Two men were charged with attempted murder after a shooting in the parking lot of Cross Creek Mall on Aug. 25, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

Police said the 22-year-old man was a targeted victim.

Police received multiple reports of shots fired about 7 p.m. Thursday at the mall on Morganton Road, according to a news release.

Witnesses at the scene told officers that two men suspected in the shooting were trying to flee in a silver Volkswagen Golf vehicle, the release said. Officers stopped the vehicle in the parking lot and detained Jahrehl Malloy, 21, and Nyhgil Kirk, 24, while members of the Aggravated Assault Unit investigated.
Investigators said that as the victim was leaving the food court at the mall, one of the suspects approached him on foot as the second hid behind a vehicle in the parking lot, the report said.

When the victim tried to evade the man who was approaching him, both suspects began shooting at him, police said.
Malloy and Kirk were each charged with attempted first-degree murder; felony conspiracy; and five counts of property damage, the report said. Each was held under a $1 million secured bond at the Cumberland County Detention Center.

The man’s name is not being released for his safety, police said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective M. O’Hara at 910-605-6393 or CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).

Many philanthropists prefer to remain anonymous.
Murray Duggins wants to be an example.

“I feel that a lot of people that I know will give based on other people’s gifts,” said Duggins. “I hope this starts a trend here in Fayetteville — not that I’m a trendsetter or some cool guy.”

Duggins and his wife, Nancy, have donated $2 million to the Cumberland Community Foundation to create the Murray and Nancy Duggins Family Charitable Fund, the foundation said in a news release.

“The gift represents only the third time a gift of this size has been received from a living donor,” said Mary Holmes, president and CEO of the Cumberland Community Foundation.

Murray Duggins, who is 77 and a self-described Army brat born in the small South Carolina town of Blackville, said he has been thinking about making the donation for years.

“I want to see Fayetteville grow, and things happening here indicate that,” he said. “I hope I’m a big-picture person.”

He hopes others will follow suit.

“I do think that many people I know who have money and don’t give – I hope it will make a difference,” he said.

The Dugginses have been supporting the community foundation since 2000, Holmes said, adding that the couple also give to many other local causes. This marks the second fund that they have created at the foundation, with the first being the Murray and Nancy Duggins Endowment for Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

“It’s just wonderful to see a family that has worked so hard sharing what they earned and giving back to the local community,” Holmes said in an interview on Thursday. “We appreciate when people have worked so hard and want to share in the community. I’m glad they focused on Cumberland County.”
Murray Duggins said he has been involved in planning his estate for some time and was trying to think of the best way to give back. That’s why he decided to donate to the Cumberland Community Foundation.

“It takes a little pressure off the individual to have to meet with different people and decide which is the most appropriate,” he said. “They’re pros at it. They’re pros at where to put the money and who’s doing the best job. Mary Holmes, I think, is top-drawer.”

Overall, Duggins estimated, he has given close to $3 million to philanthropic causes. Especially close to his heart are Methodist University, his alma mater; the Fayetteville Police Foundation; Snyder Memorial Baptist Church; and Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center.
Cumberland Community Foundation manages more than 600 donor funds with a total of $120 million in assets, the release said.

Some are designated for a specific charity, some are scholarship funds, and some are unrestricted, Holmes said in the release.

“This fund is a family-advised fund, meaning that Nancy and Murray will actively recommend the distributions and then pass that responsibility on to the next generation in their family. Advised funds help affluent families organize their philanthropy — like a private foundation without all the headaches,” she said in the release.

Holmes said the Dugginses’ gift is the second-largest made to the foundation by a living donor.

“It’s so nice when couples are living and decide to give back,” she said.

Holmes said she was Duggins’ banker 30 years ago.

“I can tell you, he’s a hard-working man,” she said.

Duggins, a developer of affordable housing, said he got involved in the construction industry in the early 1980s when he started developing tax-credit projects.

“I’ve been at it for 50 years,” he said. “Nancy was a dental hygienist for years. She’s been retired for 20 years, at least. Nancy has meant a lot. She was active in the Cape Fear Valley Hospital for years.”

While her husband grew up the son of an Army sergeant, Nancy Duggins, who also is 77, was the daughter of a mill worker in Hope Mills.
Murray Duggins said he has “a great love for Fayetteville — all it has meant for me and my family.”

“I want to give back to Fayetteville,” he said. “I just feel inclined to do it. I think it makes Fayetteville a stronger place. …

“I’ve done well," he said, "and I think I can make a difference. Nancy feels very strongly, too, and my family is all here, and they’ve done well. Hopefully, they’ll see the idea I’ve got. It’s easier to give and worthwhile. At my age, I see money differently than I did a few years ago. I can make a difference.”

A Cumberland County man who prosecutors said ran a drug operation from a home daycare and other locations has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, the U.S attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina said during a news conference Friday in Fayetteville.

Authorities said Reshod Everett, 36, led a heavily armed drug trafficking operation out of a daycare center on Ronald Reagan Drive in Fayetteville along with other locations, including an Addison Ridge apartment and a storage facility.
Drugs, multiple firearms and cash were seized from the state-licensed daycare center, Tori’s Playhouse, where children were present during the day.

“There was a deadly and potentially dangerous mix of drugs, guns and cash in the same house where children were cared for,’’ U.S. Attorney Mike Easley said. “This drug trafficker put countless lives at risk with his operation.”

Easley said the investigation began in 2018 when a gang unit of the Fayetteville Police Department was tipped to a network that was allegedly trafficking hundreds of pounds of marijuana.

“As the investigation would reveal, this case went far beyond marijuana,’’ Easley said. “Everett was a serious supplier of drugs in the Fayetteville area.”
Everett, his partner Alvin Davis and his wife, Victoria Everett, were arrested in 2018 after police found more than 100 pounds of marijuana, 346 grams of cocaine, nine firearms, drug packaging items and over $70,000 in their personal vehicles, the apartment, the storage facility and the in-home daycare, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Victoria Everett was the owner and operator of Tori’s Playhouse.

Guns found at the daycare included handguns and loaded high-powered rifles. One of the guns had its safety set to the fire position, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“Just a small amount of pressure on that trigger would have caused that gun to fire in the same house that parents trusted as a daycare to look after their children,” Easley said.

Easley said that as the investigation continued, the U.S. Attorney’s Office — in partnership with the Fayetteville Police Department, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the IRS — gathered evidence and built cases against other defendants whom Everett supplied with drugs in order to obtain cooperation.

Witness testimony established that large quantities of drugs were being trafficked, including more than 56 kilos of cocaine and more than 17 kilos of marijuana dating back to 2016. Law enforcement searched cell phone records to determine locations and drug trafficking activities.
Easley said they also conducted a tax and financial investigation showing that Everett lied about his income.

“Everett lived a lavish lifestyle,’’ said Easley, who added that Everett did not report income for 2018. “He had a 3,000-square-foot house, three late-model vehicles, he took his family on vacations in California and the Caribbean. But his reported income for 2017 was negative $29,544.”

“His lavish lifestyle was not earned, it was bought and paid for by the young men he roped into his drug trafficking conspiracy and by the ill he forced upon the Fayetteville community.”

Easley said that while state charges were pending, Everett used social media and the news media to attack the Fayetteville Police Department and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office claiming that he was framed by police and that evidence was planted. These claims were internally investigated and proved to be false, Easley said.

He also said Everett tried to bribe and threaten witnesses and took to social media to present a deceitful campaign against law enforcement.

“I want to commend the Fayetteville Police Department and Chief Gina Hawkins and her leadership and their work to disrupt and dismantle drug traffickers in Cumberland County,’’ Easley said. “Those who bring poison and violence to our communities. Even in the face of false accusations and character attacks, your officers remained committed.”

