PEARL HARBOR — A 2019 Cornerstone Christian Academy graduate and Fayetteville native is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, Rim of the Pacific.
Airman Destiny Lanford is an undesignated sailor aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating out of San Diego.
Undesignated sailors are able to join a ship’s crew and work in many areas, learning the jobs and experiencing more than one position. At the end of a designated time, the sailor chooses which job fits them best for the rest of their naval career.

Aircraft carriers provide unique capabilities and survivability. They are a powerful exhibition of the American Navy's legacy of innovation, technological evolution and maritime dominance, according to Navy officials.
Since USS Langley's commissioning 100 years ago, the nation's aircraft carriers, such as USS Abraham Lincoln, and embarked carrier air wings have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.

“The aircraft carrier is our U.S. Navy's centerpiece, our flagship, and a constant reminder to the rest of the world of our enduring maritime presence and influence,” said Rear Adm. James P. Downey, USN, Program Executive Officer Aircraft Carriers. “These ships touch every part of our Navy's mission to project power, ensure sea control and deter our adversaries.”

Today, Lanford uses skills and values similar to those learned in Fayetteville.

“I believe it's important to always look out for others,” said Lanford. “My brothers always looked out for me, now it's my turn.”

As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring safety at sea and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

The theme of RIMPAC 2022 is Capable, Adaptive, Partners. The participating nations and forces exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces.
These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complex warfighting. The relevant, realistic training program includes gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.

“At RIMPAC I'm looking forward to getting better at the work I do,” said Lanford.

Serving in the Navy means Lanford is part of a team that is taking on new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“The Navy is on the water so we can go everywhere we need to,” said Lanford. “Defense is important as well as humanitarian aid. We can bring that everywhere.”

With more than 90% of all trade traveling by sea, and 95% of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.

According to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday, four priorities will focus efforts on sailors, readiness, capabilities and capacity.

“For 245 years, in both calm and rough waters, our Navy has stood the watch to protect the homeland, preserve freedom of the seas and defend our way of life,” said Gilday. “The decisions and investments we make this decade will set the maritime balance of power for the rest of this century. We can accept nothing less than success.”

Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2022 is led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, who serves as Combined Task Force commander. Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Christopher Robinson serves as deputy commander of the CTF, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Rear Adm. Toshiyuki Hirata as the vice commander, and Fleet Marine Force is led by U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Joseph Clearfield.

Other key leaders of the multinational force will include Commodore Paul O’Grady of the Royal Australian Navy, who will command the maritime component, and Brig. Gen. Mark Goulden of the Royal Canadian Air Force, who will command the air component.

“I'm very proud and happy I'm on deployment with the ship,” said Lanford. “Being deployed means I’ve arrived at my calling to the Navy. I want to get to work.”

During RIMPAC, a network of capable, adaptive partners train and operate together in order to strengthen their collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
RIMPAC 2022 contributes to the increased interoperability, resiliency and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict.

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Lanford and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.

“Serving in the Navy means I'm on the front lines protecting my family and all the citizens in America,” added Lanford.
Additional information about RIMPAC is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil

(Above photo: Airman Destiny Lanford, a 2019 graduate of Cornerstone Christian Academy, is serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of an international maritime exercise known as RIMPAC. Photo by Ethan Carter, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class, Navy Office of Community Outreach)

Fayetteville City Council member Kathy Keefe Jensen is excited to be back on City Council for her fifth term. Jensen was originally elected to serve District 1 on the Fayetteville City Council in Nov. 2013.
District 1 runs across the city's northern edge. It includes residential neighborhoods on Fort Bragg, neighborhoods around Methodist University, Kings Grant Golf & Country Club, parts of Murchison Road and North Ramsey.

She will have been serving on City Council for almost a decade, and as such, she will have the opportunity to see things come to fruition when only a decade ago, it was nonexistent.

“I never thought I'd be here this long,” Jensen told Up & Coming Weekly. “I look forward to closing out things that had gotten started and with government — nothing goes fast. I'm proud of the work that has been done. I honestly say that when I drive around Fayetteville, I'm very proud.”

Jensen bested two candidates who were running against her — Alex Rodriguez and William Milbourne III, who ran as a write-in candidate.
When asked about voter turnout for the summer city election, Jensen said that while it was low, she was shocked that it reached almost 12%. She cites voter turnout in local elections have been low in other cities like Raleigh and Charlotte this year.

“The issue is local elections are your most important elections, and people need to be educated on local elections. It's nonpartisan,” Jensen said.

“So the interesting thing to me is in this election that this is my fifth term and I had supporters that did not even know what party I was. And that to me is what city government should be, because I don't care what your party is. You're my constituent and you live in this city and I need to represent you.”

As chair of the Parks and Recreation Bond committee, Jensen helped oversee several pools and splash pads being funded, built and opened in the city. For Jensen, these new pools and splash pads are perfect for families as it's inexpensive, easy to get to, and kids will have endless hours of fun. She says they are the founding of family traditions.

“So we went from one pool in 60 years … and we came in and now we have four pools in the city,” Jensen said. “Eight years ago, we had one splash pad. Right now in the county we have 12.”

For teenagers, Jensen said she saw an absent youth council, and she was inspired after going to the National League of Municipalities in Washington, D.C.

“I felt like it was something that we needed that we forgot about. And so we revitalized it,” Jensen said. “We have been named the state's best youth council. We are a force to be reckoned with in the youth councils, even on a national level.”

Even for older teens and adults, Jensen wants the city to provide events that will allow the whole family to have fun.

“Well, the New Year's Eve party, that was something that I've wanted to do forever,” Jensen said. “But now you've started your tradition in your family, and that's the key.”

During this last term, Jensen served as Mayor Pro Tem. She decided she will no longer fill that role. Instead, she wants to focus more on her liaison role to Fort Bragg and the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission.

“I loved every minute of it. I think that we're put in the position in the time that you need to be put in the position because I feel like I'm pretty levelheaded, calm,” Jensen said when thinking about her time as Mayor Pro Tem.

However, since becoming the liaison to Fort Bragg and working with the state for military affairs, Jensen says she realized how much Fayetteville could help the military community by having jobs available and being more accessible to the military installation.

“We want to be good neighbors, and we want to be able to help and thrive. So we want to be in partnership. We want to collaborate. We want to be part of the universe. We want to help the quality of life and sometimes you just need to sit down at the table and say, okay, what is it that we need to do?”

Jensen was one of the collaborators to get a city partnership with the military installation to build a new sports complex. The facility will be built near I-95 and McArthur Road. The complex will include baseball fields, a playground, trails and open areas, bathrooms and parking.

“We have gotten a 30-year lease from the military, which takes an act of Congress to do. And we did it. We literally got an act of Congress to make it happen. And so we're very excited about that,” Jensen said.

Looking to the near future, Jensen is hoping a new bond will be passed in the next election. The bond would address public safety, infrastructure and affordable housing in the city.

“We are short right now 20,000 houses. So you look at that number, and you go, wow, Fayetteville needs to get to it,” Jensen said. “But that's everywhere. We all know that rent prices have gone up. Of course, it's a city problem, but it's also a nationwide problem.”

According to city documents, the bonds would be valued at a maximum of $97 million. Voters will be able to vote on each area — public safety, infrastructure and housing — separately, as each will have its own portion of the $97 million.
The “Vote Yes Referendum” is another referendum that may be on the ballot. This referendum would change the structure of the City Council by changing its current nine single-member districts and mayor to a structure of the mayor, five single-member districts and four at large members.

“I will definitely vote to have both bonds put on [the ballot],” Jensen said.

Jensen looks forward to having more conversations and help grow Fayetteville. She believes Fayetteville will be getting an influx of people in the next few years and they need to be ready.

“I only want what's best for where I live, work and recreate,” Jensen said.

“I think Fayetteville is growing. The north side District 1 is growing by leaps and bounds, and we just have to make sure that we are sitting down, having the conversations and that [Fayetteville] is a place to live, work and play.”

