Rock’n On The River presents “The Regional Band Blowout” Friday, Aug. 19 beginning at 6 p.m. on the Cape Fear River, 1122 Person Street in East Fayetteville. The event will feature 80’s Unleashed, The Guy Unger Band and Rivermist.

“The Regional Band Blowout is something that I thought about and we started planning it around September or October,” said Greg Adair, manager and member of Rivermist. “I thought about how would the attendance be with all of these followers from these great regional bands altogether in one spot.”
Adair added, “We never get a chance to play side by side or see each other because everyone is out gigging, so we figured this would be a stellar event and the bands’ followers would get a chance to see their favorite band perform.”

80’s Unleashed

The band 80’s Unleashed started out as 80’s Unplugged 13 years ago. The band members are Curtis Church, guitar and vocals; Mitra Maraj, percussion; Domo Max, drums; and Bryan Shaw, lead singer and bass player.

“My idea was to have a project that I could play during the week before we left out to travel,” said Bryan Shaw, lead singer and bass player of 80’s Unleashed. “My idea was to do 80’s music, but acoustic, and I started out as a solo then quickly added Maraj then Curtis so we were a trio for a decade.”

He added, “We had a club owner approach us about doing a live band karaoke night because he had seen it done in Boston and wanted to recreate it. He said that we were the only band that knows thousands of tunes because the premise of the band was that we take requests on top of playing 80’s music.”

“I wanted to set it up like a dueling piano show where they play certain tunes but the crowd gets involved by asking for certain songs all night,” said Shaw. “So that is kind of the premise on how 80’s Unplugged got started.”

Shaw added, “The way that the name 80’s Unleashed came about is when a girl that worked with us introduced the band as 80’s Unleashed by accident so we kept the name and that is what we have been doing the last three years.”

“On August 19, the audience should expect a fun show while taking a trip down memory lane,” said Shaw. “Hopefully they will sing along and remember the tunes that we bring to them.”

You can find the band on Facebook and Instagram at 80’s Unleashed.

The Guy Unger Band

The Guy Unger Band got their start by all of its members playing in various bands together. “The core of the band has always been me, Mandy and Jeff,” said Guy Unger, founder, guitarist and singer of The Guy Unger Band. “We pulled in J. R. Wright after we lost a keyboard player along with Nate Williams joining the band.”
The band members include Mandy Unger, saxophone, flute and singer; Jeff Stone, drummer and singer; J. R. Wright, keyboards and vocals; Nate Williams, bass player; and Guy Unger, founder, guitarist and singer.

“We do a lot of classic rock stuff and we do everything from Led Zeppelin, Floyd, The Eagles, Billy Idol, Men at Work, some dance music and more,” said Unger. “We have opened for many acts such as Collective Soul, Charlie Daniels, Skid Row and tons of big name bands.”

“Over the years we have been fortunate enough to keep on ticking and playing through all of this COVID-19 stuff,” said Unger. “For instance, when a lot of bands were not able to work, we found a way to do some stuff online by going to the venue that we would normally book at and they would let us play there and videotape it.”

Future projects for the band include writing songs, he said.

“We have not done any writing but I would like to do some writing with this band in the future,” said Unger. “I enjoy writing and that is the next thing we will really focus on is getting some
original material into the mix of what we have been doing.”

He added, “I have got some good solid musicians with me and they are the best players around. I think that Rivermist, 80’s Unleashed and The Guy Unger Band are the best musicians around and we have put ourselves to a level where it is hard to do what we have done over the years and be just as successful as we all have.”

“As for the event, the audience should expect some of the best musicians and performances that you can see here in Fayetteville and I feel honored to be playing with Rivermist and 80’s Unleashed because they are awesome bands,” said Unger. “Every one of the musicians will bring it that day so expect nothing but the best.” Their website is https://www.guyunger.band/.

Rivermist

Rivermist is a local party hometown band that was formed in 2014 and is comprised of Greg Adair, manager, drummer and vocalist; Tony Harrison, bass player; Cliff Bender, guitarist;
Allen Pier, songwriter, keyboards and lead vocalist; and Rick Starling, percussion, vocals and keyboards.

