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Anti-Weaponization Fund: Criming for dollars

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Tuesday, 09 June 2026

Written by Pitt Dickey

I recently got an email from Dewey, Cheatem, & Howe, an advertising agency for lawyers. I retired years ago, but once you are on a mailing list, you can never escape. It is a form of immortality.
Dewey, Cheatem, & Howe has developed an advertising campaign for lawyers who want to represent clients in President Trump’s $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund (AWF) for his supporters who feel they were wrongfully prosecuted for attacking police at the White House on January 6.
The email was mildly interesting. I will share some of the campaign’s highlights which you can expect to see on TV, print ads, and billboards if the AWF eventually goes through.
The AWF (pronounced AWFUL) has some pretty cool provisions; not only can you get paid but you can get an official apology suitable for framing, and an autographed picture of former US Attorney General Pam Bondi. The tax dollars and apologies will be handed out by a five-person committee of the Most Excellent Five Dude$ who are sensitive to the needs of felons, misdemeanants, and victims of civil lawfare by the former Biden administration. If you are represented by well-connected attorneys who have the Five Dude$ on speed dial, your chances of recovering big tax payer bucks are greatly enhanced.
Enjoy some of the copy the ad agency will deploy on behalf of attorneys seeking contingent fees from the sweet, sweet pile of tax dollars piled up in the AWFUL treasure chest.
Here we go: “Convicted of a felony? A misdemeanor? Assault a police officer with a flag pole or bear spray? Did you poop on the walls of the Capitol? Steal a podium? Break things in the Senate Chamber?
Did punishment for any of these things result in you feeling great mental anguish? Would the application of a substantial money poultice to your bank balance make you feel better? Then apply now for the AWFUL fund. There is no fee unless we win your case. (In which case, our fee is a mere 50% of the settlement.)
Settlements range in a Calabash fish house style buffet of benefits: Cold hard cash, delectable pardons, baffling commutations, and auto penned apologies. The bigger your crime, the longer your sentence, the bigger potential settlement you can win.
Don’t bother with Fan Duel or other sports betting, the real sure thing is to have a conviction to collect from the AWFUL fund.
Each mouthwatering settlement will capture the District of Columbia’s fresh aroma of political pay offs, cleverly delivered in a welter of words written in AI derived slop making it clear that you, the criminal were actually the victim. Let the irresistible smell of piles of tax payer cash pay outs ease the pain of being inconvenienced for being convicted of crimes that you committed.
Our firm offers unparalleled access to the Five Dude$ who will be handing out $1.8 billion worth of tax payer money. Grab all you can eat settlements from the tax payers’ trough before it is too late. Are you tired of working? Tired of reporting to your parole or probation officer? Come to the Super Happy Bonanza of AWFUL cash and pick up a cool million bucks or more depending on your crime.
Enjoy finally being compensated for your actions in trying to overturn the results of the 2024 election. Buckets of cash are calling your name. Let our firm help you grab your ticket to easy money as you get ready for the 2028 election excitement and incitement.
Make an appointment today for a free interview to see how much money you can extract from the AWFUL fund. Bring your court documents, your parole officer, and your significant other who can testify to the mental anguish you sustained due to your unlawful conviction for your actions on January 6th.
$1.8 billion dollars won’t last forever, so hurry on down while the Big Bucks last. Past performance does not guarantee future results in the 2028 election. He who hesitates is lost. Don’t miss out on your last best hope for a big pay day and we are not talking about a candy bar.
The AWFUL fund seems in jeopardy at present. But like a herd of Zombies, it may return from the dead. Be ready to cash in. Call today at B-549. Tell ‘em Junior Samples sent you. Eternal vigilance is the price of financial liberty.  

