Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has given a $25,605 grant to the Ada Jenkins Center to expand the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry to meet growing demand. Meanwhile, the center also recently received a donation from the North Mecklenburg Republican Women’s Club. Read the full story

Benjamin K. Roe

Benjamin K. Roe will step down as general manager at classical public radio station WDAV-FM on Jan. 14 for personal reasons and to step up his work as a public radio consultant. The back story to the announcement is a love story: He is marrying WDAV midday host Jennifer Foster.

The station, based at Davidson College, named assistant general manager Kim Cline as interim chief to run the station during a national search for Mr. Roe’s replacement. Meanwhile, Mr. Roe and his consulting practice, RoeDeo Productions, will continue producing programming for WDAV under a contract through at least June 30. Read the full story

Between sleigh rides, Santa makes good use of his tractor! See below for the scoop on Santa's annual fire engine ride through town. (Brenda Barger/DavidsonNews.net)

With Christmas approaching, it’s time to put the clutter on my desk in order and catch up on a few stories waiting for attention. Could be your correspondent has been spending too much time enjoying holiday festivities and searching for Santa “look-a-likes” in area yards.

Today, we have news of two young ladies who competed in a Punt, Pass, and Kick competition and cross country runners at Davidson Day. And we take a minute to recognize the Grand Marshal of the Dec. 4 North Meck Christmas parade. Also below: Santa spotting in Davidson and “Santa’s Elves” spotted working at the Salvation Army Christmas Bureau in Charlotte.

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The Cottages at Jetton will provide four affordable units for people with disabilities. (Bill Giduz photo)

Friends and officials of Davidson Housing Coalition Friday morning dedicated “The Cottages on Jetton” as the Lake Norman area’s only affordable rental housing for disabled adults. Read the full story

Town board will vote on whether to allow these in your back yard. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Once upon a time, folks in Davidson and most small towns kept a few chickens around the house. But local ordinances outlawed the practice years ago. Now, amid a renewed interest in local food and sustainability, Davidson’s Town Board wants to bring back the option of raising chickens in the back yard.

At its meeting Tuesday night, the board will vote on a proposal to revise the town ordinance to allow residents to keep up to four hens on their lots, with some conditions. Tuesday’s meeting also will include a public hearing and vote on a planning ordinance change that would outlaw the construction of homes facing alleys, and the board will vote on new guidelines for how the town funds non-profit agencies. Read the full story

A young South Street resident strolls through rows of luminaria toward her front door Saturday night. Residents throughout town put out the small lanterns in a fund-raiser for Davidson Housing Coalition. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Luminaria lined sidewalks, streets and front yards throughout Davidson Saturday night in an expanded version of an annual fund-raiser for local affordable housing nonprofit Davidson Housing Coalition. Read the full story

David Farlow (left), 14, Carson Talbert (center), 16, and Cole Van, 14, at Community School of Davidson alternative gift fair 12/10/10. They were at a both supporting the public library fund-raising campaign. (Karen Cimino Wilson photo)

Rather than buying another Christmas sweater or a knick-knack that collects dust on a shelf, Community School of Davidson’s ninth graders are hoping shoppers looking for the perfect holiday gifts will stop by the high school on Armour Street today (Friday) for the school’s first alternative gift fair.

Students have spent weeks preparing for the fair, which is modeled after a similar event at Davidson College. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about eight local charitable organizations and give donations to the organizations in lieu of a traditional holiday gift. Read the full story

Davidson Elementary School students (front, from left) Clara Scruggs, Amanda Sambach and Folger Cashion present a check for the library to Mayor John Woods and Davidson library branch manager Ellen Giduz (left). (Karen Cimino Wilson/DavidsonNews.net)

Fund drive now ‘very close’ to $175,000 goal, chair says.

A whole lot of reading by students at Davidson Elementary School has paid off for the public library branch on the Davidson Village Green. Students presented a check for $4,000 to the mayor and Davidson public library officials Wednesday during the school’s book fair.

The school’s Parent Teacher Organization donated the money to celebrate the students’ success in a month-long reading challenge. Teachers challenged students in each classroom to read a minimum of 100 books from Nov. 1 to Dec. 3. In the end, the count topped 4,000.

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