Local News

Jack Britt High School students curate latest ASOM Exhibit: "Warrior Bonds"

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Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Written by Staff Report

The U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum is proud to announce the official opening of its newest temporary exhibit, Warrior Bonds: U.S. Army Special Forces & Montagnards in Vietnam.
Unveiled on April 24, Warrior Bonds tells the extraordinary story of the powerful alliance formed between U.S. Army Special Forces and the Montagnard people during the Vietnam War. This exhibit honors a legacy of courage, loyalty, and cross-cultural partnership that continues to inspire generations.
Curated in collaboration with students from Fayetteville’s Jack Britt High School through the Fort Bragg Museums’ Curatorial Apprentice Program, Warrior Bonds showcases original research, oral histories, and artifacts that explore the deep bonds forged in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
Visitors can now engage with the exhibit in entirely new ways thanks to a recent investment in cutting-edge educational tools.
“The ASOM Foundation last summer received an American Rescue Plan Act nonprofit grant from Cumberland County to fund an educational experience in the permanent gallery,” said Renee Lane, Executive Director of the ASOM Foundation. “As a result, we have made an investment with CheQRboard to transform educational offerings that will create immersive, interactive, and engaging learning experiences in nine languages for visitors of all ages.”
CheQRboard’s mobile-accessible platform adds depth to the visitor experience by layering in firsthand accounts, oral histories, and interactive content. Guests can use their phones to access media that makes the stories of Warrior Bonds come alive.
“By integrating CheQRboard’s tools, we’re expanding the way we tell stories — especially for younger generations, veterans, and educators,” said Lane. “This is part of our broader commitment to innovation in education as we celebrate 25 years of the Museum’s mission.”
Warrior Bonds is now open to the public and will be on display for a limited time. To plan your visit or learn more about upcoming exhibits, please visit www.asomf.org.
About the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation
The ASOM Foundation supports the mission of the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum by funding exhibits, educational programming, and veteran outreach. Located in downtown Fayetteville, the museum honors the courage and sacrifice of Airborne and Special Operations Soldiers past and present.
About CheQRboard
CheQRboard is a digital platform that helps museums and cultural institutions engage visitors through multimedia storytelling, accessible learning tools, and data-driven insights.

(Photo: The Airborne and Special Operations Museum celebrated the student curators (not pictured in order): Alexa Medvedev, Sophomore; Eli Coughlin, Sophomore; Jayden J. Mogan, Sophomore; Sophia Pino, Sophomore; Samantha Oliver, Junior; Maura Lake, Senior. Through their hard work, research, and creativity, these students helped bring an extraordinary story of trust, courage, and sacrifice to life.)

Up & Coming Weekly Dining Guide

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Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Written by Staff Report

This month, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible food truck scene that makes Fayetteville a true foodie’s paradise. Fayetteville is fortunate to have a diverse array of food trucks serving up delicious eats. Join us as we celebrate the creativity, passion, and flavors these mobile kitchens bring to our community, making every meal an adventure!

Carolina Hibachi
Carolina Hibachi brings the authentic hibachi experience directly to you through their mobile food truck. With 25 years of culinary expertise, they serve fresh, customized Japanese-style grilled dishes made right before your eyes. Catering services are available.
https://tinyurl.com/5avprxwk

Vee’s Seoul Kitchen Food Truck
Vee's serves up authentic Korean cuisine, featuring their signature beef bulgogi bowls with tender marinated meat, crispy homemade egg rolls, and indulgent loaded fries topped with savory ingredients.
https://tinyurl.com/bdzn8vdw

GR Fil-Am Grill
GR Fil-Am Grill offers a unique dining experience, blending traditional Filipino flavors with classic American cuisine. Their carefully curated rotating menu features approximately five signature dishes at any given time, allowing them to focus on perfecting each fusion creation while keeping the offerings fresh and exciting.
https://tinyurl.com/2mbuky9f

Big Erv BBQ & 910 Sweets-The Neighborhood Pit Stop, LLC
This beloved family-owned food truck has earned multiple accolades for their mouthwatering BBQ specialties. Their perfectly smoked wings, tender brisket chili, and slow-cooked meats draw crowds daily. For those with a sweet tooth, their homemade dessert selection features creamy banana pudding and freshly baked cupcakes.
https://tinyurl.com/5abw8v4x

