CityView January 2025

Where Your Children Come First

Kids First Pediatrics of Raeford and Fayetteville has created a professional and caring medical environment for infants, children, adolescents and their families. We provide complete pediatric and adolescent care.

Pediatric Services We Provide Check Ups, Sick Child Visits & More in Raeford and Fayetteville

• Well Child Visits

• Sick Child Visits

• Vaccine & Immunization Schedule

• 2023-2024 Guide to the Flu

• School, Sports, & Camp Physicals

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Vaccines & Immunizations

• ADHD Testing & Treatment

• Asthma Symptoms & Treatment

• Breastfeeding Support

• Urinalysis

• Strep and Mono Screen

• Vision and Hearing Tests

Jose Buenaseda, MD, FAAP

Leamor Buenaseda, MD, FAAP

Sreelekha Sashidhar, MD, FAAP

Christine Arnold, CPNP-PC

Melanie Pitts, DNP, NP-C

Beverly de La Rosa, CPNP-PC

Danielle Trigg, CPNP-PC

Rachelle Olson, FNPC

Ashley Monroe, PA-C

Sarah Lewis, PA-C

2694

Brookstone office only 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturdays for sick/urgent appointments, established patients only.

A statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. serves as the central focal point of the 13-acre MLK Memorial Park at 739 Blue St. in Fayetteville, honoring his legacy. Photos by Tony Wooten

12 New year, new spots

2025 welcomes new local retail shops, restaurants, renovated favorites, and more

20 Keeping the dream alive

MLK Parade celebrates social justice gains in the past and inspires future generations

26 ‘Native culture is so beautiful’

How the Native American art exhibition, “Redefining Indigenous,” connected communities through shared experience during Native American Heritage Month

32 A right to travel

Mobility limiting infrastructure is hindering the lives of Fayetteville’s visually impaired residents, say residents and activists

36

Expanding orthopedic footprint

Dr Daniel DeRosa, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in advanced minimally invasive procedures, says there are no easy plays when it comes to treating the spine

LOCAL JOURNALISM THANKS

Thank

JANUARY 2025

Publisher Kyle Villemain

Magazine Editor Valeria Cloës

Editorial Assistant Maydha Devarajan

Contributing Editor Katie Kosma

Intern Trey Nemec

Director of Operation & Sales Talmadge Rogers

Administration & Operations Coordinator Caitlin Malson

Social Media Manager Raven Scott

Graphic Designer Nicole Pajor Moore Annette Winter

Sales Team Leader

Dawn Denham

Sales Executive

Arianna Bannerman

Photographers

Oriana Evans

Aaliyah Lane

Sharilyn Wells

Tony Wooten

Contributing

Writers

Morgan Casey

Jaylin Kremer

Bill Horner III

Jami McLaughlin

Sharon Moyer

Claire Mullen

Diane Parfitt

Teri Saylor

Tim White

Mary Zahran

Distribution

Jennifer Baker Wayne Robinson

EDITOR'S TAKE

New year, new Fayetteville

BY VALERIA CLOËS

The start of a new year is always my favorite time of the year, and this one is even sweeter with the arrival of CityView ’s January magazine . Though I don’t set rigid New Year’s resolutions, I like to set intentions for what I hope the year will look and feel like — maybe the New Year will usher in a new me, like this “New Year, New You” issue invites you to do

A thriving city, Fayetteville has welcomed new retail shops, restaurants, renovated favorites, and more for the community to enjoy as it looks forward to these next 365 days We feature this new Fayetteville starting page 12

While new spots are always exciting, existing traditions will continue to endure no matter the year Jan 18 will mark the 31st MLK Parade in downtown Fayetteville, put on by the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Dr Martin Luther King Jr Committee, to honor and encourage future generations to keep his dream alive

We also look back at the past year in this edition to spotlight impactful cultural displays: in November, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County held the Native American art exhibition “Redefining Indigenous .” Curator John Whittemore honored Native lived experiences of the past, present, and future, celebrating the evolving nature of Indigenous culture and art

To align with “New Year, New You,” we bring you a new type of feature in these pages: an impact piece This issue covers our city’s notorious lack of walkability For those without visual impairments or other disabilities, it can be endlessly frustrating So what’s it like to navigate Fayetteville with a visual impairment? Flip to page 32 to find out how the city’s infrastructure impacts your community members with visual impairments

Finally, Cape Fear Valley Health has seen major growth in its orthopedic care in the past year . Orthopedic surgeon Dr . Daniel DeRosa at Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine has been leading the charge, specializing in minimally invasive procedures . Read the sponsored feature on page 36 .

Our columns this month seem to align with my lackof-resolution-setting habit: our first columnist explores how eating less chocolate will never go on her New Year’s resolution list again; our second takes us through her end-of-year decluttering purge; our third celebrates accomplishing a New Year’s resolution while redefining what resolutions look like for her; and the fourth recommends five biographies to help inspire personal growth in the new year

We also have a special column from Tim White, the vice chair of the CityView News Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps financially support CityView He shares how CityView, and now The Assembly, have pushed against the declining journalism trends and helped ensure Fayetteville does not become a news desert

In addition to the MLK Parade, this month is full of events for the community to enjoy Flip to page 44 for our January To-Do List

Did you attend Dance Theatre of Fayetteville’s production of The Nutcracker at Methodist University? We may have spotted you! Turn to our Seen @ the Scene on page 46 . However you decide to start your new year — resolutions made or not, new you or old you — we’re so happy you’re starting it by reading this CityView magazine

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful new year!!

Valeria Cloës

Magazine Editor

For comments, questions, feedback, or to submit story ideas, email vcloes@cityviewnc com

"Rock your Mocs" by Jacque Schacht on display at Redefining Indigenous. Photo by Sharilyn Wells

SOMEDAY YOU’LL THANK ME

New Year’s resolutions I can’t seem to keep

BY MARY ZAHRAN

What kind of New Year’s resolutions do you make? Do you promise to walk five miles every day or to work out at the gym several times a week?

How successful are you at sticking to these resolutions?

I have made my share of resolutions over the years, and my track record for keeping them is pretty dismal . What seems possible on Jan 1 frequently seems unattainable by February, especially if I made these resolutions after consuming one too many glasses of champagne .

For several years, I vowed to eat less chocolate, only to discover this was a promise I couldn’t keep Anyone who knows me knows that chocolate is the one true weakness of a woman who is otherwise almost flawless While I will admit I love coffee and wine, chocolate is in a category all its own . When I am in the presence of this divine confection, time and space lose all meaning I am transported to another world that surpasses anything even H .G . Wells could have imagined . The only thing that brings me back to earth is the thought of an upset stomach or having to buy clothes in a bigger size

Another resolution I have made but failed to keep is my promise to read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and Les Misérables by Victor Hugo Of all the books in the world that I could read, these stand as the ultimate challenge Everyone I know who has read War and Peace, assuming they are telling the truth, calls it a masterpiece and something every serious reader must read Apparently, I am not a serious reader because I haven’t read it I did skim through it once, amazed and horrified by the number of characters, all of whom had long and complicated Russian names . When my husband read it, he solved this problem by creating a character chart, which he kept by his side as he read Even then, he was occasionally confused

I decided to read Les Misérables after I saw the musical I don’t know how others have reacted to this musical masterpiece, but for me, it was a religious experience that I believed would only grow stronger after I read the book When I discovered it was more than 1,400 pages, I decided to practice my newfound religion by listening to the soundtrack

An eventgoer at “Night Circus: A District New Year’s Eve Spectacular” on Dec. 31, 2022 — hosted by the Cool Spring Downtown District — wears a headband that says "Happy New Year." Photo by Tony Wooten

Another resolution I find impossible to keep is my promise to stop swearing . When I began my love affair with profanity several decades ago, I was certain I had found a new way to show my affection for the English language and all the possibilities it offered me for expressing my feelings at any given moment

As I have aged, I now generally limit my profanity to incidents that involve my computer, my phone, and bad drivers Since I value my life, I never make eye contact with people whose insane driving habits cause me to lose my temper and swear Instead, I smile and keep my eyes on the road, all the while cursing the other person By contrast, my computer and my phone are inanimate objects and therefore hear all of my gutter language . So far, they have not complained

I eventually decided the best way to keep from breaking New Year’s resolutions is not to make them in the first place Depending on the kind of resolutions you make, the next 12 months will be insufferable because of the restrictions you placed on yourself, or there will be a time when you feel like a failure for giving up so quickly I know very few people who have actually made it through an entire year without breaking their resolutions .

