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Tuesday, 16 December 2025
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Written by Sheila D. Barker
Cumberland County Public Library is transforming the way residents engage with food, nutrition, and lifelong wellness through its new Cumberland Cooks program. Launched in September, this culinary literacy initiative uses fully equipped Charlie Cart mobile kitchens to deliver hands-on cooking classes, live demonstrations, and wellness-focused education across multiple library branches.
With a mission to combat food insecurity and increase food literacy, Cumberland Cooks is opening doors for community members of all ages to build practical, healthy cooking skills—entirely free of charge.
At its core, Cumberland Cooks is designed to make healthy, affordable cooking accessible to everyone. The program teaches fundamental skills, such as knife safety, budgeting for groceries, interpreting nutrition labels, and preparing balanced meals.
Participants not only learn how to cook but also gain a deeper understanding of why food literacy matters—especially in a county where food deserts and food insecurity affect many families. The library’s focus on outcomes-based instruction ensures that each session equips attendees with knowledge they can immediately apply at home.
The heart of the program is the library’s two new Charlie Carts, state-of-the-art mobile kitchens funded by a $40,500 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Each cart includes a convection oven, induction cooktop, sink, and storage for more than 100 kitchen tools, allowing staff to deliver high-quality cooking programs anywhere. The carts rotate among CCPL’s eight locations, spending two months at each branch so the entire community has consistent access to hands-on culinary learning.
These portable teaching kitchens make it possible for CCPL staff to bring dynamic cooking experiences directly to neighborhoods across Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Sessions vary by branch and audience, with events held at locations such as Headquarters Library, West Regional Library, and East Regional Library.
The program serves multiple age groups, offering targeted events for teens, adults, and families, ensuring everyone from beginners to budding home chefs can participate.
Cumberland Cooks classes are intentionally fun, interactive, and seasonal, blending practical skills with creative cooking activities. Recent and upcoming programs include making Chocolate Chip Cookie Jars, gingerbread, and a variety of savory dips. Whether attendees are mixing dough, experimenting with spices, or learning how to stretch ingredients into multiple meals, each event reinforces the message that nutritious cooking can be both enjoyable and achievable. To see more Cumberland Cooks events, visit their calendar at
https://bit.ly/4oPgk55
Participants can expect two main types of experiences: hands-on cooking classes, where they actively prep and cook food with guidance from trained library staff, and live demonstrations, which allow attendees to watch, taste, and learn techniques they can recreate at home. Tastings provide opportunities to sample healthy dishes and explore new ingredients—an important step in expanding food awareness, especially for families on tight budgets.
Beyond teaching recipes, Cumberland Cooks fulfills a broader mission: promoting wellness and empowering residents with life skills that extend far beyond the library’s walls. By integrating concepts like food safety, meal planning, and cultural cuisine, the program encourages a deeper appreciation for nourishing foods and the role they play in overall well-being.
For teens and young adults, these classes provide essential skills that support independence and long-term health.
Cumberland Cooks is redefining what a public library can be. With mobile kitchens, grant-funded resources, and a commitment to community wellness, CCPL is creating a vibrant space where residents can learn to cook healthy, affordable meals—one recipe at a time. In doing so, the library is not just a place for books, but a hub for practical skills, shared learning, and lasting nourishment.
(Photo: The Charlie Carts at the library were provided by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The carts are mobile kitchens, and allow for easier culinary instruction. Photo courtesy of the Charlie Cart Project's Facebook page)
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Tuesday, 16 December 2025
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Written by Lia Tremblaya
Cape Fear Valley Health has expanded its footprint in Harnett County with the opening of a new urology clinic in Lillington, giving patients greater access to specialized care closer to home.
Cape Fear Valley Urology Services has seen exponential growth over the past year. In addition to a new clinic in Lillington, the clinic in Fayetteville recently doubled the size of its office after Cape Fear Valley acquired and expanded into an adjoining suite in its Robeson Plaza location. The expansion allows the team to see more patients each day, add providers and introduce new technology. Two new urologists, John McGill, MD, and Daniel Talley, MD, are expected to start seeing patients in Fayetteville this fall.
Dr. Richmond Owusu, a urologist and robotic surgeon with Cape Fear Valley, said the growth reflects a major shift in how patients access care in the region.
“The biggest satisfaction is seeing patients who once traveled to Chapel Hill or Raleigh, now able to receive high-quality, exceptional care in their own community,” Dr. Owusu said. “When I first arrived, there was a shortage of providers and a narrower spectrum of services and options available to patients. Now, we’ve built a robust practice that offers more services to our ever-growing panel of patients using the latest technologies.”
The clinic provides comprehensive urology services for men, women and children, treating a wide spectrum of urologic conditions from benign conditions, including but not limited to, kidney stones, enlarged prostate, men’s health issues, urinary incontinence, infections of the urinary system, vasectomy, to urologic cancers of the kidney, bladder, prostate, testes and penis. It also offers minimally invasive and robotic surgical options for many urologic conditions.
“For patients like Christina Brown, the expansion has made all the difference. Brown recently moved to Lillington from Brunswick County and struggled with recurring bladder infections and kidney stones.
“I’ve seen a lot of doctors over the years, and I can be very picky,” Brown said. “But from the first visit, I knew this was different. The staff was welcoming, and Dr. Debora Moore has been amazing. She listens, she explains everything, and I never feel rushed.”
Brown, who also cares for her 69-year-old mother, said having trusted specialists nearby has eased some stress in her life.
“It’s not just the medical care that stands out,” she said. “Everyone here is genuinely kind. From the front desk to the nurses and physicians, they treat you like family.”
Owusu said accessibility is central to the clinic’s mission.
“Early detection is critical, especially for conditions like cancer,” he said. “This expansion isn’t just about numbers. It’s about reducing barriers to care for patients and their families.”
Looking ahead, Cape Fear Valley plans to continue growing its robotic surgery program, add providers and bring in advanced technologies.
“My hope is that the health system adds another Da Vinci robot to broaden our surgical capabilities and increase accessibility to minimally invasive technology in our community,” Owusu said. “There is a large body of clinical evidence to show that patients who undergo minimally invasive surgery do recover and return to their normal lives faster. After all, the more we grow as a health system and demonstrate success in what we do for our patients, the more patients and providers are drawn to our health system.”
With the expansion, Cape Fear Valley Health is positioning itself as a regional leader in advanced urological care while helping patients like Brown focus less on travel and more on not just healing, but healing faster.
(Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Valley Health)
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