The inauguration of the City Council members will take place on Aug. 11 in the J.W. Seabrook Auditorium at Fayetteville State University.

Are you worried? Suffer from chronic anxiety? Are you too pooped to pop as Lucy Ricardo said in her Vitameatavegamins commercial? To quote our old friend, William Wordsworth: “The world is too much with us; late and soon/ Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.”

Has buying stuff from China lost its charm? Have you run out of PPP money the feds shoveled out the door during the bad Rona times? Has your ability to change the world powered down? Tired of worrying about big issues you can do nothing about? How about worrying about a small problem that you can do something about? Wouldn’t that be a pleasant change from concerns about Putin? Step right up and keep reading. Today we explore the wonderland of First World Problems.

First World Problems do not involve big things like starvation, wars and rumors of wars, or the curious rise of neighborhood Fascism. Nope, First World Problems are minor annoyances that only people at the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy would notice. First World Problems are so minor they don’t even register unless a TV commercial brings them to your attention. Then they can sell you a solution for a problem Big Pharma invented.
Can you recall Hans Christian Andersen’s story of “The Princess and the Pea”? Allow me to mansplain it to you. Princess Karen had a First World Problem — extreme sensitivity to tiny irritants. Like Edgar Allen Poe’s character Annabel Lee, Karen lived “many and many a year ago in a Kingdom by the Sea.” But Karen wasn’t always a princess. She started out as a shivering rain-drenched traveler on a muddy road. Her extreme sensitivity led her to becoming a princess.

Once upon a time there was a prince who needed a wife. He looked far and wide in the kingdom to find a suitable bride. Unfortunately, his Mamma got to decide who the prince would marry. Mamma decreed that the prince could only marry a real princess. When the prince would bring home a maiden to meet the family, Mamma always found something wrong with his date. The date talked too much, ate too much, table manners were bad, wasn’t pretty enough. You get the picture; Mamma was a pill. No woman was going to be good enough for her little boy.

The prince was getting pretty frustrated at the revolving rejections. Then one dark and stormy night, came a knock on the castle door. This was before Ring doorbells with cameras were invented, so the prince answered the door himself. There stood Karen, a bedraggled soaking wet maiden seeking shelter from the storm. Karen claimed to be a princess but she looked more like a peasant. Word was out in the kingdom that the prince was looking for a wife. Lots of fake princesses showed up at the castle door hoping to snag the prince into the coils of matrimony.

To weed out fake princesses, Mamma had a test. It is well known that a real princess would be extremely delicate and hyper sensitive to everything. Karen was sent to a chamber where 20 mattresses and 20 quilts were piled upon a bed. Underneath the bottom mattress Mamma placed a single pea. The next morning Mamma asked how Karen had slept. Karen complained she had not slept all night because something in the bed had hurt her back leaving her bruised. This proved Karen was the real deal as only a real princess could be so sensitive. Karen and the handsome prince were married. They lived happily ever after, remaining friends even after their divorce.

Fast forward to Now. According to TV commercials there is a wide spread problem with the silent tragedy of toe fungus in America. Toe fungus is a major First World Problem. News shows are replete with commercials for products to fight and cure toe fungus. A person with toe fungus is shamed and outcast from polite society. There are numerous potions out there ready, willing, and able to cure your toe fungus so you can be returned to society. One cure features a cute little cartoon toe fungus gremlin who climbs under your big toe nail. He laughs maniacally while he messes you up. The ads are intentionally disgusting. They highlight the gruesome ravages of toe fungus which can infect your entire family unless you buy their product. The message is you are a lousy human being if you don’t purchase their Toe Fungicide.

I prefer Mark Twain’s cure for warts which should also work on toe fungus. Tom Sawyer used spunk water from a rotten tree stump and a bean. Tom says cut your wart to get some blood to put it on the bean. Bury the bean at a crossroads at midnight in the dark of the moon. Chant “Down bean. Off wart; come no more to bother me.” Huck Finn’s cure for warts involved a dead cat. Take the dead cat to a graveyard. The Devil will come to the graveyard to get the body of a newly buried wicked man around midnight. “Then heave your cat after ‘em and say: ‘Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I’m done with ye!’”

Huzzah! Warts and toe fungus are gone. A First World Problem solved without Big Pharma.

When CNBC ranked North Carolina the best state in America for business a few weeks ago, Democrats and Republicans spun the news in familiar ways. The former used it to promote the leadership of Gov. Roy Cooper, citing CNBC’s own take that the state had prevailed against its Sunbelt competitors by “putting partisanship aside” and avoiding contentious debates on social issues. GOP politicos and activists responded by touting the benefits of a decade’s worth of pro-growth tax and regulatory reforms by the General Assembly — most of which Cooper opposed, which in their view makes it hypocritical for him to claim credit for the CNBC ranking.

If you look closely at its methodology, you’ll find some support for both political takes. But you’ll also find key insights that produced no headlines.
The study’s sources included the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index and the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of North America Index, both of which gave North Carolina high marks. However, the study also included voting-rights rankings from the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice and anti-discrimination rankings from Freedom for All Americans, an LGBTQ-rights organization.

As it happens, North Carolina didn’t rank in the top five, much less at the top of the list, in any of the broad categories encompassing those measures. CNBC ranked our state 26th in the cost of doing business, 22nd in business friendliness, and 28th in “life, health, and inclusion.”

So, how did our state end up at the top of the overall list? Because CNBC used a weighted average of many different categories — and North Carolina ranked either middling or high in all of them. Other CNBC categories included access to capital (2nd), technology and innovation (5th), workforce (12th), education (14th), and infrastructure (17th).
Some of our high rankings are related to policy choices by lawmakers and other public officials. As I have pointed out on numerous occasions, North Carolina has a comparatively high return on public investment in highways and public schools, and remains one of the most generous state funders of higher education in the country. You and I may disagree about the causes and practical consequences of these conditions. But because of the way CNBC set up its study, they were bound to boost North Carolina’s overall score.

Other high rankings for our state, however, have more to do with longstanding structural features of its economy, such as its strong banking and finance sector (which has its roots in policy choices, yes, but those made more than a century ago when lawmakers adopted relatively loose regulation of statewide branching and bank-issued insurance products).
In only one of the study’s constituent categories did our state rank at the very top of the national list — but it was a big one. After North Carolina, the top-scoring states on CNBC’s “economy” category were Tennessee, Washington, Florida and Idaho. The category included measures of job creation, GDP growth, real estate markets, the presence of corporate headquarters, and the fiscal condition and creditworthiness of state and local governments.

Take special note of those latter measures. Over the past decade the General Assembly has prudently built up the state’s financial reserves, protecting its triple-A credit ratings while sending a clear signal to entrepreneurs, investors, job creators and corporate decision makers that North Carolina is better prepared than most other places to weather future storms, be they meteorological or economic. State Treasurer Dale Folwell has also played a key role in improving the state’s fiscal position and preparedness.

There’s nothing particularly exciting about paying off debts or stashing money in rainy-day accounts and defined-benefit reserves.
It doesn’t make headlines. It just makes good sense.

Fayetteville municipal candidates and voters have recently slogged through another election cycle, an odd one because it was pushed back from fall 2021 by delayed U.S. Census data.
The incumbent mayor was handily re-elected, and an incumbent council member posted an astounding almost 70-percentage point win over his challenger. With the election over, Fayetteville’s elected officials can now settle into the business of guiding the city. Election peculiarities and individual candidates aside, it is worth remembering running for any elective office is a leap of faith.

It takes courage to put yourself into the public arena to be publicly evaluated and openly criticized.
Cynics might also say it takes a large ego to believe you are not only capable but should make decisions regarding the lives and fortunes of your fellow citizens.

Cynics might add that being in the political spotlight attracts some candidates, and not always for the right reasons.
It is not easy to run for elective office. It requires a great deal of time, often taking candidates away from their careers and their families.

People who have run for office and those who serve in elective positions at all levels of government tell stories of special occasions missed and personal relationships strained.
Running for office and serving in one can also be financially difficult as it takes time away from careers and businesses.
Candidates and elected officials often find themselves torn between campaigning and the responsibilities of their offices and their own work and personal obligations.