Instead of creating an all-or-nothing approach to each new year, I have settled for a permanent middle-of-theroad way of living . I eat some chocolate, I entertain the idea of reading War and Peace or L es Misérables, and I swear only when it is absolutely necessary And I resolve to keep doing all these things

Mary Zahran, who hopes you do not make any misguided New Year’s resolutions, can be reached at maryzahran@gmail com

Uniue Uniue

www.uniquefloorsfayetteville.com

Sabrina Brewington

Brett Polston

Make your 2025 advertising plans now.

CityView will be offering these valuable extras in the upcoming months:

The 2025 Medical Directory will be distributed in January.

The 2025-2026 Public, Private and Charter School Directory will be inserted in the February issue of CityView

Don’t miss your chance to lock in next year’s ads at this year’s rates!

FAMILY MATTERS

Out with the old?

BY CLAIRE MULLEN

For many of us, the year’s end seems like the opportune time to purge our homes . Maybe it’s getting rid of toys cast aside or outgrown to make room for newly acquired, bigkid Christmas gifts

Perhaps it’s hauling Hefty bags, filled with half the contents of your closet, to a donation center because you’ve finally come to terms with the fact that the pairs of size 4 jeans you’ve been hanging onto since college no longer fit past your knees, which no longer tolerate 5-inch stilettos

It could be going through your kitchen with “new year, new you” enthusiasm and discarding any lingering Halloween candy, squirreled-away Christmas tree cakes, and dregs of eggnog

Possibly, it’s ridding your bathroom cabinet of threadbare washcloths and bleach-mottled towels, replacing them with the brand-spanking-new sets you splurged on during after-Christmas sales .

For me, it’s been all of those purges and more A home renovation has forced my family and me to go through just about every square inch of our home, that we’ve lived in for over a decade, to assess what ought to go and what was OK to stay

This has been a relatively easy task for my minimalist husband, who would just as soon get rid of everything but the kids, me, and his prized Mickey Mantle card As for me and my ability to part with various things, I’d give myself a solid B-, which is pretty darn good considering that I watch episodes of Hoarders and feel more empathy and solidarity than disgust and horror .

Purging our kitchen wasn’t so tough I trashed plastic Elmo sandwich holders once used by my now almostmiddle-schooler, spices that expired in the George W . Bush era, 20-plus beer Koozies we’d amassed over the years at various weddings, and no less than 75 plastic food storage containers and lids (none of which managed to pair together)

I even cleared out an entire half-drawer’s worth of novelty corn-on-the-cob handles . The tips of our fingers may be a little blistered during fresh corn season, but hey, now I have drawer space for a nice new set of matching Tupperware .

Paring down our bathroom cabinets wasn’t too painful either I tossed ancient mini hotel soaps and shampoos from just about every location in the continental United States, and towels monogrammed with the initials of my

maiden name (I’ve been married for 16 years)

I tossed a bottle of Itch-X spray purchased after my husband contracted poison ivy on a camping trip in college, and a vast collection of long-ago expired lotions and potions that promised to stave off crows feet, promote reverse aging, erase stretch marks, and diminish undereye circles (Spoiler alert: They didn’t work )

I managed to minimize my wardrobe with minimal hesitation My drawers and closet were rid of — among other “vintage” items: a stack of holey concert T-shirts; the aforementioned too-small blue jeans; black combat boots; chunky silver and black costume jewelry from a questionable phase in college; tiny clutch purses that aren’t meant to hold a pair of readers; my wallet and keys; my husband’s wallet and keys; a pack of tissues; two kids’ emergency snacks and water bottles; a box of Dramamine; an iPhone; an iPad; a Nintendo Switch; three pairs of earbuds; a value-sized bottle of Motrin; a box of BandAids; 10 shades of lip gloss; stray trampoline park sock; and a half-pound of cracker crumbs for good measure

My husband and I approached the purging of the other shared spaces of our home with enthusiasm, inspired by the growing feeling of centeredness that comes with existing in a less cluttered, more minimalistic home .

We eventually tackled our coat closet, our playroom, our attic, our office, the kids’ bedrooms and closets, and even the room intended to be the guest room that we quite aptly referred to as “the upstairs junk room ”

We loaded bags upon bags of the things that were

PHOTO BY SARAH BROWN ON UNSPLASH

worth donating into the back of our SUV and hauled them to Fayetteville Urban Ministry, and filled our trash bins to the brim multiple times with anything unusable And I’m proud to say I even made a few bucks selling some things to folks on social media (which may be why my husband tagged me in a post of a photo of a man shivering in the cold outside his truck with the caption, “Me risking my life to meet a complete stranger in the Walmart parking lot to hand over the 20-year-old CrockPot my wife sold for $2 on Facebook Marketplace”) .

And while it generally felt wonderful to rid our home of so much unused excess, there were a select few things that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to part with .

A plastic bin of my daughter’s newborn onesies, and another of my son’s Little League soccer jerseys . A cardboard box of my childhood birthday cards, Valentine’s, and letters to summer camp written to me by my parents Plastic ABCs & 123s divided plates that belonged to my husband when he was a little boy . And an antique wooden bed frame my mom used as a child and then passed along to me when I outgrew my crib

I slept in that bed until I graduated college and got married . We have absolutely no place for that bed in our home, and I’ve taken it out of storage during two different purges, and eventually put it right back That old bed frame in its corner of the attic is a tangible reminder of my mom, who died 20 years ago

You see, some things are worth hanging onto, even if just for memory’s sake

Claire Mullen can be reached at clairejlmullen@gmail

How CityView prevented a Fayetteville news desert

BY TIM WHITE

I thought we’d always have newspapers Maybe not printed on paper — we’re well into the online age now and browsing on a phone or tablet finally feels comfortable, even to old guys like me But newspapers, as an institution in just about every community? I thought they were a permanent fixture in American life .

They go back, after all, to the very beginnings of our country Newspapers kept the people in our young nation informed about their towns, their country, their world So it was when I grew up in a household that got at least two papers a day And so it was when I began my 50-year adventure in journalism I got to report, photograph, edit, manage staff, direct news coverage, and write editorials and columns — I’ve done just about anything that happens in a newsroom

I realized newspapers were facing big challenges, though, starting in the early 2000s when online sites like Craigslist killed newspaper classified advertising Right behind that came the companies that brought us Facebook, Google, and similar digital juggernauts They figured out how to tailor advertising distribution right down to the household or individual Advertisers loved it They flocked there, and away from their longtime print publishing partners

Here’s the amazing thing: Most of the newspaper industry didn’t see it coming until it was too late Corporate leaders and publishers were so obsessed with maintaining the status quo that they missed the machine that would vacuum up their primary source of operating

revenue (which they desperately needed, because a lot of those news companies continued on buying sprees well into this century, paying spectacular sums to add daily papers to their assets) As revenues declined sharply and steadily, the publishers still had mountains of debt and creditors who demanded to be paid before newspaper employees got their paychecks That’s why most surviving newspapers have such tiny staffs and struggle to achieve even the most basic coverage of their communities

Northwestern University’s State of Local News Project has been tracking the decline of the industry Since 2005, the project reports, more than a third of the country’s print newspapers have died We’ve lost more than 130 this year alone The trend isn’t slowing Most of those papers also had an online presence, and when they shut down, there was no place to turn for local news Those towns became what Northwestern calls “news deserts ” Fayetteville got much too close to becoming a news desert, which is why CityView expanded to online daily news coverage

A similar story is happening in communities across the country . News is coming back to life in new forms . We might dislike the “mainstream media,” but when we use that term, we’re usually referring to national media — TV and cable networks, and national newspapers . But closer to home, we crave news We still want to know what’s going on in our own communities We want to understand why our tax rate just went up . We want to know how our health care system compares with those in other places

We’re kicking off 2025 with a January fundraising effort and we hope all our readers will chip in and fuel our growth .

We need to know how safe it is to venture out at night and where to find the best new restaurants .

