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Tuesday, 19 May 2026
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Written by Lia Tremblay
Surgery to repair an orthopedic injury can be complicated and delicate. It takes a skilled surgeon to get the job done right.
But after surgery, the key to a full recovery is usually in the hands of the patient. Working diligently through a consistent routine of physical therapy is essential to rebuilding strength and range of motion. And there are no shortcuts.
“Patients who aren’t keeping up with their PT can experience things like stiffness, lack of mobility or muscle weakness,” said Courtney Kinney, a physical therapy assistant at Fayetteville Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. “They start to see pretty quickly that they aren’t getting as far as they’d like to be.”
Kinney sees a variety of cases, from older patients recovering from hip replacement to high school athletes with sports injuries. Most require several weeks or months of therapy, and some need lots of encouragement when the road seems very long.
“Usually, I’ll ask the patient what they’re trying to get back to doing,” she said. “Maybe she likes to garden, so she’ll need to be on her knees a lot. I can explain how doing the lunges she’s working on will help her get there.”
For one of Kinney’s patients, Cameron Seagroves, the goal was pretty clear: He wanted to get back to baseball. Seagroves plays for Methodist University, but last year he was sidelined by a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a painful knee injury. Christopher J. Barnes, MD, performed the surgery to repair it.
“And then three days after surgery, I started physical therapy,” he said. “It was about seven months of consistent PT, twice a week.”
That’s at least a couple of months earlier than he thought he might be released from PT. Seagroves said his own strong will had a lot to do with his speedy success, but he also gives credit to the staff at Fayetteville Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for personalizing his routine to his level of ability and fitness.
“Sometimes I would come in and say, ‘Hey, I saw this move on Instagram,’ or ‘Maybe we could try this,’” he said. “And we’d work together and build a program that was great for me. Honestly, what they did with me in PT are probably some of the most athletic movements I’ve had to do.”
Phillip Torres is no stranger to physical exertion either. An avid weightlifter, he has always loved the gym and enjoyed challenging workouts. After tearing his rotator cuff in a mishap at his manufacturing job, he knew he would need surgery. Daniel E. McBrayer, MD, performed a reverse shoulder replacement procedure to start Torres’ recovery.
“My first PT appointment was four days later,” he said. “That first day was excruciating, but I knew it would get easier.”
Torres knew from previous injuries that it was important not only to faithfully attend his PT appointments, but also to keep up with his assigned exercises between visits.
“I was going to therapy and then doing the routine again on my own at home that same day,” he said. “A lot of people don’t do the homework, and then they don’t have the results they want.”
Torres said there were definitely times when he felt uncertain about his progress.
“I was scared to re-injure myself,” he said, “but every time I would come back, I’d have a little more progress than the last time.”
A little over four months after his first appointment, Torres was doing pull-ups unassisted. He was glad to be graduating from PT, but sad to say goodbye to his physical therapist, Kaitie[AC1.1] Bogue, whom he’d grown to consider a friend.
“She was the catalyst for my success,” he said. “From the first appointment, she knew what I meant when I said, ‘I want to be back where I was before the injury. I’m not going to settle for less.’”
Whether the patient is a gym fanatic or an octogenarian, Kinney said, she aims to meet them where they are and encourage them toward their own personal goals.
“It’s important that they understand what we’re doing, and that it’s in their best interest,” she said. “It can be really hard in the beginning, but if you just trust the process, it really does get easier.”
The best part for her is seeing a patient long after their last session, doing exactly what they wanted to do.
“Sometimes they’ll stop in to say hi,” she said, “or I’ll give them a call and see how they’re doing. And it’s really cool to see that it all worked.”
Orthopedic patients in Harnett and Hoke Counties now have access to new robotic technologies for joint replacements, as Cape Fear Valley Health rolls out the Mako SmartRobotics system for hip and knee surgery , the ROSA Knee System for knee replacement procedures and the CORI Surgical System knee and hip replacements.
“The technology allows the surgeons to use robotic systems to enhance precision, accuracy, and customization during complex joint replacement surgeries,” says Colby Warren, Director of Physician Practices for Cape Fear Valley Medical Group. “The robots do not act alone, they act as a tool directed by the surgeon to perform precise cuts and implant placement. The surgeons have gone through hours of training to be able to use these systems.”
For patients, using a robotic system can provide better outcomes and longevity on the implant. Some patients have often experienced less post-op pain compared to the conventional procedure.
(Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Valley Health)
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Tuesday, 19 May 2026
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Written by Staff Report
2025 Water quality report is now available
The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has published its 2025 Water Quality Report. While the Water Quality Report is a requirement of the state, the results of water sampling verify PWC’s commitment to water quality going beyond compliance.
One of PWC’s primary goals is to continue providing customers with a safe, reliable, and affordable supply of drinking water. PWC is an award-winning utility, recognized nationally for water quality. PWC was the first utility in North Carolina to earn the Partnership for Safe Water Director’s Award for water treatment.
