservancy, the Community School of Davidson and the Ada Jenkins Center. It will run from 7-10 p.m. at Homewood Suites, 125 Harbour Place Drive, off I-77 Exit 30 in Davidson.
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By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

It’s a busy week for meetings about the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Project. Mooresville’s Red Line Review Committee meets Tuesday morning. And what could turn out to be dueling meetings are scheduled Wednesday at Cornelius Town Hall – one with an anti-rail expert from the Cato Institute and another featuring a panel discussion with large property owners who support the project. Meanwhile, owners of property in downtown Davidson along the rail line have been invited to a Wednesday afternoon meeting explaining how the proposed financing would work. Read the full story

Alex Phillips (left) of Restaurant X serves Davidson resident Margaret Goode. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Eight area restaurants brought their best soups Davidson College Saturday afternoon for the eighth annual Souper Bowl, a soup cook-off among local chefs that raises money for the Davidson Housing Coalition‘s HAMMERS emergency home repair program.

More than 400 diners were there, tasting the soups and picking winners in a variety of categories from most creative to best vegetarian. There also was a silent auction of pottery, jewelry and other art objects. And the Rusty Knox, Sands of Tyme, and Davidson College acapella groups provided musical accompaniment. Read the full story

Morning sun streams in to Raeford's Barber Shop on Main Street Davidson Friday. (Jay Wilson/DavidsonNews.net)

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

To the Editor:

Cornelius Commissioner Dave Gilroy writes: “The obviously failing Red Line Rail effort championed by our liberal-leaning, big-spending North Meck mayors (Woods, Tarte, and Swain) in concert with Anthony Foxx and Beverly Perdue’s Department of Transportation (NC DOT) is welcome news for taxpayers. The real tragedy however is that this aggressive, extremely well-organized, and high energy initiative could have been profoundly constructive for regional transportation if focused on our true priorities.” Read his full letter on CorneliusNews.net.

Dione Goyette taught the Guys Night Out painting class Sunday at Sanctuary of Davidson. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Guys, beer, and … a painting class? That was the special Sunday night at Sanctuary of Davidsonon Main Street, which hosted the first of a planned series of Guys’ Night Out events built around a painting class.

Eight adventuresome Davidson guys showed up to get in touch with their inner artists, or maybe the lure was the chance to hoist a few microbrews. Sanctuary owner Kristen Feighery modeled the event after the “Girls’ Night Out” art classes she has been hosting for the past couple of years. Read the full story

MI-Connection CEO David Auger gave a quarterly operations update Thursday.

MI-Connection Communications System completed its takeover of all the key technical and business operations of the local cable TV and internet network as scheduled Jan. 15, the system’s CEO said Thursday.

Chief executive David Auger told the MI-Connection board of directors at a Davidson Town Hall meeting that MI-Connection has set up a Network Operations Center (NOC) at its Mooresville headquarters – the final step in taking over day-to-day operations from Bristol Virginia Utilities. Read the full story

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

From left: Mark Briggs, Jeff Hare and Callan Bryan (LKN Chamber photo)

Consultants and officials continue to gather community feedback about the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Project financing plan, and on Friday consultant Mark Briggs said the project task force already has identified one area for potential revisions: timing of the fees to be paid by commercial property owners in Special Assessment Districts along the line. Mr. Briggs’s comments came during a Focus Friday issues forum on the Red Line at the  Lake Norman Chamber in Cornelius. Read the full story