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  • Fort Bragg Airborne Elements from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Airborne Corps from Fort Bragg have been placed on alert for possible eastern Europe deployment.

    Other units placed on alert include the 18th Airborne Corps and the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, KY and the 4th Infantry at Fort Carson, CO. No deployment orders have been issued as of Thursday afternoon.

    Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby made the announcement at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

    "The vast majority of the troops that the secretary put on prepare-to-deploy are in fact dedicated to the NATO Response Force. And if and when they're activated, we'll be able to provide more specific detail in terms of breakdowns and numbers," Kirby said.

    Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III announced Monday that 8,500 troops were put on heightened alert, so they will be prepared to deploy if needed to reassure NATO allies in the face of ongoing Russian aggression on the border of Ukraine. If the NATO force is activated, Austin's order will allow the United States to rapidly deploy additional brigade combat teams, along with units specializing in logistics, medical, aviation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, transportation and more.

    Kirby said Thursday that the buildup of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border has increased “in the last 24 hours.”

    "The Immediate Response Force is always prepared to go anywhere," Lt. Col. Brett Lea, a spokesperson for the 82nd Airborne Division told Up & Coming Weekly on Tuesday. "We are always on standby."

    Passes and leave for service members on standby have been revoked.


     (DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley/Released)

  • Judas "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" is a new take on an old story, according to Matt Gore, the director of the latest Gilbert Theater production.

    "'The Last Days of Judas Iscariot' is a reconfiguration of a lot of New Testament dogma in a way that is new and fresh," said Matt Gore, who also plays the character Satan in the play. "It is a reconsideration of the entire case of Judas Iscariot."

    Matt Gore added that Judas is in the lowest circle of hell, the ninth circle, and he has been there for a long time. In purgatory, they are retrying his soul to see if he deserves to stay there for eternity or if he deserves forgiveness.

    The author of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" is Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis.

    "It is basically a courtroom drama, but it deals with metaphysical religious questions of free will, forgiveness, culpability and are we responsible for our own actions," said Lawrence Carlisle, artistic director at the Gilbert Theater and he plays the characters Judge Littlefield and Caiaphas, the Elder in the production.

    "I found the play to be incredibly well written, and I thought it was an interesting way to do it as in a courtroom."

    He feels the play's content appeals to everyone, not just those who are religious.

    "I am not a particularly religious person, but I thought that a lot of the questions it asks and the ideas it puts forth are kind of universal," said Carlisle. "It does not matter what religion you are, and if you are no religion, these are all questions and things that concern the human experience."

    The play features several interesting and prominent characters.

    "I read the script a little over a year ago, and everybody wants to be Satan when they read the script, but I wanted to be Judas," said Justin Gore, who is the character Judas in the play.

    "I think Judas is one of the most interesting characters from a lot of different perspectives, but mostly Judas calls into question the entire premise of what God is capable of because if everything is pre-ordained, is Judas wrong for what he did or did he actually have free will and he deserves his punishment?"
    Justin Gore added, "I did not do that much preparation for the role besides watch a couple of different movies, read the script and talk to the director."

    "There are lawyers from hell trying this case, and the judge is from purgatory," said Carlisle. "We call witnesses that include Mother Theresa, Sigmund Freud and Satan himself."

    "This is a very interesting and challenging play to direct because it really requires you to think outside of the box, and it requires you to tackle various things that are not altogether easy to tackle," said Matt Gore.

    "From a religious standpoint, it does ask questions that are difficult, but at the same time, I think a lot of people who are religious and a lot of people that might not be anymore, still have those questions and this play asks them and those things are important to me."

    He added, "The message is don't be afraid to ask the hard questions and if you don't find an answer, keep searching until you do."

    Carlisle hopes that people will broaden their horizons and leave behind preconceptions.

    "I would love it if people would leave their emotions at the door and really just take the play for what it is," said Carlisle. "I want people to think because the main purpose of art is to make you think and feel something."

    The play will run from Jan. 28 to Feb. 13. and is rated R as it contains a fair amount of adult language and themes and is for audiences 18 years and older.

    Tickets cost $18, but there is a discount for students, the military and groups. Tickets can be purchased at www.gilberttheater.com. For more information, call 910- 678-7186.

  • Middleground The focus on the Black experience as a source of light and inspiration is fueling the 2022 Middleground Arts Series (MAS) festival.

    MAS launched in November 2020 to create new, electric experiences in the middle ground between divergent communities.

    MAS began in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic with collaborative festivals, including the communal painting of a large triptych led by Kellie Perkins in November 2020. Additional events followed that included a jazz concert by Skip Walker & Friends, classical duets such as Duo-Cellists Paul and Diana Kirkpatrick and Darrin Thiriot with Scott Marosek, Kirtan Bliss Band, meditation events, a speaking presentation from Buddhist speaker Heiwa No Bushi, collaborative writing workshops led by UNCP Professor Laura Hakala, an Americana blues concert with Aaron Alderman, a piano and electronic music concert with Yaroslav Borisov and more.

    MAS plans to focus on celebrating and space-making in the arts in 2022. They are working on "creating moments of integration, connection and community through the arts," according to their website. MAS describes themselves as being "located in a shared space -- the high ground of the Sandhills and Fayetteville's Historic Haymount district, the low country of Eastern North Carolina, the overlapping territories of the sacred, secular and natural worlds -- MAS sits at the intersection of diverse artistic forms, political ideologies and interests."

    On Jan. 27 to 28, MAS is holding their latest festival, "The Idea of Freedom (TIF)."

    "We try to hold a major event each fall or Spring and then smaller events throughout the year. This is scheduled to be our main event for 2022," Nan Cekuta, Rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, said.

    MAS is creating a new experience to bring artists together to express themselves. TIF is a mix of performance, audience interaction and experiential installation. What is fresh about this event is that artists will be paired up to create new art inspired by the artists and the attendees.

    There will be three groups of two artists coming together. During the two-day event, the groups will create two projects. At the end of the festival, the six works will be combined with an attendees' piece, so there will be seven artworks total.

    The plan is to experience a journey along with three different spaces. The artists and attendees will have truly up-close experiences with light, sound and most importantly, art.

    The event will occur at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1601 Raeford Road. The event will also be streamable at www.holytrinityfay.org/middlegroundartsseries.

    Folks interested in attending can find the schedule for the festival on the Holy Trinity website. MAS will be held from Jan. 27 to 28, from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. each day. Registration for the events is available at holytrinityfay.org/middlegroundartsseries. Donations of $10 per person are recommended, and organizers ask larger groups contribute $3 per person.

  • Debbie Best head shot Edward Jones is celebrating their 100th anniversary, and Financial Advisor Debbie Best has scheduled the opening of her downtown Fayetteville storefront to coincide with this momentous occasion Friday.

    "I am excited to be opening an Edward Jones office in downtown Fayetteville because we see a need for the type of service we provide," Best said.

    "This firm concerns itself with the needs of individual investors and small-business owners, and I'm happy to be bringing that kind of personalized service to this community."

    Finding just the right location was a challenge compounded by supply chain issues, but Best feels, in the end, they have gotten it just right.

    "I am very excited about our office," Best said.

    "It has been a long time coming due to the difficulty finding a location that would suit our needs, as well as the lag time of the buildout with Covid.

