Jessica Lynn Munch-Dittmar is the new executive director of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. “This organization has a rich history of bringing extraordinary music to our community, and I am eager to collaborate with the musicians, staff and board to build on that legacy,” Munch-Dittmar said in a news release. “Together, we will create meaningful musical experiences that inspire and unite us all.” A South Carolina native, Munch-Dittmar earned her B.A. in music education from the University of South Carolina and M.A. in arts administration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Munch-Dittmar, according to the release, has held leadership roles as chief executive officer of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony, interim CEO of the Ukulele Kids Club, director of education and community engagement with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Winston-Salem Symphony. Munch-Dittmar, who succeeds Anna Meyer, will join the FSO on Aug. 4.
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Hope Mills Commissioners voted Monday to change the town charter, giving four-year staggered terms as opposed to two-year terms in what Mayor Pro Tem Kenjuana McCray, Bryan Marley and Joanne Scarola believe will equip the board with better planning and continuity for town projects. But what McCray, Marley and Scarola did was take away the voice of Hope Mills residents, who are the people they serve. A referendum on this November’s ballot would have been the better way, because it would reflect the will of residents one way or the other. Commissioners Elyse Craver and Jerry Legge voted in opposition to four-year staggered terms, which include the mayoral term from two years to four years.
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Eric Bracy is the new Cumberland County Schools superintendent, who grew up the son of a father who was a high school principal and a mother who spent 41 years as a kindergarten teacher. “I believe the heart of our work is in our schools alongside principals, teachers and students,” Bracy, 52, said in an interview with Lindsay Whitley, associate superintendent of communications and community engagement. I’ve got a good feeling about Bracy, who was the former superintendent of Johnston County Schools. Bracy began work in our school system on July 1.
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Matt McLean is the new principal at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, and you can take my word that nobody would be more proud than his late grandfather, Loyd E. Auman, the longtime principal at Seventy-First High School from 1945-1968. “I have a pen set on my desk that the faculty at 71st presented to my grandpa when he went to J.W Coon Elementary,” McLean, 49, said. “It reads, ‘Presented by the Faculty of Seventy-First High School to Loyd Auman, Outstanding Teacher, Coach, Principal, and Leader of Young People 1937-1968.’ It reminds me of what I’m supposed to do every day.” Yes, for sure, Loyd E. Auman would be so proud, and his late teacher grandmother, Louise Auman, too. Loyd E. Auman died at age 77 on February 8, 1994.
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Barbara Hayes spent the past 12 years as the personable receptionist who greeted folks at the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County in downtown. She always had that warm and welcoming smile. Barbara Hayes’ last day with the Arts Council was on June 26, and she will be missed for sure.
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Officers responded to a 2 a.m. shooting on July 7 to discover a 28-year-old man suffering from fatal gunshot wounds on Slim Circle near the Massey Hill community, according to the Fayetteville Police Department. He is the 28th city homicide victim of 2025. There were 27 city homicides, according to the FPD, in 2024.
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“Bill, I appreciate you showing up to that commission meeting and at least reporting what you heard,” Peter Pappas writes in an email about my column on the June 19 board meeting of the Cumberland County Civic Center Commission at the Crown Complex, of which Pappas is a member. “Thank you for being present and equitable.” Just wanted to see and hear, Mr. Pappas, how the CCCCC was feeling about the Cumberland Board of County Commissioners’ decision on June 4 to terminate plans for a $152 million Crown Event Center downtown and to pursue remodeling the Crown Theatre and Crown Arena on U.S. Business Hwy. 301.
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“Bill, enjoyed the article on the Crown (Event) crown situation,” Mitch Guy writes in an email about my June 22 column coverage of the Cumberland County Civic Center Commission, where board members Peter Pappas and Ken Burns expressed their disappointment in the County Commissioners’ 5-2 decision on June 4 to terminate the Crown Event Center downtown. “I’m wondering if it is prudent in your editor’s note, or in the article, to add that Jami (McLaughlin, the CCCC board chair) is also an employee of the (Greater Fayetteville) Chamber. This seems relevant to me. You did point out Ken Burns’ profession (and age) but not employer. Also, very relevant that Peter Pappas ran for county commissioner last year, and lost out to a bulk of the ‘kill the project’ votes of (Kirk) deViere, (Pavan) Patel and (Henry) Tyson. Can’t help but wonder, had he gotten elected, if things might be playing out differently. Also, any response from the absentee members on why the no show? Maybe they are of the opinion, why waste our time being on the commission and attending the meetings if the county commissioners have no interest in the opinions of the group. Just trying to give the people the whole picture here.” True, Mr. Guy, Jami McLaughlin is a member of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber staff. She also is a freelance writer for CityView, where CityView always is transparent in noting so. You are right about Peter Pappas. He did lose in his bid for county commissioner, coming up 179 votes behind Tyson. As for Civic Center members failing to show up for the June 19 meeting, I don’t know. I do know that if you are appointed to serve on a board, it is your responsibility to attend board meetings. If you consistently cannot attend, resign from the board.
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“Bill, I really enjoyed reading your column on the yellow pencil,” Tom English Jr. of Greensboro writes in an email about my July 9 column about whatever became of the gigantic replica of a pencil at the old Hatcher’s Office Supply on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville. “Well done!!” English is the former managing editor of the now-defunct Fayetteville Times morning newspaper (circa July 2, 1973) and the journalist who taught me how to be a newspaperman, and I wouldn’t be a journalist without Tom English Jr., who never stopped believing in me.
