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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6 UCW JULY 5 - 11, 2023 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM REP. RICHARD HUDSON, R-N.C. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Six months ago, our community was attacked. Two substations in Moore County were intentionally attacked on the evening of Dec. 3, leaving my house and 45,000 of our neighbors without power for up to 10 days. In the aftermath of the attack, hospitals were impacted threaten- ing medical treatments, schools were shut down, businesses were affected, stop lights were dark, gas stations were closed, cell signals were impacted, and water couldn't be heated. An attack like this could have devastated our community and we didn't go without our struggles. But overall, I am so proud of our resilient response. In the days that followed, residents truly showed the best of Moore County and the best of America. roughout our region, churches, small businesses, restaurants, police and fire departments, local govern- ments, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and showed the true strength of the community. It was inspiring to see everyone come together in our time of need. I also thank Sheriff Ronnie Fields and our local law enforcement for their quick response during those dark days and for their ongoing in- vestigations to determine who is re- sponsible for December's attack. We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. Since the attack occurred, I have been in listening mode. I have heard from constituents, grid operators, community developers, the FBI and law enforcement, and business owners who have concerns with our grid's security and resilience — all against the backdrop of historic energy costs. As your neighbor, I share these concerns with you. And a similar, yet thankfully unsuccessful, attack in Randolph County several months ago underscores the need to address this issue. at's why I brought my colleagues from Congress to Moore County for a House Energy and Commerce Committee field hearing. I took my colleagues to the site of one of the attacks so they could understand the substation involved. I introduced them to the commu- nity and people who were impacted by the attack. Just as I promised back in December, I brought Washington here and put real faces to the issues that rocked our community. Before the hearing, we stopped at the Duke Energy West End substa- tion, one of the two substations in Moore County that was intentionally attacked. At the field hearing, experts from Duke Energy, NC Emergency Management, NC State University, and energy security shared their testimony on the current state of our grid security and resilience and how we move forward from these attacks. ere are 45,000 stories of why Moore County — and our nation — needs greater grid resilience, and my colleagues and I welcome these tes- timonies and your feedback in order to help do our jobs effectively. is field hearing was the first of many our committee will hold in our efforts to improve the security and resiliency of our nation's energy grid. It was important to me that the first hearing be where the attack hap- pened, and this is only the beginning of our investigations. Being your voice in Congress is a responsibility I take extremely seri- ously and I will continue to make sure Washington pays attention to the concerns and needs of you and your family. It is an honor to represent you and the best of our community — which always shines bright, even in the dark. Bringing Congress to the Sandhills by REP. RICHARD HUDSON OPINION Congressman Richard Hudson recently hosted several members of Congress in Moore County at the site of a power substation attack in December that left 45,000 residents without power. e group at- tended a House Energy and Commerce Committee field hearing which addressed the nation's energy grid. (Photos courtesy Rep. Richard Hudson) Contributing Writers Wanted Join the Up & Coming team Use your creative talents to promote community events (people, concerts, theater, festivals, sports, etc.) Basic writing and interviewing skills needed Intern opportunities available for college students Contact editor@upandcomingweekly.com (910) 484-6200 Contributing Writers Wanted Don't Just Read About it, Write about it! Join the Up & Coming Weekly team • Use your creative talents to promote community events (people, concerts, theater, festivals, sports, etc.) • Basic writing and interviewing skills needed • Intern opportunities available for college students Contact editor@upandcomingweekly.com (910) 484-6200