Local News

Vision takes shape: Final beam placed at future School of Medicine

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Tuesday, 22 April 2025

Written by Staff Report

Tuesday, April 15 marked a historic milestone for Methodist University − and for the future of healthcare in Southeastern North Carolina − as leaders from Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health gathered with elected officials, supporters, faculty, staff, doctors, nurses, and other community members to celebrate the topping-off ceremony for the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine.
With the ceremonial “final beam” − measuring 27 feet long, 24 inches tall, and weighing 1,500 pounds − covered in signatures, hoisted into place, and a celebratory helicopter flyover drawing eyes skyward, the long-anticipated vision of a medical school in Fayetteville took a very visible step forward.
The moment represents a symbolic turning point in the construction of the $60-million, state-of-the-art facility, which is set to open in 2026 pending accreditation approval from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.
Designed to help address the region’s longstanding physician shortage, the school will train the next generation of healthcare professionals with a focus on community-based care and innovation.
“Access to great healthcare is a fundamental human right − you shouldn’t have to travel hours to receive it,” said Michael Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health. “For too long, Southeastern North Carolina has struggled with physician shortages. This partnership with Methodist University was the perfect match. Methodist University couldn’t have done this without us, and we couldn’t have done it without MU. It’s a true community effort.”
As the crowd gathered on-site, the excitement was obvious − a testament to what this building represents not just for Methodist University, but for the thousands of lives it will touch in the decades to come.
“Our mission at Methodist University has always been rooted in service, and we’ve been deeply involved in healthcare education for more than 25 years through programs like Physician Assistant Studies, Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy, and more,” said Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, president of Methodist University. “The School of Medicine is the next logical step − one that raises our visibility and elevates us to a new level as an institution.”
The School of Medicine stands as a bold extension of Methodist University’s mission to serve and lead with purpose. With construction well underway, the facility is designed to include advanced simulation labs, modern classrooms, and collaborative learning spaces. It will reflect the values that define MU: innovation, compassion, and a commitment to service.
“If all goes well with accreditation, we hope to welcome our first class of students in July of 2026,” said Dr. Hershey Bell, founding dean of the School of Medicine. “The inaugural class is expected to include 64 students, a number determined by the clinical capacity within the Cape Fear Valley Health system to ensure each student receives an ideal clinical education.”
“Our curriculum is specifically designed to prepare students to understand and address the health needs of this region,” said Bell. “That means learning about the illnesses most prevalent here, the barriers to care, and the social issues that impact health outcomes.”
From the very beginning, this project has been about more than just bricks and mortar − it’s about purpose. For more on the School of Medicine, please visit methodist.edu/medicine. For more on Methodist University's Health Sciences programs, please visit methodist.edu/health-sciences.

(Photo: The final beam in the School of Medicine building at the Cape Fear Valley Health campus is placed during a "topping off" ceremony, April 15. Photo courtesy of Methodist University)

County seeking new estimate for downtown Event Center

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Tuesday, 22 April 2025

Written by Paul Woolverton, CityView Today

The costs for building Cumberland County’s downtown Crown Event Center could exceed the $145 million budgeted for the project, so the county’s Board of Commissioners is seeking a new construction estimate, Commissioners Chair Kirk deViere announced on Monday.
And the county has hired the DavisKane architecture firm of Raleigh, deViere said, to see what it would cost to rehabilitate and modernize the old Crown Arena and Crown Theatre on U.S. 301 — the facilities that the 3,000-seat Event Center performing arts and meeting facility is supposed to replace.
DeViere announced these plans after the commissioners met in a behind-closed-doors session for about 3 hours and 25 minutes. This followed previous closed-to-the-public meetings last week for discussion on the Event Center. The commissioners’ vote to exclude the public from their Monday deliberations was 6-1, with Commissioner Glenn Adams voting against going into secret session.
In early March, construction of the Event Center was paused 30 days so that lawyer J. Scott Flowers of Fayetteville could investigate a $1.9 million architect’s fee from the EwingCole firm. After receiving what deViere said was a 1,000-plus page report on the fee, the commissioners voted April 7 to lift the pause on the project.
County Attorney Rick Moorefield told CityView by email last week that the 1,000-page Flowers report is considered to be an attorney work product and is not a public record, meaning members of the general public won’t be allowed to read it or get a copy. “When the legal matter it was prepared for is resolved, it will become available,” Moorefield said.
Site preparation for the Event Center, on Gillespie Street on a parking lot in front of the County Courthouse, began in October.
The next phase is the construction of the building, deViere said. Before the county starts that phase, it is seeking updates on the cost and how long it will take to complete. Plans had been to finish the Event Center in April 2027.
DeViere estimated information on new costs and new completion dates will come back in 30 to 60 days.
Further, deViere said, the commissioners received an update on the financing plan to pay for the Event Center.
“As you can imagine, with what’s happening across the nation right now and what’s happening with the construction costs, we wanted to have a better understanding with a couple scenarios of what are — what the financing package would sustain,” he said. “And we got some good feedback on that as well.
“So we wanted to clearly understand, if the Crown Event Center is built downtown, that the financing model that was put in place previously sustains any expected increase in cost, and we were satisfied with that.”
With that and a new estimate for the next phase of construction, “that will give us a total updated cost,” he said.
The 4,500-to-5,000 seat Crown Arena and the 2,400-seat Crown Theatre opened in the late 1960s. They used to be known as the Cumberland County Memorial Arena and Auditorium. The county began considering around 2015 whether to rehabilitate or update the facilities when it settled an Americans With Disabilities Act lawsuit from a Fayetteville woman who used a wheelchair. The woman sued in 2014 because she had difficulty getting around and using the properties in her wheelchair.
DeViere said there has not been an assessment of upgrading the Arena and Theatre since 2015. So now the county hired DavisKane to look into that.
Does this mean the commissioners are considering canceling the Event Center and instead will modernize the Crown Arena and Crown Theatre?
“We are asking for an updated cost to modernize and renovate the theater and the arena. Nothing more, nothing less,” deViere said. “When you look at all the information that’s been provided over three years — from community input, to parking studies, to all these things — the one piece of data point that wasn’t there except from 2015, was an updated renovation and modernization for that.”
Members of the public and press have asked about renovating the old facilities, he said, “and we feel that it’s a responsible action by the board to have that number [of the estimated cost].”

