One thing that’s remained constant throughout my journalism career: change.
And with the start of a new year, there’s change afoot at CityView. I’m excited to introduce myself as CityView’s new editor-in-chief. For me, it’s a return to a local newsroom deeply committed to the community it serves.
For CityView, it means building on our history of award-winning coverage by continuing to hold public officials and institutions accountable and making them more accessible. It also means providing practical information to help our readers navigate their daily lives, celebrating the things going well in Cumberland County, and highlighting community leaders and people on the frontlines of making positive change in our community.
Make no mistake. CityView doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to covering local government. That won’t change. But to keep building trust with you, we’ll also make sure to showcase Fayetteville’s diversity, history, and people.
I’m excited to lead our scrappy newsroom that regularly punches above its weight. Like you, we call Fayetteville home and experience the city the same way you do. We’re deeply connected to the people we cover.
That’s important, especially in this age of remote work and social media. You’ll see me in the community, attending civic meetings, grabbing a bite to eat, enjoying the nightlife, talking to residents, and officiating high school basketball games. We can’t write stories about the issues facing Cumberland County residents if we’re not out there living alongside you.
Despite my Yankee birth—I was born in Euclid, Ohio—I’m a product of the South and have been visiting family in Fayetteville and Moore County for more than two decades. I grew up in Savannah, Georgia and came of age during the 1980s as a latchkey kid, which means that during summer break, as long as I was home before dinner, I was free to roam as far as my bike would take me.
That freedom to explore and entertain myself helped develop my inquisitive side, a skill that’s the foundation of my journalism and passion for asking questions. It took root in middle school when I worked on the school paper and the first big story I recall pursuing was about a possible controversy with the annual holiday food drive. In high school, I edited the school paper and caused a stink with a story about the sad condition of the school’s restrooms.
In college, I joined the newspaper staff during my studies at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. I felt like I found my people, and I’ve been hooked on journalism since. My first full-time job took me 45 minutes up Interstate 85 to Gaffney, where I covered public safety and education for a family-owned newspaper. Same for my second gig in a suburb east of Atlanta, which started a nearly 25-year stay in that sprawling metro region at a handful of locally-focused newsrooms.
At the time, I didn’t understand the relationship between education and crime, and how the lack of quality public schools creates a pipeline to the criminal justice system. I’m a proud K-12 public school graduate and benefited from a number of energized, committed, and caring educators along the way.
CityView’s commitment to covering education was one of the factors in my pursuing the job. Of the three reporters in the newsroom, one of them is dedicated full-time to that beat. It’s a pillar of our coverage and shows how highly we value education, including Cumberland County Schools, charter and private schools, and local colleges.
Also, it makes sense. Since I started with CityView on January 5, education usually pops up in my conversations with stakeholders around the county. They highlight classroom innovation and express worries about whether students are receiving the education they need to drive their success after graduation. Fayetteville can’t succeed without a thriving, educated workforce.
Another staple of our coverage is local government, from the county courthouse and Fayetteville City Hall to Hope Mills, Spring Lake, and Godwin. Decisions by local elected officials touch nearly everything, and we want to make sure we explain what’s happening, how their decisions impact you, and how you can participate and push for change.
All of what we do is supported by my belief that our journalism should meet you where you are. That’s why we publish our reporting in several ways—a website, a morning newsletter Sunday through Friday, a monthly magazine, and social media—and engage the community through events. Planning is already underway for our next “Ladies Night Out,” and we’ll soon share details on get-togethers where you can meet our team—and me—in person.
All of our journalism is free to read, but it’s not free to produce. We’ve got big plans for 2026, and your help will fuel CityView’s growth. You can make a tax-deductible donation to the News Foundation of Greater Fayetteville, which financially supports CityView and helps ensure that our coverage remains free to everyone.
Have thoughts on how we’re doing and what we should be covering? Connect with me at mhennie@cityviewnc.com. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Read CityView Magazine’s “The Love Issue” February 2026 e-edition here.