A new generation of news services is developing to meet that need Some are able to work well on a small scale with a traditional business model, drawing operating revenue from advertising, event sponsorship, and other ventures Others are creating a nonprofit model, funding their reporting through grants, memberships, and fund drives . CityView combines both of those approaches

Earlier this year, CityView became part of a growing network of North Carolina news operations led by The Assembly, a statewide news venture They bring more resources, experience, and connections with news professionals across the state We also created a separate nonprofit, the CityView News Fund, to build community support and resources that fund local government reporters Our nonprofit, with a separate board of directors, saw significant success this year, funding three news reporters and ensuring that local governments are covered

But we’re only as good as you want us to be — we need your support to continue growing and improving our daily news report

We’re kicking off 2025 with a January fundraising effort and we hope all our readers will chip in and fuel our growth You can donate by going to the CityView News Fund website (cityviewnewsfund org) Or you can send a check to CityView News Fund, 2919 Breezewood Ave ., Ste . 300, Fayetteville NC 28303

Let’s work together to make sure news stays alive and accessible to all Happy New Year!

Tim White (timowhitenc@gmail com) is vice chair of the CityView News Fund . He’s the former editorial page editor of The Fayetteville Observer.

CityView News Fund Board of Director Chair Tony Chavonne addresses the crowd at the 2024 Downtown Visionaries luncheon on June 6.

new year new spots

2025 welcomes new local retail shops, restaurants, renovated favorites, and more

BY JAMI MCLAUGHLIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHARILYN WELLS

AEmbracing the spirit of new adventures and connections can be as easy as exploring fresh dining options, supporting small businesses, and improving yourself — all in your backyard

With new hot pot and fusion restaurants, vintage and consignment shops, and large-scale renovations of Fayetteville favorites, you can find new adventures without leaving town

New retail options

Shopping at small businesses helps support the backbone of our economy, preserves the local character of the community, and shows appreciation for our entrepreneurs, according to Forbes magazine .

When Michelle Clark and her fiancé Jamil Rashad opened Westdale Vintage in October, it became a homage to their love for vintage clothing and to Michelle’s father who encouraged her to take chances

Michelle was also excited to be a part of the Haymount retail and restaurant renaissance that she sees as inspiring .

“Haymount is also going through a big revival of retail,” Michelle said, “and we wanted to be a part of it to share our love of vintage with the community . ”

Originally from Fayetteville, Michelle traveled all over the country working in television production before

moving back from Raleigh a couple of years ago to care for her dad after he was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy and began to develop issues with balance and speech The rare neurodegenerative disorder damages certain areas of the brain and progresses more rapidly than Parkinson’s Disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic

She said while living in Raleigh, there were avenues to find vintage clothing in local shops, but when they moved to Fayetteville, she realized there were not the same options

“I started to source my own clothing and Jamil started to joke I was becoming a hoarder,” Michelle said “He has retail experience so we started talking about it . ”

When her father passed away, the opportunity presented itself with a vacant storefront Two weeks later, Michelle said, they signed a lease and were owners of a new shop

“One thing my dad said in his last days was there were a lot of things he did not do in his life because he was scared,” Michelle said “That’s one of the reasons we opened the store It’s a tribute to him You’ll see my family all over this store . ”

Westdale Vintage is located at 1225 Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville

Westdale Vintage owners Michelle Clark and Jamil Rashad

Another new Haymount retail shop is Taylor Lawrence Bridal, an upscale bridal salon with a full shopping experience

Husband and wife team Lawrence and Taylor England said that they started with Taylor’s jewelry line When she started collaborating with bridal shops, they realized there was a need in the area

“Everyone drives to Raleigh or Charlotte and almost as soon as we started talking, Taylor drove by the building for sale,” Lawrence said .

The pair opened the store in November after spending almost a month doing the entire renovation themselves They kept the hardwood floors and created a space where brides and their support systems would feel comfortable and beautiful, according to Lawrence

“It’s more than just a dress try-on, it’s a full experience,” Lawrence said . “We have a wine and champagne bar, a giant reveal curtain with a pedestal, and high vaulted ceilings . It’s truly a catered service ”

Taylor Lawrence Bridal also offers options for groomsmen and bridesmaids with an AI-generated customization system and private event space .

Taylor Lawrence Bridal is located at 1007 Arsenal Ave in Fayetteville

Stoke Outfitters, a new Haymount shop, aims to provide outdoor adventurers with the gear they need to hike, climb, or paddle on their next excursion

Jesse and Jhovanna “Jo” Therrien will offer outdoor gear and apparel — resale and consignment — with quality brands including The North Face, Patagonia, and Big Agnes .

“We are both outdoors people and this is going to be a landing spot to help facilitate their outdoor experience,” Jesse said

He studied outdoor education before joining the U .S . Army, and his wife Jo is the founder of the Running Wild Collective, a local running group They hope his military friends, Scouting families, and people who love to camp, come to check out their inventory Make a Resolution to Save Money, Save Time, and Conserve!

Use PWC’s Online Account Manager/Mobile App - Monitor bills and usage history to adjust your habits to save.

Use PWC’s Online Energy Resource Center - Perform an online home energy audit and calculate savings with heat pumps, appliances, EVs and more.

Use the Self-Service Pay Station available in PWC’s Drive thru -The Pay Station is open 24/7/365.

Know When/Where the Power’s Out - See PWC’s Electric Outage Map for all current outages.

Take Advantage of Time-of-Use Rates - Shift power usage to Off-Peak hours (when PWC electric rates are 35% lower!) for big savings.

Find PWC Incentive Programs - Lower your bills for years to come. Replace incandescent lighting, HVAC system, water-wasting toilets and more to get bill credits - FayPWC.com/Residential-Programs

Change HVAC Filters Monthly - Efficient systems save money.

Sign Up for Paperless Billing - Save trees and save time.

Don’t Flush Wipes or Pour Grease Down the Drain - Grease and wipes can cause sewer line blockages. Wastewater back-ups can harm the environment and damage pipes.

Water on Alternate Days - Conserve and follow the year-round Odd-Even schedule for watering grass and gardens with automatic sprinkler systems.

Visit FayPWC.com for more details on ways to keep these resolutions!

“There is an accessibility piece to this as well,” Jesse said . “We are going to be able to put, in their hands, things that they might not be able to get elsewhere ”

Stoke Outfitters will be located at 116 Broadfoot Ave in Fayetteville .

New restaurant flavors

If you are looking to explore fresh dining options and new culinary horizons in the new year, there are several new spots Here are a few of them:

Two Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurants opened across the street from each other in the Cross Creek Mall area Although their menus are similar, there are some differences .

Gangnam Korean BBQ and Hotpot at 1800 Skibo Road in Fayetteville is buffet-based, where the hot pot and sushi are included You can fill a plate with different seafood or meats, vegetables, and noodles to cook in either a hot pot filled with a soup base of your choice or on a tableside grill

KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, located at 419 Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville, is also a hands-on place, where you cook your own food at the table You order at the table and small dishes are brought out to you . The hot pot is a separate expense so you can choose to do one or the other — or both

Dank Burrito is a new quick-service restaurant, specializing in burritos, which hopes to open in spring 2025 The slang word “dank,” according to Cambridge Dictionary, means something is good, and in this case refers to the fresh flavors the menu serves, which are the “best of the best,” according to franchise owners Josh and Brittany Allen

“Our burritos, tacos, salads, and bowls are made from a scratch-made kitchen,” Brittany said . “It’s fusion flavors in a burrito vessel We make our own spice blends, slaws, salsas, and sauces It’s all made in-house ”

Josh added that the food is curated by a chef .

“You can’t get any fresher than a kitchen making their own sauces,” Josh said “We cut jalapeños every day, roasting meats for hours . We don’t freeze anything . ”

Brittany said they hope to open at 5508 Raeford Road in Fayetteville

New food trucks worth mentioning are Ty’s Uptown Grill with New York and New Jersey cheeseburger, hotdog, and sandwich options, and Red, White and Blue BBQ run by Army veteran ArRee Bateman with amazing brisket, pulled pork, ribs, pork chops, and even lamb Both trucks move around, but Haymount Truck Stop is a regular stop for each of them

Local favorites get renovated

Mi Casita, a Fayetteville favorite Mexican restaurant, is constructing a new, larger space on Raeford Road next to their current location where they have been for 35 years

From their first restaurant in Tallywood Shopping Center at 3122 Raeford Road, Juan Macias and his family now have ten restaurants in Cumberland County and seven more in surrounding counties

“God works in great ways,” Juan said . “We are running out of the lease where we have been since we started this location, our first, and we were blessed to have the land ”

Juan said the new restaurant space will be able to serve 280 customers along with a full bar — which will be expanded — and new menu options, although he said he will be careful to keep current favorites . The new space will also host a private room with a 100-person capacity for special events

“We are looking forward to more years in Fayetteville,” Juan said . “This is home, where we have raised our families and we have appreciated all of the great, great support from our community . ”

Down the street at 1105 Highland Country Club Drive, Highland Country Club is also debuting its own set of renovations for members, including a complete refresh of the inside space, according to Club House Manager Cami Blackwelder

“We are also adding a covered outside patio in addition to new furniture, paint, fixtures, and carpet on the inside,” Cami said

Highland Country Club is a private member club with events, golf, and tennis

Gangnam Korean BBQ and Hotpot

Peter Kalogerinis founded the Cardinal Headache Center after specializing in neuromuscular medicine and pain management.