PWC has received this prestigious recognition for 25 consecutive years. PWC has also been recognized with the 2024 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. In 2025, PWC was recognized with two of NC One Water Awards highest distinctions for service: Water Distribution System of the Year – Overall Winner and the Wastewater Collections System of the Year – Large System Award.
The Annual Water Quality Report is a snapshot of last year’s overall water quality. Included are details about our sources of water, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. Customers with questions about this report or your water can contact Customer Service at 910-483-1382.
In 2025, PWC treated over 10.5 billion gallons of water while remaining in 100% compliance with all EPA regulations. PWC continuously monitors water quality by performing more than 150,000 tests a year. This year’s Water Quality Report, as well as past reports, are available for viewing online at FayPWC.com/Water-Quality-Report/.
City Manager presents recommended FY2027 Budget
City Manager Douglas Hewett presented the Fiscal Year 2027 Recommended Operating Budget to the City Council and the public at the Budget Work Session on Thursday, May 14. The recommended budget totals $322,813,979.
Key highlights of the FY2027 Budget include:
• Tax Rate Adjustment: The recommended budget proposes a property tax rate of $0.4595 — still one of the lowest in the City's history. The modest $0.01 increase will help maintain strong, reliable services without placing a significant burden on taxpayers.
• Public Safety Investment: The recommended budget allocates $120 million to public safety, to include:
• Fayetteville Police Department — $76 million, a $2.54 million increase
• Fayetteville Fire Department — $42 million, a $2.1 million increase
• Office of Community Safety — $2.18 million, a $287,000 decrease
• Mental Health Response Expansion: Two new mental health response units will be added to the Office of Community Safety to assist residents in crisis while minimizing law enforcement response, when possible. This OCS work, along with efforts to reduce violence, address homelessness, and support youth programs, reflects a new and more balanced approach to community safety.
• Employee Compensation: The recommended budget invests in the City workforce through step increases for public safety personnel, a 4% pay raise for all City employees, and a 1% increase in the City's 401(k) contribution.
• Solid Waste Fee: To offset rising fuel costs, the recommended budget proposes a $10 annual increase to the Solid Waste Fee.
"This budget is built on a simple but powerful commitment: delivering quality, sustainable public services that allow our communities to thrive and our businesses to grow," City Manager Douglas Hewett said. "It ensures we continue providing the services our residents rely on, while remaining fiscally responsible and advancing City Council priorities. We recognize that national and global events can shape our local community in ways we don't always anticipate. That is precisely why careful planning and strong leadership matter more than ever."
The City Council will review the recommended budget during the budget work sessions on May 21 and May 28, followed by a public hearing on May 26 at the regular City Council meeting. All budget work sessions are open to the public and can be watched live on FayTV, the City's government access channel, available on Spectrum Channel 7, at FayTV.net, and on the FayTV app on most streaming devices.
The public hearing will be held on Monday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. during the regular City Council meeting.
Residents who wish to speak must sign up by 5 p.m. the day of the meeting through one of the following:
• Online: FayettevilleNC.gov/Clerk
• Phone: 910-433-1989
• Email: CityClerk@FayettevilleNC.gov
The recommended FY-2027 budget can be reviewed at FayettevilleNC.gov/Budget.
“Through Their Eyes, We Remember. Through Their Voices, We Honor.”
Youth from across our community are bringing history to life through Heroes of Fayetteville–Cumberland County, a retrospective performance celebrating the influential voices, extraordinary achievements, and enduring legacies of hometown heroes from the past and present, performed by talented students in grades 1–8 from the Greater Life of Fayetteville’s After-School Program and additional Cumberland County schools.
Students from the following local schools participated in all aspects of the production, showcasing their artistic talents both on stage and behind the scenes while gaining hands-on experience in theatrical production, storytelling, staging, and creative elements to bring the stories to life:
• Cumberland Road Elementary | Stedman Elementary School
• Ashley Elementary School | Anne Chesnutt Middle School
• Ferguson-Easley Elementary | Lake Rim Elementary School
• Gray's Creek Elementary School | Alderman Road Elementary School
• William H. Owen Elementary School | Home School
The first performance will take place on Friday, May 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by a second performance on Saturday, June 6, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Both performances will be held at the FTCC Tony Rand Student Center, located at 2200 Hull Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“It is more than just a performance — it is a movement of remembrance, identity, and purpose,” said Georgeanna Pinckney, Executive Director of Greater Life of Fayetteville. “These memorable monologue performances will not only amplify the creativity of our youth, but also preserve the stories and legacy of those who helped build our community.”
Audiences of all ages will experience a renewed sense of community pride and cultural appreciation while gaining a deeper understanding of the leadership, sacrifice, resilience, and service that continue to shape Fayetteville–Cumberland County today.
Community members, families, educators, civic leaders, and supporters are encouraged to attend this celebration of youth, culture, and history. To attend, RSVP at Eventbrite https://HeroesFay.eventbrite.com.
Heroes of Fayetteville-Cumberland County is presented by Greater Life of Fayetteville and funded by the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County.
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