logo
Parents face possible arrest, steep fines in military town's tough new approach to combat youth crime

Parents face possible arrest, steep fines in military town's tough new approach to combat youth crime

Fox News12-07-2025
To curb rising youth violence, city leaders in Fayetteville, North Carolina, are implementing a new citywide curfew for minors.
Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin told Fox News Digital that the city recorded nearly 2,000 incidents of interaction or arrest involving minors over about a 16-month period.
"We looked at the last couple of quarters of the previous year, and then the first two quarters of this year, and it was almost 1,900 incidents of arrest or crimes that had been committed by juveniles. And so… we know we have a problem there, and we want to make sure that we're proactive to deal with it," Colvin said.
With the new ordinance, kids under 16 are prohibited from being in any public space between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., with some exceptions, including those who are accompanied by parents or guardians or another authorized adult escort, running direct-route errands, traveling to and from work, responding to emergencies, attending supervised activities such as sports or school events, and participating in religious services.
Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg, known briefly as Fort Liberty, the largest U.S. Army base by population. As of this week, the city is still in an "educational" period in which those who violate the curfew will be informed of the new rules, but punishments such as citations and detentions may occur as time goes on.
Adults 17 and up, including parents and business owners, who are responsible for youths found to be in violation of the curfew may face a Class 3 misdemeanor charge and a maximum fine of $500.
"Right now, the way that the ordinance is set up… all of our punitive actions will take place against the parents. Whoever the responsible party is – the custodian of that kid – will be issued citations and possibly subject to fines and maybe arrest in certain cases of repeated violations," Colvin said. "And we're going to let them know that there are judicial consequences to inaction."
If minors are continuing to be a problem because of parental neglect, then there are consequences.
Colvin brought up one incident in particular that happened earlier this year, when a 12-year-old girl named Adrianna Bethea was shot at a carnival in March, according to the Fayetteville Police Department and the mayor's office.
The young cheerleader was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition and is fighting to walk again after she was shot in the back and the chest, according to CBS 17. No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting so far.
"A group of kids got into an altercation, and a gun was pulled, and a young lady was shot, and she's paralyzed," Colvin said. "That spoke volumes to me. I knew her family, and it really made me angry. I'm a father of three daughters, and I've taken my kids to carnivals. I just think that our citizens deserve firm action."
The mayor's office introduced five new safety recommendations in April following the shooting, including the youth curfew, and the Fayetteville City Council – on which Colvin served four years before becoming mayor – adopted all of them.
Two city council members, Deno Hondros and Mario Benavente, voted against the curfew. They did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Other cities have implemented similar youth curfews, including Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city. Colvin said Fayetteville's curfew model is based on Charlotte's.
In addition to the curfew, Fayetteville expanded youth recreational activities "and partnerships with organizations who were already doing mentorship-type activities," the mayor said. He brought up a new youth "midnight" basketball program, which does not actually take place until midnight but was extended to later hours. Certain youth centers will also be expanding the activities they offer, according to Colvin.
A new chief will join the Fayetteville Police Department next week, and Colvin expects the department head to help implement the new ordinance.
"I'm certain that they will make sure that they are presenting a professional response to it. They're training their officers as to the terms and conditions of what their role will be. They're setting up the partnerships that are necessary because the city can't do this alone. We'll need social service, we'll need juvenile justice, and we need the other governmental units that have a role in this space. This is an ecosystem. That we all have to work in to create a safer, better environment for our young people."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Central Florida vet tech accused of abandoning pets without food access for months
Central Florida vet tech accused of abandoning pets without food access for months

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Central Florida vet tech accused of abandoning pets without food access for months

A veterinarian technician is under arrest in Brevard County after investigators say she left three pets in her personal care to die. In a social media post, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Christianna Miller left two dogs and a cat alone in an apartment for months. He said Miller left them in December with food out of their reach. He said the animals died as a result before being found in April when a pest control worker went inside to spray the apartment. The sheriff said Miller told them she had hired a pet sitter off social media. But Ivey said she could not provide any proof that she hired anybody. Miller now faces three counts each of aggravated felony cruelty, abandonment of animals and unlawful confinement without sufficient food, water or exercise. Her bail was set at $28,500. 'This person is a vet tech, all right? Went to school and trusted to take care of animals, to take care of pets and give them care, but instead left them abandoned,' Ivey said. He said this isn't the first time, alleging she left a dog abandoned in Volusia County in 2024. He said the dog was found emaciated and died as a result. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Solve the daily Crossword

Mecklenburg County commissioners take next step in sales tax for transit plan
Mecklenburg County commissioners take next step in sales tax for transit plan

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Mecklenburg County commissioners take next step in sales tax for transit plan