Running for elective office is also expensive. Candidates for office in a city the size of Fayetteville will almost inevitably use paid media to get their messages across to the thousands of registered voters eligible to cast ballots in municipal contests. These expenditures run from relatively modest sums for palm cards to be given to voters to vastly more expensive mailers, radio and television spots, and, increasingly, various social media ads.

A few lucky candidates have both the means and the will to fund their own campaigns, but the majority will raise campaign dollars from family, friends and supporters.
Significant time and effort are required to make campaign fundraising successful enough to run a competitive campaign, and the financial ask itself can be a humbling experience for candidates who cannot promise the donor any return other than “representing you with integrity.”

So, why do some people decide to “stand for election” when the road is clearly arduous and the elective work itself held in such low public esteem.
A zillion years ago when I first ran for public office, a friend asked me “why on earth I wanted to be ‘with those people?’”
The answer for me was that I genuinely believed that I could represent my community more responsibly than the incumbent and that the opportunity arose at a point in my life when I was able to mount a campaign.

I suspect most of the candidates in Fayetteville’s municipal elections last month would tell us much the same.
That said, voters themselves merit some attention and some criticism. Only about 12 in every 100 voters registered in Fayetteville bestirred themselves to vote in July’s municipal elections, a humiliating reflection on the city’s electorate.

If some of our fellow citizens are willing to serve in elective office and put themselves out for months, if not years, of public scrutiny and occasionally apocalyptic public criticism, the least we can do is give them a thumbs up — or down.

The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen on Monday night, Aug. 8, is expected to receive an update on the town’s finances through June from the Local Government Commission.
The Local Government Commission took financial control of the town last year amid concerns about budget deficits, fiscal disarray and an investigation into missing money.

In a letter to the Board of Aldermen in advance of the meeting, Susan McCullen said the town is showing that it has collected $3,228,037, or 102.67% of property taxes, which she says is excellent. Property tax is the town’s largest revenue source. McCullen is director of the Fiscal Management Section of the Local Government Commission.

She also said the general fund appears to be in better shape going into year-end than in recent years.
With the report nearing the end of the fiscal year, McCullen also cautions that there are departments that have overspent their budget.

“There are four functions that appear to have overspent the budgeted amount at this time: administration, tax collections, public works administration and senior building,” McCullen said.

She said staff will be working to determine what caused the issues and revise business processes as needed so the issues do not happen again.
The concern that the general fund will have a negative fund balance is again repeated in the letter sent to the town in advance of the meeting. Financial officers will be unable to determine the exact amount of the deficit until the 2022 audit is completed.

McCullen stated in her letter that any positive balances that are currently showing cannot be viewed as available for new programs or expansion items until the town’s financial condition can be fully assessed. This has been a statement repeated over the last year as the finance staff has worked to verify the current state of the town’s finances, along with the search for missing money and missing vehicles.

An audit released in March by the Office of the State Auditor said the town reported having 80 vehicles, while the state Division of Motor Vehicles reported 138 and the financial auditor 92.

The board will also hear a presentation from Liz Whitmore, a planner in the historic resource office at the city of Sanford.
Cynthia Wilt, a Spring Lake resident and member of the Appearance and Sustainability Committee, said the committee is looking into the possibility of murals in the town. Wilt said they are looking at options to highlight the town’s history and military connection.

The Fayetteville City Council is taking steps to regulate homeless encampments on public property. During a work session this past Monday, the council by a consensus of 8-2 decided to move forward with a revised city ordinance on camping on public property inside the city limits. The proposed ordinance is on the council's consent agenda for its regular meeting Aug. 8 at City Hall. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The issue of homelessness — and what to do about it — is one the city has worked to address for a number of years. More recently, the issue has involved those who sleep in encampments in high-risk areas such as near roadways on public and private property and under bridges in the city.

The recommendations in the proposed ordinance address those who camp on public property. Council opted not to make a decision on proposed recommendations for camping on private property at this time.

Brook Redding, an assistant to the city manager and special projects manager for Fayetteville, gave the presentation on the proposed ordinance to the City Council.

The current city ordinance defines camping as “a place where tents, huts or other temporary shelters are set up.” The existing regulation prohibits overnight camping at parks and cemeteries, but it leaves other venues open. It does not prohibit camping on private property or other city-owned property, Redding said. In June and July, a city task force met with members of the Continuum of Care, the lead agency for planning and coordination of homeless activities in the county, for their input.

If the proposed ordinance is approved during the regular council meeting, it would not allow camping on public property without the landowner's approval, and all tents and shelters would have to be removed during the day. It would not allow sleeping in vehicles on public property.

The council was presented with three proposals during its work session. Of those, members agreed on the terms with the least limiting camping recommendation. Under that proposal, camping is prohibited when there is overnight shelter available in the city and when it presents a public health and safety risk, regardless of shelter availability.

“This, at a minimum,” Redding said, “would give us a legal basis needed to execute" enforcement of the ordinance.

Other proposals

The council also was presented with proposals that were moderately limiting and were most limiting regarding camping.

Redding said the task force recommended the most limiting proposal.
Under that proposal, camping or sleeping in a vehicle on public property is prohibited when there is:
– Available overnight shelter;
– When it presents a public health and safety risk, regardless of shelter availability;
– Sleeping in a vehicle between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.;
– Erecting or constructing a tent or laying down bedding between 8 a.m. and sunset.

The most limiting, he said, would “address several of the layers of issues the city is encountering right now with unsheltered homelessness.”

Redding said the staff recommendation on private property suggests that the components that are there now should remain in place.
In that case, camping is prohibited unless:
– An individual is camping on his own land;
– An individual is camping with the written consent of the landowner;
– An individual is camping no more than seven consecutive days without an interruption of three months of non-camping days.

Councilwoman Yvonne Kinston asked Redding if current services include overnight availability for men, women, a woman and child, and a man and child.

“In the city, there is availability,” he said. “On average, our current services are never at capacity. Usually, they’re not even 50% occupancy.”

Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram proposed that the homeless find a “safe space” in the Salvation Army parking lot when that agency is at capacity and no other homeless services are available.

“We cannot dictate what Salvation Army allows on its property,” Redding said.

Later, the council agreed to talk with the Salvation Army regarding Ingram's idea. Mayor Mitch Colvin said homelessness has been an issue for cities statewide.

“Certainly, we want to balance being sensitive to those in our community who are in this situation to have some structure with the public good,’’ he said. “By all the shelters that we support, they have certain rules and barriers to get in. No drink and drugs for that particular night.

“By us looking the other way and not doing anything really is circumventing the effectiveness of those shelters because it gives people an option if they don’t want to comply with some of that," Colvin said. "We know that nothing we can do tonight or even follow up is going to be a one-all, fix-all. But I think if we continue to look away, those communities are growing …”

When it comes to public space being used for camping, he noted, Fayetteville is one of the few cities that does not have any type of public camping ordinance or a very limited ordinance compared with municipal peers of comparable size.

The mayor said the city also is talking with the N.C. Department of Transportation regarding the homeless who camp on its property inside the city. Many of the homeless in Fayetteville camp on DOT property.

Homeless initiatives

For several of the candidates in the city’s recent municipal election, homelessness was cited as a major campaign issue. It’s an issue that has repeatedly come before the City Council over the last 10 to 15 years. At one point, the city laid out a 10-year plan to eradicate homelessness in the city. As the mayor has said in the past, homelessness will never be completely resolved here. But the council is making strides to put a serious dent into the situation.

Over the past few years, the council has authorized what the city calls “some transformational initiatives” in hopes of reducing homelessness in the community. There are roughly 475 or more unsheltered individuals who live in inexpensive motels, under bridges and in encampments around town and in the county. The city supports homelessness initiatives through partnerships with community organizations and Cumberland County.

Those initiatives include the city’s purchase of a facility for a homeless day resource center at 128 S. King St., which has been designated to provide “a community resource hub for persons experiencing homelessness.”