Latin Flavours Street Cuisine
Latin Flavours Street Cuisine delights customers with authentic Puerto Rican comfort food favorites. Their menu features traditional hand-crafted empanadas filled with savory meats and crispy alcapurrias made from root vegetables.
https://tinyurl.com/p8bdmen2

Ty's Uptown Grill
Ty's Uptown Grill stands out as the premier New York/New Jersey style food truck in the south. Their commitment to quality is evident in their strict use of fresh, never frozen ingredients that are carefully sourced daily. Each mouthwatering dish is made to order with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that customers receive their meals at the peak of freshness and flavor.
https://tysuptowngrill.com/about-us

Harmon's Deutsche Kuche
This mobile eatery showcases authentic Bavarian fare, featuring robust tastes and tangy elements from genuine German condiments and seasonings. They partner with nearby farms for fresh ingredients, and their signature offerings, including the breaded pork cutlet sandwich, comes from traditional family cooking methods handed down through generations.
https://harmonsdeutschekuche.com

Bella Nonna
Bella Nona serves up a delightful array of Italian cuisine, from traditional Italian-American favorites to authentic regional specialties and innovative fusion creations. Diners can savor house-made pasta crafted daily, generously stuffed calzones, and an extensive menu of carefully prepared Italian delicacies.
https://tinyurl.com/58ejnmhk

Cornbread Kitchen & Smokehouse
Cornbread Kitchen & Smokehouse stands as a beacon of authentic Southern cuisine, delighting guests with their masterfully smoked BBQ and traditional comfort dishes. Their perfectly seasoned meats and homestyle sides capture the essence of Southern cooking. Living up to their motto, "It's always a good day for cornbread," they serve warm, golden cornbread that keeps customers coming back.
https://tinyurl.com/yswdj6u8

California Taco
California Taco, a vibrant food truck destination, delights customers with its authentic Mexican culinary offerings. From traditional tacos to flavorful salsas, they serve genuine south-of-the-border tastes and experiences.
https://www.facebook.com/californiataconc

Some Ting's Cookin'
Some Ting's Cookin' is your go-to destination for mouthwatering Asian cuisine crafted with care and passion. Specializing in creating dishes that are both simple and irresistibly delicious, they take pride in using only the freshest local ingredients to bring bold, authentic flavors to every bite.
https://sometingscookin.com/

R Burger
R Burger stands out as one of Fayetteville's most beloved and highly regarded food trucks, earning a reputation for serving up the best burgers in town. Known for their juicy, perfectly cooked patties and creative flavor combinations, R Burger takes the classic burger experience to a whole new level.
https://www.facebook.com/Rburgertruck/

This is by no means a complete list of all the great trucks we are able to experience here in Fayetteville. Be sure to visit The Haymount Truck Stop on 100 Broadfoot Ave to catch many of the trucks listed here and many, many more. Get the weekly line-up of trucks at the Truck Stop on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/haymounttruckstop

Government Watch: Cumberland County, City of Fayetteville updates

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Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Written by Jami McLaughlin

Cumberland County
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners hosted a press conference following a closed session on April 14 to update on the Crown Event Center.
The board requested the project team present an updated timeline and associated costs for the final construction package. They also had received an update on the project’s financing plan, including how the financial model is designed to accommodate anticipated cost increases.
The Commissioners also instructed staff to contract with Raleigh-based Davis Kane Architects to develop cost estimates for renovating and modernizing the existing Crown Theatre and Arena. The goal is to evaluate how those facilities might be updated to offer similar programmatic features as the planned Crown Event Center according to county officials. The last estimate for a rehabilitation of the facilities was from 2015.
The board had previously voted on March 5 to suspend all work on the 3,000-seat Crown Event Center, approved in 2022, for 30 days in order to review and investigate the scope, schedule and budget for the project. It was budgeted at $144.5 million and scheduled to open Spring 2027.
On April 7, after the suspension of the project was lifted, Chairman Kirk deViere announced contractors would be allowed to resume work without any restrictions. Attorney J. Scott Flowers of Hutchens Law Firm in Fayetteville served as neutral counsel and provided an assessment of the status of the project, including an “additional architect’s fee” of $1.9 million from EwingCole, which had been flagged for concern according to the board.
On April 8, Chairman deViere updated the public that Flowers submitted an over 1000-page investigative report and it was under review by County Commissioners during their closed sessions, which took place over a week.
Crown Event Center updates continue to be ongoing and can be viewed at www.cumberlandcountync.gov/crowneventcenter. New costs and construction updates are estimated to be available in 30 to 60 days.

