Local News

Owner of Fulfillity Books in Downtown Hope Mills celebrates all Stories, including her own

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Tuesday, 17 September 2024

Written by Erin C. Healy

Ashley Wilson is all about stories: written stories, our own stories and how they intertwine. The best way to make Earth a little more like heaven is by listening to each other’s stories. Stories exist to preserve people and cultures, not the things left behind, she explains.
So, although she opened a new bookstore recently, the story is really about the resilience of a woman, wife and mother. Wilson set up a 10-by-10-foot traveling bookstore at local farmers' markets and events for almost two years. Over Labor Day weekend she opened the permanent location of Fulfillity Books & More at 5548 Trade Street in downtown Hope Mills. Fulfillity is a made-up word Wilson uses to capture a woman’s state of fulfillment.
Despite setbacks, Wilson considers herself blessed and it shows in her warm smile and relaxed presence. That peace is both a practiced art and a gift from God, breaking the generational cycle of what so many women through the ages suffer through: chronic mind-bending stress from absent men, children’s needs, financial issues, lack of time, sadness, and obstacles. Wilson addresses what, for her, turned out to be bipolar and generalized anxiety disorders in three published books of poetry.
“That is what really affected me from a young age to now and has defined me and my experience in this world,” Wilson said.
Medication did not help the severe depression or suicide ideation. It was God and her husband, Frank Wilson, who made the difference. Although she may be the college-educated one, he is the one with the backbone and stability that keeps her upright.
Frank has 14 years of service in the U.S. Army with a deployment to Kuwait in 2020. Currently, he is a staff sergeant, paratrooper and jumpmaster with the 82nd Airborne Division. That same year, Ashley’s brother was killed in gang-related violence and she and Frank ended up adopting his son and caring for his daughter. Soon after, they had two boys of their own.
All three of the boys are autistic. In addition to the normal grief over the loss of her brother, she carries guilt about the condition of the boys. Up periods are consumed with lots of drive, some paranoia and anxiety and little sleep or food. Her story, she admits, is one “for those with inner turmoil, women with lack of hope, minorities with baggage to carry, youths with excuses to give up, special needs parents with paranoias to keep them up at night.” And the remedy has been a gracious God and a loving husband.
Frank renovated the building for the bookstore, which consists of dark walls, white shelving, a beautiful mantle place, a kids’ playroom and lots of used and new books. Fulfillity specializes in fiction, but Ashley is working on building the non-fiction military history section. Customers are welcome to bring in books for donation or trade.
This wife, mother, teacher and entrepreneur holds two college degrees, one in secondary English education and one in curriculum and instruction, meaning she can teach teachers. Because of her profession, she sources many of her children’s and young adult books through schools and libraries. She is well versed in the research showing that just the presence of books in a home increases the likelihood of a child being successful in life.
Ashley has organized Fulfillity in an interesting way. Books are organized by authors of color, for example, or Christians are mixed in with whatever genre the book falls under. Black and Christian stories are simply stories that have earned their place on the shelf beside others of their genre. For instance, you’ll find Christian horror in the horror section. That’s where the protagonist views whatever horror he or she encounters through the lens of their faith. Ashley has seen people shun the Christian section and miss stories that are a perfect fit for what they want to read.
You can visit the shop from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. Follow Fulfillity Books on Facebook for notices of upcoming events like The Fulfillity Book Party: Dark Fantasy Edition at 2 p.m., Oct. 5.

(Photo: Ashley Wilson is the owner of Fulfillity Books & More in downtown Hope Mills. Photo by Erin C. Healy)

Absentee voting on hold in Cumberland County; PWC receives awards; Hate Crimes Forum to be held in Fayetteville

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Tuesday, 17 September 2024

Written by Staff Report

Absentee Voting on Hold in Cumberland County while New Ballots are Printed
Cumberland County Board of Elections is working to design and print new ballots for the 2024 general election without the “We the People Party” presidential and vice presidential candidates listed, following a state court decision.
The Supreme Court of North Carolina, in a 4–3 ruling late Monday, Sept. 9, required election officials to remove the “We the People Party” candidates from the presidential contest on the ballot, including the party’s presidential nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and vice-presidential nominee, Nicole Shanahan.
Cumberland County Board of Elections was prepared to send ballots to voters late last week, which is the state law deadline to begin absentee voting. Due to the court decision, revised ballots will now be printed and delivered to eligible voters who have requested an absentee ballot within the next two weeks. Once edited, and approved by the State Board of Elections, Cumberland County will begin sending absentee ballots, aiming to ensure voters across the state have the same amount of time to cast their absentee vote.
Due to the new design and print time, the State Board is preparing for the possibility that North Carolina cannot meet the 45-day deadline in federal law – September 21 – for distributing military and overseas ballots to voters. The State Board has begun discussions with the U.S. Department of Defense to seek a potential waiver of that deadline.
“We will continue to consult with counties and ballot vendors to determine the feasible start date for distributing absentee ballots statewide, mindful of the goal to meet the 45-day federal deadline,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “This decision imposes a tremendous hardship on our county boards, at an extremely busy time. But our election officials are professionals, and I have no doubt we will rise to the challenge.”
The State Board has asked county boards to strictly separate and move to storage all ballots that had been printed with the “We the People Party” line. This is to avoid any possibility that the wrong ballots are sent to voters.
Through Monday, Sept. 9, 146,603 voters, including more than 12,900 military and overseas voters, had requested ballots for the 2024 general election.
Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2024 general election in North Carolina:
Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).*
Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).*
Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
Nov. 5: General Election Day.
Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).*
*Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.