The center is expected to be brought online in the spring of 2023, the city has said. In February, through a partnership with Manna Church, the city opened the Manna Dream Center men’s shelter on Person Street. For overnight guests, the Dream Center can accommodate up to 20 people.

The shelter has been open since December. At the same time, Cumberland County is moving forward on a proposed homeless
shelter and on a homeless strategic plan.

The Salvation Army also provides beds and food for men, women and families who have fallen on hard times.

Next steps

During Monday's work session, City Manager Doug Hewett said the council is now “looking to see how far or how little the council would like to move up or down. … If it presents a public health or safety risk regardless of availability, that will allow us to be able to go into some of these situations that we saw where people are close to the road. And we have offered them services repeatedly.

“That is what will help us when people are risking their life and other people’s lives by living under a bridge, starting fires under a bridge. Again,” Hewett said, “it’s not saying that they (don’t) count, but that becomes a risk for themselves or the public, and they would have to move from that location. If they did not, then this would give us tools to do that.”

Council members then gave an 8-2 consensus approval for the least limited proposal, with Kinston and Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin opposed. Redding said the ordinance would level the field and create a legal basis to adjudicate, if needed. As a result, he said, the proposed ordinance would drive the city’s unsheltered homeless toward services. They would not be required to participate in those services if they didn’t want to, he said.

“But if they are in an environment that is at-risk or at-risk to the public at high-risk,” Redding said, “they can’t be there. That is what this is speaking to.”

The Fayetteville City Council is holding a public hearing Monday night on a proposed bond package totaling $97 million for public safety, streets and sidewalks and housing.

The bond package, which would be put before voters on the November ballot, could add 3.5 to 4 cents to the city property tax rate in coming fiscal years, city officials have said.

The City Council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The proposed bond package includes $60 million for public safety improvements, $25 million for streets, sidewalks and connectivity projects and $12 million for housing. In other business, council members will consider a resolution calling for a special election to address the way City Council members are elected and consider a proposed ordinance that would regulate homeless encampments. Both items are on the consent agenda.

The public hearing on the authorization of the proposed bonds would entail the final adoption of the bond orders and a resolution calling for a bond referendum on Nov. 8, Election Day. During a June council agenda briefing, City Manager Doug Hewett called the referendum on the bond packages “a significant item.”

The proposed bonds, if approved by voters, would allow for significant investments in Fayetteville's infrastructure and operations, Hewett has said. The funding could pave the way for the city to pursue key projects in public safety, public infrastructure and housing affordability.

Hewett said progress made across all three areas has the potential to improve the quality of life for residents by addressing needs directly related to safety and security.

According to the city, the $60 million for public safety improvements would be used to acquire, construct and equip various law enforcement and firefighting facilities. The $25 million for streets, sidewalks and connectivity improvements would be used for street, road, mobility, sidewalk and streetscape improvements, bridges, bicycle lanes, curbs and drains, traffic controls and greenways, the city said.

The $12 million in housing bonds would be used for community development programs “to provide and rehabilitate multifamily and single-family housing inside the corporate limits of the city, principally for the benefit of persons of low- and moderate-income’’ previous council agenda materials have said. This would include programs to provide loans or other financial assistance to people and private housing providers. If the bonds are approved by voters, an increase in the property tax rate would be needed to repay the bonds in future budgets.

Consent agenda

A proposal that would restructure the way City Council members are elected and a proposed ordinance to regulate homeless encampments are among the items on Monday’s consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda are usually passed without discussion.

The Vote Yes Fayetteville initiative calls for five single-district seats on the council and four members elected at large. The mayor would still be elected at large.
Currently, the mayor is elected citywide and all nine council members are elected by district.

Proponents of the new plan say it will give voters more representation on the City Council because each voter would help choose the mayor, four at-large council members, and a district representative.

Mayor Mitch Colvin and others who oppose the plan say it would dilute representation by increasing the size of the districts.
Vote Yes Fayetteville is an organization that supports the new plan. Tony Chavonne, publisher of CityView TODAY, is one of several former council members who started the Vote Yes initiative.

On Monday, the council will consider a resolution calling for a special election on Nov. 8 to put the issue before city voters.
Also on the consent agenda are proposed changes to a city ordinance to regulate homeless encampments on public property. The matter was discussed at the work session Aug. 1.
Under the proposal, camping would be prohibited when there is overnight shelter available in the city and when it presents a public health and safety risk, regardless of shelter availability.

Political newcomer Mario Benavente maintained a six-vote lead over incumbent Antonio Jones to secure the District 3 seat on the Fayetteville City Council following Friday’s canvass by the Cumberland County Board of Elections.

Benavente’s win was certified Friday by the board, but Jones is eligible to request a recount.
The canvass was conducted at the Board of Elections office at 227 Fountainhead Lane.

The unofficial tally on July 26, which was Election Day, had Benavente edging Jones by six votes — 1,012 to 1,006 — in the tightest race of the night in the Fayetteville municipal election.

On Friday, the absentee ballots were added to make the election’s unofficial returns official. Benavente and Jones each received four votes in Friday’s canvass, making the official tally 1,016 to 1,010, with Benavente still maintaining a six-vote edge over Jones.

Benavente, who attended the canvass, burst out laughing at the outcome, which solidified his victory to represent District 3.
The elections board certified the overall 14,910 ballots that were cast in the election. That included the 198 absentee ballots added during the canvass. A total of 24 provisionals were added Thursday.
In all, 10,551 voters cast ballots on Election Day. An overall 4,137 ballots were cast during early voting.

“We always felt confident about the outcome of the race,” Benavente said following the canvass. “But I can’t lie and say that we weren’t somewhat nervous of the potential. They kind of iced the kicker last night when they delayed the absentee count.

“We’re ready to celebrate today,” he said.

Jones did not immediately return phone messages left Friday.

He told CityView TODAY after the municipal election that he intends to ask for a recount should he remain eligible for one. With the addition of the absentee ballots, Benavente’s win remains no more than 1% of the total votes cast.
Jones can request a recount, which would be held Thursday morning, according to Angie Amaro, the interim director for the Board of Elections.

"We're long past the era of the hanging chad," said Benavente, referring to the computers of today that tally election results. "So, I'm not too worried about a recount."

The request for a recount has to be made in writing, and the Board of Elections must receive it by 5 p.m. on the first day of business following the canvass.

“We don’t know. He may not,” board member Irene Grimes said of Jones asking for a recount.

“I would do it,” Billy King, another member of the Board of Elections, said during a break in the proceedings.

For a non-statewide ballot item in North Carolina, a candidate has the right to request a recount if the difference between the votes for the candidate and the votes for a prevailing candidate is not more than 1% of the total votes cast, according to the state recount law.

"The provisionals and the absentees were certainly — those being outstanding were a question mark," Benavente said. "The way these ballots are counted, the way these computers work, a recount is just going to be a third victory at this point."

Jones, 48, is a pastor and a real estate agent. He was appointed to serve as the District 3 representative in December 2021.
Benavente, 32, is a first-generation American who was born in Korea. He has listed his occupation as a community organizer and legal professional. He recently earned his law degree from N.C. Central University.

This was his first run for public office.

"Just ready to put that same level of hard work effort we did to win this campaign, actually serving my district and my hometown of Fayetteville," he said.

"We have a lot of energy, and we can't wait to raise the expectations of what people expect from their council members."

In another close race, challenger Brenda McNair's win over incumbent Larry Wright was verified by an official 681 to 661 vote with the addition of the absentee ballots.

City Council inauguration

The mayor and the City Council are set to be sworn in during an inauguration ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Seabrook Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University. The event is open to the public.
The program will include administering the oath of office, a brief meeting for the council to elect a mayor pro tem and a reception, according to a release from the city.
Mayor Mitch Colvin also is scheduled to deliver an opening address.

Up to 1,200 Fort Bragg soldiers will be relocated because their barracks don’t meet HVAC standards, post officials said.

The decision comes after Army and installation leaders recently inspected the living conditions in the Volar-style barracks in the Smoke Bomb Hill area, the Public Affairs Office said in a release Thursday.

