Art is a celebration of life, intended by the artist to put the spectator in touch with the divine.
– Joseph Plaskett, Canadian painter

Have you ever wanted to create art to express yourself? Cape Fear Studios is offering the opportunity to do just that to military-affiliated members of the community. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County has awarded funding to Cape Fear Studios to offer classes to military personnel, their spouses, and their children through Creative Arts and Military Outreach (CAMO).

CAMO launched in 2018, employing a coordinator who works with military and military-adjacent organizations throughout Cumberland County. The initial phase of CAMO served as a needs assessment – reviewing arts, culture and history opportunities available specifically for members of the military and their families.

Initially funded for the first two years through a Military and Healing Arts grant from N.C. Arts Council, CAMO also had private funding from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County.

COVID-19 brought a realignment of funding priorities for N.C. Arts Council, which eliminated the Military and Health Arts grant program in 2020. For the past two years, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County has funded the initiative through internal fundraising efforts.

Pre-COVID-19, CAMO enrollment benefited as many as 150 people per quarter. The visual arts and pottery classes taught now by local artists at Cape Fear Studios will support learning for around 70 individuals through May 2022.

All military and military-affiliated individuals are welcome in CAMO classes regardless of their skill level.

CAMO serves active-duty soldiers, veterans and family members looking for therapeutic and enjoyable ways to develop their artistic skills. And especially family members of deployed active-duty soldiers and veterans with past deployments.

Cape Fear Studios provides a safe and accommodating space where military members and their families can commune and connect. The idea behind bringing the military community together in a creative space is to provide them with an outlet for quality time not directly related to their work or home lives. Cape Fear Studios will begin their CAMO partnership by offering a variety of classes, including drawing classes with Sara Jane Lee, painting classes with Angela Stout, and pottery lessons with Guy Jencks.

Cumberland County has a lot to offer in terms of art, culture and history," said Kennon Jackson, Jr., Executive Vice President of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Arts Council. "The Arts Council fully supports its military community."

CAMO provides military members and their families a no-cost option to enjoy a creative outlet that otherwise may not be available to them. Through CAMO, the Arts Council also seeks to capitalize on the expertise and value in its partnerships with nonprofit arts organizations like Cape Fear Studios.

The plan is to spread the word through Facebook, including Facebook groups for military wives and families, word of mouth, and the Cape Fear Studios Website. Classes offered as part of the CAMO program will be free. For additional information, visit www.capefearstudios.com or artgallery@capefearstudios.com.

Three body-camera videos were released Friday afternoon showing officer interviews with witnesses at the scene of the shooting death of Jason Walker.

Walker was shot and killed by Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Lt. Jeffrey Hash while he was off-duty.

The first video, which was 49 seconds, shows officers arriving at the scene and several people around the Hash's truck. The officer asks if anyone saw what happened.

One man says he saw Walker jump on Hash's vehicle.

"That fellow [Walker] jumped up on the hood, and he [Hash] got out of his car and shot him," the man told the officer.

The video ends with officers asking if anyone was related to Walker and Walker's father identifies himself.

The second video, running one minute and one second long, shows an officer talking to Walker's father. The father tells officers that he told Walker to come back to the sidewalk after Walker ran across the road. Walker was running back when Hash drove up.

"He was in the dang-on street when that fellow pulled up. He jumped up on the guy's hood, and the guy [Hash] jumped out and starts shooting him."

The father then points out the windshield wipers and says Walker hit the windshield with the wiper, which Hash stated had been removed from the vehicle by Walker.

The officer asked if Walker had any mental or medical issues, but Walker's father says he did not.

The third video shows an officer taking a statement from Elizabeth Ricks, who held a shirt to Walker's wounds before he passed, and her partner, Chase Sorrell. The couple videotaped the aftermath of the shooting.

Ricks says she did not see what happened before the shooting. She tells the officer that Walker was on the ground when Hash got out and shot Walker.

The video interview with Ricks and Sorrell is two minutes and 56 seconds long.

In a press release, Jodi Phelps, the Corporate Communications Director for the City of Fayetteville, says they are trying to release more footage.

"The footage released today is only a few minutes long and represents the first videos we submitted to the judge. However, the City has filed a petition to have all of the body cam footage released which encompasses about 20 hours of video. Staff will be working as expeditiously as possible to review that video and submit it for the judge's consideration."

Governor Roy Cooper is urging people across North Carolina to prepare for a significant incoming winter storm and has signed a state of emergency in advance of the storm’s arrival.

“This storm will bring significant impacts from snow, sleet and freezing rain in different parts of the state, with likely power outages and travel disruptions,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians should pay close attention to their local weather forecast over the next few days, and make sure they are personally prepared before Saturday afternoon.”

The Governor signed a state of emergency Thursday evening to activate state resources to respond to the storm and to allow for the possibility of Federal reimbursement if the event qualifies.

NCDOT crews and contractor resources will work to clear roads as fast as possible, but response times are expected to be slower than previous storms due to labor shortages impacting crews spread around the state.

Department of Transportation workers started brining roads Thursday in preparation for the storm and expect to complete that work on Friday. Transportation officials recommend staying off the roads once travel conditions deteriorate.

If you must travel during bad weather, State Highway Patrol officials remind motorists to reduce speed, leave plenty of room between you and other vehicles and clear all ice or snow from your vehicle before traveling. If you become stranded, pull off the highway, remain in your vehicle and call for help. Do not set out on foot unless you can see a building close by where you can take shelter.

To prepare for winter weather, North Carolina Emergency Management officials recommend these tips:

Always keep at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food and a supply of medication in your home.
Keep cell phones and mobile devices charged in case of power outages.
Keep fresh batteries on hand for weather radios and flashlights.
Dress warmly. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing.
Properly vent kerosene heaters and ensure generators are operated outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors.
Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts.
Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit and road map.
Make an emergency supplies kit for your pet and include medical records, leash and feeding supplies, enough food and for several days and pet travel carrier.
Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather.
With heavy rain and coastal flooding possible across eastern North Carolina, it is important to never drive through flooded roadways.

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

The City of Fayetteville shared the below video on their social media pages describing the winter weather preparations the city will do to prepare for inclement weather and their role in spreading brine, salt and sand.