PWC receives four public power awards
The Fayetteville Public Works Commission is one of 17 public power communities across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia to receive 2023 Public Power Awards of Excellence.
Presented by ElectriCities of North Carolina, the awards reflect PWC’s commitment to continuously providing outstanding electric service to the community. Public Power Awards of Excellence recognize public power providers for developing a future-focused mindset, strengthening public power, providing superior power, providing customer-centered innovation, and prioritizing their people as their greatest asset.
PWC received public power awards in four categories:
The STRENGTHEN PUBLIC POWER AWARD celebrates communities that build public and political support for public power.
The PROVIDE SUPERIOR POWER AWARD highlights communities that deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity.
The CUSTOMER-CENTERED INNOVATION AWARD recognizes public power providers that innovate and invest to serve their communities better.
The PEOPLE AWARD distinguishes cities and towns that leverage their people as their greatest asset.
“I am proud of the dedication of our employees as these four awards reflect their steadfast commitment and the pride they take in doing outstanding work,” said Timothy Bryant, CEO/General Manager for PWC. “Every day, they consistently provide safe, reliable, and affordable utility services for our community. The benefits of a public power utility like PWC goes beyond providing value for our customers, it enables us to provide reliable service, create local jobs, and deliver exceptional customer service.”
Working over five million hours with no lost time accidents, in addition to the 2023 Awards of Excellence, PWC has received the American Public Power Association’s RP3 (Reliable Public Power Provider) Diamond Designation six times, one of only 2 utilities in APPA to receive this award this many times.
“This year’s Public Power Awards of Excellence recipients are shining examples of the value of public power,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones.
“These outstanding communities prioritize local needs and put their customers first as they develop innovative solutions to provide safe, reliable power with superior service,” said Jones.
“We’re honored to celebrate these communities, and we’re grateful for all they do to provide value to their customers.”

 U.S. Department of Justice to host Hate Crimes Forum in Fayetteville
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Department will host a Bias Incident and Hate Crimes Forum on Sept. 19. This free event will be hosted at Fayetteville Technical Community College in the Tony Rand Student Center, 2220 Hull Road, Fayetteville from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. There is a virtual option available for those who cannot attend in person.
The event comes as North Carolina deals with a recent rise in hate crimes.
The Bias Incidents and Hate Crimes Forum provides community members and law enforcement with information related to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as state and local hate crimes laws. The program engages local and federal law enforcement, district attorneys, civil rights organizations, and community organizations in discussions and information sharing on methods to combat and respond to bias incidents and hate crimes.
This forum includes the following components:
• A panel of law enforcement experts to provide an overview of federal, state and local hate crimes laws.
• A panel of community resources to discuss resources in the aftermath of bias incidents or hate crimes.
• A panel of survivors to discuss their personal experiences of being targeted by hate and how these incidents affected the panelists’ sense of wellbeing, safety and inclusion. (Will not be available virtually).
“According to Justice Department data, reported hate crimes in North Carolina increased from 186 in 2020 to 330 in 2022—an increase of 77% in just two years.”
Doors will open for the event at 8:30 a.m. for in-person registration and light refreshments.

“Not just any medical school, OUR medical school” Groundbreaking ceremony held for Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health Medical School