The soldiers will be moved from 10 to 12 barracks that were built in the 1970s and don’t meet today’s standards for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, the release said.

The relocations will be “a deliberate, phased approach,’’ the release said. Fort Bragg officials did not say when the moves would take place.

“Army leaders have committed substantial resources to address the barracks issues to ensure our soldiers are taken care of throughout the process,’’ the release said.

‘’Our enduring obligation at Fort Bragg and as Army leaders is to take care of our people — our soldiers and their families,’’ the release said. “Their health and welfare is of the utmost importance to our Army readiness.’’

Detectives with the Fayetteville Police Department are asking the public for help in identifying two people they say might have information about a Wednesday morning, Aug. 3 shooting in a motel parking lot that left one man dead and another seriously injured.

The two people were seen near the motel just before the shooting, police said in a release.

“Detectives have reason to believe they have pertinent information regarding the investigation and would like to speak with them,’’ the Police Department said.

The Police Department released surveillance photos showing two people wearing what appears to be hooded sweatshirts.

The shooting was reported at 3:15 a.m. at the Travelodge at 2076 Cedar Creek Road. Police said officers found 19-year-old Markus Richard Samples and 21-year-old Jayquan Deshawn Blandshaw, both of Hope Mills, in the parking lot.

Samples was pronounced dead at the scene, police said in a release Thursday.

Blandshaw is recovering from his injuries. He is expected to survive, police said in the release.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.

Anyone who has information about this investigation or about the two people in the surveillance photos is asked to contact Detective M. Waters at 910-635-4978 or Crimestoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).

Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon plans to retire effective Dec. 1, according to a news release from the county.
Cannon informed the Board of Commissioners of her decision on Monday, the release said.

Cannon has 32 years of service with Cumberland County and has been county manager since 2014.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve in this capacity in the community where I was born and raised,” Cannon said in the news release. “Most county managers do not have that opportunity.”

Cannon was the first woman to serve as Cumberland County manager. She began with the county budget department in 1990 and was promoted to finance director, assistant county manager and deputy director before being named county manager in June 2014.

“Throughout my career with the county, I have tried to serve with loyalty and dedication,” she said in the release. “I left a career in public accounting in 1990 because I recognized my heart was in public service, and I have no regrets about that decision or my public service journey over the last three decades.”

Cannon said her decision to retire is based solely on her desire to spend more time with her family, the release said.
Board of Commissioners Chairman Glenn Adams called it “a bittersweet announcement.”

“We don’t want to see Ms. Cannon leave, but we completely understand that life moves on and time with family is priceless,” Adams said in the release. “We want to thank her for 32 years of public service and her passionate dedication to our citizens. Cumberland County is better because of her leadership, and we wish her godspeed.”

About 50 faculty and staff members at Fayetteville Technical Community College on Aug. 4 heard what the first of two finalists for college president believes are critical issues facing the school.

The finalists are Mark Sorrells, senior vice president for Academic and Student Services at Fayetteville Technical Community College, and Pamela Senegal, president of Piedmont Community College in Roxboro.
Sorrells is the first to participate in a question-and-answer session that the college streamed live on its YouTube Channel. Senegal is scheduled to appear in the same venue on Aug. 10.

The question-and-answer session lasted a little over an hour. Sorrells fielded questions ranging from his position on providing mental health services for students, child care, access to technology, helping students with learning disabilities, and the stigma of attending a community college compared with attending a four-year college.

Sorrells listed his three priorities should he get the job as FTCC's next president. The first is to increase student success.

“I’m never satisfied until all succeed,” he said.

He admitted that he may never see that happen, but will continue his efforts on their behalf.
His second priority is “investing in the people who are here.” Sorrells told the audience they are among the most important because they touch the lives of students every day.

His third priority is ensuring a succession of leadership.

“We need a good bench,’’ he said. “A lot of us (in leadership positions) will be gone in the next five to six years.”

Sorrells said leaders must be groomed to take over when the need arises.
Sorrells, who also teaches a business accounting class, came from behind the lectern and paced the stage while answering questions. He told the audience that they all should celebrate their successes, among them an upsurge in passing rates and a downward trend in withdrawals. When he first arrived, FTCC had a 77% passing rate. That number climbed to 82% this summer. Likewise, FTCC suffered a 14% withdrawal rate two years ago. That number is down to 10% as of this summer.

“You did that. That was your work,” he told those attending the session.

He also vowed to better “balance” the faculty and its leadership to more accurately mirror the students attending FTCC.
Responding to a question about what the school is doing for the military, Sorrells said FTCC recently hired Addison “Tad” Davis, a former Fort Bragg garrison commander, as a consultant to look into that issue. Sorrells said the FTCC administration is looking at his recommendations.
Another question asked how FTCC could enhance its online course offerings. Sorrells replied that FTCC was doing well.

"We are the No. 1 online community college in the state," he said.

"We're third in the state when combined with universities," he said.

However, he cautioned that online learning is often hard for students who are not used to technology. He said there is a high 80 to 90% success rate in face-to-face learning environments, a mid-80 to high 80% success rate for a blended learning environment, and a low to high 70% success in a total online.
Sorrells said many students never engage in online learning, and many do not have the discipline to participate in online classes.

“Learning is a social activity,” he said.

Larry Keen, FTCC’s president since 2007, recently announced his plan to retire in January. The board of trustees plans to make its selection later this month. The prospect will be forwarded to the State Board of Community Colleges for approval at that board's meeting in September.

One person was killed and another was injured in a shooting early Wednesday, Aug. 3 at a motel on Cedar Creek Road, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

The shooting was reported at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday at the Travelodge motel at 2076 Cedar Creek Road, according to a police news release.
Officers found that two people had been shot in the parking lot. One victim was pronounced dead on the scene. The second was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to the release.

Their identities were withheld pending notification of family.
The shootings are under investigation by the Police Department’s Homicide Unit, the release said.
Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to contact Detective M. Waters at 910-635-4978 or CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477). CrimeStoppers also takes information at http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

The pedestrian killed in a crash on Ramsey Street on July 30 has been identified as David Lamont Mills, 52, of Fayetteville, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

The department’s Traffic Unit investigated the crash in the 1300 block of Ramsey Street.
The driver of the vehicle was Sharon Ann Furseth, 65, also of Fayetteville, according to a news release issued by police Wednesday. Furseth was not injured in the crash.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, police said.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Officer C. Biggerstaff at 910-751-1382 or CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477). CrimeStoppers also takes information at http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon on Aug. 1 asked the county Board of Commissioners to consider creating two new water and sewer districts to combat contamination of private wells due to GenX and other forever PFAS chemicals in portions of the county.
She said creating distinct water and sewer districts with specific boundaries will make those areas more competitive for grants. Grants for total countywide water are not available, she said.

Cannon asked the commissioners to consider creating the Cedar Creek and the East Central water and sewer districts. She also recommended serving the existing Vander Water and Sewer District, which was created in 2002.
The board asked Cannon to have staff members conduct a community education campaign before scheduling a public hearing, which is required prior to the county establishing the new water districts.

Chairman Glenn Adams said holding the public hearings after the education and information campaign will better prepare those who want to speak at the public hearing. The board also voted to give county staff the go-ahead to apply for grants for the Gray’s Creek water extension and for the Vander Water and Sewer District.

The proposed water and sewer districts

Cannon acknowledged that since 2002 the Vander Water and Sewer District had been dormant. She said the focus has been on the Gray’s Creek area, where the chemical contamination of private drinking water wells initially was the highest.

The proposed Cedar Creek Water and Sewer District is bounded by the Cape Fear River on the west, N.C. 210 South on the north, Bladen County on the south, and Turnbull Road on the east. The district contains concentrations of GenX along the Cape Fear River and PFAS greater than 10 parts per trillion throughout, mostly along Johnson and Matt Haire roads, according to maps in Cannon’s presentation.

The proposed East Central Water and Sewer District is bounded by Maxwell Road on the north, Sampson County on the east, Avard Road on the south, and N.C. 210 South and Carder Road on the west. The district contains concentrations of PFAS greater than 10 ppt throughout, according to the presentation to the board.