“We have about 27 shows left this year and we have been really busy,” said Greg Adair, manager and member of Rivermist. “One of our songs, ‘Pucker Up,’ is number one on several charts all over the Carolinas and Virginia.”

He added, “We are up for a Cammy Award,” and the band has been named Best Band in Up & Coming Weekly’s Best of Fayetteville competition for the last six years.

As for future projects, fans can expect some new music. “We have some new material coming out and we are getting ready to get into the studio within the next couple of weeks,” said Adair. “Right now we have four songs that are out and they are doing very well on the charts.”

The band has many accomplishments but there is one more thing they would like to achieve. “I want Rivermist to be a household name and keep getting better and better together,” said Adair.
Their website is www.rivermistband.com.

Rock'n On The River is free and open to the public. Parking is $10 per vehicle and refreshments will be sold starting at 5 p.m. No outside food or coolers will be allowed.
For more information visit the Rock'n On The River Facebook page.

Beethoven and beer may seem an unlikely pairing, but the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra makes it work as they gear up for a new season with a kick-off party at Gaston Taproom on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m.
The free, family-friendly “mini-concert” will last about 90 minutes and feature food trucks, lots of seating and some of the FSO’s most talented musicians.
The orchestra’s String Quartet, comprised of concertmaster Fabián López and several principal players, will perform a variety of music for people in attendance. While classical pieces are to be expected, be prepared for some popular, recognizable tunes as well.

The kick-off at Gaston’s Taproom is a part of the orchestra’s Symphony on Tap Program, which launched last year. The popular concert series allows the orchestra to set up shop in casual settings around Fayetteville and bring beautiful music to the people of the community free of charge.

“Our string quartet is a really great group of musicians,” Anna Meyer, the FSO’s interim director, told Up & Coming Weekly. “This event will be a good time to share about our upcoming season and just enjoy great music and beer — you can’t go wrong there,” she joked.

The FSO’s Jazz Quartet, another talented ensemble, will make an appearance at Bright Light Brewing Co. on Sunday, Aug. 28.
The 2022-2023 season will showcase the enormous talent of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra through several ticketed events as well as community concerts that are free to attend.

Also set to return this season is the wildly popular Symphony Movie Night at Dirtbag Ales. The mash-up of live orchestral music against the spooky backdrop of 1920s silent-film classic "Nosferatu" proved to be a winning combination with audiences, and those who missed it last year can check it out on Saturday, Oct. 22.

The FSO is also planning to include more church venues this upcoming season, about which Meyer is particularly excited.

“I’m looking forward to playing at different churches around town,” she shared. “We really enjoyed that last season and decided to broaden our horizons this year. We get to reach a lot of people, and it allows us to play in some beautiful venues.”

A staple of the community for over 65 years, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has undergone many changes. Still, their commitment to musical excellence and attitude of service shines through with initiatives like Symphony Movie Night, Symphony on Tap and their free community concerts throughout the season. The orchestra takes pride in maintaining a relationship with the community that strives to “meet them where they are” and delivers on its promise to “educate, entertain, and inspire the citizens of Fayetteville.”

In addition to a packed performance season, the FSO is passionate about the arts regarding Cumberland County’s youth. By developing the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra, String Sinfonietta, and various summer camps, the FSO is invested in creating beautiful music and talented musicians for generations to come.

Gaston Taproom is located at 421 Chicago Drive in Fayetteville.

For more information about the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and its upcoming season, visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org/.

Solve the fictional murder of class jock Bobby Backer during the final event of the Sunset Series on Friday, Aug. 19 at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
This 80's Prom Murder Mystery in the Garden will take you back to a time when hairspray was potent in the air and neon seemed to be everywhere. The students of Shermer High find themselves battling it out over grades, popularity, affection, class rankings and what they all have been focused on for years: who will be awarded the prom king and queen title?