    "It has all turned out amazing, and Tiffany, my business office associate, and I love coming in! It is a beautiful place to work."

    Best is no stranger to Fayetteville. It is her home.

    "Fayetteville has been my home for 28 years. I have raised my children and built my career here, as well as developed many close friendships and business relationships over that time," said Best.

    "Fayetteville is a community that has many non-profits and organizations committed to making our city and downtown a better place to live. I believe deeply in giving back and being a part of this transformation in a personal way. This has made Fayetteville a natural fit for me to open my new branch office."

    Best offers a wide variety of financial services to her clients.

    "I help clients with portfolio and wealth management solutions strategies, look at tax-efficient investing, retirement and estate strategies, business retirement strategies, insurance, long-term care and 529 plans to name a few," explained Best.

    Best aims to help serious, long-term individual and business investors achieve their financial goals by understanding their needs and implementing tailored solutions.

    "My clients include successful business owners and professionals," Best said, "as well as retirees focused on income and wealth transfer strategies."

    Best hopes that folks will come out and see all that she and her new location have to offer.

    Various activities are planned, including a Ribbon Cutting and Edward Jones 100 Year Anniversary Celebration.

    Guests will have an opportunity to tour the new office. The event will take place on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. at her office at 228 Winslow St., Fayetteville.

  • “Prove it.”

    One of this column’s readers challenged me to back up my recent assertion that characteristics of some Americans could be explained by our connections to certain regions of the British Isles. I was focusing on those who are hardnosed, sometimes rebellious, resistant to direction, suspicious of people in charge, unwilling to give up individual choice to some kind of group direction.

    I wrote about the ways in which our ancestors’ folkways still influence us and play a part in the way we act and think today, but the reader was not convinced there was a connection.

    My column was sparked by Joe Klein’s article in The New Yorker about a 1989 book, “Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America,” by David Hackett Fischer. Klein says the book explains how “the history of four centuries ago still shapes American culture and politics.”

    Many of the early European settlers in North Carolina were what we call Scots-Irish. But they also include emigrants from Ireland and the borderlands of Scotland and England. In these areas for more than seven centuries, there was constant fighting. People had to live in the middle of conflict. No one else was going to provide order and peace.

    When they settled in North Carolina and adjoining regions, they brought that culture of violence and resistance to external control to their new homeland.

    In his book Fischer writes that these emigrants came from “a society of autonomous individuals who were unable to endure external control and incapable of restraining their rage against anyone who stood in the way.”

    He quotes one settler woman: “We never let go of a belief once fixed in our minds.”

    So how does Fischer prove that the descendants of the early immigrants from the British border areas are still influenced by where their ancestors came from? He builds his case by detailing the folkways of British border areas and showing how they still exist in sections of America today.

    One of those folkways is our way of speaking, the words and phrases we use and how we frame and sound them. He has a term for the way of speaking in our backcountry. He calls it southern highland speech and shows how it is related to the border speech in Britain.

    He writes, “This southern highland speech has long been very distinctive for its patterns of pronunciation. It says whar for where, thar for there, hard for hired, critter for creature, sartin for certain, a-goin for going, hit for it, he-it for hit, far for fire, deef for deaf, pizen for poison, nekkid for naked, eetch for itch, boosh for bush, wrassle for wrestle, chaney for china, chaw for chew, poosh for push, shet for shut, ba-it for bat, be-it for be, narrer for narrow, winder for window, widder for widow, and young-uns for young ones.”

    Sound familiar?

    Once when we were living in Bristol, Tenn.-Va., deep in the Appalachian Mountains, my mother worried that her children would pick up the mountain dialect. As she explained to one of her Atlanta friends, “Up here they say tar for an auto tire. And they say tire for the tar to pave a road.”

    Fischer concedes that the southern highland speech used in America today is not exactly the same as that spoken in Britain. But he insists that scholars agree that this language developed from the spoken language of the British border areas. It is the clear ancestor of “a distinctive variety of American speech which still flourishes in the southern highlands of the United States.”

    Does this close language connection prove that immigrants from the British border brought not only their special speech ways to the southern highlands, but also their hard-nosed rebellious attitudes?

    Maybe not, but the connections are more than a little thought-provoking.

  • Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
    Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

    Mitch Colvin To Citizens and Residents of Fayetteville: I am a lifelong resident of Fayetteville, having raised my three daughters and built a successful family business here. Other than being a father, son and brother to my siblings, one of my greatest honors is serving as your mayor.

    Over the past four years, our city and indeed our country, has faced unprecedented challenges including natural disasters, a global pandemic and social unrest relating to events which unfolded in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. In addition, Cumberland County has been designated as a Tier 1 county which means that it lags behind the state’s largest cities in terms of the key indicators of quality of life such as unemployment rate and low tax base. If that is not enough, the residents of our city have unfortunately been confronted with baseless allegations about city leaders and private individuals which resulted in another community distraction and diverted our collective attention from the real work we must do to move our city forward.

    As has been said before, these are serious times which requires serious solutions. One of my top priorities as mayor has been to strengthen our city through industry recruitment, job creation, higher wages, increased contracting with local and minority-owned businesses, investment in infrastructure and increasing the availability of affordable and workforce housing. My goal has been to be pro-people and pro-business.

    In the last four years, more than $250 million in new private investment has been made in Fayetteville and over 2,500 new jobs created. In addition, our city is increasingly becoming a logistics center which supports e-commerce and takes advantage of our strategic proximity to major highway systems and the deep-water shipping ports in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

    We have made historic investments to improve our streets, sidewalks, and stormwater systems. I’m particularly proud to have worked closely with the Public Works Commission to facilitate an investment of $70 million for a fiber-optic broadband network serving Fayetteville and also providing broadband internet access to much of Cumberland County.

    The city has made unprecedented investments towards ending homelessness and housing affordability. Recently, we broke ground on a new $4 million Homeless Day Center on South King Street which was funded substantially by federal dollars. We also worked very closely with the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority to create approximately 300 new garden style apartments on Grove Street which presents an attractive gateway to the city. We also supported our seniors with $12 million in funding for new state-of-the-art senior wellness centers.

    All of the progress we have made together is reflective of our “Can Do” spirit and our new branding strategy. Along with the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation and other municipal partners, a project to rebrand our city from the old stereotype to our attractive new “Can Do” theme was commissioned and can be seen throughout the city.

    We recognize that the city should be safe no matter where you live or work. In response to the national crime trends that are affecting the entire country, we commissioned the Gun Shot Detection software platform which allows city policeman to identify the source of gunshots. We have made significant in public safety infrastructure to reduce our street paving from an average 47-year cycle to 16 years [sic].

    While it is true that the last four years has tested our city and the rest of the country, our city has had a good deal of success. I am particularly grateful for the way our city has come together to respond to the unprecedented global pandemic. In this regard, I am urging everyone to remain vigilant and take everyone [sic] precaution to protect your family and neighbors from this unforgiving COVID-19 virus and its variations.

    My warmest personal regards, Mitch Colvin, Mayor

  • Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
    Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

    melvin In 1961, Ronald Reagan said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction." This statement rings true even now, 60 years later.

