Sam Smiley: From patrols to purpose

Sam Smiley: From patrols to purpose

DEPUTY SAM Smiley stood at the front of the fifth-grade classroom, feeling the weight of expectant eyes. As he asked the students to name responsibilities at home or school, some answered eagerly, others fidgeted with pencils or shifted in their seats, glancing...
Anita Ashworth: Honoring Lincoln County’s fallen

Anita Ashworth: Honoring Lincoln County’s fallen

ANITA ASHWORTH pulled open the door to the Warrior Exhibit. Outside, traffic circled the square, everyday life in motion — its freedom preserved by those remembered within these walls. Time slowed as she passed the faces and memorabilia honoring Lincoln County...
Tiffany and Liam Calvert: Community in motion

Tiffany and Liam Calvert: Community in motion

TIFFANY AND Liam Calvert are the owners of Magic Athletics. They have been anchored in the community for years and began their business at the old cotton mill. It was a space they quickly outgrew within six months as enrollment soared. Their next location also proved...
Mike and Jeff Bradford: Fixing what big stores can’t

Mike and Jeff Bradford: Fixing what big stores can’t

FROM THE corner of your eye, Mt. Washmore looms — laundry stalled by a dead washing machine. The big box store’s helpline? Forty-five minutes on hold, promising you’re “next.” It hasn’t always been this way. Decades ago, washing machines, clothes dryers, and kitchen...
Chad Mullins: Building on a firm foundation

Chad Mullins: Building on a firm foundation

TRAFFIC CRAWLED along Lincoln Avenue, a backhoe leading the way, soon joined by a Fayetteville Police Department car’s flashing blue lights. The officer eased the machine over, clearing the way for frustrated drivers. As the cab door opened, preteens Chad Mullins and...