Headache help

If you are suffering from chronic headaches that you are trying to self-medicate with Advil or Tylenol and nothing is working, the Cardinal Headache Center is a new option in Fayetteville for personal and specialized headache care

Peter Kalogerinis, who founded the Cardinal Headache Center after specializing in neuromuscular medicine and pain management, said migraines and headaches are statistically the second most debilitating cognitive disorder next to dementia, and there was a great need in the community for care

“We are the only clinic in south central North Carolina that specializes in headache care,” Peter said “With our military population, both active duty and veterans, sometimes develop headaches from their service You no longer need to drive outside of the area . ”

He said that when a person is burdened with headaches and it’s affecting work, school, social life, or even their love life, he recommends at least getting evaluated or being treated correctly .

The Cardinal Headache Center is located at 518 Beaumont Road in Fayetteville with a second location in Clayton

Focusing attention on new places in Fayetteville allows you to have an adventure in your town, establishing a sense of pride and connection Trying new things and visiting new local businesses gives you new ways to celebrate a new year and a new you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jami McLaughlin is a freelance writer for CityView She can be reached at jmclaughlin@ cityviewnc .com or at 910-391-4870

Corporate & Industry Training

Enhance your skills & prepare for advancement!

• Day and evening classes

• High-quality training at an affordable cost

• Customized training for local employers wanting to upgrade the skills of their employees

TRAINING AREAS:

• Automotive

• Aviation

• Building and Construction

• Lineworker Basic Training

• Communications

• Industrial Training

• NC Dept of Insurance Code Courses

(910) 678-8432 or industrytraining@faytechcc.edu Learn more at www.faytechcc.edu/corporate-industry-training/

HISTORY

Keeping the dream alive

MLK Parade celebrates social justice gains in the past and inspires future generations

BY TERI SAYLOR | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY WOOTEN

IIt has been nearly 57 years since Dr Martin Luther King Jr . was assassinated on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis

Mary Mack was a young woman then, and learned about it on a spring day April 4, 1968 .

“I can remember the people around me breaking down crying,” she said “I had studied him in school I knew a lot about him, and his assassination had a great impact on me ”

Mary says she was among the first Black teachers in a white school during Cumberland County’s efforts toward school desegregation, which was becoming widespread in North Carolina by 1971 She had previously taught third grade in Moore County and recalls joining Glendale Acres Elementary School in Fayetteville

“Ms McCutchen was my first principal, and she often referred to me as a pioneer,” she said . “It was challenging being among the first, but I believe I opened the doors for others that came along after me ”

Mary is retired from teaching now, but she continues to play an important role in the ongoing efforts toward social justice in Cumberland County, serving as treasurer of the local Fayetteville Cumberland County Dr Martin Luther King Jr Committee

The FCCMLK Committee, established as a nonprofit organization in 1995, is as much a nod to Fayetteville’s early Civil Rights Movement leaders as it is to King . It hosts community events that promote goodwill among people of all races and walks of life The late Lula Crenshaw, a legend

among local community leaders, was the committee’s first chair .

This year marks the 31st anniversary of the annual MLK parade in downtown Fayetteville, on Jan 18, kicking off a year-long observance that includes an annual banquet, candlelight vigil, a food and clothing giveaway, and other activities

The parade starts at the Judge E . Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse at 10 a m and winds its way through downtown Local bands, floats, dancers, and area organizations are expected to participate, says Stanley Ford, the committee's board of diretors chair Stanley, who has played a key role in the MLK observances since the committee was formed, is a career and technical education teacher at Alger B Wilkins High School in Fayetteville

“Our work represents an enormous effort, and I have been here long enough to see the progress we’ve made, but we still have a long way to go,” Stanley said

Fayetteville’s rich history

You don’t have to walk far in Fayetteville to become immersed in the city’s rich African American history, much of it documented on historic markers situated around town

The African American Heritage Trail offers 22 sites that provide a glimpse into the lives of those who lived in Fayetteville and Cumberland County The sites tell stories of the hard labor forced on the enslaved people brought to

Fayetteville/Cumberland County MLK Committee's Stanley Ford, board of directors chair, and Tawanna Branch, interim president of the committee, discuss plans for the upcoming MLK celebrations beneath the statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the MLK Memorial Park.

Cumberland County in the 1700s, the growth of Black entrepreneurship, the important religious communities that sprang up, and the leaders who have contributed to Cumberland County’s important African American legacy

Among these sites is the Evans Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church on Cool Spring Street, which was founded in 1801 by Henry Evans, a preacher and shoemaker The church has played a significant role in the community and served as a meeting place during the Civil Rights Movement . Often referred to as the “freedom church,” it was one of several churches in Fayetteville that supported young protesters during the movement

Past meets present

Nicholle Young St Leone, archives technician and African American studies researcher at Fayetteville State University, says her interest in civil rights was sparked in part by the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013 . Nicholle was at the demonstration in Fayetteville on May 30, 2020, the night the Market House was set ablaze, and bore witness to the modern social justice movement She says it gave her insight into how things might have been 60 years ago

“I went out with my camera and tried to document as much as I could of the demonstrations,” she said . “I will say it was very tense, and I asked my grandmother if that was what it was like during the demonstrations back in the ‘60s, and she said it was just as tense and threatening ”

In his thesis “Countdown to Downtown,” Brian William Suttle chronicled the Civil Rights Movement in downtown Fayetteville

In 1963, a year before the passage of the Civil Rights Act, a group of students from Fayetteville State Teachers College (now Fayetteville State University) formed a “Demonstration Committee” and began organizing to call for greater opportunities that would allow them to put their education to work

A wide swath of business and faith leaders, educators, and professionals supported them, and often bailed them out of jail when they got arrested, Suttle wrote in his thesis

“There were arrests by the police, and tear gas,” Nicholle said “Students were beaten with axe handles, and threatened, and some were expelled from school because of their activity ”

Other Fayetteville area residents used different strategies . Helen Sadler, a local waitress in downtown Fayetteville, cemented her place in local civil rights history when she used her pet king snake, named “Neil the Greek,” as a weapon to keep demonstrators out of her restaurant .

On the front page of the May 24, 1963 edition of The Fayetteville Observer, photographer Bill Shaw pictures her wielding Neil The caption reads: “It would probably keep anybody, regardless of race, out

A historical marker sits north of the Market House as part of the NC Civil Rights Trail honoring the 1963 protests in Fayetteville.

Newspaper articles depicting Fayetteville State University students protesting for civil rights in May 1963.

Fayetteville State University's Charles W. Chesnutt Library holds civil rights archives, which include the "Fayettevillian," FSU's 1964 yearbook.

of the place if they saw it in time ”

In the summer of 1963, Mayor Wilbur Clark formed the Mayor’s Bi-Racial Committee, which was a first step toward desegregation, according to Suttle’s research, and by the time the Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964, Fayetteville’s businesses and restaurants were largely integrated .

Nicholle sees the parallels between her experiences with the Black Lives Matter and the Civil Rights movements, and with the benefit of hindsight can see how demonstrating can lead to positive change

“I saw aspects of the modern protests that reminded me of what I read about civil rights, in terms of some of the local organizers trying to direct the anger into a more productive action,” she said

The experience caused her to reflect on the Civil Rights Movement of the past, and the way it has also become a celebration of MLK’s life and work

“It’s interesting to see that generation turn their experiences toward an observance and remembrance today,” she said

Meaningful conversations

Francena Turner would love to see more young people spark that same curiosity and thoughtfulness

Growing up just a few blocks from FSU’s campus, Francena has vivid memories of her community in action

Today, she is an adjunct assistant professor at FSU where she teaches African American History & Oral History .

Inspired by the role of women in the Civil Rights Movement, she authored the paper “Bone by Bone: Stories of Black Women at Fayetteville State, 1960-1972 Using Oral History Interviews ” She interviewed 18 women and men for the report, gaining keen insight into the roles they played in the movement, given the norms at the time .

She also found that many of the student activists of that time had already been junior members of the NAACP, and some were veterans of the social movement before they got to FSU

Many of them went on to hold important positions in Fayetteville, in local government, business, and education .