Hawkins said perseverance is the word of the day.

“It has been a long time for our officers, our agency and our community to find out the truth,’’ Hawkins said. “We are ecstatic to get these guns off the street. Those drugs out of our community. And to show you we are in it for the long game.’’

ATF Special Agent in Charge Brian Mims said his agency worked closely with the Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring the case to a close.

“The threat that this subject posed to the community cannot be understated,’’ Mims said. “Large quantities of drugs and firearms, which were loaded and ready to be fired, were found inside a business that served parents and children. This was a tragedy waiting to happen.”

Mims said the partnership between agencies was instrumental in the criminal convictions.

In May, a jury found Everett guilty of six felony drug trafficking and firearm-related offenses. Along with the 40-year prison sentence, Everett was also ordered to pay $4 million of proceeds from his illegal operation.

His partner, Davis, was previously sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. Victoria Everett was not charged in federal court, authorities said.

A man has been charged in a hit-and-run crash that sent six people to the hospital on Friday night, Aug. 26, Fayetteville police said.

Cyrus E. Hayes, 24, is charged with felony hit and run, possession of an open container and a red light violation, police said in a release Saturday afternoon. He is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center under a $20,000 secure bond.

The vehicle crash happened at approximately 11:30 p.m. at Stoney Point and Gillis Hill roads, the Fayetteville Police Department said. The inbound lane of the intersection was temporarily closed while the Traffic Unit investigated.

Six people were taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and were in stable condition Saturday morning, police said

A man is in stable condition after being shot in the neck early Tuesday, Aug. 24, the Fayetteville Police Department said.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting at 1 a.m. in the area of the 700 block of Italy Street, the department said in a release.

Officers found a man with a gunshot wound to the neck. He was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and is in stable condition, the release said.

The shooting remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective J. Frashure at 910-303-8967 or Crimestoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).

A husband and wife are both dead after a domestic disturbance on Shiloh Court on Monday night, Aug. 23, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.
Officers were sent to a home in the 1900 block of Shiloh Court about 8:30 p.m. Monday, a news release said. Tanisha Donnette Raeford, 47, had been stabbed and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A man identified as a suspect in the stabbing was seen leaving the scene, the release said.
About 9 p.m., the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to investigate a vehicle crash that was reported in the area of A B Carter Road and John B. Carter Road. They found John Lee Douglas, 53, dead at the scene, the release said.

A police spokesperson said Tuesday that Raeford and Douglas were married.
Investigators said the stabbing and vehicle crash are related and followed a domestic disturbance involving Raeford and Douglas.

Douglas is the suspect in the stabbing of Raeford, the news release said.
The Police Department’s Homicide Unit is investigating the case.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective J. Olsen at 910-709-1958 or CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477) or http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

A Bladen County jailer driving a vehicle equipped with police lights and sirens is charged with trying to stop a woman driver Tuesday at Skibo Road and Swain Street, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

Stephon Singleton, 51, is charged with using blue lights to stop or yield a driver and impersonating a law enforcement officer, a news release said. Singleton is a jailer at the Bladen County Detention Center.

Singleton was driving a silver Hyundai Sonata about 2 p.m. Tuesday when he tried to pull over a woman driving a Toyota Scion at Skibo Road and Swain Street, the release said. Singleton’s vehicle was equipped with law enforcement lights and sirens. He had an armor vest with “sheriff” emblazoned on it in the rear window and a ball cap with “sheriff” in the front windshield, the release said.

When Singleton got out of his vehicle, the woman driving the Scion realized he was not a police officer based on his clothing, she told investigators. The woman then drove away. She got behind Singleton’s Sonata and called 911, the release said.
Dispatchers sent a message to Fayetteville police officers telling them to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. It was spotted at Hay and Robeson streets, the release said.

Singleton was arrested and taken to the Cumberland County Detention Center, where he was held on a secured bond.
Investigators said anyone who may have been stopped by the driver of a Hyundai Sonata should contact CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477) or http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

After delaying action at two previous meetings on a plan to restructure city elections, the Fayetteville City Council voted 6-4 Monday night against calling a referendum on the Vote Yes Fayetteville initiative.

Voting against the restructuring of the way City Council are elected were Mayor Mitch Colvin and council members Shakeyla Ingram, Mario Benavente, D.J. Haire, Derrick Thompson and Courtney Banks-McLaughlin.

Those in favor of a referendum on the plan were Deno Hondros, Brenda McNair, Kathy Jensen and Johnny Dawkins.

The Vote Yes initiative would restructure the election process for City Council members. Instead of electing all nine members by district, four members would be elected at large and five would be elected from districts. The mayor would continue to be elected citywide.

"I was real disappointed in tonight's vote," said Bobby Hurst, one of the organizers of the Vote Yes Fayetteville initiative.

During Monday’s meeting, City Attorney Karen McDonald said questions persist about the validity of a petition calling for the referendum that was submitted by the Vote Yes Fayetteville advocacy group. McDonald said the council had directed her to contact the Cumberland County Board of Elections to inquire about whether petition organizers had followed the rules.

“I did that on Aug. 9,” McDonald said. “I did receive a response from the interim director for the Board of Elections on Aug. 16. And to this point, there appears to be — based on the response — that there remains a question regarding the validity of the petition that was submitted to the City Council for consideration.”

Angie Amaro is interim director of the county Board of Elections.

Newly elected Councilman Mario Benavente then made a motion that the City Council not proceed to put the referendum on the November ballot.
Thompson, another newcomer to the council, seconded the motion.

Mayor pro tem Dawkins then questioned McDonald, saying it appears that the letter confirming the petition is valid. He asked if she had any comment on the letter from the elections board.

“The letter said, in response to my letter — what she said specifically — my question was pursuant to (state) Statute 163-218,” McDonald said. “That statute requires a notice of circulation and the date of registration. The Board of Elections and Miss Amaro confirmed that no such registration or notice of circulation was submitted.
“Given the statute, as previously stated, the statute says that is required, so therefore there remains a question as to the validity of the petition.”

Dawkins asked McDonald if there was any case law on a state statute that deals with city charter amendments.

“I don’t think there is any case law on that,” she said. “When we talked about case law, the discussion was about the case law as it relates to 163-218 and whether it applies to these types of petitions.”

Dawkins replied: “So, we don’t know if the statute applies to the petition. Is that your guidance?”

McDonald said, “No, my guidance is that when you look at 163-218, it says a notice of circulation of a petition calling for any election or referendum shall be registered with the county Board of Elections in which the petition is to be filed. And the date of registration of the notice shall be the date of issuance and commission of circulation of the petition.

“And because we have not received that,” she added, “because the council has not received that, it appears to me to be a legitimate question as to the validity of the petition.”

Dawkins asked about her correspondence with Cumberland County Attorney Rick Moorefield.
McDonald said she had not received any correspondence from Moorefield but had a conversation with him in which he told her that there was no notice of circulation.

Dawkins said his concern is that “it appears that the petition was valid, and there also appears to be a problem with the petition itself.”

“Chances are, there will probably be litigation either way,” he said. “I wanted to let the people decide and let the people vote. But I understand the concern the council has.”

Hondros said all the council members had campaigned in the July 26 election on transparency and accountability. He said he campaigned on being the voice of the people.

“The referendum is the voice of the people,” Hondros said. “Now they should decide.”