    In 2020, COVID-19 descended upon our nation, and at the time, we moved cautiously, many of us willing to follow the guidance of the CDC amidst the uncertainty. But as we learned more about the virus, that it has a 99.75% survivability rate, somehow the restrictions grew tighter, and the mandates began to affect every aspect of our lives.

    At the same time, Fayetteville faced riots that ravaged our very own neighborhoods and small businesses. Police were attacked, racial tension reached an all-time high and the citizens of our fair city were more divided than ever.

    It seemed our way of life, not only here in Fayetteville but through all of our country, was being turned on its head with no one seeking to set it right. I thought to myself; I could sit idly, grateful that my family was making it through, or I could do everything in my power to make a change for all of Fayetteville. I choose to make a change.

    My name is Nyrell Melvin, and I am running for mayor here in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I ask for your vote that we may stand together for the values that make our city great.

    Every single American has rights and freedoms granted by God and protected by the Constitution. It is the job of elected officials to protect those rights, not to take them away. Here, today, I stand for your freedoms.

    According to the Constitution, I stand for every law-abiding citizen's right to "keep and bear arms." Our neighborhoods have seen a massive increase in violent crimes in the last two years, and Fayetteville citizens need to know that they can protect their homes and families.

    I believe strong families are the building block of a thriving community, but the family unit is under attack. The worst attack on the family is abortion, America's greatest injustice of our time.

    We've seen injustices cast lasting darkness upon the nation throughout our history, injustices such as slavery. But slavery, unlike abortion, was ultimately abolished, and today we look back in horror at its evils, all while we continue to slaughter nearly 3,000 unborn children every day. If elected, I vow to protect those innocent, defenseless lives, all while working to make adoption more accessible (and affordable) for those in our community who are praying for a child.

    I also stand for strengthening and fully funding our local law enforcement. We know that when law enforcement is active and present, neighborhoods are safer. But instead, law enforcement budget cuts and layoffs are destroying many communities in this state in an era of defund the police.

    Defunding the police means fewer officers responding to calls, fewer resources to investigate high-level crimes, and fewer neighborhoods with regular patrol to protect the families who live in areas plagued with rampant corruption. Today Fayetteville sees 1,839 violent crimes each year, nearly twice the state average, and it's only getting worse. Our current mayor, city manager and chief of police's crime prevention policies have proven ineffective and are costing families their loved ones.
    It's time we recognize the importance and value of our law enforcement and the risks they take every day to keep us safe. If elected, I will continue to work closely with the local law enforcement agencies to stand for truth and justice to provide safe neighborhoods for our children to grow up in.

    Part of crime prevention includes a focus on quality and sound education. I will not hesitate to say that I've had a troubled past. As a young man, I attended Tarheel Challenge Academy, a dropout recovery program that helps at-risk youth earn their high school diploma. The academy helped me gain the American values, life skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as a productive citizen.

    But today, our public schools are failing to produce productive citizens. In North Carolina, only 57% of public school students have proficiency in English Language Arts, and only 59% have proficiency in math. Meanwhile, educators are spending precious class time teaching white students they are oppressors and teaching black students they are oppressed. I've seen it first hand. They are teaching radical sex education to students as young as kindergarten. Someone once said that "all education is a moral education." Therefore, we must be careful what morals are being taught to our children. That's why we need to get involved with public schools.
    If elected, I will continue to work closely with the Cumberland County Board of Education to ensure our kids have the best opportunities to excel in not only reading, writing and arithmetic but also the arts and music, as well as financial literacy. I will work to ensure our children have the knowledge, skills, and values for a prosperous life. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education."

    Part of developing true character includes acknowledging our Creator. As a Christian, I found Christ on Easter Sunday in 2014, but it wasn't until I was in a jail cell that my life was radically changed for the better. And whether or not you believe in Christ, it's no secret that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Our religious heritage is embedded in our coins and in the language of our founding documents. As Reagan said, "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be one nation gone under."

    One of the most outrageous aspects of the COVID lockdowns is the attack on the church. Many of us were told to stop gathering together, stop singing together, stop worshipping together. And more than an attack on our religious freedom, the attack on churches hurt the struggling families and the homeless in our community who rely on the services and support of the local church. Our local churches feed people spiritually and physically at no cost to the taxpayer. When many churches were forced to close or go online, our community was cut off from crucial spiritual and physical resources.

    If elected, I will stand for moving forward from tyrannical, authoritarian COVID restrictions. I need you to really understand this with me. We're on year three of "fifteen days to slow the spread," and the goalposts continue to change daily.

    To this day, we have no evidence that these lock downs and restrictions have made any difference. Right now, New York, a state with some of the strictest lockdown measures, has eight times the number of COVID cases per 100,000 people than Florida, a state with some of the fewest lockdown measures. We, the people, can see what works and what doesn't.

    We cannot continue decimating our economy for a virus with a 99.75% survival rate, a virus with an average age of fatality that is higher than the average life expectancy, a virus that already has an established and easily accessible vaccine. I stand for moving from COVID restrictions to restore Fayetteville citizens' God-given and God-granted freedoms, which are Constitutionally protected.

    If you choose to elect me as your mayor, I can promise you this one thing that I will wake up every single day fighting for these causes and more.

    I will never give up on our future because I firmly believe that we can move forward together as one when we come together as Americans. John F. Kennedy once said, "United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do — for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder." And it's time for us to move forward from covid to make a better Fayetteville for tomorrow!

    Again, my name is Nyrell Melvin, I stand with Fayetteville, and I am running to be your mayor. I would be honored to earn your vote. May God bless you, and May God bless America. Thank You!

  • Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
    Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

    Webb Well, since I have decided to run for the Mayor of Fayetteville, I should introduce myself. I was born in Germany in 1966 of Italian and Greek descent. I lived there with my brother and sisters until an American family adopted my older sister and I. My dad was third-generation U.S. Army and proudly serving our great nation, and luckily he got stationed at Fort Bragg. I fell in love with Fayetteville. I graduated from E.E. Smith High School and attended college in Indiana to be closer to my family. However, I found myself drawn back to the Tar Heel state and returned to Fayetteville. Once back, I attended Campbell University and followed my father's footsteps by enlisting in the U.S. Army, where I served with the 82nd Airborne Division and 7th Special Forces Group[(Airborne)].

    While still serving at Fort Bragg, I joined West Area Fire Station 15 and have been a firefighter for 33 years. My children were born and raised here, and I currently own and operate several Fayetteville businesses. I can't imagine living anywhere else. I love this city and feel it is vitally important to take an active role in it. I have been president of the Aaron Lakes West and Wells Place Community Watch, Vice-Chair for the Fayetteville/Cumberland Human Relations Commission, where I'm presently serving as a commissioner. I'm past Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council and work with many veteran groups and local non-profit organizations. All in an attempt to make life better for Fayetteville and Cumberland County citizens. We help and support each other, and it's what neighbors do. I want to provide Fayetteville with common sense leadership, transparency, more and better services, and fluid communications between City Hall and our citizens. I believe we need "A Fayetteville for the People."

    I want to be the peoples' mayor. I am running on a platform based on what the people want:

    Public Safety: Fayetteville has experienced a record-setting crime rate since 2016. The city's 2021 homicide rate is at record levels at 48 during 2021, up from the previous record of 32 in 2016, while other various crimes continue to rise dramatically. The brazen murder of an unarmed motorcyclist during an altercation last week [Jan. 1 to 8] on Skibo Road and the recent shooting and death of Jason Walker on Bingham Drive are only two very dire examples of how 2022 is starting.

