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JANUARY 9-15, 2019 UCW 9
e Fayetteville Police Department's system of
surveillance cameras is still not fully functional. It
went down two years ago, and according to police
spokesman Sgt. Shawn Strepay, "a portion of the
system is up and running and other portions re-
main down."
e cameras were purchased and installed with
drug forfeiture funds. "e latest hurricane was a
setback and caused additional damage to the sys-
tem," Strepay added. at was more than a year ago.
Dozens of cameras were initially installed, most
of them in the downtown area. ey can be moni-
tored in real time at police headquarters. "We are
currently going through the process of upgrading
the system's infrastructure to include hardwiring
portions of the system with fiber optics, instead of
relying only on a wireless system," Strepay said.
e new FAST Transit Center on Robeson Street
has its own system of exterior surveillance cameras
that are monitored live, Strepay said. Recordings
are also made, and the footage can be reviewed
when necessary.
Voter information updating
In the past, local voters who failed to cast ballots
on a regular basis had their names purged from
the system, requiring that they re-register. e
Cumberland County Board of Elections recently
mailed biennial list maintenance notices to 13,169
registered voters to ensure their voter information
is current. e notices were sent to registered vot-
ers who had not voted in two consecutive federal
election cycles. ey included address confirma-
tion cards with instructions that they be filled out
and returned.
"We encourage voters that receive the biennial
list maintenance notice from our office to please
respond," said Board of Elections Director Terri
Robertson. Voters who do not return their cards will
be marked inactive. ey will still be registered but
will be asked to update their addresses the next time
they vote.
Voters may also update their records at the Board
of Elections office, 227 Fountainhead Ln. e office
is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Another cold case cleared
e Fayetteville Police Department's Special
Victims Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals
Service, has charged a suspect with a rape that oc-
curred nearly 30 years ago. An investigation from
Nov. 20, 1990, revealed the victim was kidnapped at
Mazarick Park and sexually assaulted, after which
the suspect stole her vehicle.
e case remained unsolved until Nov. 2017,
when detectives learned that DNA from the crime
scene had been linked to a Wilbur D. McGill, 54, of
Torbay Drive.
He was recently located in Orange County,
Florida, and charged with first-degree rape, first-de-
gree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon,
larceny of motor vehicle and possession of a stolen
motor vehicle. McGill is being held in Orange
County pending extradition to North Carolina.
Town hall community development meetings
Cumberland County Community Development is
holding town hall meetings to provide information
about various housing programs and other activi-
ties offered to eligible Cumberland County resi-
dents through the Community Development Block
Grant and Home Investment Partnership Program.
Feedback is welcomed from community residents.
It helps the department prioritize projects to be
undertaken during the 2019 program year.
Several meetings have taken place. ose still
scheduled will be held Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. — Godwin
Town Hall, Godwin; Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. — Falcon Town
Hall, Falcon; Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. — Spring Lake Town
Hall, Spring Lake; Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. — Wade Town
Hall, Wade; and Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. — Linden Town
Hall, Linden.
For more information, contact Community
Development at 910-321-6112 or online at www.
co.cumberland.nc.us/departments/community-
development-group/community_development.
Surveillance cameras still down
a STAFF REPORT
NEWS DIGEST
Wilbur McGill