If the Shoe Fits: Learning life lessons in boot shopping

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Tuesday, 02 June 2026

Written by Dan DeBruler

Not long ago, a pastor friend named Jeff jokingly chided, “Your sins will find you out!”
I had probably taken the last doughnut or put regular coffee in the decaf pot or something, but being reminded that the phrase existed made me think about what it means.
I am confident I did my share of bad stuff as a kid – more than I will ever remember or even want to. We all have those sneak-a-cookie stories, or the one where we lied about finishing our homework so we could go out and play.
But I can now honestly admit I tangled with lust before the age of seven.
I grew up in Wichita – a typical Midwest town, burgeoning into a genuine city in the early sixties. Caught between the age of innocence and the shifting of the tides leading to the summer of love, my friends and I were more concerned with baseball, kites, and bicycles than we were with the news about Vietnam or college campus upheavals.
The smell of plain Bazooka Bubble Gum still takes me back to the tissue-paper-under-the-collar haircuts my parents insisted I get for the first seven or eight years of my life.
The barber shop was tucked away on a sidewalk that was more like an alley in Westway Shopping Center. It faced the grocery store at the south end of the center, nestled between a locksmith and a shoe repair shop just across Seneca Street, which I was not allowed to cross on my own. The rule probably stemmed from a little tumble I took off the front of some poor guy's bumper in front of my house several years earlier, but I was not supposed to cross Seneca Street.
Rule or not, I was accustomed to scavenging pop bottles and making the journey —carefully, mind you —to collect the three-cent bounty on each one of them. It was on one such trip that I spotted something that ignited my first tangle with lust.
In the shoe repair shop window sat a pair of black leather cowboy boots — white stitching curling up the shaft, silver-tipped toes catching the afternoon sun. Four dollars, used, and exactly my size — or so I told myself. I begged until my mother, against her better judgment, relented.
When I tugged them on, my toes curled and my heel rode up, but admitting it meant losing them. So I lied with my whole face and walked the squeaky little circle the man asked me to walk.
The blisters came before the week did. Moleskin, bandages, double socks — still, I limped. Those boots eventually went to the back of a closet, but the lesson stayed: what I wanted so badly was never made for me. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). Mercifully, the lesson came cheap — four dollars and a handful of blisters — long before the price got steeper.

Publisher's Pen: Mitch Colvin’s Downtown Convention Center push demands accountability before ambition

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Tuesday, 09 June 2026

Written by Bill Bowman

For more than three decades, Up & Coming Weekly has chronicled the growth, struggles, and aspirations of the City of Fayetteville. We have championed bold ideas, celebrated progress, and supported leaders willing to invest in our community’s future. But we have also learned—sometimes the hard way—that ambition without accountability is a recipe for disappointment.
The latest push by Mayor Mitch Colvin and the Fayetteville City Council to pursue a downtown convention center demands that we pause, reflect, and ask the questions that responsible stewardship requires. The citizens of Fayetteville are not suffering from a lack of imagination. They are suffering from a lack of trust.
The City’s tarnished track record cannot be ignored. When the city proposes another major construction project, residents do not react with excitement—they react with skepticism. And who can blame them? Fayetteville’s recent history is littered with costly missteps:
• The Rosehill Road debacle, where delays and mismanagement eroded public confidence.
• The Bragg Boulevard fire station catastrophe, a critical public safety project plagued by planning failures.
• The botched Tennis Center construction, which became a symbol of poor oversight and questionable decision making.
• The Mohammed Mohammed fiasco, which raised serious concerns about integrity and transparency within city operations.
These are not footnotes. They are warnings.
Each failure chipped away at the public’s faith. Each controversy left taxpayers wondering whether their leaders were being forthright. And each mismanaged project makes it harder for residents to accept the city’s assurances that “this time will be different.”
Mayor Colvin argues that Fayetteville is the only major North Carolina city without a convention center and that the city must take control of its own economic destiny. He points to the county’s cancellation of the Crown Event Center and its history of placing major facilities outside the downtown core.
But the mayor’s argument overlooks a critical truth: Fayetteville city leadership has not demonstrated the competence or cohesion necessary to manage a project of this scale.
Even members of the City Council acknowledge the public’s distrust. Councilmember Shaun McMillan noted that residents already “follow the money” and suspect that “something ain’t right.” That sentiment did not appear out of thin air. It was earned.
A feasibility study may tell us what a convention center could cost. Fayetteville’s track record tells us what it will cost: more than projected, more than budgeted, and more than taxpayers were prepared for.
Adding to the public’s concern is the ongoing animosity between the mayor, certain council members, and Cumberland County leadership. Cooperation has been replaced with confrontation. Shared goals have been overshadowed by political turf wars.
This fractured relationship does not inspire confidence. It undermines regional progress. And it leaves residents wondering whether major decisions are being driven by vision—or by vendettas. A convention center should be a unifying project. Instead, it risks becoming the latest casualty of a political feud that has gone on far too long.
Fayetteville deserves bold ideas. It deserves economic opportunity. It deserves leaders who think big.
But big thinking must be matched with responsible governance. Before the city commits to a convention center—or even a feasibility study—residents deserve:
• A full accounting of
past project failures
• Clear reforms to prevent future mismanagement
• Independent oversight of major capital projects
• A renewed commitment to transparency and public engagement
• A functional working relationship with Cumberland County
These are not obstacles. They are prerequisites.
Fayetteville cannot build a convention center on a foundation of mistrust. It must first rebuild confidence in the institutions responsible for stewarding public resources. Fayetteville’s future is bright. Its potential is real. But progress requires more than ambition—it requires accountability.
If city leaders want residents to believe in a downtown Fayetteville convention center, they must first show that they have learned from the past, repaired fractured relationships, and recommitted themselves to the principles of honest, transparent, and competent cooperation in governance. Only then will the City of Fayetteville be able to build something worthy of its citizens. Jus sayin!
Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

