John Woods

John Woods is chair of the Metropolitan Transit Commission’s Red Line Task Force and mayor of Davidson.

By JOHN WOODS

Everyone, please take a deep breath! There has been a great deal of discussion, and misinformation, regarding the Red Line Regional Rail Project, and I would like to set the record straight on several issues.

Let’s first remember that we are not debating whether to implement the Red Line. We are instead working together on how and when to bring this project to life. Our communities have twice voted in support of transit, and our citizens continue to voice their support for bringing passenger rail to the North Corridor. So now we are doing the hard work: Figuring out the details of how to fund this initiative and make it a reality. Read the full story

These boys carried posters on the Green. Michael Kungl, second from left, said he understands why the school ended the Friday walks, but he thinks students deserve to be trusted (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson Elementary School officials said Friday they’re reversing a policy change that had ended the longtime local tradition of fifth-graders’ walking to the Village Green on Friday afternoons. The announcement came as a horde of schoolkids and their parents, along with TV cameras and reporters, gathered for a celebration and demonstration billed as “Occupy the Green.” Read the full story

Davidson Presbyterian Church on Depot Street will host a community breakfast this Saturday, 7 to 11 a.m. Meanwhile, Davidson College will be hosting a theology conference next Monday to Wednesday, March 12-14, on “Reformed Perspectives in Education.” And St. Alban’s Episcopal Church’s Spirituality in the Arts program presents a Lenten screening and discussion with the Rev. Sheila Ennis on “Images of Resurrection in Film” on Sunday night. Read the full story

Davidson police are investigating an incident on Davidson-Concord Road near the Pages Pond neighborhood Monday afternoon in which two  men attempted to break into a woman’s home while she was inside. The homeowner called 911 and watched as one suspect tried to break a glass door with a hammer before fleeing when an alarm sounded. Also over the past week, a North Main Street resident reported losing jewelry valued at $4,209, and a woman was charged after a hit-and-run crash on Davidson Gateway Drive. Police are investigating thefts from the GNC store on Jetton Street and River Run Country Club. Details on these stories and more (along with a tally of the past two weeks’ arrests, citations, and traffic enforcement) may be found below. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Some downtown merchants and Davidson Elementary School parents are planning to try to revive “Fridays on the Green” this week by organizing a Friday afternoon gathering that would include free ice cream. Officials at Davidson Elementary School say they’re willing to consider revising a new policy that ended the weekly after-school tradition, but they won’t make an exception this week. Read the full story

To the Editor:

In the recent tradition of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Ben & Jerry’s in Davidson is sponsoring Occupy the Green this Friday, March 9, after school.  Whether you agree with Occupy Wall Street or not, it was founded on the idea of taking a stand against perceived injustice.  And that is what we want to do.  It saddens us the way that 5th Grade Fridays on the Green was ended. It’s part of what makes Davidson, well, Davidson. Read the full story

Coach Bob McKillop talked to fans after the team bus arrived Tuesday just before 1 p.m. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

A cheer went up outside Baker Sports Complex just before 1 p.m. Tuesday as a bus carrying Coach Bob McKillop and the Davidson College men’s basketball team arrived from Asheville. Twelve hours earlier, the Wildcats had survived a double-overtime scare against Western Carolina to win the Southern Conference tournament.

Davidson students are on spring break, but about 50 college employees, residents and other Wildcat fans showed up to welcome back their team. Someone even found a banner in the Baker attic, left over from the Cats’ 2008 NCAA tournament run, that read: “Welcome Back Cats – Thank You!” Read the full story

Firefighters stayed busy over the past week responding to fire alarm activations and vehicle accidents. A moped driver was transported to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte after being hit by a pickup truck at the intersection of North Main Street and Glasgow Street, and one passenger was transported for injuries sustained after being rear-ended on I 77 at Exit 28.

Also this week, student pulled a fire alarm at Davidson Elementary, and an unknown suspect discharged a fire extinguisher in the upstairs living area of the Kappa Alpha fraternity house at Davidson College. Firefighters were unable to reset the alarm system due to the excessive amount of dry chemical that permeated the building from the the extinguisher, and a Mecklenburg County fire marshal was notified of the incident.

Details on these stories and more (as well as a tally of the week’s medical calls) may be found below. Read the full story