    Traffic in Fayetteville is horrendous and dangerous in Fayetteville for both passengers and pedestrians. Traffic citations and stops have fallen from approximately 70,000 per month to about 22,000 in 2021. Yes, there is a shortage of law enforcement officers patrolling our streets, and it is the police officer's instruction to stand down and ignore minor infractions. This is why we have too many unlicensed off-road ATVs and dirt bikes speeding in and out of traffic on the city's busiest streets, pulling wheelies, darting in and out of traffic, and knowingly and wantonly disregarding the law and putting our citizens in great danger. Unpunished minor crimes, beget more enormous crimes. I will work with all Law Enforcement agencies in providing them with the tools needed to properly "serve and protect" Fayetteville citizens.

    Economic Development: I know that top industry businesses would like to set up shop in Fayetteville. We must provide them decent incentives to locate here. We need to make it easy to do business here. This will give us high-paying jobs and a solid tax base. I will work with the Fayetteville Economic Development team to do whatever it takes to bring these companies to Fayetteville.

    Education: (Work Experience Education) Training and teaching our citizens the proper skills needed to land one of these higher paying jobs is necessary for showing our citizens that we care and want them to succeed. I will work with Fayetteville officials, the Chamber of Commerce, F[ayetteville ]T[echnical] C[ommunity] C[ollege,] and other local organizations to ensure that Fayetteville has a fighting chance to land these jobs.

    City Beautification: Not long ago, we achieved, for the third time, All American City status. Fayetteville was recognized for being clean and beautiful. We need to be proud of our city. A clean city is a reflection of its citizens. I will work together with the Fayetteville Beautiful organization to bring that beauty back to our city.
    I know this is a huge platform for any candidate. Yet, anyone who loves this community knows that these are the issues of most significant concern and should be the highest priority. They are my highest priority. This is why I am asking for your vote [and] support.

    "A Fayetteville for the People"

    Franco Webb for Mayor of Fayetteville

  • Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
    Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

    J Antoine Miner Cooler Heads Must Prevail: The shootings that took place this week [Jan. 1 to 8] in Fayetteville are indeed tragedies and should be handled as such.
    There are no words that will comfort the families and loved one[s] of the two men who were shot and killed on our streets this week [Jan. 1 to 8], and our hearts go out to the families! Our city is saddened and heartbroken!

    It is also saddening to see just how quickly some so-called leaders in this city, even faith leaders have jumped to fan the racial flames. They call for peace while giving inflammatory speeches and posting dog whistles on their time lines.

    They call for peace publicly but secretly advocate for war. They publicly pray to the God of Heaven while privately hoping that all hell breaks loose.

    This city has been through enough, and the last thing that we need are “leaders” who will see these tragedies to capitalize on hate and division. We need LEADERS who will bring this city together!

    If we are going to be “America’s Can Do City” we have to first be “America’s Can Do Better City.”

    We must be that city on a hill; we must be that beacon of light that the rest of the nation looks to when the seas are raging, the pressure is high, and the fires of hate and division are being fanned.

    Fayetteville, we are a city of hope, passion, compassion, faith and prayer. We are a city that understand the importance on coming together. We cannot allow hate traffickers and race-baiters to activate their divisive agenda and further tear our city apart.

    The wolves are howling, the vultures are circling, and the sharks are going in for the kill, but we must be the true gatekeepers of peace that we are called to be.

    We mourn these tragic losses of life, and we pray the comfort of God for the families left behind.

    Let us seek justice through peace, not through war. And let us resist the urge to hate. Let us come together in prayer and let us seek God for guidance!

    We have an opportunity before to show the nation and the world what “can do” really looks like, and I know that we can do it.

    Let us Lead Fayetteville Forward. TOGETHER

    Thank you, God bless you, May God bless the city of Fayetteville, the families of those we’ve lost, and may God continue to bless the United States of America

  • Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
    Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

    Delacruz I am Efrain "Freddie" de la Cruz, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Mayoral Candidate for Fayetteville. This is my assessment of the crime and law enforcement situation in our "Can Do" city. First, you need to know that I served over thirty-two years in the U.S. Army and have more than twenty-eight years of experience as a military police officer. Five years of that was spent in an active combat zone, an experience that qualifies me to understand why Fayetteville is struggling with rising homicide and crime rates and how poor leadership within the Fayetteville Police Department is festering and fostering discontent, low morale and subsequently, a scandalous deficit of quality law enforcement officers.

    I am a battle-tested proven leader that understands what needs to be done to curtail crime and keep our citizens safe. The crime statistics speak for themselves: Record-setting murder rate in 2021, with the first couple weeks of 2022 out to surpass that. Fayetteville does not need to be the murder capital of North Carolina. There are no easy solutions, but I strongly believe that petty crimes, property damage and murders can be significantly curtailed by allowing our Fayetteville police officers to do their job and enforce the law. When you let the people openly and without consequence break the law by rioting, looting and dangerously ignoring and violating local traffic laws, we create an environment of lawlessness. And, that is what we are currently witnessing in our city.

    Recently, the Fayetteville Ethics Commission dismissed all the allegations of misconduct against Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins. Sad. She is the dark cloud hanging over the entire Fayetteville Police Department. Public safety is the mainstay of my campaign to run for mayor of Fayetteville. Of course, I believe everyone is innocent until proven guilty; however, the toxic environment in the police department and the dysfunctional makeup of our City Council all speak for themselves. As mayor, I would encourage Fayetteville citizens to replace the current leadership. As your mayor, I would strongly recommend that the City Manager fire Gina Hawkins and replace her with a chief of police with integrity and an impeccable record in law enforcement.

    Regarding the recent senseless shooting of Jason Walker by off-duty Cumberland County deputy Lt. Jeffery Hash, my sympathies are with both families. Now, we must allow the official investigation of the incident to determine the case's fate. I'm confident the assigned agencies will do a thorough and fair investigation, and justice will be dispersed according to the laws of North Carolina. Justice and peace work hand and hand [sic]. I ask that everyone pray for unity, our community and the future of our great City of Fayetteville. Thank you, and I would appreciate your support and vote for Mayor of Fayetteville.

  • Fizzy Friends "Cali lives on the edge," Cheyanne Campos, 15, said laughing.

    Her younger sister and business partner, Cali Rai,13, stands at a heavy bath bomb compressor, packing hot pink bath bomb material into the cylindrical mold. Once she is done packing it, she picks up a toy or "treasures," as they call them and pushes it into the middle of the material.

    Cali Rai is carefree and outspoken. She loves a good laugh. As she stands, quickly pulling the lever to compress another bath bomb, her mother, Andrea Campos, reminds her that she needs to release the compression with two hands, "technically."

    "That's too much work," Cali Rai laughs.

    Cali Rai takes another bath bomb out of the cylinder and gently lets it drop into the round molds, where it'll sit for 24 hours while it hardens. On the other side of their mother's dining room table, which is covered in toys and raw materials, Cheyanne places the bowl of their KitchenAid mixer back on its stand. After each use of a bowl or cup, she cleans them. Cheyanne is orderly and precise.