Prom officially starts at 5 p.m. During this time, guests can mingle, drink, dance and shop from local vendors.
The prom will even feature a photo booth section that will allow couples to take photos of themselves in true 1980s fashion. There will also be three food trucks on site: Wild Sunflower Pizza, Cavity Connection, and Jaz-N-Soul.
At 6:15 p.m., prom court nominations will begin. At 6:30 p.m., the prom court is announced. Every guest is strongly recommended to arrive before 6:30 p.m.

“We really do encourage everybody to get here before the prom court is nominated at 6:30 because if somebody comes in late, they could miss out on some key evidence,” Meghan Woolbright, the marketing coordinator for CFBG told Up & Coming Weekly.

In the last murder mystery, attendees could use modern technology to gather clues and investigate the case. This time, actors from the Gilbert Theater will be there to talk with attendees and give their statements. Each actor will play a key suspect in the murder.

“We've seen that our visitors like the one-on-one type of them asking questions and our actors and actresses, you know, playing along,” Woolbright said. “That's where we've seen the most authentic experience for our visitors.”

Each visitor is going to be getting a packet with the theme and character descriptions, but a majority of the mystery will have to be solved by talking to the actors and actresses from the Gilbert Theater. From the preppie to the punk rocker, the nerd to the stud, the jock to the jilted — all are suspected, although only one is to blame.
Shortly after the murderer has been revealed, there will be a costume contest at the end of the night. Woolbright recommends that people think of the big hair, puffy sleeves on the giant prom dresses, and matching pastel suits.

“The more you dress up and the more excited you are, the better it’s going to be,” she said.

The Gardens are expecting a big turnout for this event. The last murder mystery had 100 people in attendance.
This marks the third year for the Sunset Series, a public event and fundraiser for the garden. The event is free for Cape Fear Botanical Garden members and $10 plus tax for non-members. Visit www.capefearbg.org/event/the-sunset-series to learn more.

Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon on Monday, Aug. 1 told members of the Board of Commissioners that talks about the county’s sales tax revenue distribution method are on the horizon.
Cannon prepped commissioners on the upcoming issue of how the county will share sales tax revenue with municipalities.
Her presentation came during a meeting of the board’s Finance Committee. The committee consists of Commissioners Toni Stewart, Larry Lancaster, Glenn Adams and Jeannette Council, who chairs the committee.

The five-year sales tax distribution agreement among Cumberland County and county municipalities expires in 2023.
The agreement hammered out in 2018 was often contentious, and the parties included the North Carolina School of Government in negotiations to help mediate an agreement.
Cannon’s brief presentation came after the board’s regular meeting Monday. Cannon said she wanted to prepare the board on the direction it wanted to take regarding sales tax distributions in the future. The Finance Committee took no action.

This presentation is to "get you to start thinking about where the county wants to be" next year, she said.
County commissioners in North Carolina are authorized to choose between distributing sales tax proceeds between the county and its municipalities either on a per capita or ad valorem basis.
Historically, Cumberland County distributed sales tax proceeds on a per capita basis.

However, as the county’s municipalities grow in population, the county’s portion of the sales tax pie shrinks, and Cannon noted that the county’s responsibilities do not.
North Carolina General Statutes require counties to provide or fund specific services, including law enforcement, jails, medical examiner, courts, building code enforcement, public schools, social services, public health and others.

The General Statutes regarding towns and cities only require them to provide building code enforcement.
The county commissioners may change the method of distribution annually in April with an effective date 14 months later at the start of the fiscal year, Cannon told the committee.

Cannon said only Wake, Cumberland and Durham counties continue to use the per capita distribution schedule. Adams said the appropriate venue to work out an agreement is with the Mayor’s Coalition.
The Cumberland County Mayor's Coalition meets quarterly, and the next meeting is scheduled for sometime in August.

Its next meeting would be in November. The sales tax distribution discussion will not be on the coalition's upcoming agenda.

“This should not be a shock to them that this discussion will come up,” Adams said.