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If you’ve ever found yourself somewhat lost trying to find out where a court case proceeding is scheduled, you may be pleased to know Cumberland County has installed new court docket digital displays throughout the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse, according to a news release. These user-friendly digital displays will provide real-time courtroom information and locations for all scheduled court cases to improve efficiency and reduce confusion. The digital displays can be found on all five floors of the courthouse, and that is good news for all of us who have found ourselves somewhat lost at the courthouse for court proceedings.
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Heather Hall is the new director of the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center. “I am honored to serve as the next Cumberland County Public Library director,” Hall said in a news release. “Our libraries are cornerstones of opportunity and connection in this community, and I look forward to working alongside our talented staff to ensure every resident feels welcomed, supported and inspired when they walk through our doors.” Hall succeeds Faith Phillips, the assistant county manager who directed the library since 2024, where Hall was deputy library director for Cumberland County’s eight library branches.
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Arf! Say hello to Griffith, who is a crisis response canine and the latest member of the Fayetteville Fire Department, according to a news release. Griffith will be working out of Fayetteville Fire Station No. 5 on Boone Trail with the task of mitigating stress and anxiety in emergency situations, thanks to funding from BowenStrong, the Fayetteville Fire Fighters Association and the Fayetteville Firefighters Benevolent Association. Griffith received his crisis response vest on Thursday at the Boone Trail station. Griffith is a handsome fellow.
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Franklin McNeil is being remembered as the longtime educator who served from 1965 to 1991 as an acclaimed teacher, assistant principal and a beloved principal at Mae Rudd Williams School, according to a news release. He later returned to the Cumberland County Schools from 2002 to 2006 as a tutor and remediation teacher. Mr. McNeill died at age 86 on June 23.
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Former Douglas Byrd High School Principal Timothy Markley is being remembered as an educator who always put students first in a distinguished career, which began as a teacher at E.E. Smith High School after his U.S. Army service as an 82nd Airborne paratrooper. He later served as superintendent of the White Mountains Regional School District in New Hampshire, superintendent of Catawba County Schools and superintendent of New Hanover County Schools. Timothy Scott Markley was 60 when he died June 21.
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Anna Sigmon of Terry Sanford High School has been selected as the 2025 North Carolina Association for Scholastic Activities Student of the Year. “This award is a perfect fit for Anna Sigmon,” Andrea Allen, director of Global Studies at the Cumberland County school, said in a news release. “Over the past three years, I’ve seen her consistently exceed expectations and pursue new challenges with ambition, creativity and resolve.” Sigmon received the award at the NCASA annual meeting in Winston-Salem.
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“Bill, I so much enjoyed going back in time as you mentioned the names in your tribute to Larry Miller,” the Rev. Keith Smith writes in an email about my May 18 column on Miller, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill All-America basketball standout who played for the Tar Heels from 1966-1968. UNC lost to Lew Alcindor-led UCLA in the 1968 NCAA finals. “Remember him well in the early days of TV watching the Tar Heels play. I had personally seen Franklin (Rusty) Clark play his senior year at Fayetteville High School. I was privileged to go to Raleigh Broughton High School and watch the Fayetteville team go up against a once in a lifetime player called Pete Maravich. He was warming up before the game shooting from close to half court and making a lot of them. I remember being at Campbell College basketball school when John Wooten (UCLA coach), Press Maravich (Louisiana State University coach) and Pete Maravich, Fred McCall, Dolph Schayes and Bones McKinney were helping us learn the fundamentals of the game. After supper, all the counselors (college players) would have a scrimmage game and Carter Gymnasium was packed with 10–15-year-old kids watching the best college players in the nation with the great players based in this area from that time period. Thanks for remembering their great achievements. And I always thought that (UNC coach) Dean Smith and John Wooten emphasized biblical principles to their players as well.” Those were the good old days, Rev. Smith, and I welcome your memories. Larry Miller was 79 when he died on May 11 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
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Highland Country Club has been producing junior golfers by the numbers dating back to the 1960s with the likes of David Canipe, Chip Beck and David Chung, and you can add Nate Horne to the list. Horne recently won the 2025 Future Masters in the 13-14 age category, where Horne recorded rounds of 67-73-66 – 206 for a one-stroke victory at the Dothan Country Club in Dothan, Ala. Horne won the 2022 Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship in the 10-11 competition at Koasati Pines Golf Club in Kinder, Louisiana. The kid’s got game.
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Juelle McDonald of Pine Forest High School, Latreicia Allen of John Griffin Middle School and Jason Jordan of Cape Fear High School are secondary level finalists for the 2026 Principal of the Year, according to Cumberland County Schools. Lisa Gillespie of Mary McArthur Elementary, Corine Warren of Benjamin Martin Elementary, Kamal Watkins of District 7 Elementary and Tianna O’Brien of E. Melvin Honeycutt Elementary are finalists on the elementary level. Pierre Cobb of Pine Forest High, Catina Johnson of Gray’s Creek Middle, LaTonya Adams of Massey Hill Classical High, Rangel McLaurin of Terry Sanford High, Estella Johnson of Cumberland Academy and Quantisha Spencer of Seventy-First High are secondary level finalists for 2026 Assistant Principal of the Year. Ashley Stone of Warrenwood Elementary, Katelyn Lovette of Sunnyside Elementary, Ignatius Williams of District 7 Elementary, Cheryel Hinkle of E. Melvin Honeycutt Elementary, Angelena Owens of VanStory Hills Elementary and Emily Richards of Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary are elementary level finalists. Winners are scheduled to be announced at the Premier Professionals “Of the Year Gala’ in September.
Sunday: Harry Oliver, Rosa Lee Torrey and Mary Ann McCoy shared in a woman’s dream
(Editor’s note: Jami McLaughlin is a freelance writer for CityView. She was not involved in the reporting or editing of this column.)
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961
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