Salvation Army abruptly closes Fayetteville homeless shelter

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Tuesday, 22 April 2025

Written by Evey Weisblat, CityView Today

At least 50 people who were staying at the emergency homeless shelter run by the Salvation Army in downtown Fayetteville were told to leave upon waking up Tuesday morning, as the shelter would be closed immediately and indefinitely.
The Salvation Army shared the news in a press release on Tuesday, citing a lack of funding to support its operations at the Pathway to Hope shelter, located at 245 Alexander St.
“We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said Aaron Goldfarb of The Salvation Army of the Sandhills Region. “This difficult decision weighs heavily on all of us as we understand the vital role this shelter plays in our community.”
Fifty to sixty individuals were discharged from the shelter Tuesday morning, according to Assistant County Manager Heather Skeens, who shared the news at a Cumberland-Fayetteville Opioid Response Team meeting on Tuesday. Residents of the shelter were taken to the Day Resource Center following the Salvation Army’s closure Tuesday morning. Staffers of Coordinated Entry, a referral service that helps unhoused individuals find permanent housing, were stationed at the center on South King Street to assist those discharged from the shelter.
“We have rerouted Coordinated Entry staff over to the Day Resource Center to try to assist those individuals,” Skeens said. “They are offering transportation to the Salvation Army in Raleigh for those individuals who want to go to that shelter.”
The shelter’s closing is especially significant because it was one of the largest homeless shelters in Cumberland County and the primary emergency shelter for people to get quick access to a bed. While the other shelters in the county cater to specific groups of people, the Salvation Army shelter accepted families, as well as single men and single women. The 2024 Point in Time count located 374 people experiencing homelessness in the county, though determining the exact number of individuals is difficult. The real number is likely much higher as the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Continuum of Care provided services to 800 individuals between fall of 2022 and 2023.
Local government officials expressed concern about Pathway to Hope’s sudden closure.
“We are deeply concerned about the Salvation Army’s announcement regarding the immediate closure of the emergency shelter in Fayetteville,” said Kirk deViere, chair of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, in a statement provided to CityView. “This shelter has been a vital resource for our most vulnerable residents, and its closure creates a gap in our community’s safety net. We recognize the critical importance of emergency shelters in our region and will work with the Salvation Army and alongside community partners to address this vital need.”
Pathway to Hope includes a year-round temporary shelter. Pathway to Hope was also used by the county as a “White Flag” shelter for people experiencing homelessness during freezing nights. A White Flag shelter is a heated space for unsheltered people to escape dangerously cold temperatures.
The organization has faced challenges in the last year around its White Flag program. In November, as freezing temperatures ramped up, the Salvation Army of the Sandhills announced it would no longer be able to serve as a White Flag shelter for Cumberland County.
The Salvation Army said a “lack of funding partners” drove its decision to close its doors Tuesday.
“The Salvation Army has been operating at a deficit for months, with no hope of new funding for the shelter,” the press release states.
At the end of last year, however, the City of Fayetteville had offered $50,000 through a proposed city contract to support continued White Flag nights there, which continued throughout winter 2024. According to Loren Bymer, the city’s marketing and communications director, the city had also provided information about available funding sources to the Salvation Army.
“The City educated the Salvation Army on potential funding sources available to apply for and provided assistance as requested,” Bymer said in an email to CityView.
What will happen to those who were staying in the shelter?
Kevin, a man who had been staying at the shelter for the past month, told CityView he and other occupants were informed of the plans to close the shelter early Tuesday morning, and told they had until 9 a.m. to pack up their belongings. He said he was returning from work to change his clothes when he was informed of the evictions.
Kevin said staff did not initially provide a reason for dislodging the residents.
“But they didn’t give no explanation or nothing, just said everybody gotta be packed up by 9,” he told CityView.
When Kevin pressed a shelter manager for a reason, he said the manager told him “funding was gone” and there was a shortage of employees. Like other single men and women staying at the shelter, Kevin was not provided with immediate accommodations and was directed to Coordinated Entry.
“I’m out here searching for another place,” Kevin said. “I don’t got nowhere to go, and hopefully I won’t lose my job because I got to find a bed to stay in.”
The Salvation Army declined to comment beyond what was available in the press release. Jamie Goldfarb of the Salvation Army of the Sandhills told CityView she did not immediately recall how many individuals were staying at the shelter Tuesday morning. The press release states that 26 single men and women were staying there, in addition to several families.
Several nonprofit organizations that work with the homeless community, as well as local governments, said they were informed of the closure either late Monday night or Tuesday morning.
Debbie Brown, chair of the CoC’s board of directors, said her program had been informed of the shelter’s closing but could not provide additional information to CityView. CoC oversees the Coordinated Entry program. The Salvation Army said it had “secured alternative housing arrangements” for the families who were staying at the shelter. The nonprofit organization also said it was working with the CoC to find housing for the 26 single men and women who were staying at the shelter.
Several local nonprofits and individuals who support people experiencing homelessness took to social media, offering assistance in the wake of the closure. The City of Fayetteville also said it is working to support the CoC in responding to the shelter’s closing.
“Recognizing the critical role the Salvation Army played in serving vulnerable populations [in] our community, city officials have been working alongside other leaders to ensure that displaced residents receive essential services,” Bymer said. “Collaborative efforts with the CoC and County include coordinating with TruVine Ministry, Manna Church, and Cornerstone Empowerment Center for at-risk individuals.
“By proactively combining resources and expertise, Fayetteville aims to support Cumberland County and the community’s response to bridge the gap left by the Salvation Army’s closure and maintain a safety net that upholds the community’s well-being.”

