Last Tuesday’s house fire on Grey Road that claimed a woman’s life and a blaze that destroyed a car on I-77 in Davidson were among 10 calls for Davidson firefighters over the past week. The department also responded to two reported gas leaks. Read on for those and other incidents, as well as a summary of this week’s medical calls. Read the full story

Tillis (left) and Brawley (David Boraks photos)

State Rep. Robert Brawley (R-Mooresville) resigned as chair of the House Finance Committee Wednesday saying he disagrees with decisions of the Republican-led legislature and accusing House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Cornelius) of mistreating him. The dispute with Tillis stems in part from disagreement over Brawley’s bill to ease restrictions on the locally-owned MI-Connection cable system.

Brawley and Tillis also have bumped heads over the issue of highway tolls. On May 5, he came out publicly against the N.C. DOT’s plan to widen I-77 north of Charlotte using high occupancy toll lanes, or HOT lanes. Tillis supports the idea. Read the full story

The Mecklenburg Union Metropolitan Planning Organization voted unanimously Wednesday night to add the N.C. DOT’s proposed I-77 widening project to the region’s long-range transportation plan and priority list. The vote was uneventful, but the meeting wasn’t, as toll opponents packed a meeting room in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center continuing their fight against the widening project. Read the full story

The Lake Norman Regional Transportation Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 6:30pm at the Cornelius Town Hall, with a focus on transportation planning in the NC 73 corridor through the region. Read the full story

Months of debate among Cornelius commissioners over the NC Department of Transportation’s plan to widen I-77 north of Charlotte by adding toll lanes ended dramatically and quickly Monday night in a 3-2 vote in favor of the concept. With the board still one member short because of a vacancy, it was up to Mayor Lynette Rinker to break a 2-2 tie on the issue. See the full story on CorneliusNews.net.

Widen I-77 leader Kurt Naas of Cornelius (right) and Rep. Robert Brawley of Mooresville answered questions at Sunday’s press conference. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

MOORESVILLE – As a key vote approaches on the NC DOT’s plans to widen I-77 by adding toll lanes, opponents with the group Widen I-77 are still hoping to build a following for their anti-toll cause. On Sunday they hosted a press conference to introduce their latest ally, state Rep. Robert Brawley (R-Mooresville). Read the full story

State Sen. Jeff Tarte (R-Cornelius) will offer a legislative update at the next Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Focus Friday issues session Friday, April 26. The meeting starts at 8:30am in the Chamber’s Randy Marion Board Room, 19900 W. Catawba Ave., Cornelius.

Focus Friday is sponsored by DavidsonNews.net and CorneliusNews.net.

Tarte is expected to touch on issues ranging from I-77 widening to tax reform. He’ll also discuss the local bill he recently introduced to give lake towns the right to enforce ordinances on Lake Norman. Read the full story

Updated 10:02pm
The Lake Norman Chamber says the N.C. Department of Transportation must consider all options, including a public-private partnership and toll lanes, as it plans for the widening of I-77 widening north of Charlotte. The chamber board met Monday to discuss the issue, and sent a letter to town officials in Cornelius, Huntersville and Davidson outlining their position. Read the full story