The Vander Water and Sewer District is bounded by Wilmington Highway on the west, John Carter Road on the east, Murphy Road on the east and north, and by N.C. 24 on the north as well. The district has pockets of PFAS greater than 10 ppt throughout, according to the presentation.
Cannon’s recommendations come after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 15 released an updated health advisory level for four PFAS chemicals prevalent in county wells, including GenX, PFOA, PFOS and PFBS. The result of those advisory levels increased the number of private wells eligible for whole house filtration systems or public water connections by 1,300, according to Assistant County Manager Brian Haney.
Initially, the contamination coming from the Chemours chemical plant on the Cumberland/Bladen County line was focused in the Gray’s Creek community, but it since has found its way to other areas of the county. GenX, a chemical compound used in manufacturing by Chemours, was first discovered in the Cape Fear River in 2017.

During an 18-month negotiation period with Chemours, Cannon said the county could not reach a financial agreement with the company to provide the money needed to extend water in the affected areas. In March 2022, the county filed a lawsuit against Chemours over that issue.
The county formed the Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District as part of its master plan for countywide water in 2009. However, Gray’s Creek residents voted down a $21 million water system referendum in November 2011. Since then, residential development on land contaminated with forever chemicals continues.

The board approved $258,600 in the fiscal 2023 budget to start extending water and sewer service in the Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District, specifically to serve Gray’s Creek and Alderman Road elementary schools and residential homes along the route to those schools.
The board has made the provision of water and sewer in that area one of its primary goals and allocated $21 million from various sources for water services to the Gray’s Creek community. Of the $21 million, $10 million comes from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act account, $10 million from its capital investment fund, and $1 million from Cumberland County Schools.

“We are very aggressively looking at other sources of funding,” Cannon told commissioners.

Among those sources are state and federal monies such as USDA and EPA grants and from the federal Drinking Water Revolving Fund. Cannon led a team of county administrators to Raleigh last week to meet with the state Department of Environmental Quality to “advocate for funding.”

“Emerging contaminants” was one issue affecting funding for Cumberland County. Emerging contaminants are substances that are not yet regulated but may be of environmental or human health concern. These substances include industrial compounds such as those produced by Chemours. Emerging contaminants were not considered evaluative criteria for state funding, Cannon said.

Cannon said the plan is to extend water lines from the Food Lion on N.C. 87 toward those schools and to sign up as many residential customers along the way. She recommended hiring a water resource engineer who could be paid from the $10 million allocated toward the Gray’s Creek water extension project.
The $258,600 first phase includes getting encroachment agreements, easements, permits, preparing bids and bulk water agreements with PWC. The first phase also includes establishing community meetings to educate the public about the contamination.
Critical in the process is getting residents or customers to sign up early for water services. Early sign-ups for tap fees allow the county to determine the economic feasibility of extending water services. Those signing up early may get a reduced tap fee, according to Cannon.

When asked how much the tap-on fees would be, she clarified that the Board of Commissioners would make that determination. “If you want to do this, we’ll come back with details,” she said.
Currently, the county plans to get water from PWC, with which it has bulk water agreements. She also suggested the county could possibly acquire water from deep well aquifers that are below the level that current wells get their water. Cannon said that wherever the county gets its water, it will make sure to remove all PFAS chemicals from any water it sells to county residents. She said Harnett County and the town of Dunn also could be a source of safe water.

Road projects

In other business, Richie Hines from the N.C. Department of Transportation briefed the board on upcoming road projects in Cumberland County.
He said the Transportation Department recently awarded the Gillis Hill Road widening project to W.C. English Construction Co. of Lynchburg, Virginia.
A bridge replacement on U.S. 401 on the Harnett/Cumberland County line over the Little River should be completed by October. Also, a round-about on Rockfish Road and Golfview Drive should be finished by June 2023.

Other planned projects include a mini round-about at Whitfield Street and Camden Road, paving Hope Mills Road (N.C. 59) from George Owen Road (N.C. 162) to Camden Road, paving Bragg Boulevard from Skibo Road (U.S. 401) to Glenville Avenue, and a round-about on Chickenfoot Road at John McMillan Road.

Cumberland County has its first case of monkeypox.
The Cumberland County Department of Public Health on Monday confirmed an individual tested positive for the virus, according to Dr. Jennifer Green, the county health director. Green on Monday afternoon held an online news conference with reporters.

She said the person came to the Health Department last week for testing. Those test results were not available until Monday. Green said it currently takes up to a week to get test results.

She said the person is now isolated and the Health Department staff has notified close contacts. Trained "patient investigators" are contact-tracing individuals who came in contact with the individual. She declined to give specifics.

"I can't tell much," Green said, citing patient confidentiality.

Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox does not have a set number of days for isolation, Green said.

"It depends on the symptoms," she said.

There is no quarantine for monkeypox, she said. Masking is not a protocol for monkeypox, although Green recommends people still wear masks for COVID-related reasons.

Monkeypox is transmitted from person to person through direct skin-to-skin contact, having contact with an infectious rash, through body fluids or through respiratory secretions.
Although moneypox can infect anyone, Green said men who have sex with men is the population most at risk for catching the disease. She urges men who have sex with men, including transgender individuals, and who in the last 90 days have had intimate relationships with unknown partners or who have had a sexually transmitted disease to contact the Health Department for testing. The number to call for an appointment is 910-433-3600.

As of Monday, there are 5,189 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are 60 confirmed cases in North Carolina, according to the Health Department.

Green said there currently is no waiting list to be tested, and typically one can schedule the test on the same day. Green said the only requirement is that an individual wanting to be tested call the Health Department to ensure they are eligible for the test.
Green said the department has an adequate supply of vaccines and is expecting another 180 doses from another county.

Maureen Stover of Fayetteville has been appointed to Western Governors University Southeast Region Distinguished Alumni Council and will provide insight for the needs of WGU students in North Carolina.

Stover is a high school science teacher with Cumberland County Schools, a former Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year and finalist for National Teacher of the Year.

Established in 2022, the WGU Southeast Region Distinguished Alumni Council will help chart the path of progress for WGU in North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The 11 members of the inaugural council will serve as ambassadors in their states and communities as part of the council’s broader outreach on behalf of WGU. Members serve a four-year term, providing strategic insights to WGU’s Southeast Region leadership team.

They will advise and strategize ways to increase awareness, reputation, visibility, and the impact of WGU by networking and advocating for equitable access to higher education.

“Maureen has been a leader in education for years,” said Dr. Kimberly Estep, WGU Southeast Regional Vice President. “I look forward to working with her to build and maintain a strong connection between WGU and its students throughout North Carolina. Our alumni network is one of WGU’s most important assets, both in North Carolina and throughout the country, and I cannot wait to see the incredible ways this council will come together and build a new foundation for WGU alumni everywhere.”

Designed for working adults, WGU is an accredited nonprofit online university that offers an asynchronous, competency-based model that allows students to log in and access coursework at a time convenient for them, and to accelerate at their own pace. WGU has more than 3,800 students currently enrolled in North Carolina and more than 6,300 graduates living across all 100 counties in the state.

To learn more about WGU, visit www.wgu.edu.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality shared information and answered questions about the new lower health advisory for GenX during a meeting July 26 at the Crown Theatre in Fayetteville.

The public turnout for the meeting about chemical pollution of drinking water was disappointingly low, according to some who attended.
The heads of DEQ’s water, air and waste management divisions took a tag-team approach to inform the audience and answer questions about the June 15 Environmental Protection Agency’s lower health advisory for GenX and other PFAS chemicals produced at the Chemours Fayetteville Works plant. Chemours is a chemical manufacturing facility located on the Cumberland/Bladen County line on N.C. 87.
DEQ staff discussed how the lower health advisory for GenX affects private drinking water wells. The EPA lowered the health advisory for GenX to 10 parts per trillion, down from the health goal of 140 ppt established by the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services in 2018.

