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

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Commissioners on Monday approved a rezoning for Pender Pointe, a single-family home to be built off John Connor Road in the Peninsula neighborhood. The board also held a public hearing on the 2014 budget – where only one resident spoke – and debated but took no action on two other hot local issues: I-77 widening and the empty Board of Commissioners seat. Read the full story

A pair of 3-2 votes at the Cornelius Town Board last week, with ties broken by Mayor Lynette Rinker, prompts a question: When might the board fill the commissioner vacancy created when the board reshuffled after the departure of Mayor Jeff Tarte in January? Read the full story

State Sen. Jeff Tarte (R-Cornelius) will be the guest at the next monthly Cornelius Coffee Chat hosted by Cornelius Commissioner John Bradford. It’s scheduled Monday, May 20, from 9:30 to 10:45am, at Acropolis Restaurant, 20659 Catawba Ave. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.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

Updated 4:30pm
There was no disagreement in the N.C. House of Representatives Wednesday: Mecklenburg County needs to correct its flawed 2011 property revaluation. In a unanimous (116-0) afternoon vote, legislators approved House Bill 200, which requires the county to re-do its most recent assessments.
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By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

The long-planned commercial phase of the Antiquity Cornelius development in downtown Cornelius is about to get a big kick-start, with the construction of a grocery story and two other retail buildings near the neighborhood entrance on NC 115. Read the full story