    She has a place for each thing and steps she follows to the T during the production of their bath products. She keeps them both on task. The girls' workspace is what was once their family dining room.

    Large bags of baking soda sit among 50 pounds of citric acid and shea butter in the corner. Big cartons with dozens of bath bombs in each container are underneath tables and chairs. Surrounding one side of the room are large stands for events. Three baskets on each stand hold hundreds of brightly colored neon bath bombs.

    "It's taken over my whole house," Andrea said.

    The sisters both glance up and smile at each other before continuing. They are sisters who became best friends and eventually became business partners, all to help children.

    Their business, Fizzy Friendz, started about five months ago. In these last five months, they have sold $26,000 of bath products, and 100% of their proceeds go to their charity — Giving Back Warm Hugs. The girls see no part of the money from all their hard work.

    And hard work it is. The girls will wake up around 5 a.m. to start making more bath bombs or bath products and continue without many breaks until about 2 p.m. At this time, their mother says she has to pry them away to do homeschooling and kick them out of their makeshift studio. At some point in the evening, they'll return to the table. In their minds, every two bath bombs sold represents another pair of shoes for a child.

    "We are really doing this for the kids. It just shows how much you can do for the community," Cheyanne says.

    Through Giving Back Warm Hugs, the girls provide school supplies, shoes, socks and even haircuts for kids who may not be able to afford these things.

    This charity started long before Fizzy Friendz became a business. Cheyanne and Cali Rai earned money from modeling and acting and often used a portion of that money to be charitable in the community, an act fostered by their parents.

    They also provided meals for the homeschool, gave away thanksgiving meals or knit hats for cancer wards after their grandmother was diagnosed with cancer.

    "Somebody gave my mom the funniest pink hat, so they thought why not give that gift to someone else," Andrea said. "… they've just done a lot."

    But in the future, the girls would like to continue to run Giving Back Warm Hugs. The charity currently benefits children within Cumberland County, but eventually, they'd love to see it nationwide. They say this is what they hope to do when they "grow up," and hopefully, they'll find like-minded people with "the same heart."

    "We want to work in our own backyard before we go out," Cali Rai said.

    The plan for this year is to continue to do their events, including weekends at Dirtbag Ales Brewery's Markets, and in November, they want to throw a Christmas party for 500 children at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

    This event will include food, activities, presents and Santa. When the girls talk about this upcoming event, they do so with barely contained excitement. Cali Rai immediately rattles off all the different ideas they have for the event.

    "We are going to do so much. We want to give bikes. Every kid should have a bike," Cali Rai said. "We are going to give them toys and have little segments to make it educational as well."

    The girls want to do more and more events and eventually have a profound impact within the community. This event in November 2022 will be just the start of their plans for other events and a wider spread impact for children living in the area.

    Fizzy Friendz's Bath Bombs come in 31 different scents with toy surprises in each bomb. There are also soaps, lotions, "dragon snot," "unicorn fluff," and other products for sale. All their products are organic or vegan and made for sensitive skin. They accept local pickup at A Bit of Carolina, as well as online shipping options.

    All proceeds from sales of their products will go to Giving Back Warm Hugs.

    "The amazing thing is they haven't lost themselves … to be able to be sisters and do this is incredible… to be able to laugh and joke. At their age, I was out riding bikes or playing with Barbies," Andrea explained.

    She looks at both her girls and around the room, then continues. "I never saw this coming."

    The girls looked at one another for a moment and smiled. A non-verbal conversation had just taken place.

    Just as quickly as they started making bath bombs in the room just an hour ago, they began again.

  • 22 Until none Thousands of veterans commit suicide every year in the United States. In 2019, the suicide rate for Veterans was 52.3% higher than non-veterans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This hits close to home as Cumberland County is home to more than 60,000 veterans.

    Agora Productions Music Company, a local company that produces live music shows at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, will be hosting a benefit concert to raise funds for 22 Until None.

    22 Until None is a non-profit that assists these veterans, and is looking to raise money to help give financial emergency assistance as well as help with Veteran's Affair's benefits and other services to veterans who need it.

    The goal for Agora Productions is to raise $5,000 for the non-profit.

    Chris McHargue is the ambassador of Tarheel Chapter of 22 Until None. He helps host chapter meetings at VFW Post 670. He says the main goal for 22 Until None is to help the immediate needs for local veterans in crisis.

    “We handle the immediate crisis needs that a lot of charities can’t do because it takes a long time for approval and things like that,” McHargue said. “Then we follow-up after the crisis and ask, what got you at this point and what can we do to help you from getting to this point again?”

    Wade B, Bubba Sparxxx, Race Taylor Music Group, Erikka, Lane Ward, Krackle Capone and Emmy Nominated artist TONE-z will be performing at the concert. Many of the artists are country acoustic artists or country-rap artists.

    Gary Fisher, the promoter of Agora Productions, says the show will not only feature great music, but it will also be helping a good cause.

    “I think it’s really good for veterans or soldiers to come to VFW or places like this because they can talk to people that have gone through the same thing that they have,” Fisher said. “Sometimes just talking to somebody and seeing somebody that’s gone through it and can tell you how they went through or are dealing with it, can be a really good thing.”

    The concert will be featuring the local chapters of 22 Until None and the Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention Series, who will have resources available to veterans who come to the concert.

    22Klicks Food Truck will also be at the event for people who want to purchase food.

    Outside of the sponsors, the tickets, and the fundraiser Agora Productions is hosting, they will also be having two types of raffles to help raise money for the non-profit.

    Fisher says this is an all-ages show and is open for the public to attend.

    The concert will take place at VFW Post 670, 3928 Doc Bennett Road, on Feb. 3. Pre-sale tickets are $15 while tickets at the door are $20. Only 250 tickets will be available.

    Doors to the concert will open at 6 p.m. and the live performances will start at 7 p.m.

    Tickets can be bought online at https://theticketing.co/events/22untilnonebenefit.

  • dr keen vertical 312x400 Dr. Larry Keen, president of Fayetteville Technical Community College for nearly 15 years, announced that he plans to retire next year.

    Keen joined FTCC as the College’s president in August of 2007, succeeding Dr. Larry Norris, who retired after ten years.

    “To say this is bittersweet would be an understatement,” Keen wrote in a letter to the FTCC’s Board of Trustees.

    He thanked the board “for the incredible opportunity” to have served as FTCC’s fourth president and said the College is financially secure, academically strong and dedicated to continuous improvement.

    Keen said he plans to continue to work hard until he retires.

    "I'll be with you for another year," he told the board. "If anyone expects me to be a lame duck, they're expecting the wrong thing."

    David Williford, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said Keen will be missed when he leaves.

    "It is with great sadness that we hear this news," Williford said. "We appreciate your knowledge and your leadership. We wish you the very best."

  • Zoning Downtown The City of Fayetteville held a community meeting last week to discuss a plan that will expand the downtown footprint beyond Hay Street. Over 100 people attended the Zoom-only meeting to discuss the Downtown Urban Design Plan.

    The City Council adopted the plan in February 2020 to guide development in the downtown area.

    The main initiatives talked about during the meeting were creating a downtown district and fostering downtown living.