The council then voted on the motion to reject putting the referendum on the November ballot, with the ensuing 6-4 vote.
Hurst said Fayetteville lawyer Neil Yarborough had told his committee that the notice of circulation procedure does not apply to the Vote Yes petition. He said the group could not get a clarification on the issue from the lawyer for the N.C. State Board of Elections or from Moorefield.

“Everything was done right by the rules," Hurst said.

The issue was removed from the council's agenda at a June 27 work session and its Aug. 8 meeting after questions were raised about whether the advocacy group promoting the change had filed all the necessary paperwork to put the referendum on the ballot.
CityView TODAY publisher Tony Chavonne is among the organizers of the Vote Yes initiative.

The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen on Monday night, Aug. 22, approved the Spring Lake Land Use Plan, which will be used to guide growth in the town over the next several years.

Addie Corder, a planner with the Cumberland County Planning Department, presented the plan. The plan helps create a vision for the town and its municipal area of influence area, which includes unincorporated areas toward North Fayetteville and is bounded by Harnett County and Fort Bragg.

“This area plan services 12,500 acres and serves a little over 12,000 residents,’’ Corder said. “It is also unique in that it is landlocked by Harnett County and Fort Bragg.”

Corder presented the overall vision of the plan, which included the theme “A destination not a drive-through” and a mission statement, which outlined a thriving Main Street, high-quality housing, economic opportunity, activities for families and residents and a sense of community.

Five categories were broken down for goals to include downtown, housing, quality of life, economic development and public services.
She pointed out demographics, which included a younger, more diverse community, and a large number of renters in the town.

“Something that makes Spring Lake unique from other areas in the county is that the area is very renter driven. Seventy-nine percent of units are renter occupied,” said Corder who added that the county average was 48% renter occupied.

Corder said 41% of residents were in the armed forces.
She also outlined the process for the Spring Lake Land Use Plan, which began in May 2021 and included several community engagement activities and online outreach efforts.

One of the engagement activities took place at the community kickoff meeting last October, where more than 100 residents participated. The planning staff conducted a SWOT analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats at the meeting, which helped identify feedback.

“To highlight some of the feedback we got, for a strength, people noted that there was significant potential in this plan area with vacant buildings and vacant land to be developed and redeveloped,’’ she said. “Some threats that people identified were high taxes, high water bills and road connectivity issues.”

Corder said that after the community kickoff meeting, more residents, economic development professionals and business owners participated in stakeholder meetings and plan review sessions. The website, which was a new addition to the county planning process, received more than 5,000 visits for a range of engagements, including gathering information on land use and background, answering values surveys and submitting other feedback to planning staff on the draft plan.

Other key elements included future land use maps and classifications and an overview of the new flex areas, which are a new land use classification for Spring Lake and Cumberland County. Flex areas allow for a wider variety of zoning districts in areas that are undeveloped or underdeveloped and allow for areas to be more “flexible” when looking at development. Planners would still consider the use of conditional zoning to ensure the new use is in harmony with the existing and surrounding uses.

Planner Anastasia Nelson said the plan concentrated more on increasing density and infill than the last plan in 2002.
Alderman Marvin Lackman thanked residents who provided input for the plan and attended the various sessions throughout the past year.

“There are a lot of recommendations that were taken from the citizens’ concerns, their voices,’’ he said. “For the citizens out there, your voices were heard.”

The adopted plan will influence zoning decisions in Spring Lake for the next several years. It also included recommendations and policies the town can use to help shape development and redevelopment and a list of grant resources that can possibly be used to fund various projects within the plan.

No one spoke in favor or against the land use plan during a public hearing, and the motion to approve passed unanimously by the board. For more information on the land use plan, visit Spring Lake Area Land Use Plan (arcgis.com).

In other business, the board appointed Patricia Hickmon as the interim town clerk. Hickmon, who has been employed by the town since 2003, serves as the inspections clerk and executive assistant in the Inspections Department.

Hickmon also updated the board on pending site and building plans and the 28 businesses that have opened in Spring Lake since July 2021. Two businesses that have submitted site plans include the coffee shop 7 Brew for the former Biscuit Kitchen site on Bragg Boulevard and Dunkin’ Donuts, also on Bragg Boulevard.

Interim Town Manager Joe Durham and Hickmon serve as administrative officers who can approve town site plans, subdivision plans and other non-residential site plans in compliance with Chapter 160D of the N.C. General Statutes and the Chapter 42 zoning ordinance for the town.
The board met in closed session under the N.C. General Statutes for personnel at 5 p.m. and voted to come out of the closed session with no action taken right before the regularly scheduled meeting started.

Fayetteville police officers bought school supplies to contribute to a back-to-school giveaway Aug. 20 at the Fort Bragg Harley Davidson dealership on Sycamore Dairy Road, according to a news release.

Several officers donated the supplies to children headed back to class next week, the Fayetteville Police Department release said.
They purchased seven boxes of pencils, 28 packs of college-ruled notebook paper, 22 packs of crayons, nine packs of erasers, 16 folders, 13 notebooks, four packs of glue sticks, and 10 bottles of hand sanitizer, the release said.

The officers stopped by the giveaway during their work shifts to talk with the schoolchildren and their families and deliver the donations.
Meanwhile, another group of children was scheduled to get a helping hand from the Carolina Panthers football team and a local family ministry.
That giveaway was planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Balm in Gilead Family Counseling Ministries, 3110 Doc Bennett Road, according to a Cumberland County Schools news release.

During the drive-thru giveaway, students in need were scheduled to receive free backpacks, school supplies and hot meals while they last, the news release said.
The Carolina Panthers donated 5,000 bookbags and school supplies for CCS students, the release said.

A woman was stabbed to death Monday night, Aug. 22, on Shiloh Court, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

The report of a stabbing was reported about 8:30 p.m. Monday in the 1900 block of Shiloh Drive, a news release from the Police Department said.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, the release said. Her identity was withheld pending notification of her family.

Homicide detectives are investigating the stabbing. A suspect was seen leaving the scene.
Anyone with information about the stabbing is asked to contact Detective J. Olson at 910-709-1958 or Crimestoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted at http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

Fayetteville City Council member D.J. Haire is excited to be back on City Council for his eleventh term.

Haire is the longest-serving council member on the current council. He was first sworn into office in December of 1997, and remained until November 2013. He won the district seat again in 2017, and has continued to maintain his seat representing District 4.
The 63-year-old bested challenger Thomas Greene by an overwhelming majority. He was sworn in by North Carolina Justice Mike Morgan.

“I think it went very well, just like everyone else, we're always hoping for voters to come out. So with those that came out, we're very honored and thankful for the number [of votes]that we received. Very grateful,” Haire said.

District 4 includes Bonnie Doone, Cambridge, Glen Reilly, Lake Valley, Mallard Creek, Scotty Hills, Stewart’s Creek and Woodfield.

One of the most recent projects for Haire included working with the state to drop the speed limit on sections of Pamalee Drive, Cliffdale Road and Stoney Point Road. He wanted the speed limit to change to 35 miles per hour for each section. However, the North Carolina Department of Transportation — which owns the roads — decided to change the speed limit on Pamalee Drive and Cliffdale Road from 50 to 45 mph. For Stoney Point Road, the NCDOT changed the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph.

“I think that's a great improvement to slow down cars in that major thoroughfare that is surrounded by residential neighborhoods,” Haire said.

Another successful project he is proud of is the extension of zoning notification for neighborhoods. Previously only houses within 500 feet would receive notification of a new zoning permit. Now, that notification area is 1,000 feet.

“In my district we're saying that [the residents] were not receiving the notices and it was because they were outside of that 500 feet but were still in the neighborhood that encompassed the zoning for construction,” Haire said.

