From the editor: Why subscribe to The Fayetteville Observer? Here are 10 reasons
Thanks to the support of readers like yourself, The Fayetteville Observer continues to be the leading source of news in the Cumberland County area. A subscription to the Observer has never been a better value, and we have a great President's Day sale going on through the end of February.
Our team of journalists is locally based. We live and work here just like you, and we know the importance of a robust local newspaper.
So why should you subscribe to the Observer? I have 10 reasons for you.
Subscriber-exclusive stories
Subscribers to The Fayetteville Observer receive access to subscriber-exclusive stories. Past stories have included a special report on the history and future of Fayetteville's controversial Market House; a look at fraud allegations against a former Fayetteville mayoral candidate; an update on Fayetteville's economic development outlook; and an investigation into a broken system of child psychiatric centers in North Carolina.
Coverage of a diverse community
We work hard to tell the stories of the people who have been traditionally underreported. For example, Fayetteville has the highest percentage of Black-owned businesses per capita in the United States, and we make it our business to tell their stories. Check out this profile on Stacie Huderson-Sumfukwe, the founder of Fayetteville's only brunch food truck; read about a new candle shop in Hope Mills; or find out where to buy beloved Fayetteville resident Carol Pringle's Flip Flop sauce in local stores.
We write about the leaders of tomorrow, too, with our Future Black History Makers series shining the spotlight on standout students in Cumberland County elementary schools.
Our recent coverage of issues important to the LGBTQ community includes Carolina Drag Brunch's quest to find a new home in Fayetteville; new leadership at the Fayetteville Chapter of PFLAG; and resources for LGBTQ victims of domestic violence.
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Food and dining coverage
No one covers the food and dining scene like reporter Taylor Shook. Her food coverage runs the gamut, from the latest Fayetteville restaurant openings and closings; to a look back at the history of Golden Corral, which got its start in Fayetteville; to tips from local Mexican Americans on where to find the best local tamales, tacos and tortas.
Sign up for Shook's Fayetteville Foodies newsletter to get more insider tidbits, or join the Fayetteville Foodies Facebook group to talk all things food and dining with other local foodies.
In-depth reporting from an Observer veteran
Award-winning senior North Carolina reporter Paul Woolverton has been at the Observer for decades, and his stories are always a must-read. His recent work includes:
A scoop on the theft of a $1.4 million check from the Cumberland County government and Fayetteville Technical Community College — and that the bank did not refund the stolen money until state Treasurer Dale Folwell stepped in.
State Sen. Tom McInnis’ idea to turn Interstate 95 into a toll road.
The court battle on whether the Vote Yes referendum was going to be on the election ballots in Fayetteville.
The cancelation, then revival, of Fayetteville’s traditional A Dickens Holiday celebration.
Sports coverage
Our statewide team of USA TODAY Network reporters brings you coverage from the best of high school and college sports and recruiting.
From deep-dive local reporting on topics like Cumberland County Schools having only two certified athletic trainers to serve 6,700 athletes and weekly stories on top performers, to engaging items such as voting polls for 910Preps Athlete of the Week and feature coverage of student-athletes, their challenges and their success, your FayObserver sports team goes beyond the ballfield.
And with Tobacco Road right in our backyard, you can count on plenty of UNC, Duke and NC State coverage from our beat writers as we head toward March Madness and spring football practice.
Fort Liberty and military coverage
Military reporter Rachael Riley writes about Fort Liberty and the issues important to the people connected to the post.
Her recent coverage has included a feature on a bear brought over from Vietnam by Special Forces soldiers; a look into whether more minority veterans will receive the Medal of Honor; the latest businesses added to Fort Liberty's off-limits list; and how the U.S. Army Special Operations Command is combatting suicide.
Opinion
Award-winning opinion editor Myron Pitts oversees our contributed opinion content and writes his own columns on issues ranging from a proposed commuter line between Fayetteville and Raleigh to a gas project angering residents in the Foxfire neighborhood.
Regular contributors Rakeem Jones and Troy Williams have written about community outreach on Murchison Road and Fayetteville's 2023 mayoral race.
You can also join the conversation by becoming a member of our Community Conversations with Myron Facebook group.
Photos
Photographer Andrew Craft's images accompany many of our stories. Andrew's keen eye captures the true emotion of a scene or story, and his natural talent, coupled with his years working in the trenches, results in visually compelling and impactful images. Some of his most compelling recent images include photos from our Future Black History Makers series; the final Bicycle Man giveaway; Jada Johnson's funeral service; celebrities teaming up with Green Berets for a shooting competition and here's a gallery of Andrew's favorite photos from 2022.
Andrew also hunts through our archives at the Observer to put together galleries of photos from years past. Here are two recent archive galleries from the 1970s.
Crime and public safety
Public safety reporter Lexi Solomon keeps the community updated on the latest breaking crime news while also telling the stories of the victims and the people they left behind.
Some of Lexi's recent reporting includes a Q&A with Fayetteville's new police chief; a diversity analysis of the Fayetteville Police Department; the latest updates on the death of Jada Johnson, who was fatally shot by police last summer; and police efforts to tackle reckless driving.
Community support
You may know us mainly for our reporting, but that's not all we do at the Observer.
Each year, we partner with the Salvation Army of the Sandhills to raise money for the Bill Shaw Salvation Army Christmas Fund. The Salvation Army uses that money to help families right here in the Sandhills all year long.
A Community Thrives is a program through the Gannett Foundation that awards funds to nonprofits and service projects across the country. The Fayetteville Observer is part of the Gannett/USA TODAY network. This year, Fayetteville Justice For Our Neighbors, a pro-immigration nonprofit, received a $50,000 grant from A Community Thrives.
Now's the time
I hope I've made the case that we're worth the cost of a subscription. If you aren't already a subscriber, now is a great opportunity to become one.
Thanks for reading.
News director Beth Hutson can be reached at bhutson@fayobserver.com. Sign up for news alerts and our daily newsletter
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: The Fayetteville Observer: Why you should subscribe