The Town of Spring Lake Parks and Recreation will not be open this Sunday due to the forecasted inclement weather for our area.

The Ethics Commission decided Thursday night that all allegations against Police Chief Gina Hawkins be dismissed.

This decision comes after three evenings of listening and hearing from witnesses, looking at the evidence, and talking amongst each other. 

The initial 14 allegations were filed by Raleigh Attorney Mikael Gross, who forwarded Up & Coming Weekly the ethics complaint. The Ethics Commission looked at eight of those allegations.

The full list of allegations can be found here.

Hawkins denied the allegations when Up & Coming Weekly reached out to Hawkins last month.

"The so-called 'Ethics Complaint' is meritless and is knowingly compiled of false allegations," Hawkins's lawyer said in a statement last month. "Chief Hawkins is limited, for now, in her public response to those allegations as some pertain to FPD personnel/privacy matters. I am sure the so-called 'Petitioner' is aware of that fact as he released Chief Hawkins' responses to the media, knowing the legal position she is in as Chief. At this juncture, we are befuddled that a hearing would actually take place based upon the complete dearth of any evidence to support the allegations. We look forward to vigorously and aggressively addressing this 'Ethics Complaint' at the appropriate time."

The Ethics Commission has five members — lawyer, Tracey Henderson, CPA, Dale Knowles, lawyer, Dymond Spain, Dr. Stephen Rochman and Thomas Donnelly Jr.

Three schools on Fort Bragg are going virtual for two weeks.

Bowley Elementary, Hampton Elementary, and Poole Elementary will be closed Jan. 13 and Jan. 14 in order for teachers to prepare for remote instruction. On Jan. 14, teachers should be providing students with meeting links and student log-in information.

The schools will resume virtually on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Students are expected to return back to school on Thursday, Jan. 27, depending on COVID-19 trends.

Yamile Nazar has been appointed as the new director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Department. Nazar previously served as the interim director of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission.

She will be responsible for the department’s existing programs and services which includes support for the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission and Fair Housing Board. She will also be broadening existing efforts, both internally and externally, through the implementation of innovative strategies supporting positive human relations and opportunities for all.

“I am grateful to City leadership, mentors and colleagues for their continued confidence in my ability to lead this important department and for demonstrating their meaningful investment in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts,” Nazar said “I look forward to leveraging my extensive experience to offer enhanced strategic advisory and consulting capabilities to our community and contributing to the realization of the City's DEI goals and objectives.”

Before working for the city, Nazar previously served as an investigator and mediator in the State of New York.

Due to the local positivity rates of COVID-19 as well as the increasing rate of COVID-19 admissions, Cape Fear Valley Health System’s facilities and Womack Army Medical Center are restricting visitation.

At Cape Fear Valley Health, patients who have not tested positive for COVID-19 will be allowed one visitor per day, between the hours of noon to 8 p.m. COVID-19 patients will be allowed one visitor per day, for one hour between 4 to 8 p.m.

In the Emergency Department, visitors will not be allowed in the waiting room, but one visitor will be allowed once the patient has been given a room. Visitors to patients in the Emergency Department will not be allowed to leave and return. All visitors will be screened with a brief verbal questionnaire and a temperature scan before being allowed entry. Those who refuse to answer the questions or who have a temperature above 100.3 Fahrenheit will be denied entry.

“We are watching the trend of the inpatient COVID-19 cases at Cape Fear Valley as well as tracking the spread in the community on an ongoing basis and adjusting visitation policies accordingly,” Chief Operating Officer Daniel Weatherly said. “The hospital will provide visitors with a mask that must be worn during their entire visit. We also encourage everyone in the community to get vaccinated, and get their booster shot when it’s due, to help our healthcare heroes as we fight this pandemic into its third year.”

At Womack, all visitors are restricted except for pediatric patients, one-support person for women in labor, and for those in extenuating circumstances. This restriction for in-patient services will remain in place until further notice.

"WAMC remains committed to protecting our patients, beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and staff; maintaining mission readiness; and supporting the whole-of-government effort response to COVID-19," the press release stated.

Among my most precious mementos is a postcard sent by my mother on Tuesday, March 26, 1968. I was seven years old and with my grandfather while my parents attended an annual convention of rabbis. My mother wrote (using common terminology for the period),

Dear Dov,
Last night a very great man spoke to us. His name is Martin Luther King. He is a leader of the Negro people, and he wants to help them get a better life.
Love,
Ema and Abba

I understood working to help people achieve a better life, as my father was very active in local and Vermont state civil rights and social justice efforts.

Still, as a young white boy in a state with few people of color, I did not know who Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was, other than someone who addressed that convention.

I vividly remember sitting on my parents’ bed nine days later, listening for radio updates on his condition and finally hearing the awful announcement of his death.

Recently I learned that King had been planning, just eight days later, to be at the home of his friend, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, for Passover Seder, the ritual meal commemorating the biblical liberation of the Jewish people from slavery.

Rabbi Heschel, my father’s seminary teacher, was a leading Jewish voice for civil rights, a foremost Jewish theologian and the person who introduced King at that convention. It is no small irony that King was murdered just a week before he was to attend the Jewish celebration of freedom.

With the approach of MLK Day, I am reflecting both on the Jewish scriptural reading for that weekend’s Sabbath and my mother’s brief postcard.

The designated portion for that Sabbath includes the Israelite’s crossing through the split water of the Sea of Reeds (often misleadingly rendered in English as the Red Sea).

In the biblical narrative, Pharaoh’s hardened heart appears to have been overcome as he finally allows the Israelites to leave.

But, shortly after their departure, Pharaoh’s heart hardens again as he sends troops after his fleeing ex-slaves, though they do narrowly escape through miraculous intervention.

It seems to me that the conviction of those advocating for non-violent protest in the civil rights movement of the sixties was that it would be the softening of hearts across the country which would ultimately bring their struggle success in the legal, political and social arenas.

However much (incomplete) improvement may have been achieved since then, many today with diverse political ideologies feel as if we again see a hardening of hearts and a rise in intolerance.