The Fayetteville City Council gave consensus approval at its meeting Aug. 1 to have city administrators research the possibilities of a tax-deferred compensation plan for its members after they leave office.
The directive was in response to Councilmen D.J. Haire and Chris Davis, who asked for information on “some form of retirement” similar to plans offered to federal, state and county elected officials, according to the councilmen’s written request.

“I just want to get a clarification,” said Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram. “We are asking staff to bring back what we can and cannot do, correct?”

Mayor Mitch Colvin responded that the intent is to gather more information on the proposal.
Haire laid out four conditions for eligibility for the plan: Available to a sitting council member who has served 10 years on the council; Participants must be 60 years old to apply; Money would not be received until the official leaves the City Council; Each official would receive $500 per month.
Councilman Johnny Dawkins, who is a job benefits and Medicare consultant, said his suggestion would be to put $500 a month in a tax-deferred compensation plan for each sitting member of the council.

“You cannot touch it while you’re on council,” Dawkins said. “It would not be a retirement plan.”

He said a member of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners makes about $10,000 more a year, including benefits and pay, than members of the City Council.

“That’s not right,” Dawkins said. “We work just as many hours. To say this is part-time is just not true. Technically, if it were part-time, we could not be on the health insurance plan. But we are allowed to participate on the health insurance plan, which is a federal requirement for 30 hours a week. I can assure you we put in 30 hours a week and more.”

According to the city, the salary for a council member is $19,044 per year. The mayor pro tem receives about $20,160 per year, and the mayor takes home $34,833 per year. Elected city officials are eligible for medical, vision and dental insurance at the same costs paid by city employees.

Cumberland County sets the starting salary for a county commissioner at $23,297 a year. The board vice chairman is paid $25,297 and the chairman, $31,100 a year.
The commissioners are eligible to invest in a 401k-like matching investment plan with the county, including a deferred compensation plan. The county matches up to 4.9% of a board member’s salary for those who opt to participate.

Glenn Adams, chairman of the county Board of Commissioners, said he chose a plan with Nationwide Insurance.

“Those are our funds,” Adams said. “We have to fund it ourselves. If I want to do it, I take it out of my salary.” But he noted that there is a matching component to the investment plan.

Some cities do offer plans to elected officials to provide retirement and survivor income. Financing for them is by employee contributions, investment earnings and city contributions. But other cities in North Carolina offer no such plans. Winston-Salem has no retirement plan for City Council members, according to Frank Elliott, director of communications for that city.

“We do not pay a pension plan for elected officials,” Elliott said Monday. “They receive an annual stipend for their service.” The stipend ends when an official leaves office.
A year ago, the annual stipend for council members in Winston-Salem was $18,220. This year, they got a raise and receive $25,700 a year, Elliott said.
Members of the Durham City Council are not part of the state employees retirement plan, and the city does not offer a separate retirement plan to them, a city representative said.

“Our commissioners do not have a retirement plan,” said interim communications director Amanda Perry in an email. “Adding a retirement benefit was discussed as part of the 2023 budget process but not adopted.”

Hope Mills Town Manager Scott Meszaros on Monday night, Aug. 1 reviewed a “State of the Town’’ slide presentation that highlighted town accomplishments including growth in commercial development, the completion of residential housing and investments in crime-fighting technology.

“The town has seen about 17% growth in annexation,’’ Meszaros told the Board of Commissioners. “The pace is very rapid and we’re trying to keep up with the workload.”

Meszaros said several subdivisions like Sweetwater, Georgetown Estates and Sheffield Farms had not been completed in the last several years and are now slated to be finished. The boom in the housing market and the shortage of houses have helped jumpstart the completion of the neighborhoods.

“There are two people looking for every house, so it’s 50% under-housed,” Meszaros said.

Meszaros also told the board that the town’s commercial and industrial development were escalating and were not going to slow down.

“Commercial development and industrial development is probably our heaviest hitter every week when we have our staff review,’’ he said. “It’s shocking to me every month the things we hear, but we are not able to share due to proprietary reasons, but we’re attractive to a lot of different uses.”

