CityView of Fayetteville

10/14/2025

COLUMN: Shortly after I landed in Fayetteville all those years ago, I discovered the city’s arts scene. I loved it.

I saw splendid plays at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, great local exhibits at the Arts Council — one of the pioneers in downtown’s renaissance and the force that created Fourth Friday — and a few years later, got to see terrific films at the cheery, cozy Cameo Art House Theater (yet another pioneer).

Exciting gallery displays, including national touring shows, were regular features at the Fayetteville Museum of Art. And some world-class talent regularly performed at venues within the Crown Complex — my all-time favorite was the night Elton John mesmerized his audience with a soaring solo performance in 2000 that was a tuneup for a national tour.

✍ Written by Tim White
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Columnist Tim White shares the missing pieces that would transform Fayetteville into an unavoidable stop for arts and entertainment in North Carolina

10/13/2025

COLUMN: Suffice it to say that some in this city believed Mitch Colvin had worn out his welcome as Fayetteville’s mayor, but 6,754 city voters or 47.61% beg to disagree, according to unofficial results by the Cumberland County Board of Elections.

“First, let me say thank you to God and all of those who voted in the primary election,” Colvin, 52, said Wednesday after a landslide victory in Tuesday’s city primary. “It says to me the people of this city believe that strong, stable leadership is important during these difficult times. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight the importance of collaborative leadership and building a vision for moving our community forward. The largest most successful economies in America are those which are diverse and inclusive. We must continue to open doors for small businesses to have access to opportunities and resources, and build our health care, cyber and technology sectors. This can only be achieved through thoughtful collaboration with our partners. I am up for the challenge.”

Colvin, according to unofficial returns, won by 4,185 unofficial votes over Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Keefe Jensen in the 10-candidate race.

✍ Written by Bill Kirby Jr.
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Bill Kirby Jr.'s notes from the week.

10/13/2025

Fayetteville officials said last week they will begin strictly enforcing a clear bag policy for Festival Park events, after several city council members criticized staff for taking months to act on public safety directives issued following a shooting at the spring Dogwood Festival.

During an Oct. 6 work session, what began as a staff update on new security measures quickly turned tense as council members pressed city administrators over delays in carrying out the council’s May directives.

Those directives came after gunfire disrupted the 43-year-old Dogwood Festival in April—one of several high-profile incidents of gun violence in the city earlier this year.

✍ Written by Rachel Heimann Mercader
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Fayetteville will enforce a clear bag policy at Festival Park events after council members criticized staff for delaying safety measures approved last May.

10/13/2025

Residents of Fort Bragg’s private family housing may see work crews in their neighborhoods. The crews are testing the soil for lead in the military installation’s historic neighborhoods. The tests are focused on homes built before 1978—the year lead-based paint was banned for consumer use in the United States.

Soil naturally contains low levels of lead, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hazardous levels often appear in soil near houses with lead paint, as paint chips and dust containing lead fall to the ground. Elevated lead levels are also common in soil near roadways used by vehicles running on leaded gasoline.

✍ Written by Morgan Casey
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Following a request from the EPA, Fort Bragg began testing the soil around its historic neighborhoods for lead this week.

10/13/2025

BREAKING: The Spring Lake campus of Fayetteville Technical Community College went on a “code red” lockdown Monday morning following an unfounded report of an active shooter, the school said.

“It appears to be a false alarm. The police and campus security are on site and have not found anything to substantiate the call,” FTCC President Mark Sorrells told CityView via text at 10:47 a.m.

CityView was first alerted to the lockdown shortly before 10:30 a.m., and FTCC posted an alert on its website. Later, FTCC updated its website to say an “all clear” had been issued. “All students, faculty, and staff may resume regular activities and operations,” it said.

✍ Written by Paul Woolverton
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Nothing found ‘to substantiate the call,’ says Fayetteville Tech president on Monday

10/10/2025

The City of Fayetteville is wrapping up the first phase of renovations to the Market House this week.

The first phase focused on restoring the structure of the nearly 200-year-old, controversial historic landmark, where enslaved people were sold in the 1800s.