Pate's Farm Market: Fayetteville's ultimate one-stop shop

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Tuesday, 15 April 2025

Written by Sheila D. Barker

Pate's Farm Market is the culmination of a lifelong dream for owner Michael Pate. Raised in the world of fresh produce and quality goods, Michael honed his skills working for his father, William Pate, at the Reilly Road Farmers Market. This humble beginning, which started as a roadside stand, has blossomed into a comprehensive market located at 6411 Raeford Road, Fayetteville.
In 2021, the Reilly Road Farmers Market and Carolina Market combined their offerings under one roof to form Pate's Farm Market. This new venture allowed Michael to expand his vision, providing the community with a rich variety of products and services, all while maintaining the quality and charm of its predecessors.
At Pate's Farm Market in Fayetteville, the community is in for a treat with the freshest produce around. This market features an outstanding variety of local fruits and vegetables, along with an array of tropical options and a selection of nuts. They also have a range of organic goods that are sure to please health-conscious shoppers. The dedication to excellence is evident in their meat shop as well, reminiscent of a time when visiting the neighborhood butcher for freshly cut, personalized meats was the norm.
Whether organizing a family meal or filling the pantry with the essentials for the week, Pate's guarantees customers receive nothing short of excellence. Their unwavering commitment to superior quality and a wide selection transforms grocery shopping into an enjoyable and satisfying activity.
Pate's Farm Market stands as a year-round destination, continually offering a diverse range of seasonal products. As spring and summer arrive, the nursery bursts into a lively display with a variety of flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs, catering to gardening enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. When fall rolls in, the market takes on a new character, showcasing an impressive collection of pumpkins, mums, pansies and Halloween decorations, turning the entire place into a festive and enchanting wonderland.
As the winter season draws near, Pate's Tree Farm in Troutdale, Virginia, offers the finest Fraser Fir Trees available. These exceptional Christmas trees, coupled with an array of yard decorations, guarantee holiday celebrations will be filled with joy and cheer.
Pate's Farm Market isn't just a place to shop for groceries; it also boasts a convenient hot bar that makes life easier for its customers. Ideal for grabbing a quick lunch or dinner, this feature allows busy families to enjoy mouth-watering, country-style meals without the stress of preparing food at home.
Each day, the hot bar presents an assortment of dishes, ensuring there’s always something to appeal to everyone’s taste buds. This addition is just one of the many ways Pate's Farm Market enriches the shopping experience by merging convenience with top-notch quality.
Pate's Farm Market takes great pride in its commitment to uplifting the local community. They achieve this by obtaining fruits, vegetables, and other products from nearby farmers and sellers. This approach not only helps to strengthen the local economy but also encourages environmentally friendly practices. By prioritizing local sourcing, Pate's Farm Market ensures that their customers receive fresh, high-quality items while also fostering a sense of community and supporting small businesses.
Michael Pate's dedication to his community and the pursuit of excellence shines through in every detail of the market. From the warm and welcoming employees to the thoughtfully selected goods, Pate's Farm Market serves as a powerful example of the importance of championing local enterprises and eco-friendly agriculture. The market is more than just a place to shop; it's a celebration of community spirit and sustainable practices, where each visit offers a chance to experience the benefits of supporting homegrown businesses.

(Photo courtesy of Pate's Farm Market Facebook)