    “What our plan calls for is those six districts to be consolidated into two,” Craig Harmon, a senior planner, said. “You’ll have a Downtown 1 district, which is basically what our downtown district is now, and then a Downtown 2 district that hopes to stretch the downtown off of that. Within these boundaries, we have everything from residential to office to commercial to industrial.”

    Each district has different zoning standards. By turning the six districts into two districts, the city can provide more consistency in the types of businesses and licensures available downtown.

    For example, sexually-oriented businesses, principal-use parking lots and private golf courses would not be allowed in the two new districts. Right now, they are allowed in at least one of the smaller districts that are currently set up.

    “The main thing that this rezoning is looking to do is help with one, cohesiveness, and, two, some predictability for property owners,” Harmon said.

    Alicia Moore, another senior planner for the city, says they want to focus on the walkability and living of the downtown area and the main way to do that is to focus on businesses that serve people who can walk there.

    “Another way that we support downtown as a holistic, complete neighborhood is by building on its existing draw as a destination for restaurants and other activities that you enjoy and then leave, and rounding it out with more housing options to encourage more people to live there and by supporting more everyday commercial activities,” Moore said.

    The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on zoning text changes on March 22 and then the Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on map changes on April 12. City Council will hold a public hearing on all the changes on May 23.

  • The emergency rental assistance program in Cumberland County will start again now that the board has accepted $1,773,457.20 from the U.S. Treasury. However, that didn't come without discussion.

    Innovative Emergency Management, the contractor who helps administer funds for the ERAP program, asked the board to amend their contract. Instead of receiving 8% for administrative costs and other services, they are now asking for a maximum of 25%. Fifteen percent will go towards administrative fees, and 10% will go towards case management.

    Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe expressed concern with the increased costs.

    "I think the rental emergency program is good," Keefe said. "But I will stand by that I believe that 25% of $1.7 million, which is $450,000, going to administration of this program is not in the best interest and not good for stewardship of this money because that's $450,000 that could possibly help a lot of people and their rent."

    Five board members — Board Chairman Glenn Adams and commissioners Larry Lancaster, Jeannette Council and Toni Stewart — voted in favor. Three commissioners — Charles Evans, Michael Boose, and Keefe — voted against.

  • CCA Arts Center The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is moving forward to continue discussions about a multipurpose center — but now they will do so with a project manager.

    The center is expected to be approximately 89,000 square feet, hold a maximum capacity of 2,500 for large events, and cost anywhere from $75 million to $80 million.

    The county would like construction to start by the end of 2023 with a planned opening by 2025 — preferably on Oct. 1.

    The Board of Commissioners will now start the negotiation process with MBP Carolinas, Inc. Once there is a drafted contract, it will be presented to the Board for review and approval.
    MBP Carolinas, Inc. will be in charge of the site selection, assist with securing a contractor, architect and various sub-contractors, manage project accounting and coordinate the procurement of owner furnished equipment and materials.

    The location for the center is undecided; however, it will be in Fayetteville. The county hopes the center will host various events, including concerts, comedy shows, family shows, theater, Broadway performances and other local and regional performances.

    Commissioner Michael Boose was the only one who voted against the approval, saying that he would rather see a couple of consensus contracts as he and other commissioners have not overseen the building of a performing arts center before. He does not want to be taken advantage of by one company.

  • Delegation A few weeks ago, I penned an editorial about how our local Cumberland County State Legislators have set an excellent example for local City and County officials on how teamwork and cooperation net big dividends for all residents of our community.

    Well, that message was again heard loud and clear on Jan. 13, when the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce hosted a community-wide "thank you" reception for our delegation at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. And rightfully so. Our Legislative Delegation under Chairman Rep. Billy Richardson's leadership passed North Carolina's first budget since 2018. Working together, Richardson, Sen. Kirk deViere, Sen. Ben Clark,

    Rep. John Szoka, Rep. Diane Wheatley, and Rep. Marvin Lucas brought an unprecedented $412 million back to Fayetteville and Cumberland County. For this, we are truly grateful! $412 million, which will improve the quality of life for every citizen in our community.

    Fayetteville's future is bright, with plenty of economic potential and opportunity for growth. But only if we have competent and responsible leadership with vision. Leadership who appreciates the value of negotiation, compromise, teamwork and communication. As a media source and your local community newspaper, we will continue to do our part by providing the space in print and online to any citizen, candidate or elected official to speak directly to the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community. No exceptions! In this edition, there are several letters from Fayetteville mayoral candidates expressing their views, concerns and insights about their vision for the city. These views are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community. We welcome and encourage this type of communication. Again, our publication is open and available to all citizens.

    Remember, $412 million didn't just happen; it resulted from hard work, compromise, communication and teamwork.

    Our Cumberland County Legislative Delegation set the example. Now, all we have to do is follow it.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly!

  • Molasses By the time this column appears to leave yet another stain on world literature, it will be almost the end of January. By then, most people's New Year's Resolutions will be ghosts in the rear-view mirror fading off into the lost horizon of good intentions. January was named after the two-headed Roman god Janus. Janus was the Roman term for an archway or a ceremonial gateway. In other words, it was a way to go in and out. At the beginning of the Roman calendar, Janus had two heads, one looking backward and one looking forward. The Romans watched the old year go away while seeing the New Year come trundling along on the other side of the archway. Hence the term, two heads are better than one. It did mean that Janus had to double his budget for hats as opposed to ordinary one-headed gods. But being a god, his credit was good.

    What can we say about the month of January? Is there anything worth pondering about our fleeting first month? Funny, you should ask. You have certainly heard the old saying, "Slow as molasses in January." Well, like Sporting Life once sang in "Porgy and Bess," "It ain't necessarily so." Hop right into Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine and take a ride on the Reading to January 15, 1919 to Boston, Massachusetts. The day began like any other January day, a bit warmer than most, but nothing way out of the ordinary. The workers at the U.S. Industrial Alcohol factory worked to produce molasses for the hungry masses yearning to eat highly sweetened pancakes. The International House of Pancakes was not invented until 1958. IHOP bears no responsibility for what happened in Boston in 1919.

    So, what did happen in 1919 that undermines that statement about being slow as molasses in January? Well, listen, my children, and you shall hear of the Noon-time Great Boston Molasses Flood. To paraphrase Scatman Carruthers in "The Shining:" "A lot of things have happened in Boston, and not all of them were good." The factory in question produced massive amounts of molasses. It was right before lunch when all heck or, more aptly, all molasses broke loose. The workers were loading molasses into freight cars to tickle America's sweet tooth. The molasses was stored in an almost six-story high tank containing about 2.5 million gallons of hot molasses. That is a mega amount of molasses.

    In the wink of an eye, something went very wrong. The bolts holding the bottom of the six-story vat of molasses gave up the ghost. The bolts blew out like the bottom of the Titanic meeting its fateful iceberg. News reports say an 8-foot-tall wall of hot molasses spewed out of the bottom of the vat, knocking freight cars, men, and the building walls over like a hungry 350-pound man lunging for crab legs at an all you can eat seafood buffet at Myrtle Beach. Once the molasses escaped the building, it poured into the streets of Boston, destroying a nearby firehouse and knocking down the supports of the elevated train track. Twenty-one people and multiple horses died in the flood of molasses.

