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/1155029
12 UCW AUGUST 14-20, 2019 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM A drive past Cumberland County's new Emer- gency Operations building reveals virtually no activity since it was purchased nine months ago. But the county says it is moving forward with plans for its new emergency services and 911 call center building. Officials submitted a grant application to the North Carolina 911 Board in May seeking funding for renovation, hardware, equipment and associated technology costs for the facility, which will eventually replace out- dated facilities in the law enforcement center downtown. e new building at 500 Executive Place was purchased in November for $5.1 mil- lion. e 911 committees for the county and the city of Fayetteville had discussed colocating their separate call centers in the building with the intent of consolidating services in the future. e county sent an interlocal agreement approved by the Board of Commissioners on May 20 to the city but did not receive an official response. "It's time for us to move forward with this project without delay," said County Commission Chairwoman Jeannette Council. She said that on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, she noti- fied Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin that county government would proceed to submit a grant ap- plication to the state without participation by the city. Assistant County Manager Tracey Jackson said at the time that a joint grant application would have been stronger. Convicted robber sentenced to federal prison A Robeson County man who confessed to tak- ing part in armed robberies of three Fayetteville convenience stores was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. e United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that Michael Devonte Hill's prison term will be followed by five years of supervised release. Hill pled guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in late July by Chief U.S. Dis- trict Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle. e govern- ment's evidence established that in July 2017, hill robbed three Fayetteville-area convenience store — the Circle K on Rosehill Road, a Circle K on Yadkin Road and a third Circle K on Owen Drive. A second man involved in the two of holdups remains at large. is case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing togeth- er all levels of law enforcement, and the com- munities they serve, to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Higdon said this initiative emphasizes the re- gional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney's Of- fices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. Cumberland County library wins com- munity foundation grant e Cumberland County Public Library and In- formation Center received a $10,000 grant from the Cumberland Community Foundation for its Sum- mertime Kids project to provide books and book bags to children attending summer camps through- out the county. e Summertime Kids project is an enrichment program that reaches underserved populations to promote literacy throughout every stage of life. e grant money provided funding for two books and a bag for each child participating in the program. Library staff visited 14 camps at 18 different locations and gave away 1,158 bags with books during June, July and August. Sites visited include the Autism Society of Cumberland County; Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County; Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Cape Fear Regional eatre; Clark Park Nature Center; Communities United for Youth Development; Cumberland County Sheriff 's Office Youth Summer Camp, Ellington White CDC; Fayetteville State University STEM camp; Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex; St. Ann Neighbor- hood Youth Center; Fayetteville Urban Ministry, Inc.; Moore Street Foundation; and e Salvation Army. "is is such a wonderful grant for these kids, and the books that were available for the campers to choose from were wonderful," said Joe Kabbes, camp director of Fayetteville State University's STEM Sum- mer Camp. ese programs offer children preschool age through high school opportunities to socialize and interact with peers. 911 call center planning update by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS DIGEST JEFF THOMPSON, Reporter. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Don't be just another face in the crowd. 910.484.6200 Can help your business get noticed. Give us a call today!