Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1000961
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JULY 4-10, 2018 UCW 7 e U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs late last month reversed itself on a new suicide study that appeared to show thousands of unreported military deaths in recent years. e VA's annual National Suicide Data Report is a collaboration between Veterans Affairs, defense researchers and census analysts. It found that from 2008 to 2016 about 20 veterans took their own lives daily. For the first time, this most recent update breaks down the figures into veterans receiving VA health care, veterans not using the department's health services, and a group including active-duty troops, guardsmen and reservists. e new calculation would put the official Defense Department suicide total among troops at close to 1,400 for 2015, or 65 percent higher than what the military previously reported. Several news outlets took note of the sudden data spike following the report's release. VA of- ficials acknowledged that the military figures are misleading. "In our report, VA did not differentiate deaths between active duty ... Guard and Reserve," said Dr. Keita Franklin, VA's national director of suicide prevention. "is difference in the report may have caused some confusion and led to the misperception that approximately 1,000 more cur- rent service members died by suicide than DoD reported in 2015." VA officials blamed the confusion regarding the troops' suicide information on inconsistent defini- tions used by various agencies. Individuals who served in the Guard or Reserves and are consid- ered "veterans" in census reports may not have been counted in the Defense Department statistics. VA researchers are now emphasizing they have not found fault with official military suicide sta- tistics, which have counted between 550 and 450 active-duty, Guard and Reserve suicides in each of the last five calendar years. Fort Bragg authorities do not disclose suicides when reporting soldier deaths. e Army does not disclose cause of death in such instances. Prince Charles Hotel project update ere is clear evidence of progress in the reno- vation of the former Prince Charles Hotel on Hay Street. A photo taken from the floor of City Hall across the street shows that window frames are being removed for replenishment. e Historic Resources Commission has told owners of the building that its facade must remain intact. Devel- oper Jordan Jones said renovations are on schedule and should be completed by the end of the year. By February 2019, Jordan said, the building should have 61 apartments plus offices on the eighth floor with restaurants, coffee shops and retail facilities at ground level. New public safety hires e Fayetteville Fire Department has hired 17 recruits who graduated from the Fire Academy in June. A significant number of the graduates were minorities. e department has been under pres- sure in recent months to diversify its force. Fire Chief Ben Major said the academy class included three African-Americans, two Hispanics and two Asians. A total of 62 applicants were interviewed for the vacancies. Fayetteville City Council members are divided on whether to expand terms of office from two to four years. District 7 Councilman Larry Wright broached the idea several months ago. Now the govern- ing body has decided to put the idea to a vote of the people. Mayor Pro-tem Ted Mohn made the motion, which was sec- onded by Wright. Council has indicated it would abide by the voters' decision. Council voted 6-4 to place the "yes or no" issue on the November ballot. If passed, the longer terms of office would apply to the 2019 municipal election. Presumably, the members would serve staggered terms, but the measure did not include that provision. Fifth District Councilman Johnny Dawkins and 9th District Councilman Jim Arp said they do not favor four-year terms, but they voted for the referendum anyway. Members Dan Cul- liton, Bill Crisp, Kathy Jensen and Tisha Waddell voted against it. "We're rushing into this issue," Waddell said. Crisp said the timing wasn't good. e referendum in November will also include a formal resolution asking that the state legislature modify the city charter to allow recall elections. Only the general assembly can do that, but the city has authority to change city council terms of office. Some members wanted to separate the is- sues, but all seemed to favor the recall provision. It stems from the recent attempted bribery allega- tions involving recently resigned District 2 Council member Tyrone Williams. At its recent meeting, city council also debated whether to continue its financial commitment in support of the planned $65 million North Caro- lina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center planned for Fayetteville. New District 4 member, D.J. Haire, questioned the city's $7.5 million com- mitment to the foundation funding the center. Fayetteville and Cumberland County governments have pledged a total of $15 million contingent on a commitment from the state as well as millions in private funds already raised. e foundation asked the city to donate four acres of property abutting the historic Fayetteville Arsenal site where the facility is to be built. Council agreed but will follow up with a prop- erty appraisal so that its value can be deducted from the $7.5 million pledge. e 60,000-square-foot history center is planned at the end of Arsenal Avenue in Haymount on the grounds where the antebellum facility once stood. It was destroyed by Union Gen. William Sher- man on his march north from Atlanta. Education is the center's goal. It will house exhibits, classrooms and research areas for visitors. So as not to be thought of as a museum, the center will not have weapons of war and battlefield depictions. Another dimension of the project is the develop- ment of digital educational material for students in all grade levels that can be accessed online, in the classroom, at home or anywhere in the world. Suicide report for active duty military, veterans confusing a STAFF REPORT NEWS DIGEST Extending city council terms by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS Fayetteville City Council will ask for the vote of the people in determining whether to expand terms of office from two to four years. JEFF THOMPSON, Senior News Reporter. COMMENTS? news@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200.