Pine Lake Preparatory will have its own football team starting next school year, the school’s Booster Club announced this month. Meanwhile, the W.A. Hough High PTSA will benefit from a Barnes & Noble book fair starting Thursday, Davidson Elementary seeks volunteers for special student/parent nights, and J.M. Alexander Middle School IB students take another state Future City title. Also, North Mecklenburg High School will host an IB open house, and North Meck principal Matthew Hayes received special recognition from the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce last week. And, CMS has begun planning its 2013-14 calendar, Cannon School students won writing awards, St. Mark Catholic School will observe Catholic Schools week, and both Cannon and the Levine Jewish Community Center offer college admissions advice. Read below for details. Read the full story

Uh oh. Did you drop the key to your Isuzu automobile in the last day or so? Some walkers found a key on South Downing St. near Concord Road in the McConnell neighborhood on Monday. Read the full story

EnergyUnited will issue refunds this month to its members who, as part of the cooperative, are entitled to shares of the organization’s excess profits. The $3 million in “capital credits” will be distributed across EnergyUnited’s  service area, including about 7,000 members in areas south and west of downtown Cornelius and areas north and east of downtown Davidson. The average check: just over $26. Read the full story

"Cormorant challenges photographer to fight." (Jay Wilson photo)

Photographer Jay Wilson, who lives in Davidson’s Hobbs Hill neighborhood, is continuing to watch the water at Davidson Pond, off Griffith Street in the Roosevelt Wilson Park. Last weekend, he spotted this cormorant, and even faced a challenge – sort of. See additional photos below.

We’re always looking for good photos of Davidson, people and events. Send us your photos for consideration at editor@davidsonnews.net. Read the full story

Today in Real Estate & Home: The latest area home sales. CLICK HERE

Paul Hollar gets a hug from a friend at Saturday's Hollarpalooza, a fund-raiser to help pay bills from his treatments for throat cancer. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Hundreds of relatives, friends and members of an extended community of old area families gathered at the Hollar farm east of Davidson Saturday to do something they’ve done for generations – help one of their own in a time of need. They were there for “Hollarpalooza,” a daylong music festival organized to help pay the medical bills of Paul Hollar, a Davidson resident who is recovering from throat cancer. Read the full story

Today in Real Estate & Home: The latest area home sales. CLICK HERE

Police investigated another string of larcenies from parked cars this week, this time on Scanlan Way and Winged Thistle Court. Two vehicles parked on Scanlan Way were damaged while a thief stole wallets and credit cards from inside, and a woman reported that her car appeared to have been rifled through upon investigating a noise her daughter heard in the garage.

In addition to the vehicle larcenies, officers are investigating a case of debit card fraud involving a bank and two reports of vandalism to personal vehicles. A Cornelius man was arrested for DWI and other charges after hitting a street sign and a vehicle traveling in the opposing lane of traffic, as well.

Details on these incidents and others (along with a tally of the week’s arrests, citations, and traffic enforcement) may be found below. Read the full story