Notable among them are Willis McLeod, who rose from a student government leader to become chancellor of

Nicholle Young St. Leone, archives technician and African American studies researcher at Fayetteville State University.

FSU, and Jeannette Council, who today serves on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners

“A historic marker downtown commemorates the protest, and I’m glad to have been alive to see us honoring our Civil Rights elders,” Francena said But she worries these voices will be lost to aging and time .

“They are leaving us at a rapid rate,” she said “So, we must foster communication between the generations, with young people having genuine conversations with their elders

The Black Lives Matter movement and activism around police shootings saw an increase in efforts toward building understanding about diversity, equity, and inclusion, she says But those efforts are under threat

“I’ve been thinking about what it must feel like to be one of the veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, and then to see voter suppression happening after they fought for that to end,” she said “Now is the time to move forward with a new generation, and I’ve seen our elders get excited when they see teenagers come to events and start becoming

aware of what’s happening around them . ”

The FCCMLK Committee has been working for three decades to engage communities young and old and hopes that the parade and other events will inspire people of all ages to start participating The committee has plans for the future, too

In 1996, the City of Fayetteville allocated 13 acres of land along the Murchison Road Corridor to build a park memorializing MLK, whose statue has stood on a pedestal in the park since 2007 . Plans are in the works to erect a 120-foot lighted spire in the park

“This spire will serve as a beacon of hope to commemorate Martin Luther King’s legacy — a light for our communities,” Stanley Ford said

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Teri Saylor is a freelance writer based in Raleigh

MLK Memorial Park at 739 Blue St. includes a statue of King, as well as inscriptions of some of his most famous quotes on the base of it.

ART & CULTURE

‘NATIVE CULTURE IS SO BEAUTIFUL’

How the Native American art exhibition, “Redefining Indigenous,” connected communities through shared experience during Native American Heritage Month

BY SHARON MOYER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHARILYN WELLS

IIn a powerful convergence of tradition and contemporary expression, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s exhibition “Redefining Indigenous” achieved something extraordinary — it turned an art gallery into a space where cultural barriers dissolved and connections flourished, challenging stereotypes while celebrating tradition and innovation

The exhibition, which opened on Nov . 1, 2024, featured 28 artists from over 11 different tribes across North America The display of Indigenous art evolved into a celebration of the shared human experience .

“I wanted people to feel at home when they walked around and saw that their feeling of home is the same feeling that they share with the Native American community,” reflected curator John Whittemore, a Fayetteville resident and member of the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina . “We wanted visitors to recognize the shared human experiences that connect them to Native American communities ”

This exhibit challenged the misconception that Native American cultures exist only in the past It showcased how Native Americans actively shape contemporary American society while maintaining their unique tribal identities . Visitors witnessed the ongoing fight against prejudice and how different Native American nations preserve and evolve their cultural heritage in present-day America .

Breaking down stereotypes

The vision of evoking a feeling of home manifested in unexpected ways, from traditional craftwork to contemporary pieces that challenged stereotypes, including artwork incorporating the Wu-Tang Clan logo — a deliberate demonstration of how Indigenous artists

weave modern influences into their cultural expression

“When people think of Native Americans, they think about people who can speak to animals, or are serious and reverent about everything, or pretty much stuff they see from Hollywood,” John said . “Most people’s insight to Native Americans is through media ”

Through careful curation, John aimed to show that Indigenous people are modern citizens who “work nine to five” while maintaining their cultural heritage

The show actively challenged preconceptions about Indigenous art and identity . Mixed-media pieces and contemporary interpretations stood alongside traditional craftwork, demonstrating the evolution and adaptability of Native American artistic expression .

This exhibition was a juried show, judged by a panel of artists and cultural experts The top award was the firstplace Gold Award of Excellence, and the winner, Sophia Gerbert, received special recognition and a cash award of $500

Sophia, who is half Native American, points out the lack of representation of Native American culture

“A lot of contemporary art is very much white-centric, European-centric,” Sophia said, “and especially in popular media, Native American culture is very drowned out and not represented enough ”

The exhibition’s timing during Native American Heritage Month brings additional layers of meaning to these connections

“We’re not trying to say you’re nothing like us,” John emphasized “We’re grateful to have a month dedicated to us We’re taking it back and saying, ‘No, this is Indigenous peoples month This is a month to celebrate us ’ We’re trying to say you’re just like us There’s no boundary here ”

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s exhibition “Redefining Indigenous” opened on Nov. 1, 2024.

Cross-cultural themes

For Sophia, the exhibition became a deeply personal tribute to family bonds Her winning painting, completed after she lost her grandfather, “Papa,” to leukemia, captured a tender moment of love and loss that resonated universally, transcending cultural boundaries to touch viewers’ hearts

“Papa was an artist himself,” Sophia shared, reverence evident in her voice . “He’s always been kind of a muse of some sort for me ”

While Sophia traces her ancestry to the federally recognized Cherokee Nation, many Native nations in southeastern North Carolina have a different status The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina — which spans across four counties, including Cumberland County — holds state recognition, and has sought federal recognition for more than a century

According to the North Carolina Department of Administration, other state-recognized Native nations in our region include the Coharie Tribe, located in Harnett and Sampson counties; the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribe, found in Bladen and Columbus counties; and the Lumbee Tribe, situated in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties .

The exhibition’s impact was perhaps most visible during its opening, where cultural barriers melted away as visitors of all backgrounds joined in Native dances and

strangers quickly became friends The two featured Native dances were Women’s Jingle, a rhythmic dance where women with metal rolls make a jingle sound, and Women’s Fancy, where women wear a shawl around the arms, said to represent a butterfly

“There were all types of people there, and that’s what I think we need more of,” Sophia reflected “Native culture is so beautiful, and I think that there’s something in it for everyone . ”

For many visitors, the exhibition sparked profound moments of recognition Sophia’s painting of her grandfather with a watermelon from his farm resonated with exhibition coordinator Collyn Strother’s own memories

“When you leave the show, you think, I’ve seen stuff like this everywhere in my culture, so there’s a sense of connectivity and appreciation,” he said

Collyn witnessed how thoughtful artwork placement created meaningful dialogues between pieces and viewers

“You might go compare this contemporary piece beside a more traditional piece,” he explained, “and say, ‘Oh, well, I can see where both of these pieces relate to each other ’

These juxtapositions invited visitors to discover connections between different cultural expressions and their own experiences Collyn observed that the exhibition revealed unexpected parallels between communities

Opposite, "Mother Nature" by John Anthony Edwards on display at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s exhibition “Redefining Indigenous.”

Beading and clothwork by

Kesha Billey Clark

"Brown Plaid" by Sandra Whittemore

"The Fruit of Lowery" by Sophia Gebert

Flourishing connections

Perhaps the exhibition’s most powerful legacy was its ability to create lasting connections . Some visitors discovered family ties they never knew existed Others found their preconceptions about Indigenous art and culture transformed .

“I think that the accepting atmosphere, that’s the energy that we need to educate all sorts of people about cultures of all different types,” Sophia said,

John Whittemore encouraged people to participate in learning about Native cultures

“We want people to come to our events . We want people to indulge in our culture,” John said “It’s not a private kind of thing ”

This welcoming approach has resulted in unexpected connections, with some visitors discovering shared cultural practices and Sophia even met some family members she didn’t know she had

The exhibition showcased how art can bridge divides and reveal our shared humanity Through paintings, craftwork, and interactive experiences, “Redefining Indigenous” created a space where cultural exchange felt natural and barriers disappeared

This exhibition stands as a testament to the power of art to create meaningful dialogue and foster understanding

between communities Arts Council staff invite visitors to participate in a broader conversation about identity, tradition, and the evolving nature of Indigenous art

Sarah Busman, director of community engagement, said the Arts Council’s vision for this exhibition was “to be a space where our diverse community feels invited to tell their stories with our full support, helping their vision come to life ”

Through art, the exhibition intends to remind the community that despite having different backgrounds, people share common experiences of family, love, loss, and creativity that bind individuals together as human beings .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sharon Moyer, a native of Muskegon, Michigan, moved to Fayetteville in 1987 and has lived here since Sharon works as the community engagement administrator at the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County

"Payaso Rosado (Comunion)" by Daniel Ramirez-Lamos

A right to travel

Mobility limiting infrastructure is hindering the lives of Fayetteville’s visually impaired residents, say residents and activists

BY MORGAN CASEY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHARILYN WELLS

ILLUSTRATION

BY NICOLE PAJOR MOORE

IIt was 7:45 a m when a driver for Fayetteville’s paratransit service, FASTTrac!, tried to drop Alvin Ricks and a friend at a doctor’s appointment . It was over an hour before Alvin’s appointment The doctor’s office wasn’t even open

Alvin didn’t move from her seat in the van She wasn’t going to stand outside until the building opened .

