As the New Year begins, we have much to reflect on and look forward to. Fayetteville and Cumberland County have much potential and many opportunities, but only if our civic and political leaders relent and start communicating and cooperating. Until that happens, Fayetteville's image, reputation and potential growth will suffer under the burden of stubborn, belligerent and failed local leadership. One of the biggest obstacles our community faces is a lack of local media coverage. We are the fifth-largest municipality in North Carolina, yet we are without a viable daily newspaper and void of a local television station. The absence of media coverage puts our community at an insurmountable disadvantage. Truth and knowledge are power; lacking news and information makes our citizens and community vulnerable. The media, free speech and a free press, support American freedoms by keeping our leaders honest and accountable. We appreciate people, businesses and organizations that understand and respect these tenants. Through their and our actions, we have rallied to support our community's free and honest flow of information. Notably, we applaud the efforts of Tony Chavonne of City View Magazine and Marty Cayton of the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal for stepping up to fill the media void left by the decline of our daily newspaper. Likewise, here at Up & Coming Weekly, we utilize all our available resources to provide hyper-local news, views and insights. Our goal is to support the residents, businesses and organizations that endorse and embrace these constitutional tenets of democracy. We are committed and will continue to reach out to all nine Cumberland County municipalities to promote their communities, businesses, activities, events and achievements.

Thanks to the encouragement and support of our readers, and the confidence of our local advertisers, we have begun an expansion of newsroom operations to provide much-requested and much-needed transparency into local government. To this end, we have invested in a professional, young, talented and energetic editorial and production staff. They strive to focus on Fayetteville and Cumberland County's future and quality of life. These gifted reporters and writers are committed to accuracy, fairness and transparency and will be engaging in more in-depth investigative reporting on local government officials, issues and policies. They will report on and explain the policies and procedures of significant matters in city and county government and the relationships of those involved. In other words, we want to help our readers "connect the dots." Help them understand the details of the policies that impact their families and businesses. Up & Coming Weekly will ask the hard questions that are now conveniently ignored.

There will be no change in our newspaper's mission or mandates. We will continue nearly three decades of policy that includes supporting Fort Bragg and showcasing the people businesses and organizations of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Those that make our community distinctively unique. Our local charm, southern hospitality and cultural character defined by our music, art, and theater assets are too often overshadowed and minimalized by the unsavory parts of our community. Local newspapers and news media can provide the defining balance. Local is the keyword here.

In 2022, you can expect the best from us. We are committed to Fayetteville, Cumberland County and Fort Bragg. Up & Coming Weekly will continue to offer a free, unbiased and open public forum for local citizens regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. We want these voices heard. Nationally, local community newspapers thrive while the daily papers struggle with relevance. We are Fayetteville's local media resource, and local is what we do best. You can depend on it.

Happy New Year, and thank you for reading the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper.