John Baker owns Davidson Beverage Co., in South Main Square. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

John Baker didn’t seek out his career change, it came to him. After a 2010 downsizing at the media distributor where he worked, he decided to turn his taste for beer into a business: Davidson Beverage Co.

The specialty wine and craft beer store opens this week in South Main Square, 442 S. Main St. in Davidson. Mr. Baker has taken over the former MasterWorks School of the Arts space. (MasterWorks moved to a smaller space nearby.) Read the full story

A water line replacement project has begun near the South Main Street/Walnut Street intersection. This section of Walnut heading east from South Main will be affected through Saturday. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

A water line replacement project could affect traffic this week at South Main and Walnut streets in Davidson. The work began Tuesday and is expected to continue through at least Saturday, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities and Davidson Public works officials. Read the full story

Sure we're a great place. Musicians played on the porch outside The Birdsnest on Main Street on a Saturday morning last summer. (Hans Diessel/DavidsonNews.net)

Well, we all know what a great place Davidson is – even if N.C. Chapter of the American Planning Association got it wrong.

For the past few weeks, citizens around the state have been invited to pick from a short list of finalists for the 2012 Great Places Award, in a contest organized by the state’s professional planners. Main Street Davidson was among the six communities nominated. Read the full story

Police are investigating two cases of vandalism over the past week, including one incident in which three parked vehicles were damaged in front of a house on Watson Street. $1,200 in jewelry was stolen from a residence on South Main Street, and a 53-year-old male was cited for DWI and assaulting a female on Southwest Drive. Details on these stories (along with a tally of the week’s arrests, citations, and traffic enforcement) may be found below. Read the full story

Aimee Symington ran the music for Davidson Elementary PTO's cake walk during Town Day 2011. (DavidsonNews.net file photo)

Davidson celebrates its 41st Town Day and the 175th anniversary of the town on Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a festival of fun, community service, food from local restaurants, and entertainment on the Village Green. The day starts with an early morning 5K road race, this year to benefit Community School of Davidson. And there’s even a Town Day T-shirt for sale. Town officials are using the day to promote a variety of official programs, from pet licensing to bicycle safety. Read the full story

An 18-year-old man was flown by medical helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center-Main on Monday night after receiving a head injury while skateboarding. The accident occurred around 9:30 p.m. in a cul-de-sac near the Abersham park area, where the man was reportedly “longboarding” with friends.

Three Davidson fire engines carrying a total of eleven volunteers responded to the scene to assist the patient, along with a Medic ambulance and three Davidson police officers. Firefighters assisted with preparing a landing zone for the helicopter nearby. No further details were immediately available.  Meanwhile, read on for a report of other fire and medical calls over the past week. Read the full story

Updated Tuesday, 8:35 a.m.
By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Two people were arrested and at least one person was hospitalized early Sunday after a night of brawling on Davidson College’s Patterson Court fraternity row. The college has released few details, but rumors were running wild on and off campus and on social media, including Twitter where the incident was dubbed #DavidsonRiot. Read the full story

Robert Whitton

Two Main Street music venues – Summit Coffee and The Birdsnest – will host a long list of local musicians in an all-day musical tribute to the memory of Davidson College Professor Robert Whitton this Saturday, May 5, in downtown Davidson. Read the full story