    Foreshadowing of the modern-day flood of lawyer ads on Cablevision, over 100 lawsuits were filed against the U.S. Industrial Alcohol. The name Industrial Alcohol does not make me think of butterflies and unicorns. It sounds more like Everclear's evil twin. For those of you who have never consumed Everclear, allow me to proffer some medical advice, don't break your record of abstention. But I digress. Boston took weeks to clean its streets of molasses. One can only imagine the delightful task of policing up the corpses of molasses-soaked horses stuck to the roads. The mind boggles. Ultimately State Auditor, the Honorable Hugh W. Ogden, was appointed by the court to sort out all the claims against the U.S. Industrial Alcohol. Mr. Ogden decided the U.S. Industrial Alcohol was at fault due to the poor construction of the molasses vat. The company was ordered to pay almost $1 million to the plaintiffs.

    So, what have we learned today? As usual, not much. However, we should be careful not to believe all general statements, not even this one. Not all molasses is slow in January. An 8-foot wall of hot molasses by any other name would smell as sweet. As far as the Boston attorneys were concerned, the Great Molasses Flood was a financial bonanza. They latched onto the molasses like flies on poop, reaping financial rewards that illustrated Shakespeare's quote in "As You Like It:" "Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head."

    Shall we compare an 8-foot-wall of boiling molasses to a toad wearing a jewel in his head? Why not? I would rather see a toad wearing a jewel than an 8-foot wall of hot molasses bearing down. Not everything makes sense. Once you grasp that concept, it all makes sense. If the glove fits, you must acquit — so long January. See you next year.

  • With a shortage of new housing construction inflating home prices across North Carolina in recent months, one community took steps Monday that could alleviate that trend for local would-be homebuyers.  

    Up to 250 houses could be built in far northeast Fayetteville after the City Council unanimously approved an annexation request, allowing the land for the potential development to receive city utilities.

    Located just under 2 miles northeast of city limits on Ramsey Street and south of the Tractor Road, the 117-acre, noncontiguous plot is now zoned for single-family residential housing.

    The developer intends to use the land for a low-density, single-family residential subdivision.

    “We love to grow the tax base; we need homes,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said. 

    The annexation is effective immediately.

    Increased supply lowers costs

    In 2021, the median sales price of a single-family home in Cumberland County was $185,000, up from $156,000, an increase of over 18%, according to listing data from Longleaf Pine Realtors.

    For new construction, like that approved by the council Monday, the median price was more than $284,000 in 2021, increasing by more than 9% from the previous year.

    Increased home prices are part of a nationwide trend seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

     

    A study by government-backed lender Freddie Mac last year found that nationwide, the housing market faces a shortage of 3.8 million units. Much like other markets, the low supply drives up costs.

    The study credited the shortage to rising demand for homes during the pandemic and a long-term decline in new construction of single-family houses.

    With 250 homes set to be built in the newly annexed land, that would amount to nearly half of the 575 new single-family homes listed in 2021 in Cumberland County, according to Longleaf Pine Realtors. The year before, 609 new homes were listed.

    P21 59

    Of the 575 new houses listed last year, 454 closed before year’s end. That’s down more than 27% from the 623 homes that closed in Cumberland County in 2020. However, the difference doesn’t come from a drop in demand, but a substantial decrease in new home construction last year. The annexed property stands to potentially reverse that construction trend in early 2022.

    Like the rest of North Carolina and the entire country, demand for housing is increasing in Cumberland County.

    In 2021, Cumberland buyers closed on over 5,760 existing single-family homes, an increase of nearly 17% from 2020.

  • Fort Bragg Airborne Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has placed 8,500 U.S. service members on alert amid Russia's continuing provocations along its border with Ukraine.

    While the units that are on alert have not been identified, Fort Bragg's own 82nd Airborne Division is an Immediate Response Force - a rapid reaction force that is available to deploy at any given moment. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby announced Monday that they would release the details of which units are on standby once personnel and their families are informed.

    "The Immediate Response Force is always prepared to go anywhere," Lt. Col. Brett Lea, a spokesperson for the 82nd Airborne Division told Up & Coming Weekly. "We are always on standby."

    Fort Bragg officials have referred Up & Coming Weekly to the Secretary of Defense's office, and no response on whether troops at Fort Bragg are on the list of units put on alert has been given at this time. However, an announcement from the Office of the Secretary of Defense is expected later today or tomorrow, according to Fort Bragg officials.

    What units are affected will be released once personnel and their families are informed, Kirby told the press Monday evening.

    "I'm sure there are personnel readiness things that they have to do," Kirby said in the press conference. "That again is one of the reasons why I'm not giving units today. The units are getting notified, and we want to also give them time to talk about this with their families – this potential deployment order."

    Passes and leave for service members on standby have been revoked.

    Instead of having ten days to deploy, the units will need to deploy in five days.

    "They will have to make whatever preparations they feel they need to make to be able to meet that five-day commitment," Kirby said.

    Kirby said the order highlights America's commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its common defense. If that group is activated, the 8,500 troops are based in the United States and would be part of the NATO Response Force. The American forces would be in addition to the significant combat-capable U.S. forces already established in Europe.

    "Secretary Austin has placed a range of units in the United States on a heightened preparedness to deploy, which increases our readiness to provide forces if NATO should activate the N[ATO]RF or if other situations develop," Kirby said.

    If the NATO force is activated, Austin's order will allow the United States to rapidly deploy additional brigade combat teams, along with units specializing in logistics, medical, aviation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, transportation and more, he said.

    "Again, I want to reinforce that as of now, the decision has been made to put these units on higher alert and higher alert only," Kirby said. "No decisions have been made to deploy any forces from the United States at this time."


    (DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley/Released)

  • Cumberland County Schools

    Cumberland County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay for students and school-based staff on Monday, Jan. 24. Schools will start and buses will run two hours later than the normal time. Twelve-month employees and Central Services personnel will report to work at their normal time if it is safe to do so.

    Morning Prime Time will not be available and breakfast will not be served. However, afternoon Prime Time will observe a normal schedule.

    There may be roads that are not passable by buses. However, parents may transport students to school, in alignment with the two-hour delay, if they are able to safely do so. School officials will notify families if bus transportation is unavailable.

    City of Fayetteville

    City offices will be reopened by Monday. The biggest change will be the trash collection schedule. Last Friday's collection will be moved to Monday. Monday's collection will be moved to Tuesday. Tuesday's trash collection will be moved to Wednesday. B-week recycling will be collected next week.

    Fort Bragg

    Fort Bragg will return to normal operating hours on Monday. DoDEA schools are closed Monday, Jan. 24 for a teacher workday. In addition, the North Post Main Store will be closed on Monday for its annual inventory. 

  • american rescue plan Cumberland County is requesting proposals from nonprofit organizations for projects that will help the community respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. These proposals could be funded by the American Rescue Plan, which awarded the county $65.2 million. The Board of Commissioners approved  $3.5 million to go to funding nonprofit organizations that conduct programs and projects that help the county recover from and respond to COVID-19 and its negative impacts.

    Nonprofit organizations will need to identify a health or economic harm resulting from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The proposal should explain how the funding would address that harm, what population would be served, the proposed impact of the project and how the effort will help build toward an equitable and sustainable COVID-19 recovery. 

