As  Davidson’s Precinct 206 Democratic Party chair, I’ve distributed about 35 Obama for President yard signs to people around town. These signs are an  exercise of free speech, which is one of the great attributes of our country that my son is fighting for in Iraq.

I am therefore surprised at how many people have come to me saying their Obama signs have been damaged or stolen. Are Taliban or other terrorists prowling Davidson’s streets at night, trying to snuff out free speech in our hallowed democracy? Read the full story

Kate Minogue with Kelley Gardner, at Summit Saturday night.

Singer, guitarist and flutist Kate Minogue emceed her own farewell to Davidson Saturday night, performing several sets of acoustic, folk and Celtic music with a parade of friends and musicians on the patio behind Summit Coffee. The crowd of as many as 120 was one of the largest we’ve ever seen at Summit.

After working in arts-related jobs at Davidson College since graduating in 2005, Ms. Minogue is moving to Boston, and work at a pharmaceutical firm. We’re sure she’ll slide easily into Boston’s lively music scene. She says she hopes to become a regular at Celtic jam sessions in Boston and Salem. Our loss, Boston’s gain. Read the full story

Carolyn Leech (left), Robert Haulbrook and Glynnis O’Donoghue listen for the great tenor Tito Morelli in “Lend Me a Tenor.” (David Boraks photo

BY EMMALINE HARVEY
DavidsonNews.net

“Lend Me A Tenor,” the latest offering from Davidson Community Players, surprised me in many ways. It is not a musical, as one might assume from the title. It is a truly hilarious night of theater. And Friday night’s performance was on a level not usually seen in community theater, approaching what one might expect from a professional production. Among the small cast (only eight characters) no one stole the show, because everyone was great. Read the full story

Free Speech. The best thing I like about DavidsonNews.net, is that it allows everyone an opportunity to say their piece. So in celebration of Independence Day, and the rights it stands for, I would like to congratulate DavidsonNews.net on the truly patriotic mission it has undertaken. It represents the best possibilities of technology and the Internet in service of humanity.

Over the year and a half since its inception, I have written comments on DavidsonNews.net. They are usually dashed off conversationally, in the belief that when people take the time to create an original idea and present it to the public, they should be recognized for that effort. They are oiling the mechanism of free speech, a human right recognized by our founders, which can only survive with frequent exercise. Read the full story

Little women: (from left) Amanda Roberge (Amy), Kathryn Withers (Meg), Kim Baysinger (Marmee), Lisa Smith (Jo), and Suzanne Lenz (Beth). (Bill Giduz photo)

BY EMMALINE HARVEY
DavidsonNews.net

Fans of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel will have a ball at the Davidson Community Players musical performance of “Little Women, the Musical” this month. The show retains all the basics of the original story in this beautiful adventure with the March girls – a faithfulness to the book that is rare in the world of musical theater. Read the full story

It’s been six months since Stowe’s Exxon closed its doors so DavidsonNews.net decided it was time to check in on Wayne Stowe and his son-in-law, Jerry Cline. A stop at Cline Auto & Tire Inc. – Jerry’s shop now – on Route 115 north of Mt. Mourne is well worth your while if for no other reason than to see the shop’s upscale waiting room, complete with a wireless connection!

Meanwhile, Around Davidson this week continues with graduation news, highlighting Charlotte Ringle, Spencer Johnson and Russell Miller. Also learn of career changes for Ann Roper of the Davidson Housing Coalition, sandwich suppers at The Pines, and some thoughts and opinions on wasting water, charging ETJ residents for their own Fourth celebration and local vandals.

Read the full story

Christopher Record (upper left) photographed 27 Davidson people for his project “Faces of Davidson.” Click the image to go to his website; just click on “Faces of Davidson” on the left menu.

What is the face of Davidson? For Chris and Betsy Record, it’s a diverse parade of personalities from all walks of life – public officials, police officers, musicians, artists, Davidson College employees, native sons and daughters, Main Street businesspeople and retired bank executives. Those are the kinds of people the Records, owners of Christopher Record Photography on Main Street, included in their newly published photographic project, “Faces of Davidson.” Read the full story

The most telling moment of Town Manager Leamon Brice’s overview of the budget last Tuesday came when he described the Town board’s reaction to his initial budget, which contained a four-cent (per $100 valuation) increase in property taxes. “That’s too much!” he was told. (See May 14, 2008, “Manager’s proposal: Bonds for big needs”)

Given the constraints imposed upon him by our elected officials, Leamon did a great job, as usual. But, it would have been enlightening to see a budget dictated by a different reaction. A reaction perhaps of “that’s not enough!” By that, I don’t mean not enough taxation, although a bold, imaginative, progressive budget probably would require some additional investment on the part of the citizenry. Read the full story