“I said [to my friend], ‘I’m gonna ride with this driver until the driver brings me back for my appointment,’” Alvin recalled “Driver says, ‘Well, I can’t get you back to your appointment on time .’ I said, ‘That’s your problem . I’m not getting off this van I’m sorry ’”

Alvin has navigated Cumberland County with a visual impairment for almost two decades . She is completely blind, with no light perception . She said her time living in the county hasn’t felt like a full life

Poor transportation is partially to blame, said Terri Thomas, director of the Vision Resource Center, a Cumberland County organization serving the visually impaired since 1936

Transportation and isolation

Transportation is one of the largest barriers for people with visual impairments or blindness in Cumberland County, Terri explained Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft can be costly and wait times can be long

Like Alvin, most residents with visual impairments or blindness use FASTTrac! It’s available daily and provides origin-to-destination service by phone reservation Customers pay $2 for a one-way trip or can purchase multiple pass packages starting at $17 .50 for 10 passes .

Alvin was not the only resident who dealt with an early drop-off by FASTTrac!

A 2016 Americans with Disabilities Act compliance review of the service found a “substantial” number of “untimely drop-offs for trips with requested appointment times,” including “late and very early drop-offs ” It also found that FASTTrac! had “substantial numbers of significantly untimely pickups ”

FASTTrac! customers negotiate their pick-up and drop-off times when they reserve a ride, explained Loren Bymer, director of marketing and communications for the City of Fayetteville

“Daily cancellations, weather, traffic, etc ., all impact the timeliness of customer arrivals and departures,” he said

Transportation is one of the largest barriers for people with visual impairments or blindness in Cumberland County. Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft can be costly and wait times can be long.

— Terri Thomas, director of the Vision Resource Center

Besides pick-up and drop-off timing, Terri said FASTTrac! hours limit what a resident with a visual impairment can independently do in the community FASTTrac! stops running at 7 p m daily

“If they [residents with a visual impairment] did want to go have a dinner or drink or just to go out, they can’t,” she said

Isolation is a major concern for the visually impaired

A study funded by the London-based visual impairment advocacy organization Fight for Sight found that people with visual impairments were three times more likely to feel lonely than the general population One reason was inaccessible transportation, which limits people with visual impairments’ ability to engage with the world

Terri said socialization is a largely ignored need for residents with visual impairments Preventing loneliness and isolation is a big reason why the Vision Resource Center plans and hosts events like bingo, art and exercise classes, a Thanksgiving meal, a party at a winery, and more The center also hosted a winter wonderland-themed gala for its members, donors, and the broader community in December to celebrate its 85th anniversary .

“A lot of the time people say, ‘Oh, Terri, you’re just taking people out and y’all having fun,’” she said “It’s deeper than the fun piece . ”

Helping residents with visual impairments get out of the house has another positive impact: making the community more aware of residents with visual impairments . Thomas Bass, a part-time social worker for the blind with the Vision Resource Center, started holding the center’s walking group at Cross Creek Mall so that residents without visual impairments are more familiar with those who have them

As a resident who has a visual impairment with some light perception, Thomas has also helped many residents feel comfortable getting out into the community independently

“It’s just trying to figure out how to educate the community,” Terri said

Sidewalks: an issue for all

Navigating Fayetteville on foot is difficult for residents with and without visual impairments In a YouTube video posted last year, content creator Sam Reid highlighted the city’s title as America’s least walkable city by walking over 16 5 miles with his friend and Fayetteville resident Preston Griffin Together, they documented gaps in sidewalks and the city’s lack of crosswalks along their almost nine-hour trek

Alvin said she often doesn’t know which intersections have lights to help her cross The gaps in the sidewalk can also be dangerous Unpaved surfaces offer nothing to help people with visual impairments redirect themselves, Alvin explained

“Once you hit dirt or grass, you have no markers,” she said

The gaps in the sidewalk stem from development requirements City ordinances require new development on public-facing streets to build sidewalks along their property, save for a handful of exceptions Developers are not required to connect their stretches of sidewalk to others Some properties were also developed before the ordinance was in place

The city sidewalks that do exist can be difficult to navigate In 2021, the city released a self-evaluation to determine compliance with ADA requirements The evaluation found that “additional efforts are needed to explore ADA compliance” for pedestrian facilities like crosswalks and bus stops

The city has already installed over 100,000 linear feet of sidewalks with ADA-compliant ramps It also updated 125 ramps to ADA compliance And it is broadly improving its pedestrian infrastructure by updating its Pedestrian Plan .

“The city recognizes that ADA compliance is an ongoing responsibility, which requires monitoring to identify current and future accessibility issues,” Loren said .

Residents can submit a request for something to be made ADA-compliant if they believe it to be out of compliance through the FayFixIt app or on the city’s website .

Improving transportation accessibility, pedestrian infrastructure, and the community’s awareness of the challenges experienced by residents with visual impairments is one of the mantles Terri is taking on this year

“The squeaky wheel gets the oil,” Terri said . “Without the push, it is not going to change That’s what we’re going to do in 2025 We’re going to make people aware ”

In the meantime, the center’s Visionary Group will continue to advocate for residents with visual impairments and blindness at city and county meetings They’ll start producing a podcast called “Turn the Lights On” on their radio station They’ll make themselves squeaky

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CityView Reporter Morgan Casey is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms . Morgan’s reporting focuses on health care issues in and around Cumberland County and can be supported through the CityView News Fund .

The Braille Trail is available to allow the visually impaired safely and independently enjoy the outdoors at the Vision Resource Center. Photo by Brandon Wells/Sharilyn Wells Creative

EXPANDING ORTHOPEDIC FOOTPRINT

Dr. Daniel DeRosa, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive procedures, says there are no easy plays when it comes to treating the spine. Joining Cape Fear Valley Health’s growing ortho team, though, was a simple call.

BY BILL HORNER III | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY WOOTEN

AAs an orthopedic specialist, Dr Daniel DeRosa likes to say that nothing in the realm of neck or spine surgery is “a chip shot ”

There are simply no easy plays

It’s the spine’s complexity and acuity — physicians speak about the intensity and high level of required care — that DeRosa grew to love during his medical training That passion is evident when he discusses how the spine works and the techniques he uses to address the physiological problems causing pain, discomfort, and immobility for his patients as part of Cape Fear Valley Health’s growing orthopedic team

“It runs the gamut,” DeRosa says about the kinds of symptoms his patients present . “I have 35-year-olds with advanced arthritis, and I have 90-year-olds with degenerative changes The unique thing about my job is I can see someone one day who has one of the worst spines I’ve ever seen, but is relatively asymptomatic, and doesn’t have any nerve pain or leg pain — just some back pain And then I have some patients with just a whiff of arthritis, but they have pretty debilitating radiculopathy, or nerve pain, in their legs ”

Some orthopedic treatments can be cut and dried — “You know,” he says “A plus B equals C ”

Rare with the spine

Major growth for Cape Fear Valley Health

For DeRosa, who joined Cape Fear Valley Health in July and works out of Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine on Walter Reed Road in Fayetteville, it’s hard to overstate the importance of the spine’s role in the body’s overall function The spine supports structure It keeps us standing tall, facilitating our movement . But it also houses the nervous system, enabling communication between the brain and the rest of the body Signals originating in the brain need the spine as a delivery channel, telling muscles and organs what to do; signals from the body use the same wiring, the same spinal pathway, to the brain in reverse

It’s the original information superhighway . Disruption, then, through injury, disease, or degeneration, can mean trouble

DeRosa’s addition is part of a significant period of growth of Cape Fear Valley Health’s orthopedic footprint Over the last year and a half, it has grown from two clinics

Dr. Daniel C. DeRosa outside Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine office.

What makes DeRosa unique — aside from being Cape Fear Valley Health’s sole orthopedic spine specialist — is that he’s one of the 30% of spinal surgeons who performs advanced minimally invasive anterior column surgery through the side of the body.

to eight Through acquisition (including Huff Orthopedics this past August and Cape Fear Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in October) and expansion, there are now 30 service providers within Cape Fear Valley Health’s ortho team in Cumberland County and in practices in Harnett, Moore, and Sampson counties Combined, they serve an average of 550 patients per day .