The EPA health advisory for GenX affects a current consent order requiring Chemours to provide a whole house filtration system or connection to public water for any homeowner whose well tested above the interim standard for GenX of 140 ppt.

The Department of Environmental Quality directed Chemours to revise its drinking water compliance requirements by taking into account the 10 ppt for GenX. According to the state, the newly released lower GenX levels will make about 1,700 more private wells eligible for whole-house filtration systems.

Chemours announced earlier this month that it is challenging the new health advisory for GenX.
Mike Watters, a vocal critic of how the state has responded to the chemical pollution, said the turnout was disappointing when compared with the number of people affected. Watters lives across the road from Chemours.

Watters estimated that about 105 people attended the information meeting. That did not include members of the Cumberland County legislative delegation, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, county staff and members of the DEQ delegation. The county’s public information staff recorded the meeting and will make the video available on the county’s website. It also will share the video with the DEQ, which will make it available on its website, according to Laura Leonard, public information officer for the DEQ Waste Management Division.

Greg McLean said there should have been more people attending. Both Watters and McLean were among a dozen who registered to speak after the hour-long information-laden presentation by DEQ environmental experts.

McLean owns a farm off Braxton Road with four of its five wells contaminated with GenX, a chemical produced in the manufacturing process by Chemours. He asked how he can get public water since he’s within 300 feet of an existing water line.
McLean also asked if the DEQ’s consent order requiring Chemours to continue sampling and providing filtration systems and other options for safe water for residents whose wells are contaminated will hold up since it challenged the recent EPA health advisory in court.

Sushma Mafemore, the DEQ’s assistant secretary for the environment, said the court challenge is between Chemours and the EPA. She said DEQ will continue to “vigorously enforce” the consent order.

The 2019 order requires Chemours to abate PFAS sources and contamination at the plant to prevent further contamination to air, soil, groundwater and surface waters, including:
•Sampling of private wells for PFAS and providing replacement drinking water supplies to impacted residents.
•Implementing multiple remedial strategies to significantly reduce Chemours’ PFAS discharges to the Cape Fear River.
•Installation of a thermal oxidizer and reduction of GenX air emissions facility-wide by 99.9%.
•Other compliance measures to characterize and reduce PFAS pollution leaving the Fayetteville Works site.

In August 2020, the state DEQ required additional actions by Chemours to prevent PFAS pollution from getting into the Cape Fear River. Those actions reduce by 90% the PFAS leaching into the Cape Fear River through groundwater from the residual contamination on the site. As of 2022, these additional requirements of the consent order are operating, and the design of a barrier wall and treatment system are under construction.

Floyd Waddle, who lives on Gainey Road, asked whether the state has tested the fish in area ponds, or the beef and pork that is produced in the affected areas. He also asked if there are studies regarding soil and crop contaminations. Panel members said N.C. State University is studying the effect of PFAS chemicals on soil and vegetation.
Stella King, a Cedar Creek Road resident, questioned the panel about how the meeting was advertised. A panel member said the meeting was advertised in two local newspapers and the Wilmington newspaper. Another audience member echoed her statements, saying he doesn’t read newspapers and only found out about the meeting 15 minutes before it started.

Mafemore assured audience members that chemical contamination in North Carolina’s water, air and soil is taken seriously by the department.

“It’s important to all of us. We don’t have all the answers yet,” she said, adding that her department has employees living in those contaminated areas.

Tyffany Neal, currently the assistant director of Fayetteville’s public transit system, will become its first woman director in August. City leaders recently announced that Neal will be promoted to lead the Fayetteville Area System of Transit.

“Fayetteville is experiencing exciting levels of development and growth, and I realize this is a great opportunity for FAST to transition from a need-based transit system to a choice mode of transportation for every resident within our community,” Neal said, according to the release.

“I am excited for the opportunity to continue working toward ensuring the value of FAST permeates throughout our community.”

Neal has worked for public transit systems in Greensboro; Chapel Hill; Charleston, South Carolina; and Washington, D.C. She has been assistant director of FAST since 2017.

Neal earned her master’s degree in public administration from Strayer University and a bachelor of arts degree from South Carolina State University, the release said.

Neal was featured in Women’s View Magazine’s Women’s Spotlight in 2021. She is on the board of directors of the N.C. Public Transit Association and a member of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.

“During her career with the city, Tyffany has proven to be a smart, attentive and passionate leader who will have the ability to continue our success in transit,” City Manager Doug Hewett said in the news release. “She brings innovative solutions daily and has earned the respect of her peers.”

In recent years, FAST has received more than $20 million in federal and state grants and COVID relief funding to expand services and reach more residents. FAST also is planning to begin transitioning to electric buses by 2024, the release said.

With an annual budget of $13 million, FAST provides more than 1.6 million passenger trips each year. For more info about FAST visit www.fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/transit.

Editor's Note: To read the Women's View Magazine spotlight on Neal, visit https://pubhtml5.com/twqv/mlew/ and turn to page 4.

Are you worried about the future of our nation?

As a dad and your congressman, I continually think about the kind of future and opportunities the next generation of Americans will have. According to a recent poll, an astonishing 75% of Americans are experiencing economic hardship largely because of ineffective policies by President Joe Biden and House Democrats. The cost of goods across the board continue to rise due to rapid inflation and prices at the pump remain near record highs nationwide. American families cannot afford these price hikes, yet Democrats in Washington have continuously stalled efforts to address them properly and have largely doubled down on their reckless spending.

Last week, House Democrats pushed through a massive appropriations package that will likely make America’s inflation crisis even worse by recklessly increasing federal spending on misguided, progressive projects. Their bill includes massive budget increases for government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service, as well as for partisan “Green New Deal” provisions that take little account for whether they will work or how this will impact you directly. They also open the door for your tax dollars to fund abortions.

At a time when inflation is forcing folks to dip into their savings just to get by, the last thing we need is more borrowing and spending on programs that don’t address the real challenges impacting you and your family. Instead, Congress must take steps to lower needless spending, increase private sector growth and lower costs. A key part of this is unleashing American energy in all forms — a move that will lower fuel prices and create jobs across the country. As your congressman, I will continue to work to implement these reforms and make life easier for you and your family.

Beyond their spending package, last week House Democrats also continued their attack on your constitutional right to bear arms by advancing an “assault weapons” ban. Democrats imposed a similar ban in 1994 and it did little to stop violent crime or prevent tragedies like Columbine. Like red flag laws, this new ban may sound reasonable to some, but it would have little or no impact in the real world.

Unfortunately, time and time again, Washington Democrats rush to advance gun control measures like bans or red flag laws because it makes them feel better. However, data and experiences have proven that taking guns away from law-abiding citizens does not work and leaves folks unable to defend themselves. Just last week, we saw the importance of this when a brave 22-year-old with a conceal carry permit stopped a mass shooter at an Indiana mall.

I have been a strong and vocal defender of the Second Amendment since my first day in Congress and I will always defend the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. Additionally, I will continue to promote commonsense solutions to address the root causes of gun violence and protect your family. This includes provisions like my STOP II, Secure Every School and Protect our Nation’s Children Act which would use unspent COVID-19 funds to protect schools, improve mental health, and save lives.

While the majority in Congress has focused on unnecessary spending and gun grabs, I focused last week on advancing solutions for an increasingly important area of our lives: data protection.
In July, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. This bipartisan measure is a major step forward to establish national data privacy protections for all

Americans by creating provisions to limit Big Tech’s ability to track and share data about your online activity, as well as increases protections for kids using online platforms. As this bill is considered by the House, I will continue to support efforts to protect your online security.

There is plenty to be worried or frustrated about when it comes to the future of our nation. Rest assured I will continue to focus on growing our economy, defending your rights, and delivering solutions for the issues that matter most.

The United States Golf Association announced the relocation of the World Golf Hall of Fame from St. Augustine, Florida, back to its original home of Pinehurst, North Carolina, in 2024.

