The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 1

rJITl KiHirfWriait Hannah Montana has landed Holiday gift guide Spotted in town on eve of tonight's big concert PAGE 2A TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27 2007 I Price varies by county I 50 wwwcha rlottecom 9 refe Yes track will stay in Concord a smiling Smith says irz UM Passengers CATS work through early kinks By Steve Harrison and Mark Price sharrison(a)charlotteobserver com mspnce'a)charlotteobserver com After tens of thousands rode light rail for free in a blockbuster opening weekend the Lynx Blue Line train carried far fewer people on its first day of paid service Monday The Charlotte Area Transit System estimated Monday afternoon that the trains would carry between 4500 and 5000 passenger trips by the end of the first day of service less than the projected first-year Weekday ridership of 9100 But CATS chief executive Ron Tobcr said he was pleased and expects ridership to rise had a good first day given the said Tobcr issue we had is that some ticket vending machines The other glitch Monday was in integrating 20 modified or new bus routes that arc designed to feed people into the light-rail line Tobcr said opening weekend boasted more than 100000 free trips Now people have to be convinced that it will improve their commute saving them time or money A oneway trip costs $130 It takes about 25 minutes to travel the 96-mile route Deanna Hellis a contract SEE LIGHT RAIL 1 12A Speedway Motorsports Chsirman Bruton Smith affirmed at a news conference Friday that he be moving Motor Speedway But the billionaire businessman insisted that he bluffing with his threat to leave Concord Road improvements By Jefferson George and Adam Belt jgeorgeifflcharlotteobser ver com abell(a)charlotteobserver con A motoisports mccca in Concord and Cabarrus County leaders say the road projects in the speedway incentives package will be a boon for the entire area Projects include: Morehead Road will be realigned intent was absolutely to Smith said To that end engineers for company Speedway Motorsports had identified about a half-dozen viable sites for a new track including land in the Mount Holly Huntersville and Rock Hill areas said Wes Llarris the executive vice president of development got down to the price of acreage I rode out there and looked at the Harris said adding that any of the sites would have worked for a new $350 million speedway yeah In a Smith joined Concord and Cabarrus officials Monday at Motor Speedway SEE SPEEDWAY I 9A Speedway Boulevard will be realigned or widened CONCORD Mount Holly NASCAR races near Rock Hill High octane in LIuntersville All were possibilities before Bruton Smith decided to keep Motor Speedway in Concord At a news conference Monday Smith made his strongest statement ever regarding the future in Cabarrus County here lie said But the billionaire businessman also insisted that he bluffing with his threat to close the speedway and build a new track elsewhere in the Charlotte region was no doubt in my mind The George Liles Parkway will be extended The US 29Rocky River bridge will be replaced In addition Speedway Boulevard which connects the speedway to Interstate 85 will be renamed Bruton Smith Boulevard GARY O'BRIEN gobrienp'charlotteobserver com Many of the riders disembarking from northbound trains at the arena station were heading for the transit center to make a connection on CATS buses 1CI NO SURPRISE Smith was never going to leave columnist Tom Sorensen says IMMIGRATION CHARGE Rising cost of busing charlotte-mecklenburg schools Jail let mother pump milk CMS bus ridership is growing but the cost of busing is rising even faster Annual spending includes the cost of buying new buses Race oil to avert bus-system crash Pastor says inmate's baby spits up formula and cries constantly baby Samuel is crying incessantly and keeps spitting up baby formula give him formula and put in the pacifier Ferreira Just this month US Immigration and Customs Fnforccment formally adopted guidelines that allow pregnant women or nursing mothers to be released under supervised conditions Ferreira who was originally jailed on a shoplifting charge is in the jail on an immigration hold meaning she ill be turned over to immigration officials once her state charge is dispensed She was arrested Friday at Fastland Mall and her children were with her Oliveira said brother hid a CD or DVD in her baby stroller without her knowledge according to Oliveira and the two were arrested on a misdemeanor shop-SEE INFANT 8A its ever-growing fleet In August late buses and driver shortages spaiked anger and CMS vowed to fix the system Some late afternoon buses remain a persistent problem Poor communication and money spent inefficiently on maintenance are other symptoms of a system that at some point in the near future become a private management company says SEE CMS I 12A MILES SPENDINC TRAVELED millions SCHOOL RIDERS By Ann Doss Helms ahelmscharlotteobserver com With consultants warning that school bus system is headed for the school board today begins grappling with how much busing the district can afford to offer The cost per student is rising: Last year CMS spent more than $60 million on transportation just over $700 per rider Consultants and top administrators agree that in its quest to offer academic options and convenient transportation CMS has overtaxed its ability to run By Mi i issa Manware mmanwareiaicharlotteobserver com A Brazilian woman held in the Mecklenburg County jail since Friday on an immigration violation is not being allowed to provide breast milk for her son who is less than 2 months old Ezequiel Oliveira who is helping care for the two children said he spent hours at the jad Monday trying to get a breast pump to 29-ycar-old Danielle Ferreira He said but he is eiying day and night day and night all the Oliveira said Jail officials say they discuss conversations inmates have ith medical staff but arc aware of the situation In general spokeswoman Julia Rush said inmates are not allowed to express milk without a court order She said mothers are treated for symptoms when they must abruptly stop nursing 15956499 $366 21363001 $434 23690495 $430 22639373 $478 23028473 $545 23991294 $604 STAFF CHARI 2001-02 65396 2002-03 66935 2003-04 69618 2004-05 71775 2005-06 80255 2006-07 85878 SOURCE CMS 12AI PROPOSED FIXES More magnets fewer stops and other ideas INSIDE ID Nation I 6A Lott will retire from the Senate Also in the News Banktown lines up to hear Fed's Bernanke Duke fires football coach Ted Roof i ic World I 8A Bush presses case for Mideast peace On the eve of Mideast summit in Annapolis Md President Bush met separately with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to explore whether peace is possible Drying out Low: 47 High: 62 Mostly sunny and breezy this afternoon Clear overnight Forecast 8B Mississippi Sen Trent Lott is retiring after a 35-year career in Congress in which he epitomized the takeover of the South after the civil rights struggles of the 1960s Coming Wednesday What does it take to stir a good heart? Christmas gifts for the food junkie 2007 The Charlotte Observer Vol 138 No 331 7 n83520 5 4 321 1 8 1 I Lr.