NEED TO KNOW
At your service
We know that it's sometimes difficult to get settled. From learning trash pickup schedules to ensuring that your children and pets are safe and healthy, here's a guide to the basics.
Whether you're just moving in or have been here for a while but need a new service, we'll help you navigate through the puzzle.
Utilities | Trash services | Kid stuff | Animals | Vehicles | Outdoors | Voting | Taxes | Marriage | Babies | Miscellaneous
Utilities
Electricity
Four utilities provide electric service in various parts of Cumberland County:
- Public Works Commission, 483-1382, customer service; 678-7400, emergencies; www.faypwc.com
- Progress Energy, (800) 452-2777, customer service; (800) 419-6356, emergencies; www.progress-energy.com
- Lumbee River Electric Membership Corp., (910) 843-4131 or (800) 683-5571; www.lremc.coop
- South River Electric Membership Corp., (910) 892-8071 or (800) 338-5530; www.sremc.com
Natural gas and propane
One utility provides natural-gas service in the county:
- Piedmont Natural Gas, (800) 752-7504; www.piedmontng.com
And there are numerous propane suppliers. Check in the Yellow Pages under "gas companies."
Phone services
You can turn to several providers for local (as well as long-distance) phone service, including:
- Embarq, 864-9011
- Time Warner Cable, (866) 489-2669
- A slew of wireless-service companies. Shop around.
For other information about utilities, check:
- The N.C. Utilities Commission, www.ncuc.commerce.state.nc.us/
Who We Are
Staff photo by Nick Pironio
Mae Freeman swing dances with Jimmy Harvey at Seabrook Recreation Center. Mae Freeman How long have you lived in the area? Since 1990. She moved here from Florida and managed a medical office before opening Kindred Spirits Boutique in downtown Fayetteville. The shop sells shoes, purses and beauty products. What makes this a fun place to live? Freeman swing dances every Monday at the Seabrook Recreation Center. "I've been doing it for about six years," she said. "I've always been a dancer." Tip: Call the recreation center at 433-1571 for more information. Classes are held 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Be sure to wear hard-bottomed shoes and have a willingness to boogie. |
Trash Services
Regular garbage
Most folks in Cumberland County can get their garbage picked up by their municipality, including residents of Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Stedman and Falcon.
Fayetteville residents with questions should call the city's customer service line at 433-1511.
Residents of other towns should call their town office with questions about trash pickup.
If you live elsewhere in the county, you'll have to hire a trash hauler or take the stuff yourself to the county landfill on Ann Street or to one of 17 container sites around the county.
If you have questions on this subject, call the county's solid waste management office at 321-6830 or check its Web site: www.co.cumberland.nc.us/solid_waste_mgmt/index.html
Yard waste
The city picks up containerized yard waste for its residents.
Most county residents can take their yard waste to one of the county's 17 container sites. Spring Lake residents can't because they don't pay the county's annual solid waste fee. For locations of the container sites, go to the county solid waste management office's Web site: www.co.cumberland.nc.us/solid_waste_mgmt/index.html
Recyclables
Any county resident can take recyclables to the county's container sites. There's a list of acceptable and unacceptable items at the solid waste management office's Web site: www.co.cumberland.nc.us/solid_waste_mgmt/index.html.
The city has five drop-off recycling centers for newspapers, magazines, and clean, capless plastic bottles, jugs and jars.
Those centers are at: Honeycutt Park on the driveway next to the Junior League offices on Fort Bragg Road; Massey Hill Park next to the recreation center on Camden Road; College Lakes Park on Tranquil Drive; Fire Station No. 9 on Bonanza Drive; and Fire Station No. 17 on Bailey Lake Road.
There are private recycling operations, too. Check “recycling centers” in the Yellow Pages.
Kid Stuff
School days
Wonder which school district you live in? Whether your child can attend a school outside your district? Whether uniforms will be an issue? What sort of documentation you'll need to enroll your student in school? Then touch base with the county school system: www.ccs.k12.nc.us or 678-2300.
There are a number of private schools in the area. You can see a list and find out more about them through the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education: www.ncdnpe.org/ or (919) 733-4276.
If you want to home-school your child, you can get information about the state's requirements and other issues though the aforementioned Division of Non-Public Education. You might also check:
- North Carolinians for Home Education, a statewide support network for home-schoolers, www.nche.com or (919) 790-1100.
- HOME, or Homes Offering Meaningful Education, which is a local support group for home-schoolers, www.homepatriots.com.
Day care
You can get information on local day-care providers from at least a couple of sources:
- Child Care Solutions, a nonprofit child-care resource and referral agency in Cumberland County, www.ccpfc.org or 860-2277.
- The N.C. Division of Child Development, ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/ or (800) 859-0829.
At the division's Web site, you can search for providers by name, facility type, permit type and location -- city, county or ZIP code. You also can search for facilities that accept children of certain ages and for facilities that do and don't accept subsidies for child care.
The site also will tell you a provider's most recent sanitation score and its license rating. North Carolina has a five-star rating system for licensed child-care providers. Facilities are graded on adherence to state program standards, staff educational levels and compliance with basic safety regulations.
For other kid-related info, check:
- Fascinate-U Children's Museum, 116 Green St., Fayetteville, 829-9171, www.fascinate-u.com.
Who We Are
Angela Dennis How long have you lived in the area? One year. What makes this a fun place to live? "My husband and I love exploring the restaurants here. I'd say this place has got more dining options than any place I've ever seen. Explore all your options. The big chains are great, but you could be missing some small place you might drive past every day, especially down on Hay Street." Tip: For great restaurant choices, check out the newspaper's Weekender section every Friday. It has dining out features and lists other restaurants in the area, including their hours and specialities. |
Animal house
You can get loads of information on what's required and desired for your lil’ bow wow -- or your meow mix -- from the county's animal control department -- www.co.cumberland.nc.us/ccac or 321-6851.