“There’s no better connection to golf’s past, present and future than Pinehurst, and no organization that works harder than the USGA to preserve the history of this great game,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “We look forward to celebrating the greatest moments and golf’s greatest athletes by including the World Golf Hall of Fame as an important part of our new Pinehurst home. Simply put – it just makes sense, and together with the Hall of Fame, we’re more committed than ever to delivering experiences that build even deeper connections between golf fans and those who have truly led the way in this great game.”

The World Golf Hall of Fame was founded in Pinehurst in 1974 but moved to St. Augustine in 1998.
The N.C. General Assembly recently awarded the USGA $7 million toward the World Golf Hall of Fame project.

Golf is big business in North Carolina. According to the N.C. Department of Commerce, a 2017 study stated that golf generated $2.3 billion in direct spending and a total economic impact of $4.2 billion in the state, including nearly 53,000 jobs and total wage income of $1.3 billion.

The increased interest in the relocation will mean an even bigger economic boost to the state.

The USGA broke ground on its six-acre Golf House Pinehurst campus last month, located on Carolina Vista Drive on the Pinehurst Resort and C.C. property. According to the USGA, it’s their latest commitment to enhance the region’s stature as the “Home of American Golf” and to more deeply invest in North Carolina.

The Hall of Fame will be a part of the USGA Experience building. According to the USGA website, many of the items in the Hall of Fame’s existing collection will be relocated to Pinehurst for the creation of a new Hall of Fame locker room, which will be located on the second floor of the building. The first floor will house the USGA Experience galleries.

Artifacts to be displayed in the Hall of Fame include Johnny Miller’s clubs, ball, and champion’s gold medal from the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he shot a record 63 in the final round; a shirt worn by Annika Sorenstam in the first round of the 2003 Colonial, becoming the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event since 1945; and Jack Nicklaus’ MacGregor golf bag from the 1965 Masters.
Pinehurst, a USGA anchor site, recently hosted the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 6 and will also host the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open next July, as well as five future U.S. Open Championships between 2024 and 2047.

Additionally, World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be held in Pinehurst in 2024 and 2029 to coincide with the 124th U.S. Open on Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024 and the return of back-to-back U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open Championships, also on Course No. 2. in 2029.

Elbert “Rex” Lucas loves to solve problems with his hands.
The 76-year-old Fayetteville native worked as a heavy equipment maintenance operator for the Army. After his military service, he worked as an industrial maintenance worker for DuPont Teijin Films, where he retired after 37 years.

While working for DuPont, Lucas became close friends with coworker Billie Hooks. The two later became neighbors on the edge of Lake Upchurch, about three miles outside Hope Mills. Hooks and his wife, Teena, died about two years ago.

“Billie was crazy about lighthouses and had to have one,” Lucas said.
Billie Hooks bought a wooden lighthouse during a “lighthouse buying craze’’ and mounted it on the edge of the lake. It stood there proudly until the winds of Hurricane Matthew in 2016 blew it down. Disappointed, Hooks dragged the broken lighthouse behind his house.

It sat there and rotted for several years until Lucas decided he would restore it to honor his friend.

“When I saw it laying behind his house, I knew it was special to him,’’ Lucas said. “Something had to be done with it rather than it going to waste.”
Hooks’ son, Chip, now owns the house. Lucas approached him about restoring the lighthouse. With Chip’s permission, Lucas dragged the damaged wooden frame to his property where it sat another year while he gathered the materials he needed for his vision.

Lucas reasoned there was enough housing left to rebuild it.

“I wanted it to look like the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and the more I looked at photos of the lighthouse, the more details I noticed,” Lucas said.
Seeing the monumental task before him, Lucas enlisted the help of his daughter, Lori Lucas, and his son-in-law, Doug Lazenby. Lucas designed it.

“I just painted,” Lori Lucas said humbly.
Lazenby helped put the lighthouse together and bolt it to its base.

“Barring another hurricane, it’s built to last,” he said.
The lighthouse is basically comprised of three parts: the base, the cone and the light. Overall, it stands about 13 feet tall.
For the light’s housing, Lucas turned a two-and-a-half gallon bucket upside down and painted it black. The container holds a light that spins just like its larger counterpart on the Outer Banks.

Ever a stickler for detail, Lucas fashioned the surrounding guardrail out of wire and envisions someday adding small model figures to the display.

“The bucket was then mounted on a carburetor air cleaner,” Lucas said.
The cone, or tower, is made of strips of sheet metal, and the windows were cut out and made from 3x5 photo frames.

“The entire structure sits on a base that’s made up of an old charcoal grill,” Lucas said.

Lucas used caulk to make the bricks look realistic. He used his hands to make the caulk look like stucco or stone.
Lucas estimated he worked on the structure for four months.

Overall, Lucas estimates he has around $200 in the restoration of the lighthouse. He credits Metal Worx Inc. in Fayetteville for donating the memorial sign that reads, “In Memory of Teena and Billie Hooks.”

“I told Metal Worx about my project and they wanted to donate the sign,” Lucas said.
Lucas said he couldn’t have completed the project on his own and credited his family and neighbors for their help.
Lucas set a goal to have the lighthouse completed in time for the lake’s Fourth of July festivities. The crew finished the lighthouse on July 3, one day short of their deadline.

“It rained and stormed that day,” Lucas said, chuckling at the memory.

“Yeah, we installed the lighthouse while thunder and lightning crashed overhead,” Lazenby said. “But we did it.”
Lucas restored the lighthouse to honor his friend’s memory, and it stands as a memorial to their friendship.

When asked what Billie’s son, Chip, thought of the tribute to his father, Lucas said: “Chip became very emotional, and we’ll just leave it at that.”

Wide Range Entertainment Group wants to show the people of Fayetteville a good time. On Aug. 13, the Fayetteville, North Carolina Go-Go BBQ Festival promises a day of fun, good food and live music in Festival Park from 2 to 8 p.m.

The music festival-style event, sponsored by Brotha’s BBQ and Catering, will feature eight live musical performances pooled from native North Carolina talent and some bands new to the Sandhills. Hosted by comedian Antoine Scott, the concert will showcase a variety of sounds and styles throughout the day, from rhythm and blues and rap to reggae and go-go. Scheduled to appear on stage are vocalist Trayvion, the Jus Once Band, Khioken, Squad Suttle, Black Alley, Blacc Print, DJ Slice, and DJ Cutting Up. 

In addition to the cool beats up on stage, guests can look forward to some of the hottest BBQ in North Carolina. If the call of perfectly seasoned meat and good music isn't enticing enough for a sunny summer Saturday, there will be plenty of merchandise to browse and beverages to purchase as well.

This festival is the first event World Wide Range Entertainment has endeavored to promote in Fayetteville, but they are tremendously excited to do so. The company, based out of Maryland, has long wanted to bring its entertainment brand to such a diverse community.

“We've been working on this show for quite some time,” Maria Richardson, president of Wide Range Entertainment, told Up & Coming Weekly. “It's going to be wonderful; I can't wait for people to come and enjoy themselves and eat some great food.”

The arts and entertainment company has hosted live events, music, and comedy shows for over 20 years, and they know exactly what it takes to throw a party.

“The inspiration for this event came from our CEO,” Richardson explained. “He wanted to find a place large enough to bring people together and give folks who are unfamiliar with our business a taste of what we do.

Festival Park is the best possible place for this event, and it's just a matter of bringing a little bit of the DMV [District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia] to the state of North Carolina.”

Richardson is especially passionate about the power of entertainment and its ability to both unify and heal. During a summer season that's seen a great deal of tragedy across the United States and abroad, Richardson hopes this festival brings some joy and positivity.

“I love this, just seeing the expressions on people's faces and hearing the talk. It's amazing to be out in the audience, seeing people enjoy themselves and leave looking forward to the next event. What we produce is helping people smile and forget what's happening in the world. This show is about living in the moment with something as simple as music, music brings everyone together.”

Tickets start at $35 and several discount packages are available for couples, groups and advance purchases.

Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets, but outside food and drink are not permitted.

Festival Park is located at 335 Ray Avenue.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/fayetteville-north-carolina-g0-g0-bbq-festival-tickets-295868880787?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.