Looking to the future, Haire wants to continue to focus on small local businesses and encourage and support them in his district. As a second-generation small business estate investor, Haire believes the community is backed by small businesses. According to Haire, $400,000 has been dedicated to helping local businesses in the first quarter alone.

“When they do well, the city does well. When we help our small businesses, and they can expand or hire new or additional employees, if their footprint can grow, where we can help increase their tax base. That's a big, big plus,” Haire said.

He is also excited to see the new Amazon distribution center scheduled to be built in his district. The 1.3 million-square-foot facility is getting built on 94 acres inside Fayetteville’s Military Industrial Park, near Interstate 295 near Fort Bragg. The center is projected to create up to 500 jobs by the time operation begins.

Other projects Haire wants to work on for District 4 include adding bathrooms in parks, developing pieces of worn-down property, and continuing to push for improved stormwater drainage.
One recent item that Haire suggested the council look into is a possible retirement plan for council members above 60 who have served at least ten years on council. Council members would not receive the money until the official leaves the City Council and each official would receive $500 per month.

Haire tells Up & Coming Weekly that he just wants the city to look into the possibility after he spoke with county commissioners and realized that the state delegation has a form of retirement/deferment plan.
Cumberland County commissioners are eligible to invest in a 401k-like matching investment plan with the county matching up to 4.9% of a board member’s salary for those who opt
to participate in the deferred retirement plan.

“It's just a matter of staff bringing that information. Nothing is a done deal. Anytime there's a council member request at a work session, it is only for information,” Haire said.

During the election of mayor pro-tem, it was Haire who nominated Johnny Dawkins and motioned for Dawkins to take on the position.
Haire also voted against the “Vote Yes Fayetteville” referendum so it would not be on the November ballot. The referendum would require that four of the nine City Council members be elected by citywide voting rather than voting by district.

The issue was that the Vote Yes group may not have followed the “notice of circulation” procedure to get signatures on its petition, according to Mayor Mitch Colvin.
The State Board of Elections decided last week that it will be up to City Council to vote on if the petition is valid or not. [At press time, the matter had not yet been decided.]

Haire wants people to know that neighborhood concerns are just as big as economic concerns. He says he wants to continue to work on community programs like crime prevention and safety groups.
He is also open to looking at old ordinances and see what needs to be updated for this growing city.

“I try my best not to let my community down as far as being at meetings. Talking with them, standing up in front of them, taking their questions. Whatever their concerns are, I'm going to continue to do the job, what I've been doing, and that's just working aggressively hard and building trust and being loyal and being committed,” Haire said.

“That's what I've tried to do since 1997, is let my word be my bond. And because of that, we have built a lot of trust.”

City Manager Doug Hewett has announced the promotion of two people onto his leadership team: Kelly Olivera has been named interim assistant city manager and Jodi Phelps has been appointed chief of staff.

Olivera had served as the city’s budget and evaluation director. Phelps was the city’s marketing and communications director. Both promotions took effect Monday, the city said in a release.
Olivera succeeds Jay Toland, who this summer was named associate superintendent of business operations for Cumberland County Schools. His last day with the city was Aug. 12, a spokeswoman for the city said.
Phelps succeeds Rebecca Jackson, who retired July 31, the spokeswoman said.

Olivera has been with the city for 11 years. She most recently worked with Hewett and the leadership team to present a balanced FY22-23 budget to the City Council that advanced city goals without a tax rate increase, the release said.

“Kelly is a proven asset to our organization and her sound decisions helped us accomplish financial goals set forth by the Council,” Hewett said in the release. “Over the next few months, she will lend her expertise to our team as we progress toward the bond referendums in November and continue moving the city forward.”

As interim assistant city manager, Olivera will oversee several departments, including budget and evaluation, the city clerk’s office, finance, human relations, human resource development and information technology, according to the city’s website.

“I am excited to step into the interim position and have the opportunity to use my experience with the city to better serve our residents, elected officials and staff,” Olivera said in the release. “Having a greater role in the continued success of our city is truly an honor.”

Olivera was hired as a financial analyst in the Finance Department in 2011 before founding the Budget and Evaluation Office in 2014 with former director Tracey Broyles and being promoted to lead the office last year, the release said. She earned her bachelor of science in accountancy from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Olivera will serve in the interim role while the search is conducted for a new assistant city manager, the release said. Her salary is $140,220, the spokeswoman said.

Phelps joined the city last year from UNC Pembroke, where she had served as the chief communications and marketing officer since 2016, the release said. Since joining the city, she has launched a new Strategic Communications Plan and rebranded the Marketing and Communications Department, both with the goal of elevating the city’s brand and more effectively telling the Fayetteville story, according to the release.

“Jodi quickly came up to speed on city business and used the city’s overall Strategic Plan to produce results,” Hewett said. “Her previous career experience, ability to build relationships and proven leadership make her well-suited to fill the role as our next chief of staff.”

Phelps has previously served as chief operating officer for Action Pathways in Fayetteville as well as agency advancement and communications director. She has a bachelor of arts degree in communication and history with a minor in art history from Mercer University and a master of business administration from Thomas University.

“At this time of unprecedented opportunity for Fayetteville’s continued growth, I am grateful to continue serving in this new role,” Phelps said in the release. “It is a privilege to be part of a talented team working daily to advance our strategic priorities that will positively impact the future of our city.”

A spokeswoman for the city said Phelps' salary will be $145,750.

Want to save 50% of the cost of a common surgery? Keep reading. You won’t need a coupon or Medicare. As most people become chronologically gifted, a right of passage is enjoying cataract surgery.
Though not nearly as much fun as getting your driver’s license at 16, voting at 18, or qualifying to purchase adult beverages at 21, it is age related.

The prospective patient is first subjected to something the ophthalmologist ironically refers to as the Glare Test. You sit in a darkened room as someone shines a flash light directly into your eyes and asks if you can see a chart on the wall. You can’t see the chart because there is a flash light two inches from your face painting your retinas white. Unsurprisingly, you fail the Glare Test. Ah ha, there is a cure for flunking the Glare Test.

Several thousand dollars worth of cataract surgery will make you right as rain. Coincidently, the owner of the facility where you are having your eyes examined can provide such surgery. Yet another Festivus Miracle.
Where is this rambling column about cataract surgery going? Why should I waste my time reading it, you ask yourself? Well, Gentle Reader, you have either already had cataract surgery or you will eventually get to enjoy quality time with optical laser beams and lens implants.

As previously mentioned, this surgery ain’t cheap. You can save half the cost with one simple trick. Be born as a Cyclops.
If you are already born, this solution is kind of tricky, but depending upon your religious persuasion, Zeus could make you a born-again Cyclops. In case you missed that day in Mythology class, let us review what a Cyclops is.

According to the Greek mythology, a Cyclops is an extremely strong giant with one eye in the center of his forehead. Naturally, the Cyclops will need only one cataract surgery, thereby saving 50% of the usual and customary fee. If the Cyclops’ cataract is in its early stages, wearing a monocle like Rich Uncle Pennybags, AKA Mr. Monopoly, or a 1930’s era Austrian Duke with a saber scar on his cheek could stave off the cataract surgery for several years.

If you have not been lucky enough to be born a Cyclops, how might you become one to save on cataract surgery? Allow me to once again mansplain stuff to you. In the beginning there were three Cyclops brothers who belonged to the Titan Tribe: Brontes (Thunder), Steropes (Lightning) and Arges (Bright). Their Daddy was a Titan, Uranus the Sky God and their Momma was Gaia the Earth Goddess. Obviously, they came from good stock.