(Photo: Mayor Mitch Colvin speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the MacArthur Rd. Sports Complex in April. Photo courtesy of the City of Fayetteville, NC's Facebook page)

Troy's Perspective: Celebrate Bill Hefner Elementary School

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Tuesday, 02 June 2026

Written by Troy Williams

Bill Hefner Elementary School (PK-5) in Cumberland County is conveniently situated off Cliffdale Road in the welcoming Montibello housing subdivision, a community with a proud history. Named after Congressman Bill Hefner, the school has been serving families since 1995, supported by federal initiatives near military bases. Its longstanding presence as one of two public schools within the vibrant Fort Bragg community reflects its deep roots and commitment to local education.
In the past, Bill Hefner struggled with a "low-performing trap." When test scores decline, teacher morale often drops, which in turn affects overall progress. However, a couple of years ago, Cumberland County School administrators reassigned Dr. Zakiyyah Backman, previously at Westarea Elementary, to lead Bill Hefner. Dr. Backman's success at Westarea, once a low-performing school, and her proactive approach have begun to turn things around. Her attention to detail and positive energy are helping to address previous challenges. Preliminary test results are very positive, although we won't know for sure until the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction releases the official results.
Cumberland County at-large school board member Greg West said, "Dr. Backman and her team have worked extremely hard to improve Bill Hefner Elementary, and I truly believe the school is moving in the right direction. We should have a clearer picture when the latest test results are released around Labor Day."
I wholeheartedly support Mr. West's perspective. This school year, I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at Bill Hefner. Witnessing the incredible interactions between teachers, staff, students, and parents was inspiring and truly uplifting. It was an unforgettable experience that deepened my appreciation for our school community.
I want to acknowledge the achievements happening at other schools in Cumberland County; there are many successes beyond what I've seen. However, I can't help but celebrate Dr. Backman and the dedicated staff at Bill Hefner for their outstanding work during the 2025-2026 school year.
Bill Hefner Elementary collaborates with local institutions and the community, creating a mutually beneficial network that transforms education into a hands-on, career-oriented experience. The Leadership Class of 2026 from the Greater Fayetteville Chamber unveiled new "Buddy Benches" at the school last month. The ceremony included students, school staff, district leaders, School Board members, community members, and Leadership Fayetteville alums.
The benches are designed to support children who may feel lonely, isolated, or unsure of their place on the playground. If a student is seeking someone to talk to or play with, they can sit on the bench to signal to their classmates that they are looking for a social connection.
Summer break is a crucial 8- to 12-week academic recess for both students and teachers. For students, this time off is vital for mental health and relaxation. Meanwhile, teachers also need this break to recover from burnout and prepare for the upcoming school year. However, for Dr. Backman and other school administrators, there is little time for rest. They are busy preparing for the next school year and don't enjoy the same long break. Both groups truly deserve our applause and encouragement.
Extend a little kindness whenever you encounter them. It’s what makes a difference.