Updates included replacing the building’s woodwork and roof. A new clock is scheduled to be installed on Oct. 20. American Woodworkery, a Cumberland County contractor specializing in historical preservation, is completing all the restoration work.

Once installed, the city will be 25% finished with its Market House repurposing project, which began in 2021 when the Fayetteville City Council asked the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations team to develop a renovation plan.

✍ Written by Morgan Casey
🔗 Read more at the link below.

The Market House repurposing project enters a new phase of its renovations, finishing structure restoration and moving to install new lights.

10/10/2025

COLUMNA: Hay algo casi sagrado en la pausa del cafecito. No es solamente una bebida caliente ni una costumbre cotidiana. Es un pequeño ritual de encuentro. Una invitación a mirarnos a los ojos, a compartir palabras… o simplemente a compartir el silencio.

En nuestras comunidades latinas, el cafecito rara vez se toma por la cafeína. Se toma por el alma. Porque lo que buscamos no es energía para el cuerpo, sino calorcito para el corazón.

He visto cómo una taza de café puede convertirse en un puente: entre desconocidos que empiezan a reírse, entre generaciones que se entregan historias, entre personas que encuentran en ese momento su única red de apoyo.

✍ Escrita por Claudia Zamora
🔗 Presiona abajo para leer más.

Columnista bilingüe comparte sus reflexiones sobre el cafecito en la cultura latina e invita a las familias a participar en la Hora del Cuento Bilingüe para niños en la Biblioteca Comunitaria de Spring Lake el 11 de octubre.

10/10/2025

The Cumberland County commissioners voted unanimously Monday to offer a $363,550 grant to SteelFab Inc., a steel fabrication company, to persuade it to bring 42 jobs to Fayetteville.

Code-named “Project Superman,” the $22 million plant expansion would be added to SteelFab’s operation on Country Club Drive near Murchison Road, where it has 58 employees in the former Hercules Steel plant. Hercules Steel, which was founded in Fayetteville in 1954, sold the facility to SteelFab in October 2021.

The county’s grant offer is in addition to $327,487 that the Fayetteville City Council approved on Sept. 22. The two grants total about $691,000. The state could also offer incentives, said Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corp.

✍ Written by Paul Woolverton
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Fayetteville and Cumberland County offering $691,000 in grants entice SteelFab to build a $22 million expansion here

10/10/2025

Three students from E.E. Smith High School died Wednesday evening when the car they were riding in ran off the road on Rosehill Road, Fayetteville police said. The fourth passenger, the driver, was airlifted in critical condition.

Cumberland County Schools released a statement Thursday confirming all three victims attended E.E. Smith High School and were members of the school’s football team.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of three E.E. Smith High School students … our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” the district said. “The top priority of the E.E. Smith High School administration is to provide support to students, faculty and staff as they process this tragedy. The district’s Student Services team will be on-site today to offer counseling and emotional support.”

✍ Written by Dasia Williams
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Three E.E. Smith High School football players died in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday evening; the driver was airlifted in critical condition.

10/09/2025

Food, Wine, & ART! is now open! We're so excited to spend the evening with you at Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

10/09/2025

🍴🍷🎻 Food, Wine, & ART! is tonight at Cape Fear Botanical Garden! We can't wait to see you this evening.

Enjoy food and wine while strolling through the Cape Fear Botanical Garden and experience the magic of theater, dance, music and art!

10/09/2025

BREAKING: Fayetteville State University went on lockdown this morning, with students and staff told to barricade in their classrooms due to a report of a shooting on or near campus.

An “all clear” was issued at 11:50 a.m.

“I’m in class at fsu, we got put on lockdown with dangerous/armed man on campus. Our classroom is currently barricaded with tables,” Fayetteville State student Zach Traylor told CityView via text this morning.

✍ Written by Paul Woolverton and Trey Nemec
🔗 Read more at the link below.

Fayetteville State University went on lockdown Thursday morning due to a report of an active shooter. Students and staff barricaded themselves