If they had been living in Charleston, South Carolina at the time of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara they would have been received along with Bonnie Blue in all the best homes in Charleston. However, the Cyclops came along well before U.S. Civil War One took place.

There was an ongoing Uncivil War between the Titans and the Olympians over who was going to be the Big Kahuna to run the Elysian Fields and Earth. Uranus led the Titans. Zeus led the Olympians. As usual in Greek Mythology, there was a disturbance in the house of Uranus. Being before Rodney King, no one could just get along. Family bonds were fraught. After a particularly ugly family ruckus, Uranus locked up the Cyclops Brothers in his basement.

Prior to being locked downstairs, the Brothers had become excellent blacksmiths, specializing in really nifty weapons. Zeus learned that the Boys were pretty good making implements of destruction. He freed them from Uranus’ basement and put them to work for him making weapons.

As Vlad Putin learned to his sorrow in the Ukraine, logistics are extremely important in a war. If your weapons are better than the enemy’s stuff, you have a better chance to win.
The Boys went right to work in the Greek equivalent of current day defense contractor Northrup Grumman. They began making weapons for Zeus’ military industrial complex.

They turned out real lightning thunderbolts for Zeus to hurl at the Titans. Northrup Grumman liked Zeus’ thunderbolts so much it named its attack jet the A-10 Thunderbolt II after the Cyclops’ weapon. The A-10 jet is affectionately known as the Warthog because it is as effective as it is ugly.

As a zoological side note, baby warthogs are proof that male warthogs find female warthogs attractive. But I digress. Back to the Cyclops war machine.
In addition to Zeus’ thunderbolts, they produced the magic Trident for Poseidon the Sea God and the Invisibility Cap for Hades the God of the Underworld. With these logistical advantages, the Olympians were able to defeat the Titans without a HIMARS rocket system.

So, what have we learned today? If you weren’t born a Cyclops, go ask Zeus, I think he’ll know how to change you. One eye’s cataract is cheaper to
correct than two.

No Cyclops was harmed during the writing of this column. You are now free to wander about the country.

I watched what I thought was a documentary about an award-winning songwriter recently. The entirety of the hour was a narration written in response to a letter received from another songwriter struggling to find purpose and meaning in his life and profession.

Delivered in a voice that said, “I understand” or “I’ve been where you are,” he was clearly offering hope to the unnamed recipient. He said, “They say you write about what you know. I’m telling you my story not because it’s the best one, but because it’s the one I know the best.”

In a world built on proud factions, it’s odd that in difficult times we hear the word ‘unity’ tossed around. I’m reminded of a phrase I’ve spoken many times. Over time I went from saying it, to eventually believing it, and finally to trying to live it: There is more that unites us than there is that divides us.

In His final earthly charge to those who knew Him best in this world, Jesus says this in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

In our search for identity, our wondering about purpose, our struggle with the meaning of this brief life — the Son of God Himself sums it up for the church as He answers the questions asked so many times and in so many ways: Why am I here? What’s the point of the church? Do I even matter? And … how am I supposed to do this on my own?

In answering the questions His followers didn’t know enough to ask, Jesus didn’t say to feed the hungry like He did. He didn’t say heal the sick or love your neighbors like He did.

In His parting instructions to those who knew Him best, Jesus summed it all up and said we are to observe everything He commanded us to do.

Everything.

While that certainly includes feeding the hungry, healing and loving, it doesn’t stop there. And it’s not where it starts, either.

It starts with making disciples. It starts with caring enough about people right around us, those in our extended circles, and even those we haven’t — and might never — meet. Caring enough to help them find what’s best for them in this world and beyond.

I’m grateful that my story— the one I know best — contains a sidebar when someone took me aside and explained all this to me.

We could all use someone like the small-town pastor who cared enough to help me understand what Jesus taught and what that means for us now. And if what we believe is true, we’re called to be like that pastor.

Because we Christians are unified by a singular mission: helping others learn to love God and love others like Jesus did.

The little girl reading books under bed covers by flashlight is a stereotype for sure, but stereotypes develop for a reason. Zillions of little girls — and some little boys — do this every night.
So do some big girls, including this one, though these days I confidently read by bedside light secure in the knowledge that my mother is not coming to curtail my bedtime reading.
Reading has been a large part of my life since childhood, and I vividly remember seeing a newspaper photo of a book burning somewhere. I was stunned and could not understand why anyone, anywhere would burn a book. I still feel that way.

Others, however, do not.

Americans find ourselves beset by a new generation of “book banners.” Apparently actual book burnings are a bridge too far for today’s crowd of idea deniers. This group seeks not roaring bonfires but restriction and possibly regulation of what adults like you and me and our children can and cannot read. Our First Amendment guarantee of American free speech is venerated until it offends the banning crowd.

Then they appear en masse at school and library board meetings, legislative committee hearing rooms, online and on television, telling the rest of us why we cannot read about issues that make them uncomfortable. This is happening all over our nation, and North Carolina is no exception.

Their no-no’s list our nation’s long history of racism and antisemitism, including historical events like our nation’s only successful coup d’état in 1898 Wilmington. (Thank goodness the January 6th coup was unsuccessful!) Other no-no’s revolve around human sexuality, including reproduction and gender differences. Less prominently but still frowned upon by the book banning crowd are the Holocaust, Apartheid, and the early 20th century eugenics movement. First-hand accounts of any such experiences—slave narratives, Holocaust memoirs, and the like are particularly to be avoided, probably because they resonate with human suffering.

As a child I was puzzled by the idea that there were some topics some people did not want others to know about or to discuss. If I were curious about something, I generally asked my parents who answered my questions in a way I could understand.

As an adult, I understand why some people do not want certain information available.

They are afraid.

They are afraid of our nation’s racist history. They are afraid of differences in human sexuality. They are afraid of aspects of our history and our society that do not line up with their own world views. Other people’s world views be darned. If a fact or an idea does not align with their own thinking, it is a threat to be stomped down.

Uncomfortable and unwelcome truths must be at least ignored and in more extreme circumstances, lied about even in the face of overwhelming evidence and experience.
This is not new in the United States. Our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution notwithstanding, tolerance has rarely been our long suit. Remember Prohibition of the 1920s? Our nation adopted a Constitutional amendment to prohibit the production and sale of alcohol and wound up with the “Roaring 20s,” an era fueled by illegal alcohol.

If the internet has taught us anything, it is that the world — and our nation — possess endless diversity, most of it neither good nor bad, just different from what we may be accustomed to.
I have no right, God given or otherwise, to tell you what to read, to think, or to believe, and you have no right to tell me.

Beyond that, forcing others to behave in certain ways simply does not work, as we should have learned 100 years ago from Prohibition.

Now, go to the library and get a book that suits you, not someone else!

After a petition was issued in June to change how municipal districts are organized, a referendum might be on November’s ballot to restructure the nine-person Fayetteville City Council.
The proposal comes less than a year from the last time the city decided on voting districts for City Council members.

Currently, one member is selected from and represents each of the nine city districts.

According to city documents, the proposal calls for Fayetteville’s municipal districts to be reduced to five. That would result in five representatives from five separate districts within the city. The remaining four would be decided at-large, meaning all Fayetteville voters would decide on nearly half of the members of the city council.

North Carolina law requires that at-large members of any city or town council in the state be fewer or equal to half of the total elected municipal body, according to legal analysis from the UNC School of Government.

If voters approve, redistricting ahead

If the petition is validated, the measure is placed on November’s ballot and if a majority of voters approve of the restructuring, Fayetteville City Council members would be responsible for passing a new district map, like any other municipality in North Carolina.

