Shawcroft Road Temporarily Opened

City contractors have completed the temporary installation of a culvert beneath Shawcroft Road, the only entrance to the King’s Grant neighborhood off Ramsey Street. 

The road has re-opened, having been closed for six months. A culvert, which carried a small stream beneath Shawcroft Road, was destroyed when the street collapsed during Hurricane Matthew last October. The City decided to make temporary repairs while awaiting Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to make permanent repairs. Since its original development, King’s Grant has grown to a community of 3,000 residents and 600 homes. A popular public golf course is also on the grounds. City Engineering and Infrastructure Director Rob Stone said Shawcroft Road will remain open for at least two months while a final decision is made on whether to install a permanent culvert or a bridge over the stream. That process is set to begin in June.

Fort Bragg’s All-American Division

America’s Guard of Honor is observing its 100th anniversary this year. The 82nd Airborne Division was constituted as part of the U.S. Army National Guard in August 1917 to support America’s entry into World War I.  

The division rose to international acclaim during World War II and has long been recognized as the most celebrated military unit in American history. The Fort Bragg division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Erik Kurilla, is often referred to as the nation’s Global Response Force, although the GRF designation is officially given to one of the 82nd brigades and placed on standby duty for a year at a time. The 82nd’s Third Brigade is currently assigned the responsibility of being prepared to “mobilize, load and land anywhere in the world in less than 36 hours,” as outlined in its mission statement. “We are trained, prepared and ready to go,” said 82nd spokesman, MSgt. Daniel Bailey.

The Hurley Pots

About 30 years ago the city of Fayetteville added to the Downtown ambiance by placing dozens of large, black landscaping pots along the sidewalks. They were not universally accepted at the time, and were named after then-Mayor Bill Hurley. 

Maintenance of the Hurley pots was not kept up, and the flora planted in them died. For years, the pots were neglected. But, as Downtown began to flourish, various local residents took a renewed interest in the pots. Seasonal flowers and plants designed to survive in the large cast iron containers were planted. For the first time, this spring, Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Horticulture Department agreed to freshen them. April 18 was designated planting day, and FTCC horticulture students went to work replanting 100 Hurley pots. 

FTCC Honored Again

Fayetteville Technical Community College is in the top five large two-year colleges in the nation when it comes to digital education. The Center for Digital Education ranks FTCC fourth in its 12th annual survey of how community colleges use technology to improve services to students, faculty, staff and the community at large. Colleges surveyed indicated that mobility devices and app support is their top priority in the coming year, followed by website redesign/updates, cybersecurity tools and digital content and curriculum. The survey revealed that 54 percent of colleges offer professional development courses on how to use mobile apps for instruction. CDE is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education.