Our world is certainly not the world of a half-century ago. It never is. And it is natural to harden one’s own heart when we believe others have done so first.

But, while people should stand up for their beliefs, we will never truly achieve the better life we seek if we allow others to succeed in hardening our hearts.

This week, two events in Cumberland County will highlight Martin Luther King, Jr. as a civil rights activist and the relevance of his teachings, which still inspire people today.

The Town of Spring Lake will host a virtual commemorative meeting in honor of King.

The Spring Lake Ministerial Alliance and the Town of Spring Lake came together and developed a plan for a commemorative breakfast. The annual event had to be canceled last year due to COVID-19. In 2020, the breakfast had a turnout of over 75 people.

Zefrim Lewis, Town of Spring Lake Interim Director, hopes people will attend as he feels it is worthwhile.

"Due to COVID numbers surging, the MLK event is now a virtual event there will be no breakfast serving for the public to attend," Lewis said.

Reverend Jeffery Saffold Sr., the pastor at Manna Life Center, will be the key speaker at the event.

The breakfast at Spring Lake will be held virtually on Jan. 14 at 9 a.m. The event is free for the public to attend. The zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85238845296.

The 29th Annual MLK Brunch will be held this year at the Crown Complex in Fayetteville. This year's theme is "Still, I Rise." The Fayetteville/Cumberland County Ministerial Council (FCCMC) will highlight and celebrate Historically Black Colleges and Universities and "Education and Humanity through Community Service."

The key speaker at the event will be Fayetteville State University Chancellor Darrell Allison.

Other speakers at the event include FCCMC Vice-President Allen McLaughlin, Morray's EBF Label CEO, Trevonne Carlise, Founder of the Group Theory Youth Extravaganza, Kevin Brooks, and FCCMC President Pastor Sharon Thompson-Journigan.

After the brunch, Group Theory Inc has planned and organized a Youth Extravaganza.

Organizers want to assure young people in Fayetteville that the community cares about them despite the challenging times in their communities, schools and homes.

The event will highlight resources and organizations dedicated to serving and assisting children and teens.

The Youth Extravaganza will highlight art, music and talent from children of all ages. Masks will be required at the brunch, and Centers for Disease Control Guidelines and social distancing will be enforced.

The 29th Annual MLK Brunch and the Youth Extravaganza, which will take place on Jan. 17, will be live-streamed. Tickets to attend the event in person must be purchased in advance and cost $25.

Tickets are available at the Crown Box Office, FSU, Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Simon Temple AME Zion, Manna Church, WIDU 1600AM radio station, Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church and New Life Bible Church.

Unaccustomed to tooting my own horn, today’s column is full bore tooting. If reading another bragging Christmas letter is not your thing, kindly turn the page. Do not go any further.

Spoiler alert, this column will make both my readers feel inadequate.

Until this Christmas past, I did not realize that Christmas was a contest.

My youngest son, Will, pointed out that I had won Christmas this year.

How you might inquire, did I win Christmas? Funny, you should ask. Allow me to retort.

I accomplished something Dads, and Husbands face every Yuletide Season. I purchased an item that warned, “Some assembly required.”

These are words that strike fear into the hearts of men across the fruited plains. After my wife and I retired, the Rona arrived full force.

For over a year, we left the house only to purchase supplies. To deal with the prospect of massive boredom and to avoid having to talk to me 24 hours a day, my wife Lani took up painting.

Before Rona, she had been a painter but only painted Agreeable Gray on apartment walls. After Rona, she took up painting pictures, took art courses and turned a little-used room into an art studio.

It turns out she is an excellent painter. She had hidden her artist talents under a bushel for the forty-plus years we have been married. But enough about her, this column is about me.

Painting is a hobby similar to photography in that there are an almost infinite number of things you can buy to pursue your dreams of artistic immortality.

We acquired an easel and the usual widgets.

Lately, she had been sitting on the floor to paint, which was fine until the time came to get up off the floor.

We had not purchased a skyhook, so her rising was a bit more challenging than sitting down. Being observant for once, it occurred to me that if she had some sort of art desk/easel contraption, she might be a bit more comfortable sitting during painting sessions.

At a local art supply store, I found something called the Art and Crafts Creative Center, a fancy desk and stool.

It came in a box all the way from China with literally 97 pieces to be assembled.

The package was so heavy that I used a hand truck to haul it into the house. The 20-page instruction book was diagrams only. No words of comfort to encourage the would-be assembler. Just inscrutable diagrams with 17 easy steps to assemble the beast.

My favorite diagram, Step 9, illustrates this column.

To say I have few mechanical abilities would be to far overstate my skills in putting things together.

Flipping the correct switch on the breaker box exceeds my level of accomplishment.

Yet here I was, the day after Christmas confronting a seemingly impossible task. I was armed only with a screwdriver and a fatalistic determination to get the Creative Center assembled or die trying.

The magnitude of the task facing me was more daunting than the challenge faced by the Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae. As you no doubt recall, way back in 480 BC, 300 Spartan warriors under King Leonidas fought 10,000 Persians under King Xerxes.

The 300 Spartans, against overwhelming odds, managed to delay the Persians long enough for the rest of the Greek army to get into position, and they ultimately defeated the Persians.

The bravery and stubbornness of the Spartans saved Western civilization.

As I faced the overwhelming odds of assembling the now unboxed artistic monster, I called upon the spirit of Leonidas to give me strength.

For three hours without a break, I valiantly did my best to assemble the mighty beast. Steps 1 and 2 were inscrutable as the diagram did not remotely resemble the legs that came with the box.

The actual legs were far different from those shown. Alas and Alack!

Trying to make sense of the incomprehensible instructions, I felt like the narrator in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, who almost said: “Once upon an afternoon dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten diagrams.”

A lesser man would have quit in disgust.

But the spirit of Leonidas was with me. I persevered and innovated with the misbegotten legs. Conquering the first two steps gave me the confidence to move on to the next 15 steps.

Displaying an almost inhuman resolve to complete the task, I only cursed once during the entire process.

It was a relatively mild curse that Rhett Butler might have issued when he left Scarlett O’Hara at the end of Gone with the Wind.