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Tuesday, 17 September 2024

Written by Alyson Hansen

Methodist University completed a milestone in the building of the new Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, Sept. 10. Leadership from Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health broke ground on what will be the newest medical school in the country. Several prominent members of the community were in attendance, and the audience was at standing room capacity, signifying the importance of the medical school to the community.
The new $60 million facility is slated to be open for students in 2026. The school building will be located on the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center campus.
The speakers at the ceremony included MU President Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, Golden LEAF President/CEO Scott T. Hamilton, Glenn Adams, Chairman of the Cumberland County Commissioners, and Dr. Hershey Bell, inaugural Dean of the School of Medicine. One major theme was carried out among the speakers: the new School of Medicine will help to benefit the residents of the area by bringing in more physicians and allowing diversity of care.
Those living in rural areas around Cumberland County will have better access to health care, and by having the school on the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Campus, more of the students will stay local after graduation. Sixty-seven percent of physicians who finish both medical school and residency in an area, stay in the area to practice, and that could mean big things for residents and their healthcare needs.
Dr. Toni Stewart, Vice Chair of the Cumberland County Commissioners, and board member of Cape Fear Valley Health, spoke about the needs of such a facility in our community.
“Our county’s strength lies in its diversity, with people from many different backgrounds and experiences living, working and thriving here,” she said. “The school’s commitment to diversity and inclusion means that we will be educating doctors who reflect the community they serve and improving access to care and improving trust in the health care system.”
Jimmy Keefe, Cumberland County Commissioner, and Vice Board Chair of Cape Fear Valley Health, said, “This is going to be so much more than brick and mortar. This is a cultural change for the community. It is the opportunity for us to be on the map in so many different ways as a healthcare facility. People here will have the opportunities to stay close to home and have a profession that can give back to the community and their fellow man. It will be part of our image in the state of North Carolina and the Southeast United States.”
Other speakers commented on the vision of the future of the school, and the excitement they felt over having such an institution in Fayetteville.
“I woke up this morning excited by the fact that we are going to have a medical school here. It’s going to do wonders for our community. We will train doctors, and they will go into our community and into our metropolitan area and into South Eastern North Carolina and serve people who have not been served for all these years. It is one of the most formative times of our community,” said Dr. Franklin Clark III, Chair, Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, Inc.
The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine will be a five-story building with 200 rooms. The building will be constructed by Rodgers Builders and was designed by McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture.
“The beauty on the outside will be matched with the brains on the inside,” said Michael Nagowski, CEO, Cape Fear Valley Health.
“This is not about MU alone. Without the remarkable vision of Mike Nagowski and Cape Fear Valley Health, this could not happen,” said Dr. Wearden. “Our partnership shows that when two organizations get together and they bring trust and commitment to that relationship, great things will happen in this community ... I value the friendships we have formed and the good work we are doing together in this community. ‘Together’ is so important, because we are accomplishing so much more doing this together than we would separately.”
Dr. Hershey Bell was the last to speak.
“Today we are celebrating the groundbreaking of the nation’s newest medical school, and it isn’t just any medical school, it is OUR medical school,” he said. “Our purpose is singular, to recruit students from our region, middle schools, high schools, our community colleges, our universities, to be our medical students to populate our primary care and specialty residency and fellowship training programs who will graduate to be OUR physicians.
"[This] will be a school of the people of our region, by the people of our region, and for the people of our region. It will be the greatest honor of my career to introduce you to each and every one of [ the students] when they arrive. They won’t be just any medical students, they’ll be our medical students, our future neighbors, our future physicians.”

(Photo: Members of Methodist University, Cape Fear Valley Health and the Golden LEAF Foundation break the ground for the new Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine at the Cape Fear Valley Health Center campus on Village Dr., Sept. 10)  

What makes Lennox Townhomes a great place to live?

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Tuesday, 10 September 2024

Written by Greg Floyd, Floyd Properties

What makes Lennox Townhomes a great place to live?
Lennox is a small, boutique apartment community to rent in the Haymount neighborhood in the center of Fayetteville.
The townhomes are close to Bragg Boulevard and the CBD loop with easy access to Ft. Liberty, Methodist University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Terry Sanford High School and Cape Fear Valley Hospital.
Shopping and amenities are all close by along Ft. Bragg Road and the quaint shops of Haymount. The neighborhood is a great place to walk. Residents can visit General Lee Park and even walk to midtown Haymount without crossing a main road.
The best thing about Lennox is the community itself. It has only 10 townhomes, operated by a local family in business here for 73 years. There was no detail left unattended in the building process.
The goal the entire time was and is to make these townhomes exquisite in every way. You will have to see it, walk around the grounds, drive by at night and take a tour inside to get the full impact of these incredibly well thought out apartments.
To say that we are proud of them is a gross understatement. They’re located at 413 Morecrest Lane off Elvira Street near the intersection of McPherson Road and Fairfax Ave.
Some of the features that make these townhomes unusually special are wainscotting throughout the first floor, electric fireplaces with full mantel, shiplap in the foyer, staircase and primary bedroom, granite kitchen countertops, wooden staircase with large post railings up the stairs, all waterproof laminate upstairs and downstairs with no carpet, two bedrooms with a study/office upstairs, private covered patios, very soft, warm colors for décor, stainless steel counter depth appliances, half bath downstairs, smart technology, doorbell cameras and alarm systems, z technology controlled thermostats and a fully garden-style landscaping, recycling and separate waste dispensers, outside community picnic tables and charcoal grill, dog waste collection stations and soft, area landscape lighting on all trees and parking lot areas.
To get the full impact of the spectacular lighting surrounding the community drive by at night time. Lennox has a resort-style lighting effect similar to a tasteful grand hotel. Completely surrounded by a perimeter fence, Lennox has a very private appeal.
Our hope is that every resident at Lennox feels the same way we do; that this is the very best place to live. Call us today for a personal tour at 910-423-6700. We would love to show you around!

(Photo: The inside of one of the Lennox Townhomes showcases the kitchen, wainscotting, and unique touches of the home. Photo courtesy of Floyd Properties)