Note: If your dog or cat is 4 months or older, it must be vaccinated against rabies.
The animal control department impounds stray dogs and cats. Untagged animals are kept for three days before they're put up for adoption or euthanized. Tagged animals are kept for 14 days.
If you're looking for a pet to adopt, there's also a no-kill shelter in Fayetteville -- the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society at 3927 Bragg Blvd. For more information, check www.fapspet.org or call 864-9040 or 864-2077.
Car talk
N.C. license-plate agencies handle vehicle registrations, titles and ... license plates. Ta da!
There are three of these offices in Cumberland County. Their addresses and phone numbers are:
- 815 Elm St., Fayetteville; 485-1590.
- 316C Spring Lake Plaza, Spring Lake; 497-3707.
- Hope Mills Shopping Plaza, N.C. 59, Hope Mills; 424-2500.
If you need a driver's license, you need to go to a ... driver's license office.
There also are three of these offices in the county:
- 2435 Gillespie St., Fayetteville; 486-1353.
- Eutaw Shopping Center, 841 Elm St., Fayetteville; 484-6249.
- Knox and Randolph streets, Building 8T-2105, Fort Bragg; 436-5216.
Note: You must be at least 18 to get a regular driver's license. But you can get a learner's permit at 15 and a provisional driver's license at 16.
For more information about state motor vehicle laws, go to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles' Web site: www.ncdot.org/dmv/.
If you need to get your car inspected, it'll cost you $9.10 if the car is a 1995 model or earlier. For newer cars, which have to undergo an emissions test as well as a safety inspection, the total cost is $30.
If your car fails the emissions test, you've got to get the problem fixed or spend at least $200 trying. At that point, even if car still fails the emissions test, you can apply for a one-year waiver.
For more information, check the "vehicle services" section of DMV's Web site.
The Great Outdoors
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission -- www.ncwildlife.org -- registers boats and dispenses hunting and fishing licenses.
You can register your boat through the mail, at the commission's office in Raleigh or at one of the more than 400 independent wildlife service agents in the state. There are several in this area. For information on where they are, go to the Web site or call (800) 628-3773.
You can obtain a hunting or fishing license through the commission's Web site, by calling (888) 248-6834 or by visiting one of the aforementioned wildlife service agents.
Who We Are
Ellen Mintz How long have you lived in the area? A lifelong resident What do you do in your free time? The business services representative for the North Carolina Employment Security Commission's local office is a voracious reader. She frequently visits the north branch of the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center, mostly checking out mystery, history and thriller books. She enjoys traveling to the beach and attending concerts. She is a past president and board member of the Karen Chandler/Cathy Mintz Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit group that helps cancer patients and their families with financial burdens. She also attends events put on by the Cumberland County Business Council. Tip: "When I hear people say there's nothing to do in Fayetteville, I tell them there's not enough time for me to do all the things in Fayetteville," Mintz said. "You have to put yourself out there and be responsible for your own entertainment." She suggests going to a library branch to check out the services it offers. From children's story time to book clubs to interesting speakers, there's bound to be something for everyone. To find a location call the library's headquarters at 483-7727 or visit the Web site at www.cumberland.lib.nc.us. To become active in the Karen Chandler/Cathy Mintz Cancer Foundation, contact Ellen or Mike Mintz at 484-3481. For more information about CCBC events, call 484-4242 or visit the Web site at www.ccbusinesscouncil.org. |
Voting, Taxes
You can register to vote at the county's Board of Elections office, through the mail, at a driver's license office if you're conducting official DMV business there, and at various state agencies where you may be applying for benefits.
For more info, check with:
- The Cumberland County Board of Elections: 301 East Russell St., www.co.cumberland.nc.us/brdelec or 678-7733.
- The State Board of Elections: www.sboe.state.nc.us or (919) 733-7173.
If taxes are taxing your patience and your pocketbook, you may want to talk to the folks at the Cumberland County Tax Administration office, which is charged with collecting your property taxes, pet-license taxes and other assorted fees and assessments.
For more information, check the office's Web site -- www.co.cumberland.nc.us/tax.asp -- or call 678-7507.
Marriage, Babies
You can get a marriage license or a birth certificate for a Cumberland County native at the Register of Deeds office in the county courthouse at 117 Dick St.
For info, check www.ccrod.org or call 678-7775.
If you're a native of another county in North Carolina, you can get a copy of your birth certificate from that county's register of deeds or from the N.C. Vital Records office in Raleigh: vitalrecords.dhhs.state.nc.us/vr/index.html or (919) 733-3526.
Miscellaneous
For help with Social Security questions, contact the local Social Security office at 145 Rowan St. -- its number is 433-3022 -- or call the agency's toll-free number -- (800) 772-1213.
For information on passports, check the U.S. State Department's Web site: travel.state.gov. A passport facility is at the post office at 301 Green St. Hours are by appointment. Call 486-2372.
For information on welfare and food stamps, contact the county's Department of Social Services. It's at 1225 Ramsey St. and its phone number is 323-1540.
For information on unemployment benefits, contact the N.C. Employment Security Commission. Its local office is at 414 Ray Ave. and its number is 486-1010.
For information about the area's attractions, check with the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 245 Person St. or (800) 255-8217. Its Web site is www.visitfayettevillenc.com.
To check out a variety of links to Web sites of state and local interest, go to www.co.cumberland.nc.us/links.asp
Updated: August, 2007