Cumberland County Schools board member Judy Musgrave is singing the praises of Cumberland Board of County Commissioners Glenn Adams, Toni Stewart, Jeannette Council, Marshall Faircloth, Jimmy Keefe, and Veronica Jones for their votes to build a new E.E. Smith High School, but not on Stryker Golf Course at Fort Liberty. “The county commissioners voted 6-0 to not relocate E.E. Smith High School to Stryker Golf Course on Fort Liberty, and I am very satisfied with that,” said Musgrave, who always was opposed to the school being relocated to the military base that was offering the property to the school system at no charge. “However, contrary to the insinuation from some persons that those of us who voted no to the Fort Liberty location did not want a new E.E. Smith built, [that] was never said or implied. There was never an issue with a new E.E. Smith being built, but where it would be located. I love E.E. Smith [High] School, the community, the legacy and the entire area, and want only good things to happen there. I have always advocated for a new E.E. Smith building and structure, and I am very happy with the decision from our great county commissioners.” Just one way to satisfy E.E. Smith alumni about relocating a new school from 1800 Seabrook Road. Keep it, if land can be found, in the vicinity of the Seabrook, Broadell, Eccles Park and Evans Hill neighborhoods.
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Donna Vann, Greg West, Alicia Chisolm, Susan Williams and Nathan Warfel of the Cumberland County Schools Board of Education recently voted to extend the contract of Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. and his cabinet of Melody Chalmers McClain, associate superintendent of student support services; Kevin Coleman, associate superintendent of auxiliary services; Jane Fields, associate superintendent of school support; Ruben Reyes, associate superintendent of human resources; Jay Toland, associate superintendent of business operations; Lindsay Whitley, associate superintendent of communications and community engagement; Mellotta Hill, chief academic officer; and board attorney Nick Sojka. Voting against the contract extensions were Deanna Jones, the school board chairwoman; Carrie Sutton, Judy Musgrave and Jacquelyn Brown. Connelly has been superintendent since July 1, 2018, according to the school system, and earns an annual salary of $281,137.57. He began as the superintendent on July 1, 2018. Connelly’s contract now runs through June 30, 2028.
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Oh, come now, councilman. “I’m not saying that we need to hold that against the kids involved in this otherwise good program, but to me, [there] is a concern about the leadership and the judgment of this group,” Fayetteville City Councilman Mario Benavente is quoted in this week’s City Council work session report by CityView’s Evey Weisblat. Kris Johnson, Sylvia James and Stacie Ferry of the Fayetteville-Saint-Avold Friendship Alliance are requesting $15,000 from the city in support of bringing nine French teachers and three students to Fayetteville from Oct. 18-30 as part of an educational exchange program of the sister cities relationship. Some of us, councilman, in this city still recall, how you and fellow council members Malik Davis and Courtney Banks-McLaughlin went to Saint-Avold in May to meet with Saint-Avold Mayor René Steiner and other Saint-Avold leaders, and skipped out on a meeting at Saint-Avold for sightseeing of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Some of us might question the leadership and judgment of Benavente, Davis and Banks-McLaughlin. Come on, council. Give this international and educational exchange program the $15,000, and not just token use of a city vehicle for transportation.
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“Getting to preach alongside these giants was a privilege and it reminded me again of the honor it is to pastor Snyder,” the Rev. Blake Benge, the senior pastor, said about Oct. 6 services — that included former ministers John Cook and David Crocker — as the church on Westmont Drive celebrated its 75th anniversary. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I was grateful for it. John and David both love this church deeply, and this church deeply loves them. I remain grateful for their friendship and support.” You can be assured there was a “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” in the sanctuary.
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“Mr. Kirby, another good article by you on Trump stating he will change from Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg,” Col. (Ret.) Carl Broadhurst of Bel Aire, Kansas, writes in an email about my CityView column of Oct. 9, where former president Donald Trump tells an Oct. 4 town hall audience at the Crown Complex Arena that, if elected president, he will change the name of the military base. “I was on active duty for 30 years. In those years (three at Fort Bragg with U.S. Army Special Operations Command), I never had one discussion with any soldier, NCO (non-commissioned officer) or commissioned officer on the adverse aspects of the name ‘Fort Bragg.’ This included my next-door neighbor (literally next door) in Kings Grant for three years. His rank at the time was lieutenant colonel. His name was Lloyd Austin. Yes, the same one,” Broadhurst references Austin, who is the current Secretary of Defense. “My view has been and is the renaming was a solution looking for a problem,” Broadhurst writes. “Like belly buttons, most people also have at least one opinion, some of which may not be politically correct. Keep up your good work.” Broadhurst says Trump, if elected, may suggest the name change, but Congress won’t go for it.