Under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, the potential new five districts would be required to be substantially equal in population.
At a regular meeting earlier this month, council members considered the petition for approving the measure to be put on the ballot for the upcoming election in November, but the City Council delayed the approval.

City Attorney Karen McDonald said at the meeting that the council must decide on the ballot measure at its next meeting on Aug. 22 or hold a special meeting to conclude the matter.
The timing is required because of the public notice to voters that must be issued by the Cumberland County Board of Elections in a certain time frame before the election, as required by state law. Per state law, any proposed change to voting districts must have enough public notice prior to a vote.

Neither McDonald nor members of the council discussed the petition’s origin.

5,000 valid signatures prompt question

According to N.C. General Statute § 160A-104, municipalities of Fayetteville’s size only need 5,000 valid signatures on a petition to ask for a change to the structure of the City Council. U.S. census figures show that Fayetteville had an estimated 209,000 residents in 2021.

The Cumberland County Board of Elections is charged with validating the petition. According to a letter addressed to the city and signed by the board’s interim director, Angie Amaro, 5,009 of the 5,721 signatures on the petition have been verified, certifying the validity of the petition on June 13.

Upon direction from the City Council at last week’s meeting, McDonald will follow up with the Board of Elections on the petition’s validity and ask for a copy of the filed notice of the circulation of the petition.
State law requires that such a notice must be registered with the county board of elections for the petition to be valid.

The City Council will review the notice once it is obtained from the Board of Election, at its Aug. 22 meeting or a special meeting.
If the petition is ultimately deemed valid, the City Council will be required by state law to send the proposal to voters.

Then, if voters ultimately reject the proposal, the current district map will be used for the next decade until the next U.S. census recalculates the city’s population in 2030.

While North Carolina continues to outperform the rest of the country on a range of economic and social indicators, its leaders can’t afford to overlook a flashing red light on the state’s dashboard: violent crime.

According to the latest FBI data, our urban areas continue to experience rising rates. Comparing the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2021, violent crime was up 23% in Raleigh, 22% in Greensboro and Fayetteville, 7% in Durham and Wilmington, and 6% in Winston-Salem. Charlotte’s 2% increase looks comparatively tame, but it came after a bigger jump the previous year.

More generally, North Carolina’s rate of violent crime was significantly below the national average from 2009 to 2018. It shot up dramatically in 2019 to 379 reported crimes per 100,000 residents, close to the national average of 381, and again in 2020 to 419, blowing past the national average of 399.

The immediate victims were those murdered or attacked, plus family members, friends and neighbors. But the damage extends beyond them. Many North Carolinians now feel less safe. That, in turn, affects their decisions about where to live, work and spend money. And if violent crime remains more prevalent in our state than in the rest of the country, that will likely have serious economic and social consequences for North Carolina down the road.

So, what should we do about this?

Let’s start with two reality checks. First, the problem is multifaceted and not easily jammed into a partisan political frame. The surge appears to be confined to violent crimes, for example, and more specifically to homicides and aggravated assaults.

When it comes to property crimes — burglary, larceny, motor-vehicle theft, etc. — North Carolina’s rate went down in 2020, not up. Indeed, our property-crime rate has been declining fairly steadily since the early 1990s. It’s down 35% in the past decade alone. While violent crimes are more likely to be reported to law enforcement than property crimes, the effect isn’t large enough to explain such a divergence in the trend lines.

Did the tumultuous events of 2020 contribute to the surge in violence? That’s certainly plausible. The raucous protests we saw in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death may have been well-intentioned, but they created incentives for law enforcement to pull back from neighborhoods where a disproportionate share of violence occurs. The COVID pandemic itself could have contributed to the problem, as well, by reducing “eyes on the street” and accentuating the mental stresses that lead some to lash out violently.

My second reality check is about guns. Most violent crimes are also gun crimes, yes, but the weapon of choice is almost always a handgun. Whatever you think of banning “assault weapons,” its effect on violent crime would be negligible. As for banning or radically restricting the ownership of handguns, I’d view the constitutional and political barriers as insurmountable even if I favored such a policy, which I don’t.

More practical solutions exist. Even when it comes to guns, most North Carolinians would likely favor stronger measures to keep guns out of the hands of minors and the mentally ill, to crack down on “straw purchases” and other illegal trafficking, and to toughen penalties for those who use guns to commit crimes.

Speaking of behavioral health, I believe there is broad support for spending more tax dollars on community-based treatment for mental illness and drug addiction, including for the kinds of faith-based programs that tend to produce the most-lasting results. North Carolina communities can also employ such bread-and-butter solutions as installing more streetlights, keeping existing lights in better repair, installing gates in alleyways, and restoring vacant lots to productive use or at least “greening them over” with grass, trees and gardens.

We were never going to “defund the police.” As Manhattan Institute analyst Charles Fain Lehman put it, policing remains “the heart of American crime control” because of its “proven efficacy.” Still, there are other tools in our toolbox. Let’s use them.

According to Manna Church’s website, its mission is to glorify God by equipping His people to change their world and by planting churches with the same world-changing vision.

Here in Fayetteville, Manna Church’s Cliffdale site is a haven for many in the community.

Members and visitors can expect to experience a contemporary worship style at Manna. The church is home to both a children’s and teen ministry.

Manna Church offers four weekend worship services and additional services at their Anderson Creek Site. The earliest service begins at 8:00 a.m. while the latest service begins at 12:45 p.m. On Thursdays at the Anderson Creek Site, there is a 6:30 p.m. service.

At Manna Church, members and visitors have the opportunity to join a Small Group. One of the many Small Groups is “A Woman’s Touch” which is exclusively for women who are passionate about God and serving others. The primary goal of the group is to grow in the knowledge and application of biblical truth so the “inner woman” matches the “outer woman.”

Couples have the chance to join the “Aim for Marriage” Small Group. Here, members hope to join in worship together, pray for each other, and facilitate weekly discussions about different areas where Christ is calling each marriage represented to grow, and how participants can help one another in that journey.

Members of Manna Church participate in Outreach Opportunities like Manna’s Dream Center Food Pantry, which is where team members assist with stocking the food/diaper pantry and accompanying guests while they “shop.”

Another Outreach Opportunity is to be a part of the Manna Dream Center Lunch SERVE Team. The Manna Dream Center began feeding lunch to those in need during the COVID pandemic and, since 2020, Manna has handed out food every day between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

On Sept. 10 Manna Church will be giving out food to military families. The event will be a “drive-thru” style event, meaning families will stay in their cars.

Thanks to the kindness of CVS Health, Tyson Foods, Manna Church and the major suppliers of the commissary, families will receive a bundle of healthy, nutritious food — including protein, a variety of seasonal produce, breakfast items, canned goods and household products.

This event is exclusively for active duty, National Guard, Reserve and veteran families. Families must pre-register and Manna Church requests that participants arrive at their scheduled time in order to help maintain a safe traffic flow.

Tickets are available based on the pick-up time of the participants’ bundle.

Participants may only register for one time slot per family. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

When families arrive, they must present their Eventbrite confirmation (mobile or printed) at the drive-thru check-in. There is a limit of one bundle per household. Manna asks that participants remain in their vehicles throughout the duration of the event and allow the church member to do the heavy lifting.

Families can register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fort-bragg-area-military-family-drive-thru-food-distribution-registration-381028505517.

For more information about Manna Church or its programs and services, visit https://www.manna.church/. More information about the food distribution can be found by calling 910-867-9151.

As students head back to the classroom, the American Red Cross has steps to help kids remain safe.

For parents, it’s a good time to think about emergencies, such as weather-related disasters. Know what the emergency plan is at your child’s school and develop a family emergency plan so everyone will know who to contact and where to go if something happens during the school day. Details are available at redcross.org/prepare.

