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/1301017
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM OCTOBER 21-27, 2020 UCW 9 e Cumberland Community Foundation recently kicked off its 40th Anniversary announcing over $1,000,000 in grants and scholarships to local non- profit partners and local students. e CCF awarded the Child Advocacy Center a $40,000 grant to help fund the mission of the Child Advocacy Center. e CAC mission is to serve the community by alleviating the trauma children experience once a disclosure of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse occurs. Ac- cording to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "Children are specifically vulnerable to abuse during COVID-19. Research shows that increased stress levels among parents is often a major predictor of physical abuse and neglect of children. e support systems that many at-risk parents rely on, such as extended family, childcare and schools, religious groups and other community organizations, are no longer available in many areas due to the stay-at-home orders." Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the CAC has re- mained open serving 876 children for fiscal year end- ing June 30, 2020, a 20% increase from 2019. "anks to the generous support of the Cumberland Commu- nity Foundation, the Child Advocacy Center will be able to continue to serve children and their families during these unique times," said Roberta Humphries, Executive Director of the Child Advocacy Center. e 2020 election is year's election is taking place against a back- drop of uncertainty. Voting policies are enacted and enforced by the states not the federal government. ese policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems and more, dictate the conditions under which citizens cast ballots. Early voting began Oct. 15 and expires on Oct. 31 with a dozen early polling places located across Cumberland County. In 2016, the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Ap- peals struck down North Carolina's photo ID require- ment finding that the state legislature had enacted the requirement with racially discriminatory intent. e Supreme Court declined to hear the state's ap- peal, letting the appeals court decision stand. Voting rights for convicted felons vary from state to state. In North Carolina, individuals convicted of felonies temporarily lose their rights of citizenship. ese rights are automatically recovered upon completion of their entire sentences, including incarceration, parole or probation and restitution. All Hallow's Eve Fayetteville City leaders are encouraging changes to traditional Halloween activities this year because of COVID-19. e city's Emergency Management team recommends event organizers review alterna- tive activities released by the N. C. Department of Health and Human Services. Traditional door-to- door trick-or-treating is discouraged. e Fayette- ville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department will demonstrate Halloween crafts such as themed facemasks, floating candles, coffee filter monsters and more on social media videos. e first video has been posted on the FCPR Facebook page. Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Bullard reminds residents to wear cloth face coverings to prevent dis- ease spread when outside and around others. Army leaders in Trump campaign ad e Pentagon's top civilian and military officials have attempted to keep their organization out of the 2020 election cycle, but an internet campaign ad has them front and center with a photo of President Donald Trump flanked by Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Department policy forbids service members from participating in cam- paign activities in uniform. "As public servants who have taken an oath to... uphold DoD's longstand- ing tradition of remaining apolitical as we carry out our official responsibilities." A defense official told Politico that "the campaign didn't seek approval from Gen. Mark Milley to use his image in the ad. In an exclusive NPR interview, Milley said "We don't swear an oath of allegiance to an individual, a king, a queen, a president or anything else. We swear an oath to an idea, or a set of ideas and values, that are embedded in our Constitution." In June, Milley pub- licly apologized for his appearance in Trump's walk across Lafayette Square to pose for photos holding a bible in front of a church. GENX update Bladen County Superior Court Judge Douglas Sasser approved an addendum to a consent order requir- ing Chemours to take significant additional actions to reduce PFAS entering the Cape Fear River. It means expanded relief for downstream communities and could mean PFAS pollutants entering the Cape Fear River through residual groundwater contamination from Chemours Fayetteville Works facility on the Cumberland/Bladen County line will be reduced by 99%. "ese are necessary actions that protect every- one downstream who depends on the Cape Fear River," Secretary Michael S. Regan said. "DEQ continues to support state and community leaders' efforts on ad- ditional strategies to address the downstream impact of the contamination from Chemours." Regan said DEQ will implement the addendum with the full weight of the court's contempt power behind the agency's work to hold Chemours accountable. Child Advocacy Center receives grant by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS DIGEST JEFF THOMPSON, Reporter. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. 910-484-6200.