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/1029086
SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2018 UCW 17 Best of Fayetteville arts and entertainment and military support. He was the founding chair for the Fayetteville Young Professionals in 2009 and served as the youngest chairman of the Chamber in 2006. He spearheaded development of the Defense, Security and Technology Ac- celerator and Partnership for Defense in 2005. He also co-founded Fayetteville Cares, a military support organization. Kirk was selected as one of the "Top 20 People under 40" by The Fayetteville Observer in 2006. The Greater Fayetteville Chamber selected him as the Young Professional of the Year in 2011. Kirk cur- rently serves as a trustee at Fayetteville State University. From November 2015 through December 2017, deViere served as a Fayetteville city councilman for District 2, a district that contains both the city's poorest and wealthiest neighborhoods. He created and is co- chairing a coalition of community partners called Pathways for Prosperity to help break the poverty cycle in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Kirk is currently running for North Carolina State Senate, District 19. Biggest Local Scandal Tyrone Williams/Prince Charles Extortion Well, there was never a doubt on what local issue would take this category in 2018. From the very be- ginning, we had extensive coverage in Up & Coming Weekly about former District 2 Councilman Tyrone Williams. In short, Williams used his position as a Fayetteville city councilman in an attempt to il- legally extort $15,000 from Jordon Jones and Prince Charles Holdings, the investment group redevelop- ing the Prince Charles Hotel. Fayetteville business- man and marketing agent T.J. Jenkins brokered the meeting in his office. The payment would have been in exchange for Williams fixing a (non-existent) problem with the Prince Charles property's title. Drama unfolded over the course of several weeks with the FBI investigating and ultimately Williams resigning his position on the city council. Unfortunately, Williams is again in legal trouble after he was arrested on charges of taking indecent liberties with a 10-year-old boy. Charges he has de- nied, of course. Oh, well. This was an unfortunate situation for our city, but from it we learned many valuable lessons. The most important thing that came out of this sad situation is that now notable, responsible and involved citizens have pretty much identi- fied the people and networks of those who have the propensity and inclination to do us harm and take advantage of our community. They are being watched and no longer have the luxury of operating in the shadows without impunity. Fayetteville knows who they are. Best Use of Local Tax Dollars Splash Pads It was a tie between splashpads and the new baseball stadium this year for Fayetteville's best use of tax dollars. Read about the stadium, which won multiple other catego- ries, on page 8. It's no secret that summers are hot here. Really hot. And for years there were limited options when it came to cooling off. Things changed this year, and our readers took note. As part of a $35 million Parks & Rec Bond initiative that passed in March, 2016, the city made plans for a variety of projects set for completion between 2017 and 2022. Near the top of the list were a series of splash pads located at Kiwanis Rec. Center, Massey Hill Rec. Center and Myers Rec Center, bringing the city's splash pads to four – there was already a splash pad at J.S. Spivey Rec. Center. The splash pads opened this summer and have been such a success that because of their popularity and the triple-digit temperatures, parks and rec extended the operating hours. The Splash pad are free, and all ages are welcome. And people have been showing up in droves to take advantage of these colorfully refreshing respites. Finally, a tax dollar expenditure that makes sense. For more information and to purchase tickets: CACFayNC.org T h a n k Y ou For V o tin g Us B e s t N o n - p r of t O rganization! O ct ober 13, 2018 • 7p m until 11 pm • The Metropolitan Roo m Please join us at the 5th Annual Pinwheel Masquerade Ball & Auction Best Local Non-proft The Board and Staff of the Child Advocacy Center are pleased to be named