    The County will hold a virtual information workshop on Jan. 24 at 3:30 p.m. for interested nonprofit organizations and a video recording of that session will be posted for anyone unable to participate.

    Submissions can be made through a formal competitive Request for Proposal process. The RFP is posted on County’s ARP webpage at cumberlandcountync.gov/ARP and under the Vendor Self Service page (Bid #391). Submissions are due Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

  • Amaru Edward Barnes A 19-year-old Fayetteville man is being charged with the murder of his neighbor, according to officials.

    On Friday, Jan. 21, around 11:36 p.m., deputies from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office were sent to a shooting near the 300 block of Grouper Drive. They found 20-year-old Jesse James McDowell inside the residence with a gunshot wound. He was declared dead at the scene.

    His neighbor, Amaru Edward Barnes, was identified as the suspect. Barnes is being charged with First Degree Murder and is currently being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24.

    Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Homicide Detective Lieutenant A. Bean at (910) 677-5496 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).

    According to Up & Coming Weekly's records, this is the fifth homicide in Fayetteville so far in 2022.

  • This page will continue to update as more information by officials is released throughout the week.

    SHELTERS OPEN

    Cumberland County will open Smith Recreation Center off 1520 Slater Avenue in Fayetteville as a shelter starting at 4 p.m. Thursday and will remain open until noon on Sunday. Pets will not be allowed to be housed at the shelter. COVID-19 screening will occur for individuals entering the shelter. Isolation and quarantine areas will be available for people who test positive or experience COVID-19 symptoms.

    The Salvation Army will open for White Flag nights and serve as a daytime shelter from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. 

    CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS

    Cumberland County Schools will be releasing students two hours early on Thursday, Jan. 20 and transition to remote learning for Friday, Jan. 21 due to the anticipated winter storm. All athletic events and after-school activities are canceled.

    Students will work independently on assignments that are uploaded to the Canvas learning management platform and have five days to complete and submit their assignments. Prime Time will be closed on Friday and all athletic events and after-school activities are canceled.

    Students enrolled in classes at Fayetteville State University and Fayetteville Technical Community College should consult with their instructors for additional guidance. 

    CUMBERLAND COUNTY

    Cumberland County Government Offices and the court system will be closed on Friday, Jan. 21. This includes the Department of Public Health COVID-19 testing sites, the Cumberland County landfill and container sites, all library locations and animal services.

    “Residents need to prepare for severe weather by making sure electronic devices such as phones and tablets are charged, know where your emergency kit is located and continue to monitor the weather,” said Chairman Glenn Adams, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. “Over the next few days, I recommend people to stay indoors and off roadways if possible.”

    Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation facilities and gated parks will be closed Friday and Saturday. Activities, programs, practices, games, etc. have been canceled for these dates. FCPR plans to return to normal facility operations on Monday, Jan. 23 as weather conditions permit.

    Residents can stay prepared by signing up for Cumberland Alerts, a free emergency notification system that can send alerts to your phone or email. To register, go to cumberlandcountync.gov and click on the lightning icon at the bottom right of the homepage.

    CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE

    City of Fayetteville leaders is telling people to prepare for frigid conditions. Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Bullard warns of possible road dangers Friday and Saturday due to wintry precipitation. 

    According to the National Weather Service, snow, sleet and freezing rain are in the forecast. Fayetteville and surrounding areas are under a Winter Weather Watch through Saturday morning.  

    “This time will be different, we expect more accumulation,” Bullard said. “We can expect the impacts to be felt all weekend.” 

    The Public Services team has already prepared salt trucks Wednesday morning. Additionally, brine was applied to City roads Wednesday and barricades will remain at historic trouble spots. 

    FORT BRAGG 

    Fort Bragg will be suspending normal operations Friday, Jan. 21. Only mission essential Soldiers and weather essential civilians are to report this Friday. Non-adverse weather employees should not report for duty. Unless telework-ready, non-adverse weather employees will receive Weather and Safety Leave during the suspension of normal operations. Telework Ready Employees who are able to perform work at an approved telework site must telework the entire workday or request leave, or a combination of both.

    The Manchester, Reilly, Canopy, Knox East, and Butner gates will be closed. All other gates will remain open under a normal schedule.

    All Fort Bragg DoDEA schools are closed, both for in-person and remote instruction. Only two Child Development Centers, the Baez School Age Center and the Baugess Child Development Center, will be open and will be for essential staffing only from 5:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.

    Womack Army Medical Center will remain open with reduced staffing.

    The Exchange and Commissaries will be closed on Friday. Old Glory Express and Linden Oaks Express will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday.
    All personnel should contact their chain of command or supervisors to determine their mission essential or adverse weather status.

    TOWN OF SPRING LAKE 

    All Town of Spring Lake offices, including the Water Department drive-thru service, as well as the Senior and Recreation Departments, will be closed on Friday, Jan. 21 due to the forecasted inclement weather.

    If you need to make a utility payment, you may utilize the online BillPay at www.townofspringlake.com, or use one of their two secure drop boxes. One is in the drive-thru lane at Town Hall, and the other is directly across from the Town Hall in the EXIT lane of the parking lot.

    To report a power outage or check the status of your area, visit https://www.duke-energy.com/Outages or if you are with South River Electric, you can report your outage by using their automated phone system (910-892-8071 or 800-338-5530) and pressing 2 to report the outage. You must provide identifying information to match your outage to your account.

    TOWN OF HOPE MILLS

    The Town of Hope Mills Town offices will be closed on Friday, Jan. 21 due to the potential for inclement weather and black ice on local roads. All non-essential personnel will be asked to stay home.

    FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY

    All scheduled in-person classes for Friday and Saturday will move to a virtual format. Online classes will continue as scheduled. Onsite COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing has been suspended. The university will remain open on a very limited basis but has formally suspended all but mandatory operations due to minimal staffing levels. 

    GOVERNOR SIGNS STATE OF EMERGENCY

    Governor Roy Cooper has signed a state of emergency in advance of the second winter storm to move through the state in a week. Beginning Thursday, snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice are expected to cause significant winter impacts in central and eastern regions of the state.

    “This state of emergency will waive some transportation regulations to allow for quicker storm preparation and response and power restoration,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians should prepare today for this storm and make sure they have any medications, food and emergency equipment they may need over the next few days.”

    The Governor's Office expects this storm to bring several inches of snowfall from the Triangle northeast toward the coast, and up to a half-inch of ice accumulation to southeastern counties. Widespread power outages begin when about a quarter-inch of ice accumulates on power lines.

    To prepare for this storm and possible power outages, North Carolina Emergency Management advises people to:

    • Get the groceries and essentials you need before Thursday evening. Travel will become hazardous in many parts of eastern North Carolina after that.
    • Keep cell phones, mobile devices and spare batteries charged in case your power goes out
    • Keep fresh batteries on hand for weather radios and flashlights.
    • Dress warmly. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing.
    • Properly vent kerosene heaters and ensure generators are operated outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
    • Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors.
    • Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts.
    • Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit and road map.
    • Gather emergency supplies for your pet including leash and feeding supplies, enough food and for several days and pet travel carrier.
    • Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather.

    Visit ReadyNC.gov for additional information on winter weather preparation, as well as information on power outages. Visit DriveNC.gov for current travel conditions from NCDOT.

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