“There are a lot of things to think about for the start of a busy new school year, but don’t forget to include safety,” said Barry Porter, Regional CEO, American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina Region.

CELL PHONES A DISTRACTION

The National Safety Council reports distracted walking can be dangerous, even deadly. Teach your students the following:

• Don’t text or talk on your phone while walking. If you must text, move out of the way of others and stop on the sidewalk.
• Never cross the street while using an electronic device.
• Do not walk with headphones in your ears.
• Drivers can be distracted too. Never use a phone while driving.

TAKING THE BUS

• Students should get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting. Young children should be supervised.
• Board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant instructs them to get on. They should only board their bus, never an alternate one.
• All students should stay in clear view of the bus driver and never walk behind the bus.

WALKING TO SCHOOL

• Cross the street at the corner, obeying traffic signals and staying in the crosswalk.
• Never run out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards.
• Parents, walk with young children and those taking new routes or attending new schools, for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for the kids to walk to school with a friend or classmate.

GOING BY CAR

• Everyone should always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.

RIDING A BIKE

There may be more young people on bikes as the school bells ring. They should:

• Wear a properly fitted helmet and bright clothing.
• Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, in a single file.
• Come to a complete stop before crossing the street; walk bikes across the street.
• Stay alert to avoid distracted riding.

SLOW DOWN

Drivers should slow down, especially in residential areas and school zones. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop, that motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.
Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. This includes two and four-lane highways. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.

KEEP LITTLE ONES SAFE

Keeping all students safe is the primary concern for everyone, but there are special steps for parents of younger kids and those going to school for the first time:

• Make sure the child knows their phone number, address, how to get in touch with their parents at work, how to get in touch with another trusted adult and how to call 911.
• Teach children not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know.

Finally, download the free Red Cross First Aid app for instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies. You can find it by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps.

The cameras roll and six players stroll into the gymnasium at the Freedom Court Complex. They are confident. They are ready. They are prepped. The black jerseys with gold lettering stand out against the white brick walls as they walk onto the court.
On the opposite side, the other team huddles, preparing for the competition. The game that they are about to play will take them back to their elementary school days. In this world, there’s five rules: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.

In Fayetteville, it’s time for dodgeball.

Just a few days from now, Better Health of Cumberland County will be hosting its 7th annual Diabetes … Dodge It tournament. This competition is open to the general public for teams of nine, including three subs, with a registration fee that covers the entire team.

This now cherished event started years ago when Susan Miller, chair of the dodgeball tournament, was looking for “creative” ways to raise funds and awareness for Better Health’s community diabetes education.

“Organizations are always looking for new and unique fundraisers. Up in Maryland they do a dodgeball tournament that raises thousands of dollars. I brought the idea up to the board,” Miller laughs. “It’s been really successful.”

Miller admits, however, that their fundraiser isn’t quite up to the thousands that are raised in Maryland but the turnout in the community has been good. This year, the administrators at Better Health are hoping for 26 to 32 teams. It’s been two years since they’ve been able to run the event due to COVID but are excited about the prospects for this year's event.

“People can come out and have fun. It gets people active — to get out there and move and have some fun,” said Christiana Adeyemi, the Executive Director of Better Health of Cumberland County.

The event’s proceeds and sponsorship money will go towards helping with the diabetic education clinic that Better Health Cumberland County runs weekly. The program teaches community members about diabetes, healthy habits and how the disease can affect other organs like the heart.

“People get a lot of information out of it. Clients are excited,” Adeyemi said. “They can come and take charge of their diabetes.”

And at the end of all the dodging this Saturday, one team will walk out the victors and have a trophy to show for it.

“We were really unsure of what to expect. Our goal was to make it fun but competitive,” Miller said. “There’s been teams over the years that have been competitive.”

When reminded about the cult classic, "Dodgeball," Miller laughs and says they are nowhere near that competitive. The main thing Better Health administrators would like is awareness and for everyone to have a really good time.

The event will be on Aug. 27 at the Freedom Court Complex. Teams of six or more can register to play in the event for $150.

Spectators are welcome. The event will start at 9 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. Tickets for the general public will be on sale for $5. For more information, visit betterhealthcc.org.

Searching for an authentic 1970s southern rock and roll experience?

Well, the search ends at the Gates Four Golf and Country Club in Fayetteville on Sept. 2 between 6 and 10 p.m. when the “ultimate” Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band “Tuesday’s Gone” will perform.

“We’re very meticulous [and passionate about] trying to really replicate, specifically, the 1970s era of Lynyrd Skynyrd,” said lead singer Ryan King.

“There’s just no way to really do that using at least a lot of modern technologies. In other words, you’re not going to sound like Lynyrd Skynyrd if you go out and buy a Jackson [heavy metal] guitar and run it through some kind of a digital processor,” King said with a chuckle.

Having chosen the second song on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 debut album for their name, “Tuesday’s Gone” is the country’s best Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. And that’s not simply locally. The boys have traveled the better part of the United States, replicating, to the best of their abilities, an era of music that is simply vanishing.

“Tuesday’s Gone” formed in 2005 after King and original guitarists John Pereksta and TR Gwynne crossed the stage one night at an open-mic in Raleigh.

King had been reluctant to perform Lynyrd Skynyrd material, but the level of dedication he witnessed that night changed his mind.

The powerful musical connection that the guys displayed that night really took me by surprise. It sounded too good to pass up, King said.

As flawless as “Tuesday’s Gone” make Lynyrd Skynyrd’s brand of 1970s southern rock and roll appear, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes planning that goes in to achieving that success.

“We’ve got three guitar players, and they use vintage guitars, like 60s models, Stratocasters and Les Pauls. [We use] Fender combo amps. These are old tube driven Fender Deluxe and Twins [amps]. One of my guys has got a Marshal half-stack . . . that is custom made for him,” King said.

These vintage amplifiers consist of what could be considered antique technology by today’s standard. Since the invention of “Solid State” components, i.e., microchips, developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the vacuum tubes and related innards that give these old amps their mojo was replaced in favor of newer, more reliable and shock resistant materials. The trade-off for a lighter and more durable amplifier came at the cost of tone.

“A clean sound with a tube amp has a warmth that is not really possible to achieve on a solid state amp,” music writer Pete Briley said. “Tubes make an amp far more responsive to playing. [A guitarist can] play gently and have a clean tone. But then accent a note by playing slightly harder and have that note distorted.”

“Tone is very, very important,” King said. “Nobody wants to hear Lynyrd Skynyrd done Metallica style, or, at least, not our crowd. Not that we have any issues with Metallica. We love those guys, too. But we want to be true to the original [1970s Lynyrd Skynyrd sound].”

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s chartered touring airplane ran out of fuel and crashed in to a Mississippi swamp in 1977. Of the 26 people aboard, six perished, including principal song-writer and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. Over the years, even though Lynyrd Skynyrd has reformed a multitude of times, the band never again found the level of success before the tragedy, leaving Lynyrd Skynyrd fans in somewhat of a lurch.

“There’s nowhere on the planet that you’re not going to find [Lynyrd Skynyrd fans to come out],” King said.

Since the pandemic ended and live music returned, “Tuesday’s Gone” has become laser-focused on spreading the gospel of Lynyrd Skynyrd to parts yet unknown.

“We are right in the middle of acquiring another tour bus. And once we do that, the objective is to get this thing out to the west coast, and maybe even hit Canada,” King said.

