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/1462311
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MARCH 23 -29, 2022 UCW 9 e Naming Commission has narrowed down the list of new names for nine military installations, including Fort Bragg. e renaming of Fort Bragg comes after the U.S. Congress voted to mandate that Fort Bragg and eight other military installations named after Confederate figures or sympathiz- ers be renamed. Fort Bragg was named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg. Fort Bragg's leadership has held several town halls on and off-post to receive input from service members and local citizens about the renaming process. "e names of our military installations should appropri- ately reflect the courage, values and sacrifices of our diverse military men and women, with consideration given to the local or regional significance of names and their potential to inspire and motivate our service members," the commis- sion's press release stated last week. e Naming Commission said it received more than 34,000 submissions for new names and has since narrowed it down to 87 names. Some of those names do have con- nections to Fort Bragg and were some of the suggestions re- ceived by Fort Bragg. e commission does state that while a final selection for each post is still pending, the scope of consideration is now focused on the 87 names. One name missing that was popular with Fayetteville and Fort Bragg locals was Brig. Gen. Edward S. Bragg, cousin of Braxton Bragg. Edward Bragg served in the Union Army in the Civil War and served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Wisconsin. Later, he was United States Minister to Mexico during the presidency of Grover Cleveland and consul-general to the Republic of Cuba and British Hong Kong under President eodore Roosevelt. e commission has until Oct. 1 to submit a name- change proposal to the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee in response to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. "It's important that the names we recommend for these installations appropriately reflect the courage, values and sacrifices of our diverse military men and women," retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard said, the chair of e Nam- ing Commission. "We also are considering the local and regional significance of names and their potential to inspire and motivate our service members." For a full list of names, visit UpAndComingWeekly.com. 3 dead, 3 injured following Saturday night shooting Fayetteville Police are looking into a shooting investiga- tion last Saturday evening that has left three men dead and three people injured. Officers arrived at the parking lot of the Baymont Ramada off Owen Drive around 8:51 p.m. following reports of a shooting. 42-year-old William Franklin Davis Sr. of Fayetteville, was pronounced dead at the scene. Keith Allan Dickey, 37, of Lumber Bridge, and Donald Dillenbeck, 49, of Vestal, New York, died later at the hospital, according to police. e fourth, fifth and sixth shooting victim are being treated at a local hospital. Detectives have determined the shooting is not random and are actively investigating the case Anyone with informa- tion regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detec- tive R. Vernon at (910) 729-2525 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). City looking into open container laws for down- town district Walking around downtown Fayetteville with an open container of alcohol in specially designated districts may be a possibility in the future. Following the recently passed House Bill 890, the Cool Spring Downtown District is researching how Fayetteville could benefit from a social dis- trict, which would allow open container alcoholic beverages purchased within the social district confines. e Cool Spring Downtown District, Sen. Kirk deViere, Mayor Mitch Colvin, Councilmember Shakeyla Ingram, other elected officials, and several downtown business owners were invited to hear a presentation from the North Carolina Downtown Development Association about the bill and possible implementation in Fayetteville. House Bill 890 allows cities to create open-container districts for alcohol. For this to happen, the governing body of a local governmental unit may make a designated social district that contains a common area where people can drink alcoholic beverages; the alcoholic beverage must be purchased from an ABC licensed business from within the social district. People cannot bring their drinks to the district, and they cannot carry drinks outside the district. To establish a social district, seven things are required: signage must be installed at the boundaries of the district, all drinks must be in clearly labeled non-glass containers that are under 16 oz, the local government must pass a local ordinance that establishes the boundaries of the district along with days/hours that are approved for open-container alcohol, and that map and district plan must be submitted to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commis- sion. When looking at Fayetteville, the most prominent prob- lem presenters were concerned with was establishing the district and its boundaries. "I think one of Fayetteville's biggest challenges is going to be where you put the signs and where you put the boundar- ies just because you do have such a wide streetscape. I think figuring out where you want to put those signs is probably going to be important," said Jason Epley, president, Bench- mark Planning. A Social District's potential problems could include litter- ing, public intoxication, and illegal filling of containers from 'personal bottles.' However, the biggest problem Ray Gibbs, executive director, Forward High Point, has seen from these social districts has been a lack of participation. "It's not something that's going to be right for every city. It's not a magic solution. And as we always say in downtown development, there is no magic solution," Gibbs said. "But, you know, if you put one in effect and only one or two of your bars, restaurants, or pubs participate, is there really enough to do it and makes sense?" Bianca Shoneman, president and CEO, Cool Spring Downtown District, said that the next step is to send out a survey to get feedback to see if establishing a social district is something Fayetteville residents and business owners want in their downtown area. "As a collective, we want to make sure that property own- ers, elected officials, residents and of course, our commu- nity at large are all behind this effort because downtown is the heart of the city, and we should have a concerted effort to move us forward and generally have consensus from the community before coming out ahead," Shoneman said. "We are looking to do this likely sometime — if we do feel like it's ready to move forward — by ordinance sometime in late summer, early fall." Mayoral candidate drops out of race to run for School Board Nyrell Melvin, a filed candidate for the Fayetteville mayor- al race, has decided to drop out of the contested race to run for a spot on the Cumberland County Board of Education. In a public statement, Melvin says that while he was run- ning for mayor, he found himself at multiple school board meetings and saw parents ignored by the school board. "I have seen parents left outside and refused the right to speak. I have seen parents ignored and shrugged off. I have done my best to speak on their behalf. ey have contacted me. I have been thanked and encouraged by them. I have been told they did not feel heard until I spoke up for them," Melvin said. "I set out to serve God and help the citizens of Fayetteville. In doing so, I have found parents being denied the right to be actively involved in how and what their children are taught just because they are taught in public schools. e board of education is designed to serve parents and children while balancing their serves to teachers and staff. I believe they need help to do that again." He is looking to run for the at-large seat during the gen- eral election on Nov. 8. e filing deadline for this election is Aug. 5. He says he believes the Mayor's Office will end up with proper leadership and spoke highly of mayoral candidate Freddie delaCruz. Mayor Mitch Colvin, the incumbent candidate, will be running again for a third term in the upcoming primary election. ere are now four candidates who will be running against him. e candidates who filed for mayor are Clifton L. Johnson, Franco Webb, Antoine J. Miner and delaCruz. Naming Commission narrows down list of new names for Fort Bragg by HANNAH LEE NEWS DIGEST HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200.