It’s a busy week ahead in Davidson with several Town Board meetings, lectures and other events at Davidson College, and some big weekend fund-raisers, including the “Fire” 5k/Fun Run and Barbecue Festival at Ada Jenkins Center and a Habitat for Humanity Car Show. The Davidson Senior Scholars have a session on Social Security and Medicare changes Wednesday.

April is for Arts in north Mecklenburg kicks off with a Gallery Crawl in Davidson and Cornelius on Friday evening. You’ll have several choices for theater this weekend: “Reluctant Lovers” at Warehouse PAC in Cornelius, “Charlotte’s Web” at Armour Street Theatre, and a student theater production at Davidson College. And the Davidson Farmers Market has the last of its winter tailgate markets Saturday morning next to Town Hall.

Read on for the details. You can also check our day-by-day calendar at right for daily listings of what’s going on in and around Davidson.

MONDAY

6 p.m., NorthStone Club, 15801 NorthStone Drive, Huntersville, 6 p.m. registration, 6:30 p.m. buffet dinner – North Mecklenburg Republican Women will host U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick at a dinner meeting. Tickets, by reservation, are $20 and can be made by emailing nomeckrw@gmail.com. The event is open to the public. All interested men and women are invited.

7 p.m., Davidson College Chambers Building, Room 3155 – Mark Patrick McGuire, a 1996 Davidson graduate, and Jean-Marc Abela will present a screening of their feature documentary film “Shugendo Now,” an experiential journey into the mystical practices of Japanese mountain asceticism. Free. For information call 704-894-2237.

7-9 p.m., Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St – Lake Norman Art League presents a free pastel demonstration by artist Greg Barnes as part of its monthly meeting. Contact: Sherry DeFazio, 704-620-4450 or info@lknart.org

7-9 p.m., Davidson College Chambers Hall, Lilly Family Gallery – Tau Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity hosts Emmy Award-winning AIDS activist Rae Lewis Thornton as keynote speaker for Alpha Week. She will speak on “A Phocus on Self: Mind, Body & Soul.” Free. Details: Call Justin Hua, 561-251-3785 or email juhua@davidson.edu.

TUESDAY

Noon, Cornelius Town Hall Room 202, 21445 Catawba Ave. – Lake Norman Transportation Commission I-77 Task Force members will discuss whether to endorse a state proposal to adopt a toll lane on a section of I-77 from north Charlotte to north Mecklenburg. Details in I-77 on agenda at transportation commission meetings.” ^[1] Guest speaker is Lynn Purnell of Parsons-Brinkerhoff.

7 p.m., Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – Annual McGaw Public Lecture, “Why Did I just Watch That?” with Dr. Jennings Bryant, Davidson class of 1967 and associate dean for graduate studies, CIS Distinguished Research Professor, and Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting at the University of Alabama. Dr. Bryant combines research findings with psychology to talk about the appeal of various media types and possible rationales for “guilty pleasures” in entertainment media. Free. Details: www.davidson.edu (Rescheduled from Feb. 3)

7:30 p.m., Davidson College Alvarez College Union, Smith 900 Room – Davidson College historian Joseph Dennis will present a lecture titled “Book Publishing, Libraries, and Reading in Early Modern China.” Free. For information call 704-894-2440.

6 p.m., Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – Town Board monthly meeting. Agenda includes votes on a proposed capital improvements policy amendment to the affordable housing ordinance and on amendments to the Planning Ordinance. The board also will vote on a proposed “Reduction in Force” policy governing how the town lays off employees. Commissioners also will hold a public hearing on a proposed re-zoning for Woodlands Discovery, a proposed nature-focused preschool off Mayes Road. (See our preview at “Board takes up affordable housing, layoff rules, APFO” ^[2]

WEDNESDAY

7-8:30 p.m., River Run Clubhouse – Davidson Town Commissioners’ informal chat with residents on neighborhood and town issues, 2010-11 budget, MI-Connection. See our March 30 news item for details, “Town hosts commissioner chats on budget, other issues.” This meeting recommended for River Run neighborhood

5 p.m., Davidson College Smith 900 Room of the Alvarez College Union – The annual Frederick Womble Speas Symposium will focus on “Contemporary Challenges in Medicine and Research.” Speakers include Dr. Thomas P. Stossel, director of Translational Medicine Division and Senior Physician of the Hematology Division at Harvard Medical School; Catherine Myser, founder of Bioethics By and For the People; and Dr. Howard Brody, director of the Institute for the Medical Humanities at University of Texas Medical Branch. RSVP to medicalhumanities@davidson.edu or call 704-894-2482.