Surprising my whole family and mostly myself, I constructed the artsy desk in one sweat-soaked afternoon with only three pieces left over. Lani was delighted with the desk. My son Will awarded me the Winner of Christmas Award.

Life was good. A picture of the desk with her latest artwork is attached above.
Moral of this story: When confronted with a difficult task, may the determination of King Leonidas be with you.

Three hundred kids from local Cumberland County schools, both public and private, will face off during the second annual MLK Dream Jam at Terry Sanford High School, Jan. 15th and 17th.

The event will celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by advocating for children in the community to come together and play basketball.

The MLK Dream Jam began in 2020 as a way for public and private school students to play basketball against each other in a friendly but competitive environment.

Twenty-six teams will participate in the event this year, spread across two days. Twelve girls’ teams will challenge each other on Saturday, Jan. 15th, and 14 boys’ teams will compete against each other on Monday, Jan. 17th.

Karl Molnar, a coach and teacher at Terry Sanford High School, is the event organizer.

The idea of the MLK Dream Jam was to have public and private schools play against each other, explained Molnar, intending to keep it as local as possible. Molnar said that Fayetteville public and private schools have a history with one another.

“Private and public schools have an interesting dynamic (in Cumberland County) … I want to bridge the gap where schools are standing in the same room and won’t talk to one another. I want us all to play nice in the sandbox together,” said Molnar.

Holding the Dream Jam during the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend helps the coaches and student-athletes celebrate and honor the legacy of the civil rights leader by coming together.

With the MLK Dream Jam, Molnar and other coaches in the area hope to ease some of these inter-school tensions. Every game features a public-school team against a private school team. Additionally, university coaches and scouts in attendance can watch talented young student-athletes from the community as part of the recruitment process.

“We wanted a reason for college coaches to come to one area on one day and see the talent in Fayetteville,” Molnar said.

As for the kids, Molnar said they are excited to participate Several young student-athletes in Cumberland County play on travel teams with each other throughout the summer, but with this event, they get to compete against their friends. At the inaugural event in 2020, Molnar said the games were all very close and competitive, making for an exciting day of basketball.

“The first event had six games during one day, and by the end of the day, the gym was packed. You couldn’t find a seat … the atmosphere was palpable. I’m excited for that to happen again,” he said.

Players from other teams were in the audience that day, and several went back to their coaches to ask if they could join in the event the following year.

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event couldn’t be held in 2021. Molnar said he is anxiously excited about the event returning this year.

The rise in cases from the Omicron variant brings a threat of cancellation, but Molnar and the others remain optimistic the event will go on as scheduled.

The MLK Dream Jam will be at the Terry Sanford gymnasium on Jan. 15 and 17. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets at the door.

Doors open on Saturday at 10 a.m., and Saturday tickets are $10. Monday’s festivities kick off at 8:15 a.m., and Monday tickets are $12. Six games are scheduled for Saturday, and seven on Monday. Attendees will be asked to wear a mask.

Miller’s Crew food truck and Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop will be on location to provide food and refreshments.

Last month, the Fayetteville City Council decided who would be on the Community Police Advisory Board. The board function is to hear about concerns and complaints about potential police misconduct involving the

Fayetteville Police Department. In addition, they will help review and recommend ways to improve police department policies and practices.

According to the board charter, the nine board members and one alternate will meet monthly. However, their first meeting has not yet been scheduled.

The board is composed of six men and four women — many with previous police experience or who have worked/volunteered with police departments in the past. The majority of the board is also African-American with one Hispanic member and three Caucasian members.

Here is an introduction to who will serve on the board, their personal history, and how long each person will be on the commission.

Debra Slaughter

Slaughter, who will be serving a one-year term, is an Office Administrator for the non-profit Operation Inasmuch.

“I want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem,” Slaughter said on her application. “The best way I see to do that is to become a member of a committee that will impact the relationship between the citizens of Fayetteville and our police department.”

She says her primary concern is that many citizens view police officers as the enemy so, officers need to have relationships with the communities they serve, according to Slaughter.

She would like the board to address the issue of equity in police stops, an expansion of the Police Activity League program, and reach out to elementary schools to educate students about police.

Gregory Perkins

Perkins, who will be serving a one-year term, is a contributing faculty member at Walden University and is a volunteer chaplain for FPD. He also previously served as a Juvenile Probation Officer.

“I believe that through assessing specific community profiles within the city, I can potentially assist the Police Department in developing citizen-based action forum to serve as a positive commitment to serve all citizens within the city,” Perkins wrote on his application.

He says that the media has portrayed police officers as insensitive and power-hungry, and citizens need to obey the law to promote healthy relationships with the police department.

Perkins would like the board to ask FPD leadership what the top five most pressing issues are for FPD and how the city can help support them.

Jacqueline Clay

Clay, who will be serving for a two-year term, is a former Fayetteville police officer. She worked as a patrol officer in Zone 1. After six years, she joined the Fayetteville State University Police Department where she later became Acting Chief and then retired.

“As a retired police officer with 21 years experience on the street, and as an administrator I am familiar with steps on how to achieve best practices, and as an experienced officer in the field, I know the importance of community policing and gaining the confidence of the community,” Clay said on her application.

She believes trust is needed from both citizens and the police. Clay says that citizens have to have confidence in those they rely on to serve and protect the community. At the same time, police need to treat the community as they want to be treated and be held to a greater standard of professionalism.

Jim Bove

Bove, who will be serving for a three-year term, is a Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Air Force. He previously worked as a Point Information Officer and Community Outreach Facilitator for the Redmond Police Department in Washington state.

“Any opportunity to create conversations and answer questions. This allows both police and residents to understand one another and it gives officers the opportunity to be seen as humans,” Bove wrote on his application.

He believes citizens need to communicate with the police department and ask questions, while officers need to interact with the community and create relationships.

He would like to see the board address community and media relations and how best to navigate a public reputation.

Juana Magnum

Magnum, who will serve as the alternate, is a victim services coordinator for the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. She has been working in victim services and victim advocacy for over thirteen years. She also served as a corrections officer for the North Carolina Department of Corrections in the late 1990s.