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Saturday you can be a part of reducing litter and other pollutants on our city streets and in our stormwater systems through Fayetteville’s event to clean the city as a community, Fayetteville Beautiful. “When we come together as a community to clean up our streets and parks, we’re creating a cleaner environment and making Fayetteville a beautiful place to live, work and recreate,” Douglass Hewett, the city manager, said in a news release. “We try our best to keep our city clean and green, but it requires everyone’s effort to maintain it.” You may collect litter at your convenience, according to Loren Bymer, director of marketing and communications for the city. Visit the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department at 280 Lamon St., should you wish to volunteer, to collect “litter bags, gloves, water and snacks,” according to the news release. To register, visit fayettevillebeautiful.com or call 910-433-1556.
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Cumberland Board of County Commissioners’ Jimmy Keefe is scheduled to give the keynote address, according to a news release, at a Cumberland County Emergency Services Memorial in remembrance of firefighters and emergency responders, including Fort Liberty, who died in the line of duty. The service is scheduled at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Dr. Larry J. Keen Fayetteville Technical Community College Regional Fire and Rescue Training Center at 775 Tom Starling Road in Fayetteville.
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We’re several weeks away from Halloween, but you’ll find about 250 folks wearing their masks Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Carolina Barn in Spring Lake for the Child Advocacy Center’s annual Pinwheel Masquerade Ball fundraiser, according to Executive Director John Webster. The theme is to “unmask” child abuse. Tickets at the door are $100 for individuals and $175 for two tickets.
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Call Saturday a day of gratitude for the military service of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jake Green as the nonprofit Homes for Our Troops is scheduled to break ground at 10 a.m. at Grace Church in Southern Pines, 1519 Luther Way, to build a home for the soldier who was injured and lost his right leg in 2015 while serving in Afghanistan. Green deployed four times to Afghanistan, according to the Homes for Our Troops website, and two other tours supporting the Global War on Terror. The home, according to the release, will include adaptions for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower and other accommodations to assist the military veteran.
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If you want to know where all of our local political candidates stand on community issues from the state legislature, county commissioners and school board, you’ll likely find many of them at the annual Gray’s Creek Woman’s Club Country Buffet and Bazaar scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 17, at the club on 3024 School Road in Hope Mills. The country cooking is quite tasty, too.
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“Still over 800 Red Crossers in western North Carolina,” Phil Harris, 63, says about those assisting residents in the wake of Hurricane Helene, and many helping from the American Red Cross serving the Sandhills of North Carolina headquartered in Fayetteville of which Harris serves as executive director. “We won’t pull anyone (from his team) out of the mountains but are planning to support Florida” as Hurricane Milton makes its way throughout the Florida Gulf Coast. If you wish to donate your time, money or resources to help with relief efforts in western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, according to a news release from the N.C. Department of Transportation, visit ncdps.gov/helene or call 919-707-2660.
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An estimated 50,000 were on hand for the 46th Annual International Folk Festival held September 28-29 downtown. “Given the increased competition with local festivals such as Benson’s Mule Days, this was excellent,” said Bob Pinson, president and chief executive officer of the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County.
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An outbreak of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease has prompted no further acceptance of dogs weighing more than 30 pounds until Oct. 16 at the Cumberland County Animal Shelter. “CIRD is similar to the common cold in people,” Animal Services Director Elaine Smith said in a news release. “It is very contagious, so we need to do everything we can to reduce the number of large dogs in our kennels to help stop the spread of the illness.” While the release says CIRD is highly contagious, it is a non-life-threatening illness. The animal shelter still will adopt out healthy dogs at this time, according to the release, but new owners are encouraged to keep the canines separate from others for seven to 10 days. “We ask for the citizens of Cumberland County to be patient with us as we fight this outbreak,” Smith said. “Please consider adopting or fostering a large dog, so that we can give those that are sick the space and time to recover.”
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961
We’re in our third year of CityView Today, and so many of you have been with us from day one in our efforts to bring the news of the city, county, community and Cape Fear region each day. We’re here with a purpose — to deliver the news that matters to you.
Thanks Bill!👏