Firefighters struggled to contain a large outside fire May 6 that started in a collection of about 80 large hay bales of East Rocky River Road. Nearby fire companies all provided firefighters and water-supply vehicles. Also over the past week, firefighters removed four Davidson College students from a stalled elevator and helped police search for the 11-year-old boy who went missing. Details on these stories and more (along with a tally of the week’s medical calls) may be found below. Read the full story

Police are investigating several home break-ins this week, including one at Davidson Landing where an unknown suspect stole a $200 gas-powered leaf blower from an outside utility closet. Two vehicles were also reported stolen, but both were recovered soon after. And a Davidson woman told police that someone defrauded her of more than $11,500 in a series of wire transfers in 2010. Read the full story

Davidson’s mayor responds to concerns about Carolinas HealthCare System’s announcement of plans for a mental health hospital in east Davidson. (May 9, 2012, “Carolinas HealthCare to build psych hospital on NC 73″

By JOHN WOODS

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to some questions and comments concerning the recent Carolinas Healthcare System announcement of plans to develop a behavioral health hospital in Davidson. Read the full story

Davidson police are investigating several residential thefts over the past two weeks, one in which a $300 chainsaw was taken from Meadowbrook Lane home where a suspicious person had been seen earlier. In River Run, two newly-installed 25 MPH signs were missing. Meanwhile, a Summers Walk man found that someone had used his Social Security number to file taxes this year. And a woman told police her  personal information had been used to open a Dish Network account in February.  Details on these incidents (along with a tally of the week’s arrests, citations, and traffic enforcement) may be found below. Read the full story

Davidson’s Town Board adopted a new animal control ordinance Tuesday night that updates and consolidates existing rules and adds a new ban on “tethering” – the practice of chaining unattended dogs. The board also voted to renew the town’s contract with the City of Charlotte Animal Control for another year, approved master plan changes for the Exit 30-area Northeast Quadrant and River Run Phase 5 projects, and amended planning rules governing building facade design. Officials said the latter change was intended to help an unnamed developer considering a project in town. Read the full story

There are home decor shops and there are landscaping businesses. And then there are businesses like the one Brandon and Amy Morris of Cornelius opened last fall, called The Elements 4 Life Home & Outdoor Living. The new retail store on Davidson-Concord Road, across from the Bradford Store, offers both outdoor design items and gifts, and is a showroom for the couple’s 8-year-old business MINT Landscaping, for Morris Irrigation Nature & Turf. They’re having a grand opening this Saturday. Read our Small Biz Spotlight in REAL ESTATE & HOME»

Updated 7:45 p.m.
Davidson’s Town Board will hold a 30-minute closed session before its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night, April 10. The topic has not been disclosed. The closed session begins at 5:30 p.m., and the board “anticipates” returning to open session at 6 p.m., according to an announcement Thursday. (UPDATE: On Monday 4/9/12 the board announced it was canceling the closed session.)

Tuesday’s meeting also will include public hearings on four planning and zoning amendments or projects: Read the full story

Jocelyn Albright Desmond

Jocelyn Albright Desmond left us a couple of weeks ago, and our community is still mourning along with her family over the loss of such a bright and engaged fellow citizen. We’re looking for meaning as we try to fathom the news that the W.A. Hough High School teen took her own life.  Many of us are hugging our own children a little closer and wondering how to talk to them about her death.

On Friday, Jocelyn’s family issued a message of thanks for the outpouring of support from friends, their church and their children’s schools. As they mourn, family members also say they are encouraged by signs that people here – especially other teens – are learning something from the tragedy. Read the full story