“As a victim of a burglary, I know how it feels to be victimized, but on the flip side of that, as a victim advocate, I know how important it is to empathize with and assist the victim,” Magnum said on her application.

She believes officers need to be sympathetic with people who call 911 and ask for their assistance. She says that even though some calls may seem or sound outlandish, officers need to remember that what that person is experiencing at that moment is real to them. Citizens, she says, need to be cooperative when officers come out to canvas neighborhoods and are willing to be open to them.

She would like the board to address how elderly citizens are more fearful now because of COVID-19 and rising crime rates.

Julie Alul

Alul, who will be serving for a three-year term, is a retired Cumberland County School District employee. She was the Executive Director of Exceptional Children Services and worked with the Mental Health Consortium to start mental health services in the school system.

“The pipeline to prison is a real thing in young adolescents and adults in our community that needs addressing in a more compassionate and knowledgeable way instead of just providing School Resource Officers in the schools,” Alul said on her application.

She believes that police officers need to promote interactions that encourage understanding of citizens’ concerns, needs and promote conversation outside of crises. Citizens also need to have knowledge of current prevention programs and work with police to prevent further incidents and problem-solve.

She would like the board to address the current status of police activities, identify priorities and areas of most significant impact and needs, research and design programs that can be implemented and implement active engagement and relationship-building activities.

Lionel Cartwright

Cartwright, who will be serving for a three-year term, is a retired Army chief warrant officer and reverend. He also served as a chaplain for the Chadbourn Police Department. He currently serves as a volunteer judge on the Teen Court at the Cumberland County Dispute Resolution Center.

“I commend the Mayor and the City Council, on the merits of implementing the Community Police Advisory Board,” Cartwright said on his application. “I believe the board, coupled with the necessary resources and support will prove to be an extremely valuable resource in improving Fayetteville citizen and waw enforcement relationships.”

Cartwright believes that citizens need to be proactive in ascertaining the facts and aware of law enforcement’s roles and responsibilities. Police Officers, on the other hand, need to listen, trust and have social interaction with citizens.

He would like the board to showcase healthy relationships and positive interactions between citizens and police officers.

Pablo Arroyo

Arroyo, who will be serving for a two-year term, is an Army veteran who currently works as a probation and parole officer for the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. He also previously worked at the Harnett Correctional Institution as a corrections officer.

“I care for my community and I have seen the great changes that the City of Fayetteville has accomplished in this last 30 years and I believe that it can accomplish more and that it is going on an excellent direction to accomplish better things for the community,” Arroyo said in his application.

He believes that citizens need to get to know their local police officers, and officers need to be more available to learn about community resources and behavioral issues. He would like the board to address issues like gangs, drugs, community involvement, social resources, social disparities, bias, racial discrimination and community needs.

Sidney King

King, who will be serving for a two-year term, is a retired security manager and is currently the President of the United Methodist Men of Hay Street United Methodist Church. He has previously served on the Fayetteville Police Foundation Board of Directors.

“Having extra eye and experiences to help their effort is a very worthwhile commitment," King said on his application.

He would like police and citizens to encourage two-way dialogue by having civic organizations host talk sessions and for police representatives to participate in these talks. He would also want police officers to learn more about mental health and how best to interact with individuals during mental health crises.

He would like the board to check with Police Chief Gina Hawkins and FPD to ensure educational opportunities are available to officers.

Tony Haire

Haire, serving a one-year term, is a behavioral therapist at Community Re-Entry Program and an Army Veteran. In the early 90s’, Haire was appointed to the Durham County Youth Advisory Criminal Justice Board. In addition, he has been appointed and is currently serving on the Governor’s Commission for the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services Board.

“I would be willing, with the help of the city, promoting and providing space, to offer training to those in the community who are interested in getting to know who we are, understanding why we do what we do and how to capture and redirect the thoughts that we have that aren’t consistent with the goal of being a community that desires to look out for the wellbeing of one another," Haire said on his application.

He believes police officers need to promote healthy relationships with people in the community and for citizens to understand the role of a police officer fully.

Haire would like the board to address community policing, ways the community can help support police and their families and assign a community liaison within each zone.

How often do we encounter people impacted by homelessness? Do you know they are there? Or have you trained yourself not to look at them? You may remember, if you think on it, where someone homeless hangs out, panhandling day after day, maybe with a sign that reads “God Bless You.”

The newest Arts Council of Fayetteville Cumberland County (ACFCC) exhibit, "I AM SOMEBODY ­– Faces of Homelessness Exhibition: Works by Dona Marlowe," is on display until Jan. 22. Individuals interested in seeing the show can do so at The Arts Center located at 301 Hay St. in historic downtown Fayetteville.

“These images must be seen to be felt,” Marlowe explains. “Getting to know the people depicted in my photographs, I invited them to participate in my artistic representation of them — including a welcomed invitation to visit this exhibit.”

The idea for the exhibit came to Marlowe when she realized that when she encountered the homeless, she always averted her eyes, pretending not to notice these individuals. She wondered what it must be like to be unseen.

This realization caused Marlowe to think about how the unhoused community is around us but not acknowledged, and certainly not with us.

“How must it feel to be excluded by most, if not all, of society,” Marlowe asked.

She decided to create photographs and mixed media portraits, but she didn’t do it herself. She had help. Stacey Buckner, the owner of Off-Road Rescue, introduced Marlowe to the homeless community and another helper also helped find an additional two people to participate.

Sam Robbins’ song, “Hard to Hate,” was adapted for the show to play during the exhibit.

Fifty percent of the proceeds from all sales of the photographs will be donated to Off-Road Outreach.

Marlowe’s portrait of an individual named William, featured in this exhibit, was selected for the 2021 Annual Juried Exhibition by the Artist Collective in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She sees “I AM SOMEBODY - Faces of Homelessness” as the first of many projects on her journey as a photo activist.

She uses her art to fight for unseen, unheard, forgotten or powerless people.

She hopes that the masses will open their eyes to those struggling and do what we can to help them.

ACFCC, who are hosting the exhibit, are a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville. They support individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development and lifelong learning through the arts.

