Business and nonprofit leaders were among the guests. (Duke Energy photo)

The weather was perfect Thursday afternoon for the 23rd annual Business After Hours networking reception at the EnergyExplorium, at Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station on Lake Norman. The event brought businesspeople from Mecklenburg, Iredell and Lincoln counties.

Guests sampled burgers, chips and dips, sandwiches, chicken wings, desserts and other food from 17 area restaurants and caterers. DJ Echo provided the music and some guests actually got out on the water for boat tours around by Luxury Yacht. Read the full story

Amy and Jason Yon with Jayden (back) and Aubrey. They’re going to Kenya for the African Children’s Project. (Kevin Cole photo)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

This week, local pastors Jason and Amy Yon put their Mooresville house on the market and began getting ready in earnest for an adventure with service in mind: They’re relocating to Kenya in August to oversee development of an orphan care ministry for Huntersville-based African Children’s Project. Read the full story

Officer Joseph Squashic (left) was the first on the scene and did CPR and used an automated defibrillator to save the life of Dave Rochester (right) in February. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

Diana and Dave Rochester listened to the description of how an officer saved his life. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Maybe it was some kind of divine reward. Or maybe just the system getting the right people to the right place at the right time. Whatever, the case, Cornelius resident Davie Rochester is thankful for the Cornelius Police Department, where he and his wife have volunteered more than 1,000 hours in the past few years.

On Feb. 5, Rochester had a heart attack at his home on Decora Drive. Cornelius police officer Joseph Squashic responded within a few minutes, finding Rochester unresponsive and not breathing. Squashic began CPR, then attached an AED – an automated external defibrillator – to Rochester’s chest, and administered a shock to his heart. Read the full story

John Washam (right) and Ricky Overcash (left) put the finishing touches on Washam’s latest machine, a replica of Henry Ford’s 1893 internal combustion engine. (James Sanders/CorneliusNewsnet)

By JAMES SANDERS
CorneliusNews.net

John Washam

Anyone who knows John Washam knows he’s a fan of antique machines. The Ford Model A in his driveway is a shining example.

About a year ago, the longtime Cornelius resident and commander of American Legion Post 86, finally made a long awaited journey to The Henry Ford Museum in Detroit. While there, inspired by the imagination and inventions, he and two friends, former Cornelius Police Chief Ron McKinney and Cornelius Public Works Director Ricky Overcash, decided they would build a replica of Henry Ford’s first internal combustion engine. Read the full story

LaToya Stevens used recycled materials for a spring window at FiFi’s in Cornelius. (Gayle Shomer/CorneliusNews.net)

At the intersection of fashion and design is FiFi’s Fine Resale in Cornelius. Selling used apparel, the perfect recycling balance takes place and LaToya Stevens is one of the visionaries.

Stevens, the new creative director at Fifi’s, spent 3-4 hours making the window display using recycled materials.

“I’m the type of person that I just pick up things and start creating. I’m good at improvising with what I have”, says Stevens.

The flowers are built with recycled materials that she spray-painted. The dress emerged from leftover tissue paper and old donated newspapers. Read the full story

“Y, T, Wiggle, Wiggle” is Eddie’s favorite butterfly stroke lesson.

By BRENDA BARGER
CorneliusNews.net

Friday is Eddie Beach‘s last day as the aquatics director and swim coach at Lake Norman YMCA, and the community isn’t letting his retirement after 21 years go unnoticed. The YMCA is honoring him, and the mayors of Davidson and Cornelius have proclaimed Friday, March, as Eddie Beach Day.

Quite the honor for J. Edward Beach, a quiet, thoughtful husband, father, gardener and swim coach who leads by example and will continue to do so in retirement.

(See the proclamation below by Mayors Lynette Rinker of Cornelius and John Woods of Davidson.)

Read the full story

Rain fell on a baseball field at Westmoreland Athletic Complex last week. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

Sen. Jeff Tarte

The Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation, and Culture Committee will hold a public hearing at its meeting Thursday, March 7, on a proposal to name a field at the Westmoreland Athletic Complex after former mayor Jeff Tarte. Read the full story

Michael Jordan, the former NBA star and now Charlotte Bobcats owner, has bought a large house in the Peninsula neighborhood in Cornelius. See more in REAL ESTATE & HOME»