In terms of recreation, Meszaros pointed out the splash pad and inclusive playground which are coming. Both had state funding.

“Also one of the things the town wanted was a basketball court and we made that happen,” he said.

Meszaros also praised the town’s new police chief, Stephen Dollinger, and the direction he is taking the Police Department.

“They solve crime, and they solve issues because of the technology and the people they brought on,” Meszaros said.

“The chief is very engaged and productive in what he does,” Meszaros said.

The town’s Police Department is now fully staffed, and the town has invested in new crime-fighting technology, including facial recognition programs, license plate readers, a drone and investigative software. According to Meszaros’ presentation, some officers also received long overdue promotions.
Meszaros praised his staff and said it was some of the best department heads he has ever worked with.

“We have a lot of talent on this team,” he said.
Members of the board nodded their heads in agreement. Commissioner Jerry Legge agreed.

“We may be understaffed in some departments, but the people we have are solid people,” Legge said.

In other business, the board unanimously approved authorizing the town manager to contract with Dormakaba USA Inc. for the installation of touchless automatic sliding doors at a cost of $10,628.05. The new doors will replace the front doors at Town Hall, making the entrance easily accessible to wheelchairs.

Public Works Director Don Sisko said the front doors were out-of-date and the wear-and-tear often posed maintenance trouble. Sisko recommended the hands-free glass doors.
The town also recognized the Hope Mills 2022 “O” Zone D1 State Champion Baseball Team led by head coach Tommy Daughtry. The team defeated West Chatham 12-0 in the championship game. The team now advances to the 2022 D1 Dixie Youth World Series on Aug. 6-11 in Lumberton. Mayor Jackie Warner presented each player with a certificate and posed for photos along with Commissioner Legge.

The board also held a closed session to discuss a personnel matter under attorney-client privilege.

Homebuilder NVR Inc. plans to invest $25 million to build a factory on Dunn Road, creating 189 jobs, state and local officials announced Tuesday, Aug. 2.
The Fortune 500 company plans to build a 145,000-square-foot manufacturing operation on 22 acres on Dunn Road in Fayetteville. The facility will manufacture trusses, wall panel systems and other homebuilding components, according to local economic development officials.
The average salaries for the new positions are expected to be more than $45,000, economic development officials said. NVR. Inc. also announced that it is expanding its operation in Cleveland County.

NVR is headquartered in Virginia. It sells and builds homes under the brands Ryan Homes, NVHomes and Heartland Homes in 15 states, the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corp. said in a release. It operates in two business segments: homebuilding and mortgage banking.

“When companies already in North Carolina choose to expand here, it’s a great vote of confidence,” Cooper said in a release. “Our ability to support NVR’s growth demonstrates the reliability of our workforce, access to supply chains, and quality of life as attractive tools to meet the increasing demands of the homebuilding industry.”

The Fayetteville City Council and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved a combined $827,000 in local incentives for the project, the economic development corporation said.

“This project will serve as a cornerstone supporting additional economic development, making Dunn Road our next job creation corridor,” said Glenn Adams, chairman of the Board of Commissioners. “This is a major win for Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

Incentives will be paid out provided the company meets the job-creation and investment goals.

“We are excited to have such a premier company choose our city for its expansion,” Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin saidin the release. “We believe this project will have a significant positive impact in terms of adding jobs and enhancing our region.”

RealtyLink LLC purchased the building on Dunn Road that had been used by Soffe for its warehouse store. The building is being modified for an Amazon delivery center and a FedEx facility. RealtyLink is working with NVR to build the manufacturing operation, which will be across the street, the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corp. said.

Realty Link, based in Greenville, South Carolina, also developed Freedom Town Center on Skibo Road.
RealtyLink Principal David Allen said the company believes in the potential for growth and success in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

“This is the natural progression of development for this project,” Allen said in the release.

“This facility is the next phase of developing 83 acres into a Fayetteville industrial corridor along Business I-95. We love your community.”

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.