Founded in 1973, the ACFCC has served as a link between artists, arts and cultural organizations and the greater community by administering programs in partnership with a variety of local agencies to stimulate economic growth, reinforce child education through the arts and enhance the cultural identity of the arts and entertainment district.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information visit, www.WeAreTheARTS.com/iamsomebody or call, 910-323-1776.

Who is the most famous North Carolinian today?

If you check the latest edition of the World Almanac as I do this time every year, you will find a list of “Famous North Carolinians.”

That list includes the following people but not today’s most famous person from our state.

Read over the names on the World Almanac list and then I will tell you today’s most famous person: David Brinkley, Shirley Caesar, John Coltrane, Stephen Curry, Rick Dees, Elizabeth Hanford Dole, Dale Earnhardt Sr., John Edwards, Ava Gardner, Richard Jordan Gatling, Billy Graham, Andy Griffith, O. Henry, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Michael Jordan, William Rufus King, Charles Kuralt, Meadowlark Lemon, Dolley Madison, Thelonious Monk, Edward R. Murrow, Richard Petty, James K. Polk, Charlie Rose, Carl Sandburg, Enos Slaughter, Dean Smith, James Taylor, Thomas Wolfe.

But that list does not include the North Carolinian most talked about across the world these past few days: a man who grew up in the Tally Ho community of Granville County.

On Christmas Day a $10 billion giant telescope to replace the aging Hubble scope was launched from French Guiana. So far, the launch has been successful. The device is already preparing to begin its observations by unfolding its antenna, mirror, and tennis-court-sized sunshield, as it moves toward a final orbit.

The Hubble, at work for more than 30 years, was named for Edwin Powell Hubble, an American astronomer who died in 1953. He was an important astronomer whose work provided evidence that the universe is expanding.

The new observatory-telescope will be about 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble. As described by Dennis Overbye in the October 20, 2021, edition of The New York Times, “Orbiting the sun a million miles from Earth, it will be capable of bringing into focus the earliest stars and galaxies in the universe and closely inspecting the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets for signs of life or habitability.”

So, what does all this have to do with Granville County and the most talked-about North Carolinian?

The new telescope is named the James Webb Space Telescope. Like the Hubble, the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, or Webb Telescope, or simply the Webb, will be in almost every news story about space exploration for many years. Every young person studying astronomy or reading about space will see his name. It will be everywhere.

Why is this critical device named for Webb?

Lewis Bowling, who, like Webb grew up working in the tobacco fields and barns of Granville County, explained in his column in the December 30, 2021, edition of the Oxford Public Ledger, Granville County’s twice-weekly newspaper.

“James Webb, who grew up in the sticks like me, surrounded by great big fields of tobacco was the man most responsible for leading us to the moon. Let me clarify something: James Webb was born in Tally Ho near Stem, so he was a country boy like me, but obviously a lot smarter. Webb knew and worked for several presidents and was the National Aeronautics and Space Administration director under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. As North Carolina Congressman L. H. Fountain once said, ‘for the first time since the beginning of the world there are now footprints on the moon, and the major share of credit goes to a distinguished son of Granville County, James E. Webb.’”

I would make a bet that there will be a new entry in the 2023 World Almanac’s list of “Famous North Carolinians.”

James Webb from Tally Ho.

Miller's Crew has become a staple at many events around Cumberland County. The food truck serves hot dogs, fries, grilled cheese and tried and true food favorites, offering simple but delicious lunches.

Behind the counter and cash register is a leader who has been working for the past five years to make sure young adults learn the skills they need to be successful.

For 26 years, Kim Molnar worked at Cumberland County Schools as a speech-language pathologist and specialist. She noticed that children with developmental disabilities, particularly high school students, weren't given much-needed resources to qualify for jobs in the community. She saw this within the schools and with her son, who has autism spectrum disorder.

"After high school, it was unclear what was out there for him," Molnar said about her son, Miller. "We started Miller's Crew based on frustration and lack of resources in our community for adults."

Miller's Crew, named after Miller Molnar, was established in 2016. The Miller's Crew goal is to provide job training, apprenticeship programs and employment opportunities for young adults with developmental disabilities.

Their first goal was to create vocational work labs in high school special needs classrooms. Miller's Crew met their initial goal in just three and a half years.

Now Miller's Crew is in Phase Two - the food truck.

"With the food truck, we are able to take adults with special needs and train them with skills that they can use in some kind of employment," Molnar said. "We use our food truck as a training lab. We serve really good food, and we love being out in the community."

The food truck launched in June, and since then, Molnar says they have been booked several times a week and are regulars at popular food truck sites. They will be serving their fare at the second annual MLK Dream Jam Basketball Tournament on Jan. 15 and 17 (read more about this event on page 13).

When they launched, two crew members with developmental disabilities worked with them. One has since moved to Kentucky and is now working in a cafe. A local Jersey Mike's hired the other. These success stories increased the number of people interested in training at Miller's Crew.

"We have six crew members right now that are waiting to get on our truck and train," Molnar said proudly.

The food truck serves another purpose: to get out in the community and show local businesses what these young adults could do for them as employees.

"We have a strong belief that connecting with the community is vital to our program," Molnar said. "Eighty-seven percent of adults with special needs are unemployed."

But Miller's Crew wouldn't be what it is without Molnar. Molnar was one of four recipients of last year's Community Impact Award and is the driving force behind Miller's Crew.

"I'm the one on the grill; I'm the one doing the training. I'm back there burning my fingertips because the grill's hot, so I don't get a lot of time to think," Molnar said. "But when I wake up in the morning, all I can think to myself is you have to follow your heart when you feel something as strongly as I do about your purpose. I did the right thing, based on what my heart was telling me."

What's the plan for Miller's Crew for the future? The first goal is to get to Phase Three, which means opening their own Crew Cafe and Training Center. This building would be a fully functioning training center that would expand opportunities to help individuals train with different skillsets. Miller's Crew would then partner with local businesses and organizations that would hire these young adults after they finish training.

The center would also serve as a hub for families to connect and get help and advice when their children are diagnosed with developmental disabilities and special needs.

"It is a life-long process. Once you have a child with special needs, there is nothing in that process that is stagnant," Molnar says. "We want them to see the big picture right when they walk in our doors."

