Welcome to CityView Today! Seventy-First High School Arabic teacher Najoua Ben Ramak is set to represent North Carolina at the Southern Conference on Language Teaching later this week when the conference opens to Raleigh.

This comes as a result of being named the 2025 Foreign Language Association of North Carolina Teacher of the Year for her leadership and contributions to Cumberland County Schools. Read our Q&A with her.

In today’s newsletter: Senior Columnist Bill Kirby Jr. recaps the “Meet the Editor” event we held on Thursday for the community to get acquainted with our new Editor-in-Chief Matt Hennie. Plus, columnist Tim White writes about how the glass ceiling is still prevalent in our community for local public office.

Thanks for reading,
Valeria Cloës
Magazine Editor & Lead Copy Editor

A Black man, wearing a gray suit, smiles and holds a framed award certificate with the award recipient, a Moroccan woman wearing a light green hijab and a bright blue suit jacket with a floral button up underneath. They stand in front of the Cumberland County Schools insignia and the US and NC flag.
Credit: Photo courtesy Cumberland County Schools

Seventy-First High School Arabic Educator Named Foreign Language Teacher of The Year

Since joining Seventy-First High School in 2023, Arabic teacher Najoua Ben Ramak has built an Arabic program that students describe as welcoming, challenging, and rooted in cultural connection.

More from CityView

two men talking in an event venue
Credit: Bill Kirby Jr. / CityView

THE KIRBY FILE: It All Began With Some ‘Noodling’ Along Breezewood Avenue

Frustrations over Fayetteville becoming a news desert led to CityView’s expansion into local news. On Thursday, we formally introduced our new editor-in-chief during an event at ArtsXL.

An old photograph of a woman in a dress and hat holding a purse
Credit: Courtesy Tim White / CityView

Column: Breaking the Glass Ceiling Locally

Columnist Tim White writes about the lack of women in leadership positions in local public offices.

Obituaries

Stephen Council Gooding

Stephen Council Gooding, 91, passed away on Thursday, March 12.

Bonita “Nita” Jeannette (Bostic) Russ

Bonita “Nita” Jeannette Russ, 69, passed away on Wednesday, March 11.

Jackie Hammonds

Jackie Hammonds passed away on Wednesday, March 11.

Find complete listings here.

Until tomorrow

🏢 Cumberland County will get its annual State of the County address at 6 p.m. on Monday at a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. Chair Kirk deViere will provide an update on the county’s progress and future vision, according to a news release. His address will be made from the courtroom of the old Historic Courthouse at 130 Gillespie St. Of historic note: Today is the 100th anniversary of the dedication ceremony of the old courthouse, which was built in 1925 and 1926.

Valeria Cloës is the magazine editor and lead copy editor for CityView. She has worked across daily and weekly news publications and magazines in North Carolina. She is trilingual, speaking fluent Spanish, French, and English.