By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools has decided to lease the now-vacant Davidson IB Middle School on South Street to Lake Norman Christian School. The CMS board discussed leases for the Davidson site and nine other schools at its meeting Tuesday night. The decision disappointed Davidson town officials, who also had bid to use the school. Read the full story

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx speaks tot he Chamber Thursday. (Deborah Young photo)

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx addressed a sold-out Lake Norman Chamber lunch Thursday, outlining the positive economic impacts expected from the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. Meanwhile, Chinese tool manufacturer Positec is moving its North American headquarters to the Exit 18 area, and opening a distribution center at The Park, in Huntersville. Those items plus other local business notes. Read the full story

The Charlotte Mecklenburg School board has some changes in store. All three at-large members will be stepping down at the end of this year, including Kaye McGarry. She made that announcement Friday. Seventeen people are now running for those three positions. The new board will have some big decisions to make. It must pick a new superintendent and decide how to proceed on a controversial plan to tie teacher pay to students test scores.

See the list of at-large school board candidates below.

Read the full story

Jim Fuller

The field for Davidson’s Town Board election this November is now set: Davidson trial lawyer Jim Fuller on Friday became the final candidate to file for the race, joining three incumbents and three other challengers. Meanwhile, eight-term Commissioner Margo Williams announced she will retire from the board when her term ends in December.

Ms. Williams and Commissioner Tim Dreffer both have decided to step down, which means the voters will elect at least two new commissioners to the five-member board this November – and more if any challengers can out-poll  incumbents. Read the full story

Republican party members will be knocking on doors in Davidson on Saturday, July 16, as part of a statewide outreach effort that North Carolina Republican Party leaders are calling “Take Back NC Day. Read the full story

From left, John Woods, Laurie Venzon, Connie Wessner.

Mayor John Woods and commissioners Laurie Venzon and Connie Wessner filed papers Thursday to seek re-election to the Davidson Town Board. Vince Winegardneralso made his mayoral candidacy official with a filing at the Mecklenburg Board of Elections.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Tim Dreffer told DavidsonNews.net he doesn’t plan to run again, saying his family and career “must take priority” right now. Read the full story

Vince Winegardner

Vince Winegardner, a River Run resident and frequent critic of Davidson Town Hall, plans to challenge Mayor John Woods for his seat in the November election.

Mr. Winegardner announced his plans to about 50 people at a public meeting Wednesday night at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church organized by Davidson Coalition for Fiscal Responsibility, a group he has helped to organize in recent weeks and which hopes to play a role in the November election. Read the full story

Brian Jenest

Davidson Commissioner Brian Jenest on Wednesday became the first incumbent to register as a candidate for re-election this November. If re-elected, it would mean a third term for the 54-year-old Woodland Street resident, who joined the board in 2007.

Mr. Jenest lists a variety of issues he wants to continue working on, from making hard decisions about where to spend money amid the town’s ongoing budget problems to recruiting new businesses here. A landscape architect who chairs the Lake Norman Transportation Commission, Mr. Jenest also says he wants to continuing pushing for approval of the Red Line North Commuter Rail Project and widening of I-77. Read the full story