What makes DeRosa unique — aside from being Cape Fear Valley Health’s sole orthopedic spine specialist — is that he’s one of the 30% of spinal surgeons who performs advanced minimally invasive anterior column surgery through the side of the body to treat spinal disorders and reduce long term back and leg pain, he said, resulting in shorter (or no) hospital stays, less blood loss, and faster recovery time Smaller incisions also mean muscles and tissues in the surgical area suffer less stress, particularly advantageous for older patients or those with other negative health conditions

“So there’s less demand on health care systems, better outcomes both short and long term,” he said

An example: DeRosa can perform a single-level lumbar surgery through a patient’s side in about 20 minutes . A surgeon without his training and expertise would take a more traditional approach, going through the posterior spine with “big, open incisions that involve a lot of electrocautery and burning of the muscles,” DeRosa said

Methodologies he employs are catching on among spinal surgeons, DeRosa said, but it’s still a niche For him, that expertise means being able to treat more patients, and solve problems, more effectively

Many of his patients present challenges tied to achieving simple desires, like the retired military officer he recently treated who wanted nothing more than to play with his two grandchildren, but couldn’t because of severe leg and back pain Or the patient who loved golf and saw it as a stress reliever and respite from work, but suffered from

Dr. Daniel C. DeRosa reviews administrative files in his Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine office.

neurogenic claudication — a compression of nerves that made walking distances or swinging a club result in leg cramping, pain, and numbness

For the former, DeRosa applied a minimally invasive fusion technique that resulted in the grandfather playing “everything he wanted” on the floor with his grandchildren just six weeks post-op For the latter, a lumbar spine procedure — again, minimally invasive — had the patient back on the fairways in just three months

“With the spine, there’s a lot of nuance,” he said, “and there’s a lot of context, so there’s diagnostic testing and making sure you’re doing the right thing by the patient ”

Overlap compounds complexity . Arm pain, for example, can originate from a problem in the neck Or degenerative changes combine with carpal tunnel syndrome or acute elbow pain — requiring nuance, investigation, and multiple levels of treatment protocols Sometimes, DeRosa adds, it’s about “knocking out” one problem to make a patient functional again before working to heal other symptomatic issues

“It just was time,” DeRosa said “I felt like I did all I could do in the Army, and it was time to go civilian ”

He loved North Carolina and the relationships he’d developed with surgeons in the area, and wanted to continue to be able to help treat veterans — particularly after connecting with so many Fort Liberty-based soldiers who’d suffered spine injuries related to their work and deployments He’s still teaching at Womack, but given Cape Fear Valley Health’s orthopedic growth, moving there made sense

“With Cape Fear being the largest medical center within an hour radius, I felt like I wanted to stay here and build something right here,” he said . “There’s a deficit of spine surgery here … and a huge need for spine care So that opportunity to build a service line and to support the area was very appealing to me . ”

About 85% of his work focuses on degenerative changes (such as arthritis and age-related conditions) as opposed to trauma (from falls or car accidents and the kinds of injuries paratroopers might experience) And as a part of

My goal is for there to be no reason for anyone to need to leave Fayetteville to get the most advanced, cutting-edge, appropriate health care — especially for the spine

— Dr. Daniel C. DeRosa, orthopedic spine surgeon for Cape Fear Valley Health

“I tell patients, ‘Spine surgery is different than other musculoskeletal procedures/intervention ’ There are a lot of moving parts, so a lot of it is, ‘What are our goals? And how do we accomplish that in the most effective manner?’”

‘Time to go civilian’

DeRosa earned his DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) from the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine before completing internships and residencies at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii and a fellowship at Duke University . He accepted an Army health professional scholarship; a portion of his more than 13 years in the U S Army was spent as a Flight Surgeon in an aviation regiment in Central America and deployed to combat zones in the middle east as an Orthopaedic Surgeon with a Forward Surgical Team

Along the way, his professional focus switched from orthopedic and related trauma surgery to the spine, and he was serving as a spine surgeon at Womack Army Medical Center when that active duty obligation came to an end His wife, Raffaella, also a doctor — she’s a urologist at Womack — had transitioned out of active duty two years before The couple has two children, a daughter, Giuliana, and a son, Domenic Carlo

an orthopedic team, he regularly engages with his Cape Fear Valley Health partners They’ll ask him, for example, to help diagnose complex cases, which might involve the spine All calls he’s happy to answer

The Army helped deliver DeRosa to Cumberland County He’s hoping his practice will keep him in Fayetteville for a long, long time

“This is my home,” he said “I don’t have any plans to leave . I plan to continue to build and advance spine care here, and to try to keep everything that we can in this region My goal is for there to be no reason for anyone to need to leave Fayetteville to get the most advanced, cutting-edge, appropriate health care — especially for the spine We should offer that here, and that’s my plan ”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Former CityView Executive Editor Bill Horner III, who served as publisher and editor of newspapers in Sanford and Chatham County, is working on his first book His column on rural North Carolina debuts in Business NC magazine in January

New year, new me

BY JAYLIN KREMER

Ringing in the new year is a magical time — a kiss at midnight, the clinking of glasses, and picture-perfect smiles as we welcome a fresh start We make plans, envisioning exactly how we’ll do better and be better, and we call them New Year’s resolutions .

I used to make a list of them, noting all the ways I would avoid making mistakes and all the ways I should change

I don’t know about you, but I stopped having fun while making unrealistic expectations for myself at the start of the year only to feel like a failure by the end So on Dec 31, 2023, I decided to do away with New Year’s resolutions .

Instead, I decided to make myself one new promise and set one realistic goal for myself

I like to consider myself someone who keeps promises, or at the very least, really strives to It’s not so much out of obligation, but because it’s how I show that I value the person I’m making the promise to .

I noticed I was taking away value from myself by setting impractical goals and was not treating myself well when I couldn’t achieve them As the saying goes, you can’t love anybody else if you don’t love yourself So, I chose to treat myself with a little more kindness and to see where that takes me instead

I made a promise that I would treat myself better this year and I made a goal to be open to trying new things Yes, both are rather generic, and had I made New Year’s resolutions, they would have been more specific

By having an open and generic goal, I was constantly hitting it in different ways And in doing that, I was constantly motivated to continue to find ways to hit the goal I’ve noticed real change in myself as a result and will officially be done with resolutions

This year, I’ve made and achieved far more goals than in previous years, and I’ve managed to keep my promise For example, “quit smoking” has been at the top of my list of New Year’s resolutions every year for as long as I can remember Every year I failed, and went into the next year worried I’d fail again

This year, I quit smoking .

Another huge problem I had was eating like my 5-yearold child I’d tell myself I didn’t like something, never try it, and eat chicken fingers at a new restaurant to be safe .

This year, I didn’t tell myself I had to “try five new things,” like I would if I were making resolutions . When an opportunity to try something new presented itself, I did it It was a FUN goal! I tried new foods, new experiences, made new friends, and I loved almost everything . What I didn’t, I was proud of myself for trying

Heading into a new year I feel like a new me, and I’m excited to see all the ways I can grow and change in 2025 .

I will ring in the year feeling proud, and accomplished, and will truly celebrate for the first time I will reflect on the mistakes I made, considering them as I make a new promise and new goal, and I will try my best to be better

“New year, new me” is all the plan I need as I close off this chapter of my life and welcome a new one . I hope you’ll consider doing away with resolutions, negativity, and fear of failure

Let the new year always bring you hope, inspiration, and happiness instead

Jaylin Kremer, is a HomeFront columnist for CityView She can be reached at jaykremer95@gmail .com .

Fayetteville's New Year's Star and fireworks during the inaugural New Year's Eve celebration, "Night Circus: A District New Year’s Eve Spectacular," at Festival Park on Jan. 1, 2022. Photo by Tony Wooten

Biographies can entertain and educate

BY DIANE PARFITT

When I was in 3rd grade, my family moved to Taiwan after my father was assigned there by the State Department I went to the American school on a split shift, as it was the only way they could accommodate the large number of students resulting from the growing American presence I started my 3rd-grade school day in the afternoon session, and because we had no TV, I found myself quite bored in the mornings Then I discovered that my father’s office was upstairs from the American library! I was in heaven! There was a fabulous section of children’s books, and I found my way to the “little orange books,” a collection of biographies written specifically for kids my age Over 200 books in the series were published in the 1940s and ‘50s by the Bobbs-Merrill Company I developed my love of biographies from reading about Abigail Adams, Babe Ruth, Clara Barton, and so many more I still love reading biographies — I think we read biographies not just to learn about great political figures and other famous individuals, but to understand the historical context around their lives and its effect on their decisions Biographies also inspire us to pursue our dreams and help us in our personal growth Below are some recent biographies that have inspired me .

