The Latest from Doug
It’s an exciting time to be in the Dogwood State. This weekend we will be celebrating the 42nd Annual Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. The weather is supposed to be absolutely wonderful for the entire weekend which will be filled with events. It’s a tradition of fun, food, crafts and entertainment, bringing together the best of our vibrant community in the heart of Downtown Fayetteville and Festival Park and I hope to see you there.
There will be everything from the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Rock Band at Festival Park to carnival rides, aerial arts performances, to an array of food trucks offering delicious treats throughout Downtown Fayetteville. Over 100 vendors will be set up, offering everything from handmade crafts and jewelry to locally made food items. It’s a perfect opportunity for every Fayetteville resident to participate, enjoy the festivities, and experience the unity and joy that this festival brings to our City every year.
As part of our commitment to public safety for all our residents and visitors, we will be hosting a Public Safety Summit to address issues impacting not only within our city, but across the country. Dr. Gerald Tate, Executive Director of North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention, will lead the summit with co-facilitators Capt. James Jones, Nichelle Gaines, David Curtis, and Devon Newton. Our goal is a broader discussion to support the development of the Office of Community Safety by understanding the landscape about the four pillars of OCS: violent crime intervention, youth intervention, mental health response, and homelessness. This is open to the community, but seating will be limited.
Lastly, I would like to announce the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of our newest recreation center, Senior Center East on May 3 at 11 a.m. We are very excited for you to join us as we cut the ribbon and open the doors of this new facility. This $9.2 million recreation center is a voter-approved Parks and Recreation Bond. The center will officially open on Monday, May 6.
As always, I encourage you to continue to engage with your City, whether that’s following our social media channels, attending City Council meetings, or staying up-to-date with our podcast, Radio Fayetteville.
Thank you and enjoy your weekend.
Best,
Douglas J. Hewett
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