11:50 a.m. – Sirens around Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville will sound for a three-minute test. No public action is required. This full-cycle siren test is performed once each quarter. Hearing a siren does not mean to evacuate. The siren sounding is a signal for residents to tune to a radio or TV station in their area that would carry an emergency alerting message. (A similar test is planned at noon around the Mountain Island hyrdo-electric station.)

1 p.m., Davidson Parks & Recreation, 416 Armour St. – Davidson Senior Scholars present a program on “Finding Your Way Around Medicare and Social Security” with Jeanie Schepisi, regional manager for Seniors Health Insurance Information Program, and Peco McCoy, Charlotte district manager of the Social Security Administration. Overview of Medicare for 2010, changes in Social Security. Free. Details, 704-892-3349.

6:30 p.m., Cornelius Town Hall manager’s conference room, Room 217, 21445 Catawba Ave. – Lake Norman Transportation Commission monthly meeting – State Sen. Dan Clodfelter will speak and answer questions. The commission will also hear a report and recommendation from the I-77 Task Force on managed lanes, discuss the final report of the Urban Land Institute study panel that visited the region, and review its proposed 2010-11 budget. Details in I-77 on agenda at transportation commission meetings.” ^[1]

THURSDAY

7:30 a.m., at MI-Connection headquarters board room, 420 S. Academy St., Mooresville (and via telephone – MI-Connection board of directors will hold a telephone meeting for the election of officers.
5:30-7 p.m., St. Alban’s Church, 301 Caldwell Lane, – Davidson Town Commissioners’ informal chat with residents on neighborhood and town issues, 2010-11 budget, MI-Connection. See our March 30 news item for details, “Town hosts commissioner chats on budget, other issues.” ^[3]

7:30 p.m., Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – Davidson College Symphony Orchestra continues its season of “Concerts for a Cause” with a performance featuring Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5″ that benefits Davidson College’s chapter of Building Tomorrow. Donations accepted. For information call 704-894-2848.

7:30 p.m., Davidson College Barber Theatre, Cunningham Theatre Center – The college theatre department will present a studio production created by the studio theatre class. $5 for general admission, and $3 for faculty, staff and students. For reservations call 704-894-2135 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. For information call 704-894-2361.

4:30 p.m., Room 302 of Davidson College’s Alvarez College Union. – Davidson College Professor of English Randy Ingram will present a lecture titled “Moral Questions from the Works of John Milton.” Free. For information call 704-894-2095.

4 p.m., Davidson College Dana Science Building, Room 146 – Jef Boeke of Johns Hopkins University will present a seminar titled “Probing Genome Plasticity: Synthesis and Programmed Rearrangement of Yeast Chromosomes.” Free. For information call 704-894-2184.

FRIDAY

5:30 p.m., Rural Hill Farm, off Neck Road, Huntersville – 17th Annual Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games. Food court opens 5:30, Call of the Clans 8:00 p.m., Scottish Dancing/Welcome Dance at Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 8:30. ruralhillscottishfestivals.net ^[4]

6-9:30 p.m., downtown Davidson and S. Main Arts District – Annual Gallery Crawl as part of the town’s April Is for Arts Celebration. Art and craft exhibits, receptions. Free. Details in our April Is for Arts preview ^[5].

7 p.m., Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – Annual “Big Show” concert by The Generals, Davidson’s all-male a cappella group. Tickets available at the college union box office. Details at http://davidson-generals.com/ ^[6]

7:30 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – Warehouse PAC presents “The Reluctant Lovers,” a new play by local playwrights Christian Hamilton & Rachel Jeffreys. Set in Charleston, S.C., in 1899, this 65-minute one-act play reveals that the act of resisting love is perhaps the most powerful aphrodisiac of all. Shows April 9-11 and 16-18, Fridays & Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2:30. $10 admission. Reservations: tickets@warehousepac.com or call 704-619-0429.

7:30 p.m., Davidson College Barber Theatre, Cunningham Theatre Center – The college theatre department will present a studio production created by the studio theatre class. $5 for general admission, and $3 for faculty, staff and students. For reservations call 704-894-2135 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. For information call 704-894-2361.

SATURDAY

9 a.m. to noon, downtown Davidson next to Town Hall – Davidson Farmers Market Tailgate Market, with local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items. Open every other Saturday this winter. For more information: www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org ^[7]. DavidsonNews.net is pleased to be a sponsor of the Davidson Farmers Market.

