Davidson Elementary School teacher Lindsay Hannum gave her first graders a choice of greeting as they entered her classroom on the first day of school Thursday: a hug, high five or a handshake. A trio of girls picked a group hug, and the 2011-12 school year was off and running.

Kindergarten classrooms had just a few students, as the start for newcomers was staggered, as usual. In Teri Brooks K/1 class, only the Read the full story

The competition was fierce again this year Davidson College’s 72nd annual Freshman Cake Race, and not only among the runners. As always, there’s another side to the competition: Whose cake gets top honors.

Several hundred members of the Class of 2015 sprinted away from the starting line in front of Baker Sports Complex just after 5 p.m. They ran in two waves – first the men, then the women.

Sal DelGiudice, of Cleveland, led the men, running just over 6 1/2 minutes for the 1.3-mile loop around campus, along North Main Street and back to Baker. Erin Osment, of Atlanta, topped the women. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Manny Ohonme looked out across the Ada Jenkins Center gym Saturday morning and nodded approvingly. Volunteers were washing feet and fitting new shoes on needy children in the center’s second annual shoe giveaway, sponsored by Mr. Ohonme’s nonprofit Samaritan’s Feet. Outside hundreds waited their turn.

“I was the product of someone else’s generosity 30 years ago,” he said. “This has inspired me.” Read the full story

The annual Hurricane Hugo Festival returns to Davidson College Friday and Saturday Sept. 2-3, featuring the Vaudeville Extravaganza family variety show and a community effort to set a new Guinness world record for the most people using paddle balls at one time, on the Davidson Village Green. Read the full story

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

The third annual Barnstock music festival – two nights of live local bands on the Brown family farm off N.C. 73 – raised $6,500 for Davidson Volunteer Fire Department over the weekend.

The event attracted 169 people Friday night for an “Old Folks Barnstock” with several local bands and an older crowd. Another 684 music lovers showed up Saturday for the main Barnstock event, a 15-and-over show that featured five different local bands. Read the full story

About 75 residents, local officials and Davidson police officers on Tuesday night joined Davidson’s celebration of National Night Out, a community cookout and crime-prevention festival held at Roosevelt Wilson Park, off Griffith Street.

The crowd brought neighbors together from the Exit 30 area to the West Side and River Run to St. Alban’s neighborhood. Residents chatted with police officers and town officials while kids played on the park’s playground structure. The Brickhouse Tavern supplied hot dogs and hamburgers, while some residents brought other dishes to share.

With a town election coming up in November, several Town Board members and political challengers turned out. Mayor John Woods was there, along with his challenger Vince Winegardner. Commissioner and Mayor Pro-Tem Laurie Venzon also was there, and so was commissioner candidate Kristen Coupal. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Where would you like to die? A jarring thought, yes, but not an inappropriate one. As we or family members near the end of life, it’s an important question.

Our area has hospitals and hospices, and for many, home is the favored choice. But for some families, none of those fits. Since 2007, Serenity House, off I-77 Exit 33, in Mooresville has offered another option called “comfort care,” to families of those nearing death. Now organizers are trying to bring a “comfort care” home to Davidson, and eventually to Cornelius. Read the full story