Ginger Watkins of Davidson (left) and Cassie Hosier of Huntersville decorated cupcakes during a recent Valentine’s Day program at North Mecklenburg Senior Center in Huntersville.

Seniors were treated to a little sweetness at the North Mecklenburg Senior Center in Huntersville the other day during a Valentine’s Day cup cake Decorating Program. Sue Weber, of NC Littlecakes, provided all the materials including yellow cupcakes, frosting, sprinkles, and more for the seniors to make Valentine Cupcakes for their loved ones and themselves. It was hard not to lick our fingers!!

- Joanne Ahern

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

After a delay in setting up a tracking and billing system, Cornelius now plans to ask residents and businesses to begin registering their security alarm on March 1, and police will start enforcing the town’s new false-alarm policy on June 1, chief Bence Hoyle says. Read the full story

The N.C. Department of Transportation and the Town of Huntersville will hold a public meeting and workshop Wednesday afternoon in Huntersville on plans for widening I-77 north of Charlotte. Read the full story

Watch the Mecklenburg County Commission meeting discussion Tuesday about the revaluation issue.
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By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Mecklenburg County Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to support state legislation that would authorize refunds for those whose property values are found to have been overstated in the 2011 property revaluation. But there’s new information this week that any revisions and refunds could take several years. Read the full story

Terry Laney

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Terry Laney, who has led Our Towns Habitat for Humanity for the past 13 years, has stepped down, and the board has appointed a longtime Charlotte-based volunteer as interim director while it looks for a permanent successor. Enrique Sanchez, a retired Bank of America economist and 17-year Habitat volunteer, took over the reins last week at the local Habitat affiliate. Read the full story

Updated Tuesday, 12:36pm
The 2011 Mecklenburg County property revaluation will be on the agenda at the Mecklenburg County Commission again Tuesday night. Commissioners will consider a statement endorsing property tax refunds or new charges for any properties whose values are adjusted in a do-over of the revaluation. Read the full story

Architect’s drawing shows the layout of the planned Courtyards, which are aimed at seniors.

Cornelius commissioners on Monday approved a rezoning that will allow an Ohio developer to build 25 “patio-style” single-family homes off Jetton Road extension. Epcon Communities said it plans to sell homes at the planned Courtyards at Cornelius “in the mid-200s,” aiming at buyers age 55 and over. Read the full story

Local officials and opponents of toll lanes on I-77 are continuing to battle it out this week over the N.C. DOT’s plans for widening the congested highway. A public forum on Friday at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce will include remarks by the leader of the anti-toll group Widen I-77 and the director of the Lake Norman Transportation Commission, which previously has endorsed the DOT plan.

Meanwhile, a group claiming to represent more than 60 property owners in the Northcross area, off I-77 Exit 25, issued a statement condemning the plan last week. Later, one of its leaders acknowledged that the statement only represented the views of the group’s five-person board, not individual members.

Also this week, state officials have posted a new website at http://fix77now.blogspot.com/ offering background information and documents about the I-77 HOT lanes project. Read the full story