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: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1349017
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MARCH 10-16, 2021 UCW 9 e Fayetteville Police Department's Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit has cleared an investigation that began 30 years ago. Timothy Kurt Ragler, 55, of Fayetteville has been charged with three counts each of first-degree rape, first-degree sex offense, and first-degree kidnapping plus armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and communicat- ing threats as the result of numerous attacks on a woman in 1990. e initial investigation determined that in June of that year the victim was attacked as she left work and was walking to her car. Police al- lege that Ragler approached the victim and began assaulting her. He then forced the woman into her car and drove her to several locations where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her. e sexual as- sault kit from the case was recently submitted for DNA testing, and Ragler was identified as a person of interest. He was subsequently arrested in late February. Ragler is incarcerated in the Nash Cor- rectional Institution in Nashville, N.C., on unrelated sexual assault crimes. He was transferred to the Cumberland County Detention Center where he was formally charged and has since been returned to the custody of Nash Correctional Institution pending trial. Renovation of new emergency services building underway Renovation of a 17,000 square foot building to house Cumberland County emergency services got underway last week. e facility at 500 Executive Place will house the county's 911 call center, fire marshal's office, emergency management and emer- gency operations center all of which are currently located in the Law Enforcement Center on Dick Street. e city of Fayetteville chose not to co-locate its facilities in the building. e County purchased the building at the intersection of Ravenhill Drive and Executive Place two years ago. "We are excited that our vision for a modern 911 Call Center will start to take shape," said Charles Evans, chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commission- ers. e total budget for the project is $16.5 million which includes property acquisition, construction and equipment. e County received a $2.3 million grant from the N.C. 911 Board and is using $1 mil- lion from the County's 911 fund balance. Remaining costs are being funded by limited obligation bonds. No tax increase is anticipated. Railroad crossing maintenance begins CSX Corp. is closing five streets in or near down- town Fayetteville this month for routine track maintenance. Motorists will have to take temporary detours. e railroad is coordinating the closures with the city of Fayetteville and the N.C. Depart- ment of Transportation. e maintenance includes replacing worn-out wooden ties. e CSX contractor plans to do track crossing maintenance at the fol- lowing locations: Russell Street, Cumberland Street, Franklin Street, Moore Street and Whitfield Street. Repairs to the Blount St. grade crossing took place earlier this month. Barricades and detour signs will be erected for the affected closings. Each crossing will be closed for three to five days depending on the weather. Crews are expected to be finished by mid-April. Drivers should slow down, prepare for delays and watch for crews and trains needed for the maintenance that may block other intersections. Water treatment changes this month Fayetteville's Public Works Commission is mak- ing some changes to its water system this month. PWC has temporarily stopped adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfection process. e North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources requires all water to discontinue the use of ammonia for a one-month period annually. Also this month, fire hydrants will be opened frequently to flush the water distribution system of more than 1,200 miles of water mains. Some customers may ex- perience discolored water as a result of the flushing. During this time, traces of ammonia could remain in the water altering its taste. PWC will resume add- ing ammonia to the water treatment disinfection process the first of April. City government has a new executive City Manager Doug Hewitt has hired a new as- sistant manager. Adam Lindsay served as the town manager of Clayton until August of 2020. He has been involved in local government administration for many years. Lindsey earned a Master of Public Administration degree at UNC-Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts Communication degree from N.C. State University. "Adam brings a breadth of experience on dealing with municipal issues cur- rently facing our community," Hewitt said. "Equally impressive, though, is Adam's ability to connect and communicate with others to resolve tough issues." Lindsey joined city government March 1. Man charge in decades old rape case by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS DIGEST JEFF THOMPSON, Reporter. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Adam Lindsay Timothy Kurt Ragler