In other Cumberland County news
On April 21, the board approved a request from the Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation for an easement to install a transmission line on the property of New Century Middle School and replaced 26 Sheriff’s Office vehicles that had been declared total losses by the County’s insurance provider. County staff told the board that the insurance proceeds would help offset the estimated cost of $2,260,738.74. The board approved the vehicle replacements and associated budget amendment with a total cost not to exceed $2,252,243.76 or $86,624.36 per vehicle. The board also approved a construction contract for constructing wells in the Gray’s Creek area in the amount of $660,000
In other news, Chairman deViere will deliver a State of the County Address on April 29 at 6 p.m. in the Cumberland County Historic Courthouse on Gillespie Street. deViere will provide an update on the County’s progress, current updates and future vision. It will be livestreamed on the County website www.cumberlandcountync.gov.

City of Fayetteville
On April 14, the Fayetteville City Council approved the Fayetteville City Council Strategic Planning Retreat Debrief, which identified accomplishments and included updating priorities for the new fiscal year.
Accomplishments from City staff included lowest crime rates in a decade and new community programs including a mental health resource center. The council also looked at collaborating more with others and infrastructure opportunities such as a future I-685 route through Cumberland County.
The five council strategic priorities include:
• Enhancing economic growth throughout the City
• Committing to an on-going, comprehensive approach to community safety
• Continuing the City’s commitment to revitalization efforts and housing needs
• Increasing Parks and Recreation opportunities for youth engagement and interaction
• Evaluating and expanding transportation and other connectivity for residents
The board also approved the renaming of Woodrow Park to Haymount Park at Woodrow.
In other City news, Fayetteville Outfront, a series of town hall question-and-answer sessions led by Assistant City Managers Kelly Strickland and Jeff Yates will take place on Tuesday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kiwanis Recreation Center. Staff will be ready to discuss stormwater fixes and community safety among other topics.
The City of Fayetteville also plans to make repairs to the historic Market House in downtown Fayetteville, replacing deteriorated woodwork, including the louvers, windows, trim and wooden columns and repainting the clock tower. The work will be done by American Woodworkery, which specializes in historic preservation, and will take approximately five months to complete. According to City officials, the two-story brick Market House, built in 1832, is a National Historic Landmark and one of North Carolina’s most photographed civic buildings.
Joint City of Fayetteville — Cumberland County Liaison Committee
On Apr. 21, the Board of Commissioners met with the Fayetteville City Council in a Joint City of Fayetteville - Cumberland County Liaison Committee meeting. The committee received updates related to public transportation from the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Fayetteville Area System of Transit. The committee also discussed the closure of the Salvation Army of the Sandhills Region shelter. The next meeting will be held on May 19 and will focus on childcare.

About the Greater Fayetteville Chamber
Advocacy is a cornerstone of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Every week, the Chamber dedicates staff to attend City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County meetings as well as monitoring updates on the state and federal levels. We monitor legislation locally, statewide and federally to protect our community’s business interests. With 91% of U.S. adults recognizing a Chamber of Commerce's impact on growth, membership ensures a strong voice shaping policies, driving economic success, and building a thriving business community—together. To learn more, visit www.faybiz.com or email jmclaughlin@faybiz.com.