To find out more about Miller's Crew, where you can find their food truck, or how to get involved, visit their website at millerscrew.com.

This coming weekend's MLK Dream Jam Basketball Tournament will personify and celebrate "The Dream" of one of America's most honored civil rights advocates and scholars, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

MLK Dream Jam Basketball Tournament is a unique two-day sporting event. It will celebrate the legacy of this King by demonstrating his philosophies of peace, harmony and the coming together of all peoples regardless of race, nationality or religion. The event will celebrate those cherished principles. It will also celebrate the teachers and coaches who support and educate Fayetteville's young people, who are our future.

Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper is exceptionally proud to be sponsoring this event.

The tournament will showcase all the outstanding basketball players from public, private and Christian schools in Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg, Cumberland County and the surrounding areas. The MLK Dream Jam is a friendly sporting competition bringing schools, players, teachers, coaches, parents and local college and university scouts all together for the best basketball of the year.

The MLK Dream Jam tournament logo says it all and is very significant to the event's theme. At its conception, Karl Molnar and the MLK Dream Jam organizers reached out to two influential Fayetteville celebrities to ask if they would support and promote the concept of bringing everyone together for a private school vs. public school basketball competition. Dennis Smith Jr., a graduate of Fayetteville's private Trinity Christian High School and current player for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and J. Cole, singer and songwriter, from Fayetteville's public Terry Sanford High School, were onboard. Both are featured in the logo.

The MLK Dream Jam Basketball Tournament became a reality. The cherished prize: One full year of bragging rights.

We want to congratulate Coach Karl Molnar for his insight, hard work and perseverance in creating a unique sporting event that brings our community together. In addition, we want to extend our gratitude to Fayetteville Technical Community College, Piedmont Natural Gas, and Public Works Commission for their willingness to support this all-inclusive event and for their countless and ongoing contributions to the quality of life in our community. We encourage everyone to come out and support the best high school athletes in Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg, Cumberland County and the surrounding areas.

Have fun and thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Nadia Minniti, the owner of Gusto Napoletano Pizzeria and Restaurant, truly believes in good food. It’s part of why she offers cooking classes once a month at her restaurant.

“I like to share with people what real Italian food is, what the culture is. My mission in life is to show people what real Italian food is,” said Minniti.
Minniti opened Gusto Napoletano in 2019 and has been dishing up authentic Italian food for Fayetteville ever since.

The restaurant, located on Raeford Road across the street from Harris Teeter, serves authentic food from Minniti’s hometown of Naples, Italy.

The restaurant’s signature is a brick wood-burning pizza oven used to create an authentic Neapolitan pizza for patrons.

Minniti, a trained chef, was awarded the pizzaiolo certificate by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and is very proud of her Neapolitan pizza heritage.

In addition to the pizza oven, the restaurant serves fresh, homemade pasta and other classic Italian fares. Minniti holds classes on cooking authentic Italian food every month in the spirit of sharing Italian cuisine.

On Saturday, Jan. 22, at 3:30 p.m., she is hosting her next pasta class at the restaurant.

This month’s class is centered around a square pasta known as spaghetti alla chitarra, or “guitar spaghetti.”

The name comes from the traditional implement used to make the classic noodle shape; a wooden frame with metal strings. The pasta dough is rolled out, then placed on top of the frame, and is rolled again through the strings, creating a long, square-shaped noodle.

Traditionally, the pasta is served with a hearty, rich sauce and covered in pecorino cheese.

“This is an easy noodle to make; anyone at home can make a good tasting pasta,” said Minniti.

Pasta students will be making their pasta dough during the class, then cutting the dough into long, square noodles.

Minniti will have the sauce prepared beforehand. At the end of the hour-long class, participants will sample their creations. Minniti enjoys sharing the time with her students, who in turn seem to enjoy the classes.

Participants get into the spirit of making Italian food and often pair the experience with a glass of wine or two.

“I love teaching the class. We’ve had some characters,” she said.

The class is currently being offered to adults and costs $37 per person. Minniti limits participation to ten people.

Participants will be given ingredients and tools to use during the course.

To register for the event, visit Gusto Napoletano’s Facebook page or purchase tickets through Eventbrite at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/learn-to-make-pasta-dough-for-spaghetti-alla-chitarra-tickets-235958266527?aff=ebdssbdestsearch or by calling, 910-779-0622.

On Jan. 3, Fayetteville police officers were dispatched to a reported shooting along Skibo Road at Cliffdale Road.

Upon arrival, officers located 32-year-old Stephen Addison who was shot.

He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

The investigation revealed that 51-year-old Roger Dale Nobles, a driver of a truck, and Nobles son, were yelling at Addison who was driving a motorcycle.

While Nobles's son was outside of the truck yelling at Addison, Nobles himself allegedly shot Addison and then he and his son fled.

Nobles was arrested at his home later that day by Cumberland County deputies. Nobles is being charged with First Degree Murder and has not received a bond.

His son has not faced any charges at this time. Nobles is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center. His next pre-trial hearing date will be on Jan. 25.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Addison's wife, Justina Hemphill. She says Addison leaves behind three children. The GoFundMe funds raised will be used towards the expenses of having Addison's body moved to Buffalo, New York as well as the funeral service.

The second homicide of the year happened on Jan. 4 at Southern City Swag Boutique located at 4621 Yadkin Rd.

Officers located 34-year-old Eddie Saez inside of the business.

He had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene. Saez owned Southern City Swag Boutique. Other media outlets report that he was a father to seven kids.

Local surveillance video shows two people may have information about the murder. Detectives are asking the public to help identify and locate the two men and the Infiniti SUV vehicle shown above.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective J. Olsen at (910) 709-1958 or Crimestoppers at p3tips.com.

The 911 calls and the incident report pertaining to the death investigation of Jason Walker have been released by the Fayetteville Police Department.

The case, which has gotten national attention, pertains to an incident at Bingham and Shenandoah Drive in Fayetteville on Saturday, Jan. 8., shortly after 2:15 p.m. where 37-year-old Walker was shot and killed by an off-duty Cumberland County Deputy.

The deputy, Lt. Jeffrey Hash told the 911 operator that Walker jumped on his car and broke the windshield.

