May 31. We frequently hear about the many accomplishments of students attending Hough High in Cornelius. Here’s more proof positive: Hough’s STEM team (The North Carolina Varsity Esports & STEM League ) is one of just 21 teams statewide competing Saturday in Raleigh for their state championship. There are 2 students that qualified from William Amos Hough High School: Xavier Karatz, a rising senior, and Jaswanth Sai Deevela, a rising sophomore. Hough High School | Photo by Jason Benavides Background STEM is the infusion of two or more of the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering ..read more

Madalina’s home in Victoria Bay [Updated] May 31. By Mark Washburn. Closing arguments will be heard today in the case against Christopher Palmiter, leaving the jury to weigh the peculiarities of his personality against two simple facts the prosecution has established. Update 11:35 am: Defense just closed. Blamed Diana Cojocari, said she deceived Palmiter and he really didn’t know what was going on in “Diana’s World.”  Prosecutor about to begin. Update 12:45 pm: Prosecutor said Palmiter was a guardian of Madalina and failed to report her missing and it doesn’t really matter what th ..read more

May 31. We frequently hear about the many accomplishments of students attending Hough High in Cornelius. Here’s more proof positive: Hough’s STEM team (The North Carolina Varsity Esports & STEM League ) is one of just 21 teams statewide competing Saturday in Raleigh for their state championship. Hough High School | Photo by Jason Benavides Background STEM is the infusion of two or more of the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM empowers students to understand complex problems and prepares our next generation of innovators. More than 200 students from 74 ..read more

By Mark Washburn May 30. Closing arguments will be heard Friday in the case against Christopher Palmiter, leaving the jury to weigh the peculiarities of his personality against two simple facts the prosecution has established. Palmiter did not report his stepdaughter, Madalina Cojocari, missing to police despite the fact she’d been gone for 17 days, the prosecution demonstrated over the eight-day trial. On that, prosecutor Austin Butler said, the law is simple: Failure to report a missing child by a parent or guardian within 24 hours is a Class I felony in North Carolina. But the defense intr ..read more

Madalina’s home in Victoria Bay May 30. By Mark Washburn. Closing arguments will be heard Friday in the case against Christopher Palmiter, leaving the jury to weigh the peculiarities of his personality against two simple facts the prosecution has established. Palmiter did not report his stepdaughter, Madalina Cojocari, missing to police despite the fact she’d been gone for 17 days, the prosecution demonstrated over the eight-day trial. On that, prosecutor Austin Butler said, the law is simple: Failure to report a missing child by a parent or guardian within 24 hours is a Class I felony in N ..read more

May 30. Incidents, arrests and citations reported by Cornelius Police Dept. Incidents Incident Nature Incident address Reported Disposition Victim/Complainant 240523086 Larceny 17111 Statesville Rd; Home Depot 12:49:16 05/23/24 CLO Home Depot 240523110 B&E Vehicle Caldwell Station Creek Greenway 16:02:00 05/23/24 ASN Shultz, Melissa Arrests Arrest Charge Defendant DOB Gender Race Date Address 240522048 (M) Hit/Run Leave Scene Prop Damage Philips, Jeffrey Merrill 8/23/61 M W 5/22/24 18809 Nautical Dr 240524004 Fail to Heed Light or Siren Ou, Yuqin 5/7/85 F A 5/24/24 NC 73 ..read more

May 30. By Dave Yochum. In terms of economic development, time is of essence to move the Red Line forward as soon as possible since it will take nearly 10 years to implement, according to Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam. “Mobility is a critical component for a world class region like Charlotte,” the four-term mayor said. The city of Charlotte has reached an understanding with Norfolk Southern to use the O Line to connect Lake Norman to Charlotte. The track, infrequently used for freight, runs near Hwy. 115 through downtown Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville. Transit-oriented developments like ..read more

May 30. By Dave Vieser. Water enthusiasts seeking to rent a boat on Lake Norman take note: The Lake Norman Marine Commission (LNMC) has new Boat Rental Regulations. For the first time, firms or individuals who offer rental boats are required to adhere to a list of regulations or they will be subject to a possible $500 fine per incident. Those measures include vessel safety checks, permits for each rental boat, liability insurance minimums, and renter training/familiarization requirements. Why the change in regulations? Prior to Jan 1, 2024 there were no regulations for rental boat operation ..read more

By Mark Washburn May 29. Two portraits began to emerge in detail Wednesday of the parents in the household of missing teen Madalina Cojocari. That of the mother, Diana Cojocari: An imported Moldovan bride spiraling ever deeper into religious zealotry, smashing dishes in a rage, making ever more bizarre demands on her husband. And whispering of a plot against her by Russian president Vladimir Putin and rock star Michael Jackson. That of the stepfather, Christopher Palmiter: A man who acceded to her demands obediently, who sought to appease her even to the point of crushing disappointment ..read more

May 29. By Dave Vieser. It’s taken longer than expected, but the first structures at the 55-acre Alexander Farm development are beginning to come out of the ground. Framing for some of the 70 single-family homes is under way near Chagrin Drive River Rock Construction of Mooresville is building the homes, as well as a 145-unit, active-adult complex. The commercial retail portion of the project, closer to West Catawba Avenue, will be the last to see any above-ground action. Alexander Farms construction is under way River Rock anticipates that some of the homes will be done later this year, whi ..read more