1. Reagan:

His Life and Legend by Max Boot

Max Boot is a journalist and historian who has written a candid biography of President Ronald Reagan He focuses on much of the untold story of Reagan’s childhood in the Midwest where he was born to deeply religious parents . He also explains how Reagan’s experiences as an actor prepared him for his political career, and how despite becoming a leading conservative voice, he signed pro-abortion and gun control bills as governor of California . However, he opposed civil rights and was oblivious to the rampage of the AIDS epidemic even while it targeted some of his famous entertainment friends Max’s examination of Reagan and his contradictions puts his life into context within America’s history and its ramifications today

2. Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction, and Intrigue by Sonia Purnell

Pamela Churchill Harriman was Winston Churchill’s daughter-in-law, a glamorous socialite, and former Ambassador to France At the age of 20 during World War II, she was able to wine, dine, and seduce diplomats and generals to gain information to help Britain defeat Hitler After the war, she continued her social life with current and future leaders and her support

brought many of them to the international stage When she moved to the United States, she helped resuscitate the Democratic party and introduced Bill Clinton to a national audience This fascinating book looks at all aspects of her life and her unexpected effect on history

3. Lovely One: A Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ketanji Brown Jackson traces her family and their progress from segregation to her appointment and confirmation to the Supreme Court — all in the span of one generation Her name, “Ketanji Onyika” means “Lovely One ” She takes pride in her heritage and honored it by excelling in school and finally graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Not only was she student body president, but she was also an oratory champion and performed in musical theater and improv She shares with the reader the joys and challenges of marriage and motherhood balanced against a demanding career

4. On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service by Anthony Fauci, M.D.

We all know Dr Anthony Fauci from the White House press conferences during Covid-19 . He became the most famous doctor and provided us and the world with a calm approach to the pandemic

we learn about the challenges he faced managing this crisis We also learn about his critical role in HIV and AIDS research and his supervision of treatment methods for Ebola, SARS, West Nile virus, and anthrax as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

5. From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough  I admit up front that I am a huge Elvis fan I’ve read several biographies of the King and although it often makes me sad to learn of his difficulties later in life, I still love his music and cannot shake my desire to keep reading more about him We now have a memoir originally recorded by Lisa Marie Presley, with writing by her own daughter Riley that gives more insight into her life We learn about the fun-filled days as a little girl growing up at Graceland who tragically found her father’s body when he died, to her own tragic death Riley faithfully pulls together the memoir from her mother’s tapes and brings together the voices of a mother and daughter who worked to bring healing to each other

Diane Parfitt owns City Center Gallery & Books in downtown Fayetteville She can be reached at

Fayetteville’s 25th Annual “A Dickens Holiday” took place the day after Thanksgiving on Nov. 29, 2024 in downtown Fayetteville. Photo by Aaliyah Lane

JANUARY 2025

THE TO-DO LIST

Here are just some of the things happening in and around Fayetteville this month. Scan the code with your phone for more events, additional information and to post your event on our website. Events are subject to change. Check before attending.

Jan. 18

Super Science Saturday Fascinate-U Children’s Museum

116 Green St distinctlyfayettevillenc com

Jan. 23-26 and Jan. 30-Feb. 2

Murder on the Orient Express

Sweet Tea Shakespeare

301 Hay St sweetteashakespeare com

Jan. 25

Sounds of Lafayette

Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra

First Presbyterian Church 102 Ann St fayettevillesymphony .org

Jan. 25

Family Program: Night Hike and Campfire

Cape Fear Botanical Garden 536 N Eastern Blvd capefearbg org

Jan. 25

Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Roanoke Rail Road Dawgs — Star Wars Night

Crown Coliseum

Crown Complex

1960 Coliseum Drive marksmenhockey com

Jan. 8

Park Ranger Chat Series — Echinoderms: Starfish, Sea Urchins, and Sand Dollars

Lake Rim Park

2214 Tar Kiln Road fcpr us

Jan. 10

Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Knoxville Ice Bears — Video Game Night

Crown Coliseum

Crown Complex

1960 Coliseum Drive marksmenhockey com

Jan. 11

A Girl to Remember Runway Extravaganza 2025

An Affair to Remember

Crown Expo

Crown Complex

1960 Coliseum Drive aatrncfashionshow com

Jan. 11

Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Knoxville Ice Bears — Viva la Ville

Crown Coliseum

Crown Complex

1960 Coliseum Drive marksmenhockey .com

Jan. 18

31st Annual MLK Parade

Downtown Fayetteville mlkmemorialpark org

Jan. 26

Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Macon Mayhem — Salute to Service Night

Crown Coliseum

Crown Complex

1960 Coliseum Drive marksmenhockey .com

Jan. 30

John Crist: Jokes for Human Comedy Tour

Crown Theatre

Crown Complex

1960 Coliseum Drive

crowncomplexnc .com

Jan. 31

Sustainable Sandhills Talk

Lake Rim Park

2214 Tar Kiln Road fcpr us

SEEN @ THE SCENE

The Nutcracker

by

Dance Theatre of Fayetteville

Dance Theatre of Fayetteville closed out its 49th season with a production of The Nutcracker at Methodist University’s Huff Concert Hall Dec 6-8, 2024 This season’s production of The Nutcracker was dedicated to Dominic Walker, an alum of the production, who passed away in August

Victoria Dozier and Ryan Le Brun from the Waltz of the

Nyla Springer, front, and Ryan LeBrun, back

Act I Family

Emma Grace Lavertu as Clara Silverhaus

Flowers Grand Pas de Deux

Felix Reyes Jr. as Uncle Drosselmeyer

Gabrielle Lilly played the Sugar Plum Fairy, among other roles. Aubree Campbell as Solider Doll

The French Hero of American Liberty

The 200th Anniversary of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour

March 4-5, 2025

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Experience history – the procession, the ball, the dinner and toasts, and more!

Presented by the Lafayette Society of Fayetteville and CityView and these major sponsors:

Cape Fear Valley Health System

City Center Gallery & Books

Coldwell Banker

Will Gillis

Gillie Revelle and other generous sponsors:

Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic

Development Corporation

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville Technical Community College

International Minute Press

Drs. Gwenesta B and Kenneth Melton

Methodist University

Mark Hurley – Hurley Insurance Group

Olde Fayetteville Insurance and Financial Services

Rick Suehr

Up & Coming Weekly

Village Green Properties

Regency Dance workshops: Thurs Feb 20 6-8:00pm Sun Feb 23, 3-5:30pm Sat Mar 1, 3-5:30pm Register at www.lafayettesociety.org or with QR code

As the last of the American a symbol Equality wanted his Farewell estimated Americans

Plan to attend the ball on March 4 and the dinner on March 5 at the elegant Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Tickets at www.lafayettesociety.org or use the QR code.

Now Lafayette is back for the 200th anniversary of the Farewell Tour! Like the original tour, the celebration will last 13 months, covering more than 6000 miles and 250 cities. One of the PREMIER sites for the Celebration is Fayetteville, North Carolina, where you invited to Party like it’s 1825!

Tuesday afternoon, March horse-drawn carriage accompanied Independent Light Infantry ago!

Tuesday evening, March 4

Steplively of Virginia and the will help you polish authentic Regency Period costume

Wednesday, March 5 – Explore history! See Lafayette’s carriage, Resolves (signed a full year Independence), and 200-year-old at Methodist University. Take

Taylor Angel, a petite woman, struggled with weight gain after using food to cope with life’s challenges. Despite an early interest in fitness, she reached 250 pounds by adulthood, which caused both physical discomfort and emotional distress. After years of trying various diets without success, she underwent gastric bypass surgery.

Post-surgery, with the support of her family, Angel adopted a healthier lifestyle and has since lost 120 pounds. The physical transformation brought her newfound energy, improved health markers, and a more positive outlook. Angel’s journey has not only transformed her body but also her mindset – making her a stronger, more confident person.

From gastric sleeve to bypass surgery and beyond, Cape Fear Valley’s bariatric team is here to walk you through your weight loss journey.

Your health, our specialty. Learn more: capefearvalley.com/bariatric (910) 615-BARI(2274)