"I was driving down the road and he came flying across Bingham Drive running. I stopped so I wouldn't hit him, and he jumped on my car and started screaming, pulled my windshield wipers off to try to beat my windshield and broke my windshield. I had my wife and my daughter in my vehicle," Hash told the 911 operator.

When the 911 operator asks if Walker was breathing, Hash replies that Walker "was gone."

In the call, a woman can be heard in the background trying to aid Walker. Hash tells the 911 operator that she is a trauma nurse. The operator and nurse keep asking Hash to identify where Walker was shot in order to stop the bleeding.

"I don't know. He was on the front of my vehicle. He jumped on my car," Hash can be heard telling the nurse.

"I don't care about that," the woman can be heard telling Hash. "Where is the entry point?"

"I do not know," Hash said.

At that point, the 911 operator tells Hash to not engage with anyone else at the scene and to stay on the line until the officers arrived.

That trauma nurse, later identified as Elizabeth Ricks, said at a protest Sunday evening that she rendered first aid to Walker and no officers offered medical assistance when they arrived at the scene. Ricks says that she didn't see Walker jump onto the vehicle.

"[Walker] was hit. He was trying to go home. He was trying to go across the street to his family," Ricks said at the rally. "You can't tell me anything else. I saw what I saw."

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins and District Attorney Billy West held a press conference on Sunday night to update the public on the investigation. Hawkins explained the truck's black box did not record any impact with "any person or thing." Hawkins also clarified that the shots did not go through the windshield. However, they found one of the truck's windshield wipers was ripped off, and the truck's windshield had sustained damage in multiple places.

Hash was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation as of Monday morning. Hash has been with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office since 2005.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation Saturday night and the FBI is assessing the case to see if any civil rights were violated.

The incident report states that Hash's car is listed as evidence but does not state if investigators seized it. The firearm used in the incident has been taken as evidence, according to the SBI.

Ben Crump, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney, announced Tuesday morning that he will be representing the family of Walker. 

"We stand committed, with the family and the young son that Jason Walker left behind, to finding answers as to what happened to him when he was senselessly shot and killed by off-duty deputy Jeffrey Hash. We have reason to believe that this was a case of ‘shoot first, ask later,’ a philosophy seen all too often within law enforcement. We look to the North Carolina SBI for a swift and transparent investigation so that we can get justice for Jason and his loved ones," Crump said in a press release.

The SBI sent out a press release Tuesday morning stating that no further information is available at this time. They also state that District Attorney Billy West has requested that at the end of the investigation, the SBI should provide the complete case file to the Conference of District Attorneys.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, knows of anyone who witnessed the incident or has video or audio footage before, during or after the incident, should contact the SBI Southeastern District office at 910-778-5724 during business hours or call 1-800-334-3000 after business hours.

The Fayetteville City Council unanimously approved a resolution to draft and send a letter to Eastern District U.S. Attorney Michael Easley during the Monday, Jan. 10, City Council meeting regarding the Jason Walker investigation.

The motion was raised by Councilmember Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and finalized by Mayor Mitch Colvin to discuss the investigation and formally reach out to the Department of Justice to join in the investigation.

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins spoke to the Council, saying that the FBI (Department of Justice) is already assessing the case to assess any civil rights violations.

"The FBI, which governs civil rights, which is a part of the Department of Justice, is doing an assessment of all what has occurred thus far, looking at evidence, looking at statements and body-worn camera for that purpose," Hawkins said.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is handling the current criminal investigation. The SBI would initiate any criminal charges brought due to the investigation. The SBI released a statement Tuesday morning stating that at the conclusion of the investigation, the SBI will provide its complete case file to the Conference of District Attorneys who has been requested by District Attorney Billy West to review the case.

Hawkins clarified that the FBI and SBI conduct two separate investigations and separate entities.

While the public was not allowed inside the city council meeting due to COVID-19 protocols, a handful of people called in to discuss Walker's case and how the FPD handled it during the public forum.

"We're calling for and demanding the immediate arrest and charge of Jeffrey Hash. Fayetteville City Council, especially Councilmember Davis, it's your responsibility to take up for, to stand for the people that you represent," Shaun McMillan said. "We also ask the council tonight to pass a non-binding resolution that denounces the behavior, the injustice of the Fayetteville Police Department in not arresting Jeffrey Hash on Saturday."

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office announced Monday morning that the off-duty deputy who was involved, Lt. Jeffrey Hash, has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. He has not been arrested or charged with any crimes.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has video of the incident should contact the SBI Southeastern District office at 910-778-5724 during business hours or 800-334-3000 after hours.

Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans held a press conference at the Cumberland County Courthouse Monday afternoon to tell families of recent violent crime victims that he hears them and they are not alone.

“I stand with you in prayer and believing that we will see a brighter day,” Evans said.

Evans specifically recognized the recent homicides of Eddie Suez, Stephen Addison and Jason Walker.

Evans made a point that he was doing the press conference on his own and not as a part of the County Commission. Evans also spoke about being at the protest Sunday night where people demanded justice for Walker’s death.

“It's my responsibility and my duty to let them know that I am here for them. And whatever it takes, whatever I can do to help them, during these difficult times, I am here,” Evans said.

When it comes to Walker’s death and the state investigation, Evans says that he believes that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will thoroughly investigate the case and that justice will be served.

“I believe that our law enforcement and legal system, along with the assistance of the community, can bring those who are committing these crimes to justice,” Evans said. “It is my hope that every family is given the opportunity to see fairness and justice prevail. During times like this, we must unite instead of standing alone.”

When asked about the transparency of local law enforcement agencies and if he would bring forward the idea of an accountability board to Cumberland County’s Sheriff’s Office, he says he has no problem with the idea, but right now he is focusing on the families who are hurting.

“The one thing that I am here today is not to question the ability of our law enforcement officers but to let the citizens that have been involved in these unfortunate acts of crime know that this elected office, their county commissioner, is just as concerned about what transpires in this investigation,” Evans said.

Evans was elected to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners as an at-large representative in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018. His current term expires in 2022 and he is now planning to campaign for the new seat of North Carolina Congressional District 4.