Good morning. Fayetteville mayoral candidates poured wildly different amounts into their campaigns before the primary earlier this month. Some raised six figures and spent tens of thousands on professional consultants, billboards, and digital ads. Others relied on personal loans, retiree support, or grassroots donations under $50.
Data analyzed by CityView from campaign finance reports covering the 2025 municipal election cycle shows the final vote tally didn’t always reflect the size of the war chest. Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Keefe outspent incumbent Mayor Mitch Colvin nearly two-to-one, but she got less than half the number of votes he received. Read more in today’s top story.
Welcome to CityView Today. Hopeful students can soon apply to the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, North Carolina’s fifth and newest medical school. The Fayetteville school on Thursday received preliminary accreditation, which means it can begin recruiting and accepting applicants for its inaugural class of 64 students next summer. Also, Cumberland County commissioners will host a public hearing at 6:45 p.m. today for the Northeast Cumberland Land Use Plan that will guide growth and development. And in case you missed it, hundreds of demonstrators on Saturday participated in Fayetteville’s “No Kings” rally protesting the Trump administration.
Thanks for reading,
Sarah Nagem
Editor for CityView
Did campaign money make a difference in Fayetteville’s mayoral primary?
Fayetteville’s mayoral candidates entered the 2025 primary with vastly different fundraising strategies—from six-figure war chests to grassroots budgets.
More from CityView
Methodist University begins recruiting for its medical school
The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Commission on Medical Education.
Public hearing on northeast Cumberland land use plan set for Monday
The plan will guide growth and development in the Godwin, Wade, and Falcon areas.
Fayetteville joins nationwide ‘No Kings’ protest against authoritarianism
Hundreds rallied Saturday in peaceful defiance of Trump’s power grabs, troop deployments, and political prosecutions.
Events
HOMESCHOOL: POLLINATOR FOLK ART PAINTING
- Where: Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N. Eastern Blvd., Fayetteville
- When: 2-4 p.m. today
- What: Join us for a vibrant journey through folk art traditions as we celebrate the tiny heroes of our ecosystem–pollinators!
COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION
- Where: McMillan Memorial Library, 205 E. Second Ave., Red Springs
- When: 5-6 p.m. today
- What: Join us for a community listening session at McMillan Memorial Library.
REVELATION BREATHWORK CLASS
- Where: Blissful Alchemist, 414 Ray Ave., Fayetteville
- When: 6-7:15 p.m. today
- What: This 50-minute open-mouth guided breathing experience can release stress, frustration, fear, and anxiety.
Obituaries
Linda Lee Norris Gordon
Linda Lee Norris Gordon passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Catherine Stafford Glessner
Catherine Stafford Glessner, 66, of Fayetteville, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Minister Flossie Jean Nicholson
Minister Flossie Jean Nicholson, 75, of Raeford, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Until tomorrow!
🍎 Najoua Ben Ramak, who teaches Arabic at Seventy-First High School in Fayetteville, is the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Ramak, who received the award this month, has worked for Cumberland County Schools since 2023.
~ Sarah Nagem