However, plans for upcoming shows don’t simply stop at North American shores. “Tuesday’s Gone” wants to go to Europe, where they can deliver that authentic sound to a continent starved for live American music, all while fulfilling their obligation to the original Lynyrd Skynyrd.

“Most of [my musician friends] have been [to Europe] and toured at least once,” King said. “[And], especially, when it comes to southern rock and rock, when you go over there, you’re like the Beatles, because they can’t replicate it.”

“Tuesday’s Gone” has been recognized by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the fellas have formed relationships with some of the original members, including original drummer Artemis Pile, who famously left the scene of the plane crash and waded through black swamp water before finding help at a nearby farmhouse. In fact, Lynyrd Skynyrd gifted one of Ronnie Van Zant’s personal hats to Mr. Ryan King.

“Tuesday’s Gone” is being brought to Fayetteville by the “Gates Four Summer Concert Series.” This event will be at the Gates Four Golf and Country Club Sept. 2 from 6 to 10 p.m. The concert is free.

Special guest, local singer-songwriter Daniel Cross, will open the show with an acoustic guitar.

“[The Summer Concert Series] started last year,” said Greg Adair, who is a promoter of the “Gates Four Summer Concert Series.”

“We did five shows last year during the summer, and we added a show this year and picked up sponsorship to make it free for everybody,” he added.

Gates Four Golf and Country Club is located at 6775 Irongate Drive in Fayetteville on the south-western side of town, off of Lakewood Drive, in the Jack Britt school district. Gates Four Golf and Country Club is a gated community. When you show up, check in at the security gate. The stage will be set up behind the clubhouse.

It’s worth noting that this show will be the next to last of the 2022 “Gates Four Summer Concert Series.

Up next is Heartbreaker on Oct. 7. To find out more about the “Gates Four Summer Concert Series,” please visit www.GatesFour.com.

For more information about “Tuesday’s Gone,” please visit the band’s personal website at www.TuesdaysGoneBand.com.

So, why not come on down and check out that 1970s sound?

The town of Spring Lake announced Lt. Dysoaneik Spellman as the next police chief in Spring Lake after a two-month search. The decision was effective Monday, Aug. 15.

Spellman was appointed interim police chief when former chief Troy McDuffie retired for the second time in 2021.
Spellman, who has 23 years of law enforcement experience, has been with the Spring Lake Police Department since 2014, when he was hired by McDuffie as a patrol officer. He began his career in 1999 at the Beaufort County Sherriff’s Office.

“I have a passion for this community and spent my career preparing for this moment,’’ Spellman said Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 16, after the Police Department celebrated with a social media announcement and reception.

“When I got here and got to know the department, I knew this was a place I could make a difference. I am proud to serve the Spring Lake residents.”

Spellman has an advanced law enforcement certificate through the N.C. Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission.
He also holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration, an associate’s degree in applied science with a concentration in criminal justice technology and is a graduate of the N.C. Justice Academy Management Development Program.

“I hope to bring some policies and procedures to the department to move us forward to getting a national accreditation,” Spellman said.

He added that most agencies in North Carolina were accredited.

The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen received the announcement from interim Town Manager Joe Durham by email on Monday night after an hour-long special meeting citing the N.C. general statute for personnel.

“Chief Spellman is committed to professionalism and integrity. I have the utmost respect for his leadership and his ability to serve and protect the community,” Durham said in the announcement.
Durham could not be reached Tuesday for further comment.

Spellman on Tuesday said he would like the community to know he has an open-door policy and that the Police Department will be fully transparent with residents.

“We have nothing to hide,’’ Spellman said. “It is beneficial to be out in the community, for me to be out in the community, and I look forward to creating opportunities for residents to get to know our Police Department better. Our residents are our eyes and ears.”

Spellman said he had not yet signed a contract, and the salary offered could not be confirmed Tuesday through Durham or the Local Government Commission. The hiring range from the posted police chief job description was $70,000 to $85,000.

Currently, the Spring Lake Police Department has 27 employees, including 25 police officers. They have three open positions.
Board members, including Alderman Raul Palacios and Alderwoman Sona Cooper, said although the decision was left up to Durham, they look forward to working with Spellman and he has their support in his new role.

As new students (freshmen and transfers) arrived on campus earlier this month for the 2022-23 academic year, Methodist University also announced that it is becoming one of the first universities in North Carolina to offer an accredited, Bachelor of Science Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. Starting in the fall of 2023, Methodist University’s four-year OTA program will welcome its first cohort of up to 24 students, eventually leading to the first graduating class in the spring of 2027.

“Expanding the University’s program offerings to include an OTA program will serve both our students and the local community,” said Dr. Meredith Gronski, the University’s Occupational Therapy Department chair and program director of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. “OTAs partner with occupational therapists to provide services that help people return to their meaningful daily activities. Our OTA program will prepare students to serve as leaders in the profession and take on roles with the highest earning potential.”

This isn’t the first time MU has blazed a path in the area of occupational therapy. Starting in 2015, Gronski led the charge to build up the University’s OTD program — which eventually became the first doctoral-level program in Occupational Therapy in North Carolina in 2018.

Now, it is considered one of the strongest programs in the state, graduating approximately five dozen students the past two years.

Coinciding with the OTA program’s launch, Gronski also announced Melissa Gibson will take the reigns as program director.

Gibson is a licensed OTA with a dozen years of clinical experience. Most recently, Gibson worked as an academic fieldwork coordinator for another developing, baccalaureate-level OTA program.

“Gibson reflects the integrity, leadership, and energy that the department seeks to fill this critical position in the program,” said Gronski. “She demonstrates a commitment to student-centered learning, evidence-based practice, and the authentic role of the OTA that will align well with the program’s curriculum design. Her knowledge and expertise of all programmatic aspects will support her to successfully navigate our accreditation process and bring in the first cohort of students.”

Gibson earned a bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Health and Rehab Sciences from California State University, an associate degree in OTA from Sacramento City College, and a Master of Science in Gero-Psychology. She is planning to earn a Doctor of Healthcare Administration later this month.

“As an OTA myself, I am excited to see the profession take this new step with a new degree level for OTA education,” Gibson added. “What makes having an OTA program at Methodist University unique is that students who would like to move on to become an occupational therapist afterwards will be able to do so through the University’s OTD program. This program will allow all of the health sciences programs to collaborate and learn together even more.”

Alisha Myers will serve as the OTA program’s academic fieldwork coordinator. Myers has been an occupational therapist for eight years and has worked in the local community since 2016. Myers recently served as a fieldwork educator for the OTD program and has mentored many OTD students at Cumberland County Schools.

Currently, there are nine fully accredited associate-level occupational therapy assistant programs across North Carolina; however, none of them offer an accredited baccalaureate-level program. By the time the program launches in the fall of 2023, Methodist University will be one of just three programs of its kind in the state.

The OTA program will provide a variety of career and educational opportunities once students graduate:

• Graduates can take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and if they pass, they can practice as a Certified & Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/L). Similar to a physician assistant’s partnership with a doctor, OTAs can deliver services under the supervision of an occupational therapist.
• Graduates may choose to pursue becoming an occupational therapist themselves by continuing their doctoral studies at Methodist University’s OTD program.
• Graduates can seek a graduate degree in another area of study including speech therapy, physical therapy, healthcare administration, or business administration.

The timing couldn’t be better, either. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of OTAs is projected to grow by 34% by 2030. Also, approximately 8,800 openings for OTAs are projected for each year over the next decade.

In the Fayetteville area specifically, some of the top employers for OTAs include the Cape Fear Valley System, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Cumberland County Schools.
Students may apply immediately online or if you have questions, reach out to admissions@methodist.edu or mgronski@methodist.edu.