We've been telling you about Mecklenburg County's new transit plan for a year now, but county commissioners spent the afternoon telling voters why they want to add an additional sales tax to the November ballot. There was a lot of discussion around what to include in the resolution at a special county commission meeting on Wednesday. Commissioner Susan McDowell-Rodriguez represents southern Mecklenburg County, including Matthews, where residents are upset they won't get rail service in this plan. She wanted the resolution to specify that 40% of the revenue will go to 'rail' only, and how long the tax will last. 'It provides wiggle space. And that's not what we need. We need people to understand exactly what they're voting for. That this is a permanent tax increase that is gonna go on forever,' she said. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City of Charlotte releases draft legislation for new transit plan Charlotte Area Transit System approves ambitious transit plan Gov. Josh Stein signs transit bill into law The county attorney recommended against some of her recommendations, which were ultimately not adopted. Some local advocates for better transit wanted to see more explanation in the actual language that voters will see on the ballot. 'I would love for it to say you are voting on a 1% tax increase that takes the overall tax rate in Charlotte up to 8.5 percent for a tax that's in perpetuity,' said Robert Dawkins with Action NC. The rate would actually be 8.25 percent if voters approve the referendum, but the wording has already been set. It is specified in the state legislature's bill. Voters will see a for or against box, with this statement: 'one percent local sales and use taxes, in addition to the current local sales and use taxes, to be used only for roadway systems and public transportation systems.' Larry Shaheen, an attorney who was instrumental in the process, told Channel 9 that the language was developed locally, then included in the state legislature's bill. Dawkins also says he wants to see better representation on the board of the transit authority that will be created. 'Meaning the people that ride the bus have seats on the board so you have representation for your taxation,' Dawkins said. So commissioners have now set the language of the county's resolution. Next step is for them to hear from you, which will be at a public hearing next Wednesday. After that meeting, they'll decide whether to officially add the referendum to November's ballot. (VIDEO: 'Make a seat': Transit plan includes funding for bus stop improvements Solve the daily Crossword

Ted Cruz Is Weirdly Invested In The Backlash To Sydney Sweeney's Jeans Ad
Ted Cruz Is Weirdly Invested In The Backlash To Sydney Sweeney's Jeans Ad

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Ted Cruz Is Weirdly Invested In The Backlash To Sydney Sweeney's Jeans Ad

Add Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) to the chorus of conservatives who are defending Sydney Sweeney amid heated backlash to her American Eagle campaign. On Tuesday, the Texas Republican offered a snide, politically charged take on the controversy on X, formerly Twitter. 'Wow. Now the crazy Left has come out against beautiful women,' Cruz wrote alongside a New York Post article about the campaign. 'I'm sure that will poll well...' He doubled down on his remarks while appearing on Fox News in a segment that aired later on Tuesday, using the Sweeney furor as an example of 'how extreme' he feels the Democratic Party has become. 'This week the Democrats have decided, with the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad, that they hate beautiful women,' he said. 'That's just a little nuts for them to say, 'I'm sorry, we're the Democrats. Beautiful women are no longer acceptable in our society.'' Sweeney, best known for her portrayal of Cassandra 'Cassie' Howard on HBO's 'Euphoria,' has faced a barrage of criticism this week following the release of her American Eagle ads, which play off the words 'genes' and 'jeans.' 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,' the actor explains in one of the ads. 'My jeans are blue.' A narrator then reads the tagline: 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.' Though the ad seems to be an intended as an homage to Brooke Shields' 1980 Calvin Klein campaign ― also controversial for its time ― some fans on social media felt it contained white supremacist undertones. Watch one of Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ads below. 'Having Sydney Sweeney talk about her genes/jeans is already a bad look for American Eagle, but calling her genes/jeans 'blue' takes it even further, hinting at 'blue blood,' a term historically tied to whiteness and aristocratic lineage,' the Instagram account Style Analytics wrote. 'It's a nod to eugenics, aligning the brand with the growing conservative/right-wing/white supremacy movement ... This is just one way brands have recently been attempting to plaicate to conservatives.' Many echoed those sentiments, including one TikTok user who called the ad 'what happens when you have a bunch of white folk who all look and think the same.' Added another on X: 'This is so Hitler like what.' Neither Sweeney nor American Eagle have yet to respond to the criticism over the campaign. Cruz, however, is among a growing number of conservatives, including White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, in defending the ads. Related... Doja Cat Trolls Sydney Sweeney's Controversial American Eagle Ad In Viral Video Sydney Sweeney And Glen Powell Dating Rumors Have Gone Wild — Here's A Breakdown Donald Trump Jr. Swoons Over Dad In Freaky Parody Of AI Sydney Sweeney American Eagle Ad

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store