By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

County Manager Harry Jones on Tuesday proposed a 2011-12 county budget of $1.38 billion, up $39.4 million, or 2.9 percent, from this year. The proposed budget still needs approval from the Mecklenburg County Commission, but at least in its current form has some good news for supporters of libraries and schools. The budget also would reduce the county tax rate slightly, and for the first time since 2003, it would not use any money from the county’s reserves. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

HUNTERSVILLE – An executive for one of the region’s big hotel groups on Friday urged a truce in the feud between local business leaders and public officials over funding for the area’s tourism promotion group, Visit Lake Norman.

Vinay Patel, the senior vice president for operations and sales at Charlotte-based SREE Hotels, said at a forum hosted by Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce that people need to remember the ultimate goal: promoting tourism and bringing business to the region. Read the full story

Dave Munger

By DAVE MUNGER

First of 3 parts

Like many area residents, I became frustrated with our local cable TV service years ago, back when it was called Prestige Cable. The service would cut out for days at a time, there was a limited channel selection, and cheaper options were becoming available. I decided to sign up for DirecTV, and for years didn’t consider returning to a wired cable service.

When the local towns purchased what had then become a part of Adelphia Cable and turned it into MI-Connection, I thought about resubscribing, but the rates quoted on the website were more expensive than my satellite service, and their included DVR didn’t seem as good as the TiVo service I got from DirecTV. Read the full story

Davidson Rotary members posted at the club's charter dinner. (Bill Giduz photo)

The new Rotary Club of Davidson celebrated its Charter Event on Thursday, March 3, in the Lilly Gallery on the campus of Davidson College.

Nearly 100 Rotarians and guests were in attendance to celebrate this momentous occasion. Club President Natisha Rivera-Patrick welcomed the group, speaking about the “power of one and how collectively as Rotarians we can make an impact locally and abroad.” Read the full story

Police arrested a 21-year-old driver on Feb. 8 and charged him driving while intoxicated in the 200 block of South Main Street.  Meanwhile, auto accident reports over the past week included several parked cars, and Davidson police issued 12 citations for speeding around town.  Also, 11 people were injured in an accident involving a horse-drawn carriage at Lazy 5 Ranch east of Mooresville on Sunday. Read on for details

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It’s the July 4th weekend, with a handful of activities in the area, including Saturday night’s Davidson parade and Concert on the Green. There’s music at Campania Cafe Friday afternoon, and Summit Coffee the next couple of nights, and the Davidson Farmers’ Market is open Saturday morning. Apart from that, our community calendar shows a quiet few days ahead, leaving time for  family picnics and neighborhood gatherings.

Details in our Weekend Calendar, in The Guide.

For a summary of Independence Holiday events, see our Wednesday preview, “Holiday fun, fireworks and a bald eagle release.”

Riders pull away from the starting line of the Cowbell Challenge marathon bike race Saturday on South Street. (David Boraks photo)

Harlan Price of Independent Fabrication captured the Men’s Pro Open title at Saturday’s Cowbell Challenge Marathon mountain bike race, which brought about 130 riders to Davidson streets and trails at Fisher Farm Park, off Shearer Road. The annual event attracted hundreds of riders and others to town for what organizers said has become one of the best weekends of mountain bike racing in the Southeast.

With the heat index hovering in the 115 range, mountain bikers in the Cowbell Challenge Marathon took off from South Street at 10 a.m. Saturday, biking 6.25 miles of hard surface to get to the dirt at Fisher Farm. As they rode down South Street, residents along the route shook cowbells that were handed out in advance.

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The Lake Norman area has another competing newspaper this week, The Lake Norman Citizen, which was scheduled to arrive in mailboxes Friday. Meanwhile, something’s in the wind at Davidson’s Sadler Square, where a developer is seeking permission to renovate part of the shopping center for an undisclosed use.

Also in this edition of BizNotes, dining news from Campania and Restaurant X. and an anniversary for Lake Norman Regional Medical Center.
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