7:30 a.m., Rural Hill Farm, off Neck Road, Huntersville – 17th Annual Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games. Continues all day with heavy athletic competition, amateur heavy athletics, piping and drumming, highland dancing, Scottish country dancing, harp and fiddle competitions, children’s activities. ruralhillscottishfestivals.net ^[8]

10 a.m., Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St., Davidson – Fire 5k Fun Run & BBQ feast, fund-raiser for Ada Jenkins Center. Registration begins at 8 a.m. for the 5K and fun run, which start at 10 a.m. Post-event BBQ and music included in registration. $25 registration in advance, $35 the day of the race. Barbecue-only tickets are $10. To register or for more information, visit adajenkins.org ^[9]. Sponsors and barbecue cooks are being sought for the event. Call Natasha Rivera, 704-896-0471, ext 100.

8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rehobeth United Methodist Church, Sherrills Ford Rd.(just south of Hwy 150) – 11th Annual Lake Norman Garden Club Plant Sale. With member-grown and nursery plants, herbs, baked goods, door Prizes.

8 a.m. to noon, Runnymede neighborhood, off Shearer Road – Several families in the Runnymede neighborhood are having yard sales, with furniture, tools, books, and more. See their advertisement in our Davidson Classifieds ^[10] page.

7:30 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – Warehouse PAC presents “The Reluctant Lovers,” a new play by local playwrights Christian Hamilton & Rachel Jeffreys. Set in Charleston, S.C., in 1899, this 65-minute one-act play reveals that the act of resisting love is perhaps the most powerful aphrodisiac of all. Shows April 9-11 and 16-18, Fridays & Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2:30. $10 admission. Reservations: tickets@warehousepac.com or call 704-619-0429.

10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Armour Street Theater, Armour and Watson streets – Davidson Community Players’ Connie Co. children’s theater group presents “Charlotte’s Web.” Eight performances are planned on April 17 & 24 at 10am & 1pm, April 18 & 25 at 1pm & 4pm. Tickets $7. For reservations, call 704-892-7918. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

10 a.m., Davidson College Chambers Building 1062 – Melvin B. Rahming, professor of English at Morehouse College, will deliver a lecture on “Religion and Spirituality in Caribbean Fiction.” Free. For information call 704-894-2434

10 a.m., Davidson College Alumni Stadium – Davidson women’s soccer vs. Davidson alumni.

1 p.m., Davidson College Wilson Field – Davidson baseball vs. North Carolina Central.

8 a.m. to noon, North Mecklenburg High School, Huntersville – Annual North Mecklenburg HS Horticulture Sale of spring plants. Come early!

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Rural Hill Farm, off Neck Road, Huntersville – 17th Annual Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games. Continues all day with athletic competition, piping and drumming, highland dancing, Scottish country dancing, harp and fiddle competitions, children’s activities. Closing ceremony at 4:30 p.m. ruralhillscottishfestivals.net

10 am to 4 pm, Latta Plantation, Sample Road, Huntersville – Children ages 8-12 can sign up to be a Civil War Soldier for a day in a one-day version of the historic site’s summer camps. Recruits will learn to drill and then finish the day with a battle. Pick your side- North or South! $40 per camper. Pre-registration required, at www.lattaplantation.org. For additional information please call Matthew Waisner at 704-875-2312, ext. 305.

3 p.m., St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 301 Caldwell Lane, off Concord Road – Beth Shalom of Lake Norman presents its third annual Yom HaShoah Holocaust remembrance program, in cooperation with its interfaith partner St. Alban’s. Includes a candle-lighting, music, and artwork by Aron Lebedinsky. Dr. Susan Cernyak-Spatz, professor emeritus at UNC Charlotte and Holocaust survivor, will speak on Holocaust Literature and History. www.bslkn.org

2:30 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – Warehouse PAC presents “The Reluctant Lovers,” a new play by local playwrights Christian Hamilton & Rachel Jeffreys. Set in Charleston, S.C., in 1899, this 65-minute one-act play reveals that the act of resisting love is perhaps the most powerful aphrodisiac of all. Shows April 9-11 and 16-18, Fridays & Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2:30. $10 admission. Reservations: tickets@warehousepac.com or call 704-619-0429.

2-6 p.m., Our Towns Habitat ReSTORE parking lot, 20414 N. Main St., Cornelius – 3rd Annual Car Show, hosted by Our Towns Habitat for Humanity. Proceeds from the event will benefit Our Towns Habitat for Humanity’s Youth United group, which is building a home this spring. To register a vehicle for the Car Show, contact Kate Jetton at Our Towns Habitat for Humanity at 704-896-8957 ext. 1120 or kate@ourtownshabitat.org.

7 p.m., Davidson College Alvarez College Union Smith 900 Room – “Stand Up for Peace” comedy show – People of all faiths will come together to laugh, and to encourage dialogue in support of a peaceful political resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Free. For information call 631-944-1243.