(Photo: The proposed Crown Event Center in downtown Fayetteville is shown here in an artist's rendering from EwingCole)

Funding cuts may be ‘fatal wound’ to vital clinics

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Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Written by Jane Winik Sartwell, Carolina Public Press

For residents of rural North Carolina, quality health care can seem nonexistent. Let alone be affordable. Now, one of the only options for low-cost, low-barrier medical care is under threat: community health centers.
Rural residents with chronic conditions like hypertension, heart disease and diabetes — on Medicaid or without insurance entirely — can’t afford regular trips to the emergency room. And rural hospitals can’t afford to treat them.
That’s where community health centers have a vital role.
These federally qualified facilities, with 39 across North Carolina and 1,370 nationally, are designed to serve low-income, rural residents.
But they may struggle to keep their doors open in the coming years.
Potential Medicaid slashes are looming and $230 million in federal health funding to North Carolina has already been lost from cuts made by the Trump administration.
As things stand, the state’s community health centers have to cobble together funding to keep the lights on. Medicaid is their biggest customer. The rest comes from the federal Health Center Program and a number of grants.
Their margins are razor thin. They often operate in the red.
Now they may fade to black.
The doctor is in
There are 1.1 million people without health insurance in North Carolina — one of the highest rates of any state in the nation. And rural residents are 40% more likely to be uninsured than those living in metropolitan areas.
Community health centers are designed to help people who can’t afford treatment, combining services that would usually be spread out over multiple facilities under one roof. All of it priced on a sliding scale.
In the city, there are tons of options for medical care, keeping residents out of the hospital for routine checkups, exams or specialty needs.
But out in the county, not so much. Having an option like a community health center is crucial, medical experts say. The MedNorth center in Wilmington, for example, provides primary care, OB-GYN and pediatric services, an on-site pharmacy and behavioral health services.
In other words, a place that has something for everybody.
“I see these centers as those nets at the very bottom of a construction site,” said Fabrice Julien, a health science professor at UNC-Asheville. “God forbid someone falls. That would be the last thing to catch someone. If you remove it, it’s going to create some really deleterious effects. We will see mortality rates rise.”
Community health centers and ‘war on poverty’
The first community health center opened in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “war on poverty.”
Now, the state’s centers treat 762,000 people, who may be at risk while future funding remains uncertain.
Under the Trump administration, $230 million in health funding for North Carolina is gone. Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed a lawsuit against the federal government, calling the cut “unlawful — and dangerous.”
The move gutted programs that would have supported North Carolina’s community health centers to, among other things, expand access to immunizations in isolated communities and provide support to high-risk patients, including those with behavior or substance-use disorders.
If the $880 million cut to Medicaid currently being discussed by Republicans in Congress comes to pass, the blow might be enough to knock community health centers out — or at least make them less effective.
And the state’s Department of Health and Human Services can’t bail them out. As part of the health funding cut, the agency lost $100 million and 80 jobs.
“We’re not in a position to compensate for losses to programs like community health centers,” said Deborah Farrington, a DHHS deputy secretary. “We won’t be in a situation where loss on the federal side can be shifted to the state side. If we experience budget cuts at the state level as well, these centers will be in a really difficult position.
“The resources won’t be there.”
The sick getting sicker
The impact of funding cuts to community health centers may be felt most by rural North Carolinians with chronic conditions.
Like those with hypertension, where 206,000 are treated each year.
Or diabetes. There are 107,000 that typically need care.
Or heart disease. That’s 42,000 patients.
Without these centers, many low-income patients would have nowhere else to turn except emergency rooms.
“That’s putting a Band-Aid on a fatal wound,” Julien said. “That’s only going to get you so far.”
But as the reality of funding cuts sets in, rural residents may increasingly have to make do with the Band-Aid.
“We are working with our partners to mitigate any impact of the federal funding reductions,” said Kelly Kimple, the state health director and DHHS chief medical officer. “But losing this funding and this investment in North Carolina from the federal government is going to impact people and services. It’s going to be real. It’s going to jeopardize their ability to do their work and to hire doctors and nurses.”
The centers have long enjoyed bipartisan support at the state and federal level, and those in the field hope that not all critical funding will be thrown out.
But the existing threat to community health centers is enough to make administrators think twice.
“Cuts like this, and the wider environment in which cuts come abruptly without notice, makes it very challenging to plan,” said Brendan Riley, vice president of the North Carolina Community Health Center Association. “It is hard to plan for the future or to enhance staffing. Anything you come to depend on might be pulled out from under you.”