Up & Coming Weekly

June 15, 2021

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.

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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JUNE 16-22, 2021 UCW 9 e Cumberland County Board of Commission- ers has decided to engage a law firm to deal with Chemours contamination of well water in the Gray's Creek area. "Developing a long-term financially sustainable water system that will address GENX contamination is one of this board's top priorities," said County Commission Chairman Charles Evans. County Manager Amy Cannon noted the county has been in discussion with Chemours for a year and a half about funding a public water system to address the contamination of private wells in the area near Chemours' Fayetteville Works plant on the Cum- berland-Bladen County line. "We had hoped to be able to resolve it to our mutual satisfaction," Cannon said. "At this point, we believe the next step is to hire a legal team to assist us with funding." Cannon has projected that it will cost about $64 million to build a water system in the Gray's Creek area. Commissioner Toni Stewart, who lives there, said her neighbors are worried about their health. "Ultimately the sooner we can get a public water system in place the sooner we can mitigate this serious public health issue," said County Attorney Rick Moorefield. In January 2020, Cumberland County Commissioners agreed to set aside $10.5 million to help pay for public water in the area. e first phase would provide water along Alderman Road and the Gray's Creek Elementary Schools. City welcomes indoor soccer league A new sports federation is including Fayetteville among its franchises. e National Indoor Soccer League says Fayetteville's Crown Coliseum will be home to men's and women's teams. e Fayetteville Fury will participate in the NISL's inaugural sea- son which will begin in late December. Inspired by his four daughters, NISL executive board member Joshua Blair saw the opportunity to break new ground beyond bringing professional soccer to the host cities. "Let's face it! ere is a lack of professional sports teams where our girls can interact with and emulate the male athletes," he said. e NISL will be the first professional indoor soccer league in the country to have both men's and women's divisions. "It is nonstop action and it's going to be great for the city of Fayetteville and the surrounding area," said team co-owner and operator Andrew Haines. e NISL was formed in January and its first fran- chise, the Memphis Americans, was unveiled in late April. New grant program helps 2021 graduates of NC high schools Students who gradu- ated from a North Carolina high school in 2021 may be eligible for grants of $700- $2,800 a year for two years if they enroll this fall at one of the state's 58 community colleges. e new Longleaf Com- mitment Program provides grants, not loans. Funds do not have to be repaid. e program starts for the Fall 2021 semester and will conclude at the end of the Spring 2023 semester. Here are the eligibility requirements: •2021 graduate of a North Carolina high school. •Be a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes. •Be a first-time college student (Career & College Promise and Early/Middle College High School stu- dents are eligible). •Enroll in a curriculum program during the 2021- 22 academic year with at least 6 credit hours per semester. •Complete the Free Application for Federal Stu- dent Aid (FAFSA) for 2021-22. •Have an Expected Family Contribution from $0 – $15,000. (EFC is based upon student's FAFSA determination). •Renew FAFSA for the 2022-23 academic year and meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress require- ments of the college e program will supplement the federal Pell grant and existing aid with the aim of helping students earn an associate degree and/or credits to transfer to a four-year college of university in North Carolina. Students do not have to make a separate applica- tion for a Longleaf Commitment Program grant. ey will be automatically considered for the grant upon applying to FTCC for Fall 2021. ose who meet the eligibility requirements will receive an award letter from the financial aid office. For information about FTCC's admissions pro- cess visit www.faytechcc.edu/apply-now/ftcc- admissions/#steps or contact the Admissions office at admissions@faytechcc.edu or 910-678-8473. For more information about the Longleaf Commit- ment Program visit www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/ student-services/north-carolina-longleaf-commit- ment-grant Commissioners approve FY2022 budget e Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved the Fiscal Year 2022 annual budget during a work session June 7. e budget maintains the property tax rate at 79.9 cents per $100 valuation. e balanced budget includes approximately $539 million in total expenditures across all funds, with a General Fund total of $342 million. e budget includes $32.5 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan, representing half of the County's $65 million allocation. Expenditure Highlights •All permanent full- and part-time employees ac- tive on July 1 will receive a 3% cost of living increase. •e entry level pay for Sheriff 's Deputies will be increased to $41,220; entry level Detention Center Officers will receive $37,746. •Pay for employees in Grades 55-61 will be ad- justed to a minimum of at least $15 an hour. •e budget includes $2.6 million for body cam- eras for the Sheriff 's Office. •e County will add 10 new positions for a cost of $548,254. •Approximately $2.9 million will be spent to re- place 45 vehicles (34 from the Sheriff 's Office). Budget information is available on the County's website at co.cumberland.nc.us under the Budget Division. UNC Health Southeastern appoints new directors UNC Health Southeastern has appointed two new directors: Stephanie Fitchpatrick as director of criti- cal care services and Magenta Smith as director of inpatient services. Fitchpatrick earned a bachelor in nursing degree in 2020 and a master's in science nursing de- gree in 2021, both from Chamberlain School of Nursing in Chicago. She also earned certifica- tion as a national reg- istry paramedic from Clark State Community College in Springfield, Ohio, in 2006. Before joining UNC Health Southeastern as emergency services co- ordinator in February 2019, Fitchpatrick held various nursing roles including head nurse/unit educator, flight nurse/crew manager, paramedic, staff nurse, and community educator. Fitchpatrick lives in Fayetteville with family. Smith earned an associate's degree in nursing from Sandhills Com- munity College in Pinehurst in 2001. She earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing in 2005 and is currently pursuing a master of science degree in nursing, both from UNC Pembroke. Smith has worked for UNC Health South- eastern for 20 years in the following nursing roles: nurse manager, clinical effective nurse and staff nurse. A native of Robeson County, Smith currently lives in Fairmont with her family. County may take Chemours to court by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS DIGEST JEFF THOMPSON